51吃瓜 of the Day
hobbledehoy
noun
an awkward, ungainly youth.
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Hobbledehoy 鈥渁n awkward, ungainly youth,鈥� a variant of hoberdyboy (among other spellings), is of unclear origin, and theories abound. The first part of hobbledehoy may stem from hob or hoberd, which are forms of Robert. The change from Robert to hob or hoberd is typical of rhyming in English name formation; just as Robert has the nickname Bob and is the source of surnames such as Dobbs and Hopkins, William has the nickname Bill and is the source of the surname Gilliam. Similar to the term hobgoblin, the hob element in hobbledehoy is a dialectal English term for 鈥渆lf鈥� that may be a variant of Robin (a diminutive of Robert), as in Robin Goodfellow, a folkloric fairy also known as Puck. Hobbledehoy was first recorded in English in the 1530s.
how is hobbledehoy used?
The jocose hobbledehoy whom Royce had noted on the occasion of his previous excursion sat upon a step of the long flight leading from the veranda to the lawn, surrounded by half a dozen little maidens, and, armed with a needle and a long thread, sewed industriously, rewarded by their shrieking exclamations of delight in his funniness every time he grotesquely drew out the needle with a great curve of his long arm, or facetiously but futilely undertook to bite the thread.
The true hobbledehoy is much alone, not being greatly given to social intercourse even with other hobbledehoys鈥攁 trait in his character which I think has hardly been sufficiently observed by the world at large. He has probably become a hobbledehoy instead of an Apollo, because circumstances have not afforded him much social intercourse; and, therefore, he wanders about in solitude.
inspirit
verb (used with object)
to infuse spirit or life into; enliven.
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Inspirit 鈥渢o infuse life into鈥� is a compound of the prefix in- and the noun spirit, the latter of which comes from Latin 蝉辫墨谤颈迟耻蝉, which originally meant 鈥渁 breathing.鈥� 厂辫墨谤颈迟耻蝉 is based on the Latin verb 蝉辫墨谤腻谤别 鈥渢o breathe,鈥� much like how Ancient Greek 辫蝉测虅虂肠丑别颈苍 鈥渢o breathe, blow鈥� is the source of 辫蝉测虅肠丑岣� 鈥渁 breath鈥� and, from there, English psyche 鈥渢he human soul, spirit, or mind.鈥� 厂辫墨谤腻谤别 (stem 蝉辫墨谤-) gives rise to the English terms perspire, respiration, and even expire, and the verb can be found in the motto of the state of South Carolina: dum sp墨r艒, sp膿r艒 鈥渨hile I breathe, I hope.鈥� Inspirit was first recorded in English circa 1605.
how is inspirit used?
And there was the best reason for hastening into the house at once, since the snow was beginning to fall again, threatening an unpleasant journey for such guests as were still on the road. These were a small minority; for already the afternoon was beginning to decline, and there would not be too much time for the ladies who came from a distance to attire themselves in readiness for the early tea which was to inspirit them for the dance.
The US women鈥檚 soccer star Megan Rapinoe is calling for change. The OL Reign standout has fought for activism, equality and LGBTQIA+ rights her entire career …. Now, Rapinoe is looking to help people see politics in an engaging way 鈥�. While voter turnout is discouraging among young people, Rapinoe believes those who watch Seeing America could be inspirited to get involved in the civic process. 鈥淲hen we all vote, it鈥檚 amazing,鈥� Rapinoe said.
voltaic
adjective
noting or pertaining to electricity or electric currents, especially when produced by chemical action, as in a cell; galvanic.
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Voltaic 鈥減ertaining to electric currents鈥� is the namesake of Alessandro Volta (1745鈥�1827), an Italian physicist who experimented with electricity and is credited with inventing the battery. The Italian surname Volta has multiple possible origins, though many of the most popular hypotheses all circle back to the noun volta 鈥渢urn; vault.鈥� The noun volta ultimately comes from the Latin verb volvere 鈥渢o roll, wrap,鈥� which is the source of the elements containing vol- in evolution, involve, revolt, and volume. Another option is that the surname Volta derives from volpe 鈥渇ox,鈥� from Latin 惫耻濒辫脓蝉. Voltaic was first recorded in English circa 1810.
how is voltaic used?
The gas battery鈥檚 real history begins in October 1842, when Grove, newly appointed professor of experimental philosophy at the London Institution, penned a brief note …. 鈥淚 have just completed a curious voltaic pile which I think you would like to see,鈥� he wrote …. Grove had invented a battery which turned hydrogen and oxygen into electricity and water.
What really powers a battery is the difference in electronegativity between the materials its electrodes are made of. Take the voltaic pile, for example, the first battery in history, invented around 1800 by Alessandro Volta. The pile鈥檚 negative electrode is made of zinc (30) and the positive electrode is made of copper (29). Copper is slightly more electronegative than zinc. Thus, if you put the two metals next to each other (or if you connect them by a wire), some electrons will move from the zinc to the copper.