Nullius in Verba

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Word Power - 1


Words for the Week - 1

Zeitgeist

Noun: The spirit of the time; the general intellectual and moral state or temper characteristic of any period of time.

Quote:

As most critics and all professors of cultural theory note, Madonna is nothing if not a skilled reader of the zeitgeist.


Remonstrate

Verb: To say or plead in protest, opposition, or reproof.

Quote:

If a hailstorm starts, surely instead of remonstrating with it, you try to take shelter.


Upbraid

Verb: To scold or criticize harshly.

Quote:

Afterwards, Grace roundly upbraided the boy for his boorishness.


Stoic

Adjective: Not affected by passion; being or appearing indifferent to pleasure or pain, joy or grief.

Quote:

With each year, his face became more stoic until it looked as though it had been chipped from pale rock.


Callow

Adjective: Immature; lacking adult perception, experience, or judgment.

Quote:

Those who in later years did me harm I describe as I knew them then, and I beg any reader to remember that, although I was hardly callow, I was not yet wise in the ways of the world.

13 comments:

Mo Nour El Din said...

Added to my collection.

Unknown said...

Wrote in the paper we received today.

EliqaShaza said...

helps a lot :) x
I didn't even know these words existed :D

Leah Simon said...

Sir, what exactly does zeitgeist mean? I did not understand the definion.

Mo Nour El Din said...

To Leah Simon: The general moral, intellectual, and cultural climate of an era; Zeitgeist is German for “time-spirit.” For example, the Zeitgeist of England in the Victorian period included a belief in industrial progress, and the Zeitgeist of the 1980s in the United States was a belief in the power of money and the many ways in which to spend it.

If you still do not understand, there are more explanations and examples on :- (http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Zeitgeist?src=tbr&qsrc=2894&o=100083&l=dis)

Sonal.Vohra said...

Zeitgeist is pronounced as 'Zitegiest',incase any of you dint know.

asima...=D said...

super interesting!!! thank you!! definitely added to my collection, now lets just hope I can remember them :P

Mr. Roberts said...

Leah,
"Zeitgeist" quite literally means "spirit of the times" - the general moral and ethical atmosphere prevailing at any given time.

Mr. Roberts said...

There is an online documentary that's well worth watching called "Zeitgeist." It talks about the 9/11 conspiracy, the origins of religion, the banking industry, and the origins of money.

Leah Simon said...

thank you...

Payam H.D said...

Thanks Mr. R.!!
Added these to my vocab list.

priyanka.nathaline.lopez said...

Sir, does stoic also refer to 'stoic beliefs' like brutus' in julius caesar?

Mr. Roberts said...

Priyanka,
Quick answer- yes : )