Entry: reductio (n.)
In context: "'Intuition, induction, reductio, what?'"
Definition: Is DFW talking about reductio ad absurdum?
The practice of demonstrating the falsity of a hypothesis, principle, etc., by showing that the consequence of assuming it to be true is something absurd or contradictory; an instance of this; = reduction to the absurd at reduction n. 10b. Also in extended use: the action or an act of carrying something to an absurd extreme.
Other:
SNOOT score: 1
Page: 772
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
Definitive Jest is a vocabulary-building and SNOOT-approved word-of-the-day blog centered around David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest.
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
Monday, 16 December 2013
Entry: Panglossian (adj.)
In context: "'How does somebody with your kind of Panglossian constitution determine whenever you're ever being lied to, I sometimes wonder, Booboo.'"
Definition: Of, relating to, or characteristic of a Pangloss; unwaveringly or unrealistically optimistic.
Other: Pangloss (n.): A person resembling Voltaire's character Pangloss, esp. one who is optimistic regardless of the circumstances. Also Doctor Pangloss.
Etymology: < the name of Dr Pangloss (French Panglosse), the philosopher and tutor in Voltaire's Candide (1759) who believes that ‘all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds’.
SNOOT score: 3
Page: 772
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
In context: "'How does somebody with your kind of Panglossian constitution determine whenever you're ever being lied to, I sometimes wonder, Booboo.'"
Definition: Of, relating to, or characteristic of a Pangloss; unwaveringly or unrealistically optimistic.
Other: Pangloss (n.): A person resembling Voltaire's character Pangloss, esp. one who is optimistic regardless of the circumstances. Also Doctor Pangloss.
Etymology: < the name of Dr Pangloss (French Panglosse), the philosopher and tutor in Voltaire's Candide (1759) who believes that ‘all is for the best in the best of all possible worlds’.
SNOOT score: 3
Page: 772
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
Sunday, 15 December 2013
Entry: datum (n.)
In context: "'The key datum is that the O.N.A.N.T.A. guy didn't actually extract urine samples from us."
Definition: Chiefly in pl. An item of (chiefly numerical) information, esp. one obtained by scientific work, a number of which are typically collected together for reference, analysis, or calculation.
Other:
SNOOT score: 1
Page: 772
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
In context: "'The key datum is that the O.N.A.N.T.A. guy didn't actually extract urine samples from us."
Definition: Chiefly in pl. An item of (chiefly numerical) information, esp. one obtained by scientific work, a number of which are typically collected together for reference, analysis, or calculation.
Other:
SNOOT score: 1
Page: 772
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
Saturday, 14 December 2013
Entry: unbent (adj.)
In context: "She was unbent where that dog was concerned, I remember."
Definition: None of the OED's definitions fit here. It seems, given the context, that DFW was indicating an unhealthy emotional/mental attitude towards the dog. Which is odd, because bent (adj.) can be slang for the same thing.
Anyway, here are the more traditional meanings:
Not bowed or curved; also, freed from bending, straightened.
Not subdued or made subservient.
Other:
SNOOT score: 1
Page: 771
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
In context: "She was unbent where that dog was concerned, I remember."
Definition: None of the OED's definitions fit here. It seems, given the context, that DFW was indicating an unhealthy emotional/mental attitude towards the dog. Which is odd, because bent (adj.) can be slang for the same thing.
Anyway, here are the more traditional meanings:
Not bowed or curved; also, freed from bending, straightened.
Not subdued or made subservient.
Other:
SNOOT score: 1
Page: 771
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
Friday, 13 December 2013
Entry: peripatetic (adj.)
In context: "'Felicity will be just fine. So you're just strolling. Peripatetic footage.'"
Definition: A person who walks about; a traveller; an itinerant dealer or trader.
Other:
Etymology: < classical Latin peripatēticus of or belonging to the peripatetic (Aristotelian) school of philosophy, philosopher of this school < Hellenistic Greek περιπατητικός given to walking about, especially while teaching or disputing, especially with reference to Aristotle and his followers < ancient Greek περιπατεῖν to walk about, to walk up and down while teaching ( < περι- peri- prefix + πατεῖν to tread, to walk: see paturon n.) + -τικός , suffix forming adjectives from verbs. Compare Middle French, French péripatétique (1372 as adjective, 1531 or earlier as noun). Compare peripatos n.
SNOOT score: 2
Page: 761
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
In context: "'Felicity will be just fine. So you're just strolling. Peripatetic footage.'"
Definition: A person who walks about; a traveller; an itinerant dealer or trader.
Other:
Etymology: < classical Latin peripatēticus of or belonging to the peripatetic (Aristotelian) school of philosophy, philosopher of this school < Hellenistic Greek περιπατητικός given to walking about, especially while teaching or disputing, especially with reference to Aristotle and his followers < ancient Greek περιπατεῖν to walk about, to walk up and down while teaching ( < περι- peri- prefix + πατεῖν to tread, to walk: see paturon n.) + -τικός , suffix forming adjectives from verbs. Compare Middle French, French péripatétique (1372 as adjective, 1531 or earlier as noun). Compare peripatos n.
SNOOT score: 2
Page: 761
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
Thursday, 12 December 2013
Entry: pennons (n.)
In context: "There's a maple-leaf flag and a 50-star U.S.A. flag hanging limp off brass poles on either side of the window; in an extreme corner are fleur-de-lis pennons on tall sharp polished sticks."
Definition: A long narrow triangular or swallow-tailed flag, usually attached to the head of a lance or a helmet, originally the ensign of a knight under the rank of banneret, and later the military ensign of lancer regiments. Now chiefly hist.
Other: In extended use: any flag or banner. Also fig.
SNOOT score:
Page: 7
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
In context: "There's a maple-leaf flag and a 50-star U.S.A. flag hanging limp off brass poles on either side of the window; in an extreme corner are fleur-de-lis pennons on tall sharp polished sticks."
Definition: A long narrow triangular or swallow-tailed flag, usually attached to the head of a lance or a helmet, originally the ensign of a knight under the rank of banneret, and later the military ensign of lancer regiments. Now chiefly hist.
Other: In extended use: any flag or banner. Also fig.
SNOOT score:
Page: 7
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
Wednesday, 11 December 2013
Entry: cowlick (n.)
In context: "The only thing that ever shows she's tired is that her hair gets a sort of huge white cowlick, like a rolling ocean comber of hair.."
Definition: A lock or curl of hair which looks as if it had been licked by a cow
Other: To be honest, I was hoping for some sort of interesting history or etymology. So it goes.
SNOOT score: 1
Page: 761
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
In context: "The only thing that ever shows she's tired is that her hair gets a sort of huge white cowlick, like a rolling ocean comber of hair.."
Definition: A lock or curl of hair which looks as if it had been licked by a cow
Other: To be honest, I was hoping for some sort of interesting history or etymology. So it goes.
SNOOT score: 1
Page: 761
Source: Oxford English Dictionary
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