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Sep 14, 2009
This week's themeEponyms This week's words Beau Brummell termagant pleiad Gordon Bennett pasquinade Beau Brummell
(Caricature by Robert Dighton, 1805)
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with Anu GargEponyms are little capsules of history. They capture a bundle of stories in just a word or two. These terms, derived from the names of people, summarize their characters and qualities that made them stand out. In the five eponyms to be explored this week, we'll meet people, men and women, real and fictional, from a diverse world that includes two playboys, seven sisters, an imaginary deity, and more. Sounds like a soap opera! Beau Brummell
PRONUNCIATION:
(bo BRUM-uhl)
MEANING:
noun: A man who pays excessive attention to his clothes and appearance.
ETYMOLOGY:
After Beau Brummell, nickname of George Bryan Brummell (1778-1840), a British
dandy. Brummell was known for his suits and elaborate neckwear and was
considered an authority in matters of men's dress and etiquette. He rose
in society thanks to his royal connections, but gambling debts forced him
to flee to France. He died penniless in a mental institution in Caen.
USAGE:
"He [father] possessed a Beau Brummell's zest for fashion."Neal Hirschfeld; His Dad, the World's Darling; The New York Times; Jun 15, 2008. See more usage examples of Beau Brummell in Vocabulary.com's dictionary. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to offend, it ceases to exist. -Salman Rushdie, writer (b. 1947)
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