51吃瓜 of the Day
avuncular
adjective
acting like an uncle, as in being kind, patient, generous, etc., especially to younger people.
More about avuncular
Avuncular typically means 鈥渁cting in a kindly, benevolent manner towards one鈥檚 nieces and nephews.鈥� Avuncular comes from the Latin noun avunculus 鈥渕other鈥檚 brother, uncle,鈥� a derivative of the noun avus 鈥済randfather, forefather, ancestor.鈥� (English uncle comes via Old French and Anglo-French oncle, uncle from avunculus.) Latin avus comes from Proto-Indo-European awos 鈥済randfather, maternal grandfather.鈥� Awo– is also the source for Armenian hav 鈥済randfather,鈥� Old Irish 谩耻别, Middle Irish 贸(补), 煤补, both meaning 鈥済randson, descendant,鈥� and the source of 翱鈥� in Gaelic surnames, such as 翱鈥機onnor 鈥渄escendant of Connor.鈥� Variants of the stem appear in Lithuanian 补惫媒苍补蝉 鈥渕aternal uncle,鈥� Old Prussian awis, and Old Church Slavonic 耻箩沫, both meaning 鈥渦ncle.鈥� The Latin term for father鈥檚 brother, paternal uncle is patruus (a derivative of patr– father), for maternal aunt matertera (a derivative of 尘腻迟谤-), and for paternal aunt amita. Latin is interesting to anthropologists because of its unusually full and exact kinship terms, every possible kinship relation having its own term and not a descriptive compound noun, for example, 鈥渇ather鈥檚 brother, mother鈥檚 mother, sister鈥檚 son.鈥� (The Latin system of kinship terms is an excellent example of the so-called Sudanese pattern.) Indeed, anthropologists use Latin kinship terms as the basis of a general terminology for cross-cultural use. Avuncular entered English in the first half of the 19th century.
how is avuncular used?
Immersed in bubbles, fully suited, he [Stephen Colbert] provided his signature mix of acid critique and avuncular reassurance.
He also, later on, has a consoling, avuncular chat with his frightened boy-self.
avuncular
mitzvah
noun
any good or praiseworthy deed.
More about mitzvah
Mitzvah 鈥渓aw, divine law, commandment鈥� is probably most familiar to Americans in the phrases bar mitzvah and bat mitzvah 鈥渟on / daughter of the Law / commandment,鈥� the ceremony making the young person responsible for observing the Law. Mitzvah represents a modern pronunciation of Hebrew 尘颈葯飞腻丑 鈥渃ommand, commandment.鈥� There also exists the developed meaning of 尘颈葯飞腻丑 鈥済ood deed performed in fulfillment of a commandment,鈥� such as the obligation to love one鈥檚 neighbor as oneself. Mitzvah entered English in the mid-17th century.
how is mitzvah used?
Wearing something new for a festive occasion is a mitzvah, a commandment and good deed in Jewish law.
Here鈥檚 what I learned: it鈥檚 a mitzvah for humanity that I didn鈥檛 take my parents鈥� advice about becoming a doctor.
mitzvah
abscond
verb (used without object)
to depart in a sudden and secret manner, especially to avoid capture and legal prosecution.
More about abscond
Abscond ultimately comes from Latin abscondere, 鈥渢o hide away, stow away, store away,鈥� a double compound verb formed from the preposition and prefix abs, abs-, a variant of ab, ab– 鈥渁way, away from,鈥� and the compound verb condere 鈥渢o put in or into, store away, put away鈥� (formed from the familiar prefix con-, here used with intensive force 鈥渢horoughly, completely,鈥� and –dere 鈥渢o put,鈥� a verb used only in compounds). The usual modern meaning of abscond 鈥渢o depart in a sudden and secret manner, so as to avoid capture and prosecution,鈥� does not occur in Latin but developed in English during the 17th century. It is a reflexive or passive use of the verb: 鈥渢o hide oneself, hide oneself away (from), flee, flee from prosecution.鈥� Abscond entered English in the second half of the 16th century in the sense 鈥渢o conceal, obscure.鈥�
how is abscond used?
Mr. Angiolillo鈥檚 descendants say that their stepbrother absconded with the diamond after his mother died in 2009, but the stepbrother, Marco Milella, has insisted that he inherited the stone from his mother and that it was his to sell, according to court records.
In a complaint filed in the Central District of California, the three principals were charged not only with running the site but also with planning an 鈥渆xit scam,鈥� in which they intended to abscond with some eleven million dollars being held in users鈥� accounts.
abscond