51吃瓜 of the Day
More about chirography
Chirography, an expensive word for 鈥渉andwriting, penmanship,鈥� comes from Greek 肠丑别颈谤辞驳补辫丑铆补 鈥渨ritten report, testimony in writing.鈥� The first element, cheiro-, is a combining form of the noun 肠丑别铆谤 鈥渉and,鈥� which has many dialect forms (肠丑茅谤蝉, 肠丑岣梤, 肠丑茅谤谤-). 颁丑别铆谤 comes from the uncommon Proto-Indo-European root ghesor-, ghesr– 鈥渉and,鈥� the source of Hittite kessar, Armenian 箩别峁�-, and Tocharian tsar, all meaning 鈥渉and.鈥� The combining form –graphy, naturalized in English, is a derivative of the verb 驳谤谩辫丑别颈苍 鈥渢o write,鈥� from a Proto-Indo-European root ghrebh-, ghrobh– 鈥渢o scratch, dig, bury,鈥� the source of English grave (burial place), grub (to dig), and groove. Chirography entered English in the 17th century.
how is chirography used?
Miss Kate S. Chittenden’s hand is bold, fearless, and masculine, and there are decided indications that her temperament resembles her chirography in these respects.
鈥淭hree hours of hand-shaking is not calculated to improve a man鈥檚 chirography,鈥� he [Lincoln] said later that evening.
magnanimous
adjective
generous in forgiving an insult or injury; free from petty resentfulness or vindictiveness: to be magnanimous toward one's enemies.
More about magnanimous
Magnanimous comes from the Latin adjective magnanimus 鈥渘oble in spirit, brave, generous.鈥� Magnanimus is a loan translation of the Greek adjectives 尘别驳谩迟丑测尘辞蝉, 尘别驳补濒贸迟丑测尘辞蝉 鈥済reat hearted,鈥� and 尘别驳补濒贸辫蝉测肠丑辞蝉 鈥済enerous, high-souled.鈥� Magnanimus was used especially in translations of the Aristotelian term 尘别驳补濒贸辫蝉测肠丑辞蝉. Magnanimous entered English in the 16th century.
how is magnanimous used?
… if he would … discharge his heart of its hoarded bitterness鈥攆orgive the world, for having turned his head; and for not keeping it turned, by main force; become a little more magnanimous; and, a little less unhappy and suspicious … I do almost believe that he might do something decent, to be remembered by.
As a master of symbolism, Mandela supported his strategy by being magnanimous towards his former enemies.
daffing
noun
Scot. and North England.
merriment; playful behavior; foolishness.
More about daffing
Daffing, 鈥渕erriment, playfulness,鈥� also 鈥渋nsanity,鈥� is a British dialect word used in northern England and Scotland (the only two writers of note to use the word are the Scotsmen Robert Burns and Robert Louis Stevenson). Daffing is a derivative of the Scottish verb daff 鈥渢o play, make sport,鈥� from the obsolete noun daff 鈥渇ool, idiot, coward,鈥� from the Middle English adjective dafte 鈥渨ell-mannered, gentle, humble,鈥� and 鈥渦ncouth, boorish, dull鈥� (possibly from the sense 鈥渉umble, good-natured鈥�). Dafte is also the source of daft 鈥渟enseless, stupid, crazy,鈥� from Old English 诲忙蹿迟别, defte 鈥済别苍迟濒别.鈥� Daffing entered English in the 16th century.
how is daffing used?
“Hoot-toot! hoot-toot!” said Cluny. “It was all daffing; it’s all nonsense.”
He must have had a mind full of variety and wide human sympathy almost Shakespearian, who could step from the musings of Windsor … to the lasses in their gay kritles, and Hob and Raaf with their rustic ” daffing,” as true to the life as the Ayrshire clowns of Burns ….