Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Meiosis

Meiosis: noun - presenting a thing with underemphasis, especially with the aim of achieving a greater effect, understatement. For those who are interested, it’s also a form of cell division, but that’s not what this spot is about.

British satirical works often use understatement to hilarious effect.

An example of the meiosis in use: ‘They say Bill Gates, Donald Trump and J.K. Rowling are all worth a few bob.’

Picture: the parish church of Driffield, seen from just off Spellowgate.

Stuart's Daily Word Spot: Credible or credulous

Image via Wikipedia

Credible or credulous: If you’re credible, you are authoritative, believable. If, on the other hand, you are credulous, then you could be described as gullible or naive.

‘Bill Gates would make a credible judge in any contest between developers of computer software for mass use.’  

‘Most religious people are seen as credulous by atheists, as they understand them to be prone to believe in events lacking evidence to back them up.’