Make Your Point > Archived Issues > NABOB

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connect today's word to others: I remember hearing the word nabob for the first time when the genie sang it in Disney's Aladdin:    "I'm on the job, you big nabob... you ain't never had a friend like me." But you might have first heard it instead from Spiro Agnew. As I've mentioned before, Agnew (1918-1996) was one of our angriest, most vicious, most alliteration-loving vice presidents. He's the one famous for calling members of the liberal media "nattering nabobs of negativism." Oh, snap.  We're about to explore exactly what it means to call people nabobs. But can you explain what it means to call them nattering? Getting back to nabob, we've checked out a few words before that are pretty close synonyms. See if you can recall them: 1. A p_______um is a person who is really important and powerful in a showy way.  2. A m_____e is a person who is very important and distinguished, usually in the world of business. (To reveal a word with blanks, give it a click.) make your point with... "NABOB" We can trace "nabob" back to an Arabic word meaning "viceroy" or "deputy." "Nabob" arrived in English during the days of British colonial rule in India. Specifically, and historically, a nabob was a rich European who made his fortune in India. And more generally, a nabob is a rich, powerful person with a lifestyle that's way too luxurious. Pronunciation: NAY bob Part of speech: Countable noun. (Countable nouns, like "bottle," "piece," and "decision," are words for things that can be broken into exact units. You talk about "a bottle," "three pieces," and "many decisions." Likewise, talk about one nabob or multiple nabobs.) Other forms: nabobs, nabobish, nabobery/nabobism How to use it: This word often has a negative tone. You might call someone a nabob, or talk about nabobs as a general group: "he's off bowing to the nabobs," "it's an exclusive meeting of the nation's nabobs." You might specify a nabob's source of wealth by talking about "tea nabobs," "sugar nabobs," "corporate nabobs," "technology nabobs," or "Football Association nabobs." Or "YouTube nabobs"--just kidding. :) examples: It's not a Fitzgerald novel if the characters aren't at some glitzy soiree, hobnobbing with the nabobs of the east coast. "Regarding the rest of the field, each [presidential] candidate is counting on the reliability of his or her own arsenal of billionaire sponsors and corporate nabobs..."    — Nomi Prins, Salon, 2 February 2016 study it now: Look away from the screen to define "nabob" without saying "bigshot" or "big kahuna." try it out: Fill in the blanks: "(Some overly extravagant thing, place, habit, or behavior) seems less (grand, graceful, classy, or impressive) than it does nabobish." Example: "The penthouse's abundance of brass seems less classy than it does nabobish." before you review: Spend at least 20 seconds occupying your mind with the game below. Then try the review questions. Don’t go straight to the review now—let your working memory empty out first. Complete the Limerick! In each issue this month, finish off the last line of the poem with a word or phrase we've checked out before. From the previous issue: He's frugal and so overbearing. His scrimping is why we're all swearing. And when he cut our wages, We rose up to say this: "We quit! That was too much cheeseparing." Try this one today: Her story of winning the lotto, The punch line delivered staccato, Was quite entertaining But truth-wise, a straining: The story was just ___________. review today's word: 1. A close opposite of NABOB is A. CIPHER. B. VETERAN. C. PUSHOVER. 2. The _____ reeks of nabobery. A. line of off-brand holiday candles B. leather upholstery in their private jet C. photocopier, a clunking relic from the 1970s, Answers are below. a final word: Make Your Point is crafted with love and brought to you each weekday morning by Liesl Johnson, a reading and writing tutor on a mission to explore, illuminate, and celebrate words. From Liesl's blog:    36 ways to study words.    Why we forget words, & how to remember them.    How to use sophisticated words without being awkward. To be a sponsor and include your ad in an issue, please contact me at Liesl@HiloTutor.com. Disclaimer: When I write definitions, I use plain language and stick to the words' common, useful applications. If you're interested in authoritative and multiple definitions of words, I encourage you to check a dictionary. Also, because I'm American, I stick to American English when I share words' meanings, usage, and pronunciations; these elements sometimes vary across world Englishes. Answers to review questions: 1. A 2. B