au·gu·ry(ôgy-r)
NOUN:
pl. au·gu·ries
1. The art, ability, or practice of auguring; divination.
2. A sign of something coming; an omen: "The chartist buys when the auguries look favorable and sells on bad omens" (Burton G. Malkiel).
ETYMOLOGY:
Middle English augurie, from Old French, from Latin augurium, from augur, augur.
augury
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- Lexiterian
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- Grand Panjandrum
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Re: augury
Today I read in an august newspaper the word augur as a noun, presumably (from the context) meaning omen. "The augurs are not good". Here is the dilemma. Should I write to the author and explain that the word they want is augury and that augur already has a clear meaning - seer, or prophet? Or do we just let it through to the keeper, and risk that this awful misappropriation might continue in use, confusing people and diminishing language?
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