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51勛圖 of the Day

51勛圖 of the day

weal

[ weel ]

noun

well-being, prosperity, or happiness: the public weal; weal and woe.

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More about weal

The history of weal is complicated and confusing. The Middle English spellings include wele, wel(le), weil(e), weal(le) worldly wealth, riches; possessions, goods; prosperity, good fortune; well-being, welfare; happiness, joy. These exuberant Middle English spellings come from Old English wela, weola, weala wealth, riches; prosperity. The English meanings have always been influenced by the related adverb wellwel, wel(l)e in Middle English, and wel, weol, woel in Old Englishwhich in general signifies successful accomplishment of the action of the verb. Weal entered English before 900.

how is weal used?

They did not consider a commitment to the public good, the common weal, to be at odds with the desire for prosperity.

Jill Lepore, These Truths, 2018

I will not arise from this spot, O valorous and redoubtable knight, until your benevolence and courtesy vouchsafe me a boon that will redound to the honor and glory of your person and to the weal of the most disconsolate and aggrieved damsel that ever the sun beheld.

Miguel de Cervantes (15471616), Don Quixote, translated by John Rutherford, 2000

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dishabille

[ dis-uh-beel, -bee ]

noun

the state of being dressed in a careless, disheveled, or disorderly style or manner; undress.

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More about dishabille

Dishabille or deshabille the state of being dressed in a careless, disheveled, or disorderly style or manner, comes from French 餃矇莽堯硃莉勳梭梭矇, the noun use of the past participle of the verb 餃矇莽堯硃莉勳梭梭梗娶 to undress. The French prefix 餃矇莽– is a regular development of the Latin prefix dis-, which often has, as here, a reversing force (like un– in the English pair tie and untie). The French verb habiller to dress, originally to trim and smooth (a log for working), to arrange, prepare, comes from Vulgar Latin 硃餃莉勳梭櫻娶梗, 硃莉莉勳梭櫻娶梗, a derivative of bilia log, tree trunk (originally a Gaulish word). The h– in habiller comes from the French noun habit clothing (from Latin habitus physical condition, appearance, dress). Dishabille entered English in the 17th century.

how is dishabille used?

It is daylight; is, then, the carriage to open and the empress to alight with one slipper on her feet, to be triumphantly conducted into the house? Ah, my friend, all Europe would smile at the idyllic empress who accompanied her husband on his journey in such a dishabille.

Luise M羹hlbach (18141873), Napoleon and the Queen of Prussia,translated by F. Jordan, 1906

Yes, there are town houses, and yes, many prominent people hold the deeds to them because they dont want to be seen in dishabille scooping up the morning paper ….

Joanne Kaufman, "Stargazing in the Elevator," New York Times, November 2, 2012

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chariness

[ chair-ee-nis ]

noun

scrupulous integrity.

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More about chariness

Chary, the adjective from which chariness derives, comes from the Middle English adjective chari, charry, cearig actively concerned, diligent; sad, sorrowful; cherished (of a person). Chari comes from the Old English adjective cearig, ceari careful, grieving, pensive, wary, anxious, dire. The Old English adjective is a derivative of the noun cearu, caru sorrow, grief (Modern English care). Chariness entered English in the 16th century.

how is chariness used?

Nay, I will consent to act any villainy against him, that may not sully the chariness of our honesty.

William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, 1623

The reason for the chariness of the broker is that most of his transactions are carried through on credit and he runs many dangers if he cannot have absolute confidence in the integrity, both financial and otherwise, of his client …

Edith Wharton, "Why the English Broker Does Not Want to Sell Direct," System: The Magazine of Business, April 1919

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