Micawberly

English 2021 May 7 Etymology From en Micawber ly suffix forming adjectives from nouns, having the sense of ‘behaving like, or having a nature typical of [what is denoted by the noun]’ adjectival (see origin of name there), from the character Wilkins Micawber – noted for his naive optimism, always confident that “something will turn up”See, for example, Charles Dickens Charles Dickens I Assist at an Explosion The Personal History of David Copperfield London Bradbury & Evans,11, Bouverie Street. May 1849 – November 1850 1850 540 https://archive.org/details/personalhistor00dick/page/540/mode/1up 558196156 ‘I could not receive it as a gift,’ said Mr. Micawber, full of fire and animation, ‘but if a sufficient sum could be advanced, to allow time for something to turn up——’ – in David Copperfield (1849–1850) by the English author Charles Dickens (1812–1870). Pronunciation en /mɪˈkɔːbəli/ RP en LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Micawberly.wav Southern England en /mɪˈkɔbɚli/ /məˈkɑ-/ GA en Mi caw ber ly Adverb In an upbeat and optimistic way, in the face of seemingly hopeless circumstances. en 1872 Adeline Dutton Train Whitney Sights and Insights: Patience Strong's Story of Over the Way 1 J.R. Osgood & Company 1876 151 not growing a single spiritual inch, for putting forth his powers as a man should; just amiably Micawbering along, and most Micawberly devoted to somebody he would like well enough to marry when the times comes and things "turn up;" en January 31 1875 Grand Duke Alexis Galveston Daily News http://newspaperarchive.com/us/texas/galveston/galveston-daily-news/1875/01-31/ 1 2 (bottom) The marriage of Grand Duke Alexis in his proper station in life is indefinitely postponed, and Count Shouvalod and his imperial master must wait, Micawberly, for something to turn up. 27 May 2020 https://web.archive.org/web/20160305011216/http://newspaperarchive.com/us/texas/galveston/galveston-daily-news/1875/01-31/ 5 March 2016 en 1995 William A. Senior Stephen R. Donaldson's Chronicles of Thomas Covenant: Variations on the Fantasy Tradition Kent State University Press 176 Covenant doggedly searches for a way out of his predicament and vows to keep moving in the hopes that, macabrely (as opposed to Micawberly) put, something will turn up. Related terms en Micawber Micawber effect Micawberesque Micawber frontier Micawberian Micawberish Micawberism Micawber-like Micawber principle Micawber threshold Translations synonym of Micawberesque Micawberesque References Further reading Wilkins Micawber en eponyms terms derived from Dickensian works