[Ads-l] more on "glory"

[Jonathan Lighter]

I asked Gemini AI what it thought abot the concept of "glory," and it gave
an interesting interpretation:

" 'glory in war' is all about what a soldier feels and experiences
personally—it’s the honor and pride found in facing tough situations."

Neither OED nor MW suggests anything like this. MW comes closer, but no
cigar:

 "3a  a state of great gratification or exaltation
                         When she's acting she's in her glory."

I found Gemini's notion of special interest because for many years, even
decades, I've exncountered exx. of usage that conform to that notion.
Naturally I can't cite even one, but generally  a veteran of some war or
other would say something like "I was hoping to find glory, but
instead....."  I've always privately interpreted such exx. to refer to an
extreme personal sense of pride or triumph rather than a more conventional
sense of the word (e.g.., "merited renown.")  Cf. the scornful epithet
"glory-hound" (Newspapers.com, 1923). The glory-hound doesn't seek "merited
renown" so much as the right to brag of his supposed accomplishments.  Cf.
also "blaze of glory," discussed here years ago.

Isn't this a "new" semantic development of "glory"?

Or is it just me and Gemini?

JL



-- 
"If the truth is half as bad as I think it is, you can't handle the truth."

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