|
ultima ratio regum ool-tuh-muh RAW-tee-o RAY-goom phrase the last argument of kings; war 1792Thomas PaineThe Rights of ManWithout consuming, like the Ultima Ratio Regum, it winds its progress from nation to nation, and conquers by a silent operation.1884Grant AllenPhilistiaYou know the motto Louis Quatorze used to cast on his bronze cannon—'Ultima ratio regum.' Well, we Socialists ought to be able to find better logic for our opponents than that, oughtn't we?'1981Patrick O'BrianThe Ionian MissionIf Captain Aubrey were to turn his cannon - the ultima ratio regum, and of other bullies - on Professor Graham, the truth would remain unaltered.1992Neal StephensonSnow Crash'What does ultima ratio regum mean?' | 'The Last Argument of Kings,'' the Librarian says.Labels: Grant Allen, Neal Stephenson, Patrick O'Brian, Thomas Paine
|
Permalink: ultima ratio regum
Entry By: CJ Cooney
Smash illiteracy! Email This Word To A Friend:
|
|
orrery OR-uh-ree noun a model of the solar system that often operates using clockwork-like wheels and gears and which illustrates the relative orbits of the planets around the sun 1794Thomas PaineThe Age of ReasonAfter I had made myself master of the use of the globes and of the orrery, and conceived an idea of the infinity of space, and the eternal divisibility of matter, and obtained at least a general knowledge of what is called natural philosophy, I began to compare, or, as I have before said, to confront the eternal evidence those things afford with the Christian system of faith.1829VariousThe Mirror of Literature, Amusement, and Instruction (December 12, 1829)The mechanical ingenuity of Mr. Crawshaw has also been displayed in the construction of an orrery consisting of at least 1,000 wheels, which, by a single winch, turns all the planets in their respective periods…1897John MunroA Trip to Venus'We must consider their relative distances from the earth. By the way, I don't think you have seen my new electrical orrery.'1988Arthur C. Clarke and Gentry LeeCradleThe bright orb, the size of a giant beach ball, lifted itself into its proper place in the orrery and flooded the entire room with its radiance.Labels: Arthur C. Clarke, Gentry Lee, John Munro, Thomas Paine, Various
|
Permalink: orrery
Entry By: CJ Cooney
Smash illiteracy! Email This Word To A Friend:
|
|
tontine TAWN-teen noun a financial agreement where a prize or amount of money is given to the last living party to the agreement 1792Thomas PaineThe Rights of ManEvery person in England, male and female, pays on an average in taxes two pounds eight shillings and sixpence per annum from the day of his (or her) birth; and, if the expense of collection be added, he pays two pounds eleven shillings and sixpence; consequently, at the end of fifty years he has paid one hundred and twenty-eight pounds fifteen shillings; and at sixty one hundred and fifty-four pounds ten shillings. Converting, therefore, his (or her) individual tax in a tontine, the money he shall receive after fifty years is but little more than the legal interest of the net money he has paid; the rest is made up from those whose circumstances do not require them to draw such support, and the capital in both cases defrays the expenses of government. It is on this ground that I have extended the probable claims to one-third of the number of aged persons in the nation. Is it, then, better that the lives of one hundred and forty thousand aged persons be rendered comfortable, or that a million a year of public money be expended on any one individual, and him often of the most worthless or insignificant character? Let reason and justice, let honour and humanity, let even hypocrisy, sycophancy and Mr. Burke, let George, let Louis, Leopold, Frederic, Catherine, Cornwallis, or Tippoo Saib, answer the question.1889Lloyd OsbourneThe Wrong BoxTonti is dead, and I never saw anyone who even pretended to regret him; and, as for the tontine system, a word will suffice for all the purposes of this unvarnished narrative.1986Le SageLa TontinePEACOCK: We do everything that a doctor and a pharmacist can do for each other. We work in perfect harmony. And, to further our friendship, I am going to tell you about a little investment I have made. I've taken out a ten thousand pound Tontine on him. | FLEM: You? (puzzled) Why? | PEACOCK: (supercilously) You know what a Tontine is, of course? | FLEM: Certainly, a Tontine is—a Tontine is—(helplessly) What the devil is a Tontine? | PEACOCK: (smugly triumphant) It's a last man out club. The survivor gets all the money from all the policies.1995Lois McMaster BujoldCetagandaGeneral Yenaro had the misfortune to be the last of five successive ghem-generals who lost the Barrayaran War, and thus the sole inheritor of a, as it were, tontine of blame.Labels: Le Sage, Lloyd Osbourne, Lois McMaster Bujold, Thomas Paine
|
Permalink: tontine
Entry By: CJ Cooney
Smash illiteracy! Email This Word To A Friend:
|
|
garde du corps GARD-dyoo-kor noun a bodyguard or bodyguards 1792Thomas PaineThe Rights of ManDuring this state of suspense, the Garde du Corps, which was composed as such regiments generally are, of persons much connected with the Court, gave an entertainment at Versailles (October 1) to some foreign regiments then arrived; and when the entertainment was at the height, on a signal given, the Garde du Corps tore the national cockade from their hats, trampled it under foot, and replaced it with a counter-cockade prepared for the purpose.1903Arthur Conan DoyleThe Adventures of GerardNow and then, if we were lucky, we managed to pick a quarrel with one of the Garde du Corps, and if we left him on his back in the Bois we felt that we had struck a blow for Napoleon once again.Labels: Arthur Conan Doyle, Thomas Paine
|
Permalink: garde du corps
Entry By: CJ Cooney
Smash illiteracy! Email This Word To A Friend:
|
|
|
BIO
ABOUT THIS PROJECT
RECENT POSTS
