This week’s theme
Words derived from metals

This week’s words
brazen
auricomous
philargyry
tinpot
lead balloon


This week’s comments
AWADmail 963

Next week’s theme
One thing leads to another ...

---

A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(led buh-LOON)

MEANING:

noun: A complete failure.

ETYMOLOGY:

From lead (a heavy metal), from Old English lead + balloon, from Italian dialectal ballone (large ball), augmentative of balla (ball). Ultimately from the Indo-European root bhel- (to blow or swell), which also gave us ball, boll, bole, bulk, bowl, boulevard, boulder, ballot, folly, and fool. Earliest documented use: 1924.

NOTES:

If something fails, in British English it goes down like a lead balloon, in American English it goes over like a lead balloon. Either way, it’s a flop.

USAGE:

“The band’s name was pinched from Keith Moon, The Who’s drummer, who had suggested in 1966 that a potential group involving him and Mr Page, without a quality singer, would go down like a lead balloon. Mr Page kept a note of “Led Zeppelin”, and thought it was perfect for a new band that would combine music heavy and light.”
Fifty Years on, Led Zeppelin Are Still Idols for Aspiring Rock Stars; The Economist (London); Aug 9, 2018.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: