Succor

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Dr. Goodword
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Succor

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sat Aug 06, 2022 9:20 pm

• succor •


Pronunciation: sêk-êr • Hear it!

Part of Speech: Noun

Meaning: Sympathetic assistance or help given in time of need.

Notes: Today's Good Word may be used freely as a verb: we may offer succor to someone or succor them. Someone who succors another may be called a succorer. No relation to succubus or succotash. Don't forget, when in the UK, this word is spelled succour.

In Play: Today's word means "aid" or "assistance" but with a hint of tenderness: "During my stay in the hospital, my wife Faye offered daily succor above and beyond the call of duty." It can also metaphorically apply to non-humans: "The rain brought welcome succor to Rose Bush's garden."

Word History: This Good Word comes from Italian soccorso, the remnant of the Latin past participle of succurrere "to run to the aid of". Succurrere came from sub "under" + currere "to run", in the sense of "run to the support of". The root of currere goes back to Proto-Indo-European kers-/kors- "run", which also went into the making of courier, current, corridor (even though we are not supposed to run in them). Finally, carpenter comes from this root. It goes back to Latin carpentum "a two-wheeled carriage" that apparently based on Gaulish carros "a wagon, car", the same word that gave us car. (Lest we have to give succor to Mark Bailey, let us give thanks to him for suggesting today's Good Word.)
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Slava
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Re: Succor

Postby Slava » Sun Aug 07, 2022 6:29 am

Headline on the use of lollipops as consolation prizes to those who have been conned:

SUCKERS SUCCOR SUCKERS
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Debbymoge
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Re: Succor

Postby Debbymoge » Sun Aug 07, 2022 11:39 am

Good'un, Slava!

Newly coined?
I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
Shakespear

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Slava
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Re: Succor

Postby Slava » Sun Aug 07, 2022 12:14 pm

Newly coined as far as I know. And, having been taken to the cleaners, the succored suckers with their suckers were coyly nude.

The singular works, too: Sucker Succors Sucker.
Life is like playing chess with chessmen who each have thoughts and feelings and motives of their own.

Philip Hudson
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Re: Succor

Postby Philip Hudson » Thu Aug 11, 2022 11:31 pm

I deleted my original reply here because I inadvertently used a word I never use.
Last edited by Philip Hudson on Sun Aug 21, 2022 11:10 am, edited 1 time in total.
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David Myer
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Re: Succor

Postby David Myer » Fri Aug 12, 2022 11:41 pm

Or: Nothing succeeds like a toothless budgerigar.

I wonder if I need to explain that?

Debbymoge
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Re: Succor

Postby Debbymoge » Sat Aug 13, 2022 11:12 am

Yes, David, please do.
I can't see that a toothed budgerigar would be successful either.
Poor thing!
I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
Shakespear

bnjtokyo
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Re: Succor

Postby bnjtokyo » Sat Aug 13, 2022 8:28 pm

Budgerigar are pretty successful: they are the third most popular pet in the world according to Wikipedia. And of course no budgerigar or any other modern bird has teeth. Class Aves is toothless.

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Re: Succor

Postby Dr. Goodword » Sat Aug 13, 2022 10:13 pm

An suggested in the phrase, "as rare as hen's teeth".
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Re: Succor

Postby David Myer » Mon Aug 15, 2022 8:38 am

Ah, perhaps it is something to do with accent.

Nothing sucks seeds like a toothless budgie.

Sorry.

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Re: Succor

Postby Debbymoge » Mon Aug 15, 2022 12:35 pm

OH! David!

NOW I get it!
Thanks!

(and, OUCH!!)
I am but mad north-north-west. When the wind is southerly, I know a hawk from a handsaw.
Shakespear


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