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

captious

KAP-shuhs

adjective

a propensity to judge things or persons severely; hard to please

1928Virginia WoolfOrlandoThus did the spirit work upon her, for all her past pride, and as she came sloping down the scale of emotion to this lowly and unaccustomed lodging-place, those twangings and tinglings which had been so captious and so interrogative modulated into the sweetest melodies…1969Hermann HesseMagister Ludi, The Glass Bead GameThis instruction followed immediately after his own lessons in epigraphy and source work, the pupil becoming the teacher and the honored teacher an attentive listener and often a captious critic and questioner.1977Robin CookComaThe anesthesiology resident had had to weather one of the worst bombardments of foul words and captious epithets that had ever been hurled over an anesthesia screen.

Labels: Hermann Hesse, Robin Cook, Virginia Woolf

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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sobriquet

SO-bri-kay

noun

a nickname

1906Lucas MaletThe Far Horizon'That is very taking and stylish; and it is just what I should like to have done with my Peachie.' This graceful sobriquet was generally understood to bear testimony to the excellence of Mrs. Porcher's complexion.1983Alan Dean FosterKrullErgo spoke the words and for a change lived up to his sobriquet, the Magnificent.2000Robin CookShock'Milk of amnesia' was Carl's humorous sobriquet for the anesthetic agent propofol, which was dispensed as a white liquid, and the term never failed to tickle her funny bone.

Labels: Alan Dean Foster, Lucas Malet, Robin Cook

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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obtund

awb-TUHND

verb

to blunt; to make dull; to make less severe; to decrease pain

1820Baron D'HolbachThe System of NatureIn old age man extinguishes entirely, his fibres become rigid, his nerves loose their elasticity, his senses are obtunded, his sight grows dim, his ears lose their quickness, his ideas become unconnected, his memory fails, his imagination cools: what then becomes of his soul?1993Robin CookFatal CureOn top of that, John was obtunded, and when aroused, apathetic.1998Michael CrichtonTimelineWhite male, ballpark seventy years old. Comes in confused, obtunded, disoriented times three.

Labels: Baron D'Holbach, Michael Crichton, Robin Cook

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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