SUNDRY

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Dr. Goodword
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SUNDRY

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:44 pm

• sundry •

Pronunciation: sên-dri • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Adjective, absolute

Meaning: Various and miscellaneous.

Notes: Sundry is an absolute adjective, which means that, like dead and infinite, it cannot be compared or intensified. In other words, there is no sundrier or sundriest nor can we say very sundry. There is a noun sundriness "diversity, variety". Additionally, the adjective itself may be used as a noun, sundries referring to various unspecified things, this and that. This word should not be confused with sundae or Sunday, despite their similar pronunciations.

In Play: When you don't want to specify a group of various items, sundry is the word for you: "Among the sundry items on Miranda's desk, the hotplate and small refrigerator stood out." Today's Good Word is often used in conjunction with various: "We talked about various and sundry things, all of which led to the conclusion that we just were not made for each other."

Word History: Today's Good Word has always been ours, not borrowed from any other language. It came from Old English sundrian "to separate", which originated in an earlier form, asundrian, the remnants of which we see in today's asunder "separated, apart". In addition to sundry, whose meaning has shifted to "separate and different", this same word gave us Modern English sunder "to split, separate"; though dated, it is still occasionally heard. The route this root took to Old English has vanished in the mists of time.
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gailr
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Postby gailr » Sun Oct 21, 2007 11:27 pm

I've heard this used as 'all and sundry'.


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