• trumpery •
Pronunciation: trump-êr-ee • Hear it!
Part of Speech: Noun, mass (No plural)
Meaning: 1. (Obsolete) Deception, fraud, or trickery. 2. Rubbish, junk. 3. Flashy but trashy finery in the home or on the body.
Notes: Using the plural of today's word, trumperies, is a dubious move. Although some dictionaries list a plural for trumpery, the sense of the noun inclines it toward the status of mass noun.
In Play: Since there is some confusion as to whether a private junk sale is a garage sale, a tag sale, or a yard sale, why not settle this issue with today's Good Word: "We have cleaned out the attic, basement, and garage and this weekend we are holding a big trumpery sale." It will be the talk of the town. Do you know someone who overdresses in cheap clothing, gaudy jewelry and accessories? "Maud Lynn Dresser came to the party in such trumpery we all had a good laugh."
Word History: The original meaning of this word, "deception", is now a bit dated and less frequently used but it explains how the word got into English. It was originally French tromper "to cheat, swindle, deceive". Once it entered English, though, as you can see, its meaning eventually dwindled to "nonsense". The similarity of this word to (to) trumpet explains its gravitation toward the sense of "trashy finery". Trumpery is unrelated to the trumping that goes on in many card games; that trump is an old mispronunciation of triumph! (Today's Good Word was suggested by long-time friend of alphaDictionary, Marilyn MacMillan, who avoids trumpery of any kind but can appreciate the word for it.)
TRUMPERY
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Re: TRUMPERY
• trumpery •
. . .
Meaning: 1. (Obsolete) Deception, . . . .
Word History: The original meaning of this word, "deception", is now a bit dated and less frequently used but it explains how the word got into English. It was originally French tromper "to cheat, swindle, deceive". . . .
One of my favorite types of painting, especially those done by Charles Wilson Peale (See The Staircase Group, which supposedly fooled people into thinking it was real)and other members of the Peale family.The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000.
trompe l'oeil
PRONUNCIATION: trômp' loi'
NOUN: Inflected forms: pl. trompe l'oeils (loi')
1. A style of painting that gives an illusion of photographic reality. 2. A painting or effect created in this style.
ETYMOLOGY: French trompe l'œil : trompe, third person sing. present tense of tromper, to deceive + le, the + œil, eye.
Regards//Larry
"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
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"To preserve liberty, it is essential that the whole body of the people always possess arms, and be taught alike, especially when young, how to use them."
-- Attributed to Richard Henry Lee
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