![]() ![]() "Ironically this bloated historical drama about Hungary's failed democratic revolution of 1956 evokes nothing less than a Stalinist pageant: everyone on the right side of history is depicted as a morally enlightened superhuman, and a wash of bathetic music every few minutes is supposed to remind you how monumental the situation is." - Ben Sachs,, SeptemAbout the Word: ![]() Barnum also claimed that gumption named a particular kind of hard cider, but that sense is far from common today.Ĭharacterized by triteness or sentimentalism Example: By the 1860s, American English speakers were also using gumption to imply ambition or tenacity, but it wasn't until the early 1900s that gumption began to appear in English texts as a direct synonym of courage or get-up-and-go.Īmerican showman P.T. In its earliest uses, gumption referred to intelligence or common sense, especially when those qualities were combined with high levels of energy. The term's exact origins aren't known, but its earliest known uses are found in British and especially Scottish dialects (which also include the forms rumblegumption and rumgumption). Fu, Contra Costa (California) Times, JAbout the Word:Įnglish speakers have had gumption (the word, that is) since the early 1700s. "Plans for the relocation and expansion of Vacaville's homeless shelter have hit a snag, but it looks like a little gumption and the city's support could keep the project from derailing." - Kimberly K. This list features our Word of the Day selections from the past year that have received the most Facebook "Likes." Definition:Ĭommon sense, horse sense enterprise, initiative Example:
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