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A.Word.A.Day--jackanapes

Mark Twain once said, "When angry, count to four; when very angry, swear." While swearing is considered uncouth and vulgar, it has its place and purpose. It helps provide an emotional release and clears the system. Isn't a verbal venting of emotions better than a physical manifestation?

You don't have to rely on those worn-out four-letter terms to inflict rude remarks on the offending party. With careful selection of words, it's possible to elevate insults to an art form. Why not use this week's exquisite words for one of those times when nothing less will do?

But remember, everything in moderation.

jackanapes (JAK-uh-nayps)

noun: An impertinent conceited person.

[Probably from Jack Napes, from "jack (man) of an ape". This word was the nickname of William de la Pole (1396-1450), Duke of Suffolk, as his badge was a clog and chain, as might be tied to an ape.]

"It turned out some jackanapes of a whippersnapper at my publisher's had appended his own subtitle to a forthcoming book of mine and announced it on Amazon."
Mark Steyn; Michael Ignatieff's Home-ophobia; Macleans (Toronto, Canada); Oct 19, 2006.

See more usage examples of jackanapes in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

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