51吃瓜 of the Day
alma mater
noun
a school, college, or university at which one has studied and, usually, from which one has graduated.
More about alma mater
Alma mater 鈥渁 school where one has studied鈥� comes from a Latin phrase that means 鈥渘ourishing mother.鈥� The first half, alma 鈥渘ourishing鈥� or 鈥渒ind,鈥� derives from an Indo-European root appearing variously as al-, el-, ol-, or ul- that is found frequently in words connected to nourishment or, more generally, the life cycle. Alumnus means 鈥渘ourished one鈥� in Latin, while alimony derives from the noun 补濒颈尘艒苍颈补 鈥渇eeding鈥� or 鈥渘ourishment,鈥� and the verb 肠辞补濒脓蝉肠别谤别, the source of coalesce, literally means 鈥渢o grow up together.鈥� Adolescent and adult come from the same Latin verb, 补诲辞濒脓蝉肠别谤别, and respectively mean 鈥渂ecoming mature鈥� and 鈥渉aving matured,鈥� and prolific and proliferate derive from 辫谤艒濒脓蝉 鈥渙ffspring.鈥� This same Indo-European root found in alma appears in English as well, in words such as old, elder, and alderman, and in the Scots phrase auld lang syne.
how is alma mater used?
Famed actor Phylicia Rashad is returning to her alma mater as the new dean of the Howard University College of Fine Arts. The longtime performer and Tony Award winner 鈥� graduated magna cum laude from Howard with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in fine arts in 1970.
In fact, Lee Bollinger, the president of Columbia University, seemed to suggest last August that Obama would be returning to his New York alma mater. No doubt, Columbia would offer him a king鈥檚 ransom and every other academic perk imaginable.
alma mater
gorgonize
verb (used with object)
hypnotize; petrify.
More about gorgonize
Gorgonize is ultimately derived, via Latin, from Ancient Greek 骋辞谤驳峁�, which comes from the adjective 驳辞谤驳贸蝉 鈥渄readful鈥� and is the original Greek name for each of the Gorgons, the triumvirate of mythic sisters with snakes for hair and whose appearance was so frightful that anyone who looked at them directly would turn to stone. The Gorgons were named Euryale, Medusa, and Stheno, and Medusa is the most famous of the three because of her mortality, which allowed for Perseus to behead her by using her reflection in his shield to guide his sword.
how is gorgonize used?
Offensively democratic exhibitions of free manners occur every once in a while. Churlish fellows will obtrude themselves with their hats on, lighted segars [sic] and their pantaloons tucked into their boots. Dropping into chairs, they will sit puffing away and trying to gorgonize the President with their silent stares, until their boorish curiosity is fully satisfied.
Athena smiled, then turned to Po. “Not a word out of you, Poseidon, or I’ll freeze you so fast you won’t know what hit you. Now watch while I gorgonize your little girlfriend.鈥�
gorgonize
nostrum
noun
a pet scheme聽or remedy, especially for social or political ills; panacea.
More about nostrum
Nostrum is a direct borrowing from Latin and is the neuter form of the singular possessive adjective noster 鈥渙ur鈥�; this neuter version is often found today in the Latin phrase mare nostrum 鈥渙ur sea,鈥� which the Romans used in reference to the Mediterranean Sea. The shift from a possessive adjective to a noun that means 鈥渞emedy鈥� happened by way of the unattested phrase nostrum remedium 鈥渙ur medicine,鈥� with the latter half chopped off. Nostrum鈥檚 primary meaning in English is 鈥溾�嬧�媋 medicine sold with false or exaggerated claims,鈥� and it gained the additional sense of 鈥渁 remedy for all problems鈥� when applied to non-medical topics such as politics.
how is nostrum used?
Federalism encourages variation by creating incentives for political leaders [in each state] to craft innovative solutions to important problems. Governors who, for example, succeed in reforming education will win reelection. They may then parlay this success into approval at the national level, propounding their signature policies as nostrums for what ails the nation.
I hold to journalistic nostrums about avoiding redundant adjectives and adverbs, and rationing abstract nouns and passive verbs. Ambiguity and hyperbole may sometimes light up fiction, but they are lethal when trying to convey literal truth.
nostrum