11 June 2013
verbose
[ver-bohs]
adjective
characterized by the use of many or too many words; wordy: a verbose report.
Origin:
1665–75; < Latin verbōsus, equivalent to verb ( um ) word + -ōsus -ose1
Related forms
ver·bose·ly, adverb
ver·bose·ness, noun
un·ver·bose, adjective
un·ver·bose·ly, adverb
un·ver·bose·ness, noun
Can be confused: verbal, verbose.
Synonyms
prolix; tedious, inflated, turgid; voluble, talkative, loquacious. See bombastic.
Antonyms
laconic.
The Reveal
For the last couple of weeks the Words of the Day have all had one thing in common besides most of them starting with the letter ‘V’. I can now reveal (for those who haven’t already guessed) that the recent WOTDs (highlighted below) are from the discourse delivered by V at the beginning of the cult movie, ‘V for Vendetta’:
‘But on this most auspicious of nights…permit me then, in lieu of the more commonplace sobriquet…to suggest the character of this dramatis persona. Voilà!In view, a humble vaudevillian veteran…cast vicariously as both victim and villain by the vicissitudes of fate.This visage, no mere veneer of vanity…is a vestige of the vox populi,now vacant, vanished.However, this valorous visitation of a bygone vexation stands vivified…and has vowed to vanquish these venal and virulent vermin vanguarding vice…and vouchsafing the violently vicious and voracious violation of volition.The only verdict is vengeance,a vendetta…held as a votive not in vain,for the value and veracity of such…shall one day vindicate the vigilant and the virtuous.Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose.So let me simply add that it’s my very good honor to meet you…and you may call me V‘.
Today’s aphorism
If you spend too long thinking about a thing, you’ll never get it done.
– Bruce Lee
On this day
11 June 1955 – during the 24 hour Le Mans race, a Mercedes 300 crashes at high speed. Debris, including the engine block, axles and bonnet, slams through the crowd killing 83 spectators. The bonnet decapitated a number of spectators who had been tightly packed into the stand. The driver was also killed.