• eschew •
Printable Version Pronunciation: es-choo • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Verb, transitive
Meaning: To avoid, shun, shy away from; to reject.
Notes: Perhaps the shortest one-liner in English is "Eschew obfuscation", funny to some because both eschew and obfuscation are thought to contribute to obfuscation. However, both these words have now been established as alphaDictionary Good Words, making them simply citizens of a literate vocabulary. One instance of eschewing is an eschewal while the process itself is eschewance; someone who eschews is an eschewer.
In Play: Do not eschew the use of this word wherever you are. It is a very handy term around the workplace: "Gladys Friday tends to eschew work on warm, sunny days." This word also offers a lovely way of expressing your wishes indirectly without resorting to such expressions as gimme: "I get an allergic reaction to flowers but I would not eschew a box of truly excellent chocolates."
Word History: Believe it or not, eschew is English shy in French clothing. Eschew originated in the ancient ancestor of English, Proto-Germanic, as skiva- "to avoid, dodge". This word was borrowed by Old French before it went on directly to become English shy. English borrowed the word back from Old French eschiv(er) "(to) dodge, avoid" as escheuen (before the Old French verb became Modern French esquiver). When Old English gave up the infinitive ending -en, the result quickly became Modern English eschew.
~Dr. Goodword
eschew
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- Junior Lexiterian
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Re: eschew
I am not sure how citizenship in the State of Literacy would be bequeathed. Perhaps "denizens" would be a better term for describing those words which live and work in a literate vocabulary?Perhaps the shortest one-liner in English is "Eschew obfuscation", funny to some because both eschew and obfuscation are thought to contribute to obfuscation. However, both these words have now been established as alphaDictionary Good Words, making them simply citizens of a literate vocabulary.
~Dr. Goodword
I 'lost' the old picture, it was no longer hosted, so I had to get a new one. I like this one I'd like a 'thinker' posed one better but it might be immodest.Love the new portrait Bailey! Don't eschew the chimp; he has soul.
mark hmmmmm? Bailey
Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb
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- Junior Lexiterian
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I've always been partial to cosmopolite and countrymen.Then denizen it is.Good idea! I love the word denizen.
Perhaps a word that is used very infrequently but that is pleasantly surprising could be a sojourner.
Any more suggestions?
Or, perhaps as someone frequently in the news may say, "I am the resider."
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- Grand Panjandrum
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Gesundheit!• eschew •
Printable Version Pronunciation: es-choo • Hear it!
Does that make those people ex-pensive?mark pensive-who-uses-that-word-anymore? Bailey
Bail, the new 'tar is da bomb. Good Rodin material.
Right, let's have a song to celebrate.
Last edited by sluggo on Sat Sep 22, 2007 5:42 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
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- Grand Panjandrum
- Posts: 1476
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- Location: Carolinia Agrestícia: The Forest Primeval
Ah, here's that old nod to the Nairobi Trio!
I just discovered (37 years later) this derivative.
Especially for Bailey- enjoy.
I just discovered (37 years later) this derivative.
Especially for Bailey- enjoy.
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!
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