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Post by Felix on Jun 22, 2007 6:53:04 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 22, 2007 is: cineast • \SIN-ee-ast\ • noun : a devotee of motion pictures; also : moviemaker Marvell's Example Sentence: Ralph and Tory met -- and fell in love -- at a film festival, and within a year the two cineasts were arrested for unnatural montage. Did you know? "Cineast" is a French borrowing that made its American premiere in the mid-1920s. The French spliced together "ciné" and "-aste" to create "cinéaste," a word for a filmmaker or movie director. "Ciné" in French is just another word for "cinema," and "-aste" is a suffix that appears in words like "gymnaste" and "enthousiaste." "Cinéaste" underwent several changes once it was established in English. Some writers anglicized its spelling, shortening "-aste" to "-ast" (although "cineaste" and "cinéaste" are also still used). Others began to use "cineast" to mean "film buff," and that's the sense that is most common today. Film Predator
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Felix
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Post by Felix on Jun 24, 2007 6:00:19 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 23, 2007 is: lissome • \LISS-um\ • adjective 1 a : easily flexed *b : lithe 2 : nimble Marvell's Example Sentence: Smiling broadly, the internet lothario scanned the Disney channel site for lissome young limbs—and other body parts. Did you know? "Lissome" (sometimes spelled "lissom") is a gently altered form of its synonym, "lithesome." While "lissome" tends to be the more popular choice these days, the two words have similar pasts. They both appeared in the second half of the 18th century, and they both trace back to the much older "lithe" ("supple" or "graceful"), which first appeared in English during the 14th century and comes from an Old English word meaning "gentle." "Lissome" can also be an adverb meaning "in a supple or nimble manner," but this use is rare. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Humbert Humbert Words
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Post by Felix on Jun 24, 2007 6:02:26 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 24, 2007 is: roorback • \ROOR-back\ • noun : a defamatory falsehood published for political effect Marvell's Example Sentence: The Presidential campaign of 2004 was marked by well-orchestrated roorbacks roiling the electoral waters. Did you know? If you think dirty politics are new, think again. In the midst of the 1844 presidential campaign between James K. Polk and Henry Clay, a letter was published in a newspaper in Ithaca, New York, claiming that a reputable witness (one Baron von Roorback) had, while traveling in Tennessee, come across 43 slaves owned by Polk and branded with his initials. The letter caused an uproar that threatened to derail Polk's campaign until it was discovered that the whole thing was a hoax supposedly perpetrated by the opposing party. Baron von Roorback didn't even exist. The incident proved a political boomerang; Polk won the election and the name "roorback" became a byword for political dirty tricks. Dick Tuck Words
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Post by Felix on Jun 25, 2007 7:28:43 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 25, 2007 is: fuliginous • \fyoo-LIJ-uh-nus\ • adjective *1 a : sooty b : obscure, murky 2 : having a dark or dusky color Marvell's Example Sentence: The formerly fuliginous air of Chattanooga improved with the advent of clean air legislation, augmented by the closing of the dark, satanic mills that used to belch smoke like man-made volcanoes across South Chattanooga and Alton Park. Did you know? "Fuliginous" is a word with a dark and dirty past -- it derives from "fuligo," the Latin word for "soot." In an early sense (now obsolete), "fuliginous" was used to describe noxious bodily vapors once thought to be produced by organic processes. The "sooty" sense, which English speakers have been using since the early 1620s, can be used to describe everything from dense fogs and malevolent clouds to overworked chimney sweeps. "Fuliginous" can also be used to refer to something dark or dusky, as in Henry James' novel The Ambassadors, in which the character Waymarsh is described as having "dark fuliginous eyes." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Stygian Words
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Post by Felix on Jun 26, 2007 6:33:44 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 26, 2007 is: xeriscape • \ZEER-uh-skayp\ • noun, often capitalized : a landscaping method developed especially for arid and semiarid climates that utilizes water-conserving techniques (as the use of drought-tolerant plants, mulch, and efficient irrigation) Marvell's Example Sentence: Many former easterners who moved to the southwest states, in spite of extolling the climate, immediately went to work modifying the xeriscape native to their new home, replicating with massive watering the green lawns of their former homes. Did you know? "Xēros" is the Greek word for "dry" that is the base for a handful of English words related to mainly dry printing ("xerography") and dry, or xerophilous, habitats and their plants. In the early 1980s, the Greek adjective was used to name a type of landscaping practiced primarily in the arid western regions of the United States. (The Water Department of Denver, Colorado, is credited with the word's coinage.) "Xeriscape," as it is called, uses plants that require little water and techniques that efficiently use water and reduce evaporation. Arid Words
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Post by Felix on Jun 27, 2007 8:19:47 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 27, 2007 is: belie • \bih-LYE\ • verb 1 a : to give a false impression of *b : to present an appearance not in agreement with 2 a : to show (something) to be false or wrong b : to run counter to : contradict 3 : disguise Marvell's Example Sentence: The constant posting of internet trolls belies their protestations of disinterest in those over whom they obsess. Did you know? "What is a lie?" asked Lord Byron in Don Juan. He then answered himself: "'Tis but the truth in masquerade. . . ." The history of "belie" illustrates a certain connection between lying and disguising. In its earliest known use, around A.D. 1000, "belie" meant "to deceive by lying." By the 1200s, it was being used to mean "to tell lies about," using a sense similar to that of the modern word "slander." Over time its meaning softened, shifting from an act of outright lying to one of mere misrepresentation, and by the early 1700s, the word was being used in the sense "to disguise or conceal." Nowadays, "belie" suggests giving an impression at variance with the facts rather than telling an intentional untruth. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. A Façade of Words
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Post by Felix on Jun 28, 2007 6:47:42 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 28, 2007 is: candidate • \KAN-duh-dayt\ • noun *1 : one that aspires to or is nominated or qualified for an office, membership, or award 2 : one likely or suited to undergo or be chosen for something specified 3 : a student in the process of meeting final requirements for a degree Marvell's Example Sentence: The reality of national politics in this country is that serious candidates might as well paint bulls-eyes on their backs. Did you know? When a person running for public office in ancient Rome greeted voters in the Forum, the center of judicial and public business, he wore a toga that had been whitened with chalk. As a result, the Latin word for someone seeking office came to be "candidatus," meaning literally "clothed in white." "Candidatus," in turn, comes from the adjective "candidus," meaning "white." "Candidatus" was adopted into English as "candidate" at the beginning of the 17th century. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Electable Words
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Post by Felix on Jun 29, 2007 7:32:12 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for June 29, 2007 is: pococurante • \POH-koh-kyoo-RAN-tee\ • adjective : indifferent, nonchalant Marvell's Example Sentence: When confronted by an annoying person, in life as well as online, maintaining a pococurante manner will eventually drive the boor away, for annoying persons desire attention above all else. Did you know? The French writer Voltaire carefully named his characters in Candide (1759) to create allegories. He appended the prefix "pan-," meaning "all," to "glōssa," the Greek word for "tongue," to name his optimistic tutor "Pangloss," a sobriquet suggesting glibness and talkativeness. Then there is the apathetic Venetian Senator Pococurante, whose name appropriately means "caring little" in Italian. Voltaire's characters did not go unnoticed by later writers. Laurence Sterne used "Pococurante" in part six of Tristram Shandy, published three years after Candide, to mean "a careless person," and Irish poet Thomas Moore first employed the word as an adjective when he described Dublin as a poco-curante place in his memoirs of 1815. Oblivious Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 1, 2007 7:49:33 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 01, 2007 is: anchorite • \ANG-kuh-ryte\ • noun : a person who lives in seclusion usually for religious reasons Marvell's Example Sentence: The idea of an anchorite as a holy person, isolated from humanity in general, seems in conflict with the basic tenets of Christianity, which stress a relationship with God being a reflection of a relationship with your fellow man. Did you know? The term "anchor" was being used for religious hermits about 450 years before "anchorite" came into common use in our language. The reclusive "anchor" and "anchorite" are both derived from the Late Latin "anachoreta," which, in turn, can be traced to the Greek "anachōrein," meaning "to withdraw." Are they etymologically related to the kind of anchors you find on ships? Not exactly. The Latin root of sea-going "anchor," "anchora," probably influenced the spelling and pronunciation of the words that led to "anchorite" and the reclusive "anchor," but it is not a direct ancestor. Ascetic Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 2, 2007 9:41:34 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 02, 2007 is: jeopardy • \JEP-er-dee\ • noun *1 : exposure to or imminence of death, loss, or injury : danger 2 : the danger that an accused person is subjected to when on trial for a criminal offense Marvell's Example Sentence: "Chicken Hawks" is a pejorative term describing government officials and members of the legislature who, having avoided putting themselves in jeopardy of service in wartime, blithely send thousands off into harm's way. Did you know? Centuries ago, the Old French term "jeu parti" didn't mean "danger" but rather "an alternative" or, literally, "a divided game." That French expression was used for anything that represented an alternative viewpoint or gave two opposing viewpoints. "Jeu parti" passed into Anglo-French as "juparti," and from there it was borrowed into Middle English and respelled "jeopardie." At first, the English word was used to refer to the risks associated with alternative moves in the game of chess. Soon, however, the term came to be used more generally in the "risk" or "danger" sense that it has today. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Damoclean Word
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Post by Felix on Jul 3, 2007 10:18:02 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 03, 2007 is: eupeptic • \yoo-PEP-tik\ • adjective 1 : of, relating to, or having good digestion *2 : cheerful, optimistic Marvell's Example Sentence: While normally eupeptic in outlook, Babs can turn gloomy when her eccentric diet brings on dyspepsia. Did you know? "Eupeptic" first appeared around 1700 and was probably created from "eupepsia," a word meaning "good digestion." ("Eupepsia" was cooked up from "eu-," meaning "good," and "-pepsia," meaning "digestion," ingredients that are ultimately of Greek origin.) It seems reasonable that good digestion might enhance one's outlook on life -- and indeed, "eupeptic" can suggest a happy frame of mind as well as a happy digestive system. Along similar lines, someone with poor digestion might be cranky, and the antonymous counterparts of "eupeptic" and "eupepsia" -- "dyspeptic" and "dyspepsia" -- can suggest either indigestion or ill humor. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Words of Bonhomie
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Post by Felix on Jul 4, 2007 12:35:10 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 04, 2007 is: sycophant • \SIK-uh-funt\ • noun : a servile self-seeking flatterer Marvell's Example Sentence: The archetype of the sycophant in literature is Uriah Heep in Dickens' David Copperfield; Heep gives "humble" indelibly bad associations for anyone who has read that book. Did you know? In ancient Greece, "sykophantēs" meant "slanderer." It derives from two other Greek words, "sykon" (meaning "fig") and "phainein" (meaning "to show or reveal"). How did fig revealers become slanderers? One theory has to do with the taxes Greek farmers were required to pay on the figs they brought to market. Apparently, the farmers would sometimes try to avoid making the payments, but squealers — fig revealers — would fink on them, and they would be forced to pay. Another possible source is a sense of the word "fig" meaning "a gesture or sign of contempt (as thrusting a thumb between two fingers)." In any case, Latin retained the "slanderer" sense when it borrowed a version of "sykophantēs," but by the time English speakers in the 16th century borrowed it as "sycophant," the squealers had become flatterers. Words to Suck-up by
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Post by Felix on Jul 5, 2007 6:26:00 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 05, 2007 is: palmy • \PAH-mee\ • adjective *1 : marked by prosperity : flourishing 2 : abounding in or bearing palms Marvell's Example Sentence: If we had been wise in our youth, we would have recognized the truth in what our elders said when they told us those were our palmy days, days once gone never to be recovered. Did you know? The palm branch has traditionally been used as a symbol of victory. It is no wonder then that the word "palm" came to mean "victory" or "triumph" in the late 14th century, thanks to the likes of Geoffrey Chaucer. Centuries later, Shakespeare would employ "palm" to create a new synonym for "triumphant" or "flourishing." His coinage is found in the tragedy Hamlet when the character Horatio speaks of the "palmy state of Rome / A little ere the mightiest Julius fell." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Opulent Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 6, 2007 8:27:36 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 06, 2007 is: waddy • \WAH-dee\ • noun, West : cowboy Marvell's Example Sentence: Last night, at the Bruin, He guzzled red ruin, And tackled Draw poker, along with the rest; When one began stealing The cards they were dealing, And waddy objecting, was shot in the chest. —from "The Cowboy," traditional song collected by Fleming H. Revell for his book, Lyrics of the Lariat, 1893. Did you know? It's easier to rope a wild mustang than to round up the origin of "waddy." Some folks claim it comes from "wadding" (the material used in stuffing or padding) because waddies were once extra hands hired to fill in when extra cowhands were needed. But other evidence suggests that "waddy" originally referred to a cattle rustler, a usage that wouldn't support the "wadding" theory. There is also an Australian "waddy" meaning "stick" or "club," but definitive evidence of a connection between the Australian and American words remains elusive. All researchers can say with certainty is that "waddy" has been used to name a cowboy since at least the late 19th century. Words for Itinerant Livestock Workers
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Post by Felix on Jul 8, 2007 11:55:05 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 07, 2007 is: antithetical • \an-tuh-THET-ih-kul\ • adjective 1 : constituting or marked by the rhetorical contrast of ideas by means of parallel arrangements of words, clauses, or sentences *2 : being in direct and unequivocal opposition Marvell’s Example Sentence:Vigorous antipathy towards taxes is antithetical to a view of government as a force able to redress imbalances in society. Did you know?
“Antithetical” and “antithesis” entered English in the 16th century. Their etymological paths pass through Late Latin and ultimately lead to Greek (the Greek words “antitithenai” and “antithesis” mean “to oppose” and “opposition,” respectively). The oldest sense of the English “antithesis” refers to a language pattern that contrasts parallel ideas, as in “action, not words” or “they promised freedom and provided slavery.” “Antithetical” can mean “constituting or marked by such language patterns.” For example, you could say “The phrase ‘action, not words’ is an antithetical construction.” It is more common in current use, however, for “antithesis” to mean “the exact opposite” and for “antithetical” to mean “directly opposite.” *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Countervailing Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 8, 2007 12:48:27 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 08, 2007 is: cavil • \KAV-il\ • verb : to raise trivial and frivolous objection Marvell's Example Sentence: In legal arguments, when lacking any factual or legal grounds to oppose an argument in court, the lawyer often resorts to the gratuitous cavil, attempting to bury the discussion in minutia not relevant to the case. Did you know? "You must be joking!" That's just one of the things you might be tempted to exclaim if you found yourself quarreling with a caviler -- and you'd be right, etymologically speaking at least. "Cavil" derives from the Latin verb "cavillari," meaning "to jest" or "to raise silly objections," which in turn derives from the Latin noun "cavilla," meaning "raillery." In case you're wondering, "cavil" is not related to the adjective "cavalier" ("marked by or given to offhand and often disdainful dismissal of important matters"). "Cavalier," which is also a noun for a gentleman trained in arms and horsemanship, traces back via Middle French to the Late Latin "caballarius," meaning "horseman." Quibbling Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 9, 2007 8:43:05 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 09, 2007 is: tincture • \TINK-cher\ • noun 1 : color, tint 2 a : a characteristic quality : cast *b : a slight admixture : trace 3 : a solution of a medicinal substance in an alcoholic solvent Marvell's Example Sentence: Often commentary on the message boards on the internet show some tincture of sarcasm, other times the sarcasm overwhelms the value of the comment. Did you know? "Tincture" derives from the same root as "tint" and "tinge" -- the Latin verb "tingere," meaning "to moisten or dip." "Tincture" specifically derives via Middle English from the Latin "tinctus," the past participle of "tingere." When the word first appeared in English in the 14th century, "tincture" referred to a coloring matter or dye, but by the 17th century the word had acquired a number of additional meanings, including "a slight infusion or trace of something." "Tinge" and "shade" are two other words referring to color that can be used the same way. "Tincture" can also refer, among other things, to the colors used in a coat of arms or an herbal or medicinal solution. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Shades of Meaning
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Post by Felix on Jul 10, 2007 7:08:14 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 10, 2007 is: fraught • \FRAWT\ • adjective *1 : full of or accompanied by something specified -- used with with 2 : causing or characterized by emotional distress or tension : uneasy Marvell's Example Sentence: Listening to political speeches is a pastime fraught with tedium, interrupted periodically with nausea. Did you know? "The drowmound was so hevy fraught / That unethe myght it saylen aught." That verse, from the 14th-century poem "Richard Coer de Lion," says that a large ship (a dromond) was so heavily loaded that it could barely sail. That's the first instance we have on record of the adjective "fraught." The word came to Middle English from the Middle Dutch or Middle Low German noun "vracht," which meant "load" and which is also the source of the word "freight." Middle English also possessed a noun "fraught" that meant "load" and a verb "fraughten" that meant "to load" (meanings still retained in Scottish English by "fraught," the verb and noun). For centuries, "fraught" continued to be used only of loaded ships, but its use was eventually broadened. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Pithy Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 11, 2007 8:21:48 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 11, 2007 is: reprise • \rih-PREEZ\ • noun *1 : a recurrence, renewal, or resumption of an action 2 a : a musical repetition b : a repeated performance : repetition Marvell's Example Sentence: Despite ridicule and abusive comments by anyone with taste, Steven Seagal continues to reprise his absurd action hero role, which against all odds has made him very rich. Did you know? When "reprise" was first adopted into English in the 15th century, it referred to a deduction or charge made yearly out of a manor or estate (and was usually used in the plural form "reprises"). It probably won't surprise you, then, to learn that "reprise" comes from an Anglo-French word meaning "seizure, repossession, or expense." Eventually, "reprise" came to refer to any action that was repeated or resumed. A later sense, borrowed from modern French, applies to specific types of repetition in musical compositions and was eventually generalized to describe any subsequent and identical performance. It's possible, for example, to have a reprise of a television program or a book. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Déjà Vu Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 12, 2007 6:47:34 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 12, 2007 is: herald • \HAIR-uld\ • verb 1 : to give notice of : announce 2 a : to greet especially with enthusiasm : hail b : publicize *3 : to signal the approach of : foreshadow Marvell's Example Sentence: Soft, rising breezes and sleepy chirps of waking birds heralded the coming dawn. Did you know? The exact origin of "herald" is uncertain, but it is thought to derive from Germanic roots. Specifically, etymologists believe that "herald" developed from an assumed Frankish compound whose first component is akin to the Old High German "heri-," meaning "army," and whose second component is akin to the Old High German word "waltan," meaning "to rule." When "herald" first appeared on the scene in the 14th century, it referred to an official at a tournament of arms whose duties included the making of announcements. The verb forms, extending the "announcement" idea, soon followed. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Imminent Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 13, 2007 7:25:04 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 13, 2007 is: libertine • \LIB-er-teen\ • noun 1 usually disparaging : a freethinker especially in religious matters *2 : a person who is unrestrained by convention or morality; specifically : one leading a dissolute life Marvell's Example Sentence: If too much freedom becomes license, then a libertine is a licensed voluptuary. Did you know? The word "libertine," which originally meant "freedman" when it appeared in 14th-century English, traces to the Latin "libertus," a term that in Roman antiquity identified a slave who had been set free. By the late 1500s, "libertine" had been extended to religious and secular freethinkers; Shakespeare used it to refer to anyone who follows his or her own inclinations. By 1600, though, the term had come to imply that an individual was a little too unrestrained, especially in moral situations. And yes, the Latin root of "libertine" is "liber," the ultimate source of our word "liberty." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Words for a Roué
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Post by Felix on Jul 14, 2007 5:36:07 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 14, 2007 is: pilgarlic • \pil-GAR-lik\ • noun 1 a : a bald head *b : a bald-headed man 2 : a man looked upon with humorous contempt or mock pity Marvell's Example Sentence: Somehow it sounds even worse to be described as pilgarlic than simply "bald," since the more exotic word has...odorous associations. Did you know? The Latin word for "hair" -- "pilus" -- has given us a number of words: "depilation" ("the removal of hair by chemical or mechanical means"), "pilose" ("covered with soft hair"), and "pelage" ("the hairy covering of a mammal"). "Pilgarlic" also has ties to "pilus," although the person who first used the word in the 16th century was probably thinking about cloves, not Latin roots. "Pilgarlic" comes from the supposed resemblance between a bald head and peeled garlic -- "pilled garlic," in British dialect. The verb "pill" comes in part from the Old English "pilian" ("to peel"), which is thought to trace back to "pilus." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Polished Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 15, 2007 9:56:31 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 15, 2007 is: distrait • \dih-STRAY\ • adjective : apprehensively divided or withdrawn in attention : distracted Marvell's Example Sentence: Confronted by people who disagree with his positions, and unwilling to document those positions, the distrait message board ranter spewed vitriol and abuse towards those "enemies." Did you know? "Distrait" is a somewhat literary word with an unusual history. Borrowed from Anglo-French, it was used in the 15th century in a sense very close to that of "distraught," which means "deeply agitated or troubled." (Both words are ultimately from the Latin adjective "distractus.") Later, during the 18th century, "distrait" appears to have been borrowed again from French in a milder sense closer to "preoccupied" or "distracted." Another peculiarity of the word is that it tends to be treated in English as if it were still a French word: it has a feminine variant, "distraite," like a French adjective, and it is pronounced as if French. It can still suggest agitation, but not as strongly as "distraught"; more often it means simply "mentally remote." Words of Unreason
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Post by Felix on Jul 16, 2007 7:05:22 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 16, 2007 is: onomastics • \ah-nuh-MAS-tiks\ • noun 1 a : the science or study of the origins and forms of words especially as used in a specialized field b : the science or study of the origin and forms of proper names of persons or places *2 : the system underlying the formation and use of words especially for proper names or of words used in a specialized field Marvell's Example Sentence: True to his relentlessly middle-school taste in smut, the obnoxious poster quickly posted a note equating onomastics with a common early adolescent activity. Did you know? The original word for the science of naming was "onomatology," which was adopted from French in the mid-19th century. About a century later, however, people began referring to the science as "onomastics," a term based on the Greek verb "onomazein" ("to name"). Like many sciences, onomastics is itself composed of special divisions. An onomastician might, for example, study personal names or place names, names of a specific region or historical period, or even the character names of a particular author, like Charles Dickens. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Word Phyla
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Post by Felix on Jul 17, 2007 8:39:38 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 17, 2007 is: binary • \BYE-nuh-ree\ • adjective *1 : compounded or consisting of or marked by two things or parts 2 a : relating to, being, or belonging to a system of numbers having 2 as its base b : involving a choice or condition of two alternatives (as on-off or yes-no) Marvell's Example Sentence: Binary stars are pairs of separate stars bound by gravity around a central mass, with a common orbit. Did you know? "The animals went in two by two, the elephant and the kangaroo. . .." It was a binary parade of sorts that went into Noah's ark "for to get out of the rain" -- the critters were represented in pairs. If you recall those partnered beasts, you'll remember the etymology of "binary," because it traces to the Latin "bini," which translates as "two by two." Although "binary" can be used for anything with two parts, it is now used especially in relation to computers and information processing. Digital computers use the binary number system, which includes only the digits 0 and 1, to process even complex data. In binary form, for instance, the word "HELLO" looks like this: 1001000 1000101 1001100 1001100 1001111. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Alternating Words
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Post by Felix on Jul 18, 2007 9:12:12 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 18, 2007 is: garderobe • \GAR-drohb\ • noun 1 : a wardrobe or its contents 2 : a private room : bedroom *3 : privy, toilet Marvell's Example Sentence: Upon receiving his copy of The London Times, the Anglophile retired to his garderobe to peruse the stately paragraphs thereof. Did you know? "Garderobe" entered the English language in the 15th century and continues in use to this day, though its frequency has diminished significantly since the 19th century. Originally, its primary duty was to provide English speakers with a word for a room or closet in which to store clothing. Later, by extension, it was used for private bedrooms and bathrooms. Today you are most likely to encounter the word in a description of an old castle, such as our example sentence. "Garder," the French word for "guard" on which "garderobe" is based, has also served English well by directly contributing to the formation of such words as "award," "guard," "regard," and, yes, "wardrobe." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. "Reading Room" Synonyms
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Felix
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Post by Felix on Jul 19, 2007 7:28:49 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 19, 2007 is: indomitable • \in-DAH-muh-tuh-bul\ • adjective : incapable of being subdued : unconquerable Marvell's Example Sentence: The central problem in raising a child is to instill discipline without quenching their indomitable spirit. Did you know? The prefix "in-" means "not" in numerous English words (think of "indecent," "indecisive," "inconvenient," and "infallible"). When "in-" teamed up with the Latin "domitare" ("to tame"), the result was a word meaning "unable to be tamed." "Indomitable" was first used in English in the 1600s as a synonym of "wild," but over time its sense of untamability turned from a problem to a virtue. By the 1800s, "indomitable" was being used for people whose courage and persistence helped them to succeed in difficult situations. Insuperable Words
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2007 7:43:29 GMT -5
inflammable
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Felix
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Post by Felix on Jul 20, 2007 11:50:46 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 20, 2007 is: disinformation • \dis-in-fer-MAY-shun\ • noun : false information deliberately and often covertly spread (as by the planting of rumors) in order to influence public opinion or obscure the truth Marvell's Example Sentence: The inept spy even disseminated dysfunctional disinformation. Did you know? In 1939, a writer describing Nazi intelligence activities noted, "The mood of national suspicion prevalent during the last decade ... is well illustrated by General Krivitsky's account of the German 'Disinformation Service,' engaged in manufacturing fake military plans for the express purpose of having them stolen by foreign governments." Although the Nazis were accused of using disinformation back in the 1930s, the noun and the practice are most often associated with the Soviet KGB. Many people think "disinformation" is a literal translation of the Russian "dezinformatsiya," which means "misinformation," a term the KGB allegedly used in the 1950s to name a department created to dispense propaganda. Misleading Words
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Felix
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Post by Felix on Jul 21, 2007 9:07:08 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for July 21, 2007 is: moot • \MOOT\ • adjective 1 a : open to question : debatable b : subjected to discussion : disputed *2 : deprived of practical significance : made abstract or purely academic Marvell's Example Sentence: The question of whether to raise rank and file police salaries is moot so long as those opposed to taxes in general can point at bloated administrative salaries elsewhere in government. Did you know? "Moot" derives from "gemōt," an Old English name for a judicial court. Originally, "moot" named either the court itself or an argument that might be debated by one. By the 16th century, the legal role of judicial moots had diminished, and the only remnant of them were "moot courts," academic mock courts in which law students could try hypothetical cases for practice. Back then, "moot" was used as a synonym of "debatable," but because the cases students tried in moot courts were simply academic exercises, the word gained the second sense, "deprived of practical significance." Some commentators still frown on using "moot" to mean "purely academic," but most editors now accept both senses as standard. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Pointless Debate
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