Word of the Day
… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:
The Word of the Day for August 07, 2009 is:
smithereens • \smih-thuh-REENZ\ • noun
: fragments, bits
Felix’s Example Sentence:
Leaving breakables on cabinet tops and shelves about the house when you have cats likely will leave those fragile objects in smithereens.
Did you know?
Despite its American sound and its common use by the fiery animated cartoon character Yosemite Sam, “smithereens” did not originate in American slang. Although no one is entirely positive about its precise origins, scholars think that “smithereens” likely developed from the Irish word “smidiríní,” which means “little bits.” That Irish word is the diminutive of “smiodar,” meaning “fragment.” Written record of the use of “smithereen” dates back to 1829.
