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Sunday 6 August 2017

Sunday Rest: diaphoresis. Word Not To Use Today.

No dears, properly-brought-up girls used to be told (not that I was properly brought-up, but I had a very stiff History teacher) young ladies don't sweat. Horses sweat; men perspire; and ladies glow.

Sometimes ladies glow so much they get positively effulgent, but it's still much more pleasant and elegant than sweating. No one wants to sweat.

However, there is, sadly, something even worse than sweating, and that is exhibiting diaphoresis. That's actually just the medical term for sweating, but it's such a thoroughly horrid word that surely it can only make sufferers feel even worse.

Actually, come to think about it, that's like a lot of medical terms.

Do you think the doctors are just trying to drum-up custom?

Word Not To Use Today: diaphoresis. This word comes from the Greek diaphorein, to disperse through sweat (ugh!) from dia-, across, and phorein, to carry. 




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