51吃瓜 of the Day
ex-voto
noun
a painting or other object left as an offering in fulfillment of a vow or in gratitude, as for recovery from an illness or injury.
More about ex-voto
Ex-voto, 鈥渙ut of a vow (fulfilled or undertaken),鈥� refers to a painting or other artifact left as an offering in fulfillment of a vow or in gratitude, e.g., for recovery from an illness or injury. Ex-voto being a Latin phrase, such offerings are therefore associated with Western Christianity, especially with Mediterranean Catholicism (Italy, Iberia, former Spanish colonies abroad). (The Greek Orthodox Church has a similar custom; the offerings in the Greek Church are called 迟谩尘补迟补, plural of 迟谩尘补 鈥渁 vow, an ex-voto offering.鈥�) The custom antedates Christianity by many hundreds of years: In the Iliad Hector says he will hang the weapons of his foe in the temple of Apollo; the poet Hesiod dedicated the tripod he won in a poetry contest in Chalcis to the Muses on Mount Helicon. Miltiades, the general of the Athenians and their Plataean allies at the Battle of Marathon (490 b.c.), dedicated his helmet in the temple of Zeus in Olympia (where his helmet is on display on the archaeological museum). Even the witty, urbane Horace refers to 鈥渢he sacred wall with its votive tablet [tabul膩鈥� v艒t墨v膩] shows where I have hung my sodden garments in gratitude to the god of the sea鈥� (for escaping the surely destructive shipwreck of a love affair). Ex-voto entered English in the first half of the 19th century.
how is ex-voto used?
Amid the fear and uncertainty of wartime,听ex-votos听doubled as a means of communication and thanksgiving between a human and her god and saints.
The purpose of the ex-voto is not only to record the individual experiences of Messer Zaneto de Friza and his sons but also to proclaim their experiences to a public audience.
ex-voto
spirituel
adjective
showing or having a refined and graceful mind or wit.
More about spirituel
Spirituel is a French adjective meaning not only 鈥渟piritual鈥� (as in English), but also 鈥渄isplaying a refined and graceful mind or wit.鈥� In French spirituel is the masculine singular form, spirituelle the feminine singular, a distinction not usually observed in English. Most of the English citations of spirituel refer to women or to a particular woman鈥檚 liveliness and acuity. Spirituel entered English in the second half of the 17th century.
how is spirituel used?
It is a comedy in the sense that it is meant to make you laugh. The laughter is mostly spirituel: Cyrano is witty.
They are more than witty, they are听spirituel; and they have more than talent, they have taste.
spirituel
plaintive
adjective
expressing sorrow or melancholy; mournful: a plaintive melody.
More about plaintive
The English adjective plaintive 鈥渟orrowful, melancholic鈥� comes from Middle English pleintif (also plaintive, plantif, and plantife), from the Old French adjective plaintif (masculine) and plaintive (feminine) 鈥渓amentable.鈥� Plaintif derives from the noun plainte 鈥渕ourning, lamentation,鈥� and comes from the Medieval Latin noun听plancta, from Latin planctus 鈥渢he sound of a person striking their breast,鈥� from the verb plangere 鈥渢o beat, strike, mourn, bewail.鈥� Old French plaintif is also the source of English plaintiff 鈥渙ne who brings suit in a court, complainant.鈥� Plaintive entered English in the late 14th century.
how is plaintive used?
A strain of plaintive music, played on stringed instruments and flutes, recalled my attention to the hidden shrine.
Thundercat鈥檚 new album feels particularly suited for this moment 鈥� filled with both celestial, futuristic escapism and plaintive grief, the strength of human resilience and an unstinting sense of frustration.
plaintive