51吃瓜 of the Day
discommode
verb (used with object)
to cause inconvenience to; disturb, trouble, or bother.
More about discommode
Discommode, 鈥渢o cause inconvenience or trouble to,鈥� comes from Middle French discommoder, a compound formed from the Latin prefix dis– 鈥渁part, away,鈥� here with a privative or negative force, and the French adjective commode 鈥渃onvenient, easy,鈥� from Latin commodus 鈥渙f standard size or weight, suitable, convenient.鈥� Commodus is a compound of the Latin prefix com-, here with the intensive force 鈥渃ompletely,鈥� and the noun modus, 鈥渕easured amount, size, or quantity.鈥� Discommode entered English in the second half of the 17th century.
how is discommode used?
I decided not to discommode him further on walks by abruptly bringing him out into the same car-whizzing streets that had so shivered and terrified him, so when we went outside it was through the back door into a warren of unthreatening urban alleyways.
鈥淲e didn’t know we were discommoding you so.鈥� Norma liked that word and she said it over under her breath. 鈥�Discommode 鈥擨 wouldn’t want to discommode you, Mr. Gable, but I think you should know…”
discommode
idiolect
noun
Linguistics.
a person's individual speech pattern.
More about idiolect
An individual person鈥檚 own pattern of speech is called an idiolect, formed from the Greek adjective 铆诲颈辞蝉 鈥減rivate, one鈥檚 own, peculiar.鈥� (The English noun idiot comes ultimately from Greek 颈诲颈峁搕脓蝉 鈥減rivate person, a citizen who does not participate in public affairs,鈥� a term of abuse and contempt in Periclean Athens). The combining form –lect, extracted from dialect (from Greek 诲颈谩濒别办迟辞蝉 鈥渟peech, language, discourse, accent, manner of speech,鈥� and later 鈥渢he language of a country or district鈥�), has been promoted to a full word, lect, which in linguistics means 鈥渁 distinct variety of a language, such as a standard variety or a nonstandard regional dialect.鈥� Idiolect entered English in the mid-20th century.
how is idiolect used?
痴辞濒濒尘补苍苍鈥檚 idiolect is obsessive, punctilious, twitchy, hyperobservational, and proudly amateurish.
There is debate, for example, over whether we each have an 鈥�idiolect,鈥� or unique linguistic fingerprint. And if we do, how consistent is it in academic essays or love letters as opposed to, say, e-mails and text messages? Betcha its not!! :-)
idiolect
zinger
noun
Informal.
a quick, witty, or pointed remark or retort.
More about zinger
Zinger, 鈥渁 quick, witty, pointed remark or answer,鈥� is a derivative of the verb and noun zing, 鈥�(to make) a sharp whizzing noise.鈥� It is, unsurprisingly, an American slang term that dates to about 1950.
how is zinger used?
He delivered聽his zingers with a sly twinkle in his eye, a deadpan expression, and a laugh so big he’d pull out a handkerchief to wipe the tears from his eyes.
Pope Francis often sprinkles his writings or public speeches with pungent zingers on issues like inequality and environmental destruction.
zinger