51吃瓜 of the Day
sardonic
adjective
characterized by bitter or scornful derision; mocking; sneering; cynical.
More about sardonic
Sardonic 鈥渃haracterized by bitter derision鈥� is an alteration of sardonian, which derives either by way of Latin sardonius or directly from Ancient Greek 蝉补谤诲贸苍颈辞蝉 鈥渙f Sardinia.鈥� Sardinia comes into the picture here because, allegedly, 蝉补谤诲贸苍颈辞蝉 once alluded to a plant from the island that, when consumed, was legendary for producing convulsive laughter until the eater died. However, this story about 蝉补谤诲贸苍颈辞蝉 may in fact be folk etymology; one theory is that this spelling and definition replaced those of the original term, 蝉补谤诲谩苍颈辞蝉 鈥渂itter or scornful laughter.鈥� Unfortunately, the ultimate origin of sardonic remains today, as it has for centuries, a mystery. Sardonic was first recorded in English in the 1630s.
how is sardonic used?
Mr. Crampton 鈥� rode very fast until he was round the bend鈥攋ust to show how angry he was. For a space he was boiling with rage. Then he laughed aloud in a sardonic fashion. 鈥淥f all possible experiences!鈥� he said. 鈥淗a-ha! And this comes of trying to help a fellow-creature!鈥� The sardonic mood remained. He hated every human being on the road and every human being in Crawley, both on the right-hand side and on the left.
Phrenologically speaking, physiognomically speaking, Jack was as plausible a claimant to character and distinction as any of the rest of them, as he must have known. Perhaps that is why he seemed mildly sardonic when he looked at her, knowing with what interest she looked at him. Yes, he seemed to say, here it is, the face we all joked about and lamented over and carried off as well as we could, the handsome face.
sardonic
teapoy
noun
a small three-legged table or stand.
More about teapoy
Teapoy 鈥渁 small three-legged table or stand鈥� is adapted from Hindi 迟墨辫腻颈, with a spelling change likely because of the association with tea. Hindi 迟墨辫腻颈, however, is not related to tea; instead, 迟墨辫腻颈 comes from Persian 蝉颈辫腻测补 鈥渢hree-legged stand.鈥� The phonetic change from Persian s to Hindi t is due to a replacement of the Persian word for 鈥渢hree鈥� with its Hindi cognate 迟墨苍, while the instrument sitar 鈥渁 lute with a small, pear-shaped body鈥� preserves this Persian numeral. 厂颈辫腻测补 is a compound of Persian 蝉脓 鈥渢hree鈥� and 辫腻测 鈥渇oot,鈥� which are distant relatives of English three and foot, Latin 迟谤脓蝉 and 辫脓蝉, Ancient Greek 迟谤别卯蝉 and 辫辞煤蝉, and Sanskrit 迟谤铆 and 辫谩诲. Teapoy was first recorded in English in the 1820s.
how is teapoy used?
There was a small wooden teapoy near the sofa, with an embroidered cross stitch tablecloth on it, with designs of Mistress Mary, quite contrary, watering her flowerbeds. Naomi had done it for her craft class in the ninth standard. A beautiful crystal vase, filled with wilting red roses stood on the teapoy. There were faded yellow half-curtains for the windows strung on taut springs. But the windows were shut.
teapoy
guerdon
noun
a reward, recompense, or requital.
More about guerdon
Guerdon 鈥渁 reward, recompense, or requital鈥� is a variation of Old French werdoun, continuing a trend in which the w in Germanic-origin borrowings often becomes gu when adapted into French and other Romance languages. For other examples, compare the cognate pairs ward and guard, warranty and guarantee, and William and Guillaume. Old French werdoun comes from Medieval Latin widerdonum, which in turn was adapted from Old High German 飞颈诲补谤濒艒苍, with a phonetic change from l to d because of the influence of Latin 诲艒苍耻尘 鈥済颈蹿迟.鈥� 奥颈诲补谤濒艒苍 is a compound of widar 鈥渁gain, back鈥� (which survives today in the German expression auf Wiedersehen 鈥渦ntil we meet again鈥�) and 濒艒苍 鈥渞eward鈥� (cognate to Latin lucrum 鈥済ain, profit,鈥� as in English lucrative). Guerdon was first recorded in English in the mid-14th century.
how is guerdon used?
What a Cannes Film Festival. It has been an unruly jungle. Unruly and luxuriant. The movies have climbed over each other in excellence, every new one transcending the last as it reaches towards that gilded guerdon, that light-giving cynosure of legendary tree-forms, the Palme d鈥橭r.
BIRON. When tongues speak sweetly, then they name her name, And Rosaline they call her: ask for her; And to her white hand see thou do commend This seal’d-up counsel. There’s thy guerdon; go.
[giving [Costard] a shilling]
guerdon