reserved
To reserve is to hold onto something, and today's word signifies the manner of one who holds back. It can be emotions, opinions, or information with which the reserved man or woman is reticent, but when unaccompanied by any such qualifications the word generally describes one who is simply quiet. This quietness is not emptiness, however; "reserved" implies that there is something that they are not sharing. To have reservations about a particular circumstance or event is a temporary uncertainty; imagine feeling that way all the time? To be of a perpetually reserved temperament? We all have secrets, but theirs tend to remain buried for longer; to be confided in by one who is reserved always feels like something of an honor, regardless of how trivial the content.
This week's theme: Hmm, I can't decide whether I should reveal the theme during the week if someone gets it. But since I think Morgen is probably the only person that actually reads this blog, I might as well do it this once at least. In any case, he's guessed the theme: the first recorded instance of each of this week's words is in Shakespeare:
afoot:
"Julius Caesar" III.ii.239-40
"Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot/Take thou what course thou wilt!"
swagger:
"A Midsummer-Night's Dream" III.i.28-9
"What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,/So near the cradle of the fairy queen?"
gnarled:
"Measure for Measure" II.ii.142-3
"Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt/Split’st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak"
misquote:
"I Hen. IV" V.ii.15-6
"Look how we can, or sad or merrily,/Interpretation will misquote our looks"
reserved:
"All's Well That Ends Well" V.iii.46-7
"To have her name repeated: all her deserving/Is a reserved honesty"
Excellent! I'm glad someone guessed a theme so early. Nice going, Morgen.
This week's theme: Hmm, I can't decide whether I should reveal the theme during the week if someone gets it. But since I think Morgen is probably the only person that actually reads this blog, I might as well do it this once at least. In any case, he's guessed the theme: the first recorded instance of each of this week's words is in Shakespeare:
afoot:
"Julius Caesar" III.ii.239-40
"Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot/Take thou what course thou wilt!"
swagger:
"A Midsummer-Night's Dream" III.i.28-9
"What hempen home-spuns have we swaggering here,/So near the cradle of the fairy queen?"
gnarled:
"Measure for Measure" II.ii.142-3
"Thou rather with thy sharp and sulphurous bolt/Split’st the unwedgeable and gnarled oak"
misquote:
"I Hen. IV" V.ii.15-6
"Look how we can, or sad or merrily,/Interpretation will misquote our looks"
reserved:
"All's Well That Ends Well" V.iii.46-7
"To have her name repeated: all her deserving/Is a reserved honesty"
Excellent! I'm glad someone guessed a theme so early. Nice going, Morgen.
posted at 12:34 AM by Mother Night's Most Loyal Son
2 Comments:
Your description of the word Reserved somehow reminds me of a Victorian woman.
I originally was going for "Shakespearean" this week on my theme-guess, until "misquote" popped up. So, I'm going for "Victorian" words now.
That's my guess, and I'm stickin' to it!
Thanks! Misquote really did throw me, but I'm glad that my "Shakespearean" leanings were on the mark. I guess all those theatre classes were good for something!!!
ps, I love your blog & will try to get ya some more readership! ~ Mo
Post a Comment
<< Home