For some reason, I've been curious about Judy Garland's parents because she lived a tragic, short life, and had lots of talent. So I wanted to know what type of background she came from. I don't have the time nor desire to read a biography, but I came upon a good review of one.
Things were going fine until I read this sentence: "Now the gamine was overlaid with the trenchant sophisticate."
I was an English major and am obviously into language, but I could not understand what that sentence meant, even by trying to understand it in context (one of the rules of reading comprehension).
Gamine means "a playfully mischievous girl or young woman." When I saw that word, I had no idea that it implied a female, or even a human being.
Trenchant is a word I should know, but it obviously hasn't stuck yet: "vigorous; effective; energetic."
So now that sentence makes sense, and I can continue to finish the article before I move on to all the stuff I have to do today.
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