333 definitions by Lorelili
Of or relating to tender acts. Compassion, warmth, affection, gentleness.
Opposite of cruelty, violence, sadism, callousness, cynicism, bitterness.
Opposite of cruelty, violence, sadism, callousness, cynicism, bitterness.
"If a man is pictured chopping off a woman's breast, it only gets a R-rating, but if, God forbid, a man is pictured kissing a woman's breast, it gets an X-rating. Why is violence more acceptable than tenderness?"
-Sally Struthers
Adam stroked Kevin's hair, holding him with infinite tenderness while Kevin sobbed from a horrible day.
Ellie's rigid expression melted into tenderness as she saw her daughter running toward her.
-Sally Struthers
Adam stroked Kevin's hair, holding him with infinite tenderness while Kevin sobbed from a horrible day.
Ellie's rigid expression melted into tenderness as she saw her daughter running toward her.
by Lorelili December 13, 2010
(1521-1542) The fifth wife of Henry VIII and first-cousin of Anne Boleyn. Katherine "Kitty" Howard was just 18 when she arrived at court. A diminutive, pretty redhead with a great joie de vivre but little formal education, Kitty was the daughter of impoverished nobles. Motherless by age 10, Kitty lived in dormitories at her step-grandmother's mansion with her numerous cousins and other noble wards. Largely neglected in a huge family, Kitty was seduced by her music teacher at age 15 and soon became romantically involved with courtier Francis Dereham, even promised to marry him. Always eager to please, she agreed to go to Henry's court as a lady-in-waiting for Anne of Cleves.
Henry was instantly smitten with her, although he was nearly fifty and obese, three times her size. Seeing a chance to seize power, the powerful Howard clan nudged Kitty into marrying Henry, who was assured of her chastity. Although accommodating, Kitty was disappointed by her old, fat husband and soon found herself enchanted by a young favorite of Henry, bad boy Thomas Culpeper.
Betrayed by a spiteful friend, Kitty's cover was blown; Henry had Dereham and Culpeper killed and Kitty's family imprisoned. Initially terrified, Kitty resigned herself to her fate and even had the chopping block brought to her before execution so that she could practice.
Henry was instantly smitten with her, although he was nearly fifty and obese, three times her size. Seeing a chance to seize power, the powerful Howard clan nudged Kitty into marrying Henry, who was assured of her chastity. Although accommodating, Kitty was disappointed by her old, fat husband and soon found herself enchanted by a young favorite of Henry, bad boy Thomas Culpeper.
Betrayed by a spiteful friend, Kitty's cover was blown; Henry had Dereham and Culpeper killed and Kitty's family imprisoned. Initially terrified, Kitty resigned herself to her fate and even had the chopping block brought to her before execution so that she could practice.
Anne of Cleves, already familiar with Katherine Howard as a maidservant, maintained their friendship. Kitty had also grown attached to her stepdaughter, Elizabeth I, although Mary Tudor resented her "stepmother", who was five years younger than her.
Katherine Howard, the least educated of Henry's wives and thoroughly spoiled by him, was not the woman for the office of queen. Still, Katherine's ambitious, heavily Catholic family knew that the teenager was reckless and too naive to handle the ruthless intrigue of the court, but they cared more for Henry's favor than about her safety; she was just another mouth to feed. In her hour of need, Kitty's family abandoned her to fend for herself.
In the end, Henry refused to be made to look like a fool and even thought of killing Katherine himself.
Katherine Howard, the least educated of Henry's wives and thoroughly spoiled by him, was not the woman for the office of queen. Still, Katherine's ambitious, heavily Catholic family knew that the teenager was reckless and too naive to handle the ruthless intrigue of the court, but they cared more for Henry's favor than about her safety; she was just another mouth to feed. In her hour of need, Kitty's family abandoned her to fend for herself.
In the end, Henry refused to be made to look like a fool and even thought of killing Katherine himself.
by Lorelili January 15, 2011
In opera, vocal weight is a term used to describe how "light" or how "heavy" that a voice is and by extension what kind of roles that it is suited to.
Lighter voices are associated with lyric voices while heavier voices are associated with dramatic voices; lyric voices are usually brighter, sweeter, and more agile while dramatic voices are usually powerful, rich, and darker than their lyric counterparts.
Spinto voices, usually limited to tenors and sopranos, are a kind of bridge between lyric and dramatic voices, "light heavyweights" in a manner of speaking.
Lighter voices are associated with lyric voices while heavier voices are associated with dramatic voices; lyric voices are usually brighter, sweeter, and more agile while dramatic voices are usually powerful, rich, and darker than their lyric counterparts.
Spinto voices, usually limited to tenors and sopranos, are a kind of bridge between lyric and dramatic voices, "light heavyweights" in a manner of speaking.
Vocal weight may or may not be obvious immediately; a singer needs a number of opinions before any determination is reached. Vocal weight is also a strong mark of who gets to sing what in opera. Lyric voices usually play more vulnerable characters while dramatic voices usually play bold, strong characters.
Lyric voices are strong, but they're light; they don't like to sing very loudly very often and often sound forced when they do so. Lyric voices are designed for smooth, sweet singing, agile passages and clear diction.
Dramatic voices are bigger and heavier than lyric voices and their power makes them more difficult to maneuver through flowery coloratura passages, but dramatic voices are designed to sing loudly; they can sing over a large orchestra more easily than lyric voices can and are filled with emotion in addition to power.
Spinto voices are light but powerful and are essentially lyric voices with a strong dramatic edge (squillo, or "ping"), which allows them to cut through a full orchestra (rather than sing over it like a true dramatic voice).
Lyric voices are strong, but they're light; they don't like to sing very loudly very often and often sound forced when they do so. Lyric voices are designed for smooth, sweet singing, agile passages and clear diction.
Dramatic voices are bigger and heavier than lyric voices and their power makes them more difficult to maneuver through flowery coloratura passages, but dramatic voices are designed to sing loudly; they can sing over a large orchestra more easily than lyric voices can and are filled with emotion in addition to power.
Spinto voices are light but powerful and are essentially lyric voices with a strong dramatic edge (squillo, or "ping"), which allows them to cut through a full orchestra (rather than sing over it like a true dramatic voice).
by Lorelili July 9, 2011
"Art thou yet a wencher, my husband? Wherefore must thou surrender to such lust that thou shalt tumble in a stable with some flax-wench of a dairymaid and forget the wife that awaits thee?!"
"From the beginning, Frida knew that her husband would be a wencher."
"From the beginning, Frida knew that her husband would be a wencher."
by Lorelili January 16, 2008
When Puffs Tissues began marketing to Germany, they did not find out until it was too late that "puff" is colloquial slang for a whorehouse.
by Lorelili February 19, 2006
1. Of or relating to the theatre or actors.
2. Excessively flashy, exaggerated or fake; melodramatic, especially when intended to attract attention.
2. Excessively flashy, exaggerated or fake; melodramatic, especially when intended to attract attention.
The wedding was extravagant and theatrical, and bridezilla gave murderous glares whenever something went wrong, as if marriage was a performance.
The news in the United States has become increasingly theatrical since Edward R Murrow covered Joseph McCarthy; just look at Glenn Beck.
"Keeping up with the Kardashians" and the "Real Housewives of..." are theatrical and delightfully trashy in their demanding histrionics.
The news in the United States has become increasingly theatrical since Edward R Murrow covered Joseph McCarthy; just look at Glenn Beck.
"Keeping up with the Kardashians" and the "Real Housewives of..." are theatrical and delightfully trashy in their demanding histrionics.
by Lorelili July 28, 2011
Refers to the legendary French singer, Edith Piaf (b. Dec. 15, 1915-d. Oct. 11, 1963), who was known for her petite appearance; her chaotic personal life; and her powerful, husky, emotive voice.
Born into poverty in Paris as Edith Giovanna Gassion, her mother abandoned her at two months of age, leaving her in the "care" of her alcoholic maternal grandparents. Her father, a noted acrobat, sent his daughter to live with his mother, who was a madam in a Normandy brothel, while he went to war; he reclaimed her when he returned from the war and took her with him on his travels- because of this, she received very little formal education.
Edith allegedly lost her sight for a short time between ages 3 and 7, possibly due to an infection.
At 15, Edith left him to return to Paris, where she earned a living singing in the streets and in seedy cabarets. As luck had it, a proprieter spotted her and launched her career, billing her as La Mome Piaf (Parisian slang for "The Little Sparrow," from which she took her stage name); the name suited her tiny, frail figure. With a voice that wrung out every last drop of emotion, the waif with the heartbreaking voice took France by storm.
As successful as her career, Edith, eager to find love, went through a string of lovers, failing to find the right one. Her only child, Marcelle, died in infancy, and the great love of her life, the boxer Marcel Cerdan, was killed in a plane crash. Edith herself was in three car crashes. Edith took to drugs and alcohol to ease her suffering. She would also lose almost all of her fortune and was virtually penniless when she died.
The melancholy, anguished songs that she sung (many of which she composed) reflected many of her losses. Her most well known songs were La Vie en Rose; Milord; Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien; Mon Legionnaire; L'Accordioniste; Mon Dieu; and L'Hymne A L'Amour.
Born into poverty in Paris as Edith Giovanna Gassion, her mother abandoned her at two months of age, leaving her in the "care" of her alcoholic maternal grandparents. Her father, a noted acrobat, sent his daughter to live with his mother, who was a madam in a Normandy brothel, while he went to war; he reclaimed her when he returned from the war and took her with him on his travels- because of this, she received very little formal education.
Edith allegedly lost her sight for a short time between ages 3 and 7, possibly due to an infection.
At 15, Edith left him to return to Paris, where she earned a living singing in the streets and in seedy cabarets. As luck had it, a proprieter spotted her and launched her career, billing her as La Mome Piaf (Parisian slang for "The Little Sparrow," from which she took her stage name); the name suited her tiny, frail figure. With a voice that wrung out every last drop of emotion, the waif with the heartbreaking voice took France by storm.
As successful as her career, Edith, eager to find love, went through a string of lovers, failing to find the right one. Her only child, Marcelle, died in infancy, and the great love of her life, the boxer Marcel Cerdan, was killed in a plane crash. Edith herself was in three car crashes. Edith took to drugs and alcohol to ease her suffering. She would also lose almost all of her fortune and was virtually penniless when she died.
The melancholy, anguished songs that she sung (many of which she composed) reflected many of her losses. Her most well known songs were La Vie en Rose; Milord; Non, Je Ne Regrette Rien; Mon Legionnaire; L'Accordioniste; Mon Dieu; and L'Hymne A L'Amour.
Edith Piaf had a terrible life... but she had a wonderful one too, for she loved life all the same. Her stellar success contrasts with her tragic personal life, as well as her tiny, black-clad figure with the resonating power of her voice.
by Lorelili September 9, 2005