"Frisson"
From:An essay about the most recent WikiLeaks disclosures The Use:"After the first slight frisson of pleasure at the discomfiture of powerful people and those in authority has worn off ... the real significance of the greatest disclosure of official documents in the history of the world ... becomes apparent." – Theodore Dalrymple, City Journal, Autumn 2010 About the Word:A frisson is a brief moment of emotional excitement, a shudder or thrill. The word has a somewhat formal tone that suits the context of diplomatic scandal. Frisson is the French word for "shiver," which comes from the Latin for "friction," and ultimately from the Latin for "to be cold." Have a usage that should be a "Word Well Used"? | |
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