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• degringolade •

Pronunciation: de-græng-gê-lahd • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: A rapid deterioration, a sudden decline in condition; a sudden downfall.

Notes: The most interesting aspect of this word is its history (for which see Word history). Its pronunciation gives away the fact that it has not yet been fully integrated into the English language and retains much of its French character. Still and all, it may be used as a verb as well as a noun: "In 1929 the stock market degringoladed as never before."

In Play: Anything that can deteriorate, can degringolade (deteriorate rapidly): "After picking his nose several times at the Thanksgiving table of Rosalind's parents, Mortimer's relationship with her slid into a precipitous degringolade." Unfortunately, too many aspects of our lives are subject to degringolade: "The degringolade of Enron took the business world by surprise."

Word History: Today's Good Word is the noun from the French verb dégringoler "to tumble down" from Middle French desgringueler, made up of des- "from" + Middle French gringueler "to tumble". The French root was taken from Middle Dutch verb crinkelen "to make curl", which was based on crinc or cring "ring, circle". This word is akin to English crinkle and crank. Today's word is a wonderful example of semantic drift: from a circular motion to tumbling to falling downward, a sense commonly associated with deterioration. (To prevent a degringolade in our relations with our old friend, M. Henri Day, let us take this opportunity to thank him for suggesting today's Good Word.)

Here's one we can use for politics, too. At least lately.

The degringolade of any hopes for health care reform under the current US administration is unprecedented. As is the degringolade of the current US administration.

Squalid degringolade. We can combine words here.

My first degringolade occurred shortly after my birth, and it's been one degringolade after another ever since.

And it's such a happy sounding word!

And it's such a happy sounding word!

There is something about it that does feel better than a complete downfall. Perhaps it's the "gringo"?

I think you're right. There's a certain ring to the word. I think we should change the meaning to merry-go-round or something else happier.

My first degringolade occurred shortly after my birth, and it's been one degringolade after another ever since.

And it's such a happy sounding word!

Happy word for such a condition in yourself, to which
I can vouch, and it comes from Kudzu juleps drunk
in caroliner.

Are you talking about the Southern Elixir of Bacchus?

Is that how you are marketing that stuff now????
Southern Elixir of Bacchus? Virgin or otherwise?

Extra Virgin.

(Our pastor spoke on Hosea and Gomer today. No virgins there.)

and Gomer's third child: "not my son/boy" as he was
called. Hosea's life was one degringolade after another.

Poor kid, too. Think of how he must have felt when they called the roll at school.

I'm sure they would have teased him had they schools.
And I think he would have picked up a nickname or two.