Nepotism. Favoritism
based on kinship: During his papacy from
1471–1484, Sixtus IV granted many special favors to members of his family, in
particular his nephews. This practice of papal favoritism was carried on by his
successors, and in 1667 it was the subject of Gregorio Leti's book Il Nepotismo
di Roma—titled in the English translation, The History of the Popes' Nephews.
Shortly after the book's appearance, nepotism began to be used in English for
the showing of special favor or unfair preference to any relative by someone in
any position of power, be it ecclesiastical or not. (The "nep-"
spelling is from nepote, a 17th-century variant of Italian nipote, meaning
"nephew.")
Acerbate: To irritate or to aggravate. From Latin acerbus (bitter).
Ultimately from the Indo-European root ak- (sharp), which is also the source of
acrid, vinegar, acid, acute, edge, hammer, heaven, eager, oxygen, mediocre,
paragon, acuity, and acidic. Earliest documented use: 1657.
Espouse. To
adopt or support a cause, idea, belief, etc. To take as spouse: marry. From Old
French espouser, from Latin sponsare (to betroth), from sponsus (betrothed).
Ultimately from the Indo-European root spend- (to make an offering or perform a
rite), which is also the source of sponsor, spouse, respond, and riposte.
Earliest documented use: 1477.
Erudite: Having
or showing knowledge that is gained by studying: possessing or displaying
extensive knowledge acquired chiefly from books Erudite derives via Middle
English erudit from Latin eruditus, the past participle of the verb erudire,
meaning "to instruct." A closer look at that verb shows that it is
formed by combining the prefix e-, meaning "missing" or
"absent," with the adjective rudis, which means "rude" or
"ignorant" and is also the source of our word rude. We typically use
the word rude to mean "discourteous" or "uncouth," but it
can also mean "lacking refinement" or "uncivilized";
someone who is erudite, therefore, has been transformed from a roughened or
uninformed state to a polished and knowledgeable one through a devotion to
learning.
The
Vagabond
Give to me the life I love,
Let the lave go by me,
Give the jolly heaven above
And the byway nigh me.
Bed in the bush with stars to
see,
Bread I dip in the river -
There’s the life for a man like
me,
There’s the life for ever.
Let the blow fall soon or late,
Let what will be o'er me;
Give the face of earth around
And the road before me.
Wealth I seek not, hope nor
love,
Nor a friend to know me;
All I seek, the heaven above
And the road below me.
Or let autumn fall on me
Where afield I linger,
Silencing the bird on tree,
Biting the blue finger.
White as meal the frosty field
-
Warm the fireside haven -
Not to autumn will I yield,
Not to winter even!
Let the blow fall soon or late,
“Have fun, even if it’s not the
same kind of fun everyone else is having.” C.S. Lewis
