different between obsequious vs appeasement

English

Etymology

From Latin obsequi?sus (“complaisant, obsequious”) , from obsequium (“compliance”), from obsequor (“comply with, yield to”), from ob (“in the direction of, towards”) + sequor (“follow”) (see sequel).

Pronunciation

• (UK, US) IPA^(key): /?b?si?kwi.?s/

Adjective

obsequious (comparative more obsequious, superlative most obsequious)

1. (archaic) Obedient; compliant with someone else's orders or wishes.
2. Excessively eager and attentive to please or to obey instructions; fawning, subservient, servile.
   • 1927, Thornton Wilder, The Bridge of San Luis Rey, p. 20

     Translation falls especially short of this conceit which carries the whole flamboyance of the Spanish language. It was intended as an obsequious flattery of the Condesa, and was untrue.
3. (obsolete) Of or pertaining to obsequies, funereal.

Synonyms

• (obedient): See also Thesaurus:obedient
• (fawning or subservient): fawning, ingratiating, servile, slavish, sycophantic, truckling, smarmy, asskissing ; see also Thesaurus:sycophantic

Derived terms

• obsequiously
• obsequiousness

Related terms

Translations

References

English

Etymology

From Middle English appesement, from Old French apaisement.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /??p?iz.m?nt/

Noun

appeasement (countable and uncountable, plural appeasements)

1. The state of being appeased; the policy of giving in to demands in order to preserve the peace.
   • 1941, Roosevelt, Franklin, White House Correspondents' Dinner:

     This decision is the end of any attempts at appeasement in our land; the end of urging us to get along with the dictators, the end of compromise with tyranny and the forces of oppression.

   • Senator, Saturday on television, you said that you had always thought that Quemoy and Matsu were unwise places to draw our defense line in the Far East. Would you comment further on that, and also address to this question: couldn't a pull-back from those islands be interpreted as appeasement?

Related terms

Translations