Word - 70

KVELL \KVEL\ verb

: to be extraordinarily proud

: rejoice

Example sentence:
Critics kvelled over the violinist's triumphant return to the stage where she had made her debut many years ago.

Did you know?

We are pleased to inform you that the word "kvell" is derived from Yiddish "kveln," meaning "to be delighted," which, in turn, comes from the Middle High German word "quellen," meaning "to well, gush, or swell." Yiddish has been a wellspring of creativity for English, giving us such delightful words as "meister" ("one who is knowledgeable about something"), "maven" ("expert"), and "shtick" ("one's special activity"), just to name a few. The date for the appearance of "kvell" in the English language is tricky to pinpoint exactly. The earliest known printed evidence for the word in an English source is found in a 1952 handbook of Jewish words and expressions, but actual usage evidence before that date remains unseen.

Word - 69

CIRCUMLOCUTION \ser-kum-loh-KYOO-shun\ noun

*1 : the use of an unnecessarily large number of words to express an idea

2 : evasion in speech

Example sentence:
Mr. Harvey was notorious for his tendency to engage in endless circumlocution when a simple, brief explanation would suffice.

Did you know?

In The King's English, grammarian H.W. Fowler advised, "Prefer the single word to the circumlocution." Alas, that good advice was not followed by the framers of "circumlocution." They actually used two terms in forming that word for unnecessarily verbose prose or speech. But their choices were apt; "circumlocution" derives from the Latin "circum-," meaning "around," and "locutio," meaning "speech" -- so it literally means "roundabout speech." Since the 15th century, English writers have used "circumlocution" with disdain, naming a thing to stop, or better yet, to avoid altogether. Charles Dickens even used it to satirize political runarounds when he created the fictional Circumlocution Office, a government department that delayed the dissemination of information and just about everything else.