Sinecure

WORD OF THE DAY

 

SINECURE \ SYE-nih-kyoor \ noun

 

Definition

: an office or position that requires little or no work and that usually provides an income

 

Examples

The king was in the habit of rewarding his loyal supporters with sinecures.

"The status of former presidential nominee turned influential insider is more than just a nice sinecure for a politician in the twilight of his career. It's the foundation for another presidential run."
— Jamelle Bouie, The Chicago Tribune, 14 Jan. 2015

Did You Know?

Sinecure comes from the Medieval Latin phrase sine cura, which literally means "without cure." No, the first sinecures were not cushy jobs for those suffering with incurable maladies. T

he word sinecure first referred to "an ecclesiastical benefice without cure of souls"—that is, a church position in which the job-holder did not have to tend to the spiritual care and instruction of church members. Such sinecures were virtually done away with by the end of the 19th century, but by then the word had acquired a broader sense referring to any paid position with few or no responsibilities.

Gadfly

WORD OF THE DAY

 

GADFLY \ GAD-flye \ noun

 

Definition

1: any of various flies that bite or annoy livestock

2: a person who stimulates or annoys especially by persistent criticism

Examples

Ms. Johnson has long been a gadfly at town meetings, and I've grown weary of her attempts to hector the town council into doing as she sees fit.

"The council will hold a hearing Wednesday for members of the public to come to City Hall to vent on the budget, an event that often ends up with … various gadflies offering their plans for closing the city's deficit."
— John Byrne, The Chicago Tribune, 11 Oct. 2015

 

Did You Know?

The history of gadfly starts with gad, which now means "chisel" but which formerly could designate a spike, a spear, or a rod for goading cattle. Late in the 16th century, gad was joined with fly to designate any of several insects that aggravate livestock. Before too long, we began applying gadfly to people who annoyed or provoked others.
One of history's most famous gadflies is the philosopher Socrates, who was known for his constant questioning of his fellow Athenians' ethics, misconceptions, and assumptions. In his Apology, Plato describes Socrates' characterization of Athens as a great slumbering horse and of Socrates himself as the fly that bites and rouses it. Many translations use gadfly in this portion of the Apology, and Socrates is sometimes referred to as the "gadfly of Athens."

Noachian

Word of the Day

 

Noachian \ noh-AY-kee-un \ adjective

 

DEFINITION: of or relating to the patriarch Noah or his time

 

EXAMPLES"He eventually concluded that all the many floods he now recognized had antedated the Noachian deluge."
— Stephen Jay Gould, The Flamingo's Smile, 1985

"The Noachian covenant indicates to her that God had evolved from an omnipotent, omniscient deity 'to a sadder, wiser deity' who realizes that his punishment was 'a bit excessive'…."
— Brigid Curtin Frein, Theological Studies, September 2009

DID YOU KNOW?

Students of the Bible know that Noah survived the Great Flood by stowing himself, his family, and two of every kind of creature on his Ark. "Noachian" is derived from the Hebrew name for Noah. Modern contexts find "Noachian" used in reference to the Great Flood or, more humorously, to describe torrential rainstorms and flooding reminiscent of the Biblical event.

It could be said that usage of "Noachian" spans even beyond planet Earth. Astronomers studying the surface of the planet Mars use "Noachian" to refer to the epoch between 4.6 and 3.5 billion years ago when that planet's oldest craters were believed to be formed. This usage is based on "Noachis Terra" one of the landmasses of Mars. The name, which translates as "Land of Noah," was chosen in the 19th century by Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli.