Mote

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Dr. Goodword
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Mote

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sat Mar 01, 2014 11:23 pm

• mote •

Pronunciation: mot • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A speck of dust, minute particle, iota, crumb, grain, mite, smidgen.

Notes: Today's Good Word is pretty simple and straightforward. In northern England and Scotland people still refer to motey (the adjective) substances and moteless (spotless) homes but these variants are marginal elsewhere.

In Play: Today's Good Word is most familiar in English idiom "a mote in the eye" referring to someone who criticizes others for faults they possess themselves. It comes from a passage in the King James version of the New Testament, Matthew 13:3: "But what seest thou a little mote in the eye of thy brother, and seest not a beam in thine own eye?" Here is the way we would use it today: "Don't you think Sparky the Clown has a mote in the eye when he criticizes the way you dress?" We do still use this word figuratively: "There isn't a mote of truth in what Mel Arky says about me!"

Word History: Mote is a pure-blood English word, not borrowed from any other language. It certainly went into the making of motley and is probably related to smut, with a Fickle S that comes and goes as it pleases. (We have seen the Fickle S elsewhere in related words like English slack and Latin lax.) It is also possible that midge and smidgen are a part of the larger family of words related to mote; however, conclusive evidence is lacking. (We certainly owe vastly more than a mote of gratitude to Doug Schulek-Miller for suggesting today's fascinating little Good Word.)
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LukeJavan8
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Re: Mote

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sun Mar 02, 2014 1:49 pm

Looking for a mote in my abode, they would leave
with a bulldozer full.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

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Slava
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Re: Mote

Postby Slava » Sun Mar 02, 2014 4:33 pm

How about a toast? "Here's mote in your eye!"
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

LukeJavan8
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Re: Mote

Postby LukeJavan8 » Sun Mar 02, 2014 7:01 pm

To which the reply could be :

"And a beam back at'cha!"
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

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Slava
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Re: Mote

Postby Slava » Sun Mar 02, 2014 7:25 pm

Especially welcome if it's a Jim. :D
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

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bamaboy56
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Re: Mote

Postby bamaboy56 » Wed Mar 05, 2014 12:23 pm

Glad to see this word here. I use it often, although I prefer to use "jot", "tittle" or "ultimate farthing". Just saying.
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I'm going to change myself. -- Rumi

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Re: Mote

Postby Perry Lassiter » Wed Mar 05, 2014 5:24 pm

Ultimate farthing?
pl

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bamaboy56
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Re: Mote

Postby bamaboy56 » Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:00 pm

OOPS! Should have said "uttermost farthing". As in Matthew 5:26 "Verily I say unto thee, Thou shalt by no means come out thence, till thou hast paid the uttermost farthing." I stand corrected.
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I'm going to change myself. -- Rumi

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bamaboy56
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Re: Mote

Postby bamaboy56 » Thu Mar 06, 2014 5:00 pm

That's KJV.
Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I'm going to change myself. -- Rumi


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