BFWF April 11, 2003
on 2003-04-11 at 5:22 p.m.
Okay, I bet you guys thought I had forgotten, but no, I have not. Here is the BFWF for this week...
1. Plebeian plih-BEE-uhn, adjective:
a. Of or pertaining to the Roman plebs, or common people. b. Of or pertaining to the common people. c. Vulgar; common; crude or coarse in nature or manner.
noun: a. One of the plebs, or common people of ancient Rome; opposed to patrician. b. One of the common people or lower classes. c. A coarse, crude, or vulgar person.
For example:
He was unashamed of his plebeian roots but keen to provide himself with aristocratic forebears.
--Graham Robb, Victor Hugo
You Harry Potter Fans may recognize this one:
2. transmogrify rans-MOG-ruh-fy, transitive verb:
To change into a different shape; to transform, often with bizarre or humorous effect.
For the impulsive sin of turning to look back at the funereal pyre of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife is transmogrified into a pillar of salt as she flees the inferno.
--Elizabeth Wurtzel
3. plenipotentiary plen-uh-puh-TEN-shee-air-ee; -shuh-ree, adjective:
Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers.
noun:
A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or diplomatic agent with full power to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.
There were two accounts, one in a news article, the second in the editorial section, telling the minihistory of Pol Pot, sometime plenipotentiary ruler of Cambodia.
--William F. Buckley Jr., The Redhunter
I hope those three are enough to learn over the weekend. Everyone have a great weekend.
P.S.- I want to hear how somebody was able to work plenipotentiary into a conversation.
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