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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread debile #117958 12/19/2003 1:43 AM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 I guess O.Henry is coining words. He is describing a man apparently with far advanced tuberculosis, and describes him as "debile". Not in dictionary, except as botanical epithet, meaning weak, feeble, etc. "So, then, it was no surprise to the ranchhold when the buckboard spun to the door, and Raidler took up his debile protege like a handful of rags and set him down upon the gallery." Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: debile #117959 12/19/2003 11:51 AM Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Faldage Carpal Tunnel Faldage Carpal Tunnel Joined: Dec 2000 Posts: 13,803 Debile adj. Weak, feeble, suffering from debility. OED First cite 1536, last 1890 The D volume was done from 1893-1897 Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Moderated by  Jackie  Hop To General Topics ------  Information and announcements  Q&A about words  Wordplay and fun  Words and languages in schools  Miscellany  Weekly Themes  Looking for (writers, speakers,... (Old) Weekly themes. (have been... ------  Words from medicine  Beheading words  Meta-words  Words from classical mythology  Animal Safari  Words with unusual etymologies  Eponyms or words derived from p...  Loanwords from German  English as a global language Print Thread Switch to Threaded Mode Show Likes Link Copied to Clipboard View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Website Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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