BOYCOTT

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Dr. Goodword
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BOYCOTT

Postby Dr. Goodword » Tue Dec 16, 2008 12:23 am

• boycott •

Pronunciation: boy-kaht • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Verb, Noun

Meaning: To refuse to do business with an organization to protest its policy or punish that organization for the policy.

Notes: Today's word has a small but healthy family. Someone who boycotts is a boycotter, while the use of boycotts to advance a cause is boycottism. This word may be used noun, as a boycott of theaters showing Disney movies. Remember the double T at the end of this word or you'll be talking about a small bed for a boy.

In Play: Highly organized boycotts usually make the papers: "Local Women Boycott Footwear Manufacturer Over Leaky Boots." (Or should they have said Girlcott?) Of course, lesser boycotts that do not make the papers erupt from time to time: "Mama! I'm boycotting dinner until you serve us pizza!" (That is what is called an 'empty threat'.)

Word History: Charles Cunningham Boycott (1832-97) was an estate manager whose name is the eponym of what is now the common noun boycott. After retiring from the British Army in 1873 Boycott became manager of Earl of Erne's estates in County Mayo, Ireland. In 1880 an Irish land-reform group told Boycott to reduce rents by 25%; Boycott instead attempted to evict tenants who asked for a reduction. Charles Stewart Parnell, leader of reform group, urged tenants not to cooperate with those who refused to lower rents. Boycott's tenants responded with an action that lent his name to the political action of mass resistance to perceived injustice. In Japanese the word is boikotto. (We hope Jackie Strauss never boycotts us but rather continues sending us such Good Words as today's.)
• The Good Dr. Goodword

skinem
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Postby skinem » Tue Dec 16, 2008 10:19 am

Thank you! Another word that answers my question in Res Diversae about words derived from people's names.

I'm going to have to re-study some history. In the lead-up to the American Revolution, colonists boycotted British products a couple of times. I've always heard it taught, and taught it myself that they "boycotted" the products.
According to today's etymology, that's not the word they used at that time for that action. I'm going to have to do some research to find out what people of the time called it.

Probably something simple like "refuse to buy"... :roll:

Stargzer
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Postby Stargzer » Wed Dec 17, 2008 12:35 am

From the pages of Boy's Life magazine, many, many, many, ... many years ago. (And it's no doubt still making the rounds.)

Daffynition: Boycott -- a small, male cot.
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee

sluggo
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Postby sluggo » Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:49 pm

Boycott -- a small, male cot.
- excepting the one belonging to Wayne.

Wow, haven't thought of Daffynitions in a boy's age.

not sure if I want to even consider what makes it male...
Stop! Murder us not, tonsured rumpots! Knife no one, fink!

Stargzer
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Postby Stargzer » Fri Dec 19, 2008 5:32 pm

"Waynescot! Party Time!"

Stargzer remembers the collie with Garth's hair-do.
Regards//Larry

"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee


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