Gravitas.
noun: dignity, seriousness, or solemnity of manner.
As in, "Dorianne Laux's poems bring a gravitas and solidity to the ordinary aspects of American life, [....]"
So now I know. And all this time I thought gravitas was a synonym for cojones, or chutzpah. As in, "Jerome finally mustered up the gravitas to stand up to the snarling dominatrix, even as she swung him by his gravitas in a wide circle like a dead cat."
Turns out it is from the Latin, and thus purely BritishSpeak and not even meant for Americans to hear, much less try to use.
Go figure.
er, is that your breakfast.......?
ReplyDeleteOuch! To be flung about by one's gravitas would hurt, I would imagine.
ReplyDeleteAnything that puts a fried egg over a slice of pineapple does not deserve to be described as having gravitas. There again, the indigestion after eating it will certainly be gravitas.
ReplyDelete