bloviation

Hello, you have come here looking for the meaning of the word bloviation. In DICTIOUS you will not only get to know all the dictionary meanings for the word bloviation, but we will also tell you about its etymology, its characteristics and you will know how to say bloviation in singular and plural. Everything you need to know about the word bloviation you have here. The definition of the word bloviation will help you to be more precise and correct when speaking or writing your texts. Knowing the definition ofbloviation, as well as those of other words, enriches your vocabulary and provides you with more and better linguistic resources.

English

WOTD – 14 June 2019

Etymology

From bloviate +‎ -ion.[1]

Pronunciation

Noun

bloviation (countable and uncountable, plural bloviations)

  1. (US, possibly originally Ohio, informal) A boastful or pompous manner of speaking or writing; a lengthy discourse delivered in that manner.
    • 1850 June 29, J. McCormick, J. V. Smith (official reporter), “”, in Report of the Debates and Proceedings of the Convention for the Revision of the Constitution of the State of Ohio, 1850–51, Columbus, Oh.: S. Medary, printer to the Convention, published 1851, →OCLC, page 640, column 1:
      For doing my duty, I claim no credit—I seek no “bloviations”—I ask for no sacrifices—I desire no ovations— [...]
    • 1857 January, G. W. L. Bickley, “History of the Eclectic Medical Institute of Cincinnati, and Its Ethical Peculiarities”, in R S. Newton, editor, The Eclectic Medical Journal, volume I (Fifth Series; volume XVI overall), number 1, Cincinnati, Oh.: Published by R. S. Newton, , →OCLC, pages 13–14:
      Sects generally claim for their founders some successful speculators, who, whether deserving or not, had obtained reputations. Most commonly the reputation is dependant on the amount of bloviation that has been practiced, and certainly, in some instances, this has been extensive enough.
    • 1909 December 7, J. W. Jeffrey, “Address”, in Proceedings of the Thirty-sixth Convention of the California State Fruit Growers, Held under the Auspices of the State Commission of Horticulture, at Watsonville, December 7, 8, 9 and 10, 1909, volume II, Sacramento, Calif.: W. W. Shannon, , published 1910, page 16:
      The members of this convention are neither fogies nor faddists nor men given to bloviation for the sole purpose of stimulating activities in real estate.
    • 1993, John T. Morello, “President Warren G. Harding’s Inaugural Address, 1921”, in Halford Ryan, editor, The Inaugural Addresses of Twentieth-century American Presidents (Praeger Series in Political Communication), Westport, Conn.: Praeger Publishers, Greenwood Publishing Group, →ISBN, →ISSN, pages 53–54:
      As critics saw it, the inaugural address of the twenty-ninth president [Warren Gamaliel Harding] was full of bloviation. Official newspaper reaction was positive if restrained.
    • 2009 November, Sam Roberts, “Introduction”, in Only in New York: An Exploration of the World’s Most Fascinating, Frustrating, and Irrepressible City, New York, N.Y.: St. Martin’s Press, →ISBN, page 4:
      The [New York] Times itself, though, is very much alive. The newspaper is less stenographic, more relevant, and in some ways an even more assuring and indispenable morning touchstone in a nonstop torrent of breaking news and a bottomless pit of bloviation.

Translations

References

  1. ^ Ben Zimmer (2010 July 29) “Word Routes: Exploring the Pathways of our Lexicon: In Defense of Harding the Bloviator”, in Visual Thesaurus‎, ThinkMap, archived from the original on 1 July 2017.

Further reading

Wikious
Boobota
Sagapedia