different between supple vs alert

English

Etymology

From Middle English souple, from Old French souple, soupple (“soft, lithe, yielding”), from Latin supplic-, supplex (“suppliant, submissive, kneeling”), of uncertain formation. Either from sub + plic? (“bend”) (compare complex), or from sub + pl?c? (“placate”). More at sub-, placate.

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, US) IPA^(key): /?s?p?l/
• Rhymes: -?p?l

Adjective

supple (comparative suppler, superlative supplest)

1. pliant, flexible, easy to bend
2. lithe and agile when moving and bending

   supple joints; supple fingers

3. compliant; yielding to the will of others

   a supple horse

   • If punishment […] makes not the will supple, it hardens the offender.

Translations

Verb

supple (third-person singular simple present supples, present participle suppling, simple past and past participle suppled)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To make or become supple.
   • 1693, John Dryden, Examen Poeticum

     The stones […] suppl'd into softness as they fell.
2. (transitive) To make compliant, submissive, or obedient.

   • a mother persisting till she had bent her daughter's mind and suppled her will

   • a. 1677, Isaac Barrow, Of contentment, patience and resignation to the will of God

     They should supple our stiff wilfulness.

Translations

Anagrams

• peplus

Latin

Verb

suppl?

1. second-person singular present active imperative of supple?

English

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /??l??t/
• (General American) enPR: ?-lûrt?, IPA^(key): /??l?t/
• Rhymes: -??(?)t
• Hyphenation: a?lert

Etymology 1

From French alerte (“alert”), from the phrase à l'erte (“on the watch”), from Italian all'erta (“to the height”), from erta (“lookout, tower”).

Adjective

alert (comparative more alert, superlative most alert)

2. Attentive; awake; on guard.
3. (obsolete) brisk; nimble; moving with celerity.

   • I saw an alert young fellow that cocked his hat upon a friend of his who entered just at the same time with myself

Translations

Noun

alert (plural alerts)

1. An alarm.
2. A notification of higher importance than an advisory.
3. (military) A state of readiness for potential combat.

   an airborne alert; ground alert

Translations

Etymology 2

Formed within English by conversion, from alert (adj). Compare French alerter.

Verb

alert (third-person singular simple present alerts, present participle alerting, simple past and past participle alerted)

1. To give warning to.

Translations

References

Anagrams

• alter, alter-, altre, artel, later, ratel, taler, telar

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French alerte.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a??l?rt/
• Hyphenation: alert
• Rhymes: -?rt

Adjective

alert (comparative alerter, superlative alertst)

1. alert

Inflection

Derived terms

• alertheid

Anagrams

• later, ratel

German

Etymology

From French alerte.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): [a?l??t]

Adjective

alert (comparative alerter, superlative am alertesten)

1. alert

Declension

Further reading

• “alert” in Duden online

Romanian

Etymology

From French alerte

Adjective

alert m or n (feminine singular alert?, masculine plural aler?i, feminine and neuter plural alerte)

1. wide-awake

Declension

Swedish

Etymology

(This etymology is missing or incomplete. Please add to it, or discuss it at the Etymology scriptorium.)

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /a?læ?/
• Rhymes: -æ??

Adjective

alert (comparative alertare, superlative alertast)

1. alert

Declension

Anagrams

• artel, later, letar, realt