▲The Raven
The Raven is a narrative poem by American writer Edgar Allan
Poe. First published in January 1845, the poem is often noted for
its musicality, stylized language, and supernatural
atmosphere. It tells of a talking raven's mysterious visit
to a distraught lover, tracing the man's slow fall into madness. The lover,
often identified as being a student, is lamenting the loss of his love, Lenore.
Sitting on a bust of Pallas,
the raven seems to further instigate his distress with its constant repetition
of the word "Nevermore". The poem makes use of a number of folk,
mythological, religious, and classical references.
▲The Philosophy of Composition
The Philosophy of Composition is an 1846 essay
written by American writer Edgar Allan
Poe that elucidates a theory about how good writers write when they
write well. He concludes that length, "unity of effect" and a logical
method are important considerations for good writing. He also makes the
assertion that "the death... of a beautiful woman" is
"unquestionably the most poetical topic in the world". Poe uses the
composition of his own poem "The Raven"
as an example. The essay first appeared in the April 1846 issue of Graham's Magazine. It is uncertain if it
is an authentic portrayal of Poe's own method.
Edgar Allan Poe
▲Journey of the Magi
Journey
of the Magi is a 43-line poem written in 1927 by T. S. Eliot
(1888–1965). It is one of five poems that Eliot contributed
for a series of 38 pamphlets by several authors collectively titled Ariel poems and released by British
publishing house Faber and Gwyer (later, Faber and
Faber). Published in August 1927, "Journey of the Magi"
was the eighth in the series and was accompanied by illustrations drawn by American-born
avant garde
artist Edward McKnight Kauffer (1890–1954). The poems, including "Journey of the Magi", were later published in
both editions of Eliot's collected poems in 1936 and 1963.
▲The
Journey of The Magi by T S Eliot
T S Eliot
A
cold coming we had of it,
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.'
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.
All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.
Just the worst time of the year
For a journey, and such a long journey:
The ways deep and the weather sharp,
The very dead of winter.'
And the camels galled, sore-footed, refractory,
Lying down in the melting snow.
There were times we regretted
The summer palaces on slopes, the terraces,
And the silken girls bringing sherbet.
Then the camel men cursing and grumbling
and running away, and wanting their liquor and women,
And the night-fires going out, and the lack of shelters,
And the cities hostile and the towns unfriendly
And the villages dirty and charging high prices:
A hard time we had of it.
At the end we preferred to travel all night,
Sleeping in snatches,
With the voices singing in our ears, saying
That this was all folly.
Then at dawn we came down to a temperate valley,
Wet, below the snow line, smelling of vegetation;
With a running stream and a water-mill beating the darkness,
And three trees on the low sky,
And an old white horse galloped away in the meadow.
Then we came to a tavern with vine-leaves over the lintel,
Six hands at an open door dicing for pieces of silver,
And feet kicking the empty wine-skins.
But there was no information, and so we continued
And arriving at evening, not a moment too soon
Finding the place; it was (you might say) satisfactory.
All this was a long time ago, I remember,
And I would do it again, but set down
This set down
This: were we led all that way for
Birth or Death? There was a Birth, certainly
We had evidence and no doubt. I had seen birth and death,
But had thought they were different; this Birth was
Hard and bitter agony for us, like Death, our death.
We returned to our places, these Kingdoms,
But no longer at ease here, in the old dispensation,
With an alien people clutching their gods.
I should be glad of another death.
▲Do not go gentle into that good night by Dylan Thomas
Dylan Thomas
Do not go gentle into that good night,
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. [
Old age should burn and rave at close of day;
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Though wise men at their end know dark is right,
Because their words had forked no lightning they
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright
Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight,
And learn, too late, they grieved it on its way,
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Grave men, near death, who see with blinding sight
Blind eyes could blaze like meteors and be gay,
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
And you, my father, there on the sad height,
Curse, bless, me now with your fierce tears, I pray.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light. [
▲What Child Is This?
"What Child
Is This?" is a Christmas
carol whose lyrics were written by William Chatterton Dix, in 1865. At the
time of composing the carol, Dix worked as an insurance company manager and had
been struck by a severe illness. While recovering, he underwent a spiritual renewal that led him to write
several hymns, including lyrics to this carol that was subsequently set to the
tune of "Greensleeves", a traditional English folk song. Although it was written
in Great Britain, the carol is more popular in the United States than in its
country of origin today.
William Chatterton Dix
◇Lyrics
What child is this, who, laid to rest,
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
On Mary's lap is sleeping?
Whom angels greet with anthems sweet,
While shepherds watch are keeping?
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Why lies He in such mean estate,
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spears shall pierce him through,
the cross he bore for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
the Babe, the Son of Mary.
Where ox and ass are feeding?
Good Christians, fear, for sinners here
The silent Word is pleading.
Nails, spears shall pierce him through,
the cross he bore for me, for you.
Hail, hail the Word made flesh,
the Babe, the Son of Mary.
So bring him incense, gold, and myrrh,
Come, peasant, king, to own him.
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The babe, the Son of Mary.
Come, peasant, king, to own him.
The King of kings salvation brings,
Let loving hearts enthrone him.
Raise, raise a song on high,
The virgin sings her lullaby
Joy, joy for Christ is born,
The babe, the Son of Mary.
This, this is Christ the King,
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
Whom shepherds guard and angels sing:
Haste, haste to bring Him laud,
The babe, the son of Mary.
▲Prefix
⬥in- that is within, internal, into, in, on, upon
For example, inside, inquire
⬥ab- away, from, from off, down
For example, absorb, absent
⬥ob- toward, against, across, down
For example, obliterate, obstacle
▲Vocabulary
☆Week25, Week26, Week27
✪awesome (adj.) Look up awesome at Dictionary.com
1590s, "profoundly
reverential," from awe (n.) + -some (1). Meaning "inspiring awe"
is from 1670s; weakened colloquial sense of "impressive, very good"
is recorded by 1961 and was in vogue from after c. 1980. Related: Awesomely;
awesomeness.
✪eruption (n.) Look up eruption at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Middle
French éruption (14c.) and directly from Latin eruptionem (nominative eruptio)
"a breaking out," noun of action from past participle stem of
erumpere "break out, burst forth" (see eruption).
✪puny (adj.) Look up puny at Dictionary.com
1570s, "inferior
in rank" (1540s as a noun, "junior pupil, freshman"), from
Middle French puisné (Modern French puîné), from Old French puisne "born
later, younger, youngest" (12c., contrasted with aisné "first-born"),
from puis nez, from puis "afterward" (from Vulgar Latin *postius,
from Latin postea "after this, hereafter," from post
"after," see post-, + ea "there") + Old French né
"born," from Latin natus, past participle of nasci "be
born" (Old Latin gnasci; see genus). Sense of "small, weak,
insignificant" first recorded 1590s. Compare puisne. Related: Puniness.
✪debris (n.) Look up debris at Dictionary.com
1708, from French
débris "remains, waste, rubbish" (16c.), from obsolete debriser
"break down, crush," from Old French de- (see de-) + briser "to
break," from Late Latin brisare, possibly of Gaulish origin (compare Old
Irish brissim "I break").
✪dispersed (v.) Look up disperse at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Latin
dispersus, past participle of dispergere "to scatter," from dis-
"apart, in every direction" (see dis-) + spargere "to
scatter" (see sparse). The Latin word is glossed in Old English by
tostregdan. Related: Dispersed; dispersing.
✪obliterate (v.) Look up obliterate at Dictionary.com
c. 1600, from Latin
obliteratus, past participle of obliterare "cause to disappear, blot out,
erase, efface," figuratively "cause to be forgotten," from ob
"against" (see ob-) + littera (also litera) "letter,
script" (see letter (n.)); abstracted from phrase literas scribere
"write across letters, strike out letters." Related: Obliterated;
obliterating
✪deplorable (adj.) Look up deplorable at Dictionary.com
"that must be
deplored, lamentable, grievous, miserable," also "pitiable,
contemptible," 1610s, from -able + deplore (v.) "lament, bewail, give
up as hopeless," from French déplorer (13c.), from Latin deplorare
"bewail, lament, give up for lost," from de- "entirely"
(see de-) + plorare "weep, cry out," which is of unknown origin. Perhaps
from or inspired by French déplorable or directly from Late Latin deplorabilis.
Johnson (mid-18c.) noted the weakened colloquial use of the word for "very
bad." Related: Deplorably; deplorability.
✪initiate (n.) Look up initiate at Dictionary.com
"one who has been
initiated" (in secret doctrines, etc.), 1732, from obsolete or archaic
past participle adjective initiate "initiated, instructed in secret
knowledge" (c. 1600), from Latin initiatus (see initiate (v.)).
(v.) Look up initiate
at Dictionary.com
c. 1600,
"introduce to some practice or system," also "begin, set
going," from Late Latin initiatus, past participle of initiare "to
begin, originate," in classical Latin only in the sense "to instruct
in mysteries or sacred knowledge." This is from initium "a beginning;
an entrance," also in plural initia "constituent parts; sacred
mysteries," a noun use of the neuter past participle of inire "to go
into, enter upon, begin," from in- "into, in" (see in- (2)) +
ire "to go" (see ion).
In some senses the
English word is a back-formation from initiation. Related: Initiated;
initiates; initiating; initiator.
conflagration
✪rue (v.) Look up rue at Dictionary.com
"feel
regret," Old English hreowan "make sorry, distress, grieve"
(class II strong verb; past tense hreaw, past participle hrowen), from Proto-Germanic
*khrewan (source also of Old Frisian riowa, Middle Dutch rouwen, Old Dutch
hrewan, German reuen "to sadden, cause repentance"); in part, blended
with Old English weak verb hreowian "feel pain or sorrow," and
perhaps influenced by Old Norse hryggja "make sad," both from
Proto-Germanic *khruwjan, all from PIE root *kreue- (2) "to push,
strike" (see anacrusis). Related: Rued; ruing.
(n.1) Look up rue at
Dictionary.com
perennial evergreen
shrub, late 14c., from Old French rue (13c.), earlier rude, from Latin ruta
"rue," probably from Greek rhyte, of uncertain etymology, originally
a Peloponnesian word. The bitter taste of its leaves led to many punning
allusions to rue (n.2.).
(n.2) Look up rue at
Dictionary.com
"sorrow,
repentance," Old English hreow "grief, repentance, sorrow, regret,
penitence," common Germanic (Frisian rou, Middle Dutch rou, Dutch rouw,
Old High German (h)riuwa, German reue), related to the root of rue (v.).
(n.3) Look up rue at
Dictionary.com
French for
"street," from Vulgar Latin *ruga (source also of Old Italian ruga,
Spanish rua "street in a village"), from Latin ruga, properly "a
furrow," then in Medieval Latin "a path, street," from PIE root
*reue- (2) "to smash, knock down, tear out, dig up" (see rough
(adj.)).
✪congenial (adj.) Look up congenial at Dictionary.com
1620s, "kindred,
sympathetic," from Latin com "with, together" (see com-) +
genialis "of birth," thus, "kindred" (see genus). Sense of
"agreeable" is first recorded 1711. Related: Congeniality.
✪hoard (n.) Look up hoard at Dictionary.com
Old English hord
"a treasure, valuable stock or store," from Proto-Germanic *huzdam
(source also of Old Saxon hord "treasure, hidden or inmost place,"
Old Norse hodd, German Hort, Gothic huzd "treasure," literally
"hidden treasure"), from PIE root *(s)keu- "to cover,
conceal" (see hide (n.1)).
(v.) Look up hoard at
Dictionary.com
Old English hordian
"to hoard," from the root of hoard (n.). Cognate with Old High German
gihurten, German gehorden, Gothic huzdjan. Related: Hoarded; hoarding.
✪sage (adj.) Look up sage at Dictionary.com
"wise," c.
1300 (late 12c. as a surname), from Old French sage "wise, knowledgeable,
learned; shrewd, skillful" (11c.), from Gallo-Roman *sabius, from Vulgar
Latin *sapius, from Latin sapere "have a taste, have good taste, be
wise," from PIE root *sap- "to taste" (see sap (n.1)). Meaning
"characterized by wisdom" is from 1530s. Related: Sageness.
(n.1) Look up sage at
Dictionary.com
kind of herb (Salvia
officinalis), early 14c., from Old French sauge (13c.), from Latin salvia, from
salvus "healthy" (see safe (adj.)). So called for its healing or
preserving qualities (it was used to keep teeth clean and relieve sore gums,
and boiled in water to make a drink to alleviate arthritis). In English folklore,
sage, like parsley, is said to grow best where the wife is dominant. In late
Old English as salvie, directly from Latin. Compare German Salbei, also from
Latin.
(n.2) Look up sage at
Dictionary.com
"man of profound
wisdom," mid-14c., from sage (adj.). Originally applied to the Seven Sages
-- Thales, Solon, Periander, Cleobulus, Chilon, Bias, and Pittacus.
✪aegis
"protection," 1793, a figurative use of Latin aegis, from Greek
Aigis, the name of the shield of Zeus, a word said by Herodotus to be related
to aix (genitive aigos) "goat," from PIE *aig- "goat"
(source also of Sanskrit ajah, Lithuanian ozys "he-goat"), as the
shield was of goatskin. Athene's aigis was a short goat-skin cloak, set with a
gorgon's head and fringed with snakes. The exact use and purpose of it is not
now clear.
The goatskin would be
worn with the two forelegs tied in front of the wearer's breast, or possibly
with the head passed through an opening made at the neck, by the removal of the
animal's head. [F. Warre Cornish, ed., "Dictionary of Greek and Roman
Antiquities," London, 1898]
✪detriment (n.) Look up detriment at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Middle
French détriment or directly from Latin detrimentum "a rubbing off; a
loss, damage, defeat," from past participle stem of detere "to wear
away," figuratively "to weaken, impair," from de-
"away" (see de-) + terere "to rub, wear" (see throw (v.)).
✪longevity (n.) Look up longevity at Dictionary.com
1610s, from Late Latin
longaevitatem (nominative longaevitas) "great age, long life," from
Latin longaevus "of great age, ancient, aged," from longus
"long" (see long (adj.)) + aevum "lifetime, age" (see eon).
✪imbibe (v.) Look up imbibe at Dictionary.com
late 14c., from Old
French imbiber, embiber "to soak into," and directly from Latin
imbibere "absorb, drink in, inhale," from assimilated form of in-
"into, in, on, upon" (see in- (2)) + bibere "to drink,"
related to potare "to drink," from PIE *po(i)- "to drink"
(see potion). Figurative sense of "mentally drink in" (knowledge,
ideas, etc.) was the main one in classical Latin, first attested in English
1550s. Related: Imbibed; imbibing.
✪virile (adj.) Look up virile at Dictionary.com
late 15c.,
"characteristic of a man; marked by manly force," from Middle French
viril (14c.) and directly from Latin virilis "of a man, manly, worthy of a
man," from vir "a man, a hero," from PIE *wi-ro- "man,
freeman" (source also of Sanskrit virah, Avestan vira-, Lithuanian vyras,
Old Irish fer, Welsh gwr, Gothic wair, Old English wer "man"). Virile
member for "penis" is recorded from 1540s.
✪senile (adj.) Look up senile at Dictionary.com
1660s, "suited to
old age," from French sénile (16c.), from Latin senilis "of old
age," from senex (genitive senis) "old, old man," from PIE root
*sen- "old" (source also of Sanskrit sanah "old;" Avestan
hana- "old;" Old Persian hanata- "old age, lapse of time;"
Armenian hin "old;" Greek enos "old, of last year;"
Lithuanian senas "old," senis "an old man;" Gothic sineigs
"old" (used only of persons), sinistra "elder, senior;" Old
Norse sina "dry standing grass from the previous year;" Old Irish
sen, Old Welsh hen "old"). Meaning "weak or infirm from
age" is first attested 1848.
✪doddering 1610s, perhaps from Middle English daderen "to quake,
tremble" (late 15c.), apparently frequentative of dialectal dade, on a
form similar to totter, patter. Related: Doddered; doddering.
✪lethargic (adj.) Look up lethargic at Dictionary.com
late 14c., litargik,
"morbidly drowsy, manifesting lethargy," from Latin lethargicus
"affected with lethargy," from Greek lethargikos "drowsy,"
from lethargos "forgetful; inactive" (see lethargy). From 1590s as "pertaining
to lethargy." Related: Lethargically. In 17c. also with a verb form,
lethargize, and a noun, letharge "lethargic patient."
✪prevalent (adj.)early 15c., "having great power or force," from
Latin praevalentem (nominative praevalens) "of superior strength;
mighty," present participle of praevalere "to be more able" (see
prevail). Meaning "extensively existing, in general use" is from
1650s.
✪paramount (adj.) Look up paramount at Dictionary.com
1530s, from
Anglo-French paramont, Old French paramont "above" (in place, order,
degree), mid-14c., from Old French par "by," from Latin per
"through, for, by" (see per (prep.)) + amont "up," from a
mont "upward" (see amount (v.)). The whole from Latin per ad montem,
literally "to the hill."
✪remiss (adj.) Look up remiss at Dictionary.com
early 15c., "weak,
dissolved," from Latin remissus "relaxed, languid; negligent,"
past participle of remittere "slacken, abate, let go" (see remit).
Meaning "characterized by lack of strictness" is attested from
mid-15c.; that of "characterized by negligence" is from mid-15c.
✪hostile (adj.) Look up hostile at Dictionary.com
late 15c., from Middle
French hostile "of or belonging to an enemy" (15c.) or directly from
Latin hostilis "of an enemy, belonging to or characteristic of the enemy;
inimical," from hostis "enemy" (see guest (n.)). The noun
meaning "hostile person" is recorded from 1838, American English, a
word from the Indian wars. Related: Hostilely.
✪rebuke (v.) Look up rebuke at Dictionary.com
early 14c., "to
reprimand, reprove; chide, scold," from Anglo-French rebuker "to
repel, beat back," Old French rebuchier, from re- "back" (see
re-) + buschier "to strike, chop wood," from busche (French bûche) "wood,"
from Proto-Germanic *busk- (see bush (n.)). Related: Rebuked; rebuking.
early 15c., "a
reproof, reprimand," from rebuke (v.).
✪aversion (n.) Look up aversion at Dictionary.com
"a turning away
from," 1590s; figurative sense of "mental attitude of
repugnance" is from 1650s, from Middle French aversion and directly from
Latin aversionem (nominative aversio), noun of action from past participle stem
of aversus "turned away, backwards, behind, hostile," itself past
participle of avertere (see avert). Earlier in the literal sense of "a
turning away from" (1590s). Aversion therapy in psychology is from 1950.
✪evince (v.) Look up evince at Dictionary.com
c. 1600,
"disprove, confute," from French évincer "disprove,
confute," from Latin evincere "conquer, overcome subdue, vanquish,
prevail over; elicit by argument, prove," from assimilated form of ex
"out" (see ex-) + vincere "overcome" (see victor). Meaning
"show clearly" is late 18c. Not clearly distinguished from its
doublet, evict, until 18c. Related: Evinced; evinces; evincing; evincible.
✪superficial (adj.) Look up superficial at Dictionary.com
late 14c., in
anatomical and mathematical uses, "of or relating to a surface," from
Late Latin superficialis "of or pertaining to the surface," from
superficies "surface, upper side, top," from super "above,
over" (see super-) + facies "form, face" (see face (n.)).
Meaning "not deep, without thorough understanding, cursory, comprehending
only what is apparent or obvious" (of perceptions, thoughts, etc.) first
recorded early 15c. (implied in superficially "not thoroughly").
Middle English jetteson
(n.) "act of throwing overboard" is from Anglo-French getteson, Old
French getaison "act of throwing (goods overboard)," especially to
lighten a ship in distress, from Late Latin iactionem (nominative iactatio)
"a throwing, act of throwing," noun of action from past participle
stem of iactare "to throw, toss about" (see jet (v.1)). Related:
Jettisoned.
✪inevitable (adj.) Look up inevitable at Dictionary.com
"unavoidable,"
mid-15c., from Latin inevitabilis "unavoidable," from in- "not,
opposite of" (see in- (1)) + evitabilis "avoidable," from
evitare "to avoid," from ex "out" (see ex-) + vitare
"shun," originally "go out of the way." As a noun from
1850. Related: Inevitableness.
✪lucrative (adj.) Look up lucrative at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Old
French lucratif "profitable" and directly from Latin lucrativus
"gainful, profitable," from lucratus, past participle of lucrari
"to gain, win, acquire," from lucrum "gain, profit" (see
lucre). Related: Lucratively; lucrativeness.
✪acute (adj.) Look up acute at Dictionary.com
late 14c., originally
of fevers and diseases, "coming quickly to a crisis" (opposed to
chronic), from Latin acutus "sharp, pointed," figuratively
"shrill, penetrating; intelligent, cunning," past participle of
acuere "to sharpen" (literal and figurative), from PIE root *ak-
"rise to a point, be sharp" (see acro-). Also used of humors (early
15c.). Meaning "ending in a sharp point" is from 1560s; sense of
"sharp or penetrating in intellect" is from 1580s. OF feelings,
pains, etc., "intense," 1727. As a noun, early 15c. of fevers; c.
1600 as "acute accent." Related: Acutely; acuteness.
✪gist (n.) Look up gist at Dictionary.com
1711, "the real
point" (of a law case, etc.), from Anglo-French legalese phrases such as
cest action gist "this action lies," from Old French gist en "it
consists in, it lies in," from gist (Modern French gît), third person
singular present indicative of gésir "to lie," from Latin iacet
"it lies," from iacere "to lie, rest," related to iacere
"to throw" (see jet (v.)). Extended sense of "essence"
first recorded 1823.
✪transient (adj.) Look up transient at Dictionary.com
c. 1600,
"transitory, not durable," from Latin transientem (nominative
transiens) "passing over or away," present participle of transire
"cross over, go over, pass over, hasten over, pass away," from trans
"across, beyond" (see trans-) + ire "to go" (see ion).
Meaning "passing through a place without staying" is from 1680s. The
noun is first attested 1650s; specific sense of "transient guest or
boarder" attested from 1857. Related: Transiently.
✪terse (adj.) Look up terse at Dictionary.com
1590s (implied in
tersely), "clean-cut, burnished, neat," from French ters
"clean," and directly from Latin tersus "wiped off, clean,
neat," from past participle of tergere "to rub, polish, wipe."
Sense of "concise or pithy in style or language" is from 1777, which
led to a general sense of "neatly concise." The pejorative meaning
"brusque" is a fairly recent development. Related: Terseness.
✪cogent (adj.) Look up cogent at Dictionary.com
1650s, from French
cogent "necessary, urgent" (14c.), from Latin cogentem (nominative
cogens), present participle of cogere "to curdle; to compel; to
collect," literally "to drive together," from com-
"together" (see co-) + agere "to set in motion, drive, drive
forward; to do, perform" (see act (n.)).
✪pinnacle (n.) Look up pinnacle at Dictionary.com
c. 1300,
"mountain, peak, promontory," from Old French pinacle "top,
gable" (13c.) and directly from Late Latin pinnaculum "peak,
pinnacle, gable," extended form (via diminutive suffix, but not
necessarily implying smallness) of Latin pinna "peak, point," (see
pin (n.1)). Figurative use is attested from c. 1400.
array
✪obscure(adj.)
Look up obscure at Dictionary.com
c. 1400,
"dark," figuratively "morally unenlightened; gloomy," from
Old French obscur, oscur "dark, clouded, gloomy; dim, not clear"
(12c.) and directly from Latin obscurus "dark, dusky, shady,"
figuratively "unknown; unintelligible; hard to discern; from insignificant
ancestors," from ob "over" (see ob-) + -scurus
"covered," from PIE *(s)keu- "to cover, conceal" (see sky).
Related: Obscurely.
(v.) Look up obscure at
Dictionary.com
early 15c., "to
cover (something), cloud over," from obscure (adj.) or else from Middle
French obscurer, from Latin obscurare "to make dark, darken,
obscure," from obscurus. Related: Obscured; obscuring.
✪ardent (adj.) Look up ardent at Dictionary.com
early 14c., of
alcoholic distillates, brandy (ardent spirits), etc., from Old French ardant
(13c.) "burning, hot; zealous," from Latin ardentem (nominative
ardens) "glowing, fiery, hot, ablaze," also used figuratively of
passions, present participle of ardere "to burn," from PIE root *as-
"to burn, glow" (source also of Old English æsce "ashes;"
see ash (n.1)).
Ardent spirits (late
15c.) so called because they are inflammable, but the term now, if used at all,
probably is felt in the figurative sense. The figurative sense (of
"burning with" passions, desire, etc.) is from late 14c.; literal
sense of "burning, parching" (c. 1400) remains rare. Related:
Ardently.
✪culminate (v.) Look up culminate at Dictionary.com
1640s, from Late Latin
culminatus past participle of culminare "to top, to crown," from
Latin culmen (genitive culminis) "top, peak, summit, roof, gable,"
also used figuratively, contraction of columen (see column). Related: Culminated;
culminating.
✪constrict (v.) Look up constrict at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Latin
constrictus, past participle of constringere "compress" (see
constrain). A direct borrowing from Latin of the same word which, via French,
became constrain. Related: Constricted; constricting.
✪prodigy (n.) Look up prodigy at Dictionary.com
late 15c., "sign,
portent, something extraordinary from which omens are drawn," from Latin
prodigium "prophetic sign, omen, portent, prodigy," from pro
"forth, before" (see pro-) + -igium, a suffix or word of unknown
origin, perhaps from the same source as aio "I say" (see adage).
Meaning "child with exceptional abilities" first recorded 1650s.
Related: Prodigial.
✪bereft (adj.) Look up bereft at Dictionary.com
late 14c., past
participle adjective from bereave (v.).
✪falter (v.) Look up falter at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "to
stagger, totter," of unknown origin, possibly from a Scandinavian source
(compare Old Norse faltrask "be burdened, hesitate, be troubled"), or
else a frequentative of Middle English falden "to fold," influenced
by fault (but OED rejects any direct connection to that word). Of the tongue,
"to stammer," mid-15c. Related: Faltered; faltering.
✪exultation (n.) Look up exultation at Dictionary.com
early 15c., from Old
French exultacion "joyousness, exultation," from Latin
exultationem/exsultationem "a leaping for joy, exultation," noun of
action from past participle stem of exultare/exsultare (see exult). The notion
is of leaping or dancing for joy. An Old English word for it was heahbliss
"high bliss."
✪vitriolic (adj.) Look up vitriolic at Dictionary.com
1660s, from French
vitriolique (16c.) or from vitriol + -ic. Figurative sense "biting,
caustic, very severe" is by 1841.
✪invective (n.) Look up invective at Dictionary.com
"an attacking in
words," 1520s, from Medieval Latin invectiva "abusive speech,"
from Late Latin invectivus "abusive, scolding" from invect-, past
participle stem of invehere "to carry in, bring in, introduce; assault,
assail; attack with words" (see inveigh). For nuances of usage, see humor
(n.). The earlier noun form in English was inveccion (mid-15c.), and invective
(adj.) was in Middle English.
✪besmirch (v.) Look up besmirch at Dictionary.com
1590s, from be- +
smirch.
Our Gayness and our
Gilt are all besmyrcht. ["Henry V," IV.iii.110]
Related: Besmirched;
besmirching.
✪voluminous (adj.) Look up voluminous at Dictionary.com
1610s, "forming a
large mass," also "full of turnings and windings," from Late
Latin voluminosus, from Latin volumen (genitive voluminis) "volume"
(see volume). Related: Voluminously; voluminousness.
✪retrospect (n.) Look up retrospect at Dictionary.com
c. 1600, "a regard
or reference" (to something), from Latin retrospectum, past participle of
retrospicere "look back," from retro- "back" (see retro-) +
specere "look at" (see scope (n.1)). Meaning "survey of past
events" is from 1660s.
✪egotist (n.) Look up egotist at Dictionary.com
1714, "one who
makes too frequent use of the first-person singular pronoun," see ego +
-ist. First attested in Joseph Addison (see egotism). Related: Egotistic;
egotistical; egotistically.
✪humility (n.) Look up humility at Dictionary.com
early 14c.,
"quality of being humble," from Old French umelite "humility,
modesty, sweetness" (Modern French humilité), from Latin humilitatem
(nominative humilitas) "lowness, small stature; insignificance; baseness,
littleness of mind," in Church Latin "meekness," from humilis
"humble" (see humble (adj.)). In the Mercian hymns, Latin humilitatem
is glossed by Old English eaðmodnisse.
pungent
✪inveterate (adj.) Look up inveterate at Dictionary.com
late 14c.,
"old," from Latin inveteratus "of long standing, chronic,
old," past participle of inveterare "become old in," from in-
"in, into" (see in- (2)) + verb from vetus (genitive veteris)
"old" (see veteran). From early 15c. as "firmly established by
long continuance;" from c. 1500, of persons, "hardened,
confirmed" (in habit, etc.). Related: Inveterateness.
✪adamant(adj.)
Look up adamant at Dictionary.com
late 14c., "hard,
unbreakable," from adamant (n.). Figurative sense of
"unshakeable" first recorded 1670s. Related: Adamantly; adamance.
(n.) Look up adamant at
Dictionary.com
Old English aðamans
"a very hard stone;" the modern word is a mid-14c. borrowing of Old
French adamant "diamond; magnet" or directly from Latin adamantem
(nominative adamas) "adamant, hardest iron, steel," also used
figuratively, of character, from Greek adamas (genitive adamantos), name of a
hypothetical hardest material, noun use of an adjective meaning
"unbreakable, inflexible," which was metaphoric of anything
unalterable (such as Hades), a word of uncertain origin.
It is perhaps literally
"invincible, indomitable," from a- "not" (see a- (3)) +
daman "to conquer, to tame," from PIE root *deme- "to constrain,
force, break (horses)" (see tame (adj.)). "But semantically, the
etymology is rather strange," according to Beekes, who suggests it might
be a foreign word altered in Greek by folk etymology, and compares Akkadian (Semitic)
adamu.
Applied in antiquity to a metal resembling gold (Plato), white
sapphire (Pliny), magnet (Ovid, perhaps through confusion with Latin adamare
"to love passionately"), steel, emery stone, and especially diamond,
which is a variant of this word. "The name has thus always been of
indefinite and fluctuating sense" [Century Dictionary].
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