Daniel Webster

2 6.2

An American politician and powerful public speaker in the early 1800s

proper noun
/ˈdænjəl ˈwɛbstər/

: Daniel Webster

Daniel Webster delivered some of the most powerful speeches in the history of the U.S. Senate.

Examples

Many historians regard Daniel Webster as one of America's finest orators.
Did you know Daniel Webster was a key figure in the Whig Party?
The writings and debates of Daniel Webster continue to be studied in political science courses.
The great orator, Daniel Webster, delivered many famous speeches.
Daniel Webster is remembered for his eloquent speeches that shaped American politics in the 19th century.
As a prominent lawyer and statesman, Daniel Webster argued several significant cases before the Supreme Court.
Throughout his career, Daniel Webster spoke passionately about the importance of the Constitution.

Surface Forms

Daniel Webster main

Morphology

Daniel + Webster

This is a proper name referring to a specific historical person; knowing the constituent names 'Daniel' and 'Webster' does not allow a B1 learner to infer the referent or biographical information. Proper nouns are referential rather than compositional, so the meaning cannot be derived from the parts and must be learned from context or prior exposure.

Etymology

Daniel Webster was a United States politician in the early 1800s who became famous for clear, powerful speeches. Picture him standing at the Senate podium making one long speech; that image helps explain why we remember him as a 'great speaker' and important statesman.