Word of the Day: STYMIE
To impede or obstruct
stymie (verb) - to hinder, thwart, or prevent progress (also stymy) [stahy-mee]
stymie as a noun is an impedance or obstructing scenario
BREAKDOWN: Stymie has an uncertain etymological derivation but a clear origin: 18th century golf. A stymie in golf was when one player’s ball on the green blocked another’s direct path to the hole, forcing the second player to chip over or curve around it. Thus, a stymie could be used strategically to hinder opponents. While the rule dates back to the original 13 rules of golf created in 1744, it was eliminated in 1952 though its legacy of frustration lives on.
“I was both scattered and stymied, surrounded by unfinished songs and abandoned poems. I would go as far as I could and hit a wall, my own imagined limitations. And then I met a fellow who gave me his secret, and it was pretty simple. When you hit a wall, just kick it in.” —Patti Smith
[Our Wednesday Wildcards are fascinating and important words that are not necessarily or obviously derived from classical roots.]
The 1744-1952 lifespan is wild. That rule survived two centuries of golf before getting cut. And the metaphorical use outlasted the literal one. We still say 'stymied' constantly, but ask a golfer under 70 about the actual stymie rule and you'll get blank stares. Words have a way of escaping their origins like that.