Citations:esquivalience

English citations of esquivalience

Noun: "the deliberate shirking of one's responsibilities"

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mentions or made-up usage examples

• 2001, New Oxford American Dictionary, edited by Elizabeth Jewell and Frank Abate:

  "After three subordinates attested to his esquivalience, Lieutenant Claiborne was dismissed."

• 2012, John Peck, Martin Coyle, The Student's Guide to Writing: Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar, Palgrave Macmillan →ISBN, page 159

  Esquivalience (noun): the wilful avoidance of one's official responsibilities; the shirking of duties: 'after three subordinates attested to his esquivalience, Lieutenant Claiborne was dismissed'; an unwillingness to work, especially as part of a ...

• 2013, Paul Anthony Jones, Haggard Hawks and Paltry Poltroons: The Origins of English in Ten Words, Hachette UK →ISBN

  ESQUIVALIENCE When the second edition of the New Oxford American Dictionary was published in May 2005, it was announced that alongside the addition of 3,000 new words this latest edition also featured a fake entry somewhere under ...

uses

• 2006, New Scientist, volume 192, issues 2572-2577, page 62:

  The New Oxford American Dictionary, for example, defines "esquivalience" as "the wilful avoidance of one's official responsibilities" […] they were "trying to make a word that could not arise in nature". But ploughing through to result 112 of 51,800 Google search hits turned up the phrase "esquivalience in the Oval Office".

• 2011, Alex Horne, Wordwatching: One Man's Quest for Linguistic Immortality, page 34:

  'Esquivalience', McKean explained, was chosen as a reflection of how diligently the team had grafted; they wanted to catch people who displayed ultimate esquivalience by simply copying all of their hard work.

• 2012, Pasha Malla, People Park, House of Anansi Press (2012), →ISBN, unnumbered page:

  Ah, and so now after a lifetime of esquivalience you wish to play the hero!

  • 2014, Pasha Malla, People Park, Soft Skull Press →ISBN, page 474:

    What? We shouldn't? We should just leave them there? Ah, and so now after a lifetime of esquivalience you wish to play the hero!

• 2012, Kathleen O''Reilly, Beyond Seduction, Mills & Boon (2012) →ISBN, [1]

  There'd be no “Star-Spangled Banner,” no “America the Beautiful,” and no Elvis. If you don't stop the cuts in funding for music, that—that'd be esquivalience on your part.”

• 2014, Dan Lewis, Now I Know More: The Revealing Stories Behind Even More of the World's Most Interesting Facts, "F+W Media, Inc." →ISBN, page 71

  One can say that Mr. Springfield's esquivalience in formulating a motto for his town via a well-known speech was disappointing. After all, one would think that Jebediah's investment in the region and in his own legacy would have compelled  ...

unsorted

mentiony

• 2015, Nicola Wilson, Plaques and Tangles, Faber & Faber →ISBN

  Megan thinks – fiddles with the scarf. Loses herself momentarily. Megan What was the question again? Jez Favourite word. Megan 'Esquivalience'. Jez What does it mean? Megan Wilful avoidance of one's official responsibilities. Jez Nice.

not clear if durably archived

• 2010, Chris Gardiner, Cash DeCuir, James Chew, Olivia Wood, Fallen London, Failbetter Games, The body in the library, [2]

  One of the research fellows in the Department of Antiquarian Esquivalience has been found dead!