This week’s theme
Nouning the verb, verbing the noun

This week’s words
cavil
shirtfront

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(SHUHRT-fruhnt)

MEANING:

noun:	1. The front of a shirt.
	2. A high, front-on collision or bump on an opponent.
	3. An aggressive direct confrontation.
verb tr.:	1. To run at and collide with someone.
	2. To confront someone aggressively.

ETYMOLOGY:

From shirt, from Old English scyrte + front, from Old French front (forehead), from Latin frons (forehead, front). Earliest documented use: noun 1808, verb 1952.

NOTES:

In Australian football, the term acquired a new meaning: a full-speed collision a player would use to flatten an opponent. Basically, giving someone your full frontal... enthusiasm.

In 2014, after the downing of flight MH17, the Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott said, “I am going to shirtfront Mr. Putin, you bet I am.” From there, the meaning broadened. Today, to shirtfront someone can mean to confront them aggressively anywhere: football field, parliament, or in online comments.

When it comes to clothing-related language, there’s always a new wrinkle. If only all conflicts could be resolved by ironing out our differences.

USAGE:

“They comb the club, attempting to shirtfront the perpetrator, and make sure the frightened woman gets home in a cab.”
Cameron Woodhead; Timely Message From a Toilet Cannot Be Ignored; The Age (Melbourne, Australia); Feb 2, 2024.

See more usage examples of shirtfront in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: