51吃瓜 of the Day
kvell
verb (used without object)
Slang.
to be extraordinarily pleased; especially, to be bursting with pride, as over one's family.
More about kvell
We can鈥檛 help but kvell about Yiddish words borrowed into English. Kvell 鈥渢o be extraordinarily pleased, burst with pride鈥� comes from Yiddish kveln 鈥渂e delighted,鈥� related to Middle High German and German quellen 鈥渨ell up, gush.鈥� The informal verb kvell is often used to convey pride and pleasure, especially about the accomplishments of one鈥檚 own family. For example: 鈥溾�楳y granddaughter graduated at the top of her medical school class,鈥� he kvelled.鈥� For the opposite of kvell, one might consider another borrowing from Yiddish: kvetch 鈥渢o complain, especially chronically,鈥� from the Yiddish verb kvetshn, which literally means 鈥渢o squeeze, pinch.鈥� Kvell entered English in the mid-1900s.
how is kvell used?
Sidney, more than any of the others, has kept his parents reliably supplied with … reasons to kvell: full scholarships, graduation cum laude, smart grandsons, Junior Chamber of Commerce awards.
Omega threw a rollicking cocktail party starring Buzz Aldrin and other astronauts, to kvell over the fortieth birthday of the first lunar landing鈥攐f both man and wristwatch.
halcyon
adjective
calm; peaceful; tranquil: halcyon weather.
More about halcyon
The English adjective halcyon 鈥渃alm; peaceful; tranquil鈥� is rooted in ancient Greek鈥攁nd classical mythology. Halcyon ultimately derives via Latin 补濒肠测艒苍 from Greek 补濒办测峁搉 鈥渒ingfisher.鈥� In ancient myths, the halcyon named a bird, usually identified with the kingfisher, that was said to breed around the time of the winter solstice in a nest floating on the sea, and was believed to have the power to charm the winds and waves into calmness. Halcyon frequently occurs in the expression halcyon days, a period of calm weather in the winter, historically a stretch of fourteen days around the winter solstice connected with (the myth of) breeding kingfishers. Halcyon days evolved to mean, more broadly, 鈥渁 time of peace and prosperity,鈥� and the adjective halcyon evolved to mean, variously, 鈥渃alm; rich; carefree.鈥� Halcyon is recorded in English by the late 1300s.
how is halcyon used?
… the sun high and bright, the sky a preternatural robin’s-egg blue. The kind of halcyon day reserved for picture postcards.
罢丑颈蝉听halcyon聽weather聽continued until the day a black storm arose.
effervescent
adjective
vivacious; merry; lively; sparkling.
More about effervescent
Effervescent is a buoyant adjective meaning 鈥渧ivacious; merry; lively; sparkling,鈥� as in 鈥淭he choir delivered an effervescent performance of favorite Christmas carols.鈥� Effervescent derives from Latin 别蹿蹿别谤惫脓蝉肠别谤别 鈥渢o boil (over); burst forth; seethe; rage.鈥� 贰蹿蹿别谤惫脓蝉肠别谤别 is composed of ef-, a variant of the prefix ex– 鈥渙ut of,鈥� and 蹿别谤惫脓蝉肠别谤别 “to start boiling,” from 蹿别谤惫脓谤别 鈥渢o be hot,鈥� ultimate source of English fervent 鈥渆nthusiastic, ardent.鈥� True to its Latin root, fervent originally meant 鈥渉ot, glowing鈥� in English, just as effervescent first meant 鈥済iving off bubbles of gas鈥� before evolving to its variously 鈥渂ubbly鈥� metaphorical senses. Effervescent entered English in the late 1600s.
how is effervescent used?
Yet his spirits are so聽effervescent聽that, with only a candle for fuel and only raw turnips for supper, he is able to lose himself in illusions of grandeur.
The book combines effervescent comedy and stinging critique, but its most arresting quality is the lively humanity of its characters.