SOLECISM • FREE TRANSLATOR.ORG • Definition of Solecism

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noun

Solecism n.

An impropriety or incongruity of language in the combination of words or parts of a sentence; esp., deviation from the idiom of a language or from the rules of syntax. "A barbarism may be in one word; a solecism must be of more."

Any inconsistency, unfitness, absurdity, or impropriety, as in deeds or manners. "Caesar, by dismissing his guards and retaining his power, committed a dangerous solecism in politics." "The idea of having committed the slightest solecism in politeness was agony to him."

Synonyms: Barbarism; impropriety; absurdity.

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Etymology of 'Solecism'

Collaborative International Dictionary of English 0.48

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"Solecism" Quotes from Famous Books

... hindered any more intimate conversation, and Richard had certainly committed a solecism in giving Cicely's letter the precedence over the Earl's. The Queen, however, had recalled her caution, and inquired for the health of the Lord and Lady, and, with a certain sarcasm on her lips, trusted that the peace of the family was complete, and that they ...

— Unknown to History - A Story of the Captivity of Mary of Scotland • Charlotte M. Yonge

... other restoratives than fond words and caresses. Under this treatment, nevertheless, she recovered perhaps as quickly as under any which the faculty might have prescribed. She was, still, however, much more distressed than mere consciousness of the grave solecism she had committed could explain. But I had no other clue to her trouble, and could only hope that in repudiating this she ...

— Across the Zodiac • Percy Greg

... moleco. Soil tero. Soil malpurigi. Soiled malpura. Soire vesperkunveno. Sojourn resti. Sol (music) G. Solace komforti. Solar suna. Solder luti. Soldier soldato. Sole sola. Sole (fish) soleo. Sole (of the foot) plando. Sole (of boot, etc.) ledplando. Solecism solicismo. Solely sole. Solemn solena. Solemnity soleno. Solemnize solenigi. Solfa notkanti. Solfeggio notkanto. Solicit petegi. Solicitor advokato. Solicitous petega, zorga. ...

— English-Esperanto Dictionary • John Charles O'Connor and Charles Frederic Hayes

... extreme frugality, or rather parsimony; but who, with fear of running into profuseness, never arrives to the magnificence of living. This kind of genius writes indeed correctly. A wary man he is in grammar, very nice as to solecism or barbarism, judges to a hair of little decencies, knows better than any man what is not to be written, and never hazards himself so far as to fall, but plods on deliberately, and, as a grave man ought, is sure to put his staff before him. In short, ...

— The Works of John Dryden, Volume 5 (of 18) - Amboyna; The state of Innocence; Aureng-Zebe; All for Love • John Dryden

... professional solecism on the part of Fulton, the English butler, at Derek Pruyn's, but it was wrung from him in sheer joy ...

— The Inner Shrine • Basil King

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