29 April 2014

retinue

[ret-n-oo, -yoo]

noun

– a body of retainers in attendance upon an important personage; suite. ‘The Foreign Minister travelled to Asia with a retinue of eager business executives in tow’.

Origin:
1325–75; Middle English retinue < Middle French, noun use of feminine past participle of retenir to retain

Related forms
ret·i·nued, adjective
un·ret·i·nued, adjective

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Today’s aphorism

Do just once what others say you can’t do, and you will never pay attention to their limitations again.

– Captain James Cook

On this day

29 April 711 – Islamic conquest of Hispania as Moorish forces led by Tariq ibn-Ziyad land on Gibraltar in preparation for the invasion of Spain.

29 April 1770 – Captain James Cook names Botany Bay after landing there on this day.

29 April 1910 – British Parliament passes ‘The People’s Budget’, the first budget in British history that is aimed at redistributing wealth to all.

29 April 1945 – the Dacchau concentration camp near Munich is liberated by US forces.

29 April 1967 – Muhammad Ali stripped of his boxing title after refusing, on religious grounds, being drafted into the Army.

29 April 1980 – death of Alfred Hitchcock, English movie producer and director.