The Home Front

‘Bailout’ Takes Home Word of the Year Honors

By Luke Mullins

Posted: December 2, 2008

I missed this nugget from last week, but apparently Merriam-Webster made “bailout” its 2008 word of the year.

Via The Big Picture:

With politics and the economy foremost on the minds of many, it is no wonder that bailout—a word ubiquitously featured in discussions of the presidency and fiscal policy—took home honors as Merriam-Webster's Word of the Year for 2008.

Bailout, defined in Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, Eleventh Edition as "a rescue from financial distress," received the highest intensity of lookups on Merriam-Webster Online over the shortest period of time. As evident from the 2008 Word of the Year contenders list below, the presidential campaign and financial issues factored heavily in the concerns of our online visitors throughout the year…

Merriam-Webster's #1 Word of the Year for 2008:

1. bailout (noun)

a rescue from financial distress

 

Here are the others form its top 10 list:

 vet

socialism

maverick

bipartisan

trepidation

precipice

rogue

misogyny

turmoil

We can all help

I grew up in deep poverty. We qualified for every county 'relief' program local leaders came come up with but we didn't take a nickle. Ever. We got by by adjusting our lifestyles to our income. No problem. I didn't even know I was 'poor' until the enlightened city fathers invited me to their Christmas party for the 'unfortunate' kids in our small town. Thanks alot. Their intentions were as misguided then as our governments is now. Someone in government needs to demand that the auto makers sell off their existing inventory of new cars at cost or even at a loss to raise the cash they 'need'. I'll buy one of their cars if they show me they are also willing to make the same sacrifices the rest of us are being forced to make in these tough financial times. Otherwise they can sell these companies to their employees and let them run it. Many a company has been saved that way. Getting the unions to temper their entitlement mentality for a while would also be necessary which, of course, isn't going to happen. This shoveling money around is going to do nothing but prop up the lifestyles of a few people at the top. People at both ends of that shovel need to be stopped before this recession turns into a full blown depression. I have no confidence that the current mentality in Washington is going to solve anything. Seems that they're all running around protecting their own interests and to hell with those of us out here towing the line. Forget about the light at the end of the tunnel...we're not in the tunnel yet.

Gary of MN @ Dec 03, 2008 10:03:31 AM

Add Your Thoughts
About You

advertisement

The Home Front

The Home Front

Associate Editor Luke Mullins tracks the treacherous housing market and explains how to unload a five-bedroom McMansion or even find that dream home.

advertisement

advertisement

Subscribe

U.S. News Digital Weekly

A weekly insider's guide to politics and policy — in a multimedia, digital format. 52 issues for $19.95!

U.S. News & World Report

6 months of U.S. News & World Report's print edition for only $15. Save up to 67% off the cover price!