im-PYOOT
(verb) To attribute an action, thought, or quality to someone, often falsely.
The scandal was unfairly imputed to the assistant, who had no involvement.
Fun Fact
“Impute” is a favorite in legal and financial contexts, where responsibility or credit can be assigned—even without direct involvement. It’s often paired with “intent” in discussions of motive and accountability.
TAW-dree
(adjective) Showy but cheap and of poor quality; lacking good taste.
The room was filled with tawdry decorations that looked like they came from a discount bin.
Mid 17th century: contraction of St. Audrey’s lace, which referred to cheap lace sold at fairs in honor of St. Audrey. Over time, the lace was seen as gaudy and tasteless, and St. Audrey became tawdry.
Fun Fact
The transformation from St. Audrey to tawdry is a classic case of how language evolves through cultural snobbery. Once a respected religious figure, St. Audrey lent her name to lace accessories sold at fairs. But as styles changed, those accessories were considered garish or outdated, and the word became an insult. Today, tawdry is used to describe anything that’s cheaply flashy, overly glitzy, or just in bad taste—from outfits to gossip.