Lexicography¶
Altruism¶
al-tru-ism
1853, French origin altruisme. But if you deep dive to the roots: Italian word 'altrui', then at the bottom of it the 'alteri' meaning 'others' or 'someone else'.
Unselfishness, act of being selfless. Opposite of egoism and selfishness. Altruist is someone who is devoted to the well-being of other, before himself.
Never knew you were an altruist Mr. ..?
Please, spare me from hearing your altruism bullcrap, your predecessors were far more realistic.
Catharsis¶
ka-thar-sis
First near modern usage is 1770s.
The process of releasing strong—and usually repressed— emotions and traumas through an artful activity. Activity can be anything really, doesn't necessarily has to be artful, even expressing it by telling it to someone and how it impacted you can also be catharsis. Usually it takes forms of theater, music, writing. Goal is to achieve spiritual purification/release of strong emotions that are often scarring and may be traumatizing. Emotional release.
Originates from the ancient Greek, around the times of Aristotle. Formerly, it meant 'bodily purging' or 'purification' in physical means. Later it's meaning has been coined to the psychological term by Aristotle himself. It is also used in medicine context to describe evacuation or cleansing of certain material from body, e.g: Cathartic drugs are used for increasing bowel movement and accelerate defecation.
I want no one to escape. But even after admitting this, there is no catharsis;...
I had to undergo this suffering, I had to bear this burden for otherwise there would be no catharsis.
Yuppie¶
ya-pee
1980s. Not much of a origin, recent word that popped out into the usage. First printed usage was in 1980 in a Chicago magazine. It is the acronym for "young urban professional".
Get that yuppie outta here, it's too much for his stomach.
Well there are only yuppies and elderly here, no one to be missed.
Virility¶
vuh-ri-li-ti
Late middle ages (1500s) French origin, virilité, and it can be traced back to it's Latin origins before that: virilitas. It's usage peaked around 1920s, then steadily declined until recently it was picked up again but the society, increasing after 1980s, probably to counter the decline of masculinity.
It comes from proto-indo-european root word `wi-ro-, meaning man*.
The state of being virile. Used for emphasizing manly qualities, masculinity. It also can be used to indicate a man's ability to reproduce, procreate, fertility. It's all about masculine traits such as strength, charisma, vigor.
Opposite is femininity.
I'm an aspect of virility, beacon of masculinity, potent in every way.
Virility alone will not suffice to charm a decent woman like myself...
Meticulous¶
me-tic-cul-u-lus
In 1530s Latin meticulosus/metuculosus, it originally meant 'fearful' or 'timid'. Its litaral translation from latin was 'full of fear'. Its origin is unknown.
In 1840 English, it returned to the literature with the meaning 'fussy about details'. Though since then it is remarked as an archaic word, obsolete. Imperial Dictionary of 1883 marks it as an arcaic word, an its meaning as 'timid'. However, Century dictionary (1883) it is defined as 'timid; over-careful'. So in essence, it was borrowed from the Latin, and evolved into 'fear of making mistake' from the original 'fearful' meaning. This transition of meaning occured between 1700-1800 period.
In the modern era, it means: careful, finicky, scrupulous, cautious. Showing great attention to detail.
It is not a common word, and be very carerful (or meticulous, lol) when using it. The emotion it conveys could be misinterpretted by people.
He is a meticulous teacher, and a strict instructor
Thank you for your hardwork, I can see that these documents are meticulously preserved
Bikeshedding¶
bike-shed-ing
It comes from the Parkinson's law of triviality. Law of triviality suggests that people in a group/organization often weight trivial issues more than the crucial problems.
Parkinson observed that a committee whose job is to approve plans for a nuclear power plant may spend the majority of its time on relatively unimportant but easy-to-grasp issues, such as what materials to use for the staff bikeshed, while neglecting the design of the power plant itself, which is far more important but also far more difficult to criticize constructively.
Focusing on trivial concepts rather than the paramount issues.
Usually used in software industry.
To me, its a fallacy of incompetent managers and leaders. To diverge the attention from their incompetency, they focus on easy to tackle (and usually elementary) task. This effectively masks their impotence, but in the mean time enables the whole organization's undoing.
English origin, 1957
Stop with the bikeshedding and get on with it!
Lads it's not my place to say this but I feel like we're bikeshedding here
Dossier¶
do-si-ay
Documents, files, papers which belong to certain subject. For example; military personnel documents of a single person bundled together, folder that contains your personal information, set of documents you give to the consulate for visa application.
In Latin, dos means "back". Dossier is named so because when these documents were bundled together with a strap, they would usually bear a insignia/label on the back.
However; in old French, dossiere means back-strap or rather horse harness. It also makes sense because books, documents, files, folders and papers were used to be bundled together via a strap/harness. Hence the WinRAR logo...
French Origin, 1880.
I know that about you, I've read your dossier
Under no circumstance this dossier is laid bare before another pair of eyes
Riveting¶
ri-ve-ting
Extraordinarily interesting, captivating.
Comes from the figurative meaning of hammering down 'rivets', so you gather attention.
From 1854...
I think it is riveting
His command of English was riveting, such compelling narrative!
Churlish¶
chur-lish
Act of being churl: beastly, uncivilized, vulgar, rude, peasant like. Someone who is acting unpleasant. For example, declining a kind invitation could be churlish. Or interrupting someone while they are telling you a story would be churlish. When metro arrives, if you don't allow people to get off first, that is churlish; uncivil.
Comes from old English, evolved through the ages. Originally ceorlisc, then cherlish, to churlish. Pre 1000s. In old English, ceorl (churl) would mean peasant; lowest class of men. Initially it didn't mean anything bad, it was simply a class in caste. Only later on it evolved to identify someone vulgar and uncivil.
Insubordinate and churlish, pity...
Such churlish and rudent behaviour will get you nowhere
Wog¶
[racial slur] [offensive]
wog
Deragotary term to refer to non-white skinned person; usually those of nubian, middle-eastern or southeast-asian descendency. In some context of street slang, it might refer to anyone that is foreigner, but commonly for the listed ethnicities.
Originally it ment "a lower-class babu shipping clerk", babu meaning clerk with Indian origin. Later popularized and used by British soldiers during WW2, as a slang for arab or native indian (hindoo), in the context of laborer/servant. Some uncertainties revolve around its lexicography but strongest candidate for the word origin is "golliwog" (deragotary, offensive) from The History of King Edward's Horse, 1921.
1920, Britian.
Get that wog out of here
Call me wog one more time and I shall educate you in the ways of civil manner
Force Majeure¶
force-meguere
Superior force. Usually used in law/business context where the meaning varies slightly. In business or law context it means; powers or events out of control or interception, e.g: war, natural disaster, cataclysim where no party as at fault so no-one is to blame.
In the cases of force majeure; any obligations, terms, agreements and desigations may be rendered invalid. So if you see this clause in a law/businesss context it means the disclaimer relieves themselves from any obligations and liabilities, since it is beyond their control.
...We do not enforce any extra shifts, unless it is paid and agreed upon by both parties. Though force majeure may require you to perform extra shifts outside any agreement or time schedule.
As our defense in the court, we will primarily focus on the force majeure aspect and use it to our advantage.
1883, French Origin.
Sweepstake¶
sweep-stake
Gambling or contest where the prize is awarded to winner or winners. Such as horse races, in which all the stakes bet are divided between winners.
Usually winner takes all form of race/contest.
Late 14th century English.
Sweepstakes! You're a winner
Hey there is gonna be a sweepstakes dance-off at 2001, wanna come with me?
Celibacy¶
ce-li-ba-cy
Abstaining from intentionally having sexual intercourse, and usually marriage. Often due to religious/spiritual reasons.
Three schools of thought for this behaviour: sacerdotal, monastic, and institutional. - Sacerdotal (priestly): for priests and clerics - Monastic: for monks. By the famous Greek philosopher Pythagoras - Institutional: counterpart of the monastic celibacy, for females such as vestals.
Word and the cultural roots originate from ancient Greece and Rome. Followers of the Cybele (anatolian goddess) cult, vestal virgins. Idea was established since ancient Egypt by the followers of Isis.
Latin origin, 16th century. caelibatus (state of being unmarried, a single life)
Orthodox faithdom has more to offer than mere celibacy
I didn't choose celibacy life, celibacy life chose me.
Derring-do¶
der-rin-do
Taking a brave action without accouting for the consequences. Daring.
Old-middle English origin, 16th century. Evolved from series of mispronunciation and misunderstanding. Originally it was "dorring don" or "daring to do".
Little rascal has spirit. You know, spirit, bravado, a touch of derring-do...
No matter the outcome, Such derring-do will not go unpunished.
Erstwhile¶
[erst-while]
Old, previously, former.
Old English origin. Used as in it's current form since late 16th century.
Erstwhile on Fargo
My erstwhile endeavours were not in vain as you can see now.
Adulation¶
[a-gu-la-ti-on]
Excessive flattery,admiration praise. Usually insincere.
Old French origin.
If you desire adulation, seek it elsewhere
Your public adulation stunts start to get on my nerves
Surmise¶
[sir-mise]
Presume something to be truthful without any evidence or material to back it. It's the art of supposition.
In other words, you're making a guess entirely out of hunch meanwhile lacking the necessary clue nor knowledge.
Old French origin, surmetre (to accuse). from sur- (“upon”) + metre (“to put”). 15th century to 17th century.
In law context, it means to allege, to charge, accuse.
A: "Are they with you?"
B: "Surmise."
A: "What?"
B: "Because we arrived together, we are together. Surmise"
A: "Well are ya??"
B: "Yes..."
I surmise the victim wasn't alive when you arrived
Conciliate¶
[con-cil-i-ate]
Eagerness to end an argument, eliminate hostility, keen on cooler heads prevail. Motived to acquire the cooperation/compliance with the other party.
Intent for pacification.
Latin origin concilium (assembly/unite), mid-16th century.
You can't simply conciliate me with mere words, I'm not an easy prey.
When the conciliatiation failed, I had to resort to brutal methods.
Touché¶
[tou-che]
Great delivery, appropriateness of an argument/delivery. But there has to be some sort of wittiness to it. Also acknowledgement of a hit in fencing sport.
It is something you can say when you get debunked, fooled, played. At least you'll go down in-style, amirite ? In some cases it is the grandfather of noice.
French origin.
A: You couldn't be sleeping at that time because there was a train ticket in your pocket, ticket was issued 1 hour prior to the incident. You aliby is invalid! B: Touché. You got me.
“Touché” is all I can say because you definitely put me in my place with your biting retort.
Bona Fide¶
[bone-a-faid]
Sincere, with good intention, in good faith,without ulterior motive, genuine.
Latin origin.
He was able to present himself as a bona fide man.
Cul-de-sac¶
[cul-de-sac]
cul (bottom/arse) de (of) sac (sack)
Dead-end street. French origin.
Snap, they got us into a cul-de-sac!
Farcical¶
[far-ci-cal]
Ridiculous, nonsense, gibberish, resembling farce
The argument was farcical altogether
Salient¶
[sa-lient]
Most noticable, important.
I was preparing to summarize my salient work of the last six month