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JadziaDax · 09-02-2003, 12:59 AM

The Word of the Day for September 2 is:

Dunkirk • \DUN-kerk\ • (noun) 1. a retreat to avoid total defeat; 2. a crisis situation that requires a desperate last effort to forestall certain failure

A little more information about today’s word:
"Dunkirk" is the English spelling of the name of the French town of Dunkerque, which is located on the Dover Strait near the Belgian border. In 1940, Dunkerque was the scene of a massive evacuation of Allied forces to England after the fall of France to Germany during World War II. Death seemed certain for the 300,000 soldiers who had retreated to Dunkerque until hundreds of naval and civilian vessels arrived to ferry them to safety. The impact of the event was so great that within a year "Dunkirk" was being used for any military retreat carried out to avoid total defeat. Soon after, the word was extended beyond the military sphere and it is now used for any crisis that needs a miracle to save the day.

My sentence (using definition #2):
"In 1981, [President Ronald] Reagan said the country faced an 'economic Dunkirk' if tax rates weren't slashed."
-- Fred Barnes, The Weekly Standard, April 9, 2001

Based on Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 10th Edition.

Next sentence?

09-02-2003, 12:59 AM	#7 (permalink)
JadziaDax Loser Location: who the fuck cares?	Word of the day September 2 The Word of the Day for September 2 is: Dunkirk • \DUN-kerk\ • (noun) 1. a retreat to avoid total defeat; 2. a crisis situation that requires a desperate last effort to forestall certain failure A little more information about today’s word: "Dunkirk" is the English spelling of the name of the French town of Dunkerque, which is located on the Dover Strait near the Belgian border. In 1940, Dunkerque was the scene of a massive evacuation of Allied forces to England after the fall of France to Germany during World War II. Death seemed certain for the 300,000 soldiers who had retreated to Dunkerque until hundreds of naval and civilian vessels arrived to ferry them to safety. The impact of the event was so great that within a year "Dunkirk" was being used for any military retreat carried out to avoid total defeat. Soon after, the word was extended beyond the military sphere and it is now used for any crisis that needs a miracle to save the day. My sentence (using definition #2): "In 1981, [President Ronald] Reagan said the country faced an 'economic Dunkirk' if tax rates weren't slashed." -- Fred Barnes, The Weekly Standard, April 9, 2001 Based on Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 10th Edition. Next sentence?