Word for phyrric victory

[KenCunningham]

Following on from the 'Devils' Advocate' thread, can anyone think of a word to accurately convey the meaning behind phyrric victory?

 

[Stella740pl]

ESquared,

Oh, sorry for the confusion. So you all have been looking for an explanation of "phyrric victory", and here I am with that "pyrrhic". How wrong of me.

 

[KenCunningham]

Tracy, dragon or not lighten up with the angry faces. I wasn't making a 'complaint' but merely trying to get back to the original purpose of the thread. However, the regurgitating of dictionary pie above has been enjoyable too!

 

[Thadeus]

Then I would suggest that they be taught the term, rather than dumb-down the language.

Yes, sounds great. Then as soon as they get finished looking up all the words Santa Mufasa dished out, I'm sure my audience in the sales conference will buy my product.

The simple point here regards audience... You can't always just stop and drop in a vocabulary lesson. For example, when the police officer is writing your ticket for speeding down the highway, and you explain that arriving on time will now be a phyrric victory, you risk an increase in your fine....

~Thadeus

 

[CrystalStart]

To Stella:
Should all of us use dictionaries - this wonderful thread wouldn't existed :-D

 

[Stella740pl]

CrystalStart:

That's the point, isn't it?

Thadeus:

For example, when the police officer is writing your ticket for speeding down the highway, and you explain that arriving on time will now be a phyrric victory, you risk an increase in your fine....

Yes, you do risk an increase in your fine. But seriously, do you really think of anything like "arriving on time will now be a phyrric victory" when you are being slapped with a ticket? Do you have to explain this to a police officer, even using dumbed-down language?

And, it is "pyrrhic", not "phyrric".
By the way,

http://www.yourdictionary.com

allows wildcard searches like, say, "p*c victory". Talk about dyslexic dictionary.

 

[RodKnowlton]

CC, wouldn't it be simpler to call a dyslexic dictionary a "ditcionary"? (-:

 

[CajunCenturion]

:-D

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[SantaMufasa]

It's lysdexic to be hell. "Lysdexics of the World, Untie !"

Mufasa
(aka Dave of Sandy, Utah, USA)

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[ESquared]

Should I not have said what I did? I wasn't trying to be snotty. I was just pointing out even when people use a word they don't always use it or spell it correctly. For someone who doesn't know the word, this will present them with an additional challenge... figuring out that the real thing isn't quite what they heard or read, before being able to look it up in the dictionary.

 

[Stella740pl]

ESquared,

Should I not have said what I did?

Why not? Personally, I have no problem with that. It's just that what kind of situation you were talking about?

If you don't know what it means but want to know, you can always find ways, right? Say, by looking up using a wildcard, by browsing a dictionary/encyclopedia, or by asking "I cannot find anything at all on 'phyrric' (or 'devil's advocate', for that matter). Can it it be that I misspell it?".

If you want to explain it to someone, hopefully you first make sure that you get it right yourself (see above).

If you just using it without understanding, not knowing the right spelling, and not wanting to know, than nothing can help.

And last, there was nothing wrong in asking for the meaning, or to rephrase the known meaning - it's not what I meant. I'm just surprised that no one at all - on this forum - reached for the dictionary to check the meaning.

Should I not have said what I did?

 

[CajunCenturion]

==> I'm just surprised that no one at all - on this forum - reached for the dictionary to check the meaning.
In this case Stella740pl, the true meaning and background is better found in an encyclopedia. Pyrrhic is a commonization, based on King Pyrrhus of Epirus, who in about 300 BC invading Italy in hopes of conquering Rome. Technically he won the first battle, but lost so many lives (and elephants - also historically significant but for different reasons) in the process that he was unable to continue his advance on Rome until reinforcements arrived from the home country. It it from this battle, and other similar outcomes in his quest for Rome, that we obtain the term pyrrhic victory -- winning a battle at such a high cost. Ultimately, King Pyrrhus lost the war.

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[ESquared]

I know what a pyrrhic victory is so I didn't need to reach for a dictionary. I think I learned it in elementary school, maybe junior high.

 

[Stella740pl]

CajunCenturion,

...the true meaning and background is better found in an encyclopedia.

Yes, I know. Both, the historical background and that encyclopedia is a better choice for a thing like this.

First, "dictionary" was more of a generalized word for "reference source".

Second, some dictionaries, like dictionary.com link for which I've provided, give brief historical background, too (and I mentioned that).

Third, I did mention encyclopedia - twice. In my last post I mentioned "browsing dictionary/encyclopedia", and in my first I said that "Wikipedia might be better, but it's really slow today", and it's the only free online encyclopedia I know.

And last, I wonder why didn't you post earlier in the thread that good explanation of yours?

 

[CajunCenturion]

I posted very early in this thread about the rich meaning of the pyrrhic, and of the word's efficiency. Like ESquared, I was under the impression that everyone had at least a general understanding of the background of this word. I think it's a fairly well understood word.

Good Luck
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[CrystalStart]

I think everyone here knew meaning of phyrric victory and original question was is not to explain what it means (where dictionary would be a good sourse) BUT (back to OP)quote:"accurately convey the meaning behind phyrric victory"???
Now I am confused, all it needed was
quote: "pyrrhic victory - winning a battle at such a high cost"??? Then thread is closed?

 

[CajunCenturion]

Perhaps I'm confused. I thought the OP was looking for synomyms to pyrrhic, not a definition. My early point was that I don't think there is a good synonym for pyrrhic.

Good Luck
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[Stella740pl]

CC,

Here we go again.

Everyone does have at least a general understanding of the background of this word, so why then did you feel you have to explain it to me? And if it was for common benefit, then why did you wait so long?

CC and ESquared,

The assignment/question was to reword the phrase. It's one of the functions of dictionaries (well, in this case a dictionary would be better than an encyclopedia). I noted about a dictionary not because someone didn't understand it, but because a dictionary might be better at rewordind/rephrasing.

I mentioned earlier "If you don't know what it means but want to know..." because of previous post by CrystalStart: "...let say someone doesn't know word "phyrric"...
Imagine in conversation you mentioning "phyrric victory" and see person't eyebrows are rising..." and the following exchange, not because I or anyone else here really doesn't know.

 

[CajunCenturion]

My mistake Stella740pl. Sorry.

Good Luck
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[CrystalStart]

I love to see intelligent people butting heads...so gracefull, so elegant!

 

[ESquared]

I jumped into the thread late and didn't read everything carefully. I just saw the misspelling and the talk about dictionaries and threw in a comment on it!

Just because I'm a spelling fanatic. That's all.