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Previous Thread Next Thread Print Thread mawkish #124410 03/03/2004 2:59 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 I challenge members to give a better definition of this word than that given below. I read a short novel perhaps a hundred years old, with Sturm und Drang plot and orations, absurd protestations of noble motives and passions. "Mawkish" was one of the descriptions that occurred to me. The dictionary definition seems inadequate. And the second definition seems attribute the reaction to the wrong party. Webster's 1913 Dictionary Definition: \Mawk"ish\, a. [Orig., maggoty. See {Mawk}.] 1. Apt to cause satiety or loathing; nauseous; disgusting. So sweetly mawkish', and so smoothly dull. --Pope. 2. Easily disgusted; squeamish; sentimentally fastidious. --J. H. Newman. Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mawkish #124411 03/04/2004 3:04 AM Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 164 Mississippi, United States Of ... AlimaeHP member AlimaeHP member Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 164 Mississippi, United States Of ... Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary gives: Main Entry: mawk??ish Pronunciation: 'mo-kish Function: adjective Etymology: Middle English mawke maggot, from Old Norse mathkr -- more at MAGGOT 1 : having an insipid often unpleasant taste 2 : sickly or puerilely sentimental - mawk??ish??ly adverb - mawk??ish??ness noun Microsoft Encarta gives: mawk?ish [ máwkish ] adjective 1. sentimental: sentimental, especially in a contrived or offputting way 2. bland or unpleasant: bland or unappetizing in taste or smell [Mid-17th century. Formed from earlier mawk “maggot,” from Old Norse maðkr . Originally in the sense “nauseated, lacking appetite.”] mawk?ish?ly adverb mawk?ish?ness noun And RhymeZone gives: Definitions of mawkish: adjective: effusively or insincerely emotional I hope this helps. Rev. Alimae Rev. Alimae Copy Link to Clipboard Share Post on Facebook Share Post on Twitter Re: mawkish #124412 03/04/2004 4:50 PM Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 wwh Carpal Tunnel wwh Carpal Tunnel Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 13,858 Dear AlimaeHP: your definitions are indeed better than the ones I found. 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 Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary View Profile Private Message Follow User Forum Posts Like Summary

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