WOD Vocabulary Flashcards


sericeous \suh-RISH-us\ adjective

Meaning : covered with fine silky hair
Example Sentence
The shapes of the aster�s sericeous leaves range from lanceolate or
oblong to broadly elliptic.
Did you know?
In the writings of the ancient Greeks, there is mention of the
S?res, an eastern Asian people who made �s?rikos� fabrics. Historians
now believe that the S?res were the Chinese, from whom the ancient
Greeks first obtained silk. The ancient Romans wove the S?res� name
into their language, creating �sericum,� the Latin word for silk. The
English word �silk� is also assumed to be spun � with some very
dramatic alterations from Old English to Middle English � from the
same Greek fiber. Both �silk� and �silken� have been in the English
language for many, many centuries, but scientists of the 18th century
wanted a new term to describe the silky hairs on some leaves and
bodies, and so they adapted the Late Latin word �sericeus� (�silken�)
to create �sericeous.� *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


colleague \KAH-leeg\ noun

Meaning : an associate in a profession or in a civil or
ecclesiastical office
Example Sentence
Rochelle�s creativity, professional demeanor, and ability to get
things done soon earned her the respect of her colleagues.
Did you know?
Which of the following words come from the same source as
"colleague"? college legacy collaborate allegation collar
relegate delegate It might be easier to guess if you know that the
ancestor in question is "legare," a Latin verb meaning
"to choose or send as a deputy or emissary" or "to
bequeath." All of the words in the list above except
"collaborate" (which comes from the Latin
"collaborare," meaning "to labor together") and
"collar" (from "collum," Latin for
"neck") are descendants of "legare." *Indicates
the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


disremember \dis-rih-MEM-ber\ verb

Meaning : forget
Example Sentence
"�It was the British who did it,� I said quickly. �I
disremember the place and time....�� (E.L. Doctorow, Loon
Lake)
Did you know?
English has been depending upon the word "forget" since
before the 12th century, but in 1805 a new rival appeared in print �
"disremember." A critic in 1869 called
"disremember" both "obsolete" and "a low
vulgarism," and later grammarians have agreed; it has been
labeled "provincial and archaic," and in 1970 Harry Shaw
opined that "disremember" was "an illiteracy,"
adding, "never use this word in standard English." (By 1975,
Shaw amended his opinion to "this word is dialectal rather than
illiterate.") "Forget" is indeed a vastly more popular
word, but "disremember" still turns up occasionally, often
in dialectal or humorous contexts. *Indicates the sense illustrated in
the example sentence.


arcadia \ar-KAY-dee-uh\ noun, often capitalized

Meaning : a region or scene of simple pleasure and quiet
Example Sentence
Artists and writers view the sleepy community as an arcadia where
they can focus on their work.
Did you know?
Arcadia is a mountainous, landlocked region of Greece. The Roman
poet Virgil recognized that Arcadia�s isolation and bucolic character
make it a perfect setting for pastoral poetry, and over the centuries
many other writers have agreed. In the poems of Arcadia, naive and
ideal innocence is often unaffected by the passions of the larger
world. Shepherds play their pipes and sigh with longing for
flirtatious nymphs; shepherdesses sing to their flocks, and
goat-footed nature gods cavort in the fields and woods. Now English
speakers often use �arcadia� to designate a place of rustic innocence
and simple, quiet pleasure. �Arcadian� can mean �idyllically pastoral�
or �idyllically innocent, simple, or untroubled.� *Indicates the sense
illustrated in the example sentence.


tarantism \TAIR-un-tiz-um\ noun

Meaning : a dancing mania or malady of late medieval Europe
Example Sentence
Victims of tarantism were said to dance ecstatically until they
collapsed in total exhaustion.
Did you know?
Between the 15th and 17th centuries, Taranto, Italy was hit by a
dance craze unlike any other. The town was afflicted by a malady that
would come to be known as "tarantism" and was characterized
by a hysterical impulse to dance. Some people claimed tarantism was
caused by the bite of the European wolf spider, which is also known as
the tarantula (and is also named after Taranto); such folks declared
that dancing off the venom was the only cure. Musicians supposedly
traveled to the region to help cure the epidemic, and some believe
that the Italian folk dance called the "tarantella" resulted
from the craze (though it is also possible that the name of that dance
derived independently from "Taranto" and has no connection
with "tarantism"). *Indicates the sense illustrated in the
example sentence.


vivacious \vuh-VAY-shus\ adjective

Meaning : lively in temper, conduct, or spirit : sprightly
Example Sentence
The hostess was a pretty, vivacious woman with a knack for making
people feel comfortable.
Did you know?
It's no surprise that "vivacious" means "full of
life," since it can be traced back to the Latin verb
"vivere," meaning "to live." The word was created
around the mid-17th century using the Latin adjective
"vivax," meaning "long-lived, vigorous,
high-spirited." Other descendants of "vivere" in
English include "survive," "revive," and
"victual" � all of which came to life during the 15th
century � and "vivid" and "convivial," both of
which surfaced around the same time as "vivacious." Somewhat
surprisingly, the word "live" is not related; it comes to us
from the Old English word �libban.� *Indicates the sense illustrated
in the example sentence.


shenanigan \shuh-NAH-ih-gun\ noun

Meaning 1 : a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
*2a : tricky or questionable practices or conduct � usually used in
plural 2b : high-spirited or mischievous activity � usually used in plural
Example Sentence
The CEO resigned amid accusations of financial shenanigans and
dubious deals.
Did you know? The history of "shenanigan" is as tricky and
mischievous as its meaning. Etymologists have some theories about its
origins, but no one has been able to prove them. All we can say for
certain is that the earliest known use of the word in print appeared
in the April 25, 1855 issue of San Francisco's Town Talk.
Although the "underhanded trick" sense of the word is
oldest, the most common senses in use now are "tricky or
questionable practices" (as in "political shenanigans")
and "high-spirited behavior" (as in "youthful
shenanigans"). *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


coalesce \koh-uh-LESS\ verb

Meaning 1 : to grow together
2a : to unite into a whole : fuse *2b : to unite for a common end :
join forces
3 : to arise from the combination of distinct elements
Example Sentence
The columnist urged party members to set aside their differences and
coalesce around the candidate.
Did you know?
�Coalesce� unites the prefix �co-� (�together�) and the Latin verb
�alescere,� meaning �to grow.� (The words �adolescent� and �adult�
also grew from �alescere.�) �Coalesce,� which first appeared in
English in the mid-17th century, is one of a number of verbs in
English (along with �mix,� �commingle,� �merge,� and �amalgamate�)
that refer to the act of combining parts into a whole. In particular,
�coalesce� usually implies the merging of similar parts to form a
cohesive unit. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


omphalos \AHM-fuh-lahss\ noun

Meaning : a central point : hub, focal point
Example Sentence
�New Yorkers tend to see their city as the world�s omphalos.�
(Alexandra Simou, The New York Sun, February 23, 2005)
Did you know?
"Omphalos" originated as an ancient Greek word meaning
"navel" and is distantly related to two other words of the
same meaning, Latin "umbilicus" and Old English
"nafela." (The latter of these is the source of our word
"navel.") The ancient Greeks also used "omphalos"
to refer to a sacred, rounded stone in the Temple of Apollo at Delphi
that was supposed to mark the center of the earth. In the 19th
century, English speakers borrowed "omphalos" for this sense
and its more general "center of activity" sense, as well as
to refer to raised ornamentation on a shield or in the base of a cup
or dish. In the 1920s, "omphalos" made another contribution
to English via the word "omphaloskepsis," which means
"contemplation of one's navel." *Indicates the sense
illustrated in the example sentence.


gild the lily \GILD-thuh-LILL-ee\ phrasal verb

Meaning: to add unnecessary ornamentation to something beautiful in
its own right
Example Sentence
My sister has good bone structure and lovely skin, so she doesn�t
need to gild the lily by wearing makeup.
Did you know?
You might be aware that "gild the lily" is attributed to
Shakespeare, but there is a catch � the phrase used in Shakespeare's
play King John is actually "to paint the lily." The
quotation reads, in part, "To gild refined gold, to paint the
lily / To throw a perfume on the violet�. / Is wasteful and ridiculous
excess." There are those who criticize "gild the lily"
as a misquotation, and �paint the lily� does appear from time to time.
But �gild the lily� has become firmly established, and it holds true
to the spirit of the original version, even if the wording does not.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


semelparous \seh-MEL-puh-rus\ adjective

Meaning
: reproducing or breeding only once in a lifetime
Example Sentence
Each year the semelparous salmon return to the stream where they
hatched to spawn, and they die soon thereafter.
Did you know?
The combining form �-parous� was first used in English by
the17th-century physician and writer Sir Thomas Browne, who wrote
about organisms that were �multiparous� (�producing more than one at a
birth�), �oviparous� (�producing eggs that develop outside the
maternal body�), and �viviparous� (�producing living young instead of
eggs from within the body�). The suffix is based on the Latin verb
�parere,� meaning �to give birth to,� which is also a relative of the
word that gave us �parent.� �Semelparous,� the youngest offspring of
�-parous,� was born in 1954. Its other parent is �semel,� the Latin
word for �once.� *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


demarche \day-MARSH\ noun

Meaning 1a : a course of action : maneuver 1b : a diplomatic or
political initiative or maneuver
*2. : a petition or protest presented through diplomatic channels
Example Sentence
The ambassador delivered a demarche objecting to the regime�s harsh
treatment of refugees.
Did you know?
When it comes to international diplomacy, the French may not always
have the last word�but they have quite a few, which they've shared
with English. "Demarche," which in French can mean �gait,�
�walk," or �action," among other things, is one of the
earliest of these; we started using it in the 1600s. It was first used
generally in the sense of �a maneuver,� and before long it developed a
specific use in the world of diplomacy. Some of the other
diplomacy-related words we've borrowed from French include
"attache," "charge d'affaires,"
"communique," "detente," and "agrement"
(a word used in diplomatic parlance for approval of a diplomatic
representative)�not to mention the words "diplomacy" and
"diplomat" themselves. *Indicates the sense illustrated in
the example sentence.


inanition \in-uh-NISH-un\ noun

Meaning 1 : the exhausted condition that results from lack of food
and water
*2 : the absence or loss of social, moral, or intellectual vitality
or vigor
Example Sentence
The playwright explained that his work reflected the lethargy and
inanition of the age.
Did you know?
"Inanition" describes a state of suffering from either a
literal emptiness (of sustenance) or a metaphorical emptiness (of
interest or energy). So it will probably come as no surprise to you to
learn that the word ultimately derives from the same idea in Latin.
"Inanition,� which first appeared in Middle English in the 14th
century as "in-anisioun," can be traced back to the Latin
verb "inanire," meaning "to make empty," which in
turn comes from "inanis" (meaning "empty� or
�inane"). Incidentally, the English word "inane" was
adopted in the mid-17th century directly from "inanis."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


avatar \AV-uh-tar\ noun

Meaning 1 : the incarnation of a Hindu deity (as Vishnu)
2a : an incarnation in human form; 2b : an embodiment (as of a
concept or philosophy) often in a person
*3 : an electronic image that represents and is manipulated by a
computer user (as in a computer game)
Example Sentence
Before they started playing the game, Aaron and Kyle customized
their avatars


orientate \OR-ee-un-tayt\ verb

Meaning 1 : to set in a definite position especially in relation the
points of the compass
*2 : to acquaint with an existing situation or environment 3 :
to direct toward the interests of a particular group
Example Sentence
�She learned to orientate new service members in the principles,
practices and tools necessary to function in the Air Force.� (Ryan
Davis, St. Petersburg Times, October 5, 2000)
Did you know?
"Orientate" is a synonym of "orient," and it has
attracted criticism as a consequence. "Orient," which dates
from the mid-18th century, is in fact the older of the two verbs �
"orientate" joined the language in the mid-19th century.
Both can mean "to cause to face toward the east" (and, not
surprisingly, they are related to the noun "Orient," meaning
"the East"). Both also have broader meanings that relate to
setting or determining direction or position, either literally or
figuratively. Some critics dislike "orientate" because it is
one syllable longer than �orient,� but you can decide for yourself how
important that consideration is to you. Personal choice is the primary
deciding factor, although "orientate" tends to be used more
often in British English than it is in American.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


m�lange \may-LAHNZH (the N is not pronounced, but the
vowel is nasalized)\ noun

Meaning
: a mixture often of incongruous elements
Example Sentence
Critics panned the new film as an awkward m�lange of heavy drama,
zany comedy, and overblown special effects.
Did you know?
"M�lange" got mixed into the melting pot of English back
in the 1600s. It derives from the Middle French verb
"mesler," which means "to mix."
"M�lange" is actually one of several French contributions to
the English body of words for miscellaneous mixtures.
"Pastiche" (meaning "a composition made up of
selections of different works," or broadly, "a disorderly
mixture, hodgepodge") is borrowed from French, and
"medley" and "potpourri" have roots in French,
too. There's also the lesser known "gallimaufry" (meaning
"hodgepodge"), which comes from the Middle French
"galimafree" (meaning "stew").
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


approbation \ap-ruh-BAY-shun\ noun

Meaning 1 : an act of approving formally or officially
*2 : commendation, praise
Example Sentence
Some movie producers care more about making a profit than winning
the approbation of critics.
Did you know?
"Approbation" is similar in meaning to
"approval," and it is also very close to
"approval" etymologically. Both words trace back to the
Latin verb "approbare," which means �to prove� or "to
approve." "Approbation" meant �proof� when it first
appeared in English in the 14th century, and by the early 1500s it had
come to mean "formal or official approval," a sense it still
retains in certain ecclesiastical contexts. Today, however, we mostly
use "approbation" in the looser sense of "approval,
admiration, or praise." The related verb "approbate"
means "to approve or sanction," and the adjective
"approbatory" means "expressing approval or commendation."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence


kindred \KIN-drud\ adjective

Meaning *1 : of a similar nature or character : like
2 : of the same ancestry
Example Sentence
The rock-climbing club tends to attract kindred spirits � outdoorsy,
adventurous types who derive satisfaction from conquering new challenge.
Did you know?
If you believe that advice and relatives are inseparable, the
etymology of "kindred" will prove you right.
"Kindred" comes from a combination of "kin" and
the Old English word r�den ("condition"), which itself comes
from the verb r�dan, meaning "to advise."
"Kindred" entered English as a noun first, in the 12th
century. That noun, which can refer to a group of related individuals
or to one's own relatives, gave rise to the adjective
"kindred" in the 14th century.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


posthaste \POHST-HAYST\ adverb

Meaning
: with all possible speed
Example Sentence
When it became clear that the interviewee was inebriated and unable
to speak coherently, the television station cut to commercial posthaste.
Did you know?
In the 16th century, �haste, post, haste� was used to inform
�posts,� as couriers were then called, that a letter was urgent and
must be hastily delivered. Posts would then speedily gallop along a
route with a series of places at which to get a fresh horse or to
relay the letter to a fresh messenger. Shakespeare was one of the
first to use a version of the phrase adverbially in Richard
II. �Old John of Gaunt � hath sent post haste / To entreat your
Majesty to visit him,� the Bard versified. He also used the phrase as
an adjective in Othello (a use that is now obsolete): �The
Duke � requires your haste-post-haste appearance,� Lieutenant Cassio
reports to the play�s namesake.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


veritable \VAIR-uh-tuh-bul\ adjective

Meaning
: being in fact the thing named and not false, unreal, or imaginary
Example Sentence
Melissa is a veritable wellspring of information on local history
and folklore.
Did you know?
"Veritable," like its close relative "verity"
("truth"), came to English through Anglo-French from Latin.
It is ultimately derived from "verus," the Latin word for
"true," which also gave us "verify,"
"aver," and "verdict." "Veritable" is
often used as a synonym of "genuine" or
"authentic" ("a veritable masterpiece"), but it is
also frequently used to stress the aptness of a metaphor, often in a
humorous tone ("a veritable swarm of lawyers"). In the past,
usage commentators have objected to the latter use, but today it
doesn't draw much criticism.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


beau geste \boh-ZHEST\ noun

Meaning *1 : a graceful or magnanimous gesture
2 : an ingratiating conciliatory gesture
Example Sentence
Rather than compete against his best friend for the scholarship,
Brayden gallantly stepped aside, a beau geste that Anthony never forgot.
Did you know?
"Beau geste" is a phrase borrowed from French; the literal
translation is "beautiful gesture." Beau Geste is
also the title of a 1924 novel by Percival Christopher Wren, featuring
three English brothers who join the French Foreign Legion to repair
their family honor. The novel spawned several film versions, including
one starring Gary Cooper. Wren didn't invent the phrase "beau
geste," which first appeared in print in 1900, but the publicity
surrounding the novel and subsequent films likely contributed to the
expression's popularity.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


scavenger \SKAV-un-jer\ noun

Meaning 1 chiefly British : a person employed to remove dirt
and refuse from streets * 2 : one who collects or salvages
garbage or junk 3 : an organism that typically feeds on refuse
or carrion
Example Sentence
Scavengers took the broken lamp that I left on the curb last night.
Did you know?
You might guess that �scavenger� is a derivative of �scavenge,� but
the reverse is actually true; �scavenger� is the older word, first
appearing in English in 1530, and the back-formation �scavenge� came
into English in the mid-17th century. �Scavenger� is an alteration of
the earlier �scavager,� itself from Anglo-French �scawageour,� meaning
�collector of scavage.� In medieval times, �scavage� was a tax levied
by towns and cities on goods put up for sale by nonresidents, in order
to provide resident merchants with a competitive advantage. The
officers in charge of collecting this tax were later made responsible
for keeping streets clean, and that�s how �scavenger� came to refer to
a public sanitation employee in Great Britain before acquiring its
current sense referring to a person who salvages discarded items.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


chockablock \CHAH-kuh-blahk\ adjective

Meaning 1 : brought close together *2 : very full
Example Sentence
Chandra�s tiny apartment is chockablock with fabric, yarn, and other
craft supplies.
Did you know?
"Chockablock" started out as a nautical term. A block is a
metal or wooden case with one or more pulleys inside. Sometimes, two
or more blocks are used (as part of a rope and pulley system called a
"block and tackle") to provide a mechanical advantage � as,
for example, when hoisting a sail on a traditional sailing ship. When
the rope is pulled as far as it will go, the blocks are tight together
and are said to be "chockablock." Non-nautical types
associated the "chock" in "chockablock" with
"chock-full," which goes back to Middle English
"chokkefull," meaning "full to the limit" (a
figurative use of "full to choking"). We thus gave
"chockablock" the additional meaning "filled up."
"Chockablock" can also be an adverb meaning "as close
or as completely as possible,� as in "families living
chockablock" or the seemingly redundant "chockablock full."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


livid \LIV-id\ adjective

Meaning 1 : discolored by bruising : black-and-blue 2 : ashen,
pallid 3 : reddish *4 : very angry : enraged
Example Sentence "When my mother caught me sneaking in after
midnight, she was livid," Manny reported.
Did you know?
"Livid" has a colorful history. The Latin adjective
"lividus" means "dull, grayish, or leaden blue."
From this came the French "livide" and eventually the
English "livid," which was used to describe flesh discolored
by a bruise when it was first recorded in the early 17th century. A
slight extension of meaning gave it the sense "ashen or
pallid," as used in describing a corpse. "Livid"
eventually came to be used in this sense to characterize the
complexion of a person pale with anger ("livid with rage").
From this meaning came two new senses in the 20th century. One was
"reddish," as one is as likely to become red with anger as
pale; the other was simply "angry" or "furious,"
the most common sense of the word today.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


treacle \TREE-kul\ noun

Meaning 1 : a medicinal compound formerly in wide use as a remedy
against poison 2 chiefly British a : molasses b : a
blend of molasses, invert sugar, and corn syrup used as syrup *3
: something (as a tone of voice) heavily sweet and cloying
Example Sentence
The film is engaging for about an hour, but then it nose-dives into
sentimental treacle and never recovers.
Did you know?
The long history of "treacle" begins in ancient Greece.
The Greek word �th?riakos,� meaning "of a wild animal," came
from �th?rion� ("wild animal"). Since wild animals are often
known to bite, these words gave rise to �th?riake,� meaning
"antidote against a poisonous bite." Latin borrowed
�th?riake� as �theriaca,� and the word eventually entered Anglo-French
� and then Middle English � as �triacle.� The senses of
"treacle" that refer to molasses developed from the earlier
"antidote" sense. The "molasses" sense, in turn,
was extended to give us a word for things excessively sweet or sentimental.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


iconoclast \eye-KAH-nuh-klast\ noun

Meaning 1 : a person who destroys religious images or opposes their
veneration *2 : a person who attacks settled beliefs or institutions
Example Sentence
Susan's irreverent opinion of Shakespeare made her an iconoclast in
the eyes of many of her fellow English majors.
Did you know?
"Iconoclast" is a word that often shows up on vocabulary
lists and College Board tests. How will you remember the meaning of
this vocabulary-boosting term? If you already know the word
"icon," you're halfway there. An "icon" is a
picture that represents something, and is often a religious image.
"Icon" comes from the Greek �eik?n,� which is from
�eikenai,� meaning "to resemble." "Iconoclast"
comes to us by way of Medieval Latin from Middle Greek
�eikonoklast?s,� which joins �eik?n� with a form of the word �klan,�
meaning "to break." "Iconoclast" literally means
"image destroyer."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


attitudinize \at-uh-TOO-duh-nyze\ verb

Meaning : to assume an affected mental attitude : pose
Example Sentence
�She kept her position; she seemed absorbed in the view. �Is she
posing � is she attitudinizing for my benefit?� Longueville asked of
himself.� (Henry James, Confidence)
Did you know?
The English word �attitude� was first used in the 17th century to
describe the posture of a sculptured or painted figure. The word was
borrowed from French and formed from the Italian word �attitudine,�
meaning �aptitude� or �natural tendency.� By the early 18th century,
�attitude� was also being used for the posture a person assumed for a
specific purpose. And by mid-century, �attitudinarians,� people who
study and practice attitudes, were being talked about. The verb
�attitudinize� followed in 1784.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


foursquare \FOR-SKWAIR\ adjective

Meaning 1 : square *2 : marked by boldness and conviction : forthright
Example Sentence
The governor has been foursquare in his support for the education bill.
Did you know?
Early English speakers liked to use �foursquare� to describe a
rectangle with four equal sides, even though they could also say it
was simply �square.� They also used �three-square� to describe a
triangle with equal sides, �five-square� for �having five equal
sides,� �six-square� as an alternative to � hexagonal,� and
�eight-square� for �octagonal.� Eventually �foursquare� also developed
a second sense, which is used to describe persons and things that
stand out �squarely� and forthrightly. One can now speak of
�foursquare citizens� and �a foursquare response.� �Foursquare� can
also be an adverb meaning �solidly� or �forthrightly.�
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


titivate \TIH-tuh-vayt\ verb

Meaning : to make or become smart or spruce
Example Sentence
�Work could undoubtedly be done on the show to titivate it for
Broadway � but the score will remain a problem, if not a liability.�
(Clive Barnes, The New York Post, August 13, 2000)
Did you know?
"Titivate," "spruce," "smarten," and
"spiff" all mean "to make a person or thing neater or
more attractive." "Titivate" often refers to making
small additions or alterations in attire ("titivate the costume
with sequins and other accessories") and can also be used
figuratively, as in our example sentence. "Spruce up" is
sometimes used for cosmetic changes or renovations that give the
appearance of newness ("spruce up the house with new shutters and
fresh paint before trying to sell it"). "Smarten up"
and "spiff up" both mean to improve in appearance often by
making more neat or stylish ("the tailor smartened up the suit
with minor alterations"; "he needed some time to spiff
himself up for the party"). The origins of "titivate"
are uncertain, but it may have been formed from the English words
"tidy" and "renovate."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.


puckish \PUCK-ish\ adjective

Meaning : impish, whimsical
Example Sentence
Ellen found Gabe�s puckish antics quite appealing when they first
started dating, but now she wishes he would be more serious.
Did you know?
We know Puck as �that merry wanderer of the night,� the
shape-changing, maiden-frightening, mischief-sowing henchman to the
king of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's
Dream. The Bard drew on English folklore in casting his
character, but the traditional Puck was more malicious than the
Shakespearean imp; he was an evil spirit or demon. In medieval
England, this nasty hobgoblin was known as the �puke� or �pouke,�
names related to the Old Norse �p?ki,� meaning �devil.� But it was the
Bard's characterization that stuck, and by the time the adjective
"puckish" started appearing regularly in English texts in
the late 1800s the association was one of impishness, not evil.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.