1 January 2014

dauntless

[dawnt-lis, dahnt-]

adjective

– bold; fearless; intrepid

Origin:
1585–95; daunt + -less
(from the word ‘daunt’, meaning ‘to intimidate’, ‘to overcome with fear’, ‘to dishearten’.

Related forms
daunt·less·ly, adverb
daunt·less·ness, noun

Synonyms
1. undaunted, daring, indomitable, brave, courageous.

Antonyms
1. fearful, timid.

Anagram

– lad sent us
– and lets us
– deals stun
– Delta suns

Today’s aphorism

‘For last year’s words belong to last year’s language
And next year’s words await another voice’.

― T.S. Eliot, Four Quartets

On this day

1 January – the official birthday for all thoroughbred horses in the Northern Hemisphere. (see 1 August for Southern Hemisphere).

1 January 1901 – Federation of Australia. The six self-governing colonies in Australia formed a single nation known as the Commonwealth of Australia.

1 January 1942 – the United Nations is established by representatives of 26 nations in order to enforce peace-keeping campaigns throughout the world. There are now 193 member states and 2 non-member states (the Holy See and Palestine).

1 January 1959 – Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista flees Cuba following a revolution led by Fidel Castro. Batista allegedly fled with around $700 million of art and cash, the result of graft and corruption.

1 January 1985 – the UK’s first mobile phone call is made by British comedian, Ernie Wise (from ‘Morecombe and Wise’), to Vodafone.