亚洲网紅露点 of the Day
skimble-scamble
adjective
rambling; confused; nonsensical: a skimble-scamble explanation.
More about skimble-scamble
The rare adjective skimble-scamble shows the same, common vowel alteration in a reduplicated word as in mish-mash or pitter-patter. The reduplicated word is the verb scamble, of unknown etymology, and now obsolete or dialectal, meaning 鈥渢o struggle or scramble with others for food or money tossed to a crowd,鈥� now replaced by scramble. The lexicographer Samuel Johnson was not keen on skimble-scamble, calling it a 鈥渃ant word,鈥� one of his favorite terms of abuse. Skimble-scamble entered English at the end of the 16th century.
how is skimble-scamble used?
He complained bitterly of his reporters, saying that the skimblescamble stuff which they published would “make posterity think ill of his understanding, and that of his brethren on the bench.”
And such a deal of skimble-skamble stuff, /
As puts me from my faith.
optics
noun
the way a situation, action, event, etc., is perceived by the public or by a particular group of people.
More about optics
The noun optics originally referred to that branch of physics dealing with light or other electromagnetic radiation and with the sense of sight. The now common sense 鈥渢he way a situation, action, or event is perceived by the public or in a particular context, especially a political one,鈥� was originally an Americanism first recorded in 1973. Optics entered English in the 16th century.
how is optics used?
The sentence has to be in double figures. The optics are lousy if it’s anything less.
For Romney, there is little value in trying to compete with the optics of Obama鈥檚 trip.
isolato
noun
a person who is physically or spiritually isolated from their times or society.
More about isolato
The rare English noun isolato comes directly from the Italian adjective and noun isolato 鈥渋solated; an isolated person.鈥� The Italian word is the past participle of the verb isolare 鈥渢o shut off, cut off, isolate,鈥� a derivative of the noun isola 鈥渋sle, island鈥� (there is no Latin verb 墨苍蝉耻濒腻谤别). Isola is a regular Italian development of Latin 墨苍蝉耻濒补, a noun of unknown etymology, meaning 鈥渋sland, an island as a place of exile, tenement house,鈥� all of which can be pretty bleak. Isolato entered English in the mid-19th century.
how is isolato used?
… my life has been that of an isolato, a shepherd on a mountaintop, situated as far from so-called civilization as possible, and it has made me unnaturally brusque and awkward.
I鈥檓 an isolato now and there鈥檚 no going back.