Question
Updated on
2 February
- Russian
-
English (US)
-
English (UK)
Question about English (US)
What does pusillanimous mean?
What does pusillanimous mean?
I actually know what it means, and my questions are:
1) How often this word can be heard/seen?
2) When do I use it?
TYIA
1) How often this word can be heard/seen?
2) When do I use it?
TYIA
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2 February
Featured answer
- English (US)
I had to look that one up. I've never heard or seen that word before. I just say "timid".
He's too pusillanimous to stand up to his opponents.
Highly-rated answerer
- English (US)
I had to look that one up. I've never heard or seen that word before. I just say "timid".
He's too pusillanimous to stand up to his opponents.
Highly-rated answerer
- Russian
- English (US)
- Russian
- English (US)
@dest1ny-
LOL I meant pusillanimous is a big word.
Grateful is a wonderful word. :-)
Highly-rated answerer
- English (US)
I'm curious... where did you find "pusillanimous"?
Highly-rated answerer
- Russian
@Shafica haha, what an embarrassing misunderstanding. My original thought was "grateful" is like "indebted", so it doesn't quite match here. Now that I'm looking at it at a different angle, I see. These things happen, right?:)
- English (US)
- Russian
@Shafica in a dictionary, but there was a paucity of information about the word. That said, I wanted to learn more about it:)
- English (US)
It also can mean a lack of courage or a lack of determination.
(I just looked it up again.)
I would bet that very few native speakers would know that word.
Highly-rated answerer
Read more comments
- English (US)
@dest1ny- I'd have to look in the dictionary. I've never heard or seen it (and I'm a professional editor).
Highly-rated answerer
- Russian
@CocoPop but, unfortunately, dictionaries don't mark words/phrases as "rare" in the vast majority of cases :(
- English (US)
@dest1ny- Yeah, that's why dictionaries aren't always the last coke in the desert ;)
Highly-rated answerer
- Russian
@CocoPop wow, that's def (thanks) an eye-opener for me. I'll avoid using both those words in an everyday speech :)
- English (US)
- English (US)
- Russian
@CocoPop "the last coke in the desert" sounds cool, but I've never seen it used. May I ask you to bring a couple of more examples?
- English (US)
@dest1ny- People say this in different ways. It just means that something or someone isn't the only truth in the last instance.
Highly-rated answerer
- Russian
@CocoPop In case you don't know, we say "истина/правда в последней инстанции". Personally, I'd go with the former; in fact, it's just a matter of preference — or the word that comes first to mind :)
- English (US)
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