Distinctio


Distinctio (dis-tinc’-ti-o): Eliminating ambiguity surrounding a word by explicitly specifying each of its distinct meanings.


1. Pump: a device that raises, transfers, delivers, or compresses fluids or that attenuates gases especially by suction or pressure or both: gas pump

2. Pump: to pour forth, deliver, or draw with or as if with a pump: pumped money into the economy

3. Pump: to question persistently: pumped him for the information

4. Pump: a shoe that grips the foot chiefly at the toe and heel especially: a close-fitting woman’s dress shoe with a moderate to high heel

Pump, pump, pump,pump. That’s a lot of pumping. I think “pumping you full of lead” is covered in pump number two. It’s amazing how the multiple definitions of the same word are like rays emanating from the founding word, each meaning shining it’s sense on different objects, actions, or concepts. In the case of pumping you full of lead, I think it may be a figure of speech. “Lead” may refer to the 9mm lead bullets I’m going to use, blasting them out of their brass casings, and out the barrel of my Beretta. “Pumping” may refer to pulling the trigger and spraying a stream of “lead” into your traitorous head.

I hope you’ve appreciated this definitional adventure. Now it’s time to give you what you deserve. I’m pretty pumped!


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