51吃瓜 of the Day
volte-face
noun
a turnabout, especially a reversal of opinion or policy.
More about volte-face
Volte-face 鈥渁 turnabout, reversal of opinion or policy, an about-face,鈥� comes via French volte-face from Italian volta-faccia (also voltafaccia), a compound of volta, the imperative singular of the verb voltare 鈥渢o turn鈥� and the noun faccia 鈥渇补肠别.鈥� Voltare comes from an unrecorded Vulgar Latin 惫辞濒惫颈迟腻谤别, equivalent to Latin volvere 鈥渢o turn, roll.鈥� Faccia (and face) likewise come from the Vulgar Latin noun facia, from Latin 蹿补肠颈脓蝉 鈥渙utward appearance, looks, face.鈥� Volte-face entered English in the first half of the 19th century.
how is volte-face used?
Grubman had shocked the rest of Wall Street by upgrading A.T. & T., a company he had criticized for years, from neutral to buy. He tried to justify his volte-face by saying that the phone giant鈥檚 purchase of a big cable company, Telecommunications Inc., had transformed its prospects, but this explanation was greeted with skepticism.
In the manner of the high school teacher he once was, Riordan begins with faint praise (鈥渢here are things I like about this adaptation鈥�) before an abrupt volte face. 鈥淗aving said that, here鈥檚 the bad news: The script as a whole is terrible,鈥� he wrote, in a letter so beloved by his fans that it鈥檚 even been聽given dramatic readings.
volte-face
modicum
noun
a moderate or small amount.
More about modicum
Modicum聽in Latin means 鈥渁 small, modest amount,” specifically of money, if we may be so crass. Modicum is a noun use of the neuter singular of the adjective modicus 鈥�(used for) measuring, moderate, restrained, slight,鈥� a derivative of the noun modus 鈥渕easured amount or quantity, limit, measure, time, melody.鈥� Modus is a derivative of the verb 尘别诲颈迟腻谤墨 鈥渢o think about, ponder, meditate,鈥� from the Proto-Indo-European root med-, 尘脓诲-, mod-, 尘艒诲– 鈥渢o measure, take proper measures, judge, cure.鈥� Further Latin derivatives from this set of roots include 尘别诲脓谤墨 鈥渢o heal, cure,鈥� medicus 鈥减丑测蝉颈肠颈补苍,鈥� 尘别诲颈肠墨苍补 鈥渢he art of medicine, the practice of medicine, the administration of medicines,鈥� 谤别尘别诲颈腻谤别 鈥渢o treat (successfully), cure,鈥� and its derivative noun 谤别尘别诲颈腻迟颈艒 (stem 谤别尘别诲颈腻迟颈艒n-), source of English remediate and remediation. The variant mod– also yields Latin modestus 鈥渞estrained, temperate,鈥� and its opposite immodestus 鈥渦nrestrained, licentious,鈥� English modest and immodest. Modicum entered English in the second half of the 14th century.
how is modicum used?
But by relieving himself of his secret he discovers at least a modicum of peace.
Anxiety and聽depression聽naturally arise when we perceive we have no power over a situation. Doing something, such as documenting seasonal changes, is a way to restore a modicum of control and a sense of well-being.
modicum
More about fidelity
Fidelity 鈥渓oyalty, faithfulness鈥� comes via Middle English and Old French from the Latin noun 蹿颈诲脓濒颈迟腻蝉 (inflectional stem 蹿颈诲脓濒颈迟腻迟-), a derivative of the adjective 蹿颈诲脓濒颈蝉 (familiar to Americans from the Marine Corps motto, Semper Fidelis 鈥淎lways Faithful鈥�). 贵颈诲脓濒颈蝉 is a derivative of the noun 蹿颈诲脓蝉 鈥渢rust, assurance, guarantee.鈥� The Latin forms come from the Proto-Indo-European root bheidh-, bhoidh-, bhidh– 鈥渢o trust.鈥� The variant bheidh– is the source of Latin 蹿墨诲耻蝉 鈥渇aithful, loyal,鈥� 蹿墨诲别谤别 鈥渢o trust, have confidence in,鈥� Greek 辫别铆蝉别蝉迟丑补颈 鈥渢o trust, rely on, obey, be persuaded,鈥� and Greek 笔别颈迟丑峁� 鈥�(the goddess of) persuasion.鈥� Bhoidh– is the source of Latin foedus 鈥渇ormal agreement, league, treaty鈥� (source of English federal, federate, and confederate); the variant bhidh– forms Latin 蹿颈诲脓蝉 and Greek 辫铆蝉迟颈蝉 鈥渇aith, trust, authentication,鈥� and 辫颈蝉迟贸蝉 鈥渇aithful, reliable, credible.鈥� The English noun faith comes from Middle English feith, faith, from Old French feid, feit, fei, from Latin fidem, the accusative singular of 蹿颈诲脓蝉. (The English pronunciation of faith is all but identical to that implied by the Old French forms, quite different from the modern French pronunciation.) Fidelity entered English in the early 16th century.
how is fidelity used?
Through it all he’s shown a deep and abiding fidelity to one of our cherished ideals as a people and that is equal justice under the law.
The chiefs of staff of the Army, Navy and Air Force issued similar messages, reinforcing their fidelity to the Constitution and pledging to battle racism in their ranks.
fidelity