stymie | Word of the Day

June 08, 2019 stymie [stahy-mee] verb noun 1. (on a putting green) an instance of a ball's lying on a direct line between the cup and the ball of an opponent about to putt. 2. to hinder, block, or thwart. word-trends The Most Surprisingly Serendipitous Words Of The Day What Is The Former Name Of Memorial Day? WORD OF THE DAY stymie continued... QUOTES This kind of leader would have little to no incentive to work with the Board of Supervisors and could easily stymie much of the progress the county is making on critical problems. -- Alice A. Huffman, "Sacramento's plan to expand the L.A. County Board of Supervisors has nothing to do with diversity," Los Angeles Times, August 15, 2017 ORIGIN The verb stymie has an obscure origin. It may be a golfing term, a noun referring to an opponent's ball that lies closer to the hole than one's own and is in the line of play, from which the slightly later verb sense in golf developed. By the beginning of the 20th century, the verb stymie had a generalized sense "to impede, hinder, thwart." Stymie may come from Scots stymie "a person with poor eyesight," a derivative of stime, styme "a glimmer, glimpse." Stymie in the sense of "a person with poor vision" entered English in the early 17th century, the golfing sense in the first half of the 19th century. MORE FOR YOU 1 Why We Need Better Terms For People Who Identify As Two Or More Races Read how Professor Nicole Holliday explains why some individuals and groups that identify as two or more races are sensing a lexical gap for terms they would like for their own their specific racial combination. 2 Is There A Difference Between "Calling In" And "Calling Out"? Do you say "calling out sick" or "calling in sick"? That debate could go on forever. But, "calling out" and "calling in" actually have very specific meanings in the world of social justice. 3 Words To Help Explain Relationships In The 2010s In this slideshow, we're breaking down some of the latest slang terms and expressions we're using to talk about dating and relationships in the 2010s. 4 What Kind Of Songs Get To Be Called "Country Music"? Past and present, country music—and what gets to be called country music—is far more complex than many realize. 5 When Did "Fat" Become An Insult? The word fat holds a complicated place in our society. As an adjective, it joins words like tall, hairy, fluffy, or bright. But, unlike those descriptors, fat isn't neutral. © 2019 Dictionary.com, LLC. ABOUT CONTACT You are subscribed to the Word of the Day as: matzom229@gmail.com Subscriber since: September 06, 2017 Unsubscribe Dictionary.com, LLC. 555 12th Street Suite 400 Oakland CA 94607 Manage your subscription Terms & Privacy