Vicissitude

By Deane Barker • • tags: definition •

Definition: a change in condition, often unfavorable

This often means something that changes regularly, or goes back and forth. The implication is usually negative.

Why I Looked It Up

In Team of Rivals:

A child less strong-willed and high-spirited than Kate might have been crushed by the vicissitudes of her father’s demanding love, which we bestowed or denied depending on her performance.

Links from this – Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln June 16, 2023
Much is made of the title and implied angle of this book, but – to be clear – this is a solid, comprehensive biography of Abraham Lincoln. The purported angle is this: once elected president, Abraham Lincoln appointed his main rivals for the office to important positions in his administration....