Yesterday evening, my husband and I made the tough decision of chasing the terrified new kitty from within the box spring in the spare room she's currently housed. We knew it was going to set back any potential progress we had made, but we feared that, should she hurt herself, getting her out of there and to a veterinarian would be that much harder for all of us.
The look of pure terror on her face as she squeezed herself against the far wall between two storage boxes revealed just what she thought of us: that we were evil giants with pernicious intents. I don't blame her in the slightest, judging from the state we got her in, with a collar that was strangling her and a carrier that smelled like - and even contained - old feces. I only hope to change that perception with time and lots of treats.
Pernicious | pɚˈnɪʃ.əs: adjective: having a harmful effect or influence
When I first read this word, I had judged from the context that it meant some form of danger. Just in case, I researched it and discovered just how close I was. I find it odd-sounding for something to mean harmful, dangerous, or deadly, which only makes it that much more intriguing to use.
According to Merriam-Webster, the Latin derivative, pernicies, literally means destruction or ruin, and pernicious has stayed closest to its etymological roots, particularly when compared to some similar counterparts, such as insidious and sinister. Something that is pernicious has nothing to hide and is typically quite obvious in its destructive path.
Pernicious | pər-ˈni-shəs: adjective: highly injurious or destructive, deadly; (archaic) wicked
In my most recent reading of the word, it's used to describe one of the most destructive natural occurrences, wildfire. In this particular case, a forest fire, and the dangers of the wind in particular. Before the word, itself is used, the author was rather descriptive on how much damage the fire was causing, how quickly it was spreading, how the wind changed directions on a dime, and the state of panic and urgency the characters were in when trying to save their home.
Naturally, by the time I reached the sentence in question, I had a pretty good picture of what was going on, which created the context a reader would need to find the meaning of the word, itself. It was certainly a scene I had to finish if I wanted to put the book down, which, let's face it, I didn't really want to do.
The choking smoke blanketed and then cleared as the pernicious wind lifted and fell while thunder echoed in the distance, teasing them with the possibility of rain.
What other ways can you think to use the word, pernicious? Do you have any words that this one brings to mind or that you simply would like to see used as a Word of the Day? Let me know! And until tomorrow, happy reading!
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