51吃瓜 of the Day
erstwhile
adjective
former; of times past: erstwhile friends.
More about erstwhile
Erstwhile is a compound of the Middle English adjective and adverb erest 鈥渇irst in time, rank, order, excellence, etc.,鈥� from the similar Old English adjective and adverb 牵谤别蝉t 鈥渇irst, at first.鈥� (The –est ending indicates that Old English 牵谤别蝉t is the superlative degree of 牵谤 鈥渆arly,鈥� which functions as an adjective, adverb, preposition, and conjunction.) While comes from the Old English noun 丑飞墨濒 鈥渁 space of time, a while, an indefinite space of time,鈥� which in Middle English develops senses as an adverb and conjunction. Erstwhile as an adverb entered English in the second half of the 16th century, and as an adjective, in the early 20th.
how is erstwhile used?
Many of Biden鈥檚 erstwhile opponents have found roles for themselves.
When the the 75-year-old ruler … refused to step down, some of his erstwhile allies from the military and security forces pushed him out.
erstwhile
assiduity
noun
constant or close application or effort; diligence; industry.
More about assiduity
Assiduity ultimately comes from the Latin noun 补蝉蝉颈诲耻颈迟腻蝉 (inflectional stem 补蝉蝉颈诲耻颈迟腻迟-) 鈥渃onstant presence or attendance, constant practice,鈥� a derivative of the adjective assiduus 鈥渟ettled, continued, persistent.鈥� Assiduus derives from the compound verb 补蝉蝉颈诲脓谤别 鈥渢o sit near, sit next to, pay attention to,鈥� formed from the preposition and prefix ad, ad– 鈥渢o, at, near鈥� and the simple verb 蝉别诲脓谤别 鈥渢o sit.鈥� The semantics of sitting and therefore paying close attention fits perfectly with the German noun Sitzfleisch (borrowed into English in the 19th century), which means 鈥渢he buttocks, (literally) sit-flesh,鈥� and by extension, the ability to sit for a long period of time and persevere in an activity. Assiduity entered English in the early 17th century.
how is assiduity used?
鈥淚 really believe in working with youth, and particularly this age group 鈥� middle school 鈥� with respect and kindness and patience,鈥� Palla said. It鈥檚 an approach that takes assiduity, especially considering the volume of students that Cook and Palla oversee.
These disloyal thoughts came seldom, and she put them resolutely away, devoting herself with all the greater assiduity to her muslin curtains and ruffled pillow-shams.
assiduity
personalia
plural noun
biographical data, personal reminiscences, or the like: He could never keep the personalia out of his essays.
More about personalia
Personalia is a noun use of the neuter plural form of the Latin adjective 辫别谤蝉艒苍腻濒颈蝉 鈥减别谤蝉辞苍补濒.鈥� 笔别谤蝉艒苍腻濒颈蝉 is not very common in Latin, being restricted to the law, as in beneficium pers艒n膩le 鈥減ersonal benefit,鈥� and grammar, as in verbum pers艒n膩le 鈥減ersonal verb鈥� (that is, a verb with three persons in both numbers). The modern English sense of personalia is a New Latin sense that first appeared in the 19th century.
how is personalia used?
Simply for its pictures of that old life, for its vivid anecdote, for its riches of personalia, and for its manly tone, the narrative is readable and delightful to a wonderful degree.
But if the show is a bit hard to read (which is which?), the lavish catalog is a pleasure. With texts for each plate slyly sending up our fascination with personality and personalia, it is as engrossing as any new fiction.
personalia