Word For The Day: "VERJUICE"

2000 Most Challenging and Obscure Words | January 12, 2016 | Norman Schur

[Louis Foxwell]

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In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".

VERJUICE [VUR joos]

hear it pronounced

noun

VERJUICE, literally, is the sour juice of unripe fruit, especially crab apples and grapes.

Figuratively, VERJUICE is sourness of temperament, disposition, or expression. It is the hallmark of a curmudgeon, itself an interesting word, generally described in dictionaries as of unknown origin, though Samuel Johnson (the English lexicographer, 1709-1784) says in his Dictionary: "It is a vitious (the old spelling, based on Latin vitiosis) manner of pronouncing coeur mechant (French for wicked heart....)

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[xsmommy]

I am verklempt at the news of Professor Snape’s passing. RIP alan rickman.

[WhyisaTexasgirlinPA]

Oh! I hadn’t heard that!