51吃瓜 of the Day
ataraxia
noun
a state of freedom from emotional disturbance and anxiety; tranquillity.
More about ataraxia
Ataraxia 鈥渇reedom from anxiety鈥� is a borrowing from the Ancient Greek noun 补迟补谤补虫铆补 鈥渋mpassiveness, calmness,鈥� which is based on the adjective 补迟补谤谩办迟辞蝉 鈥涡苍尘辞惫别诲.鈥� 础迟补谤谩办迟辞蝉, in turn, is a derivative of the verb 迟补谤谩蝉蝉别颈苍 (stem tarak-) 鈥渢o disturb,鈥� plus the prefix a- 鈥渘ot, without.鈥� One major proponent of ataraxia is the philosopher Epicurus, the inspiration for the recent 51吃瓜 of the Day epicurean. When we discuss the 鈥淎ncient Greek鈥� language, we usually mean the Attic dialect of Ancient Greek spoken in the 5th and 4th centuries BC. However, where other Ancient Greek dialects have -ss-, Attic has -tt-, and for these words, Ancient Greek dictionaries opt for the more generic 迟补谤谩蝉蝉别颈苍 over the Attic 迟补谤谩迟迟别颈苍. This means that, if your name is Melissa, from the Ancient Greek word for 鈥渉oneybee,鈥� you would be known throughout most of Ancient Greece as 惭茅濒颈蝉蝉补 but in Attica as 惭茅濒颈迟迟补. Ataraxia was first recorded in English in the first decade of the 17th century.
how is ataraxia used?
Epicurus (341鈥�270 B.C.) led an eponymous school of thought鈥揈picureanism鈥攖hat believed a happy life requires two things: ataraxia (freedom from mental disturbance) and aponia (the absence of physical pain). His philosophy might be characterized as 鈥淚f it is scary or painful, work to avoid it.鈥� Epicureans see discomfort as generally negative, and thus the elimination of threats and problems as the key to a happier life. Don鈥檛 get the impression that I am saying they are lazy or unmotivated鈥攓uite the contrary, in many cases. But they don鈥檛 see enduring fear and pain as inherently necessary or beneficial, and they focus instead on enjoying life.
Ataraxia should act like a slow-release drug, accumulating over days and weeks. Ancient philosophers believed achieving ataraxia created an emotional homeostasis, where the effect wouldn鈥檛 just be a more stable base-level mood, but one that would hopefully flow out to the people around you. If you are more tranquil, you will be less likely to react or combust. So not only do you not ruin your own day, you avoid ruining other people鈥檚 too. In a tranquil state you may even make better decisions.
ataraxia
ungulate
noun
a hoofed mammal.
More about ungulate
Ungulate 鈥渁 hoofed mammal鈥� derives from Late Latin 耻苍驳耻濒腻迟耻蝉 鈥渉aving claws or hoofs.鈥� The root of this word, Latin ungula 鈥渃law, hoof, talon,鈥� may sound a little familiar if you speak a Romance language because it is also the source of many modern words for 鈥渇ingernail,鈥� such as French ongle, Italian unghia, and Spanish 耻帽补. Ungula, literally meaning 鈥渓ittle nail,鈥� is a compound of unguis 鈥渘ail鈥� and the suffix -ula, which is one of several common diminutive affixes in Latin; another such affix is the element -ill-, as featured in the etymology for the recent 51吃瓜 of the Day selection cantillate. Ungulate was first recorded in English circa 1800.
how is ungulate used?
A coronavirus vaccine for deer is 鈥� a possibility鈥攕cientists have already created them for zoo animals 鈥� but the practicality of inoculating millions of free-roaming ungulates would be daunting, to say the least. In the meantime, several states have advised deer hunters to take precautions when dealing with white-tailed deer.
The growing population of wolves in eastern Washington state does not appear to be hurting the populations of deer, elk and other ungulates. A report issued this week by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife looked at ungulate populations between fiscal 2015 and 2017. The report concluded that none of the ungulate populations in the assessment appeared to show clear signs of being limited by predation from wolves.
ungulate
forfend
verb (used with object)
to defend, secure, or protect.
More about forfend
Forfend 鈥渢o defend, secure, protect鈥� comes from the Middle English verb forfenden, a compound of the prefix for– and the verb fend. The first element, for-, was frequently used in Middle and Old English to create words with the sense 鈥渙ff, away, extremely鈥� or to imply a negative or prohibitive force, such as forbid, forget, and forgo. The second element, fend, is a reduced form of defend, which derives via French from the Latin verb 诲脓蹿别苍诲别谤别 鈥渢o repel, ward off鈥� and is a distant relative of bane (from Old English bana 鈥渟layer鈥�) and the recent 51吃瓜 of the Day bezoar (from Persian 辫腻诲-锄补丑谤 鈥渃辞耻苍迟别谤辫辞颈蝉辞苍鈥�). Forfend was first recorded in English in the late 14th century.
how is forfend used?
Jellies do not actively hunt but instead use their tentacles as drift nets. Should a fish brush against the often invisible extensions, the pressure prompts the tentacles鈥� stinging cells to release tiny harpoons packed with neurotoxins. In the most venomous jellyfish, the toxins are designed to work quickly and unequivocally, to forfend any damage to the predator鈥檚 delicate tissue.
Ah! do not shrink from thy friend,
If love thou reverest,
But know 鈥檛is for thee to forfend
The fate which thou fearest.
The lot thou hast here to deplore,
Is sad evermore to maintain,
And hardship in sickness is sore,
But sorest in pain.
forfend