I'm not boasting or anything but . . .

You may remember talk of hubris nature, well now we take quite the opposite tack almost shy or:

Demure

This is an adjective meaning shyness and modesty. For instance 'why are you being so demure about this, it is quite an achievement'. What I quite like about this word though is its additional use as a synonym for sober or somber i.e. 'you're looking awfully demure tonight'.

You may be wondering why I am drawing this word to your attention, it is neither long nor exotic to be fair it is rather dowdy. However, therein lies the point. The drab way in which it rolls off the tongue mirrors the retreated meaning of the word.

So I leave you in hope that you will be demure in triumph, not in the pub.

Ed