Sunday, June 24, 2012

supernal



supernal [sʊˈpɜrnl] a.

1.) That is above or on high; existing or dwelling in the heavens.
2.) Belonging to the realm or state above this world or this present life; pertaining to a higher world or state of existence; coming from above.
3.) Situated above or at the top, upper; above ground; high up, lofty in position. rare.
4.) High in rank or dignity, elevated, exalted.
5.) Supremely great or excellent, ‘divine’ (Oxford English Dictionary 2nd Edition).

Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Latin supernus.

"— King John:
From whom hast thou this great commission, France,
To draw my answer from thy articles?
King Philip:
From that supernal judge, that stirs good thoughts
In any breast of strong authority,
To look into the blots and stains of right:
That judge hath made me guardian to this boy:
Under whose warrant I impeach thy wrong
And by whose help I mean to chastise it."
(The Life and Death of King John, William Shakespeare, 1623)


("The Separation of Light from Darkness", Ceiling of the Sistine Chapel, Michaelangelo Buonarroti, ~1512)

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

redintegrate



redintegrate [rɛdˈɪntɪˌgreɪt] v.t.

1.) To restore to a state of wholeness, completeness or unity; to renew, re-establish, in a united or perfect state (O.E.D. 2nd Edition).

Etymology: from participle stem of Latin redintegrāre to make whole again, restore, renew, from red- re- + integrāre to integrate.

"Redintegrate the fame first of your house,
Restore your ladyship's quiet, render then
Your niece a virgin and unvitiated,
And make all plain and perfect, as it was,
A practice to betray you, and your name?"
(The Magnetic Lady, Ben Johnson, 1641)


(Le Sacre de Napoléon, Jacques-Louis David, 1807)

Monday, June 18, 2012

inter alia



inter alia [ˈɪntɛr ˈɑlɪˌɑ] adv.

1.) Among other things (American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language).

Etymology: Latin inter, among + alia, neuter accusative plural of alius, other.

"Knowing French is an intellectual disposition; generosity is a disposition of the will. There is a difference between dispositions of the two kinds. To be generous is inter alia to be able when occasion demands to put others' interests before one's own. To know French is inter alia to be able when the occasion demands to conjugate correctly irregular verbs" (Summa Theologiae by Thomas Aquinas, Fathers of the English Dominican Province (trans.), 1912-36).


(God As Geometer, Unknown Artist, ~1250)

Thursday, June 14, 2012

manqué



manqué [mɑŋˈkeɪ] a. also manquée

1.) After its noun: that might have been but is not, that has missed being.
2.) In other uses: defective, spoilt, missing, lacking, etc. (O.E.D. 2nd Ed.).

Etymology: French, past participle. of manquer to miss, be lacking.

"Herbert Pratt was there for a month, and I saw him tolerably often; he used to talk to me about Spain, and the East, about Tripoli, Persia, Damascus; till it seemed to me that life would be manquée altogether if one shouldn't have some of that knowledge" (Notebooks, Henry James, 1947).


(Portrait of Henry James, John Singer Sargent, 1913)