megillah

megillah [məˈgɪlə] n.

1.) Each of five books of the Old Testament, namely Song of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, and Esther, appointed to be read by adherents of the Jewish faith on certain feast days; freq. with particular reference to the book of Esther, read at the feast of Purim. Also, a copy of any one, or all, of these books.
2.) With allusion to the length of the Megillah: a long, tedious, or complicated story; frequently in the phrase "a whole Megillah" (O.E.D. 2nd Edition).

Etymology: Hebrew megillah roll, scroll.

"She laughed and seemed amenable, so I started with the list, expecting a one- or two-word answer to everything. Instead I got a whole megillah. Most people have a quick answer to 'How do you take your coffee?' Not Hillary. Sometimes she takes her coffee black, she explained, other times with lots of cream, sometimes she likes espresso, sometimes cappuccino." (The Girls in the Van: a Reporter's Diary of the Campaign Trail, Beth J. Harpaz, 2002).

(Esther before Ahasuerus, Jacopo Tintoretto, ~1548) _______________________________________________________

It's Monday again, which means it's time to announce this week's contest's winner. It's...Lemons Don't Make Lemonade! She wrote:

The gallimaufry of well-dressed women stood in a circle, fawning over the truculent but broodingly handsome male. At this moment, a young lady of more modest apparel stumbled into their midst. "My Lord," she said, curtseying. Lady Elizabeth, who was painstakingly trying to attract the squire's attention, glowered at the brazen girl. "Either that girl has been goaded by her ill-groomed parents or she has chutzpah none of us know about. Still, I pass that over, if only because she has seven siblings to feed and earning the favor of the squire is the only way." Surprisingly, the squire did not seem offended at the presence of the rosy-cheeked girl, although he was astonished at her audacity. "Courage is a good quality, but beware of the conflicts brought on by courage."

Well done, Lemons. All the more impressive that you used 2 of the rhetorical devices (paralipsis and epanadiplosis). However, I had intended you to use them in addition to the five vocabulary words, but we'll compromise by just giving you 1 point. Okay, so next weeks words are philippic; vim; Wein, Weib, und Gesang; a fortiori, tyro; nonplus; and fain. Good luck and thanks for reading!