different between peaceable vs meek

English

Etymology

From Anglo-Norman pesible, peisible, Middle French paisible, from pais (“peace”) + -ible; later remodelled after peace +? -able.

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /?pi?s?b(?)l/

Adjective

peaceable (comparative more peaceable, superlative most peaceable)

1. Favouring peace rather than conflict; not aggressive, tending to avoid violence (of people, actions etc.). [from 14th c.]
   • 1999, Faisal Bodi, The Guardian, 29 Dec 1999:

     But in the Muslim world we are dealing with regimes who have banished, imprisoned, silenced or neutralised all opposition, even where this is entirely peaceable.

   • 2011, ‘Feeling understandably twitchy’, The Economist, 8 Feb 2011:

     But if you talk to people here privately, they suggest there are three possible scenarios. The first (intended to sound incredible) is that Israel’s biggest neighbour will be transformed into a peaceable, pluralist democracy.

2. Characterized by peace; peaceful, tranquil. [from 14th c.]
   • , Episode 16:

     Though unusual in the Dublin area he knew that it was not by any means unknown for desperadoes who had next to nothing to live on to be abroad waylaying and generally terrorising peaceable pedestrians by placing a pistol at their head [...].

Derived terms

• peaceability
• peaceableness
• peaceably

Translations

See also

• peaceful

English

Etymology

From Middle English meek, meke, meoc, a borrowing from Old Norse mjúkr (“soft; meek”), from Proto-Germanic *meukaz, *m?kaz (“soft; supple”), from Proto-Indo-European *mewg-, *mewk- (“slick, slippery; to slip”).

Cognate with Swedish and Norwegian Nynorsk mjuk (“soft”), Norwegian Bokmål myk (“soft”), and Danish myg (“supple”), Dutch muik (“soft, overripe”), dialectal German mauch (“dry and decayed, rotten”), Mauche (“malanders”). Compare also Old English sm?gan (“to slide, slip”), Welsh mwyth (“soft, weak”), Latin ?mung? (“to blow one's nose”), Tocharian A muk- (“to let go, give up”), Lithuanian mùkti (“to slip away from”), Old Church Slavonic ?????? (m??ati, “to chase”), Ancient Greek ???????? (mússomai, “to blow the nose”), Sanskrit ??????? (muñcati, “to release, let loose”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /mi?k/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /mik/
• Rhymes: -i?k

Adjective

meek (comparative meeker, superlative meekest)

1. Humble, non-boastful, modest, meager, or self-effacing.
   • 1848, Charles Dickens, Dombey and Son:

     Mrs. Wickam was a meek woman...who was always ready to pity herself, or to be pitied, or to pity anybody else...

2. Submissive, dispirited.
   • 1920, Sinclair Lewis, Main Street:

     What if they were wolves instead of lambs? They'd eat her all the sooner if she was meek to them. Fight or be eaten.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:humble

Derived terms

• meekly
• meekness

Translations

Verb

meek (third-person singular simple present meeks, present participle meeking, simple past and past participle meeked)

1. (US) (of horses) To tame; to break.

Translations