January 01, 2012
Word of the Day

INCOMMUNICADO
audio pronunciation
\in-kuh-myoo-nuh-KAH-doh\

DEFINITION

adverb or adjective
: without means of communication : in a situation or state not allowing communication

EXAMPLES

Human rights groups continue to petition the government to allow them access to prisoners who are being held incommunicado.

"Spirit has been incommunicado for more than a year despite daily calls by NASA. The cause of Spirit's silence may never be known, but it's likely the bitter Martian winter damaged its electronics, preventing the six-wheel rover from waking up." -- From an Associated Press article by Alicia Chang, May 25, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Incommunicado" ultimately comes from Latin but made its way into English via Spanish. We borrowed the word (with a slightly modified spelling) from the past participle of the Spanish verb "incomunicar," meaning "to deprive of communication." The Spanish word, in turn, derives from the Latin prefix "in-" and the verb "communicare," meaning "to communicate."

Miriam Webster didn't have a word today so I had to pick one. Based upon the current world stage, I picked this one, one that seems eerily familiar.

SOCIALISM
noun \ˈsō-shə-ˌli-zəm\
Definition of SOCIALISM
1
: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods
2
a : a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b : a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state
3
: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done
See socialism defined for English-language learners »
See socialism defined for kids »
Examples of SOCIALISM

She is quite right, for example, to stress that Thatcher's crusade against socialism was not merely about economic efficiency and prosperity but that above all, “it was that socialism itself—in all its incarnations, wherever and however it was applied—was morally corrupting.” —Stephen Pollard, New York Times Book Review, 18 Jan. 2009

Randy, such a depressing word to learn but a word that we all must learn in order to know our enemy.

CALABOOSE
audio pronunciation
\KAL-uh-booss\

DEFINITION

noun
: jail; especially : a local jail

EXAMPLES

The chief entertainment at our family gatherings is always the stories my uncles tell of their wild youthful antics -- some of which landed them in the calaboose for a night.

"Dallas broke the law, according to the lawsuit, because it lied in violation of the False Claims Act. The False Claims Act can be enforced criminally (off to the calaboose) or civilly (write a big check)." -- From an article by Jim Schutze in the Dallas Observer, November 24, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Calaboose" had been part of the English language for almost a century when John S. Farmer included the term in his 1889 book Americanisms -- Old & New, defining it as "the common gaol or prison." Farmer also made mention of a verb "calaboose," meaning "to imprison," but that term was apparently lost in the years between then and now. "Calaboose" is Spanish in origin; it's from the Spanish word "calabozo," meaning "dungeon."

Just another name for the Hoosegow! Or the Pokey (Apologies to OUR Pokey)! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> Also sometimes called the Slammer. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

January 07, 2012
Word of the Day

TOME
audio pronunciation
\TOHM\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a volume forming part of a larger work
2
: book; especially : a large or scholarly book

EXAMPLES

It took me more than a month to finish reading that 800-page tome on European history.

"Priced at $1,000, the limited-edition tome brings together Norman Mailer's 1973 biography of Monroe with Bert Stern's now-legendary photos." -- From a review by Nicki Gostin on the Huffington Post, December 7, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Tome" comes from Latin "tomus," which comes from Greek "tomos," meaning "section" or "roll of papyrus." "Tomos" comes from the Greek verb "temnein," which means "to cut." In ancient times, some of the longest scrolls of papyrus occasionally were divided into sections. When it was first used in English in the 16th century, "tome" was a book that was a part of a multi-volume work. Now a tome is most often simply a large and often ponderous book.

anuary 08, 2012
Word of the Day

MORDANT
audio pronunciation
\MOR-dunt\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: biting and caustic in thought, manner, or style : incisive
2
: burning, pungent

EXAMPLES

The newspaper columnist's acute insights and mordant wit made her columns a must-read for many subscribers.

"These letters show the tender, funny, love-hungry side of [Philip] Larkin that, in the poems proper, are always in tension with the mordant stuff." -- From a blog post by Adam Gopnik at The New Yorker (online), December 27, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

The etymology of "mordant" certainly has some bite to it. That word, which came to modern English through Middle French, ultimately derives from the Latin verb "mord&#275;re," which means "to bite." In modern parlance, "mordant" usually suggests a wit used with deadly effectiveness. "Mord&#275;re" puts the bite into other English terms, too. For instance, that root gave us the tasty "morsel" ("a tiny bite"). But nibble too many of those and you’ll likely be hit by another "mord&#275;re" derivative: "remorse" ("guilt for past wrongs"), which comes from Latin "remord&#275;re," meaning "to bite again."

January 11, 2012
Word of the Day

KUDOS
audio pronunciation
\KOO-dahss\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: fame and renown resulting from an act or achievement : prestige
2
: praise given for achievement

EXAMPLES

"I'd like to be a widow. Then I'd have the freedom of the unmarried, with the kudos of the married. I could eat my cake and have it, too. Oh, to be a widow!" -- From Lucy Maud Montgomery’s short story "The End of a Quarrel," in Chronicles of Avonlea (1912)

"Making the playoffs is an achievement that deserves kudos, but getting this far isn't enough -- the real goal is to win championships, and the best way to do that is to continually look to upgrade your team." -- From an article by KC Joyner on ESPN.com, December 6, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

Deriving from Greek, "kudos" entered English as slang popular at British universities in the 19th century. In its earliest use, the word referred to the prestige or renown that one gained by having accomplished something noteworthy. The sense meaning "praise given for achievement" came about in the 1920s. As this later sense became the predominant one, some English speakers, unaware of the word's Greek origin, began to treat it as a plural count noun, inevitably coming up with the back-formation "kudo" to refer to a single instance of praise. For the same reason, when "kudos" is used as a subject you may see it with either a singular or plural verb.


KUDOS to all the Dogs that post here and offer information on a multitude of subjects and tasks. I salute you all!

January 12, 2012
Word of the Day

VALOROUS
audio pronunciation
\VAL-uh-russ\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: possessing or acting with bravery or boldness : courageous
2
: marked by, exhibiting, or carried out with courage or determination : heroic

EXAMPLES

Audie Murphy was awarded the Medal of Honor in 1945 for valorous acts that helped to save his company in the face of a fierce German assault.

"So today I am putting in the mail a donation to my local fire company. I hope many others will do the same. Honor the dead by honoring the living who continue the valorous work of first responders. Support them in their work, the work of rushing to the aid of you and me." -- From a letter to the editor by Evangeline Jones in the Poughkeepsie Journal (New York), September 11, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

If you are boldly seeking synonyms for "valorous," consider "courageous," "intrepid," "dauntless," "bold," or just plain "brave" -- all of which mean "having or showing no fear when faced with danger or difficulty." "Brave" is the most straightforward of these, implying lack of fear in alarming or difficult circumstances. "Courageous" carries a sense of stout-hearted resolution in the face of danger, while "intrepid" suggests downright daring in confronting peril. "Dauntless" suggests determination and resolution despite danger. "Bold" typically indicates a forward or defiant tendency to thrust oneself into dangerous situations. "Valorous," which comes from Middle English "valour," meaning "worth, worthiness, or bravery," suggests illustrious bravery and sometimes has an archaic or romantic ring.


Sure doesn't sound like our fearless leaders does it.

anuary 13, 2012
Word of the Day

THOLE
audio pronunciation
\THOHL\

DEFINITION

verb
: endure

EXAMPLES

"There was now temptation to resist, as well as pain to thole." -- From Robert Louis Stevenson's 1886 novel Kidnapped

"She moved closer to him and he noticed her faint perfume. Her cheeks were rosy red, and a tiny drip hung from the end of her nose. She was cold, but she was tholing it so as not to spoil his fun." -- From Patrick Taylor's 2010 novel An Irish Country Christmas

DID YOU KNOW?

"Thole" is one of the English language's oldest words -- it existed in Middle English in its current form and in Old English with the form "tholian" -- but in these modern times it tholes only in the corners of England's northern dialects. It has the same origin as "tolerate": both come from the Greek word "tl&#275;nai," meaning "to bear." Unrelated to this "thole" is the (also very old) noun "thole," which can be used as a synonym of "peg" or "pin" or can refer to either of a pair of pins set in the gunwale of a boat to hold an oar in place. This "thole" comes from Greek "tylos," meaning "knob" or "callus."

January 14, 2012
Word of the Day

CRUCIBLE
audio pronunciation
\KROO-suh-bul\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a vessel in which metals or other substances are heated to a very high temperature or melted
2
: a severe test
3
: a place or situation in which concentrated forces interact to cause or influence change or development

EXAMPLES

Living in the crucible that was Paris in the spring of 1968, Remi got to witness firsthand the angry confrontations between workers, students, and government.

"'Desire' -- it's the perfect name for Pedro Almodóvar's production company, the crucible for all his films including Law of Desire, the movie that helped make a star out of a young Spanish actor named Antonio Banderas." -- From a film review by Lawrence Osborne in Newsweek, October 3, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Crucible" looks like it should be closely related to the Latin combining form "cruc-" ("cross"), but it isn't. It was forged from the Medieval Latin "crucibulum," a noun for an earthen pot used to melt metals, and in English it first referred to a vessel of a very heat-resistant material (such as porcelain) used for melting a substance that requires a high degree of heat. But the resemblance between "cruc-" and "crucible" probably encouraged people to start using "crucible" to mean "a severe trial." That sense is synonymous with one meaning of "cross," a word that is related to "cruc-." The newest sense of "crucible" ("a situation in which great changes take place" -- as in "forged in the crucible of war") recalls the fire and heat that would be encountered in the original heat-resistant pot.

Hum... Seems what JJ is going through for the next two months!

January 15, 2012
Word of the Day

XYLOGRAPHY
audio pronunciation
\zye-LAH-gruh-fee\

DEFINITION

noun
: the art of making engravings on wood especially for printing

EXAMPLES

Francine uses a rubber-stamping technique in her art that is reminiscent of Chinese xylography.

"Also known as wood block printing, xylography proved to be cheaper and more efficient for printing Chinese, with its thousands of characters, so movable type did not supplant it there until modern times." -- From Christopher I. Beckwith's 2011 book Empires of the Silk Road

DID YOU KNOW?

"Xylography" didn't appear in print in English until 1816, but it is linked to printing practices that are much older. In fact, the oldest known printed works (from Japan and China in the 8th and 9th centuries) were made by xylography, a printing technique that involves carving text in relief upon a wooden block, which is then inked and applied to paper. This method of wood-block printing appeared in Europe in the 14th century, and eventually inspired Johannes Gutenberg to create individual and reusable pieces of type out of metal. These days, "xylography" can also describe the technique of engraving wood for purely artistic purposes. English speakers picked up the word from French, where it was formed as a combination of "xyl-," meaning "wood," and "-graphie," which denotes writing in a specified manner.

anuary 18, 2012
Word of the Day

JUNKET
audio pronunciation
\JUNK-ut\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a dessert of sweetened flavored milk set with rennet
2
a : a festive social affair b : trip, journey: as (1) : a trip made by an official at public expense (2) : a promotional trip made at another's expense

EXAMPLES

The senator has been criticized for going on expensive junkets to foreign countries.

"It's a little embarrassing, but when I saw a report that Gov. Sean Parnell was just returning from a junket to Europe, I was surprised. I hadn't noticed he was gone. Awkward." -- From an op-ed by Shannyn Moore in the Anchorage Daily News, November 21, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

The road "junket" has traveled has been a long one, with frequent stops for food along the way. Since at least the 15th century, the word has named various comestibles, ranging from curds and cream to sweet confections. By the 16th century, "junket" had also come to mean "banquet." Apparently, traveling must have been involved to reach some junkets, because eventually that term was also applied to pleasure outings or trips (whether or not food was the focus). Today, the word usually refers either to a trip made by a government official and paid for by the public, as in our example sentences, or to a free trip by a member of the press to a place where something, such as a new movie, is being promoted.

Hum....I wonder How many are going on a Junket to Atlanta in June?

January 19, 2012
Word of the Day

FUSTIAN
audio pronunciation
\FUSS-chun\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a strong cotton and linen fabric
2
: high-flown or affected writing or speech; broadly : anything high-flown or affected in style

EXAMPLES

Readers with a low tolerance for fustian may be put off by the writer's style, but there is no denying that his arguments have merit.

"To be wearing plain dimity and fustian in a room full of satin, velvet and diamonds took an effort of will." -- From Daisy Goodwin's 2011 novel The American Heiress

DID YOU KNOW?

"Fustian" has been used in English for a kind of cloth since the 13th century, but it didn't acquire its high-flown sense until at least three centuries later. One of the earliest known uses of the "pretentious writing or speech" sense occurs in Christopher Marlowe's play Doctor Faustus when Wagner says, "Let thy left eye be diametarily [sic] fixed upon my right heel, with quasi vestigiis nostris insistere," and the clown replies, "God forgive me, he speaks Dutch fustian." The precise origins of the word "fustian" aren't clear. English picked it up from Anglo-French, which adopted it from Medieval Latin, but its roots beyond that point are a subject of some dispute.

January 20, 2012
Word of the Day

DARLING
audio pronunciation
\DAHR-ling\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a dearly loved person
2
: favorite

EXAMPLES

The youngest of three children, she was always her parents' little darling.

"A darling of Martha Stewart and Alice Waters, the Meyer -- nicknamed 'the gourmet lemon' -- also has become a favorite of California gardeners." -- From an article by Debbie Arrington in the Sacramento Bee, December 14, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

The origins of "darling" can be found in the very heart of the English language; its earliest known uses can be traced back to Old English writings from the 9th century. Old English "deorling" was formed by attaching the Old English suffix "-ling" ("one associated with or marked by a specified quality") with the adjective "d&#275;ore," the ancestor of our adjective "dear" ("regarded very affectionately or fondly," "highly valued or esteemed," "beloved"). English speakers appear to have developed a fondness for "darling" and have held on to it for over a thousand years now. And though its spelling has changed over time -- including variations such as "dyrling," "derlinge," and "dearling" -- "darling" has maintained its original sense of "one dearly loved."

'Nuf said.

January 22, 2012
Word of the Day

LEONINE
audio pronunciation
\LEE-uh-nyne\

DEFINITION

adjective
: of, relating to, suggestive of, or resembling a lion

EXAMPLES

"The world wanders into many strange by-paths of affection. The love of a mother for her children is dominant, leonine, selfish, and unselfish." -- From Theodore Dreiser's 1912 novel The Financier

"At 72, the leonine pianist [McCoy Tyner] didn't make the instrument shudder as he did earlier in his career. But, at its best, his set still produced more sound and fury, more brilliant colors and bursts of dissonance, than most of his peers could match." -- From a review by Howard Reich in the Chicago Tribune, December 21, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Leonine" derives from Latin "leo," meaning "lion," which in turn comes from Greek "l&#275;on." "L&#275;on" gave us an interesting range of words: "leopard" (which is "l&#275;on" combined with "pardos," a Greek word for a panther-like animal); "dandelion" (which came by way of the Anglo-French phrase "dent de lion" -- literally, "lion's tooth"); and "chameleon" (which uses the combining form from Greek that means "on the ground"); as well as the names "Leon" and "Leonard." But the dancer's and gymnast's leotard is not named for its wearer's cat-like movements. Rather, it was simply named after its inventor, Jules Leotard, a 19th-century French aerial gymnast.

January 25, 2012
Word of the Day

INTERCALATE
audio pronunciation
\in-TER-kuh-layt\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: to insert (as a day) in a calendar
2
: to insert between or among existing elements or layers

EXAMPLES

Over the centuries, people of various cultures have intercalated months and days to bring their calendars into alignment with the seasonal year.

"The fossiliferous deposits of the Tatrot Formation outcropping in the area consist of pale pinkish-orange brown clays, brownish grey siltstones and shale, and greenish grey fine to medium grained sandstones intercalated with dark grey conglomerates…." -- From an article by M. A. Khan, et al., in the Journal of Animal and Plant Sciences, December 31, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Intercalate" was formed from the Latin prefix "inter-," meaning "between" or "among," and the Latin verb "calare," meaning "to proclaim" or "to call." It was originally associated with proclaiming the addition of a day or month in a calendar. An instance of intercalation occurred in the earliest versions of the Roman calendar, which originally consisted of 304 days and 10 months and was determined by the lunar cycle. When the Romans realized that they had overlooked a two-month cycle during the winter, the king "intercalated" the months January and February. Eventually, the word's use broadened to include other kinds of insertion.

Read more - http://w.po.st/share/entry/redir?publish...harer=copypaste

January 26, 2012
Word of the Day

LOATH
audio pronunciation
\LOHTH\

DEFINITION

adjective
: unwilling to do something contrary to one's way of thinking : reluctant

EXAMPLES

She was loath to admit her mistakes.

"Doctors are loath to testify against colleagues guilty of malpractice." -- From an article by Tammerlin Drummond in the Contra Costa Times (California), December 21, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

Many usage commentators point out that the spelling of "loath" the adjective is distinct from "loathe," the verb that means "to dislike greatly." Merriam-Webster dictionaries record "loathe" (along with "loth") as a variant spelling for the adjective, at the same time indicating that the spelling with an "e" is not as common as the form without it. Both words hark back to Old English, and the "e" ending in each has come and gone over the centuries -- but if you want to avoid the ire of those who like to keep the language tidy, stick with "loath" for the adjective and "loathe" for the verb.

I won't go there!

January 27, 2012
Word of the Day

ARBALEST
audio pronunciation
\AHR-buh-list\

DEFINITION

noun
: a crossbow especially of medieval times

EXAMPLES

The destructive power of the arbalest was so greatly feared during the 1100s that some governments tried to outlaw its use.

"During forensic examination, it was established that the murder was made using [an] arbalest. " -- From an article in States News Service, January 19, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

The arbalest was the distance weapon of choice for medieval armies. It was first mentioned in 1100 in The Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, a historical record of Saxon England. In 1622 British historian Peter Heylyn wrote that Richard the Lion-Hearted, the 12th-century English monarch, was "slain by a shot from an Arbalist." The crossbow's name is one of many terms that came into English from Old French when the Normans took control of England after the Battle of Hastings; our word is adapted from "arbaleste," the French name of the weapon. The French, in turn, derived their word from a combination of Latin "arcus" (meaning "bow") and "ballista" ("an ancient crossbow for hurling large missiles").

And here I thought it had something to do with Trees! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" />

January 28, 2012
Word of the Day

BRIGHT-LINE
audio pronunciation
\BRYTE-lyne\

DEFINITION

adjective
: providing an unambiguous criterion or guideline especially in law

EXAMPLES

The company's new reimbursement policy makes a bright-line distinction between acceptable and unacceptable travel expenses.

"The NFL needs to have a bright-line rule for the use of electronics devices during games." -- From a post by Mike Florio at nbcsports.com, January 13, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

In the first half of the 20th century, courts began referring to a "bright line" that could or could not be drawn to make clear-cut distinctions between legal issues. Early users may have been influenced by the term "bright line," used by physicists to refer to the distinct color lines in the light spectrum. Before that, judges were content with wording that was more prosaic, such as "line of demarcation." In the second half of the 20th century, we began using "bright-line" as an adjective. Nonlegal types looking for unambiguous distinctions in other walks of life took a shine to "bright-line" sometime in the 1980s.

January 29, 2012
Word of the Day

COOK'S TOUR
audio pronunciation
\COOKS-TOOR\

DEFINITION

noun
: a rapid or cursory survey or review

EXAMPLES

The guide gave the group a Cook's tour of the types of sea life that they might encounter on their dive.

"Remain in the party zone. Do not drag other guests on an adventurous cook's tour of the property, sneak beyond closed doors, explore the master bath instead of the powder room, or snoop in the medicine cabinet." -- From an article by Krys Stefansky in The Virginian-Pilot, December 12, 2011.

DID YOU KNOW?

In 1841, British missionary Thomas Cook convinced a British railway to run a special train to a temperance meeting, then proceeded to find passengers for the trip, an event regarded as the beginning of organized tourism. Within a few years, Cook was setting up excursions on a regular basis, and by the century's end, the Thomas Cook & Son travel agency was orchestrating travel around the world. The agency's tours were famously well-organized, but they were also known for herding travelers hurriedly from location to location. A Cook's tourist might see an impressive array of famous sites, but often only in superficial glimpses. Over time, English speakers started using "Cook's tour" for any hurried tour, and later, for any rushed activity or cursory review.

VOLUPTUOUS
adj \v&#601;-&#712;l&#601;p(t)-sh&#601;-w&#601;s, -sh&#601;s\
Definition of VOLUPTUOUS
1
a : full of delight or pleasure to the senses : conducive to or arising from sensuous or sensual gratification : luxurious <a voluptuous dance> <voluptuous ornamentation> <a voluptuous wine> b : suggesting sensual pleasure by fullness and beauty of form <voluptuous nudes>
2
: given to or spent in enjoyment of luxury, pleasure, or sensual gratifications <a long and voluptuous holiday — Edmund Wilson>
— vo·lup·tu·ous·ly adverb
— vo·lup·tu·ous·ness noun
See voluptuous defined for English-language learners »
See voluptuous defined for kids »
Examples of VOLUPTUOUS

<the voluptuous richness of the music>

Origin of VOLUPTUOUS
Middle English, from Latin voluptuosus, irregular from voluptas pleasure, from volup pleasurable; akin to Greek elpesthai to hope, Latin velle to wish — more at will
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to VOLUPTUOUS
Synonyms: carnal, fleshly, luscious, lush, sensuous, sensual

February 02, 2012
Word of the Day

STICTION
audio pronunciation
\STIK-shun\

DEFINITION

noun
: the force required to cause one body in contact with another to begin to move

EXAMPLES

Tire quality can affect stiction at the start of an auto race.

"Stiction is stationary friction. Starting the bolt turning takes more force than keeping it turning. The tighter the bolt, the more stiction can affect torque readings." -- From an article by Jim Kerr in the Winnipeg Free Press, December 30, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Stiction" has been a part of the English language since at least 1946, when it appeared in a journal of aeronautics. The word is a combination of the "st-" of "static" ("of or relating to bodies at rest") and the "-iction" of "friction" ("the force that resists relative motion between two bodies in contact"). So, basically, it means "static friction" (or to put it another way, as in our second example sentence, "stationary friction").

February 03, 2012
Word of the Day

GAM
audio pronunciation
\GAM\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: to have a visit or friendly conversation with
2
: to spend or pass (as time) talking

EXAMPLES

The two strangers discovered that they had a lot in common as they gammed the hours away on the long train ride.

"It always was -- and still is, for that matter -- infuriating to be ignored when superiors are gamming on about an operation in which you are the one about to risk life and limb." -- From Robert N. Macomber's 2010 novel The Darkest Shade of Honor

DID YOU KNOW?

"But what is a gam? You might wear out your index-finger running up and down the columns of dictionaries, and never find the word." So says the narrator, who calls himself Ishmael, of Herman Melville’s Moby Dick. These days you will indeed find "gam" entered in dictionaries; Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary defines the noun "gam" as "a visit or friendly conversation at sea or ashore especially between whalers." (It can also mean "a school of whales.") Melville’s narrator explains that when whaling ships met far out at sea, they would hail one another and the crews would exchange visits and news. English speakers have been using the word "gam" to refer to these and similar social exchanges since the mid-19th century.

February 04, 2012
Word of the Day

LYMPHATIC
audio pronunciation
\lim-FAT-ik\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
a : of, relating to, or produced by lymph, lymphoid tissue, or lymphocytes b : conveying lymph
2
: lacking physical or mental energy : sluggish

EXAMPLES

Because of the snowstorm, the day was a lazy one and the whole family felt lymphatic.

"Tonsils are collections of lymphatic tissue on both sides of the back of the mouth." -- From an article by Dr. Rhonda Patt in the Charlotte Observer (North Carolina), January 3, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

Lymph is a pale liquid in the body that helps maintain fluid balance and removes bacteria from tissues. Today, we understand that lymph plays an important role in the body's immune system. In the past, however, it was commonly believed that an excess of lymph caused sluggishness -- hence the "sluggish" meaning of "lymphatic." The word "lymph" comes from Latin "lympha" ("water" or "water goddess"), which itself may be a modification of the Greek word "nymph&#275;," meaning "nymph." Both "lymph" and its related adjective "lymphatic" have been used in English since the mid-17th century.

February 05, 2012
Word of the Day

CIRCUMVENT
audio pronunciation
\ser-kum-VENT\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: to hem in
2
: to make a circuit around
3
: to manage to get around especially by ingenuity or stratagem

EXAMPLES

Even though a clear detour route has been marked for all to use, some motorists have sought their own creative ways to circumvent the road construction.

"But [non-disclosure agreements] are increasingly rare. Many states do not enforce them; there are easy ways for those with malicious intent to circumvent them; and pursuing legal action is more expensive than most startup companies can afford." -- From an article by Yasine Armstrong in the Albuquerque (New Mexico) Journal, December 19, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

If you’ve ever felt as if someone were circling around the rules, you have an idea of the origins of "circumvent" -- it derives from the Latin "circum," meaning "circle," and "ventus," the past participle of the Latin verb "venire," meaning "to come." The earliest uses of "circumvent" referred to a tactic of hunting or warfare in which the quarry or enemy was encircled and captured. Today, however, "circumvent" more often suggests avoidance than entrapment; it typically means to "get around" someone or something, as in our example sentences.

Circumvent--politics. Circumcise is base root word to remove in a circular fashion, why can't we do that in D.C.?

February 08, 2012
Word of the Day

PRESCIND
audio pronunciation
\prih-SIND\

DEFINITION

verb
: to withdraw one's attention

EXAMPLES

If we prescind from the main issue for a moment, there is much to be gained by studying some corollary questions.

"For my purposes, we may happily prescind from the metaphysics." -- From John Collins' 2011 book The Unity of Linguistic Meaning

DID YOU KNOW?

"Prescind" derives from the Latin verb "praescindere," which means "to cut off in front." "Praescindere," in turn, was formed by combining "prae-" ("before") and "scindere" ("to cut" or "to split"). So it should come as no surprise that when "prescind" began being used during the 17th century, it referred to "cutting off" one’s attention from a subject. An earlier (now archaic) sense was even clearer about the etymological origins of the word, with the meaning "to cut short, off, or away" or "to sever." Other descendants of "scindere" include "rescind" and the rare "scissile" ("capable of being cut").

February 09, 2012
Word of the Day

ADULATION
audio pronunciation
\aj-uh-LAY-shun\

DEFINITION

noun
: excessive or slavish admiration or flattery

EXAMPLES

The star was somewhat embarrassed by the adulation of his teenage fans.

"I think that I was somebody who was pretty immature emotionally, and when thrust into a situation that was very abnormal of fame and adulation, I wasn't really equipped to deal with it very well. And I think my life goals up to that point were just: get a record deal…." -- Musician Trent Reznor in a December 19, 2011 interview on National Public Radio

DID YOU KNOW?

If "adulation" makes you think of a dog panting after its master, you're on the right etymological track; the word ultimately derives from the Latin verb "adulari," meaning "to fawn on" (a sense used specifically of the affectionate behavior of dogs) or "to flatter." "Adulation," which came to us from Latin by way of Old French, can be traced back as far as the 14th century in English. The verb "adulate," the noun "adulator," and the adjective "adulatory" later joined the language.

February 10, 2012
Word of the Day

LUDIC
audio pronunciation
\LOO-dik\

DEFINITION

adjective
: of, relating to, or characterized by play : playful

EXAMPLES

The members of the acting troupe had become well-known for their ludic behavior, evidenced by the practical jokes they played on each other off-stage.

"Accompanied by his trademark mirror-written notes -- often unrelated to the images -- Leonardo sketches, scribbles and jots his way through the myriad questions that puzzle his ludic, mercurial mind." -- From a review of a museum exhibit by Rachel Spence in Financial Times, January 9, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

Here's a serious word, just for fun. That is to say, it means "fun," but it was created in all seriousness around 1940 by psychologists. They wanted a term to describe what children do, and they came up with "ludic activity." That may seem ludicrous -- why not just call it "playing"? -- but the word "ludic" caught on, and it's not all child's play anymore. It can refer to architecture that is playful, narrative that is humorous and even satirical, and literature that is light. "Ludic" is ultimately from the Latin noun "ludus," which refers to a whole range of fun things -- stage shows, games, sports, even jokes. The more familiar word "ludicrous" also traces back to the same source.

February 11, 2012
Word of the Day

CATERCORNER
audio pronunciation
\KAT-ee-kor-ner\

DEFINITION

adverb or adjective
: in a diagonal or oblique position : kitty-corner

EXAMPLES

The café was catercorner to the salon, so after I got my hair cut I walked across the intersection to get some lunch.

"Also new to downtown is the Mars & Beyond exhibit in the Rialto building (catercorner from Sparkroot), which opened on October 22." -- From an article by Carolyn Classen in the Tucson Citizen, November 8, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Catercorner" also has the variants "kitty-corner" and "catty-corner," but despite appearances, no cats were involved in the creation of this word. "Cater" derives from the Middle French noun "quatre" (or "catre"), which means "four." English speakers adopted the word to refer to the four-dotted side of a die -- a side important in several winning combinations in dice games. Perhaps because the four spots on a die can suggest an X, "cater" eventually came to be used dialectically with the meaning "diagonal" or "diagonally." This "cater" was combined with "corner" to form "catercorner."

February 12, 2012
Word of the Day

VADE MECUM
audio pronunciation
\vay-dee-MEE-kum\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a book for ready reference : manual
2
: something regularly carried about by a person

EXAMPLES

Her latest book is an accessible and amusing vade mecum of the English literary tradition.

"Well into the 20th century, John Barlow's Ideal Handbook, the vade mecum of the rifleman, carried instructions for molding the Keene bullet." -- From Dan Shideler's book Gun Digest 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Vade mecum" is Latin for "go with me" (it derives from the Latin verb "vadere," meaning "to go"). In English, "vade mecum" has been used (since at least 1629) of manuals or guidebooks sufficiently compact to be carried in a deep pocket. But from the beginning, it has also been used for such constant companions as gold, medications, and memorized gems of wisdom

February 15, 2012
Word of the Day

ABNEGATE
audio pronunciation
\AB-nih-gayt\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: deny, renounce
2
: surrender, relinquish

EXAMPLES

The mayor has ordered the city's finance control board to abnegate its powers.

"Meanwhile, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, which is charged with protecting reliability, abnegated its statutory responsibilities as the rule was being written." -- From an article in The Wall Street Journal, December 22, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

There's no denying that the Latin root "negare" has given English some useful words. That verb, which means "to deny," is the ultimate source of the noun "abnegation," a synonym of "denial" that began appearing in English manuscripts in the 14th century. By the 17th century, people had concluded that if there was a noun "abnegation," there ought to be a related verb "abnegate," and so they created one by a process called "back-formation" (that's the process of trimming a suffix or prefix off a long word to make a shorter one). But "abnegate" and "abnegation" are not the only English offspring of "negare." That root is also an ancestor of other nay-saying terms such as "deny," "negate," and "renegade."

Oh I could have fun with this one, considering all the antics the White Hou Er Ah I mean the BIG TOP back east is up to, but I won't. Nope, I WILL NOT anything against YOUR leader. It would just be tacky. Besides he is WAY to easy a target for ridicule.

February 16, 2012
Word of the Day

RABBLE
audio pronunciation
\RAB-ul\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a disorganized or confused collection of things
2
a : a disorganized or disorderly crowd of people : mob b : the lowest class of people

EXAMPLES

He hasn't become comfortable glad-handing the voters as a gubernatorial candidate and always appears to be merely condescending to an unpleasant stroll among the rabble.

"Recently, the publicity department at Morrow Books told the blogging rabble that it might cut off the flow of requested free books if the bloggers failed to cite those books online." -- From an article by Bob Hoover in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, January 8, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Rabble" has been with the English language since its appearance in Middle English (as "rabel") in the late 1300s. It may have come from the Middle English verb "rabel" which meant "to babble." (Despite the similarity in sound and meaning, however, "babble" and "rabble" are unrelated.) The verb "rabel" is related to Middle Dutch "rabbelen" and Low German "rabbeln," meaning "to chatter." So how do we get from babbling to crowds of people? The connection may be the idea of confusion. "Rabble," in its earliest uses could not only indicate a pack of animals, swarm of insects, or a confused collection of things, but could also indicate a confused or meaningless string of words.

Hum... Interesting word. Does it remind you of a large group of people back East?

February 17, 2012
Word of the Day

COMIX
audio pronunciation
\KAH-miks\

DEFINITION

noun
: comic books or comic strips

EXAMPLES

Raw, founded by Art Spiegelman and Françoise Mouly in 1980, was the leading avant-garde comix journal of its time.

"[George Kuchar] became involved in comix through his neighbor in San Francisco in the 1980s, Art Spiegelman; he went on to do many comix storyboards as well as underground comix." -- From an article by Charles Bernstein and Susan Bee in The Brooklyn Rail, December, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

Comix (which are typically understood as distinct from comics in that they intend a mature audience) got their start in the 1960s. Our earliest evidence of the word "comix" used as a generic term dates to 1969, but it had begun appearing in the titles of specific works a little earlier than that: one example is the title of R. Crumb's highly influential Zap Comix, first published in 1968. The kind of alteration that changed "comics" to "comix" isn't a 20th century phenomenon: the word "pox," as in "chicken pox," began as "pocks" but has been spelled with an "x" since around 1475. A similar kind of alteration, though in this case going from a simpler spelling to a less intuitive one, is the word "phat," which is most likely a variation of "fat." "Phat" dates to 1963.


NOPE, I'm not gonna make any comment on this.

February 18, 2012
Word of the Day

CRITIQUE
audio pronunciation
\kruh-TEEK\

DEFINITION

noun
: an act of criticizing; especially : a critical estimate or discussion

EXAMPLES

All Sherry wanted to do was offer critiques of other people's plans; she never had any suggestions of her own.

"In their first critique of the Banning Ranch development plans, California Coastal Commission staff members found that the proposed project would be unlikely to meet state standards." -- From an article by Mike Reicher in the Daily Pilot (California), January 19, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Critique" is an alteration of an archaic word that referred generally to criticism. "Critique" itself dates to the early 18th century and originally referred to a piece of writing that criticized a literary or artistic work. The words "criticism," "critique," and "review" overlap in meaning. "Criticism" usually means "the act of criticizing" or a "remark or comment that expresses disapproval," but it can also refer to the activity of making judgments about the qualities of books, movies, etc. (as in "literary criticism")."Critique" is a somewhat formal word that typically refers to a careful judgment in which someone gives an opinion about something. "Review" can refer to an essay analyzing a literary or artistic work, but can also sometimes imply a more casual or personal opinion.

February 19, 2012
Word of the Day

EXTEMPORANEOUS
audio pronunciation
\ek-stem-puh-RAY-nee-us\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: composed, performed, or uttered on the spur of the moment : impromptu
2
: provided, made, or put to use as an expedient : makeshift

EXAMPLES

A group of revelers at the pub launched into an extemporaneous rendition of "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling."

"Members give prepared speeches at their own pace and receive constructive, supportive feedback from assigned evaluators. There also is an extemporaneous speaking session at each meeting to give members an opportunity to practice speaking without preparation." -- From the Club News feature in Times-Picayune (New Orleans), January 19, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Extemporaneous," which comes from Latin "ex tempore" ("out of the time"), joined the English language sometime in the mid-17th century. The word "impromptu" was improvised soon after that. In general usage, "extemporaneous" and "impromptu" are used interchangeably to describe off-the-cuff remarks or speeches, but this is not the case when they are used in reference to the learned art of public speaking. Teachers of speech will tell you that an extemporaneous speech is one that has been thoroughly prepared and planned but not memorized, whereas an impromptu speech is one for which absolutely no preparations have been made.

vacation
VACATION
noun, often attributive
Definition of VACATION
1
: a respite or a time of respite from something : intermission
2
a : a scheduled period during which activity (as of a court or school) is suspended b : a period of exemption from work granted to an employee
3
: a period spent away from home or business in travel or recreation <had a restful vacation at the beach>
4
: an act or an instance of vacating
See vacation defined for English-language learners »
See vacation defined for kids »
Examples of VACATION

Family vacations were a high point in my childhood.
When are you taking vacation this year?
Employees are entitled to 120 hours of paid vacation.
AND I DO GET 3 WEEKS! How about that.
I don't have any vacation days left.
We have a one-week vacation in February.
The university will be closed for Christmas vacation.

Origin of VACATION
Middle English vacacioun, from Anglo-French vacacion, from Latin vacation-, vacatio freedom, exemption, from vacare
First Known Use: 14th century
Related to VACATION
Synonyms: break, holiday [chiefly British], hols [British], leave, recess

RECESS! Hey I like that word!

Hehe, OK so Vacation wasn't the REAL word of the day, but since it is officially my first vacation day, I kinda sorta cheated. AND being my birthday I exercised my right to be King for a day! (I said KING guys)! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

February 24, 2012
Word of the Day

HENCHMAN
audio pronunciation
\HENCH-mun\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a trusted follower : a right-hand man
2
: a political follower whose support is chiefly for personal advantage
3
: a member of a gang

EXAMPLES

The play opens with the main character, a gangster, onstage surrounded by his henchmen.

"[U.S. Attorney George E.Q.] Johnson vigorously took the fight to Capone and his henchmen, successfully prosecuting Capone's brother Ralph, Frank Nitti, the Guzik brothers Harry and Sam, and the beer barons Terry Druggan and Frankie Lake." -- From an article by Stephan Benzkofer in the Chicago Tribune, January 15, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

The earliest known examples of today's word in written English show it being used as a term for a squire or a page, but the word may have seen earlier use with the meaning "groom." It first appeared in Middle English at the beginning of the 15th century and is a combination of Old English "hengest" ("a male horse") and "man." In the late 1700s, "henchman" began to be used for the personal attendant of a Scottish Highland chief. This sense, made familiar to many English readers by Sir Walter Scott, led to the word's use in the broader sense of "right-hand man," which in turn evolved into the other meanings.

Hum.... Wonder if wecould all be classified as a henchman. I mean Scrapyardians ARE a group, right.

And Todays word for February 25, 2012 is:

CONCLAVE
audio pronunciation
\KAHN-klayv\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a private meeting or secret assembly
2
: a gathering of a group or association

EXAMPLES

"The shadowy world of Ministers' meetings and security service conclaves ... was never explored." -- From an article by Mary Riddell in The Observer, February 2004

"On Wednesday afternoon, Mr. Lin and other village leaders met to discuss their options and decided to call off the public protests and to reopen access to the village.… After that conclave, the village leaders held a rally with more than 1,000 residents in a public square and told the audience about the new agreement." -- From an article by Edward Wong in The New York Times, December 22, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

Ever wonder what happens behind locked doors? The etymology of "conclave" begs this question as the word comes from a Latin term meaning "room that can be locked up." The English word formerly had the same meaning, but that use is now obsolete. Today, "conclave" refers not to the locked rooms but to the private meetings and secret assemblies that occur within them. "Conclave" is especially likely to refer to a meeting of Roman Catholic cardinals who have secluded themselves to choose a pope, but it can refer to other types of private or secret meetings as well. The meaning of "conclave" has also expanded to include gatherings that are not necessarily secret or private but simply involve people with shared interests.

Hey, that's us, sort of, maybe! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

March 01, 2012
Word of the Day

ABEYANCE
audio pronunciation
\uh-BAY-unss\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a lapse in succession during which there is no person in whom a title is vested
2
: temporary inactivity : suspension

EXAMPLES

Our plans to go for a bike ride were in abeyance until the weather cleared up.

"The remaining $5,000 of the fine is held in abeyance and will not have to be paid unless additional violations are committed by the Venice baseball program during the probationary period."—From an article by Dennis Maffezzoli in the Sarasota Herald-Tribune (Florida), January 23, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Abeyance" has something in common with "yawn." Today, "yawn" implies sleep or boredom, but years ago it could also signify longing or desire ("Full many men know I that yawn and gape after some fat and rich benefice"—Thomas Hoccleve, 1420). The Old French word for "yawn" was "baer," which joined the prefix "a-" ("in a state or condition of") to form "abaer," a verb meaning "to expect" or "await." There followed Anglo-French "abeyance," which referred to a state of expectation—specifically, a person's expectation of inheriting a title or property. But when we adopted "abeyance" into English in the 16th century, we applied the expectation to the property itself: a property or title "in abeyance" is in temporary limbo, waiting to be claimed by a rightful heir or owner.

March 07, 2012
Word of the Day

ARROGATE
audio pronunciation
\AIR-uh-gayt\

DEFINITION

verb
1
a : to claim or seize without justification b : to make undue claims to having : assume
2
: to claim on behalf of another : ascribe

EXAMPLES

The city council has accused the mayor of arrogating decision-making authority to himself that rightly belongs with the council.

"Iranian political analysts said Mr. Ahmadinejad, unlike his predecessors, has made enemies of many Iranian religious figures by aggressively arrogating more power to his office than they would like." — From an article by Rick Gladstone in The New York Times, November 23, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Arrogate" comes from the Latin "arrogatus," a past participle of the verb "arrogare," which means "to appropriate to one's self." The Latin verb, in turn, was formed from the prefix "ad-" ("to" or "toward") and the verb "rogare" ("to ask"). You may have noticed that "arrogate" is similar to the more familiar "arrogant." And there is, in fact, a relationship between the two words. "Arrogant" comes from Latin "arrogant-, arrogans," the present participle of "arrogare." "Arrogant" is often applied to that sense of superiority which comes from someone claiming (or arrogating) more consideration than is due to that person's position, dignity, or power.

Does this mean some of our so-called elected officials need to read the meaning of today's Word of the Day? I think so!

March 08, 2012
Word of the Day

DIPLOPIA
audio pronunciation
\dih-PLOH-pee-uh\

DEFINITION

noun
: a disorder of vision in which two images of a single object are seen because of unequal action of the eye muscles — called also double vision

EXAMPLES

Most cases of diplopia go away on their own, but in some instances it can be a sign of an aneurysm or other disorder in the brain.

"Every August thousands of twins converge there for 'Twins Days Festival' — so many in fact you might think you had an acute case of diplopia…." — From a Q&A in The Berkshire Eagle (Massachusetts), November 12, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

We won't give you any double-talk about "diplopia." The word is simply the sum of the combining forms "dipl-" (meaning "double") and "-opia" (meaning "vision"). Visionarily speaking, the linguistic relatives of "diplopia" include "hyperopia" ("farsightedness"), "myopia" ("nearsightedness"), "deuteranopia" ("red-green color blindness"), and "presbyopia" ("loss of elasticity in the eye's lens").

March 09, 2012
Word of the Day

WINSOME
audio pronunciation
\WIN-sum\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: generally pleasing and engaging often because of a childlike charm and innocence
2
: cheerful, lighthearted

EXAMPLES

Darryl's winsome nature made him well-liked in the office, and his cubicle was a popular destination for co-workers looking for a conversation partner.

"Faina, a winsome blonde child with a fox for a friend, emerges from the woods to bewitch them both." — From a book review by Lydia Kiesling in Slate, January 31, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Winsome" began as "wynsum" a thousand years ago. It was formed from "wynn," the Old English word for "joy" or "pleasure," and the suffix "-sum," an older form of the "-some" we see today in many adjectives, such as "awesome," "irksome," and "lonesome." "Wynn" later became "win," meaning "pleasure," but we haven't used that noun since the 17th century. We do, however, use another word that has a "pleasing" connection and is related, albeit distantly, to "winsome." "Winning" ("tending to please or delight," as in "a winning smile" or "winning ways"), the present participle of the familiar verb "win," is from Old English "winnan," meaning "to struggle." Both "winnan" and "wynn" are thought to be related to Latin "venus," which means, among other things, "charm."

March 10, 2012
Word of the Day

QUIETUS
audio pronunciation
\kwye-EE-tus\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: final settlement (as of a debt)
2
: removal from activity; especially : death
3
: something that quiets or represses

EXAMPLES

The town council voted against granting a permit to stage the concert in the park, thus putting the quietus on any repeat of last year's unruly behavior.

"All this comes just about the time when some bass-fishing folks were predicting a mad rush to the banks for the first round of spawning on Tuesday's full moon. The effects of the rain, cooler water and a rising barometer should put the quietus on that until water levels stabilize and sunlight returns to warm the water." — From an article by Joe Macaluso in The Advocate (Baton Rouge, Louisiana), February 2, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

In the early 1500s, English speakers adopted the Medieval Latin phrase "quietus est" (literally "he is quit") as the name for the writ of discharge exempting a baron or knight from payment of a knight's fee to the king. The expression was later shortened to "quietus" and applied to the termination of any debt. William Shakespeare was the first to use "quietus" as a metaphor for the termination of life: "For who would bear the whips and scorns of time, … When he himself might his quietus make / With a bare bodkin?" (Hamlet). The third meaning, which is more influenced by "quiet" than "quit," appeared in the 19th century. It often occurs in the phrase "put the quietus on" (as in, "The bad news put the quietus on their celebration").

Diplopia can also be toxic induced. For instance brought on by medication or just being plain drunk. I had a passing case of diplopia last night...

Rasmus, you better go see an eye doctor, it could be serious if it keeps coming back. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

I am my own eyedoctor, and I say it is ok

March 11, 2012
Word of the Day

NONDESCRIPT
audio pronunciation
\nahn-di-SKRIPT\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: belonging or appearing to belong to no particular class or kind : not easily described
2
: lacking distinctive or interesting qualities : dull, drab

EXAMPLES

The famous spy was a quiet, nondescript man that no one could describe even a few minutes after meeting him, which was clearly an advantage in his profession.

"There is a nondescript warehouse in town with contents so vital to the operations of American businesses and government that it is protected by guards armed with assault rifles." — From an article by Conor Shine in the Las Vegas Sun, November 7, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

It is relatively easy to describe the origins of "nondescript" (and there's a hint in the first part of this sentence). "Nondescript" was formed by combining the prefix "non-" (meaning "not") with the past participle of the Latin verb "describere," meaning "to describe." It is no surprise, then, that when the word was adopted in the late 17th century by English speakers, it was typically applied to something (such as a genus or species) that had not yet been described. Other descriptive descendants of "describere" in English include "describe," "description," and "descriptive" itself, as well as the rare philosophical term "descriptum" ("something that is described").

March 14, 2012
Word of the Day

VOLPLANE
audio pronunciation
\VAHL-playn\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: to glide in or as if in an airplane
2
a : to descend gradually in controlled flight b : to fly in a glider

EXAMPLES

An eagle soared and volplaned gracefully across the sky.

"Does it [the northern flying squirrel] really fly: No. It glides (or "volplanes") and always in a downward direction. — From an article by Nicholas Read in The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia), October 18, 2008

DID YOU KNOW?

"Vol plané" (meaning "gliding flight") was a phrase first used by 19th-century French ornithologists to describe downward flight by birds; it contrasted with "vol à voile" ("soaring flight"). Around the time Orville and Wilbur Wright were promoting their latest "aeroplane" in France, the noun and the verb "volplane" soared to popularity in America as terms describing the daring dives by aviators (Fly Magazine reported in 1910, "The French flyers are noted for their thrilling spirals and vol planes from the sky"). The avian-to-aviator generalization was fitting, since the Wright brothers had studied the flight of birds in designing their planes.

March 15, 2012
Word of the Day

INSTAURATION
audio pronunciation
\in-staw-RAY-shun\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: restoration after decay, lapse, or dilapidation
2
: an act of instituting or establishing something

EXAMPLES

"Once, humanity dreamed of the great instauration — a rebirth of ancient wisdom that would compel us into a New Age...." — From an article by Knute Berger in the Seattle Weekly, December 14, 2005

"The Thibaut/Savigny conflict, the conflict between two leading professors, led to the instauration of the two law commissions, again composed of professors, which finally paved the way for the adoption of the German Civil Code, some fifty years later." — From an introduction by Hans-W. Micklitz to the 2011 book The Many Concepts of Social Justice in European Private Law

DID YOU KNOW?

"Instauration" first appeared in English in the early 17th century, a product of the Latin verb "instaurare," meaning "to renew or restore." This same source gave us our verb "store," by way of Middle English and Anglo-French. Less than 20 years after "instauration" broke into English, the philosopher Francis Bacon began writing his Instauratio Magna, which translates to The Great Instauration. This uncompleted collection of works, which was written in Latin, calls for a restoration to a state of paradise on earth, but one in which mankind is enlightened by knowledge and truth.

Hum.... Seems like most of the U.S. wants an INSTAURATION Back East!

March 16, 2012
Word of the Day

SECRETE
audio pronunciation
\sih-KREET\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: to deposit or conceal in a hiding place
2
: to appropriate secretly : abstract

EXAMPLES

The squirrel had secreted nuts all over the yard in preparation for winter, and as spring approached, more were still to be found.

"With either engine [the Porsche 911 Cabriolet] is flipping fast, particularly above 4,000 rpm, and it makes all the right noises too, from bellows and wails to enough pops and crackles when you lift off the throttle to make you wonder if somebody has secreted some Rice Krispies up the exhaust." — From a review by Chris Knapman in The Telegraph (United Kingdom), February 15, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

If you guessed that the secret to the origins of "secrete" is the word "secret," you are correct. "Secrete" was coined in the mid-18th century from a now obsolete verb "secret." That verb had the meaning now carried by "secrete" and derived from the familiar noun "secret" ("something kept hidden or unexplained"). The noun, in turn, traces back to the Latin verb "secernere," meaning "to separate" or "to distinguish." Incidentally, there is an earlier and distinct verb "secrete" with the more scientific meaning "to form and give off (a secretion)." That "secrete" is a back-formation from "secretion," another word that can be traced back to "secernere."

March 17, 2012
Word of the Day

FALLACIOUS
audio pronunciation
\fuh-LAY-shus\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: embodying a fallacy
2
: tending to deceive or mislead : delusive

EXAMPLES

The notion that disease is caused by malign spirits was known to be fallacious long before germ theory gave us real understanding of disease.

"The whole idea that Romney was responsible for good or bad things in Massachusetts is fallacious — just as it is fallacious that any executive is responsible for the ups and downs of the economy." — University of Michigan political scientist Michael Heaney as quoted by Seth McLaughlin in an article in The Washington Times, February 27, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Oh what a tangled web we weave / When first we practise to deceive!" So wrote Sir Walter Scott in his 1808 poem Marmion. Scott’s line wasn't written with etymology in mind, but it might be applied to the history of "fallacious." That word traces back to the Latin verb "fallere" ("to deceive"), but it passed through a tangle of Latin and French forms before it eventually made its way into English in the early 1500s. Other descendants of "fallere" in English include "fail," "false," and "fault."

March 18, 2012
Word of the Day

SYLPH
audio pronunciation
\SILF\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: an elemental being in the theory of Paracelsus that inhabits air
2
: a slender graceful woman or girl

EXAMPLES

The dancer was a lovely, elegant sylph upon the stage.

"By the time [Whitney Houston's] first album came out, in 1985, she'd been given a thorough makeover: the cover photo showed a sleek-haired, golden-skinned sylph wearing an elegantly-draped white gown." -- From an article by Caroline Sullivan in Guardian Unlimited, February 12, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

Paracelsus was a man with a vivid imagination. He concocted an elaborate theory of ruling "elemental spirits": gnomes controlled the earth, salamanders fire, undines water, and sylphs (graceful beings whose name in English is from New Latin "sylphus") the air. You would hardly believe this 16th-century German-Swiss physician had his feet on the ground, but those fantastic ideas were balanced with an impressive array of solid medical discoveries. In fact, many of his scientific contributions are still highly respected, but his sylph idea has long since been discounted as fairy-tale fantasy. The creatures remain only as romantic figures of literature, art, and ballet, where diaphanous woodland sylphs are often depicted enchanting unwary males.

March 21, 2012
Word of the Day

TUB-THUMPER
audio pronunciation
\TUB-thump-er\

DEFINITION

noun
: a vociferous supporter (as of a cause)

EXAMPLES

Aunt Lucille was a tub-thumper for temperance who never passed up an opportunity to sermonize fervently on the evils of "demon drink" and the virtues of abstinence.

"As some of you are aware, I've been a frequent tub thumper for winter gardening. In the main, I've promoted it as a means to eating well." — From an article by Chris Smith in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer, June 19, 2008

DID YOU KNOW?

Tub-thumpers are a noisy (and sometimes amusing) lot. The earliest ones were preachers or public speakers with a predisposition for pounding their fists on the pulpit or lectern — perhaps to wake up their listeners! Back in the 17th century, the word "tub" was sometimes used as a synonym of "pulpit"; John Dryden, for example, used the word thus in 1680 when he wrote, "Jack Presbyter shall here erect his throne, Knock out a tub with preaching once a day." "Tub-thumper" has been naming loud, impassioned speakers since at least 1662, when it was used by a writer named Hugh Foulis to describe "a sort of people ... antick in their Devotions…."

March 22, 2012
Word of the Day

OPPUGN
audio pronunciation
\uh-PYOON\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: to fight against
2
: to call in question

EXAMPLES

The local papers have begun to oppugn the candidate's claims, arguing that the facts do not support her statements about her past business ventures.

"Physics Nobel prize winner Carlo Rubbia reacts to reporters ahead of the Nobel Laureates Beijing Forum 2011 in Beijing, capital of China, Sept. 26, 2011. World's top physicists including George Smoot and Carlo Rubbia touched upon and oppugned the hot issue that the velocity of light might be exceeded, at the forum on Monday." — From the caption of a photograph on Photoshot.com, September 27, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Oppugn" was first recorded in English in the 15th century. It came to Middle English from the Latin verb "oppugnare," which in turn derived from the combination of "ob-," meaning "against," and "pugnare," meaning "to fight." "Pugnare" itself is descended from the same ancient word that gave Latin the word "pugnus," meaning "fist." It's no surprise, then, that "oppugn" was adopted into English to refer to fighting against something or someone, either physically (as in "the dictatorship will oppugn all who oppose it") or verbally (as in "oppugn an argument"). Other descendants of "pugnare" in English include the equally aggressive "pugnacious," "impugn," "repugnant," and the rare "inexpugnable" ("incapable of being subdued or overthrown").

March 23, 2012
Word of the Day

PIPPIN
audio pronunciation
\PIP-in\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a crisp tart apple having usually yellow or greenish-yellow skin strongly flushed with red and used especially for cooking
2
: a highly admired or very admirable person or thing

EXAMPLES

The CEO's retirement speech was a pippin.

"[Judge Len Goodman of 'Dancing with the Stars'] said … that the dance was 'first class.... It was crisp, it was sharp, it was like a pippin.'" — From an article by Allyssa Lee in the Los Angeles Times, September 27, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

Since the late Middle Ages, English speakers have experimented with the use of the word "pippin," which germinated from the Anglo-French word "pepin," meaning "seed" or "pip of a fruit." "Pippin" has been used to refer to a part of a pea embryo, a grain of gold, and a grape, but those uses were not hardy enough to become firmly rooted in the English language. The word did take root, however, in the soil of the northern regions of England, where it is used to describe a small fruit seed. In addition, it has widespread use as the name of a crisp, tart apple and of a person who is unique, usually in a pleasant way.

March 24, 2012
Word of the Day

DEMARCATE
audio pronunciation
\dih-MAHR-kayt\

DEFINITION

verb
1
: to fix or define the limits of : delimit
2
: to set apart : distinguish

EXAMPLES

A crumbling stone wall demarcated the property.

"The war on terrorism has made it hard to demarcate the proper lines between military action and law enforcement, simply because it doesn't resemble traditional wars between national armies." — From an article in the Chicago Tribune, January 3, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Demarcate" is set apart by its unique history. Scholars think it may have descended from the Italian verb "marcare" ("to mark"), which is itself of Germanic origin (the Old High German word for boundary, "marha," is a relative). "Marcare" is the probable source of the Spanish "marcar" (also "to mark"), from which comes the Spanish "demarcar" ("to fix the boundary of"). In 1493, a Spanish noun, "demarcación," was used to name the new meridian dividing the New World territory between Spain and Portugal. Later (about 1730), English speakers began calling this boundary the "line of demarcation," and eventually we began applying that phrase to other dividing lines as well. "Demarcation" in turn gave rise to "demarcate" in the early 19th century.

March 25, 2012
Word of the Day

MULTITUDINOUS
audio pronunciation
\mul-tuh-TOO-duh-nus\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: including a multitude of individuals
2
: existing in a great multitude
3
: existing in or consisting of innumerable elements or aspects

EXAMPLES

The author's appearance is expected to attract a multitudinous gathering that will fill the entire auditorium.

"The factors between [wine] labels hinge on multitudinous decisions about grape, soil, climate and culture." — From a food review by Mary Ross in the Chicago Daily Herald, November 2, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Multitudinous" is one of many English words that make use of the combining form "multi-," from Latin "multus," meaning "many." "Multicolored," "multifunctional," and "multimillionaire" are just a few of the others. "Multitudinous" is the kind of highly expressive word that you can rely upon when you want something a little more emphatic than plain old "numerous." Among its synonyms are "multiple" and "multifold," two more members of the "multi-" family.

EPAULET
audio pronunciation
\ep-uh-LET\

DEFINITION

noun
a : something that ornaments or protects the shoulder: as b : an ornamental fringed shoulder pad formerly worn as part of a military uniform c : an ornamental strip or loop sewn across the shoulder of a dress or coat

EXAMPLES

"I once had a sparrow alight upon my shoulder for a moment while I was hoeing in a village garden, and I felt that I was more distinguished by that circumstance than I should have been by any epaulet I could have worn." — From Henry David Thoreau's 1854 novel Walden

"Military-inspired outerwear: It's baaack — but with a twist. Sharp shoulders and button, zipper, epaulet and grommet details on peacoats, trenches and officer coats add a dose of fashionable force and edge to traditional pieces." — From an article by Sara Bauknecht in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, February 21, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

The epaulet gets its name from what it covers — the shoulder. It comes from the French word "épaulette," the diminutive of "épaule," meaning shoulder. (Another accepted spelling of the English word — "epaulette" — mirrors the French.) "Épaule" itself, though, comes from the Latin word "spatha," meaning "spoon" or "sword." This Latin word (which traces back to Greek "spath&#275;," meaning "blade of a sword" or "oar") is also the root of the word "spade" — as in the playing card suit. (The digging implement "spade" is also a relative though the connection is less direct.)

March 29, 2012
Word of the Day

ZOOMORPHIC
audio pronunciation
\zoh-uh-MOR-fik\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: having the form of an animal
2
: of, relating to, or being a deity conceived of in animal form or with animal attributes

EXAMPLES

Using her new cookie cutters, Angela baked a batch of zoomorphic cookies to bring to the kids in her niece's classroom.

"The historic Lobero Theatre will be transformed into a rain forest for State Street Ballet's matinee production of The Jungle Book, which boasts some of the most dazzling zoomorphic costumes ever made." — From a review by Elizabeth Schwyzer in the Santa Barbara Independent (California), January 13-20, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

"Zo-" (or "zoo-") derives from the Greek word "z&#333;ion," meaning "animal," and "-morph" comes from the Greek "morph&#275;," meaning "form." These two forms combined to give us the adjective "zoomorphic," which was first used in English to describe something that resembles an animal in 1872. English includes other words that were formed from "zo-" or "zoo-," such as "zoology" (made with "-logy," meaning "science"). And there are also other words that were formed from "-morph," such as "pseudomorph," for a mineral having the outward form of another species. (The combining form "pseud-" or "pseudo-" means "false.")

March 30, 2012
Word of the Day

ATAVISM
audio pronunciation
\AT-uh-viz-um\

DEFINITION

noun
1
a : recurrence in an organism of a trait or character typical of an ancestral form and usually due to genetic recombination b : recurrence of or reversion to a past style, manner, outlook, approach, or activity
2
: one that manifests atavism : throwback

EXAMPLES

"Examples of atavisms in animals include the appearance of reptilian teeth in a mutant chicken or vestigial hind legs in a whale." — From Kate Rheaume-Bleue's 2011 book Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox: How a Little-Known Vitamin Could Save Your Life

"He was a magnificent atavism, a man so purely primitive that he was of the type that came into the world before the development of the moral nature." — From Jack London's 1904 novel The Sea-Wolf

DID YOU KNOW?

"Atavism" derives via French from Latin "atavus," meaning "ancestor." "Avus" in Latin means "grandfather," and it's believed that the "at" is related to "atta," a word for "daddy." "Atavism" is a term rooted in evolutionary study, referring to instances when an organism possesses traits closer to a more remote ancestor, rather than its own parents. That sense dates to the early part of the 19th century. The word's figurative sense is a more recent development. These days one might describe a building that looks like it's from an earlier era as an atavism, or (though some people might cringe at this) apply the word to activities like reading actual paper books in the age of electronics.

April 01, 2012
Word of the Day

DEVIOUS
audio pronunciation
\DEE-ve-us\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: deviating from a straight line : roundabout
2
: behaving wrongly : errant
3
: tricky, cunning; also : deceptive

EXAMPLES

Our guide took us by a devious route to the center of the city.

"Former Congresswoman Jane Harman's resignation shortly after winning reelection in November 2010 struck many as a typically devious move on her part." — From an article by Paul Rosenberg in Random Lengths, January 12, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

If you think someone devious has lost their way, you're right, etymologically speaking — the word derives from the Latin adjective "devius," itself formed from the prefix "de-" ("from" or "away") and the noun "via" ("way"). When "devious" was first used in the late 16th century, it implied a literal wandering off the "way," suggesting something that meandered or had no fixed course (as in "a devious route" or "devious breezes"). Relatively quickly, however, the word came to suggest someone or something that had metaphorically rather than literally left the "right path" or to deceitful (rather than "straight"-forward) behavior.

April 04, 2012
Word of the Day

RASH
audio pronunciation
\RASH\

DEFINITION

adjective
: marked by or proceeding from undue haste or lack of deliberation or caution

EXAMPLES

He often doesn't think before he speaks, and this is not the first time he has had to apologize for his rash comments.

"Many colleges have yet to send out their final acceptances. So before making a rash decision, sit tight and wait to hear back from all your colleges." — From an article by Purvi S. Mody in the San Jose Mercury News (California), March 19, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

The earliest known uses of "rash" (then spelled "rasch") occur in a northern dialect of 15th-century Middle English. Its earlier origins are not known for sure, though it is clearly related to a number of similar words in the Germanic languages, including Old High German "rasc" ("fast, hurried, strong, clever"), Old Norse "röskr" ("brave, vigorous"), and Middle Dutch "rasch" ("quick, nimble, agile, vigorous"). It is not, however, related to the English noun "rash" ("an eruption on the body," as in a "skin rash"). The noun "rash," which first appeared in English in the 1700s, comes by way of French and Vulgar Latin from Latin "rasus," the past participle of "radere" ("to scrape" or "to shave").

April 05, 2012
Word of the Day

COCKALORUM
audio pronunciation
\kah-kuh-LOR-um\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: a boastful and self-important person
2
: boastful talk

EXAMPLES

No one believed Marty's cockalorum about being an expert pool player, and as it turned out, he was indeed just as bad as the rest of us.

"No one is saying Little Floyd is a conniving little cockalorum, but … he would very much like to add another belt to his legacy. It is with much certainty, on his part, that he will."— From an article by Paul Strauss on EastsideBoxing.com, August 6, 2011

DID YOU KNOW?

The image of a rooster (a.k.a. [censored]) strutting confidently across the barnyard or belting out a triumphant crow has long been associated with brash self-confidence. It's an association that has left quite a mark on the English language, giving us "crow" ("to brag"), "[censored]" ("a self-important person"), and "cocky" ("overconfident"), just to name a few. "Cockalorum" (which may have derived from the obsolete Flemish word "kockeloeren," meaning "to crow") is another example. It dates back at least as far as 1715, when it was used to describe the Marquis of Huntly — son of the Duke of Gordon, a Celtic Highlander chief who was himself known as the "[censored] of the North." Presumably, the Marquis was not exactly known for his humility.

April 07, 2012
Word of the Day

LOQUACIOUS
audio pronunciation
\loh-KWAY-shus\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: full of excessive talk : wordy
2
: given to fluent or excessive talk : garrulous

EXAMPLES

The children were loquacious on the car ride back from the zoo, chattering endlessly about all the animals they saw.

"As the week sped by, we decided to take a break from our paradise for a jungle trip with the delightful, loquacious ‘Uncle Yip’, the resident nature expert. He started with a lecture and a detailed analysis of the flowers in the foyer." — From an article by Imogen Stubbs in Harper's, February 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

When you hear or say "loquacious," you might notice that the word has a certain poetic ring. In fact, poets quickly snatched up "loquacious" soon after its debut in 1656 and, with poetic license, stretched its meaning to include such things as the chattering of birds and the babbling of brooks. In less poetic uses, "loquacious" usually means "excessively talkative." The ultimate source of all this chattiness is "loqui," a Latin verb meaning "to speak." Other words descended from "loqui" include "colloquial," "eloquent," "soliloquy," and "ventriloquism."


OH NO, I IS ONE! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/doh.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/paperbag.gif" alt="" />

Maybe I should take a vow of silence. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />















NAH! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Randy, no need to join the Order of the Quiet............We like your loquacious
vernacular and discussions <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

Uh OK, I think. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif" alt="" /> I not good with big words. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

April 08, 2012
Word of the Day

HYPHENATE
audio pronunciation
\HYE-fuh-nayt\

DEFINITION

noun
: a person who performs more than one function (as a producer-director in filmmaking)

EXAMPLES

Ever ambitious, Laura has proven herself to be an accomplished musical hyphenate — composing, performing, and recording all her own musical compositions.

"So who is [actor Justin Theroux]? It’s not surprising that the Hollywood hyphenate, who recently co-scripted this summer's movie version of the Broadway musical Rock of Ages, became a writer. His mother is a journalist and author; his uncle is acclaimed travel writer Paul Theroux." — From an article by David A. Keeps in New York Magazine, February 12, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

In the early 20th century, the noun "hyphenate" referred to a resident or citizen of the U.S. whose recent foreign national origin caused others to question his or her patriotic loyalties — with or without there being just cause for that questioning. These hyphenates — the Irish-Americans, German-Americans, and others — were objects of suspicion. The hyphenates we're highlighting today are more often objects of admiration. Since around 1974, we've been referring to people with hyphens in their titles — producer-directors, for example, as "hyphenates."

Well there wasn't a word for today listed. So in honor of Dans Monday announcement I picked this.

JUBILATION
noun
Definition of JUBILATION
1
: an act of rejoicing : the state of being jubilant
2
: an expression of great joy
See jubilation defined for English-language learners »
See jubilation defined for kids »
Examples of JUBILATION

the jubilation of the crowd

First Known Use of JUBILATION
14th century

April 12, 2012
Word of the Day

TRAGUS
audio pronunciation
\TRAY-gus\

DEFINITION

noun
: the prominence in front of the external opening of the outer ear

EXAMPLES

"The tragus, she explains, is the tough fold of cartilage that sticks out from the ear at the entrance to the ear canal." — From an article in the Irish Independent, December 5, 2011

"Siobhan … got her nose pierced as soon as she got to the State University of New York campus in Buffalo last September, and on Halloween pierced her tragus, the cartilage at the front of her ear." — From an article by Nancy Hass in The New York Times, November 6, 2005

DID YOU KNOW?

The tragus is the tongue-like projection of the outer ear. Its name comes from the Greek word "tragos," meaning "he-goat." According to hearsay, the Greek word was influenced by Peloponnesian tragedy. In this style of drama, satyrs were represented as goatlike creatures, and their prominent ears became associated with a feature of our own human ears. "Tragos" contributed to the English language in another way as well; it is also the word from which "tragedy" is derived.

April 13, 2012
Word of the Day

QUERULOUS
audio pronunciation
\KWAIR-yuh-lus\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
: habitually complaining
2
: fretful, whining

EXAMPLES

“Are we there yet?” asked a querulous voice from the back seat of the car.

"In his personal affairs [Joseph] Roth is querulous here to the point of annoyance. He complains about everything: his health, his squabbles with editors, the shabby hotels where he lived, the bad translations of his work, his problems with women and, most of all, his unending financial woes, some of them self-inflicted by the penchant for drink that contributed to his early death." — From a book review by Larry Rohter in the New York Times, March 4, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

English speakers have tagged fearful whiners "querulous" since late medieval times. The Middle English form of the word, "querelose," was an adaptation of the Latin adjective, "querulus," which in turn evolved from the Latin verb "queri," meaning "to complain." "Queri" is also an ancestor of the English words "quarrel" and "quarrelsome," but it isn't an ancestor of the noun "query" (meaning "question"). No need to complain that we're being coy; we're happy to let you know that "query" descends from the Latin verb "quaerere," meaning "to ask."

April 14, 2012
Word of the Day

DERRING-DO
audio pronunciation
\dair-ing-DOO\

DEFINITION

noun
: daring action : daring

EXAMPLES

In a spectacular feat of derring-do, the stuntman leaped from the overpass and landed on top of the train as it passed below.

"It's a bit of a letdown when, near its end, the book reverts to more conventional Bond-style derring-do, as our hero struggles to recapture the warheads and save Isabella from the villains…." — From a book review by Patrick Anderson in The Washington Post, January 16, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Derring-do" is a quirky holdover from Middle English that came to occupy its present place in the language by a series of mistakes and misunderstandings. In Middle English, "dorring don" meant simply "daring to do." For example, Geoffrey Chaucer used "dorring don" around 1374 when he described a knight "daring to do" brave deeds. The phrase was misprinted as "derrynge do" in a 16th-century edition of a 15th-century work by poet John Lydgate, and Edmund Spenser took it up from there, assuming it was meant as a substantive or noun phrase. (A glossary to Spenser's work defined it as "manhood and chevalrie.") Sir Walter Scott and others in the 19th century got the phrase from Spenser and brought it into modern use.

April 15, 2012
Word of the Day

FOUR-FLUSH
audio pronunciation
\FOR-FLUSH\

DEFINITION

verb
: to bluff in poker holding a four flush; broadly : to make a false claim : bluff

EXAMPLES

We found an old newspaper article in which a candidate promised he would never "four-flush" or mislead voters.

"Royal is a not quite legal lawyer, four-flushing his way around New York, long separated from his wife and three children…." — From a review by Stanley Kauffman in The New Republic, December 31, 2001

DID YOU KNOW?

The term "four-flush" comes to us from stud poker. In that game, a player is dealt one card face down and four cards face up, with betting taking place each time a face-up card is dealt. A four-card flush — that is, all four cards of the same suit — is worthless in poker; it takes five cards to make a flush. A player who has four cards of the same suit showing is in a good position to bluff. Pretending to hold a flush with four cards showing — ''four-flushing'' — came to be a skill among gamblers, one so common that the term spread to everyday use to describe the actions of one who makes false or dishonest claims.

April 18, 2012
Word of the Day

BEDIZEN
audio pronunciation
\bih-DYE-zun\

DEFINITION

verb
: to dress or adorn gaudily

EXAMPLES

The children entertained themselves for hours with the contents of the old trunk, donning fancy dresses and bedizening themselves with jewelry and scarves.

"Critics love to bedizen her photographs in fancy theories, but [photographer Cindy] Sherman seldom overthinks. The most impressive aspect of her work may be how economically she orchestrates her three-ring circus of effects." — From a review by Richard B. Woodward in the Wall Street Journal, March 7, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Bedizen" doesn’t have the flashy history you might expect — its roots lie in the rather quiet art of spinning thread. In times past, the spinning process began with the placement of fibers (such as flax) on an implement called a "distaff"; the fibers were then drawn out from the distaff and twisted into thread. "Bedizen" descends from the older, now obsolete, verb "disen," which meant "to dress a distaff with flax" and which came to English by way of Middle Dutch. The spelling of "disen" eventually became "dizen," and its meaning expanded to cover the "dressing up" of things other than distaffs. In the mid-17th century, English speakers began using "bedizen" with the same meaning. The figurative use in our second quotation is also well-established. Such uses date to the late 18th century.

April 19, 2012
Word of the Day

THRESHOLD
audio pronunciation
\THRESH-hohld\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: the section of wood or stone that lies under a door
2
a : the means or place of entry : entrance b : the place or point of beginning
3
: the point or level at which a physical or mental effect begins to be produced

EXAMPLES

She fell in love with the old house from the moment she first stepped across the threshold.

"The protracted delegate fight has raised the possibility that none of the three contenders will reach the threshold needed to secure the nomination before the Republican National Convention in Tampa, Fla., in August." — From an article by Michael Finnegan and John Hoeffel in the Chicago Tribune, March 14, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

The earliest known use of "threshold" in the English language is from Alfred the Great's Old English translation of the Roman philosopher Boethius's De consolatione philosophiae. In this translation, which was written around 888, "threshold" appears as "þeorscwold" (that first letter is called a thorn and it was used in Old English and Middle English to indicate the sounds produced by "th" in "thin" and "this"). The origins of this Old English word are not known, though it is believed to be related to Old English "threscan," from which we get the words "thresh," meaning "to separate seed from (a harvested plant) using a machine or tool" and "thrash," meaning, among other things "to beat soundly with or as if with a stick or whip."

I think the American population is rapidly approaching it's threshold of intolerance for the governments apparent concern for the people it is supposed to serve.

I like and agree with your example sentence Randy! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

April 20, 2012
Word of the Day

GREGARIOUS
audio pronunciation
\grih-GAIR-ee-us\

DEFINITION

adjective
1
a : tending to associate with others of one's kind : social b : marked by or indicating a liking for companionship: sociable c : of or relating to a social group
2
a : growing in a cluster or a colony b : living in contiguous nests but not forming a true colony — used especially of wasps and bees

EXAMPLES

My travel companion is a gregarious soul who makes friends easily, so we never want for company at dinner time.

"Mr. Dean, who is also an ordained minister and a voluntary Chaplain for New York City Transit, is known for his gregarious, welcoming attitude on the job."— From an article by David Sims in The Chief-Leader, March 19, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

When you're one of the herd, it's tough to avoid being social. The etymology of "gregarious" reflects the social nature of the flock; in fact, the word grew out of the Latin noun "grex," meaning "herd" or "flock." When it first began appearing in English texts in the 17th century, "gregarious" was applied mainly to animals, but by the 18th century it was being used for social human beings as well. By the way, "grex" gave English a whole flock of other words too, including "egregious," "aggregate," "congregate," and "segregate."

At Blade, just about everyone is very gregarious! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thumbup.gif" alt="" />

April 21, 2012
Word of the Day

MALEDICTION
audio pronunciation
\mal-uh-DIK-shun\

DEFINITION

noun
: curse, execration

EXAMPLES

The two old women began casting aspersions and heaping maledictions upon one another.

"Culture may have been the principal instrument of our transfiguration, and we could now only curse the few beneficiaries of the founder of civil society with Caliban's malediction addressed to Prospero in The Tempest: 'The red plague ride you / For learning me your language!'" — From Robert Wokler's 2012 book Rousseau, the Age of Enlightenment, and Their Legacies

DID YOU KNOW?

"Malediction," which at one time could also refer to slander or to the condition of being reviled or slandered, derives (via Middle English and Late Latin) from the Latin verb "maledicere," meaning "to speak evil of" or "to curse." "Maledicere," in turn, was formed by combining the Latin words "male," meaning "badly," and "dicere," "to speak" or "to say." You may recognize both of those component parts, as each has made a significant contribution to the English language. "Male" is the ancestor of such words as "malady," "malevolent," and "malign"; "dicere" gives us "contradict," "dictate," "diction," "edict" and "prediction," just to name a few.

I THINK that perhaps this country is suffering a malediction from those who live in a town that uses initials for it's name.

April 22, 2012
Word of the Day

VINDICATE
audio pronunciation
\VIN-duh-kayt\

DEFINITION

verb
1
a : avenge 2 a: to free from allegation or blame b : confirm, substantiate c : to provide justification or defense for : justify d : to protect from attack or encroachment : defend
2
: to maintain a right to

EXAMPLES

Recent discoveries appear to vindicate the scientist's once controversial theory.

"A mixture of overreaction, overconfidence and herding causes investors to see growth where none exists and so pay too much for it. This implies that a low yield is a sign not of future capital appreciation and growth, but rather that the share is overvalued. History seems to vindicate this prediction." — From an article in Investors Chronicle, March 5, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

It's not surprising that the two earliest senses of "vindicate," which has been used in English since at least the mid-16th century, are "to set free" (a sense that is now obsolete) and "to avenge." "Vindicate" derives from Latin "vindicatus," the past participle of the verb "vindicare," meaning "to set free, avenge, or lay claim to." "Vindicare," in turn, derives from "vindex," a noun meaning "claimant" or "avenger." Other descendants of "vindicare" in English include such vengeful words as "avenge" itself, "revenge," "vengeance," "vendetta," and "vindictive." Closer cousins of "vindicate" are "vindicable" ("capable of being vindicated") and the archaic word "vindicative" ("punitive").

April 25, 2012
Word of the Day

CAHOOT
audio pronunciation
\kuh-HOOT\

DEFINITION

noun
: partnership, league — usually used in plural

EXAMPLES

Police suspect that the burglar was in cahoots with the bartender.

"In a huge anti-mafia bust, 16 judges have been arrested near Naples, Italy, according to the BBC, for allegedly being in cahoots with Italy's notorious Camorra crime syndicate." — From a news article in The Huffington Post, March 19, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

"Cahoot" is used almost exclusively in the phrase "in cahoots," which means "in an alliance or partnership." In most contexts, it describes the conspiring activity of people up to no good. (There's also the rare idiom "go cahoots," meaning "to enter into a partnership," as in "they went cahoots on a new restaurant.") "Cahoot" may derive from French "cahute," meaning "cabin" or "hut," suggesting the notion of two or more people hidden away working together in secret. "Cahute" is believed to have been formed through the combination of two other words for cabins and huts, "cabane" and "hutte."

It is a shame that so many politicians are in cahoots in fleecing the American public!

I think so too Tom. Thanks for vindicating my long-held conspiracy theory <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

We're certainly not alone Brother! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

DT, it's not a conspiracy theory when it's A FACT!

April 26, 2012
Word of the Day

UNABASHED
audio pronunciation
\un-uh-BASHT\

DEFINITION

adjective
: not disconcerted : undisguised, unapologetic

EXAMPLES

"I am an unabashed fan of the Scripps National Spelling Bee," admitted Carly.

"He long has been an unabashed advocate of increasing the gas tax to help pay for transportation projects…." — From an article by Matt Cella in The Washington Times, April 9, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

When you are "unabashed," you make no apologies for your behavior, but when you are "abashed," your confidence has been shaken and you may feel rather inferior or ashamed of yourself. English speakers have been using "abashed" to describe feelings of embarrassment since the 14th century, but they have only used "unabashed" (brazenly or otherwise) since the late 1500s. Both words can be traced back to the Anglo-French word "abair," meaning "to astonish."

hum.... It seems as if those "back East" are totally UNABASHED for their fleecing of the American Public!

April 27, 2012
Word of the Day

PATAGIUM
audio pronunciation
\puh-TAY-jee-um\

DEFINITION

noun
1
: the fold of skin connecting the forelimbs and hind limbs of some tetrapods (as flying squirrels)
2
: the fold of skin in front of the main segments of a bird's wing

EXAMPLES

The flying squirrel uses its two patagia to glide from tree to tree.

"One of the key identification marks is the dark leading edge of the wing, called the patagium. These marks on the under wing are only found on the red-tailed hawk." — From an article by Bill Fenimore, The Salt Lake Tribune, February 6, 2012

DID YOU KNOW?

In Latin, "patagium" referred to a gold edging or border on a woman's tunic, but in English its uses have been primarily scientific. It entered the English language in the early 19th century and was used by entomologists to refer to a process on the back of the foremost segment of an insect. Zoologists borrowed it as a word for the fold of skin of "flying" mammals and reptiles. Then ornithologists took the word to higher heights by the century's end, applying it to the forward part of the wings of birds.

flying aquirrels are soooooo awesome.

I know that after a long day of crime fighting, my patagia hurt like the dickens! A little ice and some relaxation, and I'm good for the next round though <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />