ARGUS

Use this forum to discuss past Good Words.
User avatar
Dr. Goodword
Site Admin
Posts: 7417
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:28 am
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Contact:

ARGUS

Postby Dr. Goodword » Tue Nov 27, 2007 12:54 am

• argus •

Pronunciation: ahr-gês • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A watchful person, a guard or guardian, a lookout.

Notes: No doubt because of the rarity of its use, today's Good Word, is virtually a lexical orphan. Someone on the Web claims that they "argusly monitor national and international news", using a correctly formed adverb that could be used as an adjective, paralleling friendly, manly, and the like. This word has been used in two compounds in the past, argus-eyed an argus-like.

In Play: There is no better guardian of our property than an argus: "Don't worry about the car, dad: I'll keep an argus-eyed watch on it whether I'm in it or not." Of course, this word may be used sarcastically: "My store was robbed while the two arguses I hired to guard it at night were watching TV."

Word History: Today's Good Word is an eponym of Argos, a giant in Greek mythology who had a hundred eyes, no more than two of which were closed at the same time. He was therefore the perfect guard. When he was killed by Hermes, the goddess Hera gave his eyes to her favorite bird, the peacock.
• The Good Dr. Goodword

melissa
Junior Lexiterian
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:30 am

Argos

Postby melissa » Wed Nov 28, 2007 11:30 pm

Hmm, wasn't aware of the mythical giant, but a fitting and maybe prophetic name for a wagging dog that saw more than he should and knew when to exit, from center stage no less.

User avatar
Dr. Goodword
Site Admin
Posts: 7417
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2005 9:28 am
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Contact:

Argus the Dog?

Postby Dr. Goodword » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:16 am

Melissa,

I don't quite get the reference here. Which 'Argus' do you have in mind?
• The Good Dr. Goodword

melissa
Junior Lexiterian
Posts: 74
Joined: Sat Jan 21, 2006 3:30 am

Argos

Postby melissa » Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:05 am

Kazantzakis notwithstanding,

His bleary eyes had recognized his master well,
he'd crawled and quivered, rushed with whimpering whines, then twined and tangled with his master's feet, licked at his heels, but the dread hunter, forcing his tears back with stealth, had quickly seized the grimy neck that throbbed with joy and squeezed until the faithful hound rolled over, dead,
though his tail's naked tip still quivered with delight.

-is why I remember Argos as the turning point of the Odyssey,
it was all downhill from there.

Perry
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 2306
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:50 am
Location: Asheville, NC

Postby Perry » Fri Nov 30, 2007 11:07 am

Faithful Argus recognized Oddyseus when even Penelope did not.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous

Bailey
Great Grand Panjandrum
Posts: 2114
Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:51 pm

Postby Bailey » Fri Nov 30, 2007 12:55 pm

And look what 'faithful' got him.

mark just-like-a-stupid-dog Bailey

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb










Return to “Good Word Discussion”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Ahrefs [Bot] and 43 guests