Redoubtable

The Word of the Day for October 22 is "redoubtable."

redoubtable: (adjective)

1. Arousing fear or awe.
2. Worthy of respect or honor.

Synonyms: formidable, unnerving

Usage: On his comely head he set his helmet, well-wrought, with a crest of horse-hair that nodded menacingly above it, and he grasped a redoubtable spear that suited his hands.

Relevance to my life: He criticised me for my redoubtable defense of sharp sarcasm and a wounding tongue; yet all the while his mouth dripped blood from the brutal barbs lobbed my way.

What it is NOT: doubtful -
It's redoubtable whether or not I'll be able to make the drive to see you; my car is in the shop. wrong

Ok, today's video clip deals not with the word "redoubtable" itself, but the synonym "formidable."

This is a false cognate of a French word,  formidable, which means "terrific" in French and it reminds me of one of my favorite Fawlty Towers moments when Basil says, "Formidable" to a Frenchwoman. The way he says it always makes me laugh.






I have the entire Fawlty Towers collection on dvd. The best episode ever is The Germans; second is Basil the Rat.