Make Your Point > Archived Issues > LOUCHE
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connect today's word to others:
Today's word, louche, which means "shifty or disreputable," came from the French word for "squinting"--which itself came from a Latin word for "blind in one eye." The idea is that if someone is squinting at you, or giving you the cross-eye, you'll assume he's a shifty character and edge away from him. So louche.
We've checked out another word related to winking, squinting, and blindness. Can you recall it? It starts with H, and it means to trick people by preventing them from seeing the truth, or literally, to pull people's hoods over their eyes.
make your point with...
"LOUCHE"
Someone or something louche is NOT respectable or NOT trustworthy. Louche things and people are shifty or shady, with bad taste, bad morals, or a bad reputation.
Pronunciation:
LOOSH
(rhymes with "whoosh")
Part of speech:
Adjective.
(Adjectives are describing words, like "large" or "late."
They can be used in two ways:
1. Right before a noun, as in "a louche thing" or "a louche person."
2. After a linking verb, as in "It was louche" or "She was louche.")
Other forms:
none
How to use it:
"Louche" is a fun alternative to more common words like "shady," "shifty," "dubious," and "disreputable."
Use it carefully, of course: it can be an insult.
You might talk about louche people and characters, louche comments and movements and behaviors, louche clothing and accessories, louche bars and nightclubs and cities, etc.
Or, talk about a louche energy, a louche allure, a louche thrill, etc.
examples:
Hobby Airport isn't in the nicest part of town; you have to drive along Telephone Road past sketchy loiterers and louche storefronts.
On a Saturday night you're more likely to find her in a quiet carrel in the library than at a louche house party.
study it now:
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "louche" means when you can explain it without saying "underhanded" or "questionable."
try it out:
Fill in the blanks: "There was something louche about the way (someone) (did something)."
Example: "There was something louche about the way he leered over the counter at us."
before you review:
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
This month, we're playing with The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. It's a collection of silly, sarcastic, satirical definitions of everyday words, and--lucky us!--it's in the public domain. In each issue this month, I'll give you one of Bierce's definitions and, if it's a tough one, I'll give you the word's first letter. And you try to come up with the word.
From our previous issue: Bierce defines it as "the crocodile of America, superior in every detail to the crocodile of the effete monarchies of the Old World." It's a noun. What is it?
Answer: Alligator.
Try this today: Bierce defines it as "that which discloses to the wise and disguises from the foolish their lack of understanding." It's a noun. It starts with E. What is it?
review today's word:
1. One opposite of LOUCHE is
A. HONORABLE
B. TIMELY
C. TIGHT
2. Somehow she can make the most _____ comment sound louche.
A. critical
B. dishonest
C. innocuous
Answers are below.
a final word:
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words.
From Liesl's blog:
36 ways to study words.
Why we forget words, & how to remember them.
How to use sophisticated words without being awkward.
To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com.
Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes.
Answers to review questions:
1. A
2. C
Today's word, louche, which means "shifty or disreputable," came from the French word for "squinting"--which itself came from a Latin word for "blind in one eye." The idea is that if someone is squinting at you, or giving you the cross-eye, you'll assume he's a shifty character and edge away from him. So louche.
"LOUCHE" Someone or something louche is NOT respectable or NOT trustworthy. Louche things and people are shifty or shady, with bad taste, bad morals, or a bad reputation. Part of speech: Other forms:
Hobby Airport isn't in the nicest part of town; you have to drive along Telephone Road past sketchy loiterers and louche storefronts.
Look away from the screen to explain the definition in your own words. You’ll know you understand what "louche" means when you can explain it without saying "underhanded" or "questionable."
Fill in the blanks: "There was something louche about the way (someone) (did something)."
Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first.
1. One opposite of LOUCHE is
Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. |