Micawber

English thumb|269px|upright|As illustrated in a 1912 edition of the book Alternative forms en Mr. Micawber Etymology A name likely en Charles Dickens 1 1, evidently reminiscent of common en ga -, en sco -, and en gd - surnames starting with en Mc-, en Mac-, both from en sga macc son, child (see more there). For the second particle, compare names like en Aubrey; similar surnames like M(a)cAubrey are attested around Dickens' time and thus Micawber may represent a dialectal variation. Pronunciation en /mɪˈkɒbər/ US en LL-Q1860 (eng)-Vealhurl-Micawber.wav Southern England Noun A person who is poor but eternally optimistic, believing that "something will turn up", like the fictional character Wilkins Micawber in the 1850 Charles Dickens novel David Copperfield. en 1862 w:Algernon Charles Swinburne The Yale Edition of the Swinburne Letters, 1854-1869, Volume 1 http://books.google.com/books?id=lm_vZTJ_0dAC&lpg=PA65&dq=micawber&pg=PA65#v=onepage&q=micawber&f=false 65 Yale 1959 As it is I see Destitution and Despair ahead of me, and have begun an epitaph in the Micawber style for my future grave in the precincts of my native County's jail. en 1873 w:Anthony Trollope Australia and New Zealand 2 http://books.google.com/books?id=nSs6qNOQblcC&dq=micawber&pg=RA1-PA257#v=onepage&q=micawber&f=false XVI B. Tauchnitz ... a state of feeling which I may perhaps best describe as the Micawber condition. If only gold would turn up! Gold might turn up any day! But as gold did not turn up, — then would not Providence be so good as to allow something else to turn up! en 1887 William Tufts Brigham Guatemala: the Land of the Quetzal: A Sketch http://books.google.com/books?id=Z7sRO9DJShQC&dq=micawbers&pg=PA30#v=onepage&q=micawbers&f=false II 30 Scribner Micawbers far from home, they waited for something to turn up. en 1901 Walter Sichel Bolingbroke and His Times 1 http://books.google.com/books?id=CbqEj46exegC&lpg=PA419&dq=micawber&pg=PA419#v=onepage&q=micawber&f=false X 419 Nisbet London Austria was the Micawber of Europe. After all something might turn up. en 1928 w:Herman Klein The Operatic Situation Gramophone (magazine) Gramophone August http://books.google.com/books?id=3CI5WGrxG2UC&lpg=PA233&dq=micawber&pg=PA233#v=onepage&q=micawber&f=false We are constantly being assured, not by one Mr. Micawber, but by three or four Mr. Micawbers, that something is on the point of "turning up." Yet nothing ever does turn up. en 1939 w:William Faulkner If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem The Wild Palms [If I Forget Thee, Jerusalem] http://books.google.com/books?id=jmi9bKpirnoC&lpg=PA80&dq=micawber&pg=PA80#v=onepage&q=micawber&f=false Random House His reason was no longer concern that the news might destroy her accord with what she was concentrating on, since that was no longer valid now, if it had ever been, and it was no longer the possibility that he might find something else before she would need to know, for that was not valid either now, since he had tried that and failed, nor was it the Micawber-like faith of the inert in tomorrow; it was partly perhaps the knowledge that late enough would be soon enough, but mostly (he did not try to fool himself) it was a profound faith in her. en 1962 December Dr. Beeching previews the plan for British Railways Modern Railways 376 Only a year ago it would have needed a "super-Micawber" to be optimistic that the railways would once again pay their way. But it was no longer a pipe dream that B.R. could make a profit, the way to do it was now clear. en 2011 Edward Pearce The Great Man: Sir Robert Walpole: Scoundrel, Genius and Britain's First Prime Minister http://books.google.com/books?id=gV60bdrm_LIC&lpg=PA97&dq=micawber&pg=PA97#v=onepage&q=micawber&f=false Random House The Micawber rules of debt as ruin oppressed ministers as much as individuals. Verb To be optimistic that "something will turn up", in the style of Wilkins Micawber. en 1865 Suggestions to Bank Officers Proceedings of the National Bank Convention, Held in New York City, Wednesday, October 19, 1864 http://books.google.com/books?id=YmUzAAAAYAAJ&dq=micawbering&pg=PA45#v=onepage&q=micawbering&f=false 45 Journal Book and Job Office To hope that the Administration and Congress will become Anti-National Bank, and thereby expect something, is Micawbering in dread earnest. en 1872 Adeline Dutton Train Whitney Sights and Insights: Patience Strong's Story of Over the Way 1 http://books.google.com/books?id=QqzkAAAAMAAJ&dq=micawbering&pg=PA151#v=onepage&q=micawbering&f=false 151 J.R. Osgood & Company 1876 ... 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 1895 Marwell Hall E. J. Ratcliffe Gallery of Players from The Illustrated American 1 5 http://books.google.com/books?id=XCs_AQAAMAAJ&dq=micawbering&pg=PT231#v=onepage&q=micawbering&f=false 34 Lorrilard Spencer He found his native land overcrowded with young men of education and refinement, in the same predicament as himself—waiting for something to turn up; and while he was thus “Micawbering,” he met Miss Mary Anderson at the Farm street church, and from her obtained an engagement to take a singing part in “Ingomar.” en 1973 R. Rao Opinion 114 http://books.google.com/books?id=quggAQAAMAAJ&q=micawbered&dq=micawbered&hl=en&sa=X&ei=491DVKzXDMjesASXwIDICQ&ved=0CDYQ6AEwAzgK No Indian, unless he has micawbered himself into self-complacency, would think 1973 a happy year, let alone a year of achievement. Derived terms en Micawberesque Micawberian Micawberish Micawberism Micawber-like Micawberly Micawber effect Micawber frontier Micawber principle Micawber threshold en eponyms terms derived from Dickensian works en Fictional characters People