51吃瓜 of the Day
diffidence
noun
the quality or state of lacking confidence in one's ability, worth or fitness; timidity.
More about diffidence
Diffidence is a straightforward borrowing from the Latin noun 诲颈蹿蹿墨诲别苍迟颈补 鈥渄istrust, mistrust, lack of confidence.鈥� In the Vulgate, the Latin version of the Bible prepared chiefly by Saint Jerome at the end of the 4th century a.d., 诲颈蹿蹿墨诲别苍迟颈补 also meant 鈥渓ack of faith, disobedience (to God).鈥� The original sense of 诲颈蹿蹿墨诲别苍迟颈补, 鈥渄istrust of other people,鈥� is obsolete; the current sense 鈥渄istrust of one鈥檚 own ability or worth,鈥� shading off to 鈥渕odesty, retiring nature,鈥� dates from the mid-16th century. Diffidence entered English in the 15th century.
how is diffidence used?
For an artist, insofar as modesty implies diffidence, an unwillingness to exhibit oneself or one’s work, it’s a virtue so dubious as to be a handicap.
I write with great diffidence, but it seems to me that there is no unfairness in punishing people for their misfortunes, or rewarding them for their sheer good luck …
facetiae
plural noun
amusing or witty remarks or writings.
More about facetiae
贵补肠脓迟颈补别 is a Latin plural noun meaning 鈥渟killfulness, cleverness, wittiness.鈥� It is a derivative of the adjective 蹿补肠脓迟耻蝉 鈥渃lever, good-humored, whimsical,鈥� which has no reliable etymology. In the olden days, in less enlightened and progressive times than our own鈥�say about 1850鈥�facetiae was used in book catalogs as a euphemism for pornography (now also called erotica). Facetiae entered English in the 16th century.
how is facetiae used?
Even the facetiae of the gallant expressman who knew everybody’s Christian name along the route, who rained letters, newspapers, and bundles from the top of the stage … failed to interest me.
… you had better beware how you excite that comic vein to its fullest current of facetiae.
myopic
adjective
unable or unwilling to act prudently; shortsighted.
More about myopic
Myopic ultimately comes from the Greek noun 尘测艒辫铆补 鈥渘earsightedness,鈥� which in Greek has no extended or metaphorical meaning. (The suffix –ic is English, not Greek, i.e., there is no Greek adjective 尘测艒辫颈办贸蝉.) 惭测艒辫铆补 is a compound formed of the verb 尘媒别颈苍 鈥渢o close the eyes or mouth,鈥� which is close kin to the Latin 尘奴迟耻蝉 鈥渋narticulate, dumb, silent鈥� (English mute). The same 尘媒别颈苍 appears in the noun 尘测蝉迟岣梤颈辞苍 鈥渟ecret, secret rite鈥� (English mystery) and its adjective 尘测蝉迟颈办贸蝉 鈥渃onnected with the mysteries鈥� (English mystic). The second element of myopia, –艒辫铆补, is a combining form of 峁损蝉 (stem 艒辫-) 鈥渆ye, face, countenance.” Myopic in its original sense entered English at the end of the 18th century; the sense 鈥渦nable or unwilling to act prudently鈥� developed in English at the end of the 19th century.
how is myopic used?
The belief that simply running a data set will solve for every challenge and every bias is problematic and myopic.
Science provides us with a new perspective on our place in the cosmos and a better understanding of ourselves as human beings. It helps us overcome our otherwise myopic preconceptions about how the world works.