| 例句 |
teetotal adjective •he's strictly teetotal these days:abstinent, abstemious | sober, dry | informal on the wagon. ANT alcoholic.WORD NOTE Rechabite The stern application of Prohibition was once known jokingly as teetotalitarianism, an example of a portmanteau form ( see note at suitcase) used to denote the practice of avoiding strong drink. From describing oneself as an abstainer, to being on the wagon, to counting oneself a Friend of Bill (which is the masonically secret form used by members of Alcoholics Anonymous), there are scores of words used to describe, and usually euphemistically, this generally unusual practice. It is rare to see the word Rechabite in use: not only did this Jewish sect not drink, they also, for some unknown reason, declined to live in houses—and so Rechabites do not just abhor strong liquor, but also live in tents. The extent to which this might be employed as a synonym for an abstainer is thus limited: but it is the job of this volume to offer it up, and suggest when it might be appropriate. Describing a camping holiday involving a party of Mormons might be one occasion when the word, even if used allusively, might work. — SWConversational, opinionated, and idiomatic, these Word Notes are an opportunity to see a working writer's perspective on a particular word or usage. |