On the rebound one passes into tears and pathos. Maudlin tears. I almost prefer the moments of agony. These are at least clean and honest. But the bath of self-pity, the wallow, the loathsome sticky-sweet pleasure of indulging it — that disgusts me.
, , 1961
Wikipedia foundation.
Maudlin — Maud lin, a. [From Maudlin, a contr. of Magdalen, OE. Maudeleyne, who is drawn by painters with eyes swelled and red with weeping.] 1. Tearful; easily moved to tears; exciting to tears; excessively sentimental; weak and silly. Maudlin eyes.… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Maudlin — may refer to Excessively sentimental Maudlin, Cornwall Maudlin, Dorset Maudlin, West Sussex Magdalene College, Cambridge Magdalen College, Oxford This disambiguation page lists articles associat … Wikipedia
maudlin — [môd′lin] adj. [after Maudlin, Magdalene < ME Maudeleyne < OFr Madeleine: Magdalene was often represented with eyes red from weeping] 1. foolishly and tearfully or weakly sentimental 2. tearfully sentimental from too much liquor … English World dictionary
Maudlin — Maud lin, Maudeline Maude line, n. (Bot.) An aromatic composite herb, the costmary; also, the South European {Achillea Ageratum}, a kind of yarrow. [1913 Webster] … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
maudlin — index demonstrative (expressive of emotion) Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 … Law dictionary
maudlin — (adj.) c.1600, tearful, from Middle English fem. proper name Maudelen (early 14c.), from Magdalene (O.Fr. Madelaine), woman s name, originally surname of Mary the repentant sinner forgiven by Jesus in Luke vii:37 (see MAGDALENE (Cf. Magdalene)).… … Etymology dictionary
maudlin — mawkish, *sentimental, romantic, soppy, mushy, slushy Analogous words: confused, muddled, fuddled, addled, befuddled (see CONFUSE): embarrassed, rattled, fazed, discomfited, disconcerted (see EMBARRASS) … New Dictionary of Synonyms
maudlin — [adj] teary, overemotional bathetic, befuddled, confused, cornball*, drippy*, gushing, insipid, lachrymose, mawkish, mushy*, romantic, schmaltzy*, sentimental, slush*, soap*, soapy*, soppy*, syrupy*, tearful, tearjerking*, weak, weepy; concepts… … New thesaurus
maudlin — ► ADJECTIVE ▪ self pityingly or tearfully sentimental. ORIGIN from the name of Mary Magdalen in the Bible, typically depicted weeping … English terms dictionary
maudlin — [[t]mɔ͟ːdlɪn[/t]] 1) ADJ GRADED If you describe someone as maudlin, you mean that they are being sad and sentimental in a foolish way, perhaps because of drinking alcohol. Jimmy turned maudlin after three drinks. ...maudlin self pity. 2) ADJ… … English dictionary
maudlin — maud|lin [ˈmo:dlın US ˈmo: ] adj [Date: 1500 1600; Origin: Maudlin Mary Magdalen (14 16 centuries), from Old French Madeleine, from Latin Magdalena; because she was shown in pictures as crying] 1.) talking or behaving in a sad, silly, and… … Dictionary of contemporary English
