!akerue, n. (also akerue) is the reverse of "eureka!", as exclaimed by Archimedes when he discovered the principle of buoyancy in his bathtub. An !akerue or !akerue moment therefore denotes the moment when one discovers that a belief or hypothesis is wrong, a sudden awakening from a delusion, superstition or any wrong opinion. It suggests confusion, surprise or a resulting condition lacking a new belief to replace the old; otherwise it might be considered a eureka moment. In keeping with the origin of the word, it is logical to pronounce it with a hard 'a'.
The X-Factor has provided akerues for many people who thought they could sing.
The discovery that the universe was expanding increasingly fast was something of an !akerue moment in science.
The discovery that the universe was expanding increasingly fast was something of an !akerue moment in science.
by Sid Gusting May 10, 2016