Thursday, August 25, 2011

alacrity



alacrity [əˈlækrɪti] n.

1.) Cheerful willingness; eagerness.
2.) Speed or quickness; celerity (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language).

Etymology: Latin alacritas, from alacer, lively.

"And having thus displayed more sagacity than Butler expected from him, he courteously touched his gold-laced cocked hat, and by a punch on the ribs, conveyed to Rory Bean, it was his rider's pleasure that he should forthwith proceed homewards; a hint which the quadruped obeyed with that degree of alacrity with which men and animals interpret and obey suggestions which entirely correspond with their own inclinations" (The Heart of Midlothian, Walter Scott, 1818).

(Alexandre et Bucéphale, Hilaire Germain Edgar de Gas, 1861)

24 comments:

Kevin Faulkner said...

Still say if word and image corresponded that would be really neat but perhaps way too fiendish to correlate a specific word with suitable image. Obscure words more interesting than these light-weights ! These selections are simply too easy, though the pronunciation sample is sometimes quite useful.

I think I may have built my vocabulary sufficiently enough now with near Vulcan-like industry over the decades thanks to a regular dose of Sir T.B.

shari said...

I know this one! I love learning the roots of all these words... it helps me to remember them, and also to translate different Latin based words in other languages. Hey, "celerity"! I know that one because of you!

Zombie said...

every morning I shuffle into work with a lack of alacrity...

Debra She Who Seeks said...

Gawd, I haven't read any of Sir Walter Scott's hoary old books since Christ was a boy! I enjoyed this excerpt.

themajessty said...

I KNOW THIS WORD. YAY.

(Lately, my ego has been bruised because I didn't know ANY of your words.)

P.S I hope I didn't creep you out by sending you an email. But I figured that after my slutty comments, you would be immune to that, so...

Akissfromthepast said...

you have had amasing new words in your postings :) some i have never even heard :D

Bibi said...

re: No no, I meant it wouldn't have been logical if you made your thesis on something like math, meanwhile using rhetoric figures or whatever. Most science people I know couldn't even write one sentence without making at least three grammatical mistakes. (no offence to science people who do know how to write, I'm only referring to the ones I know)

Oh dear, philosophy... *shuffles away* (not good at philosophy. Too much thinking hurts my head)

Igneel21 said...

this one is quite common i must say

meandmythinkingcap said...

I remember this word from my GRE days. I like this word.

nowaysj said...

I have just released some gas with alacrity.

GMSoccerPicks said...

I kept seeing this one a lot and never knew what it meant. Now i do :D Of course i could've picked up the dictionary too...i guess that speaks poorly of me hahahah

D4 said...

This one's nice and simple. I'm good with this.

Unknown said...

I seem to have a distinct lack of alacrity this morning. Possibly because it's 5.30 and I have yet to have coffee.

Unknown said...

I knew this one. Celerity is a good word too.

ivy said...

Just the types of people they look for to go to war. Some how Barnacle Warship and Cold Mountain come to mind.

Mai Yang said...

this is so me ^_^ yay..Ü

Michael Westside said...

im going to try to use this word in my next blog post

Ting Kubby said...

I love this blog, makes me sound smarter everyday when i speak.

Mark said...

Gosh great word and a Walter Scott quote to boot, very awesome:)

Once Upon A Time... said...

re your comment: glad you like the post, i only know the history of my island (actually i know pretty much stuff about it lol that's why i shared it). however, the vikings weren't really important in our history, they are mentioned very very little, because they weren't that important to us apart the fact that you know, they destroyed everything. i guess they came down from sicily but i don't think they settled though.

nice word. i like it. reminds me of how i used the word "celerity" in that paragraph...

jos xx

MRanthrope said...

the police officer issued my speeding ticket with great alacrity last Tuesday night =/

Katie said...

So interesting. I will try to use this word today, somehow, someway.

Unknown said...

Makes me think about DotA...

Shutterbug said...

I visit this blog with much alacrity! :D

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