23 April 2013

rant

[rant]

verb (used without object)

1. to speak or declaim extravagantly or violently; talk in a wild or vehement way; rave: The demagogue ranted for hours.
verb (used with object)
2. to utter or declaim in a ranting manner.
noun
3. ranting, extravagant, or violent declamation.
4. a ranting utterance.

Origin:
1590–1600; < Dutch ranten (obsolete) to talk foolishly

Introduced to the English language by William Shakespeare.

Related forms
rant·er, noun
rant·ing·ly, adverb
out·rant, verb (used with object)
un·rant·ing, adjective

Synonyms
1. bombast, extravagance.

Today’s aphorism

When a father gives to his son, both laugh; when a son gives to his father, both cry.

– William Shakespeare

On this day

23 April 1564 – birth of William Shakespeare, the Bard. English poet and playwright.

23 April 1616 – death of William Shakespeare, the Bard. English poet and playwright. Shakespeare invented more than 1700 words which are now in common use. He changed nouns into verbs, verbs into adjectives and joining words that normally wouldn’t be joined.