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Feb 19, 2021
This week’s theme
To hyphenate or not to hyphenate?

This week’s words
merchant prince
journeyman
gold-digger
roughhouse
body blow

body blow
A pillow fight

This week’s comments
AWADmail 973

Next week’s theme
Toponyms
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A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg

body blow

PRONUNCIATION:
(BOD-ee bloh)

MEANING:
noun: A severe setback or disappointment.

ETYMOLOGY:
The term is from boxing, referring to a blow to the torso which can be incapacitating due to its proximity to internal organs. Earliest documented use: 1789.

USAGE:
“The penalty is a seven-year ban from buying American components. For ZTE this is a body blow.”
Casting Illusions Aside; The Economist (London, UK); May 5, 2018.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Architecture is inhabited sculpture. -Constantin Brancusi, sculptor (19 Feb 1876-1957)

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