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Jun 15, 2023
This week’s themeDouble-duty words This week’s words stymie sluice chirk skeeve souse Illustration: Anu Garg × DALL·E
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Gargskeeve
PRONUNCIATION:
MEANING:
verb tr.: To disgust. noun: A disgusting person. ETYMOLOGY:
Probably a back-formation from skeevy (disgusting), from Italian schifare
(to disgust or to loathe). Earliest documented use: verb: 1986, noun: 1990.
USAGE:
“People have a thing about feet ... People get skeeved.’” Katherine Rosman; He Took His Shoes Off 20 Years Ago; The New York Times; Mar 1, 2023. “He’s a skeeve. Never liked him. Never hang with him. He just ain’t right.” Kristen Ashley; Free; Rock Chick; 2019. A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
To a father growing old, nothing is dearer than a daughter. -Euripides,
playwright (c. 480-406 BCE)
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