[Sometimes words die out of fashion. But sometimes those words are good words, words with a certain appeal that can't be denied forever. Those words should be brought back into fashion, used frequently and used often. These are those words.]
Word:
Malinger
Definition: verb
Exaggerate or feign illness, especially to avoid work.
Origin:
There's little the English and French agree on except drinking, fancy hats, and an unwavering passion for Gérard Depardieu. You can't find sexy, morbidly obese, sixty-something character actors just anywhere after all. Right, Gérard?
Damn right!
The English also love borrowing the occasional French word to use in their own vocabulary, such as malinger(er) or malingering. If there's anything the world can unite behind it's being a deadbeat.
The English malinger comes from the very similar French malingre, which means to be sickly. In turn, malingre has just evolved from the prefix mal- (bad) and Old French word heingre, which roughly means haggard. "Bad haggard"? That's right--loosely translated Old French can also sound like the worst name for a country music band.
Any thoughts, Gérard?
We all are shocked, Gérard.
Malinger first gained traction in the early 19th century, and then was quickly adopted by both psychologists (as a disorder) and the American military (for soldiers feigning illness), creating potentially the only time those two institutions shall ever be spoken of in the same sentence.
Indeed, malingering can lead to a court martial in the American armed forces. No coincidence then that the word spiked in its everyday common American usage around 1918, right as World War One raged. The word makes a second spike in use post-World War Two thirty years later.
No, Gérard, not everyone has your spitfire when it comes to war.
Today the word is used either in upper crust society parties, said with a jaw jutted out, or at your shrink's office to explain why you always have an excuse for skipping work because of that [[wink]] chronic bad back of yours.
Most obscure UrbanDictionary.com definition of malingerer:
[verbatim]
1. A person who fakes an illness or injury to get out of work. Who is commonly know for screwing over his or her brothers so they have to work more overtime.
Sounds like a sibling rift somewhere, Gérard!
Used in a sentence:
Gérard was never called a malingerer with his strong work ethic!
Why you should use malingerer in your everyday life:
We all know that one person in our life who's a deadbeat and has an excuse for everything.
Word Awesomeness Scale (1-to5):
Five!
Calling a deadbeat a malingerer is like using an insult wrapped in satin.
Right, Gérard?
Sounds about right.
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