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Tuesday 8 April 2014

Thing Not To Do Today: be pusillanimous.

Pusillanimous might not be the most elegant word in the English language, but it's useful because it takes a long time to say and so you can get a lot of feeling into it.

Pusillanimous.

It means cowardly or lacking in determination. So those who by some miracle of genetic engineering are both chicken-hearted and lily-livered are prime examples of pusillanimity, especially if they also happen to have a yellow streak down their backs.

Do you know someone pusillanimous? Or, at least, do you know anyone who is acting in a pusillanimous way?

All right, then. I dare you to tell them. But do make sure they really are pusillanimous before you do, or else you might get yourself into really serious trouble.

File:Chicken March 2010-1.jpg
Photo by Alvesgaspar


Word To Use Today: pusillanimous, This word comes from the Latin pusillanimis from pusillus, weak, plus animus, spirit.

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2 comments:

  1. Jingles8 April 2014 at 23:30

    A lovely old word.
    It's a good adjective for insults. I know of a person I would love to call a pusillanimous pipsqueak!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sally Prue9 April 2014 at 08:18

      Well, that'd have them quaking in their boots, Jingles. I think you should do it.
      'You're just a dirty rotten coward and a...and a...and a pusillanimous pipsqueak!'
      It would have to be one of the crowning moments of your life!

      Delete

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