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Sep 20, 2002

This week's theme
Words that have changed

This week's words
demagogue
decimate
feisty
egregious
officious

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Next week’s theme
Words about wordplay

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officious

adjective:
1. Excessively eager in offering unwanted or unneeded advice or help.
2. Unofficial.

[From Latin officiosus (dutiful), from officium (service).]

"It (the petition) demands that the traffic officials of Grahamstown `return to being polite public servants, working for the good and safety of the community, rather than the rude and officious revenue officers they have become...'"
Cecile Greyling; Teacher Launches Petition Against Traffic Department Repression; East Cape News (Grahamstown, South Africa); Jun 13, 2002.

"The bough of cherries some officious fool
Broke in the orchard for her, the white mule."
Robert Browning; My Last Duchess; 1842.

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