atheism Quick reference
The Concise Oxford Dictionary of English Etymology
... XVI. — Fr. athéisme , f. Gr. átheos , f. A- 4 + theós god; see -ISM So atheist XVI. — F. athéiste or It. ateista ; hence atheistic XVII, atheistical...
atheism Quick reference
The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (2 ed.)
... the theory or belief that God does not exist. The word comes (in the late 16th century, via French) from Greek atheos , from a- ‘without’ + theos ...
Sophists Reference library
Encyclopedia of Rhetoric
...human creations intended to exercise control over human behavior. The subject of considerable controversy, these Sophistical doctrines have over time been explained in terms of such diverse philosophies as relativism, pragmatism, utilitarianism, empiricism, subjective idealism, atheism, and agnosticism. In light of the Sophists' doctrines, man is an entity not in himself but in his relations with others in the context of the city-state and its political, legal, and social institutions. Language not only regulates human relations and determines the structure of...
Borrowing Quick reference
The Oxford Companion to the English Language (2 ed.)
...rhinoceros, rhododendron, stigma, synthesis, thesis . 2. With Latin endings: brontosaurus, chrysanthemum, diplodocus, hippopotamus, Pliohippus . 3. Endings dropped or adapted: agnostic, agnosticism, alphabet, alphabetic, analyst, analytic, anthocyanin, astrobleme, atheism, automatic, biologist, biology, blasphemy, charismatic, chemotherapy, chronobiology, cinematography, critic, criticism, dinosaur, dogmatic, dogmatism, dramatic, dramatist, electric, electronic, enigmatic, epistemic, epistemology, gene, genetic, herpetology, narcolepsy, odyssey,...
Classical Compound Quick reference
The Oxford Companion to the English Language (2 ed.)
...(sidereal) astrology: consider 7.20 V air* airy; airline; airtight L aer(o) aerial; aeroplane; aero-dynamic G atmo atmosphere 8. Religion 8.1 V god ungodly; godlike; god-damned L de deity; deification; deism G the theistic; atheism; theosophy; monotheism 8.2 V devil* devilish; devilry L — G diabol diabolical; diabolism 8.3 V church* churchy; church-goer L — G ecclesia ecclesiastical 8.4 V holy; saint* unholy; holiness; saintly; sainthood L sanct(u);...
bardash n. Reference library
Green's Dictionary of Slang
... Gargantua and Pantagruel ( 1927 ) II Bk III 67: Go, get thee gone […] to the devil, and be buggered, filthy bardachio that thou art, by some Albanian, for a steeplecrowned hat. a. 1660 ‘New Ballad on the Old Parliament’ in Rump ( 1662 ) 33: I prethee be not too rash, With Atheism to court the Devil, You'r too bold to be his Bardash. 1675 C. Cotton Scoffer Scoff'd ( 1765 ) 193: Marry thy Bardach […] Go hug thy Chit . 1678 S. Butler Hudibras Pt III canto 2 line 278: Raptures of Platonick Lashing, And chast Contemplative bardashing. 1683 R....
-ism and -ity Quick reference
Fowler’s Concise Dictionary of Modern English Usage (3 ed.)
...are derived via Old French from the Latin noun endings - ismus and - itas . The suffix - ism forms nouns based on verbs, adjectives, or nouns ( baptism, criticism, heroism ), and has a number of special meanings: (1) a political or religious movement or system of thought ( atheism, Buddhism, realism ), (2) a pathological condition ( alcoholism, Parkinsonism ), (3) a special feature or peculiarity of language ( Americanism, Gallicism ), (4) a basis of prejudice or discrimination (a 20c development first apparent in racism , and more recently in sexism,...
epicure Quick reference
A New Dictionary of Eponyms
...aim and highest good, but pleasure had to consist of right living to lead to tranqillity of mind and body. Epicurus went to Athens in 306 b.c. with a group of disciples and began a school that was in reality a way of life. His school, known as Ho Kepos (the garden), fostered atheism, permitted no marriages, children, or participation in public life. His followers became known as the “philosophers of the garden.” Epicurus was a moral man, and his standards were just as high for his students, but the public was unconvinced. In a letter to Menoeceus, he wrote:...
-ism and -ity Reference library
Fowler’s Dictionary of Modern English Usage (4 ed.)
...of persons, but with no accompanying verb, e.g. heroism, patriotism ; ( c ) forming the name of a system of theory or practice, religious, political, etc., e.g. Buddhism, Judaism ; ( d ) a subclass of ( c ) forming class names for doctrines or principles, e.g. agnosticism, atheism, Communism, realism ; ( e ) forming terms denoting a characteristic feature, esp. of language, e.g. Gallicism, Scotticism; ( f ) a pathological condition, e.g. alcoholism, Parkinsonism ; ( g ) in the second half of the 20c. forming ‘politically correct’ terms such as ableism ...
