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Post by petpeeve on Apr 10, 2009 20:36:35 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 10, 2009 is: superjacent • \soo-per-JAY-sunt\ • adjective : lying above or upon : overlying Example Sentence: "Foreign states enjoy the right of overflight in the airspace superjacent to a coastal state's 200-mile exclusive economic zone . . .” (James C. Hsiung, The New York Times, April 14, 2001) Did you know? You're probably familiar with "adjacent," and if you guessed that it's a relative of "superjacent," you're right. Both derive from the Latin verb "jacere," meaning "to lie." "Adjacent," which is both the more popular and the earlier word (it first appeared in print in the 15th century, while "superjacent" turned up in 1610), comes from "jacere" and the prefix "ad-," meaning "near." "Superjacent," on the other hand, was formed by combining "jacere" with the prefix "super-," meaning "over," "above," or "on top of." In case you were wondering, "jacere" descendants are also available for other possible configurations—"subjacent" means "lying below," and "circumjacent" means "lying near on all sides" or "surrounding."
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 11, 2009 20:06:49 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 11, 2009 is: lickerish • \LIK-uh-rish\ • adjective 1 : greedy, desirous *2 : lecherous Example Sentence: "Fiend," cried the undaunted maiden, slapping the face of her lickerish captor. Did you know? In Anglo-French, the verb "lecher" has two meanings, "to lick" and "to live in debauchery." From that verb came the English adjective "lickerous" in the 14th century. By the mid-17th century "lickerous" had fallen into disuse, leaving us with the variant "lickerish." "Lickerish" was originally cooked up as word to describe both a person who is fond of good food and the tempting food itself. The lexical temptation to extend these appetitive meanings of "lickerish" was very soon satisfied, and the word became a synonym of "greedy" and "desirous." Its use was then extended to describe people and things having or suggesting lustful desires, a use in line with the "to live in debauchery" meaning of its French ancestor.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 12, 2009 14:14:04 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 12, 2009 is: ideate • \EYE-dee-ayt\ • verb *1 : to form an idea or conception of 2 : to form an idea Example Sentence: Joshua first ideated his vision of a water garden for his backyard after he went on a sightseeing tour of water fountains in Kansas City. Did you know? Like "idea" and "ideal," "ideate" comes from the Greek verb "idein," which means "to see." The sight-thought connection came courtesy of Plato, the Greek philosopher who based his theory of the ideal on the concept of seeing, claiming that a true philosopher can see the essential nature of things and can recognize their ideal form or state. Early uses of "idea," "ideal," and "ideate" in English were associated with Platonic philosophy; "idea" meant "an archetype" or "a standard of perfection," "ideal" meant "existing as an archetype," and "ideate" referred to forming Platonic ideas. But though "ideate" is tied to ancient philosophy, the word itself is a modern concoction, relatively speaking. It first appeared in English only about 400 years ago.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 13, 2009 11:23:56 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 13, 2009 is: sobriquet • \SOH-brih-kay\ • noun : a descriptive name or epithet : nickname Example Sentence: Baseball players have long been known by colorful sobriquets such as "The Georgia Peach" (Ty Cobb) and "The Splendid Splinter" (Ted Williams). Did you know? This synonym of "nickname" has the same meaning in modern French as it does in English. In Middle French, however, its earlier incarnation "soubriquet" referred to both a nickname and a tap under the chin. Centuries later, the connection between these two meanings isn't clear, but what is clear is that the "nickname" meaning of "sobriquet" was well established in French by the time English speakers borrowed the term in the mid-17th century -- and was the only meaning that was adopted. In current English, the spelling "sobriquet" is most common, but "soubriquet" is also an accepted variant.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 14, 2009 8:30:37 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 14, 2009 is: dyed-in-the-wool • \dyde-in-thuh-WOOL\ • adjective : thoroughgoing, uncompromising Example Sentence: Having heard that Gloria's father was a dyed-in-the-wool Republican, Stewart told him about the time he met Ronald Reagan. Did you know? Early yarn makers would dye wool before spinning it into yarn to make the fibers retain their color longer. In 16th-century England, that make-it-last coloring practice provoked writers to draw a comparison between the dyeing of wool and the way children could, if taught early, be influenced in ways that would adhere throughout their lives. In the 19th-century U.S., the wool-dyeing practice put eloquent Federalist orator Daniel Webster in mind of a certain type of Democrat whose attitudes were as unyielding as the dye in unspun wool. Of course, Democrats were soon using the term against their opponents, too, but over time the partisanship of the expression faded and it is now a general term for anyone or anything that seems unlikely or unwilling to change.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 15, 2009 13:42:32 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 15, 2009 is: slake • \SLAYK\ • verb *1 : satisfy, quench 2 : to cause (as lime) to heat and crumble by treatment with water : hydrate Example Sentence: "What an unspeakable luxury it was to slake that thirst with the pure and limpid ice-water of the glacier!" (Mark Twain, A Tramp Abroad) Did you know? "Slake" is no slacker when it comes to obsolete and archaic meanings. Shakespearean scholars may know that in the Bard's day "slake" meant "to subside or abate" ("No flood by raining slaketh. . . ." -- The Rape of Lucrece) or "to lessen the force of " ("It could not slake mine ire, nor ease my heart." -- Henry VI, Part 3). The most erudite word enthusiasts may also be aware of earlier meanings of "slake," such as "to slacken one's efforts" or "to cause to be relaxed or loose." These early meanings recall the word's Old English ancestor "sleac," which not only meant "slack" but is also the source of that modern term.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 16, 2009 9:10:11 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 16, 2009 is: biannual • \bye-AN-yuh-wul\ • adjective 1 : occurring twice a year *2 : occurring every two years Example Sentence: The report recommended that we begin conducting a more frequent annual safety review rather than our current biannual review. Did you know? When we describe something as "biannual," we can mean either that it occurs twice a year or that it occurs once every two years. So how does someone know which particular meaning we have in mind? Well, unless we provide them with a contextual clue, they don't. Some people prefer to use "semiannual" to refer to something that occurs twice a year, reserving "biannual" for things that occur once every two years. This practice is hardly universal among English speakers, however, and "biannual" remains a potentially ambiguous word. Fortunately, English also provides us with "biennial," a word that specifically refers to something that occurs every two years or that lasts or continues for two years.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 17, 2009 9:08:14 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 17, 2009 is: hue and cry • \HYOO-und-KRYE\ • noun 1 a : a loud outcry formerly used in the pursuit of one who is suspected of a crime b : the pursuit of a suspect or a written proclamation for the capture of a suspect *2 : a clamor of protest 3 : hubbub Example Sentence: After the popular professor was fired by the college, students raised such a hue and cry on campus that the administration was forced to reconsider its decision. Did you know? Let's say it's the Middle Ages in England and a villainous highwayman has just made off with your purse of gold. What do you do? You can't call 911, or even the police, because in medieval England there was no organized police force (much less telephones). Instead, the job of fighting crime fell to ordinary citizens. If you were the victim of or a witness to a crime, you were expected to make a lot of noise -- yelling something like "stop thief!" -- and anyone who heard your "hue and cry" was legally bound to join in the pursuit of the criminal. Forms of the term "hue and cry" date from at least the 13th century and are first encountered in the Anglo-French legal documents of that period. Ultimately, it can be traced to the Old French words "hue," meaning "outcry" or "noise," and "cri," meaning "cry."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 18, 2009 11:22:44 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 18, 2009 is: hoick • \HOIK\ • verb : to move or pull abruptly : yank Example Sentence: When she noticed that her toddler's nose was running, Stacy quickly hoicked out a tissue from her purse. Did you know? Etymologists suspect that "hoick" is an alteration of the verb "hike," which is itself akin to "hitch." "Hike" entered the language during the first decade of the 19th century, whereas "hoick" appeared near that century's close. The word "hoick" can be used for any type of abrupt pulling movement but is commonly used for the sudden pulling back on the joystick of an airplane; a rough, jerky movement when rowing; and a jerky, elevated shot in cricket. In fox hunting, the word "hoicks" is used to call attention to a hound that has picked up the scent and to bring the pack together.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 19, 2009 9:18:00 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 19, 2009 is: piebald • \PYE-bawld\ • adjective 1 : of different colors; especially : spotted or blotched with black and white *2 : composed of incongruous parts Example Sentence: "From the waist down they affect a piebald, garage-sale look: old sweatpants, one-piece Cooperalls, hockey shorts and stockings of assorted colors and vintages." (Charles McGrath, New England Monthly, February 1989) Did you know? To many people, the noisy black and white birds that go by the scientific name Pica pica -- better known as magpies -- are nothing but pests. But the Latin root that was adopted for their name isn't a linguistic nuisance; it played an important role in the development of "piebald." The "pie" of "piebald" ("pie" is another name for a magpie) derives from "pica," which is Latin for "magpie." The other part of "piebald" comes from the word "bald," which can mean "marked with white"; it can also be found in "skewbald," an adjective used to describe animals marked with patches of white and any other color but black.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 20, 2009 10:00:03 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 20, 2009 is: vicinity • \vuh-SIN-uh-tee\ • noun 1 : the quality or state of being near : proximity *2 : a surrounding area or district : neighborhood 3 : an approximate amount, extent, or degree Example Sentence: There are several wonderful little stores in the vicinity of our new house. Did you know? "Vicinity" has its origins in the idea of neighborliness -- it was borrowed into English in the 16th century from Middle French "vicinité," which in turn derives from the Latin adjective "vicinus," meaning "neighboring." "Vicinus" itself can be traced back to the noun "vicus," meaning "row of houses" or "village," and ultimately all the way back to the same ancient word that gave Gothic, Old Church Slavic, and Greek words for "house." Other descendants of "vicinus" in English include "vicinal" ("local" or "of, relating to, or substituted in adjacent sites in a molecule") and "vicinage," a synonym of "vicinity" in the sense of "a neighboring or surrounding district."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 22, 2009 13:19:56 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 21, 2009 is: besot • \bih-SAHT\ • verb *1 : infatuate 2 : to make dull or stupid; especially : to muddle with drunkenness Example Sentence: Long besotted with the pretty file clerk who worked in his office, Keith finally worked up the nerve to ask her out to lunch. Did you know? "Besot" developed from a combination of the prefix "be-" ("to cause to be") and "sot," a now-archaic verb meaning "to cause to appear foolish or stupid." "Sot" in turn comes from the Middle English noun "sott," meaning "fool." The first known use of "besot" is found in a poem by George Turberville, published in 1567. In the poem the narrator describes how he gazed at a beautiful stranger "till use of sense was fled." He then proceeds to compare himself to Aegisthus of Greek legend, the lover of Clytemnestra while Agamemnon was away at war, writing: "What forced the Fool to love / his beastly idle life / Was cause that he besotted was / of Agamemnon’s Wife."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 22, 2009 13:22:51 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 22, 2009 is: boilerplate • \BOY-ler-playt\ • noun 1 : syndicated material supplied especially to weekly newspapers in matrix or plate form 2 *a : standardized text b : formulaic or hackneyed language 3 : tightly packed icy snow Example Sentence: Most of the real estate contract was legal boilerplate. Did you know? In the days before computers, small, local newspapers around the U.S. relied heavily on feature stories, editorials, and other printed material supplied by large publishing syndicates. The syndicates delivered that copy on metal plates with the type already in place so the local papers wouldn't have to set it. Printers apparently dubbed those syndicated plates "boiler plates" because of their resemblance to the plating used in making steam boilers. Soon "boilerplate" came to refer to the printed material on the plates as well as to the plates themselves. Because boilerplate stories were more often filler than hard news, the word acquired negative connotations and gained another sense widely used today: "hackneyed or unoriginal writing."
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 23, 2009 6:43:35 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 23, 2009 is: eidetic • \eye-DET-ik\ • adjective : marked by or involving extraordinarily accurate and vivid recall especially of visual images Example Sentence: Thanks to her eidetic memory, Kirsten was able to recall every last detail of what happened that night, including what color dress she was wearing. Did you know? "Eidetic" is the technical adjective used to describe what we more commonly call a photographic memory. The word ultimately derives from the Greek noun "eidos," meaning "form." The ability of certain individuals to recall images, sounds, or events with uncanny accuracy is a subject of fascination for researchers in the field of psychology. Among notable people who were reputed to have eidetic memories is the late television comic Jackie Gleason, who reportedly was able to memorize an entire half-hour script in a single read-through.
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Post by petpeeve on Apr 24, 2009 18:32:05 GMT -7
The Word of the Day for April 24, 2009 is: argosy • \AHR-guh-see\ • noun 1 : a large ship; especially : a large merchant ship *2 : a rich supply Example Sentence: Uncle Ken is always armed with an argosy of jokes, and he keeps the family entertained for hours. Did you know? Looking at the first sense of "argosy," you might assume that this word is a close relative of "argonaut," but that isn't the case. Although both words have a nautical sense, they have different etymologies. The original argonauts sailed on a ship called the Argo to seek the Golden Fleece; their moniker combines the name of their ship and the Greek word "nautçs," meaning "sailor." "Argosy" comes from "Ragusa," the Italian name for the city that is now Dubrovnik, Croatia. Over time, "Ragusa" was modified into "ragusea," a noun for the laden merchant ships that sailed from that port in medieval days. A broadening of meaning and another shift in spelling gave us "argosy," denoting any merchant vessel or rich store.
*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
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