A WORD A DAY.
FORMIDABLE. One who is formidable in good so lives as to inspire dread in his foes, and deters them from approach. In this sense, the sun may be said to be formidable in light, .keeping away darkness. The word comes to us from the Latin formidare, “to dread,” an extension of formido, “fear.” “Fearful” incidentally, is usually regarded as an exact synonym of “formidable,” but it is to be noted that the former is applied to that which merely inspires fear, while the latter describes that which is so overpowering and redoubtable as to deter assailants from action For’-mi-da-ble is accepted on the first syllable: sound o as in orb, i as in it. a as in sofa, last syllable as b’l. “He was formidable in his understanding of the issue ,and silenced his critics.”
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/ST19330508.2.90
Bibliographic details
Southland Times, Issue 22009, 8 May 1933, Page 8
Word Count
139A WORD A DAY. Southland Times, Issue 22009, 8 May 1933, Page 8
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