A WORD A DAY.
ONEROUS. Whatever is “onerous” is somewhat burdensome, oppressive, troublesome. The word comes to us from the Latin onerosus, “burdensome,” an extension of onus, “burden.” Among words regarded as synonyms we note: “heavy,” which in its figurative sense often connotes dullness or stupidity; “weighty,” which does not minimize the, senses of burden, but is coloured with the thought of importance; “burdensome,” which indicates that which is literally heavy to bear, an actual burden. That which is “onerous,” however, is frequently merely irksome, annoying. On-er-ous is accented on the first syllable; sound o as in hot, e as in maker, ou as u in circus. “He evidenced too onerous a solicitude.”
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Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 21855, 4 November 1932, Page 8
Word Count
113A WORD A DAY. Southland Times, Issue 21855, 4 November 1932, Page 8
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