Word For The Day: Monday, July 28, 2003

Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary | July 28, 2003 | The Verbivores

[VRWCmember]

Word For The Day, Monday, July 28, 2003: Fugacious

---

In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".

quietus \kwye-EE-tus\ noun
1. final settlement (as of a debt)
2. removal from activity; especially death *
3. something that quiets or represses

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Example sentence: "This book is also about the death of Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria, a quietus that for reasons not satisfactorily explained has been placed a year later than it actually occurred." (Ruth Rendell, _The New York Times Book Review_, April 6, 1986)

Did you know?
In the early 1500s, English speakers adopted the Medieval Latin phrase "quietus est" (literally "he is quit") as the name for the writ of discharge exempting a baron or knight from payment of a knight's fee to the king. The expression was later shortened to "quietus" and applied to the termination of any debt. William Shakespeare was the first to use "quietus" as a metaphor for the termination of life: "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, ...When he himself might his quietus make / With a bare bodkin?" (_Hamlet_). The third meaning, which is more influenced by "quiet" than "quit," appeared in the 19th century. It sometimes occurs in the phrase "put the quietus on" (as in, "The bad news put the quietus on their celebration").

Rules: Everyone must leave a post using the Word for the Day in a sentence.
The sentence must, in some way, relate to the news of the day.

The Review threads are linked for your edification. ;-)
Practice makes perfect.....post on....

---

[Laura Earl]

Aaahhhhhh! This is so much better. Lu and I are going for a swim. Bring the cooler.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Dang that was my WFTD

[Gabz]

I don't know if anyone questioned Ehrlich - from the one story I heard, he had actually read it, found it hilarious and issued a statement denying it!!! And his statement was as funny as the Onion story.

My first reaction was I could not imagine Glenndenning or Schaeffer having had such a sense of humor over it as Ehrlich did.

[xsmommy]

that is great! and you are absolutely right about those other two!

[TheGrimReaper]

Eleanor Clift needs a major beating!

Poor ol' hag has obviously already taken several beatings with a combination ugly/stupid stick.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Yeah the gender thing would be a problem for both of us. Beer is a better first prize for any dude in contest.

[xsmommy]

speaking of hags, did you read on FR this past weekend, the story written by David Brock, about Michael Huffington? eeks. that was something to behold.

[Gabz]

I worked at a radio station in Caroline County when Schaeffer made his infamous comment about the Eastern shore and out houses - NO ONE ever forgot that - and there was nothing funny about it over on the eastern shore.

[camle]

you have a point there.... but coquettes have TWO points!

[TheGrimReaper]

No, but I'll go look for it... unless you provide the link in the next 30 seconds.....

[xsmommy]

i am fast, sweety, but not that fast : )

[xsmommy]

here

[xsmommy]

2 minutes, so sue me : )

[Conspiracy Guy]

They have points of their own sittin way up high, way up firm and high.

[Conspiracy Guy]

I'll have the servants bring it.

[Laura Earl]

Send the young male hottie. Need sunscreen applied to back.

[xsmommy]

i think the boys would prefer to see the soap star you were hot for the other day, do the sunscreen application. ; )

[Laura Earl]

You know they would. Flur send Vanessa if she has arrived.

[TheGrimReaper]

After reading about that poor bastard, my own life suddenly seems quite tolerable! 8-]
Especially since I don't have to suffer the presence of Space Cadet First Class Arianna.

[xsmommy]

it was positively surreal wasn't it? and so he is a happy little fruit now.....