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

mordant

MOR-dent

adjective

caustic and sarcastic; biting; incisive

1897E. W. HornungDead Men Tell No Tales'And now better lid 'im to the nirrest polissstation; or weel you go and tell the poliss yourself?' asked the Portuguese, in the same tone of mordant irony.1908E. M. ForsterA Room With A View'I quite agree,' said Miss Lavish, who had several times tried to interrupt his mordant wit. 'The narrowness and superficiality of the Anglo-Saxon tourist is nothing less than a menace.'1966Jack VanceThe Last CastleWhen aroused his wit was utterly mordant.

Labels: E. M. Forster, E. W. Hornung, Jack Vance

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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bedizen

bi-DAI-zuhn

verb

to dress-up or decorate in a garish or gaudy manner

1850Nathaniel Hawthorne The Scarlet Letter Prithee, young one, who art thou, and what has ailed thy mother to bedizen thee in this strange fashion?1864Charles Kingsley The Roman and the Teuton But still the Trolls can tempt and bribe the greedier or the more vain; and still the wonders inside haunt their minds; till it becomes a fixed idea among them all, to conquer the garden for themselves and bedizen themselves in the fine clothes, and drink their fill of the wine. 1895Grant Allen The British Barbarians Sometimes people cover their heads with filth or ashes; and sometimes they bedizen them with crape and white streamers. 1997Jack VanceThe Demon PrincesBedizened and fashionable, Gersen now failed to recognize himself in the mirror.

Labels: Charles Kingsley, Grant Allen, Jack Vance, Nathaniel Hawthorne

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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