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poignant

 
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Chan-Seung Lee



Joined: 03 Dec 2005
Posts: 1032

PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 12:30 am    Post subject: poignant Reply with quote

Quote:
a poignantly expressed tribute to his father.


I saw the above example in my dictionary. I think 'poignantly' is a bad meaning which mean sadness or a full of pity but 'poignantly' in the example seems to be a good meaning which seems to mean 'excellently'.
So I wonder the example is wrong. Can you tell me whether it's wrong.

Thanks.
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Lorikeet



Joined: 08 Oct 2005
Posts: 1877
Location: San Francisco

PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 10:19 am    Post subject: Re: poignant Reply with quote

Chan-Seung Lee wrote:
Quote:
a poignantly expressed tribute to his father.


I saw the above example in my dictionary. I think 'poignantly' is a bad meaning which mean sadness or a full of pity but 'poignantly' in the example seems to be a good meaning which seems to mean 'excellently'.
So I wonder the example is wrong. Can you tell me whether it's wrong.

Thanks.


The example is correct. If it is a poignantly expressed tribute, it means he talked about his father with words from his heart. The people listening understood the feeling he expressed. It doesn't mean "excellently." Maybe the words he said might make you cry.
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CP



Joined: 12 Jun 2006
Posts: 2875
Location: California

PostPosted: Mon Aug 20, 2007 1:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The American Heritage Dictionary entry is very informative. See usage 1.a. for something similar to your example.

poignant, adj.

1. a. Profoundly moving; touching: a poignant memory. See Synonyms at moving.
b. Physically painful: "Keen, poignant agonies seemed to shoot from his neck downward" (Ambrose Bierce).
c. Keenly distressing to the mind or feelings: poignant anxiety.
d. Neat, skillful, and to the point: poignant illustrations supplementing the text.
e. Astute and pertinent; relevant: poignant suggestions.
f. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.
g. Sharp or pungent to the smell.
2. Piercing; incisive: poignant criticism.
3. a. Neat, skillful, and to the point: poignant illustrations supplementing the text.
b. Astute and pertinent; relevant: poignant suggestions.
c. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.
d. Sharp or pungent to the smell.
4. Agreeably intense or stimulating: poignant delight.
5. Archaic
a. Sharp or sour to the taste; piquant.
b. Sharp or pungent to the smell.

[Middle English poinaunt, from Old French poignant, present participle of poindre, to *beep*, from Latin pungere; see peuk- in Indo-European roots.]
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