51吃瓜 of the Day
More about imp
Imp 鈥渁 little devil or demon鈥� derives from Old English impa 鈥渟hoot, graft,鈥� via Latin impotus from Ancient Greek 茅尘辫丑测迟辞蝉 鈥減lanted, implanted.鈥� This Ancient Greek source is related to the noun 辫丑测迟贸苍 鈥減lant,鈥� which is the source of the English combining forms phyto- (as in phytochemical, a compound found in plants) and -phyte (as in neophyte 鈥渁 beginner or novice,鈥� literally 鈥渁 new plant鈥�). The story of how a word for 鈥減lant鈥� became a word for 鈥渓ittle devil鈥� is less complicated than one might think; from 鈥減lant,鈥� the definition shifted to 鈥渙ffshoot of a plant,鈥� and from there, it broadened to include any offspring, plant or animal. The phrase imp of the devil, meaning 鈥渙ffspring of the devil,鈥� gave imp the additional sense of 鈥渄emon,鈥� which the word has preserved to the present day though it no longer appears in that phrase. Imp was first recorded in English before the 8th century.
how is imp used?
Experts can say that something is safe, but if we don鈥檛 feel that it鈥檚 safe, our inner voice can win out over reason. (Likewise, when experts say something is bad for us, we often dispose of that advice in favor of listening to the little imp on our shoulder telling us that it鈥檚 something we want to do, so it can鈥檛 be all that bad.) The best experts help us find the sweet spot between our gut and our brain by explaining processes, risks, and benefits in ways that we can understand.
The entire day passed, but Ivan kept on braiding the cord. Suddenly an imp jumped out of the water. 鈥淗ired man, what are you doing?鈥� 鈥淲hy, you can see for yourself. I’m braiding a rope.鈥� 鈥淎nd what do you need the rope for?鈥� 鈥淲hat for? I want to cinch up the lake and squeeze out you devils.”
imp
ransack
verb (used with object)
to search through for plunder; pillage.
More about ransack
Ransack 鈥渢o search thoroughly through鈥� derives via Middle English from Old Norse rannsaka 鈥渢o search, examine (a house for stolen goods), pillage,鈥� a compound of rann 鈥渉ouse鈥� and saka 鈥渢o search.鈥� Rann is a close relative of the English word barn, which was originally a compound of bere 鈥渂arley鈥� and ern or 牵谤苍 鈥渉辞耻蝉别.鈥� Saka, a variant of 蝉舱办箩补, is a cognate of the English verbs seek and beseech; in combination with rann, the resulting verb rannsaka originally entailed searching through a house. This definition broadened over time to refer to searching through any building and then shifted to include violence and theft. Ransack was first recorded in English in the early 1200s.
how is ransack used?
Regarded as a symbol of the power and aggression of church and monarchy, the building was ransacked during the French Revolution. The heads of the 28 statues in the Gallery of Kings on the main doorway were struck from their bodies, 鈥� Lead from the roof was pillaged for bullets. The bronze bells were melted down to make cannon. Only the enormous Emmanuel bell … was spared.
A self-described Michigan 鈥渟occer mom鈥� who had 鈥渆very belonging鈥� taken from her family in a 2014 drug raid has been cleared of all criminal charges, 19 months after heavily armed drug task force members ransacked her home and her business. But in many ways, her ordeal is only beginning.
ransack
51吃瓜 of the day
stewardship
noun
the responsible overseeing and protection of something considered worth caring for and preserving.
More about stewardship
Stewardship is a compound of the common noun steward 鈥渁 manager of someone鈥檚 property or finances鈥� and the native English suffix –ship, which denotes condition, office, or skill. From about the beginning of the 20th century, stewardship in many Christian denominations has acquired the sense 鈥渙bligation for the responsible use of time, money, and talents in the service of God and of one鈥檚 neighbor.鈥� Stewardship entered English in the 15th century.
how is stewardship used?
Stewardship means, for most of us, find your place on the planet, dig in, and take responsibility from there鈥攖he tiresome but tangible work of school boards, county supervisors, local foresters鈥攍ocal politics. 鈥� Get a sense of workable territory, learn about it, and start acting point by point.
On the campaign trail, [Michelle Wu] put forward bold policy proposals and vowed to use the bully pulpit of the mayorship to push for change in arenas outside the purview of City Hall, such as rent control and a fare-free T system …. Wu laid out an agenda to take on inequality and 鈥渦neven opportunity鈥� in Boston under her stewardship.
stewardship