So I've got this sentence while watching a video:
"Astronomy is a humbling enterprise to pursue."
I couldn't understand what he wanted to mean by "humbling enterprise".
I want an explanation and usage of this phrase.
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I would understand the sentence you provided as "Astronomy involves stuff that would humiliate you in the process"– CardinalCommented May 21, 2020 at 18:30
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2Have you looked the words up in a dictionary? What did you find? Are you still puzzled?– Colin FineCommented May 21, 2020 at 18:30
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Yes I have used Lexico Oxford.No clue.– GhostCommented May 21, 2020 at 18:37
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[correction: What does "humbling enterprise" mean? What does x mean?] Please correct your questions and I will remove this comment. You need to look up the transitive verb: to humble and the word enterprise.– LambieCommented May 21, 2020 at 18:38
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1@Ghost No, it mean that astronomy provides a perspective that makes an individual feel less self-important. See my answer.– Jack O'FlahertyCommented May 21, 2020 at 22:02
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1 Answer
The answer is right there in the video: "Astronomy is a humbling enterprise. After all, every time we make a new discovery, we find ourselves further removed from importance."
American Heritage Dictionary "humble" 1
"1. Marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude, or spirit; not arrogant or prideful."
That is an antonym of "self-important".
The meaning is simply that astronomy discloses to the student the true immensity of the universe, allowing them to see that they are less important in comparison to it.
answered May 21, 2020 at 21:55