51吃瓜 of the Day
thrawn
adjective
contrary; peevish; stubborn.
More about thrawn
Scots and Northern Irish thrawn, 鈥渃ontrary; peevish; stubborn,鈥� in origin is the past participle of the verb thraw 鈥渢o twist, wrench, distort,鈥� the Scots form of throw. The sense 鈥渢o twist, wrench鈥� is one of the senses of Middle English throuen and Old English 迟丑谤腻飞补苍 in addition to the more common sense 鈥渢o hurl, cast, throw.鈥� Throw and thraw are related to Dutch draaien 鈥渢o turn, rotate鈥� and German drehen 鈥渢o twist, turn.鈥� Readers familiar with the “Star Wars” extended universe may recognize thrawn for a different reason: Grand Admiral Thrawn is a character introduced by author Timothy Zahn in the 1991 novel Heir to the Empire. In the “Star Wars” novels, however, the name Thrawn is short for Mitth鈥檙aw鈥檔uruodo. While we can鈥檛 say whether the name was inspired by the Scots term, it seems fair to classify the character Thrawn as a rather peevish or stubborn fellow. Thrawn entered English in the late 15th century.
how is thrawn used?
He reckons it was his doggedness that got him through. 鈥淚鈥檓 a very thrawn, determined person so I don鈥檛 like to get beat,鈥� he said.
The trouble was that a narrative structure implied sequence, and any display based upon the accretion of knowledge in a certain order would be vulnerable to thrawn visitor who, human and contrary, enters at the wrong end of a sequence; or, worse, grazes at random.
thrawn
equanimity
noun
mental or emotional stability or composure, especially under tension or strain; calmness.
More about equanimity
Equanimity, 鈥渕ental or emotional stability or composure,鈥� ultimately comes from Latin 补别辩耻补苍颈尘颈迟腻蝉 (inflectional stem 补别辩耻补苍颈尘颈迟腻迟-), originally 鈥済oodwill, favor,鈥� and later 鈥渃almness of mind, tranquillity.鈥� 础别辩耻补苍颈尘颈迟腻蝉 is a derivative of the rare adjective aequanimis, also aequanimus 鈥渃alm, composed.鈥� The adjectives are compounds of aequus 鈥渆ven, plain, equal鈥� and the noun animus 鈥渕ind, spirit, feelings.鈥� The last element of equanimity, –ity, comes via the Old French suffix –ite from the Latin abstract noun suffix –颈迟腻蝉, which expresses a state, condition, or quality. Equanimity entered English in the early 17th century.
how is equanimity used?
A truly brave man is ever serene; he is never taken by surprise; nothing ruffles the equanimity of his spirit.
After all, there are听middle schoolers鈥攋ust as there are some adults and other children鈥攚ho have weathered the past year with relative equanimity.
equanimity
apothegm
noun
a short, pithy, instructive saying; a terse remark or aphorism.
More about apothegm
Apothegm, 鈥渁 short, instructive saying; a terse remark,鈥� is hard enough to pronounce even in its simplified spelling, which is based on the pronunciation of the word. The original spelling, still used, is apophthegm. Apothegm was the usual spelling until Dr. Johnson settled on apophthegm in his dictionary (1755). Apophthegm ultimately comes from the Greek noun 补辫贸辫丑迟丑别驳尘补, a derivative of the verb 补辫辞辫丑迟丑茅苍驳别蝉迟丑补颈 鈥渢o speak out, speak one鈥檚 opinion plainly,鈥� a compound of the prefix apo- 鈥渇orth鈥� and the simple verb 辫丑迟丑茅苍驳别蝉迟丑补颈 鈥渢o speak, raise one鈥檚 voice.鈥� Apothegm and apophthegm entered English within two years of each other, in the second half of the 16th century.
how is apothegm used?
鈥淭o live outside the law, you must be honest.鈥� Thompson, like a lot of people in the sixties and seventies, interpreted Dylan鈥檚 famous apothegm to mean that in order to be honest you must live outside the law.
It calls to mind the hoary apothegm that academic rivalries are so vicious because the stakes are so small. Ditto for the lit’ry folk, who can work themselves into lathers over matters that the big dogs who bark in the real world would decline even to sniff at, much less raise a leg over.
apothegm