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Word Wednesday, A Day Late

Well, I intended to write this post yesterday, but unfortunately I am not one of those lucky women who is able to make her fortune purely through her blog. Though it is my not-so-secret fantasy. At any rate, here is the word of the week! Enjoy!

In honor of the fast-approaching holiday (Valentine's Day), here is a word that encompasses the utter, debilitating pain of being in love:


smite
verb \ˈsmīt\
smote smit·ten or smote smit·ing
Definition of SMITE
transitive verb
1
: to strike sharply or heavily especially with the hand or an implement held in the hand
2
a : to kill or severely injure by smiting b : to attack or afflict suddenly and injuriously
3
: to cause to strike
4
: to affect as if by striking
5
: captivate, take
intransitive verb
: to deliver or deal a blow with or as if with the hand or something held




You have probably heard the word "smitten" to describe someone who it completely twitterpated. In fact, I wanted to use the word "twitterpated" as the word of the week, but Merriam Webster informed me that it is technically not a word. Urban Dictionary, however, defines twitterpated as "smitten". So here we are.

As you can see, this word can be used to describe physical violence, but culturally, it also speaks to the completely disorienting and often painful process of falling head over heels in love with someone (or something).

Use it in a sentence!*

"I smote my enemy upon the mountainside."--Gandalf, Lord of the Rings

"I am completely smitten with my corgi, Marty McFly."--Me, on a daily basis

"I will smite you!" --God, throughout most of the Old Testament (I'm paraphrasing here.)

*I would like to note that other than my quote of myself, which I know to be accurate, I did not double check any of these quotes. The purpose here is to show how this word can be used as different parts of language.

Go out and smite someone with your love this Valentine's Day. It's the best way to celebrate.

What are you smitten with? Share your smites here!

Comments

  1. There are some landowners in western OK I would like to smite. However, I am smitten with Word Wednesday.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Freshman year of college, playing poker with my roommates (out in the Allen lounge, 4th floor tables of course!) I made an obnoxious raise and my buddy across the table asked why I would do such a thing. Though I meant to say "just to *spite* you!", because it was (probably) 4am on a Tuesday, it came out "Just to smite you!" Much laughter followed that, owing mostly to the time of day I suspect. (Writing about it now it doesn't seem too funny, but I promise, at 4am it definitely was...)

    ReplyDelete

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