spread-eagleism

[spred-ee-guh-liz-uhm]

noun

1. boastfulness or bombast, especially in the display of patriotic or nationalistic pride in the U.S.; flag-waving.

Other Word Forms

• spread-eagleist noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of spread-eagleism¹

An Americanism dating back to 1855–60; spread-eagle + -ism

Example Sentences

Lawyer Rattlinger and President Hartling dropped in and made excellent, “higher plane” speeches—that is, speeches delightfully devoid of brutish war-sentiment and silly spread-eagleism—after which the Sunday-school children sang, “God Bless Our Native Land,” with great vigor and were rewarded with a delicious finish of ice-cream and lemonade.

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Did “spread-eagleism” as well as population first reach America from China?

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Bishop of Jamaica, meeting with, 88; dinner with, in London, 98."Spread-Eagleism,"

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When the miners, who had heard of my "spread-eagleism," as it has since been called, started their little revolt against the government of the British, they thought of me and offered me the presidency of the republic they wanted to create.

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I made a speech, which is printed in full in "Spread-Eagleism," published in '58.

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