Fwd: "accidie, n." - Word of the Day from the OED

[Dave Monroe]

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Subject: "accidie, n." - Word of the Day from the OED
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Your word for today is: accidie, n.

accidie, n.
Pronunciation: Brit. /ˈaksᵻdi/,  U.S. /ˈæksədi/
Forms: α.   ME accedie,   ME accidy,   ME accidye,   ME–15 accydye,
ME– accidie.  β.   ME accide,   ME accyde.
Etymology: <  Anglo-Norman accidie (13th cent.), Anglo-Norman and Old
French, Middle French accide (13th cent.; French accide, now arch.) <
post-classical Latin accidia (8th cent. in a British source; also in
an undated glossary; occasionally also as acidia and accedia),
alteration (see below) of acedia spiritual sloth, mental weariness
(5th cent., as also as name of one of the deadly sins: see acedia n.).
Compare accidia n., and later acedia n. and acedy n.
The post-classical Latin form accidia probably results either from
folk-etymological association with accidere (see accident n.) or from
a Greek sound change, or may partly reflect both causes. The rare form
acidia probably reflects the (folk-etymological) association with
classical Latin acidus sour (see acid adj.) recorded by Caesarius of
Heisterbach (13th cent.).



In Middle English and early modern English the position of the main
stress apparently varied between the first and second syllables.
 Now chiefly arch. and literary.
  Physical or mental slothfulness, esp. as a condition leading to
listlessness and lack of interest in life; apathy, lethargy, torpor;
(also) †an instance of this (obs.).
Regarded esp. in early use as characteristic of or equivalent to the
‘deadly sin’ of Sloth, and in Christian asceticism as a condition to
which monks and hermits were particularly liable.
?c1225 (1200) Ancrene Riwle (Cleo. C.vi) (1972) 155 Þenne is hit
scheomeles [read ȝemeles] under accidie, þet ich slauðe cleopede, þe
ne warneð oðer of his lure oðer of his biȝete.
c1330 (1300) Speculum Guy (Auch.) l. 121 Accedie is as sleuþes broþer,
Wicke on and wicke oþer.
a1393  Gower Confessio Amantis (Fairf.) iv. l. 539 To serve Accidie in
his office, Ther is of Slowthe an other vice, Which cleped is
Foryetelnesse.
c1400 (1378)  Langland Piers Plowman (Laud 581) (1869) B. v. 366 And
after al þis excesse he had an accidie, Þat he slepe saterday and
sonday.
1484  Caxton tr.  Order of Chivalry 81 A man that hath accydye or
slouthe hath sorowe and angre the whyle that he knoweth that an other
man doth wel.
a1500  W. Hilton Mixed Life (Royal)in  G. G. Perry Eng. Prose Treat.
(1921) 23 Breke doune also‥flesshely likynges, oþer in accidie or in
bodili ease.
a1586 Lindsay MS f. 76v, in Dict. Older Sc. Tongue at Surmount, Quha
that will overcum & surmont accidie him behuffit that in his hart he
haue strenth.
1649  J. Gaule Serm. Saints judging World 13 That's an humility or
modesty reprehensible (both for dejectednesse, and pusillanimity, as
also for accidie and sloathfulnesse) that shall lesse it self to Gods
gifts and graces.
1775  J. Ash New & Compl. Dict. Eng. Lang., Accidie, sloth.
1858  A. J. Penny Afternoon of Unmarried Life xiv. 254 Will any one
with the experience of middle age deny that there is much in every-day
life calculated to produce accidie?
1891  F. Paget  (title) The spirit of discipline‥with an‥essay
concerning Accidie.
1936  H. G. Wells Anat. Frustration vi. 54 There is nothing before you
but sloth and apathy, accidie, which is a lingering suicide.
1961  K. Amis Let. 9 Apr. (2000) 590 Vacation accidie is upon me. I'm
supposed to be writing this perishing film-script—haven't touched it
yet.
2006 Antigonish Rev. Summer 14 They knew their destiny but chose not
to dwell on it, falling prey instead to a desperate, hopeless accidie.

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