- Today's Word
Finagle
[fi-NAY-guhl]
Definition
- (verb) To obtain something by devious or dishonest means, often through trickery or manipulation. It can also mean to use clever or underhanded methods to achieve a goal or to wangle or worm one’s way into or out of a situation.
Example
Despite not having a reservation, Tom managed to finagle his way into the fully-booked restaurant by sweet-talking the maître d’.
Fun Fact
The origin of “finagle” is uncertain, but it first appeared in American English in the 1920s. Some linguists speculate it might be a blend of “fiddle” and “wangle,” both of which can mean to manipulate or obtain by devious means. The word gained popularity during the mid-20th century and has since become a colorful way to describe clever, albeit sometimes unethical, problem-solving. Interestingly, in scientific circles, the term “finagle factor” is used jokingly to describe an arbitrary correction factor applied to make experimental results match theoretical predictions.
(noun) An excessive amount of something, often to the point of disgust or discomfort.
The holiday season left him with a surfeit of goodwill and absolutely no energy — too many parties, too many conversations, too many people he genuinely liked but couldn’t face for one more evening.
Surfeit derives from the Old French surfait, meaning “excess,” built from sur- (“over” or “above”) and faire (“to do”) — literally “overdone.” It entered English in the 14th century, initially used almost exclusively in medical contexts to describe the physical consequences of overeating or overdrinking — conditions so common in medieval feast culture that physicians had developed elaborate treatments for them. Over time it broadened into its modern sense of any excess so overwhelming it tips from pleasure into discomfort.