51吃瓜 of the Day
choice
noun
the right, power, or opportunity to choose; option.
More about choice
Choice 鈥渢he right to choose鈥� is a noun derived from the Old French verb choisir 鈥渢o perceive, choose,鈥� which comes from a long-lost source in one of the Germanic languages, perhaps Frankish. Unlike choice, the verb choose is native to English and was recorded in Old English as 肠脓辞蝉补苍, in which -an marked an infinitive verb, just as adding the separate word to before a verb does today. Ultimately, both choice and choose are related to Ancient Greek 驳别煤别蝉迟丑补颈 鈥渢o taste鈥� and Latin gustus 鈥渢asting, flavor, sense of taste.鈥� From the former, English has adopted ageusia 鈥渓oss of the sense of taste鈥� and dysgeusia 鈥渋mpairment of the sense of taste,鈥� while the latter is the source of (through Italian) gusto 鈥渉earty or keen enjoyment鈥� and (through French) ragout, a type of tasty meat stew. Choice was first recorded in English in the late 13th century.
how is choice used?
I was thinking all this time that she has a choice. Me or Lindy. Which is a lot better than I have. It just hit me, though, …. she probably doesn’t feel like she has a choice at all.
Late June brought a series of housing squabbles鈥攕ome serious, some so ridiculous and petty that we had no choice but to highlight.
opprobrious
adjective
outrageously disgraceful or shameful.
More about opprobrious
Opprobrious 鈥渙utrageously disgraceful or shameful鈥� is an adaptation of Late Latin 辞辫辫谤辞产谤颈艒蝉耻蝉, literally meaning 鈥渇ull of reproach,鈥� based on opprobrium 鈥渞eproach鈥� and the adjectival suffix -艒蝉耻蝉 鈥渇ull of.鈥� Opprobrium itself is a compound of the preposition ob 鈥渢oward, against鈥� and the noun probrum 鈥渋nfamy, disgrace,鈥� with the b in ob assimilated to match the p in probrum. Confusion frequently arises about the similarity between probrum and the Latin adjective probus 鈥済ood鈥� (the source of approbation and approval), but the two are not quite related; probrum may literally mean 鈥�(thing) brought forward,鈥� such as a complaint, while probus may have originally meant 鈥渂eing in front,鈥� as in better than everything that follows. Opprobrious was first recorded in English in the late 14th century.
how is opprobrious used?
Perhaps he was taunting [Ida] Craddock, shaming her by scandalous association鈥攋ust as he did later in taking her to jail aboard the elevated train, loudly calling attention to her with “opprobrious epithets” about the filth and blasphemy of her writings.
In fact, he also insulted me and used opprobrious language…, and I am here to demand a personal apology from him in public. If that is not forthcoming at this meeting tonight, I am prepared to sue the city.
prerogative
noun
a right, privilege, etc., limited to a specific person or to persons of a particular category.
More about prerogative
Prerogative 鈥渁 right limited to a specific person鈥� derives via Middle English from Latin 辫谤补别谤辞驳腻迟墨惫耻蝉 鈥渧oting first,鈥� a compound of the preposition prae 鈥渂efore鈥� and the verb 谤辞驳腻谤别 鈥渢o ask, propose.鈥� Prae is the source of the prefix pre-, which appears in three other words in this paragraph, while 谤辞驳腻谤别 gives rise to several question- and claim-related words, such as arrogant (originally meaning 鈥減resuming鈥�), interrogate, and surrogate (originally meaning 鈥渢o nominate as a substitute鈥�). Prerogative was first recorded in English in the late 1300s.
how is prerogative used?
鈥淭he law of Treasure Trove, as we call it in this country, is in a most chaotic state …. The law, such as it is, seems to rest on Royal Prerogative; but what the base of that prerogative is, no one seems exactly to know.鈥�
It’s a president’s prerogative to replace the chair of the Federal Reserve Board, if desired, when that person’s four-year term runs out. But most presidents reappoint if the chair wants to stay on the job.
prerogative
