The Death of Fissiparous and Other Words: A Dictionary of Words & Phrases on the Verge of Extinction

conduce

KAWN-doos

verb

to influence, contribute to or lead toward a specific outcome

1734Alexander PopeAn Essay on ManIn the physical universe all things work together for good, although certain aspects of nature seem evil to man, and likewise in the moral universe all things, even man's passions and crimes conduce to the general good of the whole.1857Charlotte BronteThe ProfessorA lace-mender may make a good wife as well as a lady; but of course you have taken care to ascertain thoroughly that since she has not education, fortune or station, she is well furnished with such natural qualities as you think most likely to conduce to your happiness.1871PlatoGorgiasSOCRATES: And when we kill a man we kill him or exile him or despoil him of his goods, because, as we think, it will conduce to our good?1914John R. HutchinsonThe Press-Gang Afloat and AshoreThe exemption he otherwise enjoyed appears to have conduced not a little to the waterman's proverbial joviality.

Labels: Alexander Pope, Charlotte Bronte, John R. Hutchinson, Plato

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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minauderie

mee-nod-YAER

noun

a contrived and unnatural show or display; affectation

1823Sir Walter ScottPeveril of the PeakJulian was under the necessity of enduring all her tiresome and fantastic airs, and awaiting with patience till she had 'prinked herself and pinned herself'—flung her hoods back, and drawn them forward—snuffed at a little bottle of essences—closed her eyes like a dying fowl—turned them up like duck in a thunderstorm; when at length, having exhausted her round of minauderies, she condescended to open the conversation.1850William Makepeace ThackerayThe History of Pendennis, his Fortunes and Misfortunes, his Friends and his greatest Enemy...what a pretty natural manner she has; how much pleasanter than the minauderies of the young ladies in the ballrooms.1853Charlotte BronteVillette'There is no time to be lost,' he went on, now speaking in French; 'and let us thrust to the wall all reluctance, all excuses, all minauderies. You must take a part.'1884Charles ReadeA Perilous Secret'Connu ,' said Hope, 'voyons ca;' and in a minute repaired the article, and the girl spread it, and went off wriggling and mincing with it, so that there was a pronounced horse-laugh at her minauderies.1885Robert Louis StevensonLetter to William Archer (18 October 1885)Again, your first remark upon the affectation of the italic names; a practice only followed in my two affected little books of travel, where a typographical minauderies of the sort appeared to me in character; and what you say of it, then, is quite just.

Labels: Charles Reade, Charlotte Bronte, Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott, William Makepeace Thackeray

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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