Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
repartee \rep-er-TEE\ (noun)
Meaning: 1a. a quick and witty reply
*b. a succession or interchange of clever retorts; amusing and usually light sparring with words
2. adroitness and cleverness in reply
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The talk show host is a skillful interviewer whose deft use of repartee and quick-witted banter keeps his show moving
at a lively, almost manic, pace."
Did you know?
One person often noted for her repartee was Dorothy Parker, writer and legendary member of the Algonquin Round Table. Upon hearing that Calvin Coolidge had died, she replied, "How can they tell?" The taciturn Coolidge obviously didn’t have a reputation for being the life of the party, but he himself came out with a particularly famous repartee on one occasion. When a dinner guest approached him and told him she had bet someone she could get him to say more than two words, he replied, "You lose." "Repartee," our word for such a quick, sharp reply (and for skill with such replies) comes from the French "repartie," of the same meaning. "Repartie" comes from the French verb "repartir," meaning "to retort."
Sunday, April 25, 2010
Saturday, April 24, 2010
April 24, 2010 - "hale"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
hale \HAIL\ (adjective)
Meaning: free from defect, disease, or infirmity; sound; also, retaining exceptional health and vigor
Example Sentence: "He was a rich and powerful noble, then in his sixty-second year, but hale and sturdy, a great horseman and hunter and
a pious man." (Edith Wharton, "Kerfol")
Did you know?
When you need a word to describe someone or something in good health, you might pick "hale" or a synonym such as "healthy," "sound," or "robust." Of those terms, "healthy" is the most general, implying full strength and vigor or simply freedom from signs of disease. "Sound" generally emphasizes the complete absence of defects of mind or body. "Robust" implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly and usually suggests muscular strength as well as the ability to work or play long and hard. "Hale" applies especially to robustness in later life. The phrase "hale and hearty" is often used to describe an older person who retains the physical qualities of youth
hale \HAIL\ (adjective)
Meaning: free from defect, disease, or infirmity; sound; also, retaining exceptional health and vigor
Example Sentence: "He was a rich and powerful noble, then in his sixty-second year, but hale and sturdy, a great horseman and hunter and
a pious man." (Edith Wharton, "Kerfol")
Did you know?
When you need a word to describe someone or something in good health, you might pick "hale" or a synonym such as "healthy," "sound," or "robust." Of those terms, "healthy" is the most general, implying full strength and vigor or simply freedom from signs of disease. "Sound" generally emphasizes the complete absence of defects of mind or body. "Robust" implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly and usually suggests muscular strength as well as the ability to work or play long and hard. "Hale" applies especially to robustness in later life. The phrase "hale and hearty" is often used to describe an older person who retains the physical qualities of youth
Friday, April 23, 2010
April 23, 2010 - "hawthorn"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
hawthorn \HAW-thorn\ (noun)
Meaning: any of a genus (Crataegus) of spring-flowering spiny shrubs or small trees of the rose family with glossy and often lobed leaves,
white or pink fragrant flowers, and small red fruits
Example Sentence: "Susan said that for her, one of the signs that spring had truly arrived was the flowering of the hawthorn."
Did you know?
A hawthorn is a thorny shrub or tree which can be planted into a hedge, and this fact provides a hint about the origins of the plant's name. The word "hawthorn" traces back to the Old English word "hagathorn," a combination of "haga" ("hedge") and "thorn" (same meaning as the modern "thorn" or "thornbush"). "Haga" was also used in Old English for the hawthorn itself, but by the 12th century the "thorn" had been added to its name.
hawthorn \HAW-thorn\ (noun)
Meaning: any of a genus (Crataegus) of spring-flowering spiny shrubs or small trees of the rose family with glossy and often lobed leaves,
white or pink fragrant flowers, and small red fruits
Example Sentence: "Susan said that for her, one of the signs that spring had truly arrived was the flowering of the hawthorn."
Did you know?
A hawthorn is a thorny shrub or tree which can be planted into a hedge, and this fact provides a hint about the origins of the plant's name. The word "hawthorn" traces back to the Old English word "hagathorn," a combination of "haga" ("hedge") and "thorn" (same meaning as the modern "thorn" or "thornbush"). "Haga" was also used in Old English for the hawthorn itself, but by the 12th century the "thorn" had been added to its name.
April 22, 2010 - "alacrity"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
alacrity \uh-LAK-ruh-tee\ (noun)
Meaning: promptness in response; cheerful readiness
Example Sentence: "The good-humoured little attorney tapped at Mr. Pickwick's door, which was opened with great alacrity by Sam
Weller." (Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers)
Did you know?
"I have not that alacrity of spirit / Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have," says Shakespeare’s King Richard III in the play that bears his name. When Shakespeare penned those words some 400 years ago, "alacrity" was less than a hundred years old. Our English word derives from the Latin word "alacer," which means "lively." It denotes physical quickness coupled with eagerness or enthusiasm. Are there any other words in English from Latin "alacer"? Yes — "allegro," which is used as a direction in music with the meaning "at a brisk lively tempo.” It came to us via Italian (where it can mean "merry") and is assumed to be ultimately from "alacer."
alacrity \uh-LAK-ruh-tee\ (noun)
Meaning: promptness in response; cheerful readiness
Example Sentence: "The good-humoured little attorney tapped at Mr. Pickwick's door, which was opened with great alacrity by Sam
Weller." (Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers)
Did you know?
"I have not that alacrity of spirit / Nor cheer of mind that I was wont to have," says Shakespeare’s King Richard III in the play that bears his name. When Shakespeare penned those words some 400 years ago, "alacrity" was less than a hundred years old. Our English word derives from the Latin word "alacer," which means "lively." It denotes physical quickness coupled with eagerness or enthusiasm. Are there any other words in English from Latin "alacer"? Yes — "allegro," which is used as a direction in music with the meaning "at a brisk lively tempo.” It came to us via Italian (where it can mean "merry") and is assumed to be ultimately from "alacer."
April 21, 2010 - "collogue"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
collogue \kuh-LOHG\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. dialect; intrigue, conspire
*2. to talk privately : confer
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "If there was noise, as there often was even at dawn — a huddle of men colloguing, a woman deliriously chanting the
Mysteries — his arrival would cause much of it to die." (Joseph O'Connor, Star of the Sea)
Did you know?
"Collogue" has been with us since the 17th century, but beyond that little is known about its origin. In Samuel Johnson's 1755 dictionary, he defined "collogue" as "to wheedle, to flatter; to please with kind words." The "intrigue or conspire" meaning of "collogue" was also common in Johnson's day, but Johnson missed it; his oversight suggests that sense of the word was probably part of a dialect unfamiliar to him. The earliest known use of the "confer" sense of the word is found in an 1811 letter by Sir Walter Scott: "We shall meet and collogue upon it."
collogue \kuh-LOHG\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. dialect; intrigue, conspire
*2. to talk privately : confer
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "If there was noise, as there often was even at dawn — a huddle of men colloguing, a woman deliriously chanting the
Mysteries — his arrival would cause much of it to die." (Joseph O'Connor, Star of the Sea)
Did you know?
"Collogue" has been with us since the 17th century, but beyond that little is known about its origin. In Samuel Johnson's 1755 dictionary, he defined "collogue" as "to wheedle, to flatter; to please with kind words." The "intrigue or conspire" meaning of "collogue" was also common in Johnson's day, but Johnson missed it; his oversight suggests that sense of the word was probably part of a dialect unfamiliar to him. The earliest known use of the "confer" sense of the word is found in an 1811 letter by Sir Walter Scott: "We shall meet and collogue upon it."
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
April 20, 2010 - "tousle"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
tousle \TOW-zul\ (verb)
Meaning: dishevel, rumple
Example Sentence: "Vic stood in front of the mirror and tousled his hair, trying to master the cool, disheveled look."
Did you know?
"Tousle" is a word that has been through what linguists call a "functional shift." That's a fancy way of saying it was originally one part of speech, then gradually came to have an additional function. "Tousle" started out as a verb back in the 15th century. By the late 19th century, "tousle" was also being used as a noun meaning "a tangled mass (as of hair)." Etymologists connect the word to an Old High German word meaning "to pull to pieces."
tousle \TOW-zul\ (verb)
Meaning: dishevel, rumple
Example Sentence: "Vic stood in front of the mirror and tousled his hair, trying to master the cool, disheveled look."
Did you know?
"Tousle" is a word that has been through what linguists call a "functional shift." That's a fancy way of saying it was originally one part of speech, then gradually came to have an additional function. "Tousle" started out as a verb back in the 15th century. By the late 19th century, "tousle" was also being used as a noun meaning "a tangled mass (as of hair)." Etymologists connect the word to an Old High German word meaning "to pull to pieces."
Monday, April 19, 2010
April 19, 2010 - "frog-march"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
frog-march \FROG-march\ (verb)
Meaning: to seize from behind roughly and forcefully propel forward
Example Sentence: "When the patron became loud and belligerent, a hulking bouncer swiftly pinned him in a half nelson and frog-marched
him out the door."
Did you know?
There are a couple variations of the "frog's march" used to carry off an unruly person. The first involves carrying the person face downward by the arms and legs; when this is done by four people each holding a limb, the person's body resembles a stretched out frog. In another version the person is carried off by his collar and the seat of his pants, again giving the image of a frog but this time with limbs uselessly flailing about. These ways of moving a person gave us the verb "frog-march" in the late 19th century. The verb was also extended to cover more general, less frog-like, methods of removal, such as forcing the intractable individual forward with arms held in back or at the sides.
frog-march \FROG-march\ (verb)
Meaning: to seize from behind roughly and forcefully propel forward
Example Sentence: "When the patron became loud and belligerent, a hulking bouncer swiftly pinned him in a half nelson and frog-marched
him out the door."
Did you know?
There are a couple variations of the "frog's march" used to carry off an unruly person. The first involves carrying the person face downward by the arms and legs; when this is done by four people each holding a limb, the person's body resembles a stretched out frog. In another version the person is carried off by his collar and the seat of his pants, again giving the image of a frog but this time with limbs uselessly flailing about. These ways of moving a person gave us the verb "frog-march" in the late 19th century. The verb was also extended to cover more general, less frog-like, methods of removal, such as forcing the intractable individual forward with arms held in back or at the sides.
April 18, 2010 - "cordial"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
cordial \KOR-jul\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate
2. a. sincerely or deeply felt
*b. warmly and genially affable
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Whenever I went out, I heard on all sides cordial salutations, and was welcomed with friendly smiles." (Charlotte
Brontë, Jane Eyre)
Did you know?
"Cordial" shares the Latin root "cor" with "concord" (meaning "harmony") and "discord" (meaning "conflict"). "Cor" means "heart," and each of these "cor" descendants has something to do with the heart, at least figuratively. "Concord," which comes from "con-" (meaning "together" or "with") plus "cor," suggests that one heart is with another. "Discord" combines the prefix "dis-" (meaning "apart") with "cor," and it implies that hearts are apart. When "cordial" was first used in the 14th century, it literally meant "of or relating to the heart," but this sense has not been in use since the 17th century. Today anything that is "cordial," be it a welcome, a hello, or an agreement, comes from the heart in a figurative sense.
cordial \KOR-jul\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. tending to revive, cheer, or invigorate
2. a. sincerely or deeply felt
*b. warmly and genially affable
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Whenever I went out, I heard on all sides cordial salutations, and was welcomed with friendly smiles." (Charlotte
Brontë, Jane Eyre)
Did you know?
"Cordial" shares the Latin root "cor" with "concord" (meaning "harmony") and "discord" (meaning "conflict"). "Cor" means "heart," and each of these "cor" descendants has something to do with the heart, at least figuratively. "Concord," which comes from "con-" (meaning "together" or "with") plus "cor," suggests that one heart is with another. "Discord" combines the prefix "dis-" (meaning "apart") with "cor," and it implies that hearts are apart. When "cordial" was first used in the 14th century, it literally meant "of or relating to the heart," but this sense has not been in use since the 17th century. Today anything that is "cordial," be it a welcome, a hello, or an agreement, comes from the heart in a figurative sense.
April 17, 2010 - "vulnerble"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
vulnerable \VUL-nuh-ruh-bul\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. capable of being physically or emotionally wounded
*2. open to attack or damage; assailable
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "James made sure to install the latest antivirus software on his computer so it would not be vulnerable to cyber
attacks."
Did you know?
"Vulnerable" is ultimately derived from the Latin noun "vulnus" ("wound"). "Vulnus" led to the Latin verb "vulnerare," meaning "to wound," and then to the Late Latin adjective "vulnerabilis," which became "vulnerable" in English in the early 1600s. "Vulnerable" originally meant "capable of being physically wounded" or "having the power to wound" (the latter is now obsolete), but since the late 1600s, it has also been used figuratively to suggest a defenselessness against non-physical attacks. In other words, someone (or something) can be vulnerable to criticism or failure as well as to literal wounding. When it is used figuratively, "vulnerable" is often followed by the preposition "to."
vulnerable \VUL-nuh-ruh-bul\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. capable of being physically or emotionally wounded
*2. open to attack or damage; assailable
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "James made sure to install the latest antivirus software on his computer so it would not be vulnerable to cyber
attacks."
Did you know?
"Vulnerable" is ultimately derived from the Latin noun "vulnus" ("wound"). "Vulnus" led to the Latin verb "vulnerare," meaning "to wound," and then to the Late Latin adjective "vulnerabilis," which became "vulnerable" in English in the early 1600s. "Vulnerable" originally meant "capable of being physically wounded" or "having the power to wound" (the latter is now obsolete), but since the late 1600s, it has also been used figuratively to suggest a defenselessness against non-physical attacks. In other words, someone (or something) can be vulnerable to criticism or failure as well as to literal wounding. When it is used figuratively, "vulnerable" is often followed by the preposition "to."
April 16, 2010 - "scour"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
scour \SKOW-er\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. to move about quickly especially in search
*2. to go through or range over in or as if in a search
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Then came the excitement of trying to locate the fallen quail, and now the dog became a major partner, for he scoured
the terrain this way and that.…" (James Michener, Texas, 1985)
Did you know?
There are two verbs "scour" in English. One means to clean something by rubbing it hard with a rough object; that sense, from the 14th century, probably derives via Middle Dutch and Old French from a Late Latin verb meaning "to clean off." Today’s "scour," however, dates from the 13th century and is believed to derive via Middle English from Old Norse "skūr," meaning "shower" (it also shares a distant relationship with our word "shower"). Many disparate things can be scoured. For example, one can scour an area (as in "scoured the woods in search of the lost dog") or publications (as in "scouring magazine and newspaper articles").
scour \SKOW-er\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. to move about quickly especially in search
*2. to go through or range over in or as if in a search
(* Indicates sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Then came the excitement of trying to locate the fallen quail, and now the dog became a major partner, for he scoured
the terrain this way and that.…" (James Michener, Texas, 1985)
Did you know?
There are two verbs "scour" in English. One means to clean something by rubbing it hard with a rough object; that sense, from the 14th century, probably derives via Middle Dutch and Old French from a Late Latin verb meaning "to clean off." Today’s "scour," however, dates from the 13th century and is believed to derive via Middle English from Old Norse "skūr," meaning "shower" (it also shares a distant relationship with our word "shower"). Many disparate things can be scoured. For example, one can scour an area (as in "scoured the woods in search of the lost dog") or publications (as in "scouring magazine and newspaper articles").
April 15, 2010 - "cap-a-pie"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
cap-a-pie \kap-uh-PEE\ (adverb)
Meaning: from head to foot
Example Sentence: "Katie’s maid of honor, dressed cap-a-pie in purple satin, hurried up the walkway toward the church."
Did you know?
Think of a medieval knight riding off to battle completely encased (from head to foot, as it were) in armor. Knights thus outfitted were said to be "armed cap-a-pie." The term "cap-a-pie," which has been used in English since at least the 16th century, descends from the Middle French phrase "de cap a pe," meaning "from head to foot." Nowadays, it is generally extended to more figurative armor, as in "armed cap-a-pie against criticism." "Cap-a-pie" has also been credited with parenting another English phrase. Some people think the expression "apple-pie order," meaning "perfect order," may have originated as a corruption of "cap-a-pie order." The evidence for that theory is far from orderly, however, and it must be regarded as speculative.
cap-a-pie \kap-uh-PEE\ (adverb)
Meaning: from head to foot
Example Sentence: "Katie’s maid of honor, dressed cap-a-pie in purple satin, hurried up the walkway toward the church."
Did you know?
Think of a medieval knight riding off to battle completely encased (from head to foot, as it were) in armor. Knights thus outfitted were said to be "armed cap-a-pie." The term "cap-a-pie," which has been used in English since at least the 16th century, descends from the Middle French phrase "de cap a pe," meaning "from head to foot." Nowadays, it is generally extended to more figurative armor, as in "armed cap-a-pie against criticism." "Cap-a-pie" has also been credited with parenting another English phrase. Some people think the expression "apple-pie order," meaning "perfect order," may have originated as a corruption of "cap-a-pie order." The evidence for that theory is far from orderly, however, and it must be regarded as speculative.
April 14, 2010 - "omnium-gatherum"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
omnium-gatherum \ahm-nee-um-GA-thuh-rum\ (noun)
Meaning: a miscellaneous collection (as of things or persons)
Example Sentence: "The book, a collection of short stories, is an omnium-gatherum of works by various writers."
Did you know?
English abounds in Latin phrases. They roll off the learned tongue like peas off a fork. "Tabula rasa"; "ab ovo"; "a posteriori"; "deus ex machina"; "ex cathedra"; "mea culpa"; "terra firma"; "vox populi"; "ad hominem"; "sub rosa." "Omnium-gatherum" belongs on that list too, right? Not exactly. "Omnium-gatherum" sounds like Latin, and indeed “omnium” (the genitive plural of Latin "omnis," meaning "all") is the real thing. But "gatherum" is simply English "gather" with "-um" tacked on to give it a classical ring. We're not suggesting, however, that the phrase is anything less than literate. After all, the first person known to have used it was John Croke, a lawyer educated at Eton and Cambridge in the 16th century.
omnium-gatherum \ahm-nee-um-GA-thuh-rum\ (noun)
Meaning: a miscellaneous collection (as of things or persons)
Example Sentence: "The book, a collection of short stories, is an omnium-gatherum of works by various writers."
Did you know?
English abounds in Latin phrases. They roll off the learned tongue like peas off a fork. "Tabula rasa"; "ab ovo"; "a posteriori"; "deus ex machina"; "ex cathedra"; "mea culpa"; "terra firma"; "vox populi"; "ad hominem"; "sub rosa." "Omnium-gatherum" belongs on that list too, right? Not exactly. "Omnium-gatherum" sounds like Latin, and indeed “omnium” (the genitive plural of Latin "omnis," meaning "all") is the real thing. But "gatherum" is simply English "gather" with "-um" tacked on to give it a classical ring. We're not suggesting, however, that the phrase is anything less than literate. After all, the first person known to have used it was John Croke, a lawyer educated at Eton and Cambridge in the 16th century.
April 13, 2010 - "paean"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
paean \PEE-un\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph
*2. a work that praises or honors its subject; encomium, tribute
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "I'm supposed to write a paean to Spring for my creative writing course, but all this rain just makes me depressed and
uninspired," sighed Jessica.
Did you know?
According to the poet Homer, the Greek god Apollo sometimes took the guise of Paean, physician to the gods. The earliest musical paeans were hymns of thanksgiving and praise that were dedicated to Apollo. They were sung at events ranging from boisterous festivals to public funerals, and were the traditional marching songs of armies heading into battle. Over time, the word became generalized, and it is now used for any kind of tribute.
paean \PEE-un\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a joyous song or hymn of praise, tribute, thanksgiving, or triumph
*2. a work that praises or honors its subject; encomium, tribute
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "I'm supposed to write a paean to Spring for my creative writing course, but all this rain just makes me depressed and
uninspired," sighed Jessica.
Did you know?
According to the poet Homer, the Greek god Apollo sometimes took the guise of Paean, physician to the gods. The earliest musical paeans were hymns of thanksgiving and praise that were dedicated to Apollo. They were sung at events ranging from boisterous festivals to public funerals, and were the traditional marching songs of armies heading into battle. Over time, the word became generalized, and it is now used for any kind of tribute.
April 12, 2010 - "frowsy"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
frowsy \FROW-zee\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. musty, stale
*2. having a slovenly or uncared-for appearance
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Just a little effort and elbow grease applied to a frowsy courtyard, patio or side yard will reap rewards year
round." (Elizabeth Bettendorf, St. Petersburg Times [Florida], April 6, 2007)
Did you know?
The exact origins of this approximately 330-year-old word may be lost in some frowsy, old book somewhere, but some etymologists have speculated that "frowsy" (also spelled "frowzy") shares a common ancestor with the younger, chiefly British word "frowsty," a synonym of "frowsy" in both its senses. That ancestor could be the Old French word "frouste," meaning "ruinous" or "decayed," or the now mostly obsolete English word "frough" or "frow," meaning "brittle" or "fragile." The English dramatist Thomas Otway is the first person (as far as we know) to have used "frowsy" in print. In his comedy "The Souldier's Fortune," published in 1681, the character Beau refers to another character as "a frouzy Fellmonger."
frowsy \FROW-zee\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. musty, stale
*2. having a slovenly or uncared-for appearance
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Just a little effort and elbow grease applied to a frowsy courtyard, patio or side yard will reap rewards year
round." (Elizabeth Bettendorf, St. Petersburg Times [Florida], April 6, 2007)
Did you know?
The exact origins of this approximately 330-year-old word may be lost in some frowsy, old book somewhere, but some etymologists have speculated that "frowsy" (also spelled "frowzy") shares a common ancestor with the younger, chiefly British word "frowsty," a synonym of "frowsy" in both its senses. That ancestor could be the Old French word "frouste," meaning "ruinous" or "decayed," or the now mostly obsolete English word "frough" or "frow," meaning "brittle" or "fragile." The English dramatist Thomas Otway is the first person (as far as we know) to have used "frowsy" in print. In his comedy "The Souldier's Fortune," published in 1681, the character Beau refers to another character as "a frouzy Fellmonger."
Sunday, April 11, 2010
April 11, 2010 - "tatterdemalion"
Merriam-Webster Word of the Day
tatterdemalion \tatt-er-dih-MAIL-yun\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. ragged or disreputable in appearance
*2. being in a decayed state or condition; dilapidated
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "What he wants to do is to get the tatterdemalion main building into shape so that it can be used as a retreat for priests
and laymen, perhaps with profitable results." (Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post, August 15, 2007)
Did you know?
The exact origin of "tatterdemalion" is uncertain, but it’s probably connected to either the noun "tatter" ("a torn scrap or shred") or the adjective "tattered" ("ragged" or "wearing ragged clothes"). We do know that "tatterdemalion" has been used in print since the 1600s. In its first documented use in 1608, it was used as a noun (as it still can be) to refer to a person in ragged clothing -- the type of person we might also call a ragamuffin. ("Ragamuffin," incidentally, predates "tatterdemalion" in this sense. Like "tatterdemalion," it may have been formed by combining a known word, "rag," with a fanciful ending.) Within half a dozen years of the first appearance of "tatterdemalion," it came to be used as an adjective to describe anything or anyone ragged or disreputable.
tatterdemalion \tatt-er-dih-MAIL-yun\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. ragged or disreputable in appearance
*2. being in a decayed state or condition; dilapidated
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "What he wants to do is to get the tatterdemalion main building into shape so that it can be used as a retreat for priests
and laymen, perhaps with profitable results." (Jonathan Yardley, The Washington Post, August 15, 2007)
Did you know?
The exact origin of "tatterdemalion" is uncertain, but it’s probably connected to either the noun "tatter" ("a torn scrap or shred") or the adjective "tattered" ("ragged" or "wearing ragged clothes"). We do know that "tatterdemalion" has been used in print since the 1600s. In its first documented use in 1608, it was used as a noun (as it still can be) to refer to a person in ragged clothing -- the type of person we might also call a ragamuffin. ("Ragamuffin," incidentally, predates "tatterdemalion" in this sense. Like "tatterdemalion," it may have been formed by combining a known word, "rag," with a fanciful ending.) Within half a dozen years of the first appearance of "tatterdemalion," it came to be used as an adjective to describe anything or anyone ragged or disreputable.
April 10, 2010 - "inkling"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
inkling \INK-ling\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a slight indication or suggestion; hint, clue
*2. a slight knowledge or vague notion
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "She gained some inkling of the character of Hanson's life when, half asleep, she looked out into the dining-room at six
o'clock and saw him silently finishing his breakfast." (Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie)
Did you know?
Originating in English in the early 16th century, "inkling" derives from Middle English "yngkiling," meaning "whisper or mention," and perhaps further from the verb "inclen," meaning "to hint at." It also shares a distant relationship with the Old English noun "inca," meaning "suspicion." An early sense of the word meant "a faint perceptible sound or undertone" or "rumor," but now people usually use the word to refer to a tiny bit of knowledge or information that a person receives about something. One related word you might not have heard of is the verb "inkle," a back-formation of "inkling" that occurs in some British English dialects and means "to have an idea or notion of."
inkling \INK-ling\ (noun)
Meaning: 1. a slight indication or suggestion; hint, clue
*2. a slight knowledge or vague notion
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "She gained some inkling of the character of Hanson's life when, half asleep, she looked out into the dining-room at six
o'clock and saw him silently finishing his breakfast." (Theodore Dreiser, Sister Carrie)
Did you know?
Originating in English in the early 16th century, "inkling" derives from Middle English "yngkiling," meaning "whisper or mention," and perhaps further from the verb "inclen," meaning "to hint at." It also shares a distant relationship with the Old English noun "inca," meaning "suspicion." An early sense of the word meant "a faint perceptible sound or undertone" or "rumor," but now people usually use the word to refer to a tiny bit of knowledge or information that a person receives about something. One related word you might not have heard of is the verb "inkle," a back-formation of "inkling" that occurs in some British English dialects and means "to have an idea or notion of."
April 9, 2010 - "waif"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
waif \WAYF\ (noun)
Meaning: 1 a. a piece of property found (as washed up by the sea) but unclaimed
b. plural: stolen goods thrown away by a thief in flight
2 a. something found without an owner and especially by chance
*b. a stray person or animal; especially, a homeless child
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The book is about a charming 10-year-old waif who embarks on a series of adventures with a scruffy canine sidekick."
Did you know?
Today's "waif" came from Anglo-French "waif," meaning "stray" or "unclaimed," and, further back, probably from a Scandinavian ancestor. It entered English in the 14th century and was followed approximately a century later by another "waif," this one meaning "a pennant or flag used to signal or to show wind direction," which English speakers derived independently, possibly from the same Scandinavian word. In its earliest uses, today's word referred to a piece of unclaimed property. It eventually developed other extended meanings before acquiring the "stray person or animal" sense. The skinny appearance typical of waifs resulted in the word being applied to people with skinny body types, beginning in the 1980s, though this sense hasn't yet found a home on the pages of our dictionaries.
waif \WAYF\ (noun)
Meaning: 1 a. a piece of property found (as washed up by the sea) but unclaimed
b. plural: stolen goods thrown away by a thief in flight
2 a. something found without an owner and especially by chance
*b. a stray person or animal; especially, a homeless child
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The book is about a charming 10-year-old waif who embarks on a series of adventures with a scruffy canine sidekick."
Did you know?
Today's "waif" came from Anglo-French "waif," meaning "stray" or "unclaimed," and, further back, probably from a Scandinavian ancestor. It entered English in the 14th century and was followed approximately a century later by another "waif," this one meaning "a pennant or flag used to signal or to show wind direction," which English speakers derived independently, possibly from the same Scandinavian word. In its earliest uses, today's word referred to a piece of unclaimed property. It eventually developed other extended meanings before acquiring the "stray person or animal" sense. The skinny appearance typical of waifs resulted in the word being applied to people with skinny body types, beginning in the 1980s, though this sense hasn't yet found a home on the pages of our dictionaries.
April 8, 2010 - "bravado"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
bravado \bruh-VAH-doh\ (noun)
Meaning: 1 a. blustering swaggering conduct
b. a pretense of bravery
*2. the quality or state of being foolhardy
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The kayakers attempted the rapids out of sheer bravado, and capsized as a result; fortunately, they escaped with only
some mild bruises and scrapes."
Did you know?
"Bravado" ultimately traces to the Old Italian adjective "bravo," meaning "courageous" or "wild." Nowadays, the wildness once associated with "bravado" has been tamed to an overbearing boldness that comes from arrogance or a position of power. Celebrities, political or corporate giants, and the schoolyard bully may all show "bravado" (though they often turn out to be not so tough after all). "Bravado" is also used for show-offish, daring acts that seem reckless and inconsistent with good sense, but might, nonetheless, be applauded with shouts of "Bravo!" when successful. The spectacular feats of stuntmen come to mind, for example.
bravado \bruh-VAH-doh\ (noun)
Meaning: 1 a. blustering swaggering conduct
b. a pretense of bravery
*2. the quality or state of being foolhardy
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The kayakers attempted the rapids out of sheer bravado, and capsized as a result; fortunately, they escaped with only
some mild bruises and scrapes."
Did you know?
"Bravado" ultimately traces to the Old Italian adjective "bravo," meaning "courageous" or "wild." Nowadays, the wildness once associated with "bravado" has been tamed to an overbearing boldness that comes from arrogance or a position of power. Celebrities, political or corporate giants, and the schoolyard bully may all show "bravado" (though they often turn out to be not so tough after all). "Bravado" is also used for show-offish, daring acts that seem reckless and inconsistent with good sense, but might, nonetheless, be applauded with shouts of "Bravo!" when successful. The spectacular feats of stuntmen come to mind, for example.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
April 7, 2010 - "eloquent"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
eloquent \EL-uh-kwunt\ (adjective)
Meaning: *1. marked by forceful and fluent expression
2. vividly or movingly expressive or revealing
(* Indicates the sense illustrated inthe example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Because Max is such an eloquent speaker, he was asked to give the toast at his grandfather's 75th birthday party."
Did you know?
Since "eloquent" can have to do with speaking, it makes sense that it comes from the Latin verb "loqui," which means "to speak." "Loqui" is the parent of many "talkative" offspring in English. "Loquacious," which means "given to fluent or excessive talk," also arose from "loqui." Another "loqui" relative is "circumlocution," a word that means someone is talking around a subject to avoid making a direct statement ("circum-" means "around"). And a "ventriloquist" is someone who makes his or her voice sound like it’s coming from another source.
eloquent \EL-uh-kwunt\ (adjective)
Meaning: *1. marked by forceful and fluent expression
2. vividly or movingly expressive or revealing
(* Indicates the sense illustrated inthe example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Because Max is such an eloquent speaker, he was asked to give the toast at his grandfather's 75th birthday party."
Did you know?
Since "eloquent" can have to do with speaking, it makes sense that it comes from the Latin verb "loqui," which means "to speak." "Loqui" is the parent of many "talkative" offspring in English. "Loquacious," which means "given to fluent or excessive talk," also arose from "loqui." Another "loqui" relative is "circumlocution," a word that means someone is talking around a subject to avoid making a direct statement ("circum-" means "around"). And a "ventriloquist" is someone who makes his or her voice sound like it’s coming from another source.
April 6, 2010 - "tantalize"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
tantalize \TAN-tuh-lyze\ (verb)
Meaning: to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach
Example Sentence: "The older brother mercilessly tantalized the younger one, repeatedly holding out the ball to him only to snatch it back
at the last second."
Did you know?
Pity poor King Tantalus of Phrygia. The mythic monarch offended the ancient Greek gods. As punishment, he was plunged up to his chin in water in Hades, where he had to stand beneath overhanging boughs of a tree heavily laden with ripe, juicy fruit. But though he was always hungry and thirsty, Tantalus could neither drink the water nor eat the fruit. Anytime he reached for them, they would retreat from him. Our word "tantalize" is taken from the name of the eternally tormented king.
tantalize \TAN-tuh-lyze\ (verb)
Meaning: to tease or torment by or as if by presenting something desirable to the view but continually keeping it out of reach
Example Sentence: "The older brother mercilessly tantalized the younger one, repeatedly holding out the ball to him only to snatch it back
at the last second."
Did you know?
Pity poor King Tantalus of Phrygia. The mythic monarch offended the ancient Greek gods. As punishment, he was plunged up to his chin in water in Hades, where he had to stand beneath overhanging boughs of a tree heavily laden with ripe, juicy fruit. But though he was always hungry and thirsty, Tantalus could neither drink the water nor eat the fruit. Anytime he reached for them, they would retreat from him. Our word "tantalize" is taken from the name of the eternally tormented king.
Monday, April 5, 2010
April 5, 2010 - "sward"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
sward \SWORD\ (noun)
Meaning: *1. a portion of ground covered with grass
2. the grassy surface of land
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Students in flip-flops slap lazily across the green swards of campuses as bell music peals from the campaniles." (Sally
Jenkins, The Washington Post, August 31, 2005)
Did you know?
"Sward," which sprouted up in the English language more than 500 years ago, is currently used more frequently as a surname than as a noun having to do with lawns and the like. Still, you'll find the occasional reference to a "green sward" or "grassy sward" in newspapers. And the term pops up in a number of old novels, such as in this quote from Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles: "The sun was so near the ground, and the sward so flat, that the shadows of Clare and Tess would stretch a quarter of a mile ahead of them...." "Sward" at one time referred to skin or rind, and especially to the rind of pork or bacon, although this meaning is now archaic. The word comes from the Old English "sweard" or "swearth," meaning "skin" or "rind."
sward \SWORD\ (noun)
Meaning: *1. a portion of ground covered with grass
2. the grassy surface of land
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Students in flip-flops slap lazily across the green swards of campuses as bell music peals from the campaniles." (Sally
Jenkins, The Washington Post, August 31, 2005)
Did you know?
"Sward," which sprouted up in the English language more than 500 years ago, is currently used more frequently as a surname than as a noun having to do with lawns and the like. Still, you'll find the occasional reference to a "green sward" or "grassy sward" in newspapers. And the term pops up in a number of old novels, such as in this quote from Thomas Hardy's Tess of the d'Urbervilles: "The sun was so near the ground, and the sward so flat, that the shadows of Clare and Tess would stretch a quarter of a mile ahead of them...." "Sward" at one time referred to skin or rind, and especially to the rind of pork or bacon, although this meaning is now archaic. The word comes from the Old English "sweard" or "swearth," meaning "skin" or "rind."
April 4, 2010 - "irrupt"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
irrupt \ih-RUPT\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. to rush in forcibly or violently
2. of a natural population; to undergo a sudden upsurge in numbers especially when natural ecological balances and checks are
disturbed
*3. to become active or violent especially suddenly; erupt
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The stadium irrupted in applause for the local high school choir's outstanding rendition of the national anthem."
Did you know?
"Irrupt'' and "erupt” have existed as discrete words since the 1800s. Both are descendants of the Latin verb "rumpere," which means "to break," but "irrupt" has affixed to it the prefix "ir-" (in the sense "into") while "erupt" begins with the prefix "e-" (meaning "out"). So "to irrupt" was originally to rush in, and "to erupt" was to burst out. But it's sometimes hard to distinguish the precise direction of a violent rush, and "irrupt" came to be used as a synonym of "erupt" in the senses "to become active or violent especially suddenly" and "to break forth," as in our example sentence.
irrupt \ih-RUPT\ (verb)
Meaning: 1. to rush in forcibly or violently
2. of a natural population; to undergo a sudden upsurge in numbers especially when natural ecological balances and checks are
disturbed
*3. to become active or violent especially suddenly; erupt
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "The stadium irrupted in applause for the local high school choir's outstanding rendition of the national anthem."
Did you know?
"Irrupt'' and "erupt” have existed as discrete words since the 1800s. Both are descendants of the Latin verb "rumpere," which means "to break," but "irrupt" has affixed to it the prefix "ir-" (in the sense "into") while "erupt" begins with the prefix "e-" (meaning "out"). So "to irrupt" was originally to rush in, and "to erupt" was to burst out. But it's sometimes hard to distinguish the precise direction of a violent rush, and "irrupt" came to be used as a synonym of "erupt" in the senses "to become active or violent especially suddenly" and "to break forth," as in our example sentence.
April 3, 2010 - "dossier"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
dossier \DOSS-yay\ (noun)
Meaning: a file containing detailed records on a particular person or subject
Example Sentence: "The suspect's dossier listed two arrests for grand theft auto and several more for breaking and entering."
Did you know?
Gather together various documents relating to the affairs of a certain individual, sort them into separate folders, label the spine of each folder, and arrange the folders in a box. "Dossier," the French word for such a compendium of spine-labeled folders, was picked up by English speakers in the late 19th century. It comes from "dos," the French word for "back," which is in turn derived from "dorsum," Latin for "back." Our word "dorsal" ("situated on the back"), as in the dorsal fin of a whale, comes from the same Latin source.
dossier \DOSS-yay\ (noun)
Meaning: a file containing detailed records on a particular person or subject
Example Sentence: "The suspect's dossier listed two arrests for grand theft auto and several more for breaking and entering."
Did you know?
Gather together various documents relating to the affairs of a certain individual, sort them into separate folders, label the spine of each folder, and arrange the folders in a box. "Dossier," the French word for such a compendium of spine-labeled folders, was picked up by English speakers in the late 19th century. It comes from "dos," the French word for "back," which is in turn derived from "dorsum," Latin for "back." Our word "dorsal" ("situated on the back"), as in the dorsal fin of a whale, comes from the same Latin source.
Friday, April 2, 2010
April 2, 2010 - "ruthless"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
ruthless \ROOTH-lus\ (adjective)
Meaning: having no pity; merciless, cruel
Example Sentence: "Even the most sociable and gentle of house cats remain, at heart, ruthless predators."
Did you know?
"Ruthless" can be defined as "without ruth" or "having no ruth." So what, then, is ruth? The noun "ruth," which is now considerably less common than "ruthless," means "compassion for the misery of another," "sorrow for one's own faults," or "remorse." And, just as it is possible for one to be without ruth, it is also possible to be full of ruth. The antonym of "ruthless" is "ruthful," meaning "full of ruth" or "tender." "Ruthful" can also mean "full of sorrow" or "causing sorrow." "Ruth" can be traced back to the Middle English noun "ruthe," itself from "ruen," meaning "to rue" or "to feel regret, remorse, or sorrow."
ruthless \ROOTH-lus\ (adjective)
Meaning: having no pity; merciless, cruel
Example Sentence: "Even the most sociable and gentle of house cats remain, at heart, ruthless predators."
Did you know?
"Ruthless" can be defined as "without ruth" or "having no ruth." So what, then, is ruth? The noun "ruth," which is now considerably less common than "ruthless," means "compassion for the misery of another," "sorrow for one's own faults," or "remorse." And, just as it is possible for one to be without ruth, it is also possible to be full of ruth. The antonym of "ruthless" is "ruthful," meaning "full of ruth" or "tender." "Ruthful" can also mean "full of sorrow" or "causing sorrow." "Ruth" can be traced back to the Middle English noun "ruthe," itself from "ruen," meaning "to rue" or "to feel regret, remorse, or sorrow."
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April 1, 2010 - "puerile"
Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Day
puerile \PYUR-ul\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. juvenile
*2. childish, silly
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Though Laura enjoys a good practical joke, she finds some of the gags pulled by her co-workers on April Fool’s Day to
be merely puerile."
Did you know?
"Puerile" may call to mind qualities of youth and immaturity, but the term itself is no spring chicken. On the contrary, it's been around for more than three centuries, and its predecessors in French and Latin, the adjectives "puéril" and "puerilis," respectively, are far older. Those two terms have the same basic meaning as the English word "puerile," and they both trace to the Latin noun "puer," meaning "boy" or "child." Nowadays, "puerile" can describe the acts or utterances of an actual child, but it more often refers (usually with marked disapproval) to occurrences of childishness where adult maturity would be expected or preferred.
puerile \PYUR-ul\ (adjective)
Meaning: 1. juvenile
*2. childish, silly
(* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.)
Example Sentence: "Though Laura enjoys a good practical joke, she finds some of the gags pulled by her co-workers on April Fool’s Day to
be merely puerile."
Did you know?
"Puerile" may call to mind qualities of youth and immaturity, but the term itself is no spring chicken. On the contrary, it's been around for more than three centuries, and its predecessors in French and Latin, the adjectives "puéril" and "puerilis," respectively, are far older. Those two terms have the same basic meaning as the English word "puerile," and they both trace to the Latin noun "puer," meaning "boy" or "child." Nowadays, "puerile" can describe the acts or utterances of an actual child, but it more often refers (usually with marked disapproval) to occurrences of childishness where adult maturity would be expected or preferred.
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