Definition (Adjective) Characterized by or given to pleasantry or joking, now especially when inappropriate or flippant; witty, humorous, amusing. In Context "The not entirely facetious muttering among Laborites was that it was not Labor that badly needed changing; but an ungrateful and foolish people." Yosef Goell, "Our Democracy's Alive and Kicking," The Jerusalem Post, January 27, 2003.
Critical Assessment "Most works of propaganda do not survive the crises that produce them. The Moon is Down is an exception. . . . The novel's endurance suggests that while The Moon is Down may have been conceived, written, and used as propaganda, it is probably best described as a work of literature that served as propaganda. Judged by purely artistic standards, it is not among the author's best efforts. Scholars and reviewers have most frequently criticized its wooden characters and transparent didacticism, flaws characteristic of novels of ideas. But few literary works in our time have demonstrated so triumphantly the [...]
Definition (Noun) Clearness of understanding or insight; great mental penetration; discernment. In Context "By now Coucy was a member of the Royal Council, clearly relied on by Charles V for his perspicacity and diplomacy." Barbara W. Tuchman, A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century, 1978. This word was suggested by Jeff Bergman in the Office of Human Resources.
