A.Word.A.Day --louche

A.Word.A.Day

Home

Aug 18, 2008

This week's theme
Words for physical characteristics used to describe people figuratively

louche
clochard
myopic
dexterous
ambisinister

Send a gift that
keeps on giving,
all year long:
A gift subscription of A.Word.A.Day or the gift of books

Discuss

Feedback

RSS/XML

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

A popular admonition goes, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Yet we do that all the time. We ascribe qualities of character to people based on their physical characteristics. And our language takes shape to reflect that attitude. Are cross-eyed people shady? I don't think so. At least, not any more than the straight-eyed. In this week's AWAD we'll look at more of these words.

louche

PRONUNCIATION:

(loosh)

MEANING:

adjective: Of questionable character; dubious; disreputable.

ETYMOLOGY:

From French louche (cross-eyed), from Latin lusca, feminine of luscus (one-eyed).

USAGE:

"They wanted her to be a dancer, but the teenage Bardot fell in with the louche and devious film-maker Roger Vadim, and became the notorious Girl In A Bikini instead."
Adam Sweeting; Zouzou Exposed; The Guardian (UK); Nov 7, 1998.

See more usage examples of louche in Vocabulary.com's dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

For truly it is to be noted, that children's plays are not sports, and should be deemed as their most serious actions. -Michel de Montaigne, essayist (1533-1592)

We need your help

Help us continue to spread the magic of words to readers everywhere

Donate

Subscriber Services
Awards | Stats | Links | Privacy Policy
Contribute | Advertise