17 April 2014

abnegate

[ab-ni-geyt]

verb (used with object), ab·ne·gat·ed, ab·ne·gat·ing.

1. to refuse or deny oneself (some rights, conveniences, etc.); reject; renounce. Mother Teresa abnegated self to minister to those society had rejected‘.
2. to relinquish; give up. ‘I abnegate smoking‘.

Origin:
1650–60; < Latin abnegātus denied (past participle of abnegāre ). See ab-, negate

Related forms
ab·ne·ga·tion, noun
ab·ne·ga·tor, noun
un·ab·ne·gat·ed, adjective
un·ab·ne·gat·ing, adjective

Anagram

began eat
bean gate
a gnat bee

Today’s aphorism

For success I consider three factors are necessary: firstly, an awareness of my own strengths and weaknesses; secondly, an accurate understanding of my opponent’s strengths and weaknesses; thirdly, a higher aim than momentary satisfaction.

– Alexander Alekhine (considered to be one of the world’s greatest chess champions)

On this day

17 April 1521 – Martin Luther appears before the Diet of Worms to be questioned by representatives the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, over the alleged possession of heretical books. (Worms is a town in Germany and Diet is a formal assembly).

17 April 1961 – the U.S. government sponsor 1,500 Cuban exiles to invade the Bay of Pigs, Cuba in an effort to overthrow the socialist government of Fidel Castro. The attacks fails, resulting in the deaths or capture of all of the exiles.

17 April 1969 – assassination of Senator Robert Kennedy by Sirhan Sirhan. Robert Kennedy was the brother of assassinated President John F. Kennedy.

17 April 2010 – A Manhattan library reveals that first President George Washington failed to return two library books, accruing overdue fees of $300,000. The library said they weren’t pursuing payment of the fees.