原文链接 原文链接 Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day for August 18, 2020 is: braggadocio • \brag-uh-DOH-see-oh\ • noun 1 a : empty boasting b : arrogant pretension : cockiness 2 : a person given to arrogant boasting : braggart Examples: “The musical numbers, all penned by Miranda, slide easily from the braggadocio of ’90s rap to the lilt of Harlem jazz and beyond. Miraculously, nothing sounds excessively show-tuney.” — Stephanie Zacharek, Time , 30 June 2020 “It’s the first time in his life that Jack has hit anyone, but there are a lot of intangibles behind it (all those fake fights and phantom punches thrown, all that idle braggadocio from stunt men between takes), and with a beginner’s luck it lands just right on the side of Petty’s face….” — Daniel Pyne, Twentynine Palms , 2010 Did you know? Though Braggadocio is not as well-known as other fictional characters like Pollyanna, the Grinch, or Scrooge, in lexicography he holds a special place ...
原文链接 原文链接 Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day for December 26, 2019 is: whipsaw • \WIP-saw\ • verb 1 : to saw with a whipsaw 2 : to beset or victimize in two opposite ways at once, by two-phase operation, or by the collusive action of two opponents Examples: The community has been growing steadily safer and more prosperous after years of being whipsawed by climbing crime rates and plunging employment. “In a study that is bound to be controversial—and confusing for consumers who feel whipsawed by conflicting nutrition advice—researchers from seven countries have reported finding few health benefits associated with cutting back on red or processed meats.” — Mari A. Schaefer, The Philadelphia Inquirer , 30 Sept. 2019 Did you know? A whipsaw is a type of hand-powered saw worked by two people, one of whom stands on or above the log being sawed and the other below it, usually in a pit . The tool dates back to the 15th century, but it was not until the 19th century that an...
原文链接 原文链接 Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day for July 1, 2020 is: farrago • \fuh-RAH-goh\ • noun : a confused mixture : hodgepodge Examples: “Combining these plots is a terrible idea for multiple reasons. One is simply logistical; the fusion turns two improbable but engaging stories into a ludicrous farrago .” — Laura Miller, Slate , 8 Nov. 2019 “Although it’s hard to know anything for sure about North Korea, the fertilizer-plant photo suggests the reporting about Kim over the past few weeks was a farrago of misinformation, non-information, half speculation and outright guessing.” — Paul Farhi, The Washington Post , 5 May 2020 Did you know? Farrago might seem an unlikely relative of farina (the name for the mealy breakfast cereal), but the two terms have their roots in the same Latin noun. Both derive from far , the Latin name for spelt (a type of grain). In Latin, farrago meant “mixed fodder”—cattle feed, that is. It was also used more generally to mean “mixture....
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