We all have those daily necessities we would always rather eschew, be it the laundry or the dishes or sometimes even just making the bed. Even now, I find myself struggling to pick up the habit of ensuring that my laundry gets folded shortly after it's pulled from the dryer. I must openly admit that my husband is much more disciplined in that area, and it is truly something I appreciate about him.
Today was a prime example of that, as he was organizing laundry instead of taking the time to eat dinner. I had to shoo him from the room just so he would sit down and eat. It's really true that laundry multiplies with children, and I think he's really starting to feel the effects of that multiplication and trying desperately to keep up.
Eschew | ɪsˈtʃu: verb: to avoid something intentionally, or to give something up
I find eschew to be quite an intriguing word, both in its spelling and usage. It could simply replace words like avoid and shun, or even give a depiction of laziness or rebellion. Merriam-Webster even goes on to stress how important it is to use the right verb, with eschew being more for characters whose choice in avoidance is "unwise or distasteful."
While I haven't seen it often in many of the books I read, it is a popular enough word used that it appears in most paperback dictionaries, and it's even seeing a rise in popularity as of the 21st Century, despite it being considered "almost obsolete" by the lexicographer, Dr. Samuel Johnson in 1755.
Eschew | e-ˈshü: verb: to avoid habitually especially on moral or practical grounds, shun
In the book I chose to represent the word today, eschew is used in dialogue, particularly to emphasize the speaking character's idea of the protagonist, to whom she is speaking. In her eyes, the character is being rebellious and possibly even lazy, as though her previous assignment had softened her up too much and made her forget her duty.
The Prioress looked at her for a long time, so still she might as well have been cast from bronze."If you ask to eschew your duty again," she said at last, "I will have no choice but to take back your cloak."
What ways do you find yourself using eschew, both in writing and daily necessities? Have you seen it often in books before? What other words would you like to see? Let me know, and until tomorrow, happy reading!
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