noun:
A choice without an alternative; the thing offered or nothing.
Fagan’s defense revolves around his insistence that he faced a Hobson’s choice and had to act.
– Laura Parker, “Discovery of daughters never followed by reunion”, USA Today, May 11, 1999
The origin of the term Hobson’s choice is said to be in the name of one Thomas [...]
adjective:
Of or belonging to the summer; as, aestival diseases. [Spelled also estival.]
Far to the north and hemmed in against the Russian Bear, it is easy to overlook this land of lakes, forests, and aestival white nights.
– [i.e. Finland]
From the Latin æstas, summer.
I had to squeak this word in after summer has slipped away around the [...]
This episode showed me just how slow my mind has become, post-childbearing. No one ever told me that “milk brain” lasts for…..ever. The five remaining designers had to design an outfit for each other, in a particular musical genre. I was so confused. Every time I looked at what one designer [...]
noun:
A worn-out strumpet; a vixenish woman; a hag.
As the vulgar, scornful, desperate Martha, Miss Hagen makes a tormented harridan horrifyingly believable.
– Howard Taubman, “The Theater: Albee’s ‘Who’s Afraid’”, New York Times, October 15, 1962
Harridan probably comes from French haridelle, “a worn-out horse, a gaunt woman.”
Seems like I should have known this word. Do you? [...]
blackguard \BLAG-uhrd\, noun:
1. A rude or unscrupulous person; a scoundrel.
2. A person who uses foul or abusive language.
3. Scurrilous; abusive; low; worthless; vicious; as, “blackguard language.”
4. To revile or abuse in scurrilous language.
Monroe wondered, but did not ask, what could have driven a young lady of such fine bearing and aristocratic attraction to leave home [...]
noun:
Loss or impairment of the ability to act or to make decisions.
I was suffering from an aboulia, you know. I couldn’t seem to make decisions.
– Anatole Broyard, “Reading and Writing; (Enter Pound and Eliot)”, New York Times, May 30, 1982
Abulia derives from Greek a-, “without” + boule, “will.” The adjective form is abulic.
Kid started full-day [...]
noun:
1. A secret, conspiratorial association of plotters or intriguers whose purpose is usually to bring about an overturn especially in public affairs.
2. The schemes or plots of such an association.
3. To form a cabal; to conspire; to intrigue; to plot.
But the new world of toys is by no means simply the product of a profit-mad [...]
