August 07, 2006

Introducing a useful word

Do you know anyone who is a milquetoast? I heard of this fabulous word today, and decided to add it permanently to my vocabulary. A milquetoasty person or thing is someone/something that is of a timid or meek disposition, the opposite to another pole, being macho.

The story goes, in 1924 Harold Tucker Webster created a comic strip figuring the character of a timid and meek man by the name of Caspar Milquetoast.

Apparently Peter Cetera (see pic) has been described as a Milquetoasty person when Blender Magazine named the 'Top 25 Biggest Wusses Ever'.

(Information courtesy of Vocab Vitamins)

13 comments:

BuJ said...

Wow!
interesting post but also very different from the others!
I shall try to remember this word and at least recognise it if I hear it in the future.

who else can be described as Milquetoast?

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Yes I guess this post is different. Although I don't always write about war and conflicts and negative things you know :)

ANother Milquetoast, well, for me Chuck Norris is one, and David Hasselhoff.

Diligent Candy said...

Lol! I can use this, thanks :)

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Oohh D Candy now you have to spill the beans! Who is the Milquetoast in your life?

Samawel said...

Timid people are a lot of fun. Particularly the supervirgin ones. *evilgrin*

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Poking and evil grinning, am I witnessing the Dr. Jekyll of Mr. Samawel? lol

Samawel said...

Not really. My Jekyll is very much an active element in my overall personality. But I suppose, you're seeing the Jekyll Element.

Arabized said...

haha talk about burrrrrrrrrrrrrrrn.

SAT WORD #546789
nice vocabulary, i feel like im studying for the SAT's.

reminds me of one annoying teacher who would always say "Use your words".


SO SS Use your words!!! :p

haha oh by the way, about using your words, I heard this arab guy say to a little boy with affection "ya 3akrout". I've heard this term numerous times, and my brother in law asked me what it meant, and i found out i actually didnt know what it meant.

So I asked my dad (of course my mom was arguing with my dad to not tell me) and when he told me, i was laughing insanely!!!

i was at first just shocked, (jaw drops open) and then the laughter came. uncontrollably laughter.

Anonymous said...

SS using her words, you little milquetoast!... lol

Well Biz I love laughing and my jaws dropping :), so do share what 3akrout means. I don't think I have ever heard it before?
You back home yet?

Arabized said...

im still in the states :)
(my home really)

im going back to my other home, al ain, in about 2 weeks.

but im freaking out because this morning i was watching cnn and they were saying there may be plane hijackings or terroists attacks on domestic flights and international flights (between here and Britain).

ive been on flights this whole summer and im traveling again next week, and im stoping in london (transit) to the uae. Its so nerve racking.

haha ok well i didnt finish the whole saying,

the man said
"ya 3akrout, ya 3aras"

so 3akrout means like mal3oon, but worse, and 3aras means like... how do i say this...delicately....
like manwhore.

:/

thus my utter shock.

Boo! said...

so how is it pronounced? milky-toasty?

lol...can't help but laugh at that

Shaykhspeara Sha'ira said...

Biz, lol no wonder you were shocked!

Inshallah your travels will go well, don't worry. I was in London at the time of the drama and leaving was no problem. Inshallah khair ya bint! :)

Boo, it's actually pronounced "milktoast" lol

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