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Oh whoa! Whilst lost down the rabbit hole investigating the etymology of feckless and complicit, I tripped across the word Pecksniffian — a word based on the character Seth Pecksniff in Charles Dickens’s Martin Chuzzlewit.
From the Oxford dictionary: Pecksniffian – Affecting benevolence or high moral principles.
And let’s be clear. It is the second definition affect² that is in effect — “pretend to have or feel something.” (Oxford)
Further character assassination of Seth Pecksniff from the good folks at Merriam-Webster,:
Seth Pecksniff “liked to preach morality and brag about his own virtue, but in reality he was a deceptive rascal who would use any means to advance his own selfish interests.”
Too good to be true, this word mash does write itself! Drop the ‘Peck.’ Pick-up ‘Pence.’ Keep the ‘sniff’. We see Pence holding his nose through this whole Trump circus s*its*ow. Our new word:
Pencesniffian (adjective): imitating the benevolence and high moral grounds of Vice POTUS Pence.
And! Again too good to be true, Plug-n-play. Merriam-Webster’s example of Pecksniffian in a sentence fits for Pencesniffian:
Graham is “a Pencesniffian pandering to religious conservatives, especially in the weeks before the election.”
Vice POTUS Pence continues to quietly, sanctimoniously, lovingly-shepherd herd, support, and vice the corrupt Trump administration toward destruction – “a deceptive rascal who would use any means to advance his own selfish interests.” Seth Pecksniff comes to life on the world stage.
Pence, Vice in title; vice in practice.
Aside: I was down a Lewis Carroll Alice-in-Wonderland rabbit hole investigating word etymology when this word mash popped up and I ran into Charles Dickens. I love English. I love literature. I need to read more.
Viva escritora – your brilliance never ceases to amaze me! “Pencesniffian!” You have created a new word which NEEDS to be in the public vocabulary!
Oh thank you! I love how the English language assimilates new words, meanings change, the all of it!