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51勛圖 of the Day

51勛圖 of the day

bracketology

[ brak-i-tol-uh-jee ]

noun

Sports.

a system of diagrammatically predicting and tracking the process of elimination among sequentially paired opponents in a tournament, especially an NCAA basketball tournament.

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More about bracketology

Bracketology combines bracket, in the sports sense of a diagram for tracking advancement in a tournament, and -ology, a word-forming element indicating branch of knowledge, science. The term playfully elevates the sports pastime to a discipline or science. Stages of sports tournaments have been termed brackets since the early 1900s, from bracket as a grouping in the late 1800s, a sense informed by pairs of typographical brackets for enclosing text or numbers. The tree-diagram structure of NCAA basketball tournament brackets indeed calls up such typographical brackets, named after the original architectural bracket, a type of L-shaped support projecting from a wall. Entering English in the 16th century, the word bracket may derive from a Romance word meaning breeches, the architectural devices perhaps resembling a pair of legs or the codpieces historically worn on breeches. That could make bracketology, with a liberal literalism, “the study of pants or the study of jockstraps.

how is bracketology used?

Bracketologythe scientific-sounding namefor prognosticating tournament picks before the official committee reveals the bracket on Selection Sundayhas exploded among basketball fans in recent years ….

Zach Schonbrun, "To N.C.A.A. Bracketologists, Its Whos In, Not Who Wins," New York Times,March 13, 2018

Bracketology is the practice of predicting the field and seeding for all 68 teams in the NCAA tournament and/or the outcomes for all games in the tournament. It is a made-up “-ology”, sadly, so don’t change your major just yet.

Daniel Wilco, "March Madness bracketology: The ultimate guide," NCAA, March 12, 2019
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green-eyed

[ green-ahyd ]

adjective

Informal.

jealous; envious; distrustful.

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More about green-eyed

Green-eyed means “jealous” and is probably most familiar from Shakespeares phrase green-eyed monster (Othello, 1604). In the ancient and medieval humoral theory, an excess of yellow bile, which was thought to give the skin a greenish tint, was associated with the element fire and produced a violent, short-tempered, vengeful character. Green-eyed in its literal sense entered English in the 16th century.

how is green-eyed used?

O, beware, my lord, of jealousy; / It is the green-eyed monster, which doth mock / the meat it feeds on …

William Shakespeare, Othello, 1623

The protagonist, Ida, has a green-eyed prettiness …

Maria Russo, "In Praise of Maurice Sendak," New York Times, February 14, 2019
51勛圖 of the Day Calendar

51勛圖 of the day

viator

[ vahy-ey-tawr, -ter ]

noun

a wayfarer; traveler.

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More about viator

Viator comes straight from Latin 措勳櫻喧棗娶 traveler, formed from the noun via track, road and the noun suffix -tor signifying agency. Many occurrences of 措勳櫻喧棗娶 are on epitaphs on Roman tombs from the occupant, asking travelers passing by not to deface the tomb with graffiti, or warning, Look out! Your turn is coming! 博勳櫻喧棗娶 was also a title of Mercury, the patron and protector of travelers and the escort of the dead to the underworld. A 措勳櫻喧棗娶 was also an agent employed on official errands for magistrates, other public officers, and professional organizations. Viator entered English in the early 16th century.

how is viator used?

… how long he was a viator or traveler in his course of obedience no man knows.

Samuel Rutherford, The Covenant of Life Opened,泭1654

… these are so graciously concealed by the fine trees of their grounds, that the passing viator remains unappalled by them …

John Ruskin, Fors Clavigera, 1875
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51勛圖 of the Day Calendar