Monday, June 27, 2011

We Interrupt Our Regularly Scheduled Program

Because of a combination of bad planning and technical difficulties, this week's list of editorial peeves has been put on hold. To tide you over, though, here's a good word to add to your vocabulary.

WARNING: Using this word correctly at work could result in a visit from Human Resources.

doxy: A woman of low morals -- specifically, a prostitute.

From Don Quixote, wherein the title character gets a beat-down from a 16th-century pimp:
The worthy carrier, whose unholy thoughts kept him awake, was aware of his doxy the moment she entered the door, and was listening attentively to all Don Quixote said; and jealous that the Asturian should have broken her word with him for another, drew nearer to Don Quixote's bed and stood still to see what would come of this talk which he could not understand; but when he perceived the wench struggling to get free and Don Quixote striving to hold her, not relishing the joke he raised his arm and delivered such a terrible cuff on the lank jaws of the amorous knight that he bathed all his mouth in blood, and not content with this he mounted on his ribs and with his feet tramped all over them at a pace rather smarter than a trot.