28 May 2017
spiel
[speel, shpeel] Informal.
noun
1. a usually high-flown talk or speech, especially for the purpose of luring people to a movie, a sale, etc.; pitch.
verb (used without object)
2. to speak extravagantly.
Origin of spiel
German
1890-1895; (noun) < German Spiel or Yiddish shpil play, game; (v.) < German spielen or Yiddish shpiln to play, gamble
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for spiel
Contemporary Examples
When the crew finally reaches the tribe, they give them their spiel.
Meet the Germans Having Sex to Save the World
Marlow Stern
March 12, 2013
Historical Examples
He’ll give you a spiel about his research and ask to measure your brain waves.
Sentiment, Inc.
Poul William Anderson
“Aw, boss, that was part of the spiel,” he confessed frankly.
From Place to Place
Irvin S. Cobb
Anagram
piles
plies
Today’s quote
It is a well-known fact that those people who must want to rule people are, ipso facto, those least suited to do it… anyone who is capable of getting themselves made President should on no account be allowed to do the job.
– Douglas Adams
On this day
28 May 1867 – President Johnson signs a treaty with Russia to transfer Alaska to the United States.
28 May 1901 – Signing of the D’Arcy Concession between Mozzafar al-Din (Shah of Persia) and William Knox D’Arcy, a British businessman and one of the principal founders of the oil industry in Iran. D’Arcy was born in England, but had grown up in Rockhampton, Australia. In 1909, Knox became a director of the newly founded Anglo-Persian Oil Company (APOC) which later became British Petroleum (BP). On 26 May 1908, almost exactly seven years after signing the D’Arcy Concession, commercial quantities of oil were discovered. The D’Arcy Concession gave rights to D’Arcy and by extension, APOC to mine and export the oil with a small kick-back paid to Persia. The D’Arcy Concession is one of the most important documents of the 20th century and has led to much of the conflict being experienced to this day. Britain’s attack on the Ottoman Empire during World War I, as well as it’s allegiance with Russia during that war was largely to protect its oil interests in Persia from both Russia and the Ottomans. Iran itself has experienced significant animosity towards Britain over the exploitation of its oil fields to the point that the Iranian revolution and the rise of Islamic fundamentalism was a revolt against Western profiteering and influence over Persian leaders which was often against the best interests of the Iranian people.
28 May 1908 – birth of Ian Fleming, British author of the ‘James Bond’ novels. Died 12 August 1964.
28 May 1964 – establishment of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation (PLO), which was founded with the purpose of liberating Palestine through armed struggle. It has since rejected violence and been recognised as the legitimate representative of the Palestinian people by the United Nations.
28 May 1987 – West German, Matthias Rust, illegally flies his Cessna 172 from Finland to Moscow, landing in Red Square. Rust claimed that he wanted to build an imaginary bridge between the Soviet Union and the West. Rust was charged and convicted of hooliganism, disregard of aviation laws and breaching the Soviet border. He was sentenced to four years in a general-regime labour camp, but spent his imprisonment in the high security Lefortovo. During Rust’s imprisonment, US President Reagan and the General Secretary of the Communist Party, Mikhael Gorbachev signed an intermediate-range nuclear weapons treaty. As a sign of good faith following the signing of the treaty, the Supreme Soviet ordered Matthias Rust be released in August 1988.
28 May 2014 – death of Maya Angelou (born Marguerite Ann Johnson), American author, poet and civil rights activist. Maya wrote seven autobiographies, three books of essays, and several books of poems. She had numerous occupations, including fry cook, dancer, actor, director and journalist. Her civil rights activism saw her work with Martin Luther King and Malcolm X. Born 4 April 1928.