A.Word.A.Day --lickspittle

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Dec 23, 2013

This week's theme
Words to describe people

This week's words
lickspittle
tosspot
milksop
hayseed
gadabout

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

Do you see in black and white: good or bad, cool or uncool? Describe others as saintly or evil? Humans actually come in many shades in between. This week we'll introduce you to five colorful words to describe them.

lickspittle

PRONUNCIATION:

(LIK-spit-l)

MEANING:

noun: A servile flatterer.

ETYMOLOGY:

From lick, from Old English liccian + spittle, from old English spittan. A term with a similar idea is brown-noser. Earliest documented use: 1825.

USAGE:

"Murdoch is one of the greatest lickspittles in history, always prepared to kowtow to power whatever its shape or nature, in order to make more money for himself."
Martin Rowson; The Dog Allusion: Pets, Gods, and How to be Human; Vintage; 2008.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The sleep of reason produces monsters. -Francisco Goya, painter and printmaker (1746-1828)

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