Saturday & Sunday Word: Penurious & Dharna
pe·nu·ri·ous [pə-no͝or′ē-əs,]:
origin: [1590] Latin; pēnūria= "want"
adjective (penuriousness, noun)
It sounds a little like "penniless" and that's pretty much what it means, for example you may have been forced into a penurious food budget due to your recently increased rent -- plus "penurious" sounds nicer than saying you're broke; scant. One doesn't have to be forced into a penurious lifestyle though, it's also possible to choose it (like Uncle Scrooge); stingy. You can also describe a situation given to a penurious quality, such as the lack of flowers in winter, or meat on your Subway sandwich.
dhar·na [där'nah]:
origin: [1785-95] Hindi; धरना= "a placing"
noun
Similar sound to darma (divine fate), but more about taking fate into one's own hands, such as: "Darn it, I'm not leaving until I get satisfaction" -- satisfaction is often defined as money, though it can be with the person owed a debt camping out on the loanee's doorstep, and fasting, until they get repaid or die -- whichever comes first. For real. Ghandi staged many a dharna as a form of non-violent political protest.
A dharna in Pakistan.
origin: [1590] Latin; pēnūria= "want"
adjective (penuriousness, noun)
It sounds a little like "penniless" and that's pretty much what it means, for example you may have been forced into a penurious food budget due to your recently increased rent -- plus "penurious" sounds nicer than saying you're broke; scant. One doesn't have to be forced into a penurious lifestyle though, it's also possible to choose it (like Uncle Scrooge); stingy. You can also describe a situation given to a penurious quality, such as the lack of flowers in winter, or meat on your Subway sandwich.
dhar·na [där'nah]:
origin: [1785-95] Hindi; धरना= "a placing"
noun
Similar sound to darma (divine fate), but more about taking fate into one's own hands, such as: "Darn it, I'm not leaving until I get satisfaction" -- satisfaction is often defined as money, though it can be with the person owed a debt camping out on the loanee's doorstep, and fasting, until they get repaid or die -- whichever comes first. For real. Ghandi staged many a dharna as a form of non-violent political protest.
A dharna in Pakistan.