epithetize

English

Alternative forms

• epithetise

Etymology

epithet +‎ -ize

Verb

epithetize (third-person singular simple present epithetizes, present participle epithetizing, simple past and past participle epithetized)

1. To name using an epithet.
   • 1973, Bartholomew Gill, Mark McGarrity, Lucky shuffles, page 232:

     You mean, Randy, those primitive religions in which the celebrants of the feast sacrifice a 'queen' bi-annually to propitiate unnatural forces like the sort of cannibalism which 'The Beatht,' as you so cunningly epithetize yon Moor, has been rumored to practice upon certain select and fortunate priestesses of the flesh?

   • 1974, Bengal, Past & Present:

     […] led the Colonial Reformers such as Charles Buller to epithetize him as Mr . Oversecretary or Mr . Mothercountry .

   • 1984, Frederick O. Waage, The White Devil Discover'd:

     The similarities between Adams's sermon and Webster's play lead one to the assertion that Webster's title is not meant to epithetize Vittoria, or any other specific devil in his play, but, as in Adams's usage, to personify the quality of hypocrisy as an immanent presence in every member of the "societie" of his play (and presumably of his "auditory" as well). Thus, when any of Webster's characters performs an act of deception, the auditory can "see" the White Devil working "in" him/her.

2. To disparage by means of an epithet.
   • 1825, Samuel Lee, Remarks on Professor Lee's Vindication of his edition of Jone's Persian Grammar, page 90:

     The Professor, after having drubbed us in the style of which we have presented such numerous specimens to our readers, and which we need not now epithetize, concludes by telling that we are both tired of the subject; but that he is unwilling to close his argument, without giving us credit for all the genuine remarks we have made.

   • 1943, Your Investments - Volume 4:

     To be sure, the fundamental tenets of honesty remain immutable; but business practices change—voluntarily or by legal compulsion. Therefore, to stigmatize or epithetize the operation in the setting of today would not only be unfair to the defendants, but it would unjustly discolor a view of the case.

   • 2001, The Literary Criterion - Volume 36, page 18:

     But unfortunately all that his long-winded explanation amounts to is unconvincing rationalization by its tendency to epithetize a counter argument.