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STORIES FROM TAGORE

unanimously. From the Latin “ unus,” one, and “ animus,” mind. Compare magnanimous , pusillanimous.

philosopher. From the Greek “ philos,” a friend, and “ sophia,” wisdom. Compare philology , philanthropy, theosophy.

moustache. A French word which has found its home in English. French is frequently giving to English new words. Compare, in this story, manoeuvre, discomfit, mischief.

juncture. From the Latin “ jungere,” to join. Compare junction, conjunction, subjunctive, adjunct.

unattractive. From the negative “ un,” meaning “not,” and the root “tract-,” meaning to draw. Compare traction, tractor, attract, extract, subtract.

atmosphere. From the Greek word “ atmos,” the air, and “ sphaira,” a “ globe.” Compare sphere, hemisphere, photosphere.

wishfulness. Probably from the English word “ wish,” wishfulness. Several, however, regard it as coming from an old word “ whist ” or “ wist,” meaning silent. The vernacular word “ udās ” has the same meaning.

abjectly. From the Latin word “ jacere,” to throw. Compare ad-jec-tive, subject, object, project, inject, reject.

neighbourhood. From a Saxon word meaning near, nigh; “ hood ” or “ head ” is a common addition to Saxon words denoting the quality or character. Compare knighthood, manhood, boyhood, womanhood.

holidays. This word is made up of two words, “ holy ” and “ days.” The religious days of the Church were those on which no one worked and thus they got the meaning of holidays as opposed to working days.