Chapter 16: How to Talk About a Variety of Personal Characteristics

Teaser Preview

What word, ending in -ous, describes someone who is:

fawning, servilely attentive, transparently self-ingratiating?
nagging, dissatisfied, complaining?
snobbish, haughtily contemptuous, arrogant?
noisily troublesome, unmanageable?
habitually short of cash?
attentive and courteous to women?
harmless?
fond of liquor?
pale, gaunt, haggard?
melancholy, sorrowful?

Session 45

There are thousands of English words that end in the letters -ous — a Latin suffix meaning full of. The central theme about which the words in this chapter revolve is the idea of “fullness”—and as you will shortly see, you can be full of compliance and servility; full of complaints; full of snobbery; full of noise; full of no money; full of horsemanship; full of harmlessness; full of liquor; full of deathly pallor; and full of sorrows.

For each of these ideas English has a word—and the person with a rich vocabularly knows the exact word to describe what someone is full of.

Session 45: Key Words

IDEAS

1. compliance

The Latin root sequor means to follow—and those who follow rather than lead are usually in a menial, subordinate, or inferior position. People who engage in certain fields of endeavor—waiters, clerks, and servants, for example—are forced, often contrary to their natural temperaments, to act excessively courteous, pleasant, obliging, even subservient and humble. They must follow the lead of their customers or employers, bending their own wills according to the desires of those they serve. They are, etymologically, full of following after, or—

obsequious

RELATED WORDS

obsequies—In a funeral cortege, the mourners follow after the corpse. Hence, obsequies are the burial ceremonies, the funeral rites.
subsequent—A subsequent letter, paragraph, time, etc. is one that follows another.
sequel—A sequel may be a literary work, such as a novel, that follows another, continuing the same subject, dealing with the same people or village, etc. or it may be an occurrence that grows out of or follows another, as in, “Just wait until you hear the sequel to the story!”
sequence—In order, one item following another, as in, “The sequence of events of the next few days left him breathless.”

Any other word containing the root sequ- is likely to have some relationship to the idea of following.

2. complaints

The Latin root queror means to complain—and anyone full of complaints, constantly nagging, harping, fretful, petulant, whining, never satisfied, may accordingly be called—

querulous

3. snobbery

The Latin root cilium means eyelid; super means above; and above the eyelid, as anyone can plainly see, is the eyebrow. Now there are certain obnoxious people who go around raising their eyebrows in contempt, disdain, and sneering arrogance at ordinary mortals like you and me. Such contemptuous, sneering, overbearingly conceited people are called—

supercilious

4. noise

The Latin root strepo means to make a noise. Anyone who is unruly, boisterous, resistant to authority, unmanageable—and in a noisy, troublesome manner—is

obstreperous

5. moneyless

The Latin root pecus means cattle—and at one time in human history a person’s wealth was measured not by stocks and bonds but by stocks of domestic animals, which was a lot more logical, since you get milk and leather and meat from cattle—true wealth—and all you get from the stock market is a headache. Someone who had lots of pecus, then, was rich—someone without pecus was indigent, destitute, “broke.” And so today we call someone who is habitually without funds, who seems generally to be full of a complete lack of money—

impecunious

This word is not a synonym of indigent, destitute, or poverty-stricken; it does not necessarily imply living in reduced circumstances or want, but quite simply being short of cash—habitually.

RELATED WORD

pecuniary—pertaining to money, as in, a pecuniary consideration, pecuniary affairs, etc.

6. horses

The French word cheval means horse; and in medieval times only gentlemen and knights rode on horses—common people walked. Traditionally (but not, I understand, actually) knights were courteous to women, attentive to female desires, and self-sacrificing when their own interests came in conflict with those of the fair sex. Hence, we call a modern man who has a knightly attitude to women—

chivalrous

RELATED WORDS

(Cheval, horse, comes from Latin caballus, an inferior horse. Caballus is found in English words in the spelling caval-.)

cavalcade—A procession of persons on horseback, as in a parade.
cavalier—As a noun, a cavalier was once a mounted soldier. As an adjective, cavalier describes actions and attitudes that are haughty, unmindful of others’ feelings, too offhand, such attributes often being associated with people in power (the military being one of the powers-that-be). Thus, “He answered in a cavalier manner” would signify that he was arrogant in his answer, as if the questioner were taking a little too much privilege with him. Or, “After the cavalier treatment I received, I never wished to return,” signifying that I was pretty much made to feel unimportant and inferior. Or, “After her cavalier refusal, I’ll never invite her to another party,” signifying that the refusal was, perhaps, curt, offhand, without any attempt at apology or courtesy.
cavalry—The mounted, or “horsed” part of an army.
chivalry—Noun form of chivalrous.

Can you write the alternate noun form ending in -ness?
chivalric—Less commonly used adjective form, identical in meaning to chivalrous.

Another Latin root for horse, as you know, is equus, found in words we have already discussed:

equestrian—A horseman.
equestrienne—A horsewoman.
equine—Horselike.

7. no harm done

The Latin root noceo means to injure; someone who need cause you no fear, so harmless is that person, so unable to interfere, so unlikely to get you into trouble, is called—

innocuous

RELATED WORDS

innocent—Not guilty of crime or injury.
noxious—Harmful, poisonous; unwholesome.

8. alcoholic

The Latin root bibo means to drink; and one who is generally found with one foot up on the brass rail, who likes to tipple beyond the point of sobriety—who, in short, has an overfondness for drinks with a pronounced alcoholic content, is called, usually humorously—

bibulous

RELATED WORDS

imbibe—To drink in, soak up, absorb. If we use this verb without specifying what is drunk, as in, “He likes to imbibe,” the implication, of course, is always liquor; but imbibe may also be used in patterns like “imbibe learning” or “In early infancy she imbibed a respect for her parents.”
bib—Upper part of an apron, or an apronlike napkin tied around a child’s neck. In either case, the bib prevents what is drunk (or eaten) from spilling over, or dribbling down, on the wearer’s clothing.

9. like death itself

The Latin root cado means to fall—one’s final fall is of course always in death, and so someone who looks like a corpse (figuratively speaking), who is pale, gaunt, thin, haggard, eyes deep-sunk, limbs wasted, in other words the extreme opposite of the picture of glowing health, is called—

cadaverous

RELATED WORDS

cadaver—A corpse, literally, especially one used for surgical dissection.
decadent—Etymologically, “falling down” (de- is a prefix one meaning of which is down, as in descend, climb down; decline, turn down; etc.). If something is in a decadent state, it is deteriorating, becoming corrupt or demoralized. Decadence is a state of decay. Generally decadent and decadence are used figuratively—they refer not to actual physical decay (as of a dead body), but to moral or spiritual decay.

10. pain and misery

The Latin root doleo means to suffer or grieve—one who is mournful and sad, whose melancholy comes from physical pain or mental distress, who seems to be suffering or grieving, is called—

dolorous

RELATED WORDS

dolor—A poetic synonym of grief.
doleful—A word referring somewhat humorously to exaggerated dismalness, sadness, or dreariness.
condole—Etymologically, to suffer or grieve with (Latin con-, with, together). Condole is a somewhat less commonly used synonym of commiserate, a verb we discussed in Chapter 15. The noun condolence is much more frequently heard than the verb, as in, “Let me offer you my condolences,” usually said to someone mourning the death of a friend or relative. You have heard of condolence cards, and no doubt have sent your share of them. When you condole with somebody who has sustained a loss, usually by death, you are saying, in effect, “I am suffering or grieving with you.”

Review of Etymology

For each root or affix, click to reveal an English word built from it.

1. sequor — to follow

2. queror — to complain

3. cilium — eyelid

4. super — above

5. strepo — to make a noise

6. pecus — cattle

7. -ary — adjective suffix

8. im- (in-) — negative prefix

9. cheval — horse

10. caballus (caval-) — inferior horse

11. -ous — adjective suffix

12. -ic — adjective suffix

13. equus — horse

14. -ine — like, similar to, characteristic of

15. bibo — to drink

16. im- (in-) — in

17. cado — to fall

18. de- — down

19. -ent — adjective suffix

20. -ence — noun suffix

21. con- — with, together

Pronouncing the Words

1. obsequious ob-SEEK′-wee-əs

2. querulous KWAIR′-ə-ləs

3. supercilious sōō′-pər-SIL′-ee-əs

4. obstreperous əb-STREP′-ər-əs

5. impecunious im′-pə-KYōō′-nee-əs

6. chivalrous SHIV′-əl-rəs

7. innocuous ə-NOK′-yōō-əs

8. bibulous BIB′-yə-ləs

9. cadaverous kə-DAV′-ər-əs

10. dolorous DOL′-ər-əs or DŌ′-lər-əs

Can you work with the words? (I)

Score: 0 / 0 out of 10

Matched: 0 / 10

Can you work with the words? (II)

Find the OPPOSITE of each word.

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Matched: 0 / 10

Do you understand the words?

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1. Do obsequious people usually command our respect?
2. Are querulous people satisfied?
3. Are supercilious people usually popular?
4. Is a person of affluence impecunious?
5. Do some women like chivalrous men?
6. Are innocuous people dangerous?
7. Is a bibulous character a teetotaler?
8. Is a cadaverous-looking individual the picture of health?
9. Is a dolorous attitude characteristic of jovial people?
10. Is an obstreperous child difficult to manage?

Can you recall the words?

Score: 0 / 0 out of 10

1. sorrowful

2. servilely attentive; overly polite

3. haggard; gaunt; pale

4. complaining; whining

5. addicted to alcohol; likely to drink past the point of sobriety

6. arrogant; haughty

7. harmless

8. noisily unmanageable

9. attentive and courteous to women

10. short of money; without funds

Session 46: Related Words

Pronouncing the Words (I)

1. obsequies OB′-sə-kweez

2. subsequent SUB′-sə-kwənt

3. sequel SEE′-kwəl

4. sequence SEE′-kwəns

5. pecuniary pə-KYōō′-nee-air′-ee

6. noxious NOK′-shəs

7. imbibe im-BīB′

8. dolor DŌ′-lər

9. doleful DŌL′-fəl

10. cavalcade KAV′-əl-kayd′

11. cavalier (adj.) kav-ə-LEER′

Pronouncing the Words (II)

1. cavalry KAV′-əl-ree

2. chivalry SHIV′-əl-ree

3. chivalric shə-VAL′-rik

4. condole kən-DŌL′

5. condolence kən-DŌ′-ləns

6. equestrian ə-KWES′-tree-ən

7. equestrienne ə-KWES′-tree-en′

8. equine EE′-kwīn′

9. cadaver kə-DAV′-ər or kə-DAY′-vər

10. decadent DEK′-ə-dənt or də-KAY′-dənt

11. decadence DEK′-ə-dəns or də-KAY′-dəns

Can you work with the words?

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Matched: 0 / 20

Do you understand the words? (I)

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1. Are speeches usually made during obsequies?
2. Did Margaret Mitchell write a sequel to Gone with the Wind?
3. Are these numbers in sequence: 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11?
4. Do banks often handle the pecuniary details of an estate?
5. Is arsenic a noxious chemical?
6. Do children sometimes imbibe wisdom from their parents?
7. If a song is sung in tones of dolor, is it a happy song?
8. Is a doleful countenance a happy one?
9. Does a cavalcade contain horses?
10. Does a cavalier attitude show a spirit of humility?

Do you understand the words? (II)

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1. Is a cavalry officer usually a good horseman?
2. Would an equestrian statue of General Grant show him with or on a horse?
3. Is an equestrienne a man?
4. Do humans possess many equine characteristics?
5. Is a cadaver alive?
6. Is an iconoclast likely to consider religion a decadent institution?
7. Is decadence a desirable quality?
8. Is chivalry dead? (yes or no, depending on your point of view)
9. Is it appropriate to condole with someone who has suffered a loss through death?
10. Are condolences appropriate at a wedding ceremony?

Do you understand the words? (III)

Score: 0 / 0 out of 13

1. obsequies—rites
2. subsequent—preceding
3. pecuniary—financial
4. sequence—order
5. noxious—harmful
6. imbibe—drink
7. dolor—delight
8. doleful—merry
9. cavalier—courteous
10. cadaver—corpse
11. decadent—resurgent
12. chivalry—gallantry to women
13. condolences—congratulations

Can you recall the words?

Score: 0 / 0 out of 20

1. harmful

2. a literary work or an event that follows another

3. drink in

4. poetic word for sorrow

5. burial ceremonies

6. horseman

7. horsewoman

8. horselike

9. following (adj.)

10. relating to money (adj.)

11. exaggeratedly sad

12. proper order

13. parade of mounted riders

14. offhand; unmindful of another’s feelings

15. mounted soldiers

16. a corpse

17. morally deteriorating (adj.)

18. spiritual decay

19. expression of sympathy

20. gallantry to women

Chapter Review

A. Do you recognize the words?

Score: 0 / 0 out of 10

1. Excessively polite and fawning:

2. Noisily troublesome:

3. Courteous and attentive to women:

4. Complaining, nagging:

5. Haughtily disdainful:

6. Gaunt, corpselike:

7. Highhanded:

8. Moral decay:

9. Expression of sympathy:

10. Courtesy to women:

B. Can you recognize roots?

Write the meaning of each root. The example word is provided as a hint.

Score: 0 / 0 out of 10

1. sequor — ___

Example: subsequent
2. queror — ___

Example: querulous
3. cilium — ___

Example: supercilious
4. super — ___

Example: supervision
5. strepo — ___

Example: obstreperous
6. pecus — ___

Example: pecuniary
7. cheval — ___

Example: chivalry
8. caballus (caval-) — ___

Example: cavalier
9. equus — ___

Example: equine
10. cado — ___

Example: decadence

C. Can you figure out the words?

1. In logic, a conclusion not based on the evidence is called a non sequitur; by extension, the term is applied to any statement that appears to have no connection or relevance to what was said before. Knowing the root sequor, how would you define this term etymologically?

2. Sequor, like many other Latin verbs, has another form somewhat differently spelled. (Remember verto, versus and loquor, locutus?) The other form of sequor is secutus. Can you define the following words in terms of the root?

(a) second — (b) consecutive — (c) persecute — (d) prosecute

3. Latin super, above or over, is used as a prefix in hundreds of English words. Can you figure out the word starting with super- that fits each etymological definition?

(a) above others (in quality, position, etc.) — (b) above the surface; not in depth (adj.) — (c) (flowing) above what is necessary; more than needed (adj.) — (d) above (or beyond) the natural (adj.) — (e) to oversee; be in charge of (v.)

4. Cado, to fall, is found in the following English words (sometimes the root is spelled -cid). Can you define each word in terms of its etymological parts?

(a) cadence — (b) occidental — (c) deciduous — (d) incident — (e) accident — (f) coincidence

5. The negative prefix in- plus doleo, to suffer, forms an adjective that etymologically means not suffering (pain), but actually means idle; lazy; disliking effort or work. Can you figure out the English word? __________________ Can you write the noun form? __________________

6. What does the feminine name Dolores mean etymologically?

All 34 vocabulary words from Chapter 16, with definitions, forms, and roots.

obsequious (ob-SEEK′-wee-əs)

Fawning, servilely attentive, excessively ingratiatingly polite

Root: sequor — “to follow”

querulous (KWAIR′-ə-ləs)

Complaining, nagging, constantly dissatisfied

Root: queror — “to complain”

supercilious (sōō′-pər-SIL′-ee-əs)

Haughtily contemptuous, arrogant, snobbish

Root: cilium + super — “above the eyelid”

obstreperous (əb-STREP′-ər-əs)

Noisily troublesome, unmanageable

Root: strepo — “to make a noise”

impecunious (im′-pə-KYōō′-nee-əs)

Habitually short of cash

Root: im- (negative) + pecus — “cattle”

chivalrous (SHIV′-əl-rəs)

Attentive and courteous to women; gallant

Root: cheval — “horse”

innocuous (ə-NOK′-yōō-əs)

Harmless

Root: in- (negative) + noceo — “to injure”

bibulous (BIB′-yə-ləs)

Fond of liquor; addicted to alcohol

Root: bibo — “to drink”

cadaverous (kə-DAV′-ər-əs)

Pale, gaunt, haggard; corpselike

Root: cado — “to fall”

dolorous (DOL′-ər-əs)

Sorrowful, melancholy

Root: doleo — “to suffer or grieve”

obsequies (OB′-sə-kweez)

Funeral rites; burial ceremonies

Root: sequor — “to follow”

subsequent (SUB′-sə-kwənt)

Coming later or afterward

Root: sequor — “to follow”

sequel (SEE′-kwəl)

A following literary work or event

Root: sequor — “to follow”

sequence (SEE′-kwəns)

Proper order; one item following another

Root: sequor — “to follow”

pecuniary (pə-KYōō′-nee-air′-ee)

Pertaining to money

Root: pecus — “cattle”

cavalcade (KAV′-əl-kayd′)

A procession of persons on horseback

Root: caballus — “inferior horse”

cavalier (kav-ə-LEER′)

Offhand, haughty, unmindful of others’ feelings (adj.)

Root: caballus — “inferior horse”

cavalry (KAV′-əl-ree)

The mounted part of an army; soldiers on horseback

Root: caballus — “inferior horse”

chivalry (SHIV′-əl-ree)

Gallant courtesy to women

Root: cheval — “horse”

chivalric (shə-VAL′-rik)

Of or pertaining to chivalry

Root: cheval — “horse”

equestrian (ə-KWES′-tree-ən)

A horseman

Root: equus — “horse”

equestrienne (ə-KWES′-tree-en′)

A horsewoman

Root: equus — “horse”

equine (EE′-kwīn′)

Horselike

Root: equus — “horse”

innocent

Not guilty of crime or injury

Root: in- (negative) + noceo — “to injure”

noxious (NOK′-shəs)

Harmful, poisonous; unwholesome

Root: noceo — “to injure”

imbibe (im-BīB′)

To drink in, soak up, absorb

Root: im- (in) + bibo — “to drink”

bib

Upper part of an apron; napkin tied around a child’s neck

Root: bibo — “to drink”

cadaver (kə-DAV′-ər)

A corpse, especially one used for surgical dissection

Root: cado — “to fall”

decadent (DEK′-ə-dənt)

Morally deteriorating; in a state of decay

Root: de- (down) + cado — “to fall”

decadence (DEK′-ə-dəns)

A state of moral or spiritual decay

Root: de- (down) + cado — “to fall”

dolor (DŌ′-lər)

Grief; sorrow (poetic)

Root: doleo — “to suffer or grieve”

doleful (DŌL′-fəl)

Exaggeratedly sad, dismal, dreary

Root: doleo — “to suffer or grieve”

condole (kən-DŌL′)

To grieve or suffer with; to commiserate

Root: con- (with) + doleo — “to suffer or grieve”

condolence (kən-DŌ′-ləns)

An expression of sympathy

Root: con- (with) + doleo — “to suffer or grieve”