A.Word.A.Day --unshirted

A.Word.A.Day

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May 10, 2021

This week’s theme
Shirts

This week’s words
unshirted
arrow-collar
button-down
sleeveless
shirttail

Previous week’s theme
Well-traveled words

A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

Unshirted is not the same as shirtless (poor) or descamisado and neither one is the opposite of shirty (bad-tempered). That’s language for you. Try not to take it literally. Rarely works.

Shirted or not -- whatever your sartorial preferences -- we aim to add new words to your linguistic wardrobe. Enjoy this week’s fashion parade of words, all derived from shirts and their parts. We’ll cover it all, from the collar to the shirt tail.

Cartoon: Dan Piraro

unshirted

PRONUNCIATION:

(uhn-SHUHR-tid)

MEANING:

adjective:
1. Serious; unmitigated.
2. Plain; undisguised.

ETYMOLOGY:

From un- (not) + shirt, from Old English scyrte. Earliest documented use: 1932.

USAGE:

“Trump did outdo former holders of the office in one regard: producing unshirted chaos.”
Doyle McManus; How Do Biden’s First 100 Days in Office Compare with Trump’s?; Los Angeles Times; Apr 25, 2021.

“Maloof first gave Carter his unshirted opinion about some of his recent votes.”
Tom Baxter & Jim Galloway; Lebanese Legend Gets Irish Wake; The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Georgia); Aug 13, 2004.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

The softer you sing, the louder you're heard. -Donovan, musician (b. 10 May 1946)

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