كلمة اليوم Word of the Day

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Epigram (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['e-pê-græm]
Definition 1: A short poem or poetic line ending on a witty thought.
Usage 1: Today's word is not to be confused with "epigraph," an inscription on or in an artwork, tomb or edifice. "Epithet" is another similar word to look out for. An epithet is an adjective or other modifier used to characterize someone. "Alexander the Great" is a classic example but any short characterization of anyone may be taken for an epithet. Finally, an "epitaph" is a comment commemorating a death, usually written on a tomb or tombstone.
Suggested usage: We suggest you use epigrams the way the masters used them. Samuel Taylor Coleridge once wrote: "Swans sing before they die —'twere no bad thing/should certain people die before they sing!" Alexander Pope wrote this on a dog collar he sent the king in 1738: "I am his Highness' dog at Kew;/Pray tell me, sir, whose dog are you?" Dorothy Parker penned this Spooneristic epigram: "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy." Finally, one from the master of masters, Oscar Wilde: "Wickedness is a myth invented by good people to account for the curious attractiveness of others."
Etymology: From Old French "epigramme," from Latin "epigramma" based on Greek epigraphein "to write on, inscribe" comprising epi- "on" + graphein "to write." The source of Greek "graph-" is PIE *gerbh- "scratch" which turns up in Old English ceorfan "to cut" which devolved into modern "carve." Kerf "width of a cut" comes from a relative, Old English cyrf "a cutting." Old Germanic krabbiz "crab"—another scratcher—was borrowed by Old French as "crevis" (Modern French "crevisse"). Middle English then borrowed the Middle French term back but by folk etymology soon converted it into "crayfish," since "fish" is a familiar English word and "-vis" is not. That left the initial "cre" unrelated to any English word. Well, folks in Louisiana noticed that this fish distinguishes itself by crawling, so they applied folk etymology again to produce "craw(l)fish"—a long crawl from "epigram," but a lexical relative all the same.

[soubiri]

Eruct (Verb)

Pronunciation: [ê-'rêkt]
Definition 1: To noisily release gases from the stomach via the mouth.
Usage 1: The act of eructing is "eruction" and the pitiful creature committing the act is an "eructator." The words are rarely used for obvious reasons. One could conceivably speak eructively, meaning belching out words; however, dictionaries do not list "eructive" yet.
Suggested usage: Today we have a literary form more dissonant than the common term, "belch." However, since the activity itself is dissonant, "eruct" is a bit more onomatopoetic: "Because he does it so often, I find it difficult to believe that Milo eructs involuntarily." It is difficult to use this word away from its literal meaning, "He was visited by a plague of eruction in punishment for eating so many burritos." It is possible, though, if you aren't averse to a laugh: "Our current problem represents but a small eruction at the feast of life. Tomorrow we will have forgotten it."
Etymology: Latin eruct-are from ex- "out" + ructare "to belch, emit," origin of Italian "eruttare" and Spanish "eructar" and frequentative form of Latin "erugare." Akin to Old English rocettan "to belch" and Greek "ereugesthai." The PIE root *reug-, from which the original Latin rugo derived, also gave English "reek" and German rauchen "smoke."

[soubiri]

Metastasis (Noun)
Pronunciation: [me-'tæ-stê-sis]

Definition 1: A change in nature or location. In medicine it generally indicates migration to another location, especially in reference to cancer. In rhetoric, it refers to a sudden transition from one point to another. Elsewhere it is used in the sense of "metamorphosis," a change in character or nature.
Usage 1: Do not confuse today's word with "metathesis" [mê-'tæ-thê-sis], two linguistic sounds trading places, as in the pronunciation of "ask" as "aks" or "prescription" as "perscription." Metathesis is a common linguistic process mentioned occasionally in our Words of the Day. The adjective for today's word is "metastatic" [me-tê-'stæt-ik] or "metastatical." The adverb is "metastatically" and the verb, "metastasize" [me-'tæ-stê-sIz].
Suggested usage: Let us hope that we will never have any use for today's word in the medical sense. This type of metastasis usually refers to the dispersal of late stage cancer cells to several previously unaffected parts of the body, where they are more difficult to treat. In more common usage it refers to a noticeable if not radical metamorphosis: "Have you noticed the metastasis in Buster's attitude since his wife got the leather outfit and the whip? It's almost a pleasure to talk to him now."
Etymology: From Greek meta "between" + stasis "state, condition." "Meta" is akin to "mid(dle)," "medieval," and "meridian." Russian mezhdu "between, among" comes from the same source along with Greek mesos "middle" and Latin medius "middle," found in the name of the Middle of the Earth Sea, known by its Latin name, the Mediterranean. Sanskrit mAdhya and its descendents, Hindi madya , Bengali mAjh, Persian mijân, Pashto mandz—all meaning "middle"—are related, too. "Stasis" is based on the Indo-European stem for "stand," found in "stand," "stool," "stall," "stop," and many others. Both Latin stabilis "stable" and stabulum "abode, stable" are based on the same root. Russian stol "table," German stehen and Russian stat' "stand" are also members of this extensive extended family.

[soubiri]

Quasquicentennial (Adjective)

Pronunciation: [kwah-skwê-sin-'te-ni-yêl]

Definition 1: Pertaining to 125 or 125th; the celebration of 125 years.
Usage 1: Other members of this family include: semicentennial "50th," centennial "100," sesquicentennial (not sasquatch's birthday but) "150th," bicentennial "200th," tercentennial "300th," quadricentennial "400th," quincentennial "500th."
Suggested usage: Because this word is an oddity among oddities [see Etymology], we would not recommend parents saying anything like, "Arnie, this is the quasquicentennial time I've requested that you clean up your room," even if it is literally true. "Today we sold our quasquicentennial car of the year!" probably would not impress your customers or sales staff unless they subscribe to our Word of the Day.
Etymology: Apparently, introduced for the city of Delavan, Illinois' rather odd 125th anniversary of its founding celebrated around 1962. Today's word is queerly contrived from qua(dran)s "quarter" + que "and" + cent "hundred" + ann- "year" + the suffix -ial. Rather than simply nicking the Latin word in the usual way, which would be "+centenary" from Latin +centenarius "+hundredth," Latin cent-um (100) has been attached to English -ennial, retrieved from "biennial," then prefixed with often questionable prefixes like "quasqui-."

[soubiri]

Polyglot (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['pah-li-glaht]

Definition 1: A person who speaks two or more languages.
Usage 1: Nothing irritates a linguist more than being asked, "And how many languages do you speak?" after admitting that he or she is a linguist. Remember, a linguist is someone who studies language scientifically—possibly speaking only one language; a polyglot is a person who speaks more than one language. Today's word may also be used adjectivally, as a polyglot nation or a polyglot edition of the Bible. The noun referring to the talent is "polyglottism."
Suggested usage: First and foremost this word refers so someone who is multilingual: "Herschel Swartz is a polyglot who can talk his way out of paying his bills in seven different European languages." It can, however, refer to people in a broader, more indirect sense, "The restaurant had such a polyglot kitchen it was a wonder the dishes that came out of it were edible."
Etymology: Today's word is another borrowed from Greek via Latin and French (polyglotte). The original Greek was "polyglottos," made up of poly "many" + glotta "tongue, language" plus a suffix, and hence literally meant "many-tongued" in both senses of the _expression. Greek was another of those languages whose word for language originally meant "tongue," like French "langue," Spanish "lengua," and Russian "jazyk." Even we speak of the mother tongue. Greek also used "glossa" to refer to tongues and languages, so our words "gloss" and "glossary" derive from a variant of the same word.

[soubiri]

Eruct (Verb)
Pronunciation: [ê-'rêkt]

Definition 1: To noisily release gases from the stomach via the mouth.

Usage 1: The act of eructing is "eruction" and the pitiful creature committing the act is an "eructator." The words are rarely used for obvious reasons. One could conceivably speak eructively, meaning belching out words; however, dictionaries do not list "eructive" yet.
Suggested usage: Today we have a literary form more dissonant than the common term, "belch." However, since the activity itself is dissonant, "eruct" is a bit more onomatopoetic: "Because he does it so often, I find it difficult to believe that Milo eructs involuntarily." It is difficult to use this word away from its literal meaning, "He was visited by a plague of eruction in punishment for eating so many burritos." It is possible, though, if you aren't averse to a laugh: "Our current problem represents but a small eruction at the feast of life. Tomorrow we will have forgotten it."

Etymology: Latin eruct-are from ex- "out" + ructare "to belch, emit," origin of Italian "eruttare" and Spanish "eructar" and frequentative form of Latin "erugare." Akin to Old English rocettan "to belch" and Greek "ereugesthai." The PIE root *reug-, from which the original Latin rugo derived, also gave English "reek" and German rauchen "smoke."

[soubiri]

Metastasis (Noun)

Pronunciation: [me-'tæ-stê-sis]

Definition 1: A change in nature or location. In medicine it generally indicates migration to another location, especially in reference to cancer. In rhetoric, it refers to a sudden transition from one point to another. Elsewhere it is used in the sense of "metamorphosis," a change in character or nature.
Usage 1: Do not confuse today's word with "metathesis" [mê-'tæ-thê-sis], two linguistic sounds trading places, as in the pronunciation of "ask" as "aks" or "prescription" as "perscription." Metathesis is a common linguistic process mentioned occasionally in our Words of the Day. The adjective for today's word is "metastatic" [me-tê-'stæt-ik] or "metastatical." The adverb is "metastatically" and the verb, "metastasize" [me-'tæ-stê-sIz].
Suggested usage: Let us hope that we will never have any use for today's word in the medical sense. This type of metastasis usually refers to the dispersal of late stage cancer cells to several previously unaffected parts of the body, where they are more difficult to treat. In more common usage it refers to a noticeable if not radical metamorphosis: "Have you noticed the metastasis in Buster's attitude since his wife got the leather outfit and the whip? It's almost a pleasure to talk to him now."
Etymology: From Greek meta "between" + stasis "state, condition." "Meta" is akin to "mid(dle)," "medieval," and "meridian." Russian mezhdu "between, among" comes from the same source along with Greek mesos "middle" and Latin medius "middle," found in the name of the Middle of the Earth Sea, known by its Latin name, the Mediterranean. Sanskrit mAdhya and its descendents, Hindi madya , Bengali mAjh, Persian mijân, Pashto mandz—all meaning "middle"—are related, too. "Stasis" is based on the Indo-European stem for "stand," found in "stand," "stool," "stall," "stop," and many others. Both Latin stabilis "stable" and stabulum "abode, stable" are based on the same root. Russian stol "table," German stehen and Russian stat' "stand" are also members of this extensive extended family.

[soubiri]

Quasquicentennial (Adjective)

Pronunciation: [kwah-skwê-sin-'te-ni-yêl]
Definition 1: Pertaining to 125 or 125th; the celebration of 125 years.
Usage 1: Other members of this family include: semicentennial "50th," centennial "100," sesquicentennial (not sasquatch's birthday but) "150th," bicentennial "200th," tercentennial "300th," quadricentennial "400th," quincentennial "500th."

Suggested usage: Because this word is an oddity among oddities [see Etymology], we would not recommend parents saying anything like, "Arnie, this is the quasquicentennial time I've requested that you clean up your room," even if it is literally true. "Today we sold our quasquicentennial car of the year!" probably would not impress your customers or sales staff unless they subscribe to our Word of the Day.

Etymology: Apparently, introduced for the city of Delavan, Illinois' rather odd 125th anniversary of its founding celebrated around 1962. Today's word is queerly contrived from qua(dran)s "quarter" + que "and" + cent "hundred" + ann- "year" + the suffix -ial. Rather than simply nicking the Latin word in the usual way, which would be "+centenary" from Latin +centenarius "+hundredth," Latin cent-um (100) has been attached to English -ennial, retrieved from "biennial," then prefixed with often questionable prefixes like "quasqui-."

[soubiri]

Polyglot (Noun)

Pronunciation: ['pah-li-glaht]

Definition 1: A person who speaks two or more languages.
Usage 1: Nothing irritates a linguist more than being asked, "And how many languages do you speak?" after admitting that he or she is a linguist. Remember, a linguist is someone who studies language scientifically—possibly speaking only one language; a polyglot is a person who speaks more than one language. Today's word may also be used adjectivally, as a polyglot nation or a polyglot edition of the Bible. The noun referring to the talent is "polyglottism."
Suggested usage: First and foremost this word refers so someone who is multilingual: "Herschel Swartz is a polyglot who can talk his way out of paying his bills in seven different European languages." It can, however, refer to people in a broader, more indirect sense, "The restaurant had such a polyglot kitchen it was a wonder the dishes that came out of it were edible."
Etymology: Today's word is another borrowed from Greek via Latin and French (polyglotte). The original Greek was "polyglottos," made up of poly "many" + glotta "tongue, language" plus a suffix, and hence literally meant "many-tongued" in both senses of the _expression. Greek was another of those languages whose word for language originally meant "tongue," like French "langue," Spanish "lengua," and Russian "jazyk." Even we speak of the mother tongue. Greek also used "glossa" to refer to tongues and languages, so our words "gloss" and "glossary" derive from a variant of the same word.

[soubiri]

Hash (Verb)
Pronunciation: [hæsh]

Definition 1: To chop meat or other victuals into small pieces for cooking; to make a mess of things; to talk over thoroughly, as to hash out the details of a project.
Usage 1: Today's verb alone refers to irregularly chopped meat but may be used to refer to other foods so prepared, as "hash(ed) potatoes." The noun, "hash" by itself will be taken to refer to chopped meat. The original spam is a canned hash. Perhaps because the two words are related, the hatch marks on the sleeves of soldiers indicating rank of years of service are commonly referred to as "hash marks” (see Etymology).
Suggested usage: Before dinner you may have to hash out who is going to hash the meat and potatoes. This could be a critical discussion since the wrong person could make hash of the hash. Then you would have to settle his or her hash (make a mess of them).
Etymology: Today's is another word woven back and forth between us Germanics and the French. It comes from Old French hacher "to chop, mince," itself borrowed from Middle German hacken "to hack." After French had smoothed it out a bit, the English reborrowed it as hatch "cutting or inlaying lines," as the hatch marks on a football field or the sleeves of a military uniform. Later it was borrowed again as today's word. Though we now use a meat cleaver to chop hash, the original tool was a hatchet, another word from the French stem. The original root also went on to become "haggis," referring to that wonderful Scottish dish made from hashed sheep by-products (heart, lungs, liver, and suet) cooked in the stomach of often the self same sheep.

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Tenter (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['tent-êr]

Definition 1: No, not someone who lives in a tent, but an open frame with evenly spaced protruding hooks or nails for stretching cloth to dry without shrinking. The edges of the material are fastened to the nails all around the frame after the frame is adjusted to be slightly larger than the piece of cloth.
Usage 1: Non-shrink fabrics made tenters pretty much obsolete years ago but the word persists in the compound "tenterhooks," itself rarely used outside the phrase "to be on tenterhooks" (as opposed to tender hooks, which hold nothing). You may use this noun as a verb: to tenter material is to stretch it out on a frame.

Suggested usage: For those of us who have seen curtains stretched on a tenter, the metaphor could not be more obvious: "If we don't finish this job today, the boss will have us on tenters." To be on tenterhooks, however, implies that you are in a state of heightened anticipation, as to be on tenterhooks to find out a final exam grade. Another way of expressing pretty much the same thing is to say you are on pins and needles. This phrase is probably in the process of replacing "on tenterhooks," as the concept of the tenter fades among ever younger generations.

Etymology: Today's word comes Latin tentorium "shelter made of stretched skins," from tendere "to stretch," also the origin of "tent." The original Proto-Indo-European root was *ten- "to stretch" and it came to English through its proto-Germanic ancestors as "thin," the state animal products reach when stretched. The Latin word, "tendere," also gave us "tender," "extend," and other words originally implying a stretch. "Tetanus" comes from the Greek variant in tetanus "stiff, rigid," another state arrived at by stretching. The same root turns up twice in Sanskrit, both as tasaram "shuttle" and tantram "loom," where shuttles are used. In Persian the [n] was lost to produce tar "string," which underlies Hindi "sitar."

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Senescent (Adjective)
Pronunciation: [sê-'nes-ênt]

Definition 1: A more eloquent and delicate way of saying "old" or "aging."
Usage 1: "Senior citizen" is the sort of term we come up with when we leave it to journalists and correspondents to enrich our vocabulary. Today's word expresses the same sentiment much more elegantly. It is the adjective from the verb "to senesce" which has a noun, "senescence." The adjective may be used to refer to senescent people, too. I had rather be a senescent than a senior citizen—I don't even know what that _expression is supposed to refer to. A synonym of "senescence" is "senectitude."

Suggested usage: J. D. Salinger, writing in 1965 in the New Yorker, distinguished senescence from maturation: "Few of these magnificent, healthy, sometimes remarkably handsome boys will mature. The majority, I give you my heartbreaking opinion, will merely senesce." Most of us would prefer to forget about aging, which works out fine, since forgetfulness is an art that comes with senescence.
Etymology: Today's word was borrowed from Latin "sensecens, senescent-," the present participle of senescere "to grow old," the inchoative form of senere "to be old." All these forms go back to senex "old, old man," whose root, "sen-," can be seen in "senior," "senile," and "senate." (I'll bet you had already guessed the last two were related.) Spanish "señor" and Italian "signore" come from the comparative of the same word, senior "older."

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Petrichor (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['pe-trê-ko(r) or -tri-]

Definition 1: A pleasant distinctive smell of rain falling on dry ground. The original reference is to an odor produced in certain regions by yellowish, oily globules, rather like perfume, absorbed into the ground from the air.
Usage 1: Here is a new conceptual opportunity for lexiphiliacs. Although introduced by geologists in 1964 (Nature 993/2) to refer to a specific aroma, we have all experienced the pleasure of the smell of rain on a dry earth. Now, thanks to the sharp ear (or eye) of Word-of-the-Day subscriber Gregory Rutter, we can all express it.
Suggested usage: This word certainly fits anywhere aromas are discussed, "I love this chardonnay for the petrichor underlying its complex bouquet." But once we are comfortable with it, we can unleash our metaphoric creativity, "Her entrance into his life was a refreshing petrichor ending a long, stale season of relationships."
Etymology: Greek petros "stone" or petra "rock" + ichor, the mythical rarified fluid that flowed in the veins of the gods. ("Ichor" now refers literally to any watery, perhaps blood-tinged discharge.) Petros also underlies the name "Peter," so Rock Hudson's first name was simply a translation of the Greek "Peter." Petro- has taken a sharp semantic turn of late, resulting from the clipping of "petroleum" (from petro "rock" + oleum "oil"). Neologisms like "petrodollars" and "petropower" refer to the money and power of oil, not of rocks.

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Evanescent (Adjective)
Pronunciation: [e-vê-'ne-sênt]

Definition 1: Tending to vanish like vapor, transient.
Usage 1: The noun is "evanescence" and the verb is evanesce "to vanish quickly into thin air."

Suggested usage: This is a beautiful word used far too rarely. Evanescent puffs of steam emerge from our mouths on chilly mornings and pleasant days evanesce all too quickly. There are a variety of sterling uses this word will serve: "Money leads such an evanescent existence in my pocket, I shall never be wealthy." Then again, maybe it is beautiful because of its rarity.

Etymology: Latin evanescens, present participle of evanescere "to vanish, disappear" from e(x) "from" + vanescere "vanish" from van-us "empty." Akin to "vanish."

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Incumbent (Adjective)
Pronunciation: [in-'kêm-bênt]

Definition 1: (1) Resting its weight on something else, leaning or resting on something, as a leaning post incumbent on a rock. (2) Dependent, up to, as it is incumbent on me to get Bertram to work in the morning. (3) Responsible for the duties of an office, as the incumbent mayor of the city.
Usage 1: Today's adjective will be used in the US a lot this year, an election year. However, it will be used mostly as a noun in reference to the incumbent politicians (or simply "incumbents") who are currently in office and will be running election campaigns against challengers. The noun for the quality of being incumbent, is "incumbency."
Suggested usage: Today's word can find room in almost every sentence uttered by the responsible parent, "It is incumbent upon you to keep your room neat and tidy and incumbent upon me to decide whether I buy tickets for the Madonna concert." (You couldn't call that blackmail, could you?) In fact, this word can find a use wherever responsibility is at stake, "It is incumbent upon the deacons to make all the major decisions concerning the church and mow the lawn on Saturday."
Etymology: Today's word comes from Latin incumbens, incumbent- "lying down on," the present participle of incumbere "to lean or lie upon" made up of in- "on" + cumbere "to lie," a relative of cubare "to lie, to lie sick." The semantic drift of this word is easy to follow. If something is leaning on an object, it is dependent on that object for its support. Even in English, "It lies on me to get Bertie to work" is another way of saying that I am responsible and responsibilities are often said to rest on someone.

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Casuistry (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['kæzh(ê)-wi-stree]

Definition 1: The resolution of questions of morality by comparing specific cases against general (religious) principles; specious reasoning; that is, reasoning that sounds logical but is false.
Usage 1: The original casuistry has been called 'quibbling with God,' an interpretation of the original that led to the second, pejorative sense of the word. Historically, the point of casuistic thinking too often has been to provide a rationalization, however specious, for a predetermined conclusion. In 'Letters on the Spirit of Patriotism, Henry Bolingbroke wrote in 1736: "Casuistry…destroys, by distinctions and exceptions, all morality, and effaces the essential difference between right and wrong." The adjective, as you can see, is "casuistic;" "casuistically" is the adverb. A person who resorts to casuistry is a casuist.
Suggested usage: You have, no doubt, at some time tried to debate a point logically with a person arguing a predetermined conclusion from which he will not be moved. He rationalizes semi-logically by drawing on an ever-changing array of ostensible but often false principles which he makes up to fit the issue. That is casuistry: "Leland, to argue that bigamy is good, on the one hand, because it allows more freedom of choice and, on the other, because it allows more women the security of a home with the good men in the world, is not only casuistry but baldly contradictory casuistry."
Etymology: From "casuist," casus + ist from Latin casus "case, event" the past participle ("that which has fallen") of cadere "to fall" (cf. German Fall "case, instance"). Residues of the Latin verb are found in the English borrowings "cadaver," "cadence," "cascade," "casual," "chance," and "decay."

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Avocado (Noun)
Pronunciation: [æ-vê-'kah-do]

Definition 1: Pear-shaped fruit with dark green, leathery skin, a large stony seed, and greenish-yellow edible pulp used in salads and in guacamole. Also the subtropical American tree on which this fruit grows.
Usage 1: The plural is "avocados," no [e]. Otherwise, we have another lexical orphan today with no consanguineous adjectives or verbs. The noun itself may be used adjectivally to refer to its own color, as an avocado green stain on your shirt.
Suggested usage: At first glance, it might seem that today's word does not lend itself easily to any usage other than the literal one. But the unusual color, creamy texture, and mild taste opens many doors for us, "Her freshly spiked hair and avocado lips made Frank wish he were literally a blind date." Remember, avocados have strikingly different textures inside and outside: "The truffle had a rich chocolate flavor and an avocado texture that melted on the tongue," but also, "After 25 years in the sun, her complexion approached that of an avocado with a color that was only a tad lighter."
Etymology: So what do an avocado and a Spanish lawyer have in common? Originally, the Aztecs called this fruit "ahucatl" in their language, Nahuatl, and believed it was an aphrodisiac. To the Spaniards, the Nahuatl word "ahucatl" sounded like their word, avocado "lawyer" (spelled "abogado" today). The first recorded English usage in 1697 was the compound "avogato pear." The Aztecs also made sauces, called "molli" in Nahuatl. That made their avocado sauce, of course, "ahuacamolli," shortened by the Spaniards to "guacamole" [hwah-kê-'mo-le], the popular chip dip today.

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Depose (Verb)

Pronunciation: [dee-'poz]
Definition 1: To remove from office or power.
Definition 2: To state or affirm in a legal affidavit (deposition).
Usage 2: "Depose" originally meant "to lay down" and the noun was deposit "that which is laid down." Even though it retains that meaning today in some sciences, the noun "deposit" has taken over that meaning of "depose" among the general populace. Currently the noun for "depose" is "deposition." Investigators depose witnesses by taking down their testimony in the legal form of a deposition. Such witnesses (or "deponents") depone what they know in a deposition.
Suggested usage: Of course, the current US administration would love to depose Saddam Hussein from his presidency of Iraq but chief UN arms inspector Hans Blix would settle for deposing him for his knowledge of Iraqi arms. Although "depose" and "depone" are used mostly in the legal system, occasions for their use arise around the house: "Biff vigorously deponed that it was his sister's friends who ate all the chicken, not his." Using today's word instead of "swore on a stack of Bibles" saves you five words while raising the level of conversation several notches.
Etymology: From Old French "deposer," an alteration of Latin deponere, "to put down." Hence today's word is also etymologically related to depone "testify (under oath)" with the [n] changed to [s], probably under the influence of French poser "put." (I adamantly depone that Deb Griffiths of Harrisburg.

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Murrain (Noun)
Pronunciation: [mê-'reyn]
Definition 1: A plague, a pestilence, especially affecting cattle, such as anthrax or foot-and-mouth disease; any horrendous event.
Usage 1: Today's noun is used also as an adjective meaning "enormous, monstrous" or "plague-like." As such it has an adverb "murrainly."
Suggested usage: Of course, everyone saves up for a rainy day but nothing could prepare us for a murrain day like September 11, 2001. If the trends in music between rock and roll and hip-hop dismay you, remember that H. L. Mencken was plagued by "the murrain of jazz." Today's is also a good word for the occasional mindless curse (if duly provoked, of course): "A murrain upon your head!" or, as Trinculo put it in Shakespeare's 'The Tempest' (III, ii, 50), "A murrain on your monster, and the devil take your fingers!"
Etymology: Borrowed from Old French morine, from Medieval Latin morina, a noun from Latin mori "to die," whose irregular past participle "mortus" underlies "mortal," "mortuary," and "mortgage." This verb may be related to mordere "to bite," underlying "morsel." It is certainly akin to morbus "diseased" from which we derive "morbid." The "mare" in "nightmare" originally referred to a female goblin who attacked people asleep at night. It, too, is related.

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Armistice (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['ah(r)-mê-stis]

Definition 1: A limited cease-fire or the document containing the terms of a limited cease-fire; a temporary truce put in place until a permanent agreement can be reached between two hostile parties.
Usage 1: We thought this day, the anniversary of D-Day, would be appropriate for today's word. "D-Day," by the way, is a term used for an undetermined day for a military operation. The invasion of Normandy had been planned for June 5, 1944 but weather delayed it until the 6th. It has nevertheless been adopted as the official name of the day the Allies began the final leg of their drive to free Europe from Nazi occupation.
Suggested usage: Several countries signed armistices with the Axis Powers before D-Day. France was forced to signed armistices with Germany and Italy in June of 1941 and Greece signed one in April of 1942. Armistice Day in the US, celebrating the end of World War I, is November 11, though many now call it Veterans' Day.
Etymology: Today's word comes from Late Latin armistitium "armistice" based on Latin arma "arms" + -stitium "stopping, standing." The original PIE word for arms apparently referred to something fitted together, for Latin arma originally meant "tool, instrument." Moreover, the same root turns up in Greek as harmos "shoulder" from which we get "harmony"—a word oddly at odds with the meaning of "arms" and "army." The original root *sta- went on to become, unsurprisingly, "stand" and "stop" in English. However, see if you can figure out why it also appears in "stallion" and "steed." (Today we owe a bow to Richard McConnell, who thought this word a fitting one on the anniversary of the 60th year since Allied Expeditionary Forces landed on the beaches of Normandy to turn the tide of World War II.)

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Tachycardia (Noun)

Pronunciation: [tæ-kê-'kahr-di-yê]
Definition 1: Rapid heartbeat
Usage 1: The term is medical and seldom used outside discussion of the physical condition of the heart.
Suggested usage: This is a medical term probably not suited for romantic encounters: "Marilyn, your eyes give me profound tachycardia" will probably not melt Mariyn's affections as much as "you make my heart beat faster" (unless Marilyn is a cardiologist). "I suggested they call their new coffee 'Tachycardia' or reduce its caffeine content."
Etymology: Greek tachy- "swift" + kardia "heart." Greek "kardia" is a perfect example of the unity of Indo-European languages. In German it is "Herz," in Russian "serd-ce," Hindi "hridaya," Kurdish "cerg," Khowar "hardi," and in Latin cordis "of the heart." The original PIE [k] sound changed to [h] in many languages and to [s] in Slavic. Metathesis, the switching of the positions of [r] and the vowel seen in Hindi, occurs in several languages. The origin of all these words is obviously the same, some root *krd- in the original or "mother" language, Proto-Indo-European.

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Logistics (Noun)
Pronunciation: [lê-'jis-tiks]

Definition 1: The management of materiel and personnel for any operation, such as a military operation or a convention.
Usage 1: This noun belongs to a class of nouns that are longer than their adjectives ("linguistics : linguistic," "semantics : semantic," "logistics : logistic"). If this makes you uneasy, you may use the longer synonym, "logistical." Most dictionaries now agree that this noun may be considered plural. This suggests to me that we should be able to speak of one logistic—but we can't. That final –s is clearly a singular noun formant just like the one on "linguistics," "semantics," and "physics," and not a plural marker. However, the word refers to a plurality of actions, so plural number does make semantic sense.
Suggested usage: Today's word is about planning and organization at any level, "If the logistics of getting the soccer team to practice was as easy as getting them to the ice cream parlor after a game, there would be more volunteer coaches." The term originally referred to military organization, however, "The logistics of transporting, housing, feeding, and supplying our military forces in Iraq is itself a formidable task."
Etymology: Today's word comes to us via French "logistique" from Medieval Latin logisticus "of calculation," itself borrowed from Greek logistikos "skilled in calculating" from logistes "calculator," the noun of logizesthai "to calculate." The ultimate root here is logos "reckoning, reason, talk," found in the words for many sciences: "biology," "sociology," geology, i.e. "earth reasoning."

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Sedulous (Adjective)

Pronunciation: ['se-jê-lês] (US) or British ['se-dyu-lês]
Definition 1: Diligent, assiduous, zealous; applying oneself unflaggingly to a task.
Usage 1: This is a qualitative adjective, which means it can compare, "more sedulous, most sedulous", form an adverb, "sedulously," and a noun, "sedulity" [sê-'ju-lê-tee] or [sê-'dyu-lê-tee].
Suggested usage: Today's is another general purpose word, "If you do your homework sedulously this week, I'll take you to see the Red Sox play this weekend" is a good way for Bostonians to encourage good study habits. Use it outside the home, too: "If Ferenc were as sedulous in his work as he is in his golf, he would have dodged this last round of lay-offs."
Etymology: Latin sedulus "zealous" from se(d) "without" + dolus "trickery." The PIE root *swe(dh)- also underlies "self" and Russian svoi "one's own" and swain "country boy" from "one's own man, servant." The o-grade, "so-" in Latin is found in sobrius "not drunk" from so + ebrius "drunk" (whence in-ebri-ate "to endrunken," so to speak). The PIE root that gave "dolus" gave English "tell," which originally meant "count," and Dutch taal "speech."

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Practicable (Adjective)
Pronunciation: ['præk-ti-kê-bêl]

Definition 1: Capable of being put into action, feasible; usable, capable of being used in all senses of the word.
Usage 1: Today's word is frequently confused with practical "involving actual practice or experience" as in "practical knowledge" or "practical experience." A "practicable plan" or a "practicable river crossing" is a plan and crossing that can be used. The noun is "practicability" and the adverb, "practicably."
Suggested usage: Today's adjective refers to the extent something may be put to use: "The mountain pass was not practicable for the faint of heart." Here is a sentence with both adjectives at work in it: "Renee's plan to repair the leak in the roof with bubble gum is not practical because bubble gum is not a practicable roof-patch material under our weather conditions."
Etymology: Medieval Latin practicabilis "usable" from practicare "to practice," a verb based on the noun practica "practice." This noun was borrowed from Greek praktike "practical science," the feminine of praktikos "fit for action" from the verb prassein,
prak- "to make, do."

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Skirmish (Noun)

Pronunciation: ['skêr-mish]
Definition 1: A minor combative encounter between small outfits of two larger opposing forces; a small initial fight to test the reactions of larger forces. Any small combative encounter, such as a verbal skirmish between two political candidates.
Usage 1: If greenish means "somewhat green" and longish means "somewhat long," skirmish should mean "somewhat skirm"—but it doesn't. The ending of today's word is of obscure origins and has been changed by folk etymology to a recognizable if inconsistent suffix. The plural is "skirmishes" and today's noun may also be used as an intransitive verb. "Scaramouch(e)," Harlequin's malicious counterpart in the Commedia dell'arte, the wandering medieval players of Western Europe, owes his name to the same source. Scaramouch is always a boastful schemer who mounts facetious skirmishes against those around him.
Suggested usage: Today's contributor (see Etymology) takes delight in the gasoline skirmishes around his neighborhood, "The opening of two new gasoline stations in proximity to two established stations has resulted in lower costs, but prices still around $1.36 per gallon reflect more of a gas skirmish than a gas war." Larry dreams of an all-out war that will bring prices down to $.75 again. Dream on, Larry. Perhaps the most famous skirmish was between David and Goliath; a very short battle that hardly amounted to a fight.
Etymology: Middle English "skirmisshe" from Old French "eskarmouch," from Italian scaramuccia "skirmish." Older Romance languages originally borrowed this word from Germanic, then we borrowed it back. To cut straight to the point, the original root was *sker- "cut," the great-grandfather of English "shear," "share," and "shard." A shirt is also something sheared from a larger piece of clothing so as to make it "short," originally a past participle meaning "cut." English also borrowed the Old Norse variant of this word, "skirt," assigning it the meaning of the part cut off in making a shirt. "Scar" is another Old Norse cut left in English by the Viking invasions of England. Scrimmage "practice session or contest" is a variant derived by the metathesis of the [r] with the vowel preceding it and a reanalysis of the ending to make it look like a French suffix.

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Logorrhea (Noun)
Pronunciation: [lah-gê-'ree-ê or lo-gê-'ree-ê]

Definition 1: Excessively wordy, incoherent speech.
Usage 1: "Logorrheic," the adjective, has a clinical use in psychiatry: bi-polar patients sometimes have logorrheic episodes. Look out for the double "r."
Suggested usage: This is another of our words about words that allows you to raise the register of your speech. "When David saw his daughter's new nose ring, he went from stammering to logorrhea in 2.6 seconds." "I could make nothing of his logorrheic ramblings."
Etymology: Late 19th century, from Greek logo-s "word, idea" and rhe-in "to flow, run." "Logos" is akin to the "lex-" (leg-s-) in "lexical" as well as the "leg-" in "legal" and "legislation," going back to a time when the law was the Word. Rhe-in derives from PIE sreu-, with the "s" mysteriously disappearing. This root also developed into Germanic "strom" ("maelstrom') and English "stream.

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Querulous (Adjective)

Pronunciation: ['kwe-rê-lês]

Definition 1: Complaining, peevish, irritable, out of sorts.
Usage 1: Remember that this word has 3 [u]s in it, including one after the [r]. Although it looks very much like "quarrel," it does not mean "quarrelsome." From about 1550 to 1650 we had a word "quarrellous" which was synonymous with "quarrelsome," but neither meant "querulous." Today's word simply means "peevish" and refers to a proclivity to complain but not necessarily to argue or quarrel. "Querulously" is the adverb and "querulousness," the noun.
Suggested usage: Today's word offers relief from the tired cliché about getting up on the wrong side of the bed, "Stay away from Henrietta today; she is in a very querulous mood." Remember, this word refers to whiny, peevish types, given to complaining, not quarrelling: "Wiggins is such a querulous soul that he even whines about himself!"
Etymology: Today's word comes from Old French "querelos," a direct descendant from Latin querulus "querulous," the adjective from queri "to complain." The root originated as something like *k'wes- "wheeze, pant" in Proto-Indo-European. The advanced [k'] became [s] in the Eastern PIE languages, so the word turns up in Russian svist "whistle." In the Germanic languages [k] and [k'] became [h] so in English it became "wheeze" via Old Norse hvæsa "to hiss." (The consonants [wh] are pronounced in the reverse order of their spelling in English.)

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Ranivorous (Adjective)

Pronunciation: [ræ-‘ni-vê-rês ]

Definition 1: Frog-eating.
Usage 1: Western Europeans have inherited their ranivorousness from the French, who discovered the delicacy of the flavor of the legs of the bull frog. The adverb would be "ranivorously" and the noun "ranivorousness" rather than "ranivorosity." An animal that eats frogs would be a "ranivore."
Suggested usage: Many biologists are worried about the world-wide disappearance of frogs. Many believe that frogs may be an early warning of a failure of our ecosystem that will mean more mosquitoes and other insects, and fewer ranivorous animals like minks, otters, and snakes (whose skins protect us from the mosquitoes). Our theory? Sasquatch (Bigfoot) is ranivorous and is breeding.
Etymology: From Latin rana "frog" derived from the PIE root *rek- "bellow" also found in rancare "to bellow" and Russian rech' "speech."

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Fungible (Adjective)

Pronunciation: ['fên-jê-bêl]
Definition 1: Interchangeable; in legal terms, something that can be substituted for a like measure or amount of the same thing, as one bushel of apples for another, in order to satisfy an obligation.
Usage 1: An object that is fungible can be called a "fungible," so the noun form is the same as the adjective. In chemical engineering, a fungible petroleum product is one that has similar characteristics to others, so they can be blended—an example of a useful word being taken from one discipline (law—see the etymology) and given a specific definition by another discipline.
Suggested usage: Today's word is most applicable when one is demanding restitution for a wrongdoing: "I don't consider an apology to be fungible for the damage you did to the birdbath and lawnmower—three months' worth of your allowance would be more like it!" "Fungible" can lend itself to debates about who finished what from the refrigerator, as well: "The vanilla and strawberry left unmolested in a carton of Neapolitan ice cream are not fungible for your eating every bit of the chocolate by yourself."
Etymology: Today's word carries the history of British legal code with it. In medieval England (c.1100 to c.1500), the language of law was Latin; indeed, throughout the Western world, Latin was the lingua franca because of the dominance of the Roman Catholic Church. "Fungible" derives from the legal, secular use of Latin during the Middle Ages. It comes from the Medieval (New) Latin "fungibilis," which comes from fungi "vice-, to perform (in place of)."

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Exergy (Noun)

Pronunciation: ['ek-sêr-jee]

Definition 1: Potential energy to do work; the useful capacity of an energy source to perform work.
Usage 1: Exergy is almost exclusively used in discussions of thermodynamics. The exergy of a tank of fuel is how much work it is capable of doing, e.g. heating a house to 72° in mid-winter. It we burn that fuel to heat a room, the amount of energy remains the same, but since it has been converted to heat and dispersed throughout the room, its ability to do useful work (exergy) has been radically reduced. The adjective is "exergetic."
Suggested usage: In its broadest meaning, today's new word refers to potential energy to do work as opposed to actual energy. So we could characterize someone as "exergetic" who has potential unused energy or if they waste energy. "Rose Marie has enough exergy to fill two positions like the one she currently occupies." On the other hand, "Raymond is so full of exergy that he starts ten projects at the time, then runs out of energy before he finishes any."
Etymology: A recent neologism by analogy with "energy," from Greek energeia, the noun from energos "active." Today's word would be based on ex- "from" + ergon "work," found in "ergonomics" and "surgery," from Latin "chirurgia" from Greek kheirourgia "hand-work" based on kheir "hand" + erg- "work" + ia, noun suffix. The o-grade, *org-, turns up in Greek organ "tool" and orgia "sacred rite," the origin of "orgy." The same root underlying erg-/org- became "work" in English and "werken" in Dutch.

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Sportive (Adjective)

Pronunciation: ['sport-iv]
Definition 1: Playful, frolicsome, perhaps a little wantonly; related to sport (a pleasant pastime), as a sportive afternoon at tennis and swimming.
Usage 1: Today's word, like restive "fidgety; stubborn," is not 'transparent,' i.e. you can't detect the meaning by adding up the meanings of the stem and the ending unless you use the original meaning of "sport." A baseball game is a sportive event only to the extent it is sport "recreation, diversion, pleasant pastime" as opposed to A sport. Remember: to make sport of someone is to make fun of them. Let's hold on to the original meaning of "sport" if for no other reason than to preserve the key to the meaning of "sportive." "Sportiveness" is the noun and "sportively," the adverb.
Suggested usage: Today's word is related to the verb associated with "sports," namely, play. The meaning is frolicsome, so look out for sportive eyes and smiles in the world around you: "Jolee's sportive laughter sends spirits soaring like homesick angels." But just as making sport of someone can be willful or wanton, so can sportiveness: "Isabel's thoughtlessly sportive remark about Gertrude's zaftig figure struck the only minor chord at the party."
Etymology: Middle English "sporte," aphetic form of "disporte" from Old French desport "pleasure, diversion" from desporter "to divert" based on dis- "away" + portere "to carry," hence that with which one might get carried away. The stem is from Latin portare "carry" whence English "porter." PIE [p] became [f] in Germanic languages, hence Norwegian fjord "ford" and its English counterpart. German fahren "travel by conveyance" and führen "to lead" (whence Führer "the leader) come from the same *por-. The Germanic root is found in English "welfare," "farewell," and "thoroughfare" from the days when "fare" meant to take a journey. Greek poros "journey, passage," whence our own word "pore," shares the same origin.

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Paradigm (Noun)

Pronunciation: ['pæ-rê-dIm]

Definition 1: An example that serves as an archetype or model, or the model itself (see definition 2).
Definition 2: The guiding philosophy of a discipline from which theories, experiments, and teaching practices are derived.
Suggested usage: Any ideal may be called a paradigm, especially if it calls for action: "My mother has a paradigm for housework and that requires the active participation of the whole family."
Etymology: From Greek paradeigma "pattern, model" from paradeiknunai "to compare": para- "alongside" + deiknunai "to show, display, exhibit." The underlying root, *deik-/*deig- also evolved into English "teach" and "token" and turns up in Latin as digit "finger" (originally meaning "pointer") and dic- "speak, say" of English "dictate" and "DICtionary!"

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Akimbo (Adjective)

Pronunciation: [ê-'kim-bo]

Definition 1: With hands on hips and elbows out.
Usage 1: This adjective is unusual in two respects: it follows its noun, rather than preceding it, and its use is almost entirely restricted to the _expression "with arms akimbo."
Suggested usage: The "arms akimbo" posture usually connotes truculence or defiance. Ken Strongman, TV reviewer for the Christchurch (New Zealand) Press, coined the _expression "with nipples akimbo" when discussing Marlon Brando's performance as Stanley Kowalski in the film version of "A Streetcar Named Desire." In males, sitting with knees wide apart can carry the same connotation, so there is an obvious use for the _expression "with legs akimbo." It is a short step from there to a wider range of contexts, e.g. "With eyes akimbo, Paula confronted her erring husband."
Etymology: 15th century: "in kenebowe" probably from Old Norse i keng boginn "bent in a curve."

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Donnybrook (Noun)

Pronunciation: ['dahn-ee-bruk or 'dahn-i-bruk]
Definition 1: A free-for-all or melee; a brawl that is out of control; an uproarious argument.
Usage 1: This word has several synonyms—pandemonium, melee, riot—none as colorful as this word.
Suggested usage: Actually, we hope you never have occasion to use the term but, if you do, use it thus: "Why is it a donnybrook breaks out at every rock concert you two attend?" "She lost her her dignity and the sleeve of her coat in the donnybrook of the after-Christmas sale at the mall." (Another reason to buy on line.)
Etymology: The annual (1204-1867) Donnybrook Fair in Donnybrook, Ireland (SE suburb of Dublin), famous for its brawls. In 1822, a typical fair day's complaints were "for broken heads, black eyes, bloody noses, squeezed hats, singed, cut and torn inexpressibles, jocks and upper benjamins, loodies, frocks, tippets, reels and damaged leghorns, together with sundry assaults, fibbings, cross buttocks, and ground floorings too numerous to mention.

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Prosaic (Adjective)
Pronunciation: [pro-'zey-ik]
Definition 1: (1) Pertaining to writing that is not poetry; (2) unadorned, plain, lacking in imagination.
Usage 1: Today's word is the adjective to "prose" which, because it is not poetic, has led to a sense of simplicity and plainness. Unfortunately, in the West plainness and simplicity are disdained, so the term has assumed a pejorative connotation. A plain, unexciting _expression is a "prosaism" and a person who writes prose is a prose-writer—"prosaist" is rarely used any more.
Suggested usage: Stendhal (Marie-Henri Beyle), in one of his essays on love, expressed the Western contempt for plainness, "There are fewer prosaic minds among the nobility than among the middle class. That is the disadvantage of trade; it makes one prosaic." But we all encounter prosaism all too frequently, "Sally Forth spread a remarkably prosaic luncheon of tuna fish salad on white bread and iced tea for her hapless captive diners."
Etymology: This word was taken from Late Latin prosaicus "prosaic," the adjective of prosa "prose." Latin "prosa" is a shortening of the phrase prosa oratio "straightforward discourse." The adjective "prosa" is the feminine of "prosus," a reduction of "proversus," the past participle of provertere "to turn forward" from pro "forward" + vertere "to turn." We can see the root of "vert-ere" in many Latin borrowings, such as "convert," "invert," "covert." In English the same root that gave Latin vert- became the adverb suffix –ward in "toward," "windward," "inward." Other English descendants of the same root include "worth," "wreath," "wrist," and "wrestle."

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Budweis (Noun)
Pronunciation: ['bud-vIs]
Definition 1: The German name of the Czech city of Ceske Budejovice.
Usage 1: The city of Cesky Budejovice is called "Budweis" in German so that Budweiser Beer means "beer from Budweis" in that language. The American brewery Anheuser-Busch began using the name in 1876. The problem is that the Czechs have been brewing beer—which they called the Beer of Kings—in their town since thirsty King Premysl II Otakar (son of good King Wenceslas I) founded the city in 1245. Unfortunately for the Czechs, they only began calling their beer Budweiser Budvar in 1895 and ever since that time the two breweries have been locked in a legal battle for rights to use the name.
Suggested usage: The new problem brewing for the US brewer now is that, according to the laws of the new European Union (EU), of which the Czech Republic became a member this past week, manufacturers may use the name of a location only if their plant is situated in that location. So far, however, after a century of legal squabbles, both sides are still brewing beer under the name "Budweiser."
Etymology: By the way, another Czech town, "Plzen," or "Pilsen" in German, has given its name to a type of beer widely called "Pils." The next beer battle in the EU? (Roberto Carosiello of Turin, Italy wondered if linguistics had anything to say about these disputes. Linguistically, all we have to do is keep these words capitalized and we are both grammatical and legal.)

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Epizootic</span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="color: blue">(Adjective)</span></em></font></font><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600" /><stroke joinstyle="miter" /></stroke /><formulas /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></formulas /><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f" /></path /><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit" /></lock /></shapetype /><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" /><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" /></imagedata /></shape /><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> [e-pê-zo-'ah-tik]</font></font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Definition 1:</font></span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> Temporarily and unusually prevalent among animals or animals of a certain species, especially a disease. </font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Usage 1:</font></span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> Today's word is another forgotten lexical soul, now regularly (mis)replaced by epidemic "temporarily and unusually prevalent among people." Just as the antonym of "epidemic" is endemic "regularly found among a people or people of a region," enzootic means "regularly found among a species of animal or animals of a specific region." Today's word is used as a noun, too, as "epidemic" serves both functions. </font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Suggested usage:</font></span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> When discussing animal diseases in future, we suggest the restoration of "epizootic" to its proper position: "The foot-and-mouth epizootic in <country-region w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Great Britain</place /></country-region /> caused enormous economic losses." Although its reference is generally limited to diseases, it is no more lacking metaphorical applications than any other word: "The clang of the dog dish on Jack Russell’s back porch occasions an epizootic outbreak of tail-wagging throughout the neighborhood."</font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Etymology:</font></span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> From Greek epi- "(up)on" + zoon "animal" + -otic "related to a specific condition or disease" paralleling "epidemic" from epi + demos "people" + -ic. The Greek root zo- derives from the Proto-Indo-European gwoi-/gwei- "to live" which turns up in the English adjective "quick" which originally meant "alive." "Azoth," an old word for quick-silver, comes from Arabic "az-zauq," borrowed from Old Persian zhiwak "alive" from the same source. (Persian but not Arabic is a related Indo-European language.) The Persian stem is a close relative of Russian zhivoj "alive.</font><p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Badly</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="color: blue">(Adverb)</span></i></font></font><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></imagedata></shape><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['b&aelig;d-li]<p></p></font></font></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> In a bad fashion or manner; to a great degree; very much.<p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word has long been under assault when used as an overcorrective to what was never a problem in the first place. It's taking the place of its shorter sibling, the adjective "bad," in reference to physical and emotional feeling. The adjective "bad" describes the noun it modifies, the pronoun subject "I" in the sentence "I feel bad." That means that I might have a cold (physical use) or feel a bit blue (emotional). In the sentence "I feel badly," "badly," the adverb form, modifies the verb "to feel." Thus, it more likely connotes that I'm wearing gloves. <p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> With other verbs, the distinction is clearer. We can only say (correctly) "I need the book badly" or "I want the book badly" for here only the verb may be modified, not the subject. All this points up the fact that the adverbial suffix -ly is another endangered grammatical marker in English. In the southern <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">US</place></country-region> life goes "real slow," rather than "really slowly," showing an even deeper erosion. It may be time to think of linguistic ecology and English as an endangered language. A side note: the use of "bad" to mean "good" or "formidable" (as in "one bad dude") has been around since at least 1850. How is that for cool? <p></p></span></font></font></p><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> Today's word wasn't always as ubiquitous as it is today. In fact, it appears mysteriously at the beginning of the fourteenth century as "badde." The best guess is that it comes from Old English b&aelig;ddel "a hermaphrodite" and badling "an effeminate man." From those words—both negative in warlike Anglo-Saxon society—we got "badde" and then "bad," standing for something that's just not right</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">.</span></font></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> </span>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span lang="FR" style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Migrate</span></strong><span lang="FR" style="color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> </span></font></font><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><em><span lang="FR" style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: fr">(Verb)</span></em><span lang="FR" style="color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"></span><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600" /><stroke joinstyle="miter" /></stroke /><formulas /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></formulas /><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" /></path /><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" /></lock /></shapetype /><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" /><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" /></imagedata /></shape /></span><strong><span lang="FR" style="color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Pronunciation:</span></strong></font></font><span lang="FR" style="color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> ['mI-greyt]</font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Definition 1:</font></span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> To move from one location or locality to another. </font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Usage 1:</font></span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> The noun is "migration," the adjective, "migratory," and the agent noun, "migrant." The suffix -ant (or -ent) is used to mark the agent (person doing something) of intransitive Latinate verbs. "Migrate" is intransitive and derives from Latin (see Etymology), so migrants are called "migrants" rather than "migrators." "Resident," "descendent," and "dependent" are other examples. Reference of the more specific forms, immigrate ['im-ê-greyt'] "to migrate to a place" and emigrate ['em-ê-greyt] "migrate from a place," is usually limited to people making permanent changes of residence. </font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Suggested usage:</font></span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"> The metaphoric side of this verb is only seldom mined for its exquisite expressivity: "The band's style has migrated over the years from a sort of smooth jazz to blatant New Wave." It is perfect lexical choice for any slow transition, "Mindy's primary interest has slowly migrated from shopping for clothes to repairing trucks." </font><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> From Latin migrare "to migrate." From the PIE stem *mei-gw- "move" based on *mei/moi "to change or move." With the suffix -to the same root turns up in Latin mutare "to change" and mutuus "in exchange" on which "mutual" is based. English "mad" shares the same origin via Germanic ga-maid-yan "changed" underlying Old English *gem&aelig;dan "made foolish or insane." For more on PIE, check our new FAQ sheet, linked to the front page</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">. </span></font></font></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Enthusiasm</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="color: blue">(Noun)</span></i></font></font><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><br /><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b>Pronunciation:</b> [en-'thu-zi-&aelig;z-êm]<p></p></font></font></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> Passionate eagerness, great excitement for something or the object itself of the excitement (e.g. "Birding ranks among his greatest enthusiasms"); religious fanaticism (outdated). <p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> The adjective from today's word is "enthusiastic" and the adverb, "enthusiastically." Someone taken with enthusiasm is an enthusiast, e.g. as a football enthusiast. Ambrose Bierce, author of the wicked 'Devil's Dictionary,' calls it "[a] distemper of youth, curable by small doses of repentance in connection with outward applications of experience."<p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> Ralph Waldo Emerson bestowed us with two uses of today's word with antonymic connotations. First he wrote, "Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm." But he also wrote, "Everywhere the history of religion betrays a tendency to enthusiasm," indicating the older sense of the word. Mason Cooley defines amateurism this way: "Amateurs believe their enthusiasm will suffice."<p></p></span></font></font></p><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 12pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> From Greek enthousiasmos "inspiration, enthusiasm, frenzy" from enthousiazein "to be inspired by a god." This verb is based on entheos "inspired, possessed" made up of en "in" + theos "god." The original root was *dhes with an initial [dh] that became [f] in Latin hence (county, state) "fair" from Latin feriae (earlier fesiae) "holidays." It also underlies "feast," "fest" (including "Oktoberfest"), "festival," "festoon," fete," and "fiesta.</span></font></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Gound</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></i></font></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 114pt; height: 1.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></imagedata></shape><br /><shape id="_x0000_i1026" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></imagedata></shape><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['gawnd]<p></p></font></font></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The extraneous matter that collects in the corners of the eyes during sleep (often called "sleep" itself in the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">U.S.</place></country-region>)<p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> We cannot imagine how the English-speaking world has survived for three centuries without a word for this common natural substance. The word for it seems to have fallen into the crack between the 17th and 18th centuries. But now yourDictionary has brought it back again. Ta-da! We might as well resurrect the adjective, "goundy," too—and will the verb be far behind? "My eyes gounded up so remarkably over night I can barely see to dress this morning. Maybe I should stay in bed." <p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> If English has a word for everything, why do we use the same word, "sleep," for sleep and the substance left in the eyes by sleep? It would be a shame to lose this useful little workpony forever: "If you can't see that your shirt and pants do not match, you had better get the gound out of your eyes." Once we have reestablished it, we can manumit it to new heights of metaphoric glory: "I think Ermaline has an accumulation of gound on the brain not to see that school librarian is the perfect job for her." <p></p></span></font></font></p><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> This word has been around forever, though probably not with this meaning. In Old English and Gothic it was "gund" but apparently is too peripheral to allure the etymologists.</span></font></font>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Fathom</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" /><stroke joinstyle="miter" /></stroke /><formulas /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></formulas /><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" /></path /><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" /></lock /></shapetype /><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" /><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif" /></imagedata /></shape /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> ['f&aelig;-dhêm]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> (Noun) The outstretched arms or the measure of outstretched arms; a nautical measure of <metricconverter w:st="on" ProductID="6 feet" />6 feet</metricconverter />. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The original meaning of today's word was "embrace" or "the outstretched arms." From there it became a measure of <metricconverter w:st="on" ProductID="6 feet" />6 feet</metricconverter />, roughly the measure of a man's outstretched arms. Before the manufacture of rulers, tape measures, and the like, we used ourselves to measure the furnishings of our lives. "Foot" remains an official measurement but unofficial ones still abound: a horse 16 hands at the shoulder, a cubit (from the elbow to the wrist), two fingers of scotch, and a race may be won or lost by a nose, a hair, or the skin of one's teeth! <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 2:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> (Verb) To measure to the bottom (of a water) with a fathom pole or line; to manage to comprehend. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> A fathom remains an embrace; anyone held in your arms is within your fathom. A fathomless waist is one the arms will not reach around but an unfathomable waist is one that cannot be comprehended. (Honest, all I've been eating is salads.) Today's word is both a noun and a verb. One may fathom a waterway for its depth in fathoms or try to fathom (comprehend) one's parents or teenage daughter. Asking, "Can you fathom what Noah is trying to say?" leaves the impression that Noah's message is deep and you can neither plumb its depths nor get a grasp of it. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> Old English f&aelig;thm "fathom" from Germanic *fathmaz, a predictable derivation of PIE *pot-mo-s (PIE p > f and t > th in Germanic languages). German Faden "thread, fathom" shares the same origin. Without the suffix the root turns up in Latin patere "be open. With other suffixes it emerges in Greek petalon "leaf" (whence English "petal") and patane "flat dish" from which Latin patina "flat plate" and English "pan" derive.</span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Cockamamie</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Adjective)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['kok-ê-mey-mee]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> (Slang) Ridiculous, outlandish, implausible, not worthy of note.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> "Cockamamie" is a lexical orphan which was in general use between 1930 and 1970, but which has been in decline ever since.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> You can still use this word to put a little period detail into your discourse: "Where on earth did you get the cockamamie idea that Humphrey Bogart ever said 'Play it again, Sam.'?" And if you have grandchildren, then they're already used to your impenetrable utterances, so you can use the word with impunity: "We didn't have these cockamamie electronic calculators when I was at school; let me just show you my trusty old cylindrical slide-rule."<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word is a corruption of the latter four syllables of "decalcomania," the process of transferring pictures from specially prepared paper on to glass or other surfaces. As the suffix "-mania" suggests, this activity became a general obsession in Victorian Britain during the years 1862-64. "Decal" is a clipping of "decalcomania" and refers to the transferred image. "Decalcomania" comes straight from the French décalcomanie, which is in turn derived from the French calquer "to trace or copy" plus mania, "madness." "Calquer" comes ultimately from Latin calcare "to tread," derived from calx "heel." The link to "treading" is a reference to the pressure required to make the image transfer. "Calx" is with us still in "recalcitrant," an adjective that describes those who are likely (figuratively, at least) to dig in their heels or kick back with them when pressed to do something displeasing.<p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Ramshackle</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Adjective)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [ 'r&aelig;m-sh&aelig;k-l]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Rickety, run-down, in a state of disrepair; loosely constructed. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> "Ramshackle" is another lexical orphan: no noun, no adverb, no verb, even though it originated in a verb. It most often refers to a building, such as "a ramshackle cabin in the woods." The reason the [s] of "ransackled" became [sh] in "ramshackle" is probably because the adjective is almost always used in conjunction with "shack." That noun is now incorporated into the adjective. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Because of its close association with "shack," the metaphoric possibilities of "ramshackle" have barely been explored: "Omar's ramshackle plan for escape from the camp stood no chance of success." You must know someone whose ramshackle appearance would overburden the epithet "casual." OK, your turn. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> Today's word has traveled a long way without having anything to do with shacks inhabited by rams. Rather, it is a back-formation of "ramshackled," a dialectal corruption of ranshackled, itself a corruption of ransackled, the past participle of ransackle "to ransack." This last word is the frequentative variant of Middle English ransaken "to pillage," the forefather of our "ransack," borrowed from Old Norse rannsaka "house search" comprising rann "house" + *saka "to search, seek." So it is no etymological accident that a ramshackle house looks as though it had been frequently ransacked and pillaged.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Erstwhile</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Adjective)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png"></imagedata></shape><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['êrst-hwIl]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Former, in the past; formerly. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> This word also functions as an adverb: "She worked erstwhile in a candy factory but her fondness for chocolate undermined her position there." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word has slipped from popularity but is still alive and afloat in the language. It is much more elegant than "ex-" in sentences like, "Unlike my erstwhile friend, Reynaldo, Alfred doesn't comment on my weight." Zsa Zsa Gabor thought herself a marvelous house-keeper because she kept the houses of all her erstwhile husbands. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Old English "&aelig;rest" superlative of "&aelig;r," Middle English ere "early, soon" whence the adverb "ear-ly" itself. "While" comes from PIE *kwi- + lo- which would result in Proto-Germanic *whilo- found in "while" and older "whilom," German Weile "while," Dutch (ter)wijl "while," and Danish hvile "repose, refreshment." A variant of the same root (*kwye-) without the suffix -lo emerged in Latin as quies, quietus "rest" and tranquillus "quiet, calm." It also underlies "quit" and the stem in "acquiesce" and "quiescent." <p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Apropos</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> </span><i><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr">(Adjective)</span></i><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [&aelig;-prê-'po]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> (Adjective) Very appropriate at a particular moment or in a particular situation, as "You're welcome" is very apropos after someone says, "Thank you." (Preposition) In regard to, speaking of, concerning. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word has been so completely assimilated into English that spelling it "à propos" or even "a propos" is no longer necessary. It is now treated as a single word with no diacritics. It may be used as an adjective or preposition but watch out—with different meanings.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The adjective means not simply appropriate but appropriate for a specific occasion: "Well, I don't think pulling the chair from under the Contessa at a Whitehouse dinner was, strictly speaking, apropos." As a preposition, however, it means "concerning, about," "The Contessa had nothing to say to the press apropos the incident at the White House dinner." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> Today's word was originally the French phrase à propos (de) "with regard to" from à "to" from Latin ad "up to" + propos "purpose" from Latin propositum "intended," the neuter past participle of proponere "to intend." This verb is a combination of pro "before, forth" + ponere "to put." The past participle of "ponere" is "positus," which we find in "posit," "positive," "pose," as well as "compose" (put together). It also became pondre "to posit or lay an egg" in Old French, the past participle of which was "pont," a word which came to us as "punt."</span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Lachrymatory</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Noun)</span></em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600" /><stroke joinstyle="miter" /></stroke /><formulas /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></formulas /><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" /></path /><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" /></lock /></shapetype /><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" alt="" type="#_x0000_t75" /><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" /></imagedata /></shape /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> [l&aelig;-'kree-mê-tor-ee]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> (Noun) A small glass bottle usually with a teardrop body and a tall narrow neck, of a kind found in quantity in Roman tombs. So called from the erroneous supposition that they held the tears of the mourners. They were in fact a common type of unguentarium or cosmetic oil jar. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> 'Tear bottles' were a Victorian invention arising out of the old legend that has survived to today. Supposedly(!), tear bottles were prevalent in ancient Roman times, when mourners filled small glass vials with tears and placed them in burial tombs as symbols of love and respect. Supporters of the 'tear bottle' legend sometimes quote the Biblical Psalm 56:8 where David prays to God, "Thou tellest my wanderings, put thou my tears in Thy bottle; are they not in Thy Book?" a figurative request referring to the "no'dh" or ancient Hebrew leathern water flask.<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 2:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> (Adjective) Causing tears, as onions are likely to do when you slice them or the stock market when it dives.<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 2:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Related adjectives are lachrymal "pertaining to tears" and lachrymose "tearful or mournful." The noun "lachrymal" refers to a tear-causing substance such as highly lachrymatory tear gas.<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> As an adjective meaning "causing tears," we begin with the obvious, "Fresh onions are spicy, pungent and lachrymatory." But in 'Loss of Breath' Poe wrote "A thousand vague and lachrymatory fancies took possession of my soul." Some wags have used today’s word to refer to handkerchiefs, often seen at weddings, which can be very lachrymatory occasions. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> "Lachrymatory" comes to us from Middle French or Medieval Latin "lacrymal" from Medieval Latin "lacrimalis," the adjective from Latin lacrima "tear." This noun descended from an older Latin "dacrima," related to Greek dakry "tear," a distant cousin to Old High German zahar "tear" which produced modern German Z&auml;hre "tear" and Old English t&aelig;hher which is today, "tear<p></p></span></p>

[ياسين الشيخ]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><font size="7"><span><font color="#ff0000">Milieu </font><font color="#ff0000"><p></p></font></span></font></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><strong><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; color: green"><font size="5">*The social environment in which one lives or works: come from a very different cultural/social milieu.<p></p></font></span></strong></p><strong><span style="font-size: 16pt; color: blue; font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us"><font size="5">*Surroundings, esp. of a social or cultural nature: <em>a snobbish milieu</em></font></span><em><span style="font-size: 16pt; color: green; font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us">.</span></em></strong>

[ياسين الشيخ]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><b><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-language: ar-qa"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><b><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; color: red; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;">Niceties. </span></b><b><span lang="AR-QA" style="font-size: 16pt; color: red; mso-bidi-language: ar-qa; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr"></span><b><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; color: green; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;"><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr"></span>1-A refined, elegant, or choice feature, as of manner or living: working hard to acquire the niceties of life.</span></b><b><span lang="AR-QA" style="font-size: 16pt; color: green; mso-bidi-language: ar-qa"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt"><b><span lang="AR-QA" style="font-size: 16pt; color: green; mso-bidi-language: ar-qa"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr"></span><b><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; color: blue; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;"><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr"></span>2-delicacy of character, as of something requiring care or tact: a matter of considerable nicety.<p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><b><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><b><span dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; color: #993366; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;">3- Niceties. : Of protocol/ of life/of judgment. </span></b><b><span lang="AR-QA" style="font-size: 16pt; color: #993366; mso-bidi-language: ar-qa; mso-ascii-font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;; mso-hansi-font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr"></span><b><span lang="AR-QA" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 16pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;"><span dir="ltr"></span><span dir="ltr"></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">*</span></span></b><b><span lang="AR-QA" style="font-size: 16pt; mso-bidi-language: ar-qa"><p></p></span></b></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Quagmire</span></strong><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Noun)</span></em><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> ['qu&aelig;g-mIr]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A quaking or quick bog, a squashy marsh, quicksand; (metaphorically) a complicated situation from which it is difficult if not impossible to extricate oneself. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The adjective is "quagmiry" and the noun itself may be verbed: "The steering committee had been quagmired in acrimonious discord for an hour before Harmon arrived and restored civility to the meeting."<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> In 1961, French President Charles DeGaulle told US President John Kennedy, "I predict you will sink step by step into a bottomless quagmire, however much you spend in men and money," as the latter assumed responsibility of pursuing the war in Vietnam from the French. The Middle East has also become a political and military quagmire with no foreseeable outlet. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Probably from a confusion of "quickmire" and "quakemire." If so, it resulted from a process the opposite of folk etymology (folk alienation?) in which the first component of the compound has drifted away from a common English word. Since that time, the word has been clipped in many dialects to simply "quag." Other forms have emerged at various times in various dialects, to wit, "quadmire," "quavemire," "qualmire," "quamire," "wagmire," and others.<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Dollar</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">(Noun)</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['dah-lê(r) ]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The basic monetary unit of Australia, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Brunei, Canada, Cayman Islands, Dominica, Fiji, Grenada, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Kiribai, Liberia, Nauru, New Zealand, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Singapore, the Solomon Islands, Trinidad and Tobago, Tuvalu, the United States, and Zimbabwe. A dollar is worth 100 cents. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> In the US people so eschew venal interests like money, we have created a plethora of slang substitutes for "dollar"—a buck, a clam, a greenback, smacker, a bean, a simoleon, among others. The symbol for today's word is "$," as $15 = 15 dollars. "Dollarization" occurs when the people of a country use dollars extensively because of the instability of the local currency. Dollarization may be unofficial or official, if the government decides to stop printing its own currency. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The dollar and the symbol that represents it have become powerful symbols of good and evil around the world because of its economic impact on the world economy, "Carrie Oakey loved to sing to Bob, but when she got the job in the posh nightclub, she began to see dollar signs in his eyes." "Another day, another dollar," is a quaint bit of out-dated folk wisdom showing how our wealth has inflated in the past century. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word began as the English name for the German "thaler", a silver coin in Germany from the sixteenth century; especially the 3-mark coin in service from 1857 to 1873. Similar coins were used in the north countries, such as the Danish rigsdaler and the Swedish "riksdaler." The full name of the German coin was the Joachimstaler "from Joachim Valley," after Joachimsthal "Joachim Valley" (now Jachymov in the Czech Republic; see http://www.thomasgraz.net/gl-1099.htm), where they were first coined. The Old Germanic word that gave thal "valley" in German became "dale" in English. <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Bedlam</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> ['bed-lêm]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> A mental hospital; a state of total social chaos, a wild uproar involving people or animals. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> "Bedlam" is an orphan word, with no other family members (adjectives, verbs, etc.) The word itself may be used as an adjective, as in "a bedlam house," "a bedlam storm," "a bedlam man," but rarely is.<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The term works everywhere a term for extreme confusion is needed, at work, "When the blast went off in the executive bathroom, it was bedlam here for the rest of the day," at home, "This bedlam must cease, boys, or you'll have to go to bed," or in platitudes, "Bedlam minds make bedlam lives." <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> One of the most renowned of the original institutions for the mentally ill was St. Mary of Bethlehem, better known as Bedlam (from Bedlem), located outside London. Mental patients were first accepted in 1403 and by 1547 it was totally devoted to the care of the insane. Bedlam was so famous, its name became the term referring to any asylum. As in the <country-region w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />United States</place /></country-region />, British mental patients were placed on public display every Sunday for the curious to view.</span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Plagiarize</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Verb)</span></em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> ['pley-jê-rIz]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> To copy and publish someone else’s ideas (text, art, music, software, etc.) as one’s own; to attach one’s own name to something created by someone else. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today’s verb is based on the noun "plagiary," which once referred to the person who plagiarizes. The noun from the verb is "plagiarism" and the rotten person who plagiarizes, today is a plagiarist. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> We shouldn’t joke about plagiarism; it is the ultimate theft—the kidnapping of creative ideas (see Etymology). That said, do you know a writer this might fit: "She has plagiarized so much from her contemporaries that her work is sooner a survey of current literature than a contribution to it." How about this: "The best of his latest book is those parts plagiarized from his earlier works." (Can you plagiarize yourself? Share your thoughts in the Agora.) <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> From Latin plagiarius "kidnapper" from plagium "kidnapping" derived from plaga "net," apparently the preferred weapon of ancient kidnappers. "Plaga" is probably related to PIE *plak- "flat," the origin of English "flake" and "(liver) fluke." Greek plagos "side" is also a member of the extended family and is behind the French word for beach, "plage." Nasalized, it appears in Latin plancus "flat" which serves to name the flat piece of wood in English, a "plank."</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> </span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Hullabaloo</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [hê-lê-bê-'lu]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Ruckus, clamor, fuss, uproar.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word contains several spelling traps. First, you must remember that, even though this is a rhyme reduplication (see Etymology), only the first [l] is doubled. Second, keep in mind that this is only one word, not two words hyphenated. Finally, the last syllable is spelled [oo] and not [u] or [ue]. The plural? A simple "hullabaloos." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Use today's word to refer to an uproar involving a noisy crowd in complete disarray: "There was such a hullabaloo in the department store when they announced women's bathing suits half off, three people had to be sent to the infirmary." However, it may be used to refer to a significant disturbance or disruption of the flow of any business, "There was such a hullabaloo over the word 'wabbit' running three days in a row, yourDictionary deleted the word temporarily from its database so it could not run a fourth time." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word is a reduction of the rhyme reduplication "halloo-baloo," which comes from an alteration of "hallo," an ancestor of "hello" and an alteration of obsolete holla "Stop! Wait!" "Holla" may come from Old French "Hola!" based on ho "Hey!" + la "there," the latter from Latin illac "that way." Its development was probably influenced by earlier hurly-burly "strife, turmoil," an ancient reduction of "hurling and burling.<p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Bowyang</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" alt="" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif"></imagedata></shape><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['bo-y&aelig;ng]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> A piece of leather or cord tied around the trouser leg, just below the knee to prevent, according to legend, snakes from crawling up the pants' leg. More likely, they originally kept the trousers from riding over the knee and binding when miners, shearers, and the like, bent over to work. (Then again, they might have been just an outback fashion statement.) Today the word is used to refer to a half-chap that covers the top of the boot or the trouser leg from the knee to the ankle.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> During the 1920s and 1930s C. J. Dennis of the Melbourne Herald wrote of the adventures of a fictional character, Ben Bowyang, a farmer and philosopher from Gunn's Gully, in the newspaper's humor column. Later today's word was used as the name of a character in a comic strip. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The original bowyangs are a sign of a lack of refinement (to put it mildly): "Woody Dewett stood against the wall all evening looking like a bloke out in public without his bowyangs for the first time." The new bowyangs are useful anytime you want to garden or do other dirty work in your new trousers, "I wouldn't go into the kids' room without my bowyangs on." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> According to the venerable Oxford English Dictionary, today's word apparently is a variant of bow-yanks or bow-yankees "leather leggings." Where these words come from remains unclear.<p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Ken</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.gif"></imagedata></shape><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['ken]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Would you believe that Barbie's boyfriend's name means (1) vision, foresight, knowledge—or (2) a house where unsavory characters gather (British criminal argot)? Well, today's is a different word though pronounced the same.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The use of the verb from which today's word derives is limited pretty much to <country-region w:st="on">Scotland</country-region> and, perhaps, northern <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">England</place></country-region> today, where it means "to know, understand, recognize." The past tense may be "kenned" or "kent," as in I dinnae ken where tae start "I didn't know where to start." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> It is most commonly met elsewhere in expressions of extent of knowledge, such as "That lies outside my ken of the subject" or "Barbie's preferences in bubble-gum are certainly within Ken's ken (or Ken's kin's ken)." Don't forget to try the verb, too, when you visit the land of kilts and pipes, "You wouldnae ken him without his toupee." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> From Old English cennan possibly from Old Norse kenna "to know," akin to German kennen "to recognize" and, of course, English "know." Other relatives include the [gn] in Latin cognoscere "be acquainted with," which underlies our "cognizant," "recognize" and others, and ingnorare "to not know," which led to our "ignore" and "ignorant." On the Greek side of the family, we find gnosis "knowledge," the root of words like "diagnosis," "prognosis," and others. Finally—and closer to home—the English word "couth" originally meant "(well-)known" and "kith" of "kith and kin" fame, set out as cyththu "knowledge, acquaintance." The loss of the nasalization [n] is not uncommon among Indo-European languages.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

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<p align="left"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Tortfeasor</strong> </font></font></font><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2"><i>(Noun)</i></font><b><br /><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2">Pronunciation:</font></b><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" color="#0000ff" size="2"> ['tort-fee-zê(r)]</font></p><p align="left"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Definition 1:</b> One who is guilty of wrong-doing that is not in violation of a contract; a wrong-doer, or trespasser for which a civil remedy may be sought.</font></font></font></p><p align="left"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Usage 1:</b> A tort is a wrong or harm other than breach of contract, not to be confused with a torte (from Latin torta "twisted loaf"), the European cake, or a tart, the tasty pastry or the tasteless one. Examples include negligence, product liability, cooking the company books (but not tarts), traffic violations, assault. Intentional torts are uninsurable crimes, libel and slander, the exceptions. Companies and individuals may insure themselves against unintentional torts. </font></font></font></p><p align="left"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Suggested usage:</b> This word is brought to you as part of yourDictionary's unrelenting Campaign Against Profanity. Now you may say to people who mistreat you, "You dirty tortfeasor!" rather than resort to socially unapproved vocabulary. Remember, if the offense is a violation of a contract, you will misspeak yourself using this term. We might remember 2002 as the Year of the Tortfeasor in US business. </font></font></font></p><p align="left"><font color="#0000ff"><font size="2"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><b>Etymology:</b> From French tort "wrong, evil" + -fesor, faiseur "doer" from Medieval Latin tortum, the neuter past participle of torquere "to twist," which also underlies "torque" and "torture." The English word evolving from the same source is "thwart</font></font></font></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Grocery</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">(Noun)</span></i><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['gro-sêr-ee]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> (1) Meat and vegetable produce (plural only); (2) a small store where these products and household supplies (soap, mops, pots and pans, etc.) are sold. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The second meaning of today's word is a shortening of the phrase "grocery store." The products sold in a grocery store are "groceries;" the word is not used in the singular in this sense. Grocery stores have all but been replaced by huge supermarkets and local convenience stores today. Convenience stores usually lack the fresh produce that characterize the grocery store, sometimes called "the green-grocery" for their fresh fruit and vegetables. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Interestingly enough, neighborhood grocery stores are still prevalent in large cities, where the population is sufficient to support them, "Mercedes stopped at the grocery on her way home from work and picked up a lovely aubergine to stir fry." Getting the groceries home is always risky: "Elwin hung a bag of groceries on a little used door knob and forgot them until the smell revived his memory." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although grocers aren't gross, that is where their name comes from. Today's word is derived from "grocer" by adding the suffix –y. "Grocer" originated in Medieval Latin grossarius "wholesale merchant," which entered English from Anglo-Norman "grosser." The Latin word is derived from Late Latin grossus "thick" which, later came to mean simply "large." How did "gross" get its unfavorable meaning? "Thick" and "large" led the word to refer to overweight people, which, through our usual prejudices, gave the word its current pejorative shade.<p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Byzantine</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Adjective)</span></em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600" /><stroke joinstyle="miter" /></stroke /><formulas /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></formulas /><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f" /></path /><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit" /></lock /></shapetype /><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" /><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" /></imagedata /></shape /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> ['bi-zên-teen] (US) or (British) [bi-'z&aelig;n-tayn ]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Pertaining to <city w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Byzantium</place /></city />; highly complicated and intricate; characterized by a manner that relies on intrigue, scheming and labyrinthine machinations.<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> "Byzantine" with a capital "B" can be used to refer to a citizen of ancient <city w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Byzantium</place /></city /> or its art or architecture but "byzantine" is the form we use for the metaphoric sense of the word. The latter, but not the former, may be compared. The adverb of the latter would be "byzantinely" and the noun, but they are rarely encountered.<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The common adjective "byzantine" has two levels of meaning. The first one is for something that's merely complicated: "Let's forget these byzantine travel arrangements and sign up for a group tour." The other connotes underhanded business: "Rudolf resorted to byzantine machinations behind the scenes to wreck the reputations of his enemies." <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> From "<city w:st="on" />Byzantium</city />," later known as Constantinople, today's <city w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Istanbul</place /></city />. The origin of "<city w:st="on" />Byzantium</city />" is unclear but as the capital of the <place w:st="on" />Byzantine Empire</place />, it was known for the complex political intrigues of its leaders. In "The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" (1776), Edward Gibbon claims that <city w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Byzantium</place /></city /> contained so many labyrinthine connections that it was impossible to separate or simplify any element of the bureaucracy.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Finagle</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Verb)</span></em></font></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600" /><stroke joinstyle="miter" /></stroke /><formulas /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></formulas /><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f" /></path /><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit" /></lock /></shapetype /><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" /><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png" /><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2"></font></imagedata /></shape /><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> [fê-'ney-gl]<p align="left"></p></font></font></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> To obtain indirectly through cajoling, bribes, or questionable dealings. <p align="left"></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> "Finagle" is a rather usual English word now that it is ensconced in the language but how it got here remains a mystery (see Etymology). A person who finagles is a finagler and the activity is finagling, both rather ordinary derivations. <p align="left"></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Kids learn to finagle at an early age and by their teens they even know what it is called: "Do you think we can finagle dad out of the car and gas money?" But then they learn it from us; we have all finagled our way into a popular restaurant or finagled an invitation to a party from a good person to know. Money isn't the only thing to finagle—how about finagling the telephone number of a pretty girl or a handsome hunk? <p align="left"></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> No one knows exactly where today's word comes from. It is probably a mispronunciation of a word found in several English dialects, such as those of <state w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />Newfoundland</place /></state />, fainaigue "to misplay a card, to play a card of the wrong suit," as "You're not allowed to fainaigue the jack of hearts." But then, where does "fainague" come from? The mystery begins only a step away from "finagle" itself. <p></p></span></font></font></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">fast</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><strong><em><br />intr.v.</em></strong> <strong>fast·ed</strong>, <strong>fast·ing</strong>, <strong>fasts</strong> <p></p></span></p><ol type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; color: blue; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">To abstain from food. <br style="mso-special-character: line-break" clear="all" /><p></p></span></li><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; color: blue; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">To eat very little or abstain from certain foods, especially as a religious discipline. <p></p></span></li></ol><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><strong><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">n.</span></em></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt 36pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br clear="all" />The act or practice of abstaining from or eating very little food. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; color: blue; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">A period of such abstention or self-denial. <p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; color: blue; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; tab-stops: list 36.0pt; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2"></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Victual</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['vit-êl]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Human food; (Plural) food and provisions<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word is used most often in the plural as in "to lay in victuals for the coming storm." The noun may be used as a verb, too, which leads to the British use of "victualler" [vitt(e)ler] in reference to an inn-keeper or provisioner of ships and armies. Supply ships themselves have been referred to as "victuallers." "Victualage" [vitt(e)lage] may refer to the occupation of a victualler or the supplies he victuals.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The reason the [c] was returned to today's word was to make it sound more formal, more Latinate (see Etymology). The result was the misconception that the pronunciation "vittles" is incorrect. In fact, it is the natural one: "We have enough victuals in the house to live for three months without leaving it." But don't forget the delightful derivations of this word, "Bernard, could you help me remove the victualage from the trunk of the car?" <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> From Old French vitaille (also vitale), the normal descendent of Late Latin victualia, the neuter plural of victualis "food, sustenance." In Middle French, the [c] was reintroduced in the word to produce victuaille and English soon followed suit. The word is, in fact, sometimes spelled "vittle" but it has always been pronounced that way throughout the English-speaking world. The root goes back to Proto-Indo-European *gwei- which gave us English "quick" in the original sense of "alive." Latin lost the [g] and the [w] became [v] in vivere "to live," which stands behind our "vital," "vivid," "Viva!" and "vivacious."</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Karma</span></b><span style="color: blue">(Noun)</span><span lang="FR" style="display: none; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-hide: all"><p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['kah(r)-mê]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The moral cause and effect system of Buddhism and Hinduism that assumes every action has a direct consequence. To simplify extremely, the consequence of good acts is happiness while the consequence of bad acts is misfortune and suffering. In fact, all acts, however minute and seemingly insignificant, have a consequence in this life and in determining the form in which you will be reincarnated in your next life. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word is another that is widely misused. It does not mean anything so simple as a good feeling, so don't say things like, "The karma in this room is really good." There is an adjective, "karmic." (Do not confused this word with "car-ma," the mystical spirit of urban streets that rewards good drivers with good luck in finding parking places, and avoiding tickets and accidents while punishing bad drivers with fender-benders, traffic tickets, and an inability to find parking places except on the top floors of expensive parking garages.) <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> A person with positive karma must be someone whose life has been lived to some extent for others: "Isabelle's karma from taking care of her invalid mother for all those years should reincarnate her as a queen." Negative karma can be just as strong, "The fact that every one of Lionel's lies gets him in trouble should tell you something about his karma." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word is taken from Hindi karma "act, action" from Sanskrit karoti "performs, does, acts upon." It goes back to an ancient Proto-Indo-European root that meant "to make, do" which turns up in Russian charodei "witch" and ocharovanie "charm, enchantment," and appeared in cruth "shape, form" in Old Irish.<p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Adroit</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> </span><i><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; mso-ansi-language: fr">(Adjective)</span></i></font></font><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"><br /><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b>Pronunciation:</b> [ê-'droyt]<p></p></font></font></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Dexterous, clever, deft. <p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> "Dexterous, deft, adroit," and "nimble" all refer to skillfulness. "Adroit" and "dexterous" are near synonyms though "adroit" refers more to agility than to skill. "Deft" implies dexterity and lightness, e.g. whipping egg whites with deft strokes of the hand, while "nimble" implies quickness, such as nimble fingering at the piano. The noun is "adroitness" and the antonym, "maladroit," means "clumsy, awkward." <p></p></span></font></font></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> There are times when an apt phrase adroitly delivered can be crucial: "Evelyn saved the evening with an adroit comment just as the conversation began to overheat." It is often applied in situations where timely execution is criticial, "Bernhard adroitly lifted the bottle and the wine glasses just as Muriel absent-mindedly swept her arm across the table." <p></p></span></font></font></p><p align="left"><font face="Verdana, Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><font size="2"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> From French, from à droit "to the right," another example of the success of conservatives in creating the illusion that everything right is good and normal, e.g. "right, righteous, upright, dexterous ("right" in Latin), adroit (French)" and everything left odd if not evil, e.g. "left-wing, gauche ("left" in French), sinister ("left" in Latin)."</span></font></font><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Pandemic</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [p&aelig;n-'de-mik]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Widespread; occurring throughout all or almost all of a population.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Not to be confused with "epidemic", which means "spreading rapidly and extensively by infection?" While it is usually applied to medical and public health problems, it needn't be restricted to this semantic field. Like "epidemic," this word may be used as a noun, too.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> "The influenza epidemic is threatening to become pandemic this winter," would be a common use of the word. But it begs to be applied elsewhere: "The problem of inarticulate speech has become pandemic," or "Handguns have become a pandemic (epidemic, too) problem in the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">U.S.</place></country-region>"<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Late Latin pandemus, from Greek pandemos "of all the people," from pan- "all" + demos "people." Pan-demon-ium, (pan- + daimon "demon"), "panoply" (Greek panopli, pan- + hoopla "arms, armor"), panacea (Greek pan- + akos [as in "ache")] cure"). Demos, of course, also appears in "democracy," "demography," and "demagogue." <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Imply</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Verb)</i></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [im-'plI]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> To indicate by necessary entailment rather than a direct statement; to occur as a logical consequence, as a garage implies ownership of an automobile. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is the antonym of "infer," which makes it odd that the two are often confused. Here is how the two words work together: the speaker implies, the listener infers. "When Marquart said that he could not join her at the restaurant, Belinda (rashly) inferred that he didn't want to be seen in public with her." The speaker suggested a fact; the listener came to a conclusion based on evidence not explicitly stated. The noun is "implication" [im-plê-'key-shên] and the adjective, "implicative" ['im-plê-key-tiv] or [im-'pli-kê-tiv]. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Remember to keep the direction of the logical inference from giver to recipient straight, "Are you implying that I'm an idiot?" "Why would you infer that from my saying, 'I think you are wrong on this?'" Implications are subtle and not restricted to speech: "I don't like the implication of the smile on your face. Did I say something wrong?" <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> From Latin implicare "to entangle, unite." The roots of "implicare" are in "in(to)" + plicare "to fold." The PIE root is *plek- "fold, weave," and extension of *pel- "fold." Suffixed as *plek-to-, the same root wound up in the words on "plex," as "perplex," and "complex," as well as "pleat" and "plait." With the suffix -so, the o-grade, *plok-so- is the origin of English "flax."</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Mellifluous</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [mê-'li-flu-wês]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Pleasant to hear. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This word, or its synonym, mellifluent, perfectly refers to someone speaking as though honey were dripping from the tongue, that is, speech approaches poetry: "I have never heard such mellifluous (mellifluent) Afrikaans in my life." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This word may be applied to any reference to perfectly, even poetically articulated language: "please translate the passage into idiomatic mellifluous Swahili"; "she spoke in mellifluous swells that bound her audience in a collective spell"; "he is a mellifluent persuader." An onomatopoetic word that will find widened application among those receiving yourDictionary's Word of the Day. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Latin mellifluus "flowing or dripping with honey" (from mel 'honey' + flu-e-re "to flow") + us (Adj. ending). Latin mel is derived from the same Proto-Indo-European root at English mead "fermented honey" and flu- is a cognate of flow.<p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr">Anachronism</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr"> <i>(Noun)</i></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> [ê-'n&aelig;-krê-ni-zêm]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A person or thing chronologically misplaced, especially something or someone in a modern setting that belongs in a historically older one. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Not to be confused with "achronism" ("an achronism") which means "timelessness or a lack of time." "Anachronism" has two related adjectives "anachronistic" [ê-n&aelig;-krê-'nis-tik] and "anachronous" [ê-'n&aelig;-krê-nês]. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although the word refers to any misplacement in time, "Leonardo was a futuristic anachronism in his day," it more often refers to someone or something that is behind the times: "Evelyn's infatuation with the Revolution is one of many quaint anachronisms she harbors. In fact, she is something of an anachronism herself." The U.S. Electoral College is an anachronism from a time when democracy was less trusted than it is today. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Greek "anachronismos" from prefix ana- negation + chron "time" + izm-os nominal suffix. <p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Tawdry</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['ta-dree or 'taw-dree]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Cheap, showy and pretentious; indecent.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word has small family consisting of an adverb "tawdrily" and a noun, "tawdriness." "Tawdry" itself may also be used as a noun, as <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Richardson</place></city> used it when he wrote in 'Clarissa' (1747), "Only for the sake of having a little more tawdry upon his housings." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> In general, we think of dressing tawdrily, but a person may behave tawdrily, too, "She was perfectly dressed for her tawdry flirtations with all the men at the party." In fact, tawdriness can appear anywhere: "They draped their entire premises with tawdry blinking decorations to celebrate the birth of their Lord." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> The meaning of today's word reflects undeserved shame on its eponym. Etheldreda, the queen of Northumberland in the 7th century, rejected the pomp and circumstance of her station and moved to the Isle of Ely near <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Cambridge</place></city>, where she established a convent. As she lay dying of a throat tumor in 679, she declared her malady divine punishment for the vanity of her youth, when she was overly fond of neckwear. She was canonized as St. Audrey and the city of <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Ely</place></city> established an annual fair in her honor. In time, this fair became known for its cheap, frilly scarves, called, St. Audrey's lace. This _expression eventually degenerated to (Sain)t Audry lace and then the "lace" was dropped altogether and the remainder respelled as today's word.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> </span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Semiotics</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Noun)</i><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [se-mi-'ah-diks]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The study of signs and symbols or the interpretation of something as symbols. It may also refer to medical symptoms or the study thereof. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The adjective is "semiotic" and someone who pursues such study is a semiotician. Unlike semantics, the study of the meaning of words, linguistic symbols in which a sound stands for some meaning, semiotics examines all the symbols in our lives for their meaning, especially as they are portrayed in literature. "Semiology" is another word used in the same meaning. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although semiotic interpretations usually focus on literature, we are engaged in them all the time, "You have to know the semiotics of the boss's clothes: a dark tie means he is in a bad mood; a light-colored tie means he is happy, and an open collar means he is relaxed enough to discuss a raise with you." In "Genius and Goddess" Aldus Huxley wrote, "He kissed her—kissed her with an intensity of passion for which the semiotics and the absent-mindedness had left her entirely unprepared."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> Today's word comes from the adjective "semiotic" borrowed from Greek semeitikos "significant" from semeioun "to signal," a verb based on the noun sema "sign." The same root appears in "semantics" and "semaphore" but tracing it to roots elsewhere in Indo-European languages proves difficult.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Piebald</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['pI-bald]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Since few people bake hairy pies (intentionally) any more, this word obviously does not mean what it seems to mean; it means having patches of different colors, particularly black and white spots. It is used most frequently in reference to animals, as in "piebald magpie"—what does that make you think of? It is also used to refer to any motley mixture of mongrel qualities, as the English language, with words from almost every language on earth, is as piebald a language as ever there was. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> As you see from the definition, few words in English are more misleading than "piebald" ("magpie" being one that does). The qualitative noun is "piebaldness" and the adverb would be "piebaldly," were there a use for it. This adjective may itself be used as a noun to refer to a piebald horse or other animal as well as a verb meaning "acquiring patches of different colors."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> As a metaphor, today's word is used mainly in the sense of a patchwork, "We have such a piebald array of attitudes on our team, it is difficult to complete tasks on time." But don't forget "piebald" also works as a verb, "First my head balded in my 50's, now my skin is piebalding."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From "pie," a derivative of Latin pica "magpie" + "bald" from "balled" in the sense of having been made look like a ball. [If you are about to eat, stop reading here.] "Magpie" itself is the shorter form of "maggot-pie." (You were warned.) <p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Karaoke</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Noun)</i><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [kah-rê-'o-kee]<p></p></span><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Singing live to an orchestral accompaniment provided electronically or the electronic equipment for providing such accompaniment and recording the mix of voice and orchestra. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is not to be confused with "carioca" [k&aelig;-ri-'o-kê], a native of Rio de Janeiro or a South American dance based on the samba. "Karaoke" is another lexical orphan with no other related words. (Don't miss the opportunity to meet other Word of the Day subscribers and discuss today's word in the YDC <a href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/cgi-bin/agora/agora.cgi" target="_blank">Agora</a>.)<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Karaoke is most closely associated with the karaoke bars of Japan and elsewhere, where anyone with the courage can sing to the accompaniment of a professional orchestra: "Glynnis loves karaoke because she thinks bad accompanists kept her out of show business." Today's word hasn't expanded much metaphorically because of its newness but it already shows great promise: "Slim is a karaoke player: he thinks he is the star when, in fact, it is the team behind him that makes him look good."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> "Kara-oke" is a clipping (a shortening, like "doctor" > "doc") of kara o-ke-su-to-ra "empty orchestra" where "okesutora" is the Japanese pronunciation of "orchestra," borrowed from English. Clipping also applies to "Makudonarudo" (MacDonald's), shortening it simply to "Makku." As for "kara" it is also found in kara-shuchou "empty business trip," a business trip one doesn't make but collects the expenses for, and "karate" from the Japanese phrase kara te "empty hand." Japanese phonology (sound system) differs from those of European languages in two interesting ways. First, all syllables must end on a vowel and not on any consonant except [n]. Second, all syllables must begin with a simple consonant, not a consonant cluster like [st] or [pr]. So, "McDonalds" becomes "Makudonarudo" in Japanese and "baseball" is pronounced "besubaru" [be-su-ba-ru] to avoid the [sb] cluster and final [l] in [beysbal].</span><p></p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Crepuscular</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [krê-'pês-kyu-lê(r)]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Pertaining to crepuscule, twilight; dim or weak in terms of visibility. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is an adjective more appealing than the noun (crepuscule) it is derived from. "Twilight" certainly is a more beautiful way to describe the light at dusk than "crepuscule" but "crepuscular" has its charms. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word should come to mind in any situation characterized by dimness: "I'm afraid that reading the fine print of this contract demands too much of my crepuscular vision." The term fits many other legal situations, too, "Your honor, in the crepuscular light of the bar, it was easy to mistake my wallet for the wallet of the guy sitting next to me." The judge's vision would have to be crepuscular for him to not see through that excuse. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Latin crepusculum "twilight," diminutive of creper "dark." The suffix -ul- is found in several other borrowings from Latin, e.g. "homunculus" and "miniscule." The origin of the root crep- is unclear but it might be related to the cor- "bellow, squawk" of cornix "crow" and corvus "raven" (akin to English "crow" and "to crow") if it acquired an association with darkness because of the color of these birds. However, the semantic relation cannot be established unequivocally. </span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"><p></p></span></b></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Attaint</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr">(Verb)</span></i><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [ê-'teynt]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> To disgrace, sully, or taint something or someone's reputation. Originally, the act of attainting meant conviction of a crime but later it was used to refer to conviction by legislation without benefit of trial. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is used almost exclusively in connection with the term "bill of attainder," a legislative act that pronounces a person or group of people guilty of a capital crime (usually treason) without a trial. A person so designated is subject to capital punishment, confiscation of all property, and a prohibition against inheritance. Since a bill of attainder violates the separation of powers (judicial versus legislative), such acts are prohibited by the U.S. Constitution (Article I, Section 9, paragraph 3). <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> You may use the verb to occasionally relieve "sully" and "disgrace" of their duties: "Nothing you can say can attaint the reputation of our president these days." There may even be ways to use "bill of attainder" metaphorically: "This department has a bill of attainder against me—I am blamed for everything that goes wrong here." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Old French "ataint" past participle of ataindre "to affect, convict." Originally, "attaint" was the past tense of "attain" but subsequently became a word unto itself used only the negative sense. "Taint" is an aphetic (dropping an initial vowel) form of "attaint" in its new sense. Originally, the past participle of Latin attingere "touch upon, attack" from ad- "to" + tangere "to touch" from the nasalized form of *tag- "touch" which also underlies "tangible," "tangent" and, without [n], "tax," as when the government 'touches' you for a few bucks. "Contaminate" is from Latin contaminare: con- "together" + tag-men- (suffixed form of *tag-) "contact" + are. <p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Testimony</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Noun)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['tes-tê-mo-nee]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> (1) The account of a witness, especially in a court procedure; (2) evidence in general; (3) a public declaration of a religious experience.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The plural of today's word is "testimonies" and the verb underlying it is "testify." However, the person who testifies is a witness rather than a testifier. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Although the legal application of this word is most commonly encountered, the metaphoric uses are much more touching, "The tall, toppling chimney bore mute testimony of the mansion that once stood on the spot." We see this type of testimony all around us: "Sarah Bellum's new mink coat was telling testimony to the size of the raise she had received."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> This word comes to us from Old French testimonie (current French témoin "witness") from Latin "testimonium," made up of testis "witness" and, possibly, a noun from monere "to remind." "Testis," believe it or not, comes from the same root as Latin tri "three," also the origin of our "three." It was originally a compound noun rather like *tri-sta-i- meaning, roughly, "third person standing by," with the *sta- root found in English "stand" and "stead." How the meaning of the Latin word wandered off to its current sense in English is one of the great unsolved mysteries of etymology.</span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Appellation</span></strong><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> </span><em><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; mso-ansi-language: fr">(Noun)</span></em><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"><br /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> [&aelig;-pê-'ley-shên]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> (1) A name or title; (2) the legally trademarked name of a wine that authenticates the type of vine and district where the wine originates. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Here is another of those words, like "accommodation," with a double set of double letters—remember them. It has an adjectival and adverbial offspring, "appellative" and "appellatively," respectively. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Before handing in that term paper on the geology of the Eastern United States, remember that there are no <place w:st="on" /><placename w:st="on" />Appellation</placename /> <placetype w:st="on" />Mountains</placetype /></place /> there. This leads to considerable embarrassment among college students, especially those in their freshman year. There is a chain of mountains in the eastern US with the appellation 'Appalachian.' Doubt remains as to whether Saddam Hussein deserved the appellation of president of a people he periodically slaughtered. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> In sense 2, this word has been reduced from the French phrase appellation (d'origine contrôlée) "trade name (of controlled origin)." The word itself was borrowed via Old French from Latin "appellatio(n)," the noun from appellatus, the past participle of appellare "to drive to, admonish, entreat." This verb is a combination of ad "(up) to" + pellare "to push, hurl, beat, propel." The past participle of this verb is "pulsus" from which we retrieved "pulse." The same root came directly into Old English as an-fealt "anvil," i.e. something beaten on. It is also the origin of the noun "felt," which is made by beating or compressing fibers rather than weaving them. <p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Germane</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Adjective)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [jêr-'meyn]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Closely related, relevant, pertinent, apposite. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is related to English german "having the same parents or grand-parents," as in "brother-german," "sister-german," "cousin-german." A sister-german is the contrary of a step-sister. The current meaning of the word with the final [e] is but a short hop from the meaning of "most closely related by kinship." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word refers to a stronger relation than does "pertinent" or "relevant." Raising pigs for their skin might be pertinent to a discussion of <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">US</place></country-region> football since footballs are made from pigskin but hardly germane. Quarterbacks, field goals, and end runs are, however, quite germane to any discussion of football. So, would a discussion of the word "German" be germane here? Apparently, not. The English name for the Germans apparently comes from an accidentally similar Latin word, perhaps itself borrowed from Celtic. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Ultimately from Latin germanus "own, fully related," based on germen "offshoot." The root here, germ-, underwent an interesting change frequently seen in language called "dissimilation." It was originally the same *gen- that gave us "generate," "genus" from Latin and "kin," "kind" and German "Kind" from Old Germanic. But when the suffix –men was added to the root to make *gen-men-, the [n] and the [m] didn't get along because both are nasals, i.e. pronounced through the nose. (Hold your nose and pronounce them; you should get [d] and [b], as you do when your nose is stopped up from a cold.) Anyway, the [m] forced the [n] to become a dissimilar [r] to remain next to it, hence *ger-men from *gen-men. <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Malaise</span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr">(Noun)</span></i><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [mê-'leyz]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A vague sense of physical illness or mental dispiritedness. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> "Malaise" is an orphan with no lexical relatives, no adjective or verb—not even a plural. It is a convenient way around the widely misused word, "funk" (including "blue funk") which itself should refer to a state of paralyzed fear but is becoming a term of aesthetics (art and music) with an almost indeterminate meaning. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Contemporary society, no matter what the century, always suffers some sort of spiritual or societal malaise until forgotten and its era hailed as "the good old days." According to Rabbi Eugene Borowitz of <place w:st="on"><placename w:st="on">Hebrew</placename> <placename w:st="on">Union</placename> <placetype w:st="on">College</placetype></place>, "The peculiar malaise of our day is air-conditioned unhappiness, the staleness and stuffiness of machine-made routine." The word works just as well with individuals, though, "My dog, Porky, is suffering from a worrisome malaise: he hasn't chased a cat for a week and the squirrels come down the trees just to jeer him." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From French malaise "discomfort, uneasiness" based on mal "bad, badly" + aise "ease" (cf. English "dis-ease"). "Mal" comes from Latin malus "bad" also found in malevolence "ill-intent," "malign," "malignant," and malaria, originally meaning "bad air." "Aise" came from Old French Old French aise "elbowroom, opportunity," probably a descendant of Vulgar Latin ansatus "having handles, arms akimbo."</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Prolepsis</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Noun)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" stroked="f" filled="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\SARLBM~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.png"></imagedata></shape><b>Pronunciation:</b> [pro-'lep-sis]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is about bringing the future into the present not with technology but through language. "Prolepsis" means: (1) the presentation of a future potentiality as an accomplished fact, (2) a response to criticism in advance of hearing it, and (3) placing a redundant descriptive phrase, that refers to a term in the middle of the sentence, at the head of the sentence. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Here is something else you do all the time but probably did not know what to call it. Have you ever said, "I'm out of here!" Then you have committed prolepsis by representing a potentiality as an accomplished fact. Has anyone ever told you, "If you touch my beer, you're toast!" They are not lying, even though you are not toast at the time, but they are displaying their proleptic (the adjective) side. (The hyperbole may be a tad overdone in this one, too.) <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> How about this: "I know we will have to work harder with this plan, but the benefits outweigh the sacrifices." This, too, is prolepsis, for it anticipates criticism before the criticism occurs. Finally, both last and least, grammatical prolepsis is frowned upon by grammarians and for that reason it occurs more often in speech than in written English: "That fellow from the finance office, I saw him helping hitch your car to the tow truck." It may seem as though this sentence contains a spurious and redundant "him" when, in fact, the focus of the sentence has been extracted and placed front if not center for emphasis. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> Late Latin prolepsis from Greek prolambanein "to anticipate" based on pro- "before" + lambanein, lep- "to take." The Greek root is ostensibly akin to English "latch" but few other relationships have been established.</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> </span></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Attenuate</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Verb)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [ê-'ten-yu-weyt]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> To make thinner—narrower, rarer, or weaker; to reduce in strength, force, effect; to weaken. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This verb has fathered a healthy family of related words. The noun is "attenuation" and something that attenuates is an attenuator. There are two adjectives: attenuative means "tending to attenuate" while "attenuate" [ê-'ten-yu-êt] means "thin or having been made thin."<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The basic meaning of today's word is to make thinner in girth, "The month of wandering the desert had noticeably attenuated <place w:st="on">Fatima</place>." This applies to both senses of the word "thin," as we see here: "Finding the kumquat smoothie a bit too thick for her taste, Portia attenuated it with a half cup of gin." The other meaning is to reduce the power or intensity of something, "Boomer, would you mind attenuating the music until I am off the telephone?"<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Latin attenuare, attenuat-: ad- "to" + tenuare "to make thin" (from tenuis "thin"). The root *ten- with the suffix -d shows up in many words borrowed from Latin, including tender "to offer," "tendon" (Greek "tenon" from teinein "to stretch"). Greek has a partially reduplicated form with the root repeated: tetanos "rigid" which gave us "tetanus" via Latin. In Latin, the root turns up in tenere "to hold" and from there found its way into tenant "lease holder" and tenor "course or drift of a discourse." As you can see in the pairs Latin pater : English father, Latin mater : English mother, the PIE [t] became [th] in English so we get the expected "thin" from the same root in English. <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Frolic</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Verb)</span></i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['frah-lik]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> To make merry, to gambol, to romp or caper about worry-free. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Don't forget to add the [k] to today's word when extending it with suffixes like "frolicker," "frolicked," or "frolicking" (compare: traffic : trafficker, picnic : picnicker). A person in the mood to frolic is "frolicsome." I hope you know many frolicsome people. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Like "gambol," today's word is usually associated with children and animals: "Serafina and Giorgio sat on the porch, watching the children and squirrels frolicking together on the front lawn." Of course, it may be used figuratively to simply refer to a mirthful time, "I heard that Phil Anders and Emma Chisit frolicked the weekend away in <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Las Vegas</place></city>." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Dutch vrolijk "merry" from Middle Dutch vro "happy" + -lijc "-ly, like." Akin to German fr&ouml;hlich "happy." The suffix here comes from the Old English ancestor of "like," which reduced itself to –ly in Modern English. However, "like" is now making a comeback in such words as "lady-like," "bell-like," "fern-like." These words are currently compound nouns comprising some word plus the regular word, "like," but 300 years from now "like" will again reduce to affix, either merging with the current suffix –ly or assuming a similar form. <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

Beatific (Adjective)
Pronunciation: [bee-ê-'tif-ik]
Definition 1: Exhibiting ultimate serenity, imparting or experiencing a state of utmost bliss (beatitude), usually associated with a religious experience.
Usage 1: This word family is used almost exclusively in a religious sense. The Christian "beatific vision" is the bliss aroused by the direct contact with God enjoyed by angels and other souls in heaven. "Beatific smiles" reflect that serenity and contentedness. The noun, beatitude, is associated with the list of blessings in Christ's Sermon on the Mount, commonly referred to as "The Beatitudes."
Suggested usage: There is no reason why religion should usurp the services of this word family. There are secular situations where it might be used in the sense of a serene self-confidence like that of a religious faith. For example, "Louella entered the room with a beatific air that inspired confidence in every word she uttered," suggests the serene self-confidence inspired by the knowledge that the gods are watching over her. The noun is subject to similar application, "Manfred's attitude suggested beatitude more than mere self-confidence."
Etymology: Latin beatificus "making happy" from beatus "happy" (past participle of beare "to bless") + -fic (from fac-ere "make, do") + case ending -us. The ultimate root also underlies Latin bonus "good," bene "well" found in "benefit," "benevolent," and "benign," not to mention bellus "beautiful" from which we get "beauty" and "belle (of the ball)."

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Steganography</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Noun)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></path><lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" alt="" type="#_x0000_t75"><imagedata o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png"></imagedata></shape><b>Pronunciation:</b> [ste-gên-'ah-grê-fee]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Hiding writing in plain view, cryptography. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This word has been in use since 1569 as a synonym for "cryptography." Recently, however, it has been associated with digital watermarking, so it may diverge from "cryptography" in the future. It comes replete with a panoply of derivatives: "steganogram," "steganographer," and an adjective, "steganographical."<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The use of this term in referring to digital watermarking means no one has had time to use it metaphorically: "Any half-clever steganographer can find the watermark in this graphic file." Already we can send steganograms via e-mail to the extent they are merely encrypted messages, but what of concealed codes in missives of all sorts: "Manfred loves to steganographically conceal messages in his letters to Flo." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Greek steganos "covered" + graphein "to write." "Steganos" comes from stegein "to cover (water-tight)." Domos hala stegon "a house that keeps out the sea" was a metaphor for a good ship. The same root occurs without "s" in Latin tegere "to cover" whence tegula that evolved into "tile." In the Germanic languages this form emerges in German decken "cover," Dach "roof," and "deck" from Middle Dutch dec "roof, covering." In Russian we find stegnut' "to button, zip, etc." and, finally, from Hindi we get "thug" from Hindi "thag," probably from Sanskrit sthaga "a cheat," itself from sthagati "he conceals." <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Oxymoron</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Noun)</span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> [ahk-see-'mo-rahn]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A phrase comprising two mutually contradictory words. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> We often understand phrases that, when interpreted logically, actually contradict themselves! What do you think passes through the mind of an English-learner when they first hear: "a long brief," "the living dead," or "freezer burn?" A shot fired at me was a "near miss;" does this mean I was partially hit? What could "old news" possibly mean? An old story cannot be news of any kind. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Now, see how many you can find in this paragraph: "It was a pretty ugly situation: we were alone together with a pitcher of beer almost exactly half full listening to soft rock. I was half naked in a pair of tight slacks and Lucy wore a pair of slack tights. Suddenly we had an urge for some jumbo shrimp but when I put on my plastic glasses to look for them, we found our car keys missing." Other candidates are a matter of interpretation. What do you think: bureaucratic efficiencies, British cuisine, American taste, Russian political organization, golf fashion, holy war, Microsoft Works, political science, rap music? <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> From Greek oxus "sharp" and moros "dull, stupid." Greek "oxus" is also found in "oxygen" and shares an origin with Latin acus "needle" underlying "acuity," "acid," "acupuncture," and "acute." In Germanic it became *agjo which developed into Old Norse eggja, "to incite, egg on," borrowed later by English "egg (on)" which thus has nothing to do with the avian reproductive system. The same Germanic stem developed into English "edge."</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> </span></p>

[soubiri]

<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pot</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Noun)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.gif" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif"></imagedata></shape><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['paht]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A deep hole in the ground; a deep, usually round vessel for storage and cooking; the cranium, skull (archaic). <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Pot-hole is pleonastic, to use a recent word of the day, since a pot is a hole. A bad road has pots in it. The "jack-pot" was originally the pot in a game of draw-poker, which accumulated until one player had a pair of jacks or better. "Pot luck" has always been your luck in being offered whatever is being cooked in the pot when you visit someone's home. The cook on a <place w:st="on"><span id="lw_1168015360_0">New England</span></place> whaler was called a "pot wrestler." Guess why.<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Most of us know how to use today's word; the interest is in its pliable meaning, so let's look at some more uses of it. A "pot shot" was one taken at game merely for the purpose of filling the pot for a meal rather than for sport or trophy mounts. Hence its meaning, "an easy shot." A "pot-boiler" shares the same thought: a book written to boil the food pot rather than to create a modern masterpiece. A crackpot, originally a "cracked pot," harks back to the days when pot meant "skull, cranium."<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Nothing is known for sure as to the origin of "pot." It has been speculated that late Latin had a word "pottus" in it since French has the same word "pot" (as in pot pourri, literally "rotten pot"), borrowed by an English speaker whose French, apparently, was shaky. However, there is no written record of the Latin word. It is related to "porridge," an altered form of pottage "what is in the pot.".<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

<span lang="EN-US" dir="ltr" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-fareast-language: fr; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Voracity</span></b><font face="Times New Roman"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-fareast-language: fr"><font size="3"> </font></span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; mso-fareast-language: fr">(Noun)</span></i></font><span lang="EN-US" style="color: blue; mso-fareast-language: fr"></span><span style="color: blue; mso-ansi-language: fr; mso-fareast-language: fr"><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif"><font face="Times New Roman"></font></imagedata></shape></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr"> [vo-'r&aelig;-sê-ti]<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr"> An enormous appetite, uncontrollable hunger, ravenousness.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr"> Be sure to make the initial [o] sound in today's word distinct; otherwise, it may well be confused with veracity "truthfulness." People noted for their voracity are quite distinct from those known for their veracity. The adjective from today's noun is "voracious" and the adverb "voraciously." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr"> Today's word always refers to the appetite, so "a voracious appetite" is redundant: "Manley attacked the roast beef with a voracity expected only of a pack of wolves." However, outside the gastronomic purview, the word loses its negative connotations and assumes a sophistication consonant with its phonetic beauty: "Madeleine has an insatiable voracity for German classical music."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: fr"> From Latin vorax "ravenous" from vorare "to swallow, devour." The same word emerges in French as "voracité," in Italian as "voracità," and in Spanish as "voracidad." Today's word is akin to vorago "chasm, abyss" and its adjective voraginous "gaping, resembling a chasm or abyss," things that can greedily swallow you up. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="rtl" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left" align="right"></p></span>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Labile</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue">(Adjective)</span></em><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><br /><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> ['ley-bIl or 'ley-bêl]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Changeable, unstable; apt to slip away.<p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> When used to describe personalities, today's word replaces "temperamental" or "moody," as in, "Birgitta was a labile lass with a personality hard to calculate." It also refers to unstable chemical and electrical changes. The noun is lability [lê-'bi-lê-tee]. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's proffering works in discussions of international politics: "Don't talk to me about lability in the <place w:st="on" />Middle East</place />. We've reconsidered 3 vacations in the past 2 years over it." With its two 'liquid' sounds (L's in this case), the word is euphonic (nice-sounding) enough for poetic or romantic _expression, "The sunny, labile days of that spring were hard to pin down in his memory; she was the constant that held that year together in his mind." <p align="left"></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Latin labilis "slippery, apt to slip" via Old French "labile." Related to labor and lapsare both of which mean "to slip, stumble, fall." The past participle of "labor" is "lapsus," the origin of English "lapse." The stem here is probably related to labium "lip" and English "lip" which all seem to come from the same root, *leb-. <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Gambit</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Noun)</i></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['g&aelig;m-bit]<p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A daring opening move in chess that sacrifices a piece for a future advantage.<p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Applied first and foremost to the game of chess.<p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Of course, it can be applied to any daring opening move, such as a provocative statement to open a conversation or a risky business maneuver that promises long-term gains. "Buying so much of the flood plain was a risky gambit that could pay off if fish-farming becomes profitable."<p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Italian gambetto "gambit", originally "tripping (up)" from gamba "leg". The same PIE root devolved into Greek kampê "bend, twist" and Lithuanian kampas "corner". <p></p></span></p>

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<p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Pyrrhic</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png" o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> ['pir-ik]<p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Used in the phrase "Pyrrhic victory," meaning a victory with losses or costs so great, it's no victory at all. <p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Today's word is usually capitalized, since it comes from a proper name (see the Etymology). It is used almost exclusively in the phrase "Pyrrhic victory." As a noun it can refer to an ancient Greek military dance, the pyrrhic, or a metric foot in poetry comprising two unaccented syllables. <p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Arguably, every victory in war is Pyrrhic because the costs of any battle are always too great. Pyrrhic victories often win the battle but lose the campaign: "Besting Lettucia in the state salad-making finals turned into a Pyrrhic victory for Leonard when Lettucia returned the engagement ring to him the following day." Revenge is generally Pyrrhic in that, having achieved it, the avenger usually feels sympathy for his victim. <p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The eponym of today's word is Pyrrhus (318-272 BC), a Greek king of <country-region w:st="on">Epirus</country-region> who fought the <place w:st="on">Roman Empire</place>. Twice, he defeated the Romans, at <city w:st="on">Heraclea</city> (280) and <place w:st="on">Asculum</place> (279), but suffered such loses that he is quoted after the second battle in Plutarch's 'Lives' as saying, "One more victory like this will be the end of me." Legend has it that Pyrrhus also invented the pyrrhic dance, hence its name. Perhaps he would have sustained fewer losses had he focused more on the battlefield and less on the dance floor.<p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Sanction</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue"> <em>(Noun)</em></span><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> ['s&aelig;ngk-shên]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> This word has two contradictory meanings: approval for or prohibition against doing something. It also may refer to a specific law prohibiting something or the penalty for violating such a law. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> When you sanction the use of something you either approve of it or effectively prohibit it. The meanings are distinguished by the prepositions used with the word: sanction to (approval) versus sanction against (prohibition). "Sanction" is also a verb but the prepositional distinction is not maintained with the verb: "Mom sanctioned milk and cookies after school" could mean she approved of them or prohibited them. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> This is a word that can be used everywhere from the home to international relations: "We need Mom and Dad's sanction (approval) to pull stumps in the back yard with the Volvo" but "The US established sanctions against non-essential exports to Cuba in the 1960."<p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Latin sanctio "establishing as inviolable" from sancire "to make holy." The Proto-Indo-European root, sak-, which was rendered "sanc-" when nasalized, also underlies "saint" (sank-t-) with the "t" suffix and simplification of the consonant cluster (loss of the "k" sound). Unnasalized, it produced "sacred." Read "How is a Hippopotamus like a Feather" in the yourDictionary library for more on Proto-Indo-European.<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Agora</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Noun)</i><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 114pt; height: 1.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png" o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif"></imagedata></shape><br /><shape id="_x0000_i1026" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png" o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['&aelig;-gê-rê]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A meeting place or marketplace. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The plural is "agorae" or "agoras." We thought today's word an especially appropriated name for the new forum we just opened today, because it reminds us of Attic Greece, where not only Western word study originated but many of the very words we use today in English and other languages around the world. It is related to "agoraphobia," the fear of open spaces. We hope to develop a community of "agoraphiles," who appreciate both the open marketplace of ideas and our new linguistic Agora. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> We would like to infuse "agora" with new life, "The best source of information on language is yourDictionary's Agora. It is the meeting place for web-footed logophiles, word-nerds, and normals, not to mention the uptown marketplace of linguistic ideas on the Web." However, any good university is an intellectual agora and your house could be the social agora of your neighborhood or town. (If it is, tell all your guests about ours.)<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Greek agora "marketplace," the noun from ageirein "to assemble." The Greek word also underlies "category" from Greek kategorein "to accuse, predicate" comprising kata "down, against" + agoreuein "to speak in public." The original root *(ê)ger-, lost its initial vowel in Latin and Germanic languages. In the former, it turns up in grex, gregis "herd," underlying English "aggregate," "congregation," "segregate," and "egregious." With the suffix –m, it became English "cram." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"></p>

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Panglossian</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png" o:href="http://us.i1.yimg.com/us.yimg.com/i/us/pim/el/spc_eee1.gif"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> [p&aelig;n-'glah-si-ên]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Blindly and naively optimistic. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word provides a way to shorten conversations by condensing "overly-optimistic and naïve" into a single word. The adjective may be also used freely as a noun, "Nothing distresses Rita; she is an eternal panglossian." It has a non-identical twin, "panglossic," which offers the advantage of an adverb, "panglossically." The noun is "panglossism," taken directly from "Pangloss" (see Etymology). <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Panglossians are generally pleasant company, since they are deaf to bad news. However, the attitude does not fit all circumstances: "Trey Sample is so panglossian as to think that the major impact of the Inquisition was to improve the living standards of rack and gallows makers." Since youth is highly susceptible to the attitude, household uses for today's word abound, "I hope you are not so panglossian as to think that your devastation of my petunias with the lawn-mower this afternoon will pass unnoticed." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> Today's word is based on the name of Pangloss, the tutor in Voltaire's 'Candide' (1759) who believes, in Candide's words, "that all is right when all goes wrong." Voltaire</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> created the name from Greek pan "all, whole" + glossa "language, tongue." The </span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-fareast-language: en-us"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">lawn-mower this afternoon will pass unnoticed." <p></p></span></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">Muckle</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"> <em>(Adverb)</em></span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" coordsize="21600,21600" o:spt="75" o:preferrelative="t" /><stroke joinstyle="miter" /></stroke /><formulas /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></f /></formulas /><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect" /></path /><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t" /></lock /></shapetype /><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt="" /><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\ADMINI~1\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\cli p_image001.gif" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif" /></imagedata /></shape /></span><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">Pronunciation:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"> ['mê-kl]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">Definition 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"> Much, a great many, a large amount; large, great (Scots English). <p align="left"></p></span></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">Usage 1:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"> Usage of today's word tapered off over the course of the 20th Century even in its last stronghold, </span><country-region /><place /><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">Scotland</span></place /></country-region /><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">, always the land of fascinating words. An older variant of this word is "mickle." In the Eve of St. Agnes (xiv) Keats pleads, "Let me laugh awhile, I've mickle time to grieve." Most Scots today would probably prefer using "muckle," as did Frank Kippax as recently as 1992 in The Butcher's Bill: "The Home Guard barged in and waved a muckle pistol in his face." <p align="left"></p></span></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"> Today our word is heard mostly in the idiom, "Many a mickle mak's a muckle," meaning roughly "a lot of littles make a lot," an encouragement to save for a rainy day. This idiomatic (unpredictable) phrase seems contradictory and probably is a corruption of "Many a little mak's a muckle," suggesting the Scots themselves are letting this quaintly old fashioned word slip away. Still and again, J. D. Salinger wrote in Catcher in the Rye (1951), Chapter 11, that Jane Gallagher "was sort of muckle-mouthed" because when she talked excitedly "her mouth sort of went in about fifty directions." <p align="left"></p></span></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p align="left"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb">Etymology:</span></strong><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"> The origin of today's word is a prominent root *meg- "great, large" found in some form in almost every Indo-European language. It ended up (also) as "much" in English but we find it in Norwegian and Danish meget "very (much)" and Swedish mycken "much," as well. The ancient Greek cognate is megas "great," borrowed in all the English words on "mega": "megastar," "megaton," "megabyte." It also underlies megalomania "delusions of wealth and power." In Armenian it became mec "great" and in Albanian, madh "great." Sanskrit maha "great" is used in several words borrowed into English, including mahatma as in Mahatma Gandhi, maharishi "great seer," an eminent spiritual teacher, and maha raja "great king," which also includes "raja," a relative of "royal" and French roi "king." <p align="left"></p></span></p></span></p><p align="left"></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" align="left"><span lang="EN-GB" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-gb"><p align="left"></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">*<b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Puerile</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['pwe-rêl or 'pwe-rIl]<p></p></span><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Related to early childhood; juvenile, childish, immature.<p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This term is not so much scholarly as simply widely overlooked. It refers to a younger stage than immature or even juvenile. It specifically refers to very young children. <p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This word is an emphatic substitute for "childish" or immature': "don't be so puerile, Buffy! It can also be used simply to refer to childhood: "In his puerile world, Ralphy was king." <p></p></span></p><p><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Latin puer "boy" and puera "girl". Originally from PIE *pou- "little, few" which gave both English few and paucity borrowed from Latin paucus "little, few". Paucus also underlies Spanish poco, and with the diminutive suffix, l, gives the Latin paulus "small, Paul". <p></p></span></p><p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Hep</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [hep]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> (Dated slang) In the know, in the swing of the newest fad, in tune with the latest youthful style in music, clothes and slang.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> In the 40s and 50s only musicians and those who followed them identified with "hep" and they called each other "hep cats" given jazz musicians' preference for calling people "cats." To be a hep cat one had to get hep to the latest trends in jazz and youth dress. The original generation of hip cats appeared in the 60s, assuming quickly the name "hippy." They considered themselves set apart by their "hipness" (not to be confused with the hippiness which characterize most now). <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> If you are over fifty, you might still say something like, "Why are you wearing new jeans? What will it take to get you hep to the new faded fad?" If you are under 50, you will probably prefer the term "hip" or "in" or just "cool." The word is used more broadly to mean simply "understand," as "Selena, your dad and I are hep to your plans to go to the fraternity party tonight and we aren't going to let it happen." ." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us"> US English has three very similar words related to jazz whose origins cannot be established: hup, hep, and hip. All three have been around since the turn of the century. The first one is used in timing cadences for marching or playing in a band: "Hup, two, three, four; hup, two, three, four." "Hep" became very popular among jazz musicians in the 40s and 50s meaning "in the know, in tune with the latest style." The term "hep cat" came to be used to refer to those who were hep. By the late 50s, preferences among youth and rock musicians shifted to "hip" with the same meaning.</span></p>

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Schlimazel</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Noun)</i></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [shlê-'mah-zêl]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A person with no luck at all, a sort of loser who magnetically attracts misfortune. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is almost always defined in terms of interaction between schlimazels and schlemiels. According to Leo Rosten (Hooray for Yiddish!), if a waiter spills the soup he is carrying, he is a schlemiel; the person who gets it down the neck is a schlimazel. When a schlemiel accidentally knocks over a priceless vase, he blames the nearest schlimazel. Most dictionaries will allow you to omit the [c] after [s] (shlimazel), but our spell-checkers frown on the practice.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although both these words refer to unfortunate people, they are generally used in good humor, often with sympathy attached: "The poor schlimazel had just cashed $500 in travelers checks when he was mugged." In fact, this word rarely occurs without the attribute "poor" preceding it: "One time in his life he runs a stop sign and the poor schlimazel hits a police car." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word comes from Yiddish shlimazl "bad luck, unlucky person" from an ancestor of German schlimm "bad" + Yiddish mazl "luck" from Late Hebrew mazzal "constellation, destiny." "Mazzal" came from Akkadian manzaltu, mazzatum "position of a star," the noun from the verb izuzzu "to stand." The Yiddish variant of "mazzal" is also found in mazel tov "good luck," the indispensable toast at Jewish weddings, from Mishnaic Hebrew mazzal tôb "good luck."<p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Chaise longue</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Noun)</i></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [sheyz lang or l&atilde; (nasalized ]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A type of sofa or couch with a back at one end only.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although a chaise longue is a good place to lounge around, the word has nothing to do with "lounging" and so the spelling "chaise lounge" and pronunciation as though it were "chase lounge" are incorrect. "Chaise lounge" is a folk etymology, the reanalysis of foreign words and phrases so that they incorporate more familiar native words (for ease of remembering and pronunciation). <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A chaise longue is a wonderful place to sit with someone's head on your lap; otherwise one member of the couple faces the hazard of falling off backward. "Mama's new chaise longue looks too pretentious among her colonial pieces." "Martha, you sit on the chaise longue; you fit it perfectly." Meoooow! <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From the French phrase chaise longue 'long chair.'<p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Chaise longue</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Noun)</i></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [sheyz lang or l&atilde; (nasalized ]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A type of sofa or couch with a back at one end only.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although a chaise longue is a good place to lounge around, the word has nothing to do with "lounging" and so the spelling "chaise lounge" and pronunciation as though it were "chase lounge" are incorrect. "Chaise lounge" is a folk etymology, the reanalysis of foreign words and phrases so that they incorporate more familiar native words (for ease of remembering and pronunciation). <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A chaise longue is a wonderful place to sit with someone's head on your lap; otherwise one member of the couple faces the hazard of falling off backward. "Mama's new chaise longue looks too pretentious among her colonial pieces." "Martha, you sit on the chaise longue; you fit it perfectly." Meoooow! <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From the French phrase chaise longue 'long chair.'<p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Baleful</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['beyl-fêl]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Threatening harm, ominous or sinister.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> "Baleful" and "baneful" are close cousins, but do have different uses. "Baleful" is said of something that seems to assure danger; "baneful" refers to something that has already caused harm. "I'm not going to have those baleful eggs; they look runny" versus "The baneful effect of the undercooked eggs was sour after-breakfast moods and conversations."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The uses are endless. "The construction crew became more active when baleful clouds appeared overhead." "My little sister responded quickly to the baleful expression on Mom's face this afternoon."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Old English balu, Middle English bale "evil, perniciousness, harm" + -ful. Archaic by the 16th century. Probably related to Slavic bol- "pain, affliction" as in Russian bol'nyi "painful."<p></p></span></p>

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<p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Meshuga</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span><i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">(Adjective)</span></i><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [mê-'shU-gê]<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Affectionate) Crazy, nutty, absent-minded. <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The noun is meshugaas "craziness" and a crazy girl is a "meshuggeneh" while a crazy boy is a "meshuggener." Be careful not to call your boyfriend "a crazy meshuggeneh" because you make two mistakes when you do: (1) a meshuggeneh is a girl and (2) the word already says he's crazy. Of course, if you come from one of the many regions where the final [r] is not pronounced, the same word applies both ways. Today's word is also spelled "meshugga" or "meshugge." <p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's is a word for "crazy" that is mild and not insulting: "I may be meshuga but I'm not an idiot," sounds perfectly OK. Here is some more meshugaas: "You can't parachute from the roof with an umbrella! Where did you get a meshuga idea like that?!"<p></p></span></p><p style="line-height: 14.4pt" align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Yiddish "meshuge" from Hebrew mêšuggah "maddened, crazed" participle of šuggah "to be mad, crazy.<p></p></span></p><p align="left"></p>

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<p align="left"><strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Ephemeral</span></strong><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana"> <i>(Adjective)</i><br /><shapetype id="_x0000_t75" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" filled="f" stroked="f" o:preferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><stroke joinstyle="miter"></stroke><formulas><f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></f><f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></f><f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></f><f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></f><f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></f><f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></f><f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></f><f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></f></formulas><path o:extrusionok="f" gradientshapeok="t" o:connecttype="rect"></path><lock v:ext="edit" aspectratio="t"></lock></shapetype><shape id="_x0000_i1025" style="width: 0.75pt; height: 7.5pt" type="#_x0000_t75" alt=""><imagedata src="file:///C:\DOCUME~1\aa\LOCALS~1\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_imag e001.png" o:href="http://www.yourdictionary.com/images/x.gif"></imagedata></shape></span><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [ê-'fe-mê-rêl]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Lasting one day only; very short-lived [-lajvd], passing very quickly, fleeting. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> "Ephemeral" is still marginally used in the original sense referring to insects that live for only a day and diseases such as an ephemeral fever or the ephemeral ague "bad hair day" which last a day but less than a nychthemeron (or "nichthy"). <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The basic use of the word is to refer to events of exceedingly short duration: "An ephemeral smile jostled her lips at his joke; then her attention quickly returned to the filet." Because of the beauty of the word itself, it usually refers to pleasant things: "Her ephemeral romance with the president left her even lonelier and more famous." However, "His ephemeral salary was not enough to make ends meet," also works. <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Greek ephemeros "lasting a day, daily" from epi- "on" + hemera "day."<p></p></span></p>

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<p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana">Pukka</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue"> <i>(Adjective)</i></span><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> ['pê-kê]<p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Authentic, solid, well built or constructed. (Its antonym is cutcha "temporary, shoddy, ramshackle.") <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> A Britisher or Australian might say, "That vindaloo's pukka, mate!" They might even talk of pukka tukka (good, solid, authentic food) in general, a phrase that plays on "tucker" in the British sense of "food, ration." ('Pukka Tukka' is now a series on the Food Channel.) You would want to build a pukka house and buy a pukka car. A cutcha car in <country-region w:st="on">Britain</country-region> would be the equivalent of a lemon in the <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">U.S.</place></country-region> <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> The first meaning of the word is "genuine," as in, "Herb is a pukka mate; he always brings crisps and beer when he comes to watch football with us." However, its other meanings recommend it even to the highest level of corporatese: "This is a pukka contract that will survive any court battle—even if it was cobbled together by a couple of cutcha lawyers from <city w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Kankakee</place></city>." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> Today's word provides more evidence of the English language's proclivity to raid the languages of the world for their treasures. It comes from Hindi pakka "cooked; ripe" from Sanskrit pakva-, from pacati "he cooks." "Cutcha" comes from Hindi kachcha "raw, crude, unripe, uncooked</span></p>

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Sanctimonious</span></strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"> </span><em><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">(Adjective)</span></em><span style="color: blue; font-family: arial"></span><strong><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Pronunciation:</span></strong><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> [s&aelig;ngk-tê-'mo-ni-ês]<p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Definition 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> Making a show of piety, sanctity; pretending to be pious or religious. <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Usage 1:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> "Sanctity" or "sanctitude" refer to a saint-like holiness or moral perfection in a person. "Sanctimony," the noun underlying today's adjective, was once a synonym but today refers to a feigned sanctity, a saint-like pretension of superiority. Today's adjective, "sanctimonious," is the perfect substitute for the messy slang phrase "holier-than-thou." Make the substitution in your vocabulary today if you have ever uttered it! The adverb is "sanctimoniously." An interesting distant relative is sanctiloquent "speaking things holy, sacred." <p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Suggested usage:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> We can always suggest you use this word as Shakespeare used it in 'Measure for Measure' act I, scene 7, "Thou conclud'st like the Sanctimonious Pirat, that went to sea with the ten Commandements, but scrap'd one out of the Table." Update the context, of course, "My boss is a sanctimonious pirate who quotes the Bible as justification for forcing us to work longer and harder."<p align="left"></p></span></p><p align="left"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"> From Latin sanctimonia "sanctity, virtuousness," based on sanct-us "holy" + monia "-ness." "Sanctus" comes from PIE *sak- "sacred" which emerges in "sacred," "sexton," and "consecrate." Nasalized (with the [n] in it), we find it in "saint," "sanctum," and today's word. "Sanctus" underlies all the Romance words for "saint," i.e. French "saint," Spanish "san," as in "<city w:st="on" /><place w:st="on" />San Francisco</place /></city />," Portuguese "s&atilde;o." The rather odd "Santa Claus," the nickname of Saint Nicholas with the ostensibly feminine form of the word for "saint," probably originated in Dutch "Sinterklaas." The suffix -monia shares its origin with the suffix -ment, originally referring to the mind (Latin "mens, mentis," as in "mental")<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Googol </span></b><i><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['gu-gêl]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.nu3.4.ivw.3wf7"></a> <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A number represented by a one followed by a hundred zeroes.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> It is important when you are balancing your checkbook that you never confuse a googol with a googolplex, a number with a 1 followed by a googol of zeros. It is easy to do, given the similarity in pronunciation and spelling. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> So, if I'm not a mathematician without enough to occupy my mind, how can I use this word? Funny you should ask. The obvious place is on the invitations to your parties: "Come to our party Saturday night for gaggles of gags and googols of giggles." (That kind of silly hyperbole should hold the attendance to full-time fun-lovers.) If you are totally immune to silly alliteration and hyperbole, you could refer to googols of googly-eyed fans surrounding a rock star. But then most of us wouldn't. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This word was coined in 1938 by Milton Sirotta, the 9-year-old nephew of American mathematician, Edward Kasner, when Ed asked him for a name for a very large number. The "Google" spelling was taken by the web search engine from "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" (1979) by Douglas Adams, in which one of Deep Thought's designers asks, "And are you not . . . a greater analyst than the Googleplex Star Thinker in the Seventh Galaxy of Light and Ingenuity which can calculate the trajectory of every single dust particle throughout a five-week Dangrabad Beta sand blizzard?" <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="color: blue"><p>*</p></span></p><p align="left"></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Sempiternal </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br />Pronunciation:<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [sem-pi-'têr-nêl] <p></p></span></p></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> An emphatic and more poetic word for "eternal," "timeless," "temporally infinite."</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Use today's word when you wish to emphasize the long length of a period of time in a way that listeners won't forget. It is also an attractive adornment of any poetic setting. Simply add the traditional –ly to create an adverb. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Given the fact that "forever" and "eternal" are longer than most of us can conceive, words like today's are used mostly for hyperbolic effect, "Joshua, you are a sempiternal fountain of youth! What do you take?" However, this hyperbole has an important function—it emphasizes a deep emotional investment in an important long-term relation, "I will be sempiternally grateful to you for telling me so much about myself that I was unaware of."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word comes from Late Latin "sempiternalis" from Latin "sempiternus," a compound of semper "always" (as in the Marine Corps motto semper fidelis "always faithful") + aeternus "eternal." Latin "semper" is a truncated form of the phrase for "once and for all," comprising sem- "once" and per "for." <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Abulia* </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br />Pronunciation:<span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [ê-'bu-li-yê]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.vn5.4.o4i.3wf7" target="_blank"></a> <p></p></span></p></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A loss of volition or the ability to make decisions.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The adjective is "abulic," also used to refer to a person suffering from this dysfunction. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Medically speaking, abulia usually results from damage to the right (occasionally the left) parietal lobe of the brain. However, some smokers seem abulic when it comes to kicking the habit. Chocolate triggers abulia in weaklings like me. In fact, many foods are suspected of triggering this frailty; ice cream is at the top of the list. Sports leave many men abulic; shopping, many women. Currently, no antidote is available. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Greek aboulia "indecision" comprising a- "without" + boule "will." "Boule" comes from PIE *gwel-/gwol-/gwl "throw, pierce." It turns up in Greek as ballein "to throw" and ballizein "to dance" whence "ball" (the dance), "ballad," and "ballet." The same original root ended up in "quell" from Old English cwellan "to kill, destroy," not to mention "kill," itself. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p>

[Hatem_deu]

[Hatem_deu]

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Peccable </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['pek-ê-bêl]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.rw5.4.lnz.3wf7" target="_blank"></a> <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Sinful, capable of sin, wrong-doing, or error—imperfect.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Orphan negatives are the negatives of words fallen out of use, such as "hapless," "inane," "insipid," "immaculate," "impromptu," "nonchalant." An unlucky person is hapless but a lucky person is doesn't have much hap. You're very clean if you’re immaculate but not maculate if you’re very dirty and, if you don't care, you’re indifferent, but if you do, it shouldn't make you all that different. However, if you’re not impeccable, "sinless and incapable of sin," you will be peccable for "impeccable" is a false orphan negative. The stem, "peccable," still lurks around the edge of language, still a part of language though not of speech, our use of language. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is a specialized term for one sense of "imperfect," "Miss Deeds led a peccable but overall agreeable life." Do allow for the double takes of those listening to you when you use it, though: "Weems may be too peccable to keep the company books."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word comes from Latin Latin peccabilis "sinful" from peccare "to stumble, sin." "Peccare" comes from a Proto-Indo-European construction *ped-ko, based on the root *ped-, which became Latin pes, pedis "foot," found in English "pedal," "pedestrian," and "impede" from Latin impedire "to hobble." In Russian the root emerged as pod "under," in Sanskrit as padam "footstep" and pat "foot, and in Greek as pous, pod- "foot," which we find in the eight-footed "octopus," the flat-footed "platypus," not to mention the three-footed "tripod." As we would expect, in English the [p] becomes [f] and the [d], [t], giving us "foot" and, with a lock of hair, "fetlock." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: blue; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Pavid </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['p&aelig;v-id] <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Easily frightened, fearful, pusillanimous, timorous.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's is a lovelier and more exotic substitute for "fearful," "scared," and "afraid" when these commonplace adjectives begin to weigh on your conversations. It doesn't take as long to say as "pusillanimous" and isn't easily confused with "timid," as is "timorous." We thought you might like to give it a whirl. The adverb is "pavidly" and the noun, "pavidity<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Think of today's word as a bit of spice for your speech: "Olive Pitts is such a pavid lamb, she will never ask for a raise." You can use the tired old terms mentioned above, but this word 'kicks up' the flavor of the verbal cuisine you serve your chatmates: "I'm not sure that a watchdog with such a pavid demeanor is worth $800." Dispel the pavid pallor of your speech with this touch of lexical sparkle today. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The etymology of today's word doesn't run very deep. It is a thinly veiled copy of Latin pavidus "fearful" from pavere "to quake with fear." The root here is the same found in putare "to cleanse, think over, reflect," found in "compute," "repute," "dispute," and others. Other relatives have long since dissipated.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green"><p>*</p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Effulgent </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [ê-'fêl-jênt ] <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Shining brilliantly, resplendent, emitting a brilliant light. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's adjective comes from the verb, effulge "to shine brightly, blindingly." The adverb from the adjective is "effulgently" and the noun is "effulgence." This is the word to use when neither "bright" nor "brilliant" says it all, so use it sparingly and surgically. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's adjective refers to objects that are brighter than bright, "Les Braine thinks every effulgent object he sees in the sky is a UFO." This sense sometimes slips over to refer to resplendence, "Grace Fuller made an effulgent entrance at the cotillion, draped in a sequin-coated gown held down by every bauble she had ever bought or filched." It can move even further into abstraction: "Einstein's mind was a constant source of effulgent ideas." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word comes from Latin "effulgens, effulgent-," the present participle of effulgere "to shine out" composed of ex- "out" + fulgere "to shine." This word comes from Proto-Indo-European *bhel- "shine, flash." The initial [bh] is [b] with the puff of air we get pronouncing [p] today (hold your hand in front of your mouth and say "pup"). In initial position, it usually became [f] in Latin, as the same root gave "burn" in English but fornax "oven" in Latin. *Bhel- became beo "white" in Serbian, belyi "white" in Russian, "blanch," "bleach", "blank" and "black" (!), not "white" in English, as words occasionally become their own antonyms, as did "cold" and "scald."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: green"><p>*</p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Farrago </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [fê-'rah-go]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.xwm.5.pgn.3wf7" target="_blank"></a> <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A disorganized mixture, a hotchpotch (not PA Dutch for "hodge-podge" but the original pronunciation of that word, from the English pronunciation of the French word hochepot "stew"—literally "shake pot"—converted to a rhyme compound).<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The plural is "farragoes" with an [e]. The adjective is "farraginous" [fê-'r&aelig;-ji-nês] as, "Each of us is a farraginous conglomeration of prejudices." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The rather literal-minded Roy Hattersley considered Walter Scott's 'Ivanhoe' "a farrago of historical nonsense combined with maudlin romance." It remains, nonetheless, an excellent romantic novel for the young at heart. Once more: "Mavis' home is furnished in a farrago of styles ranging from classical to what might be called contemporary punk camp." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Latin farrago "mixed fodder" from far, farr- "spelt (a kind of grain." The same root underlies "farina" from another variant referring to grain. It emerged in English as the "bar" in "barley."<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Terroirism </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [ter-wah-'ri-zêm]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.15fz.4.ujk.3wf7"></a> <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> No, we didn't misspell today's word. Terroirism is the conviction that the "taste of the soil" [goût de terroir] plays the dominant role in determining the flavor and bouquet of a wine rather than the yeast and fermentation. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A terroir [ter'wahr] is the microclimate of the vineyard—the type of soil, the drainage, the inclination vis-à-vis the sun—that influences the taste of the grape. Everyone agrees that the terroir influences the taste of at least some types of wine but the terroirist is convinced it is the dominant factor in determining the taste of wine in general.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">*</span><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Admittedly, the range of application for today’s word is a bit narrow unless you are involved in the esoteric discussions of the origins of the tastes in wine. The terroirist, of course, believes the soil holds the answer while the anti-terroirist holds it to be the yeast, fermentation, and casks.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's is a recently borrowed French word that devolved from Latin terra "dry land," from torrere "to dry or parch" related to "terrace" via French from terraceus "earthen." "Terra" is also in the word Mediterranean "middle of the dry land," where the <place w:st="on">Mediterranean</place> was originally supposed to have been located. This Latin root is a descendent of PIE *ters "(to) dry, " which gave us "thirst" in English. It is unrelated to "terror," which comes from the PIE rool *ter-/tre- "to shake" underlying "tremble" and Russian tryasti "shake" found in zemletryasenie "earthquake." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Digamy </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['di-gê-mi]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.176b.8.vot.3wf7"></a> <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A second marriage after a divorce or the passing of a spouse, deuterogamy. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Bigamy is marriage to two spouses simultaneously; digamy is marriage to two spouses in succession. Polygamy is marriage to several partners simultaneously—"polygyny" refers to having several wives while "polyandry" refers to having several husbands. The adjective for today's noun is "digamous" and sounds like "bigamous." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The English language is rich in words referring to multiple spouses; clearly spousal affiliation is an important social issue among us and we must have terms to refer to all its aspects. Digamy has become almost as common as marriage since the more or less <country-region w:st="on">united states</country-region> of <place w:st="on">North America</place> began legalizing divorce in the 60s. "All my friends become digamous so fast, it is difficult to say that that none are bigamous." Digamy has become an aspect of family life that many <country-region w:st="on"><place w:st="on">US</place></country-region> families in the post-Vietnam era have had to make allowances for. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Greek digamia "marriage twice" based on dis "twice" + gamos "marriage." The synonym of today's word, "deuterogamy," comes from Greek deuteros "second" + "gamos" and is related to the name of the fifth book of the Bible, Deuteronomy from Greek deuteronomion "second law" from deuteros "second" + nom- "law." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1"><b><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #993366; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Halcyon </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['h&aelig;l-si-ên ] <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A fabled bird that nested around the winter solstice, building its nest on the seas, which it charmed into calmness until its eggs hatched; the kingfisher. As an adjective it means "calm, tranquil." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> It is heard almost exclusively in the phrase "halcyon days" referring to days of unperturbed solace and contentment. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Here is a beautiful word that could make our language more mellifluous if used more often: "After a halcyon vacation in the wilderness, Fritz adjusted slowly to the frenetic pace of the office." Some people have a look suggesting the halcyon: "Her halcyon gaze allayed all his anxieties in a moment." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Greek (h)alkuon "kingfisher, halcyon" possibly from hals "salt, sea" + kuon, the present participle of kuo "conceive." <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Halcyon </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['h&aelig;l-si-ên ] <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A fabled bird that nested around the winter solstice, building its nest on the seas, which it charmed into calmness until its eggs hatched; the kingfisher. As an adjective it means "calm, tranquil." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> It is heard almost exclusively in the phrase "halcyon days" referring to days of unperturbed solace and contentment. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Here is a beautiful word that could make our language more mellifluous if used more often: "After a halcyon vacation in the wilderness, Fritz adjusted slowly to the frenetic pace of the office." Some people have a look suggesting the halcyon: "Her halcyon gaze allayed all his anxieties in a moment." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> Greek (h)alkuon "kingfisher, halcyon" possibly from hals "salt, sea" + kuon, the present participle of kuo "conceive." </span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Litotes </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['li-tê-teez, lI-'to-teez]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.11wi.4.s73.3wf7" target="_blank"></a> <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A figure of speech that uses dramatic understatement to express a positive idea by negating its opposite.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> An expression that uses litotes is "litotic" and one can speak "litotically." Litotes is a form of meiosis "understatement," the opposite of "hyperbole" or rhetorical exaggeration. When Tom Jones sings "It's not unusual" when he means "it is usual" he is engaging in a perfect example of litotes. While some instances of litotes may seem to be double negatives, this kind of double negative is OK since it serves an honorable literary function (as the next section explains). <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Litotes is a rhetorical trope which can be used for a not unsubtle effect. It can be used to soften the blow of an unwelcome truth as when your friend says that your blind date is "not unattractive." We also find a kind of ironic emphasis in reverse: "While I wasn't looking forward to that dinner party, the evening was not at all unpleasant." Not all litotic phrases involve double negative, as we see in Queen <state w:st="on"><place w:st="on">Victoria</place></state>'s classic British understatement, "We are not amused." Not too shabby, eh?<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: maroon; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Greek litotes "simplicity" from litos meaning "plain, simple." The Greek root is based on PIE *(s)lei- "flat, slippery" which also underlies English "slime," "slick, "slice," and "slip." Old Irish sleman "smooth" is also related, as is Latvian slieka "earthworm."<p></p></span></p><p align="left"></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Niveous </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adj.)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['niv-ee-ês]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.12pn.4.sso.3wf7" target="_blank"></a> <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Resembling snow, snow-like.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The noun is nivosity.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although snow is mostly out of season, if you happen to live near cottonwood trees, you can improvise:* "With the cottonwood's shedding, it's beginning to look quite niveous outside." And keep it handy for when holidays come back around: "I bought my niece a glass sphere filled with water and a niveous flakes for a Christmas gift" (translation: snow globe).<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Latin niveus, from nix (nig-s), niv- "snow" which developed into French neige, Spanish nieve, and Italian neve. The underlying PIE from, believe it or not, is *sneigwh-, with several sounds that have worn off over the years. So the same PIE root gave us English "snow" and Slavic (Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian) sneg "snow." <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Abulia (Noun)</span></b><b><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Pronunciation: [ê-'bu-li-yê] </span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Definition: A loss of volition or the ability to make decisions.</span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Usage: The adjective is "abulic," also used to refer to a person suffering from this dysfunction. </span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Suggested Usage: Medically speaking, abulia usually results from damage to the right (occasionally the left) parietal lobe of the brain. However, some smokers seem abulic when it comes to kicking the habit. Chocolate triggers abulia in weaklings like me. In fact, many foods are suspected of triggering this frailty; ice cream is at the top of the list. Sports leave many men abulic; shopping, many women. Currently, no antidote is available. </span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Etymology: From Greek aboulia "indecision" comprising a- "without" + boule "will." "Boule" comes from PIE *gwel-/gwol-/gwl "throw, pierce." It turns up in Greek as ballein "to throw" and ballizein "to dance" whence "ball" (the dance), "ballad," and "ballet." The same original root ended up in "quell" from Old English cwellan "to kill, destroy," not to mention "kill," itself.</span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana"><p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Ocular </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br />Pronunciation:<span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['ah-kyê-lêr] <p></p></span></p></span></b><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> (1) Pertaining to or seen by the eye or eyes; (2) visual, related to vision. </span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word sports a few interesting relatives. If you tire of using "glasses" and "spectacles," you can ask your friends how they like your new ocularies. 'Tis a rare word but legitimate. If your ophthalmologist fails you, you may want to turn to an ocularist, a maker of glass eyeballs. The adverb is very ordinary: "ocularly."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> In his suspicions of Desdemona's faithfulness, Othello tells Iago "Be sure of it; give me the ocular proof," in Shakespeare's play 'Othello.' Anything visible or visual falls under the scope of today's word: "Blanche White was a fuss of ocular excitement in her new designer dress." An interesting side note: the Greeks made the columns on their buildings slightly convex to defeat the ocular illusion that straight columns are slightly concave, a practice called entasis. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word was borrowed via French from Late Latin ocularis "related to the eye" from Latin oculus "eye, bud." The same root is found in "monocle" and "binoculars" from bi- "two" + "ocularis." The original meaning of "inoculate" was "to graft a scion," to 'in-bud' a plant, using the root ocul- in its second sense. The root was originally *okw-. Old English inherited this root at "eage" which softened even more to "eye." It didn't soften before the suffix –l, so we also find "ogle." In Greek the final [kw] converted to [p] so we get opthalmos "eye" as in "ophthalmology" and "optical," as well as "triceratops" from tri "three" + cerat- "horn" + ops "eye." <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Apposite </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['&aelig;-pê-zit]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.15gj.6.ukk.3wf7"></a> <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br />Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Strikingly appropriate, applicable, or fitting; well put. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br />Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's adjective has abandoned its family and gone out into the world on its own. The underlying verb, "appose," now means "to place on, apply" or "place in proximity," as in the case of appositive nouns. A noun in apposition to another is a noun referring to the same object added immediately following the first noun, as in, "His new financial advisor, Boesky, (made him feel a bit uneasy"). So "appose" and "apposition," oddly enough, have nothing semantically to do with today's word. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br />Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> "Apposite" is a prejudicial word that takes sides on questions of right and wrong, "I thought it very apposite of our group to bombard the committee with water balloons in protest of their decision to sell water rights to outsiders." It also takes sides on issues of social etiquette, "Yes, but do you think that, 'I just loved your sister to death,' was the apposite phrase to use at her funeral?" <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><br />Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: navy; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Old French aposer from Latin apponere, apposui, appositum "place near, add, unite" from ad- "to" + ponere "to put, place" via a confusion of ponere with Late Latin pausare "halt, cease, pause." Appose belongs to a large family including suppose (Latin original "place beneath"), compose (Latin original "put together"), impose (Latin original "put into" cf. English "put out"), expose (Latin original "place outside"), oppose (Latin original "place against"). <p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Edentate </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation: [ee-'den-teyt] <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">: Lacking teeth (the dental correlate of "bald"). The antonym of dentate "having or shaped like teeth." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage: The verb, also "edentate," means to extract or otherwise remove teeth. "Edentation" is the noun from the verb. "Edentulous" [ee-'den-tyu-lês] or [ee-'den-chê-lês] has the same meaning as "edentate," deriving from Latin "edentulus" with the same meaning. The term is common in biology in referring to animals without teeth (ducks?) <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">: The concrete uses of this word are rather obvious, "Her biscuits are not for the weak or edentate." But why not abstract extensions like, "Has congress passed another edentate law restricting handguns?" Rather than threatening to knock someone's teeth out, try, "If you don't leave me alone I'll edentate you!" If that doesn't return everyone's sense of humor, nothing will. <p></p></span></p><h1 dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p>*</p></span></h1><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From the past participle ("edentatus") Latin edentare "to knock out the teeth." Latin dens, dentis "tooth" is akin to Sanskrit "dantas," Greek "odous," Gothic "tunthus," German "Zahn," and English "tooth," which seems to have lost the "n" somewhere along the way. </span><span style="font-size: 9pt"><p></p></span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Paraoxysm (noun)</span></b><b><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Pronunciation: </span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">['p?-rhêk-si-zm]</span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Definition: </span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">A spasm or convulsion; a sudden, convulsive outburst of emotion. </span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"> The adjective for today's word is "paroxysmal" and the adverb, the expected, "paroxysmally." Aside from medical paroxysms, probably the most common one is the paroxysm of laughter, in which the laugher literally loses control of himself for a moment, rearing his head back and slapping his knees while making loud noises. I'll bet there are others, though. </span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Suggested Usage: </span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">The term "paroxysm" itself is neutral; there are good ones and bad ones: "Seldom has the world seen such paroxysms of self-destruction as the two European World Wars." As you can see, metaphorical paroxysms are not limited to humans, "One paroxysm of exploding light from the stormy sky obliterated the tree-house that was the garden of his childhood and his first passageway to adulthood." Of course, humans do experience a wide range of them, "The very sight of a credit card sends Beryl into a paroxysm of shopping." (That might be a bit hyperbolic.)</span><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><span lang="AR-SA" dir="rtl" style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: arial; mso-ascii-font-family: verdana; mso-hansi-font-family: verdana; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Etymology: </span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Greek paroxysmos, from paroxynein, "to stimulate, irritate" based on para- "beyond" + oxunein "to goad, sharpen" from oxus "sharp", akin to akis "needle," basis of English "acumen." With this same suffix, -men, the root entered Old Slavic and became Russian kamen "stone." The original root was PIE *ak-y- "sharp," which entered Old English as ecg "sharp side," today "edge." The Old Norse version, eggja "to incite," was borrowed by English during the Viking invasions as "egg" in the sense of "egg on." With the PIE suffix -mer, it turns up as "hammer," with a meaning similar to the Russian word.* </span></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Timocracy </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [ti-'mah-krê-si]<br /><br style="mso-special-character: line-break" /></p><p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Plato considered timocracy government by principles of honor. To Aristotle it was a government in which the ownership of property is a prerequisite for holding office. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The adjective for today's word is "timocratic" [ti-mê-'kr&aelig;t-ik] and the adverb is "timocratically." The plural is "timocracies." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> We are likely to see a government run by officials all with the name "Tim" before we see one run by officials driven by the love of honor and public service. The costs of political campaigns have reached such heights that we are approaching a timocracy in the Aristotelian sense in US, where only the wealthy can achieve national political office. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The ambiguity in today's word begins with its root, Greek word "time" ['tee-me] which means "honor" when applied to people and "value" or "price" when applied to things. Now since kratia means "governance," the compound could mean "governance by price" or "government by honor," a familiar confusion in politics to this day. A diluted version of the same ambiguity can be found today in the Slavic descendent of the same root, e.g. Russian cena [tsi'na], which means both "price" and "value."*<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p>

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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Cavil </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(verb)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['k&aelig;-vêl] <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> To object on frivolous or petty grounds, to quibble.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The same form may be used as a noun: "I have but one cavil about your argument: you quoted the wrong source—I wrote that article." Your friends who complain about your putative faults are cavilers. (Those who don't are cavaliers.) <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Here is a gift for the person who has everything: a synonym for the verb "quibble." Break the monotony by saying such as, "Don't cavil about the few extra dollars it costs to buy me the best; I deserve it." It is especially appropriate on special occasions: "Dad, why cavil about the damage I did to the car when you've just spilled your coffee on the table? Accidents happen." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> French caviller, from Old French, from Latin cavillari "to jeer" from cavilla "jeering, mockery</span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Abstemious </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b> [&aelig;b-'ste-mi-ês] <p></p></p></span><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Definition:</b> Temperate in consumption of food and drink; sparse or sparing in general. <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> This word answers the question, "Can you name an English word that contains all the vowels in their correct order?" What about "y"? The adverb is "abstemiously." There are several others such as "aerious," "facetious," and "parecious". The noun is "abstemiousness." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> First and foremost this word is used in reference to temperance in food and drink, "Kirsten dines abstemiously throughout the week in order to gorge on the weekends." Another near synonym of today's word is "spartan": "Felix's apartment is modern and abstemious in its furnishings." Extending the metaphor, we might get, "Raymond leads a puritanically abstemious life resistant to most earthly pleasures." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Latin abstemius from ab(s) "away from" + temum, a reduction of temetum "liquor." The prefix ab-s- derives from earlier *apo- which lost its [o] and turned up in English "of" and "off" but also "ebb" and "aft(er)." It may have kept the [o] in Russian, which has a possible descendent in po meaning "according to, about, around." "Temetum" is akin to temere "to profane, desecrate, pollute" that underlies our "temerity." The underlying root means "darkness," found in Sanskrit tamas "darkness," Russian t'ma "darkness," tuman "fog," and ten' "shadow."*<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Caliginous </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation: </b>[kê-'li-jê-nês] <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Dim, murky, obscure. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is another on the brink of extinction. According to the 1913 Webster's dictionary, both "caliginosity" and "caligation" meant "dimness, murkiness." But neither of these fellows are about any more and "caliginous" is rarely used. Google finds today's word about 2290 times on the Web, but most occurrences are in dictionaries and on lists of quaint words. "Caliginously" would be the adverb. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Although today's word is barely there, uses for it still abound. When you want to express the notions behind "dim" and "murky" but these words are too inconspicuous, unleash today's: "Elena Handbasket slipped into a caliginous gloom when they moved her to an office without a window and now she has given up latte." The word is mellifluous and brings a certain felicity to the phrases it joins, "The new guy seems to have emerged from a rather caliginous background involving 5 brief jobs of indeterminate duties over a period of 3 years." <p></p></span></p><p align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-fareast-language: en-us; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: en-us; mso-bidi-language: ar-sa"> Latin caliginosus "dark, obscure" from caligo "darkness, obscurity." Apparently, the original word referred to spots of gray that could be interpreted as dark or white, for Sanskrit kalaka means "(skin) mole" and Hindi kalanka "spot," while Kurdish cherme means "white," and all seem to derive from the same source. Greek kelainos, on the other hand, means "black" and kelis "spot," while Latin kolumba is "pigeon" and calidus, "a white spot on forehead." The Russian town of Kaluga seems to stem from the same root with an older meaning "swampy" or "foggy" and kalina still means a "guelder rose." German Helm "helmet" originally referred to the white spot on the head of a horse, according to best estimation</span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;">Vindemiate </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;">(verb)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;"><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><br /><b>Pronunciation:</b>* [vin-'dem-i-yeyt] <p></p></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;"> To vintage (gather) grapes or pick other fruit. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;"> Here is another contribution to the "English-Has-a-Word-for-Everything" department. Although rarely used, it remains in the venerable Oxford English Dictionary and the U.S. classic Century Dictionary. A fruit gatherer is a vindemiator and the activity is vindemiation. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;"> In the fall, young people leave the towns and cities of France and vindemiate throughout the countryside until every grape is picked and trampled (perhaps untrue but not ungrammatical). Which had you rather be, a migrant fruit-picker or a peregrine vindemiator? The power of words can be felt in the two entirely different images conjured up by these two semantically identical phrases.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;"> From Latin vindemiare "gather grapes" from vinum "grape" + demere "to pick, remove." "Vinum," of course, gave English not only "vine" but also "wine." Akin to Russian vinograd "grape(s)" and Greek oinos "wine." The origin of the Indo-European word for wine is a mystery with speculation running the gamut from Hebrew "yayin" to Ethiopian "wain" and on to Assyrian "inu." There is no hard evidence to support any of these claims, however.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%"><p><font face="Calibri">*</font></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">Declivity </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: black; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt">(noun)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #336633; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [dê-'kli-vê-tee]*<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> A downward slope. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Several adjectives are related to today's noun; the two most common are "declivous" [dê-'kLI-vês] and "declivitous" [dê-'kli-vê-tês], currently the more popular of the pair. The antonym is acclivity "upward slope," whose adjective is "acclivitous." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word plays a major role in geological descriptions, "Truman lived and died on the Eastern declivity of <place w:st="on">Mount St. Helens</place>." However, other types of descriptions can often accommodate it, too, "Their relationship has been in a declivitous state since the evening he lifted her cat from the couch by its tail." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 9pt; color: #333333; font-family: verdana; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Latin declivitas "slope, declivity" from declivis "sloping downhill" comprising de- "(away) from" + clivus "slope." Related to "climate" via Greek klima "surface of the earth, region." The zero grade form of the same root, i.e. *kli-, gave us "lid" from Old English hlid "cover" derived from Germanic *hlid- "that which bends over, cover." Suffixed with -n, the same root became English "lean" from Old English hlinian "to lean" and with -ent, it produced Latin cliens, clientis "dependent, follower," the source of English "client." Finally, another suffixed form evolved into "ladder" from Old English hl&aelig;dder "ladder," whose trail leads to Germanic *hlaidri-.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" dir="ltr" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><span style="font-size: 9pt"><p>*</p></span></p><p></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Peccable </span></b><i><span style="font-size: 8pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">(Adjective)</span></i><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p></p></span></b></p><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> ['pek-ê-bêl]<a href="http://t.pm0.net/s/c?4c.rw5.4.lnz.3wf7" target="_blank"></a> <p></p></span></p></span><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Sinful, capable of sin, wrong-doing, or error—imperfect.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Orphan negatives are the negatives of words fallen out of use, such as "hapless," "inane," "insipid," "immaculate," "impromptu," "nonchalant." An unlucky person is hapless but a lucky person is doesn't have much hap. You're very clean if you’re immaculate but not maculate if you’re very dirty and, if you don't care, you’re indifferent, but if you do, it shouldn't make you all that different. However, if you’re not impeccable, "sinless and incapable of sin," you will be peccable for "impeccable" is a false orphan negative. The stem, "peccable," still lurks around the edge of language, still a part of language though not of speech, our use of language. <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word is a specialized term for one sense of "imperfect," "Miss Deeds led a peccable but overall agreeable life." Do allow for the double takes of those listening to you when you use it, though: "Weems may be too peccable to keep the company books."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word comes from Latin Latin peccabilis "sinful" from peccare "to stumble, sin." "Peccare" comes from a Proto-Indo-European construction *ped-ko, based on the root *ped-, which became Latin pes, pedis "foot," found in English "pedal," "pedestrian," and "impede" from Latin impedire "to hobble." In Russian the root emerged as pod "under," in Sanskrit as padam "footstep" and pat "foot, and in Greek as pous, pod- "foot," which we find in the eight-footed "octopus," the flat-footed "platypus," not to mention the three-footed "tripod." As we would expect, in English the [p] becomes [f] and the [d], [t], giving us "foot" and, with a lock of hair, "fetlock." <p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-outline-level: 1" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13pt; color: #0000cc; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt"><p>*</p></span></b></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Gist</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">(noun)</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> [thwart]<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 1: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">The real grounds for a case or argument; the substance of a matter, the essence of a matter.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage 1: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Watch out for the spelling of this one; it is pronounced the same as "just" in many dialects of English. It is another bachelor word with no derivational offspring—no adjective or verb. It does not even have a plural.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition 2: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">(Obsolete) A stopping place or lodging along an itinerary (for people or migratory birds); the right to pasture cattle in a certain location.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The current meaning of "gist" is useful in separating the core of an event from the details, "I don't recall exactly what was said but the gist of the conversation was a promise never to divulge its contents." What is more intriguing, however, is the loss of the obsolete meaning (Definition 2). That sense deserves a prettier word than "stopover": "Our pond is a gist for a flock of Canada geese every spring." How about, "On our way to </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Hawaii</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> we made a gist of </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">San Francisco</span><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Anglo-French, gist "it lies (is prostrate, is located)" from Middle French, from gesir "to lie," especially gésir en "to consist in, depend on" used in the Anglo-French legal phrase (cest action) gist (en) "this action lies (in)." Gésir comes to us from Latin iacere "throw," found in a plethora of English words with -ject and -jac in them: "object, abject, inject, project, trajectory" and "adjacent, subjacent" but also various words on "jet": "jettison, jetsam, jetty." The original root apparently did not make it to the Germanic languages but it was widely used in Latin.<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3" align="left"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Floccinaucinihilipilification</span></b><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"> </span></b><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">(noun)</span></b><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">Pronunciation: </span></b><span lang="FR" style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial; mso-ansi-language: fr">[flak-si-na(w)-si-ni-hi-li-pi-li-fi-'key-shên]<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Holding or judging something to be worthless.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The word's main function is to be exhibited as an example of a long English word, longer by a letter than the word most people think is the longest, "antidisestablishmentarianism," but no match for "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis." There is also a widely underused verb, "floccinaucinihilipilificate." (A more useful noun with the same meaning is "floccinaucity" ['fla-si-'na(w)-si-tee].)<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The word was first recorded in a letter by William Shenstone written in 1741 and published in 1777: "I loved him for nothing so much as his flocci-nauci-nihili-pili-fication of money". Don't forget that the verb is just as useless as the noun: "It is difficult for Flossie to avoid floccinaucinihilipilificating her nearly otiose husband, Otis."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Back in the eighteenth century, the Eton Latin Grammar contained a rule that mentioned a set of words all of which meant "of little or no value": flocci, nauci, nihili, and pili. Someone, obviously, had to combine them and add the suffixes -ation to the result. Flocci is the plural of floccus "a tuft of wool" and pili, that of pilus "a hair." "Nihili" is from nihil "nothing," while "nauci" just means "worthless."<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto; mso-outline-level: 3" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #336633; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Putative</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> </span></b><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">(adjective)</span></b><b><span style="font-size: 13.5pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"><p></p></span></b></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Pronunciation: </span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">['pyu-tê-tiv]<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Definition:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Commonly supposed; assumed without conclusive grounds for belief.<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> The only other derivational relative today's word has is the adverb "putatively." "Putative" is nearly synonymous with "reputed" but carries a strong connotation of untruth much more like "supposed."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Suggested Usage:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> Today's word suggests itself when any sort of reputation is at issue: "His putative expertise in car repair evaporated quickly in the heat of an actual motor under the hood of my car." The reputation does not have to be a human one, "My dog is the putative father of their dog's puppies, but, well, he was broken awhile ago so we had him fixed."<p></p></span></p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; direction: ltr; line-height: 14.4pt; unicode-bidi: embed; text-align: left; mso-margin-top-alt: auto; mso-margin-bottom-alt: auto" align="left"><b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial">Etymology:</span></b><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;verdana&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;times new roman&quot;; mso-bidi-font-family: arial"> From Old French "putatif," from Latin putare "to prune, think, reflect." The underlying root is *peu- "to cut, strike, stamp." It rendered other words a bit like "putative" in that they have to do with thinking or believing: "dispute" from Latin disputare "to think contentiously," "impute" from Latin imputare "to charge," and repute from Latin reputare "to examine repeatedly."<p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

<h3 align="left"><font color="#336633">Flummox</font> <font size="2">(verb)</font></h3><p align="left"><strong>Pronunciation:</strong> ['flê-mêks]</p><p align="left"><strong>Definition:</strong> (Colloquial) To totally confuse, to confuse to the point of frustration.</p><p align="left"><strong>Usage:</strong> "Flummox" is hardly a word we proper speakers of English would use. It is a term originating in the musty dialects of Merry Old (England) that has assumed residence in the vocabularies of reporters. Its origin apparently flummoxed Dickens, who wrote in the Pickwick Papers in 1837 (xxxiii), "He'll be what the Italians call reg'larly flummoxed." In 1840 the Cambridge University Magazine printed, "So many of the men I know Were 'flummox'd' at the last great-go [the final examination at Oxford-Dr. Language]."</p><p align="left"><strong>Suggested Usage:</strong> Today's contributor (see below), himself a journalist, writes, "A volatile stock that changes without regard to market expectations, for example, leaves investors 'flummoxed', according to my newspaper and others like it. I have yet to hear a real-life investor complain of such a condition." Perhaps they are too flummoxed to comment. More likely this results from the fact that the term seldom strays beyond the pale of journalism.</p><p align="left"><strong>Etymology:</strong> According to the OED, it is probably of dialectal origin; cf. flummocks "to maul, mangle," flummock "slovenly person," also "hurry, bewilderment," flummock "to make untidy, to confuse, bewilder" variously used in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1204720886_1">Hereford</span>, <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1204720886_2">Gloucester</span>, S. Cheshire, and Sheffield.</p>

[soubiri]

<h3 align="left"><font color="#336633">Touchstone</font> <font size="2">(noun)</font></h3><p align="left"><b>Pronunciation:</b> ['têch-ston]</p><p align="left"><b>Definition:</b> A smooth, black stone (basanite) used to test the quality of gold and silver by the color of the streak produced by rubbing it across the precious metal; any test of genuineness or excellence.</p><p align="left"><b>Usage:</b> In the first scene of Beaumont &amp; Fletcher's 'Four Plays in One: The Triumph of Honour,' one of the characters declares, 'Calamity is man’s true touchstone.' Many of us would agree.</p><p align="left"><b>Suggested Usage:</b> A touchstone is a tool for measuring the genuineness of an object or quality: "Creativity is the touchstone of an excellent member of the company team." I think most women think the touchstone of a good husband is remembering their anniversary.</p><p align="left"><b>Etymology:</b> 'têch-ston Today's compound comes from touch + stone, a calque (loan translation) of Old French "touchepierre," modern day "pierre de touché" (see also Spanish "piedra de toque"). French toucher "touch" (cf. "Touché!" in sportive or verbal fencing) shares an origin with Italian toccare "to touch," whose participle "toccata" refers to a musical piece emphasizing a variety of keyboard touches. Bach's 'Toccata and Fugue in D minor' is a majestic example. "Stone" is Germanic, related to German Stein "stone" and, more distantly, to Russian stena "wall" and Greek stia "pebble".</p>

[soubiri]

<p align="left"><span class="hw"><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #0033cc; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">rara avis</span></strong></span></span /><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"> \RAIR-uh-AY-vis\, <em minmax_bound="true">noun</em>;<br minmax_bound="true" /><em minmax_bound="true">plural</em> <strong minmax_bound="true">rara avises</strong> \RAIR-uh-AY-vuh-suhz\ or <strong minmax_bound="true">rarae aves</strong> \RAIR-ee-AY-veez\:<p></p></span></p><!-- wotd="rara avis" --><p align="left"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">A rare or unique person or thing. </span></p><p class="examples" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt" align="left" minmax_bound="true"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;"><!-- SECBR -->He was, after all, that <strong minmax_bound="true"><em minmax_bound="true"><span style="font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">rara avis</span></em></strong>, a Jewish Catholic priest with a wife and children.<br minmax_bound="true" />-- Jeremy Sams, "Lorenzo the magnificent", <em>Independent</em> May 16, 2000<p></p></span></p><p class="examples" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt" align="left" minmax_bound="true"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">"First of all," Arthur said, "Jack is that <strong minmax_bound="true"><span style="font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">rara avis</span></strong> among Ivy League radicals, a birthright member of the proletariat."<br minmax_bound="true" />-- Charles McCarry, <cite minmax_bound="true"><span style="font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Lucky Bastard</span></cite><p></p></span></p><p class="examples" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 12pt" align="left" minmax_bound="true"><strong minmax_bound="true"><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">Rara avis</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; color: #333333; font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">. You'd have to go far and wide to find someone like that, especially in these times.<br minmax_bound="true" />-- Andrew Holleran, <cite minmax_bound="true"><span style="font-family: &quot;lucida sans unicode&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;">In September, the Light Changes</span></cite><p></p></span></p>

[soubiri]

[soubiri]

[Yahya_Fathy]

Smile to the world, it smiles to you.

[lailasaw]

Je ne suis pas d’accord avec ce que vous dites, mais je me battrai pour que vous ayez le droit de le dire.
Voltaire.