Saturday, December 13, 2014

word of the day: Congrevous

The word of the day is Congrevous

William Congreve, 1670–1729, English dramatist (dictionary.com)
"Natty Ampersand wrote of having decapitated several lovers for miffing her upon her return to the female sex with the greeting: 'I've missed not seeing you.'  As Natty pointed out, with poised, scimitar, what they were really saying was they missed her absence or invisibility and could hardly wait for her to disappear again, and she'd only just arrived!  What should they have said, had they valued their lives - or their heads?  Either 'I've missed you' or 'I've missed seeing you,' the latter really a rather lame declaration of fact: you've been invisible to me, or I have not seen you.  Startling Glower encountered the same quasi-double negative from several critics and fans of his theatrical career upon his opening with a new play.  He'd greet these statements with Congrevous ripostes such as 'And I've not missed not avoiding your betises.'"
 - Karen Elizabeth Gordon, Torn Wings and Faux Pas

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