20 January 2014

ailurophile

[ahy-loor-uh-fahyl, ey-loor-]

noun

– a person who likes cats; cat fancier.

Also, aelurophile.

Origin:
1925–30; < Greek aílouro ( s ) cat + -phile

Related forms
ai·lu·ro·phil·ic [ahy-loor-uh-fil-ik, ey-loor-] Show IPA , adjective

Anagram

ill euphoria
holier Pilau
ripe oil haul
april oil hue
heal I roil up

Today’s quote

Bats have no bankers and they do not drink and cannot be arrested and pay no tax and, in general, bats have it made.

– John Berryman, from his poem Bats have no bankers and they do not drink

On this day

20 January – Penguin Awareness Day.

20 January 1982 – Ozzy Osbourne, The Prince of Darkness, bites the head off a bat while performing on stage in Des Moines, Iowa. A fan had thrown a bat on stage. Ozzy claims he thought it was rubber, but found out the hard way, that it was, in fact, a real bat. He was taken to hospital and given rabies shots. It’s believed Ozzy Osbourne also received treatment for rabies. This follows on from an incident in 1981, when Ozzy bit the head off a dove after signing his first solo record deal … as you do … Word has it that Ozzy had planned to release a number of doves as a symbol of peace, but was drunk and felt one of the doves could do with a trim … which didn’t work out too well for the dove. There is no truth in the rumour that the Prince song, ‘When Doves Cry’ is about the incident. http://www.desmoinesregister.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/99999999/ENT/502270318&nclick_check=1

19 January 2014

wafture

[wahf-cher, waf-]

noun

1. the act of wafting or waving.
2. something wafted: waftures of incense.
Origin:
1595–1605; waft + -ure

Anagram

waft rue
a wet fur
a few rut

Today’s aphorism

I became insane, with long intervals of horrible sanity.

– Edgar Allan Poe

On this day

19 January 1809 – birth of Edgar Allan Poe, American poet and novelist, The Raven. Died 7 October 1849.

19 January 1920 – Night of the Palmer Raids, in which more than 4,000 suspected radical leftists were arrested in the United States. Most were members of the Industrial Workers of the World union. Alexander Palmer was the United States Attorney-General. Most of those arrested were either deported or charged under the Espionage Act 1917 and the Sedition Act 1918.

19 January 1935 – birth of Johnny O’Keefe, Australian rock and roll legend. Known as J.O.K. or ‘The Wild One’. Died 6 October 1978.

19 January 1943 – birthday of Janis Joplin. American singer song-writer. She died on 4 October 1970.

19 January 1966 – A UFO saucer nest is discovered near Tully, North Queensland, Australia when a banana farmer, George Pedley, claims that he saw a large, saucer-shaped object fly out of a swamp at Horseshoe Lagoon. He said the saucer was 25 feet wide and 9 feet high. Further investigation of the lagoon revealed that in a particularly reedy part, there was a large circle that was clear of reeds. The circle was 30 feet in diameter and the reeds had been flattened in a clockwise manner. Five other similar, but smaller, circles were discovered. Apart from the UFO claim, no other explanation could account for the circles. These are the first crop-circles discovered in the modern world.

18 January 2014

aquiline

[ak-wuh-lahyn, -lin]

adjective

1. (of the nose) shaped like an eagle’s beak; hooked.
2. of or like the eagle.

Origin:
1640–50; (< F) < Latin aquilīnus. See Aquila, -ine1

Related forms
aq·ui·lin·i·ty [ak-wuh-lin-i-tee] Show IPA , noun

Anagram

equal in I

Today’s aphorism

Once you permit those who are convinced of their own superior rightness to censor and silence and suppress those who hold contrary opinions, just at that moment the citadel has been surrendered.

– Archibald MacLeish

On this day

18 January 1977 – The Granville Rail Disaster, in which a crowded commuter train derailed and collided with an overpass that collapsed onto it, killing 83 people and injuring more than 210.

18 January 1779 – birth of Peter Roget, British lexographer and creator of Roget’s Thesaurus. (died 12 September 1869).18 January 1904 – birthday of Cary Grant, born Archibald Alexander Leach, actor (‘North by Northwest‘, ‘To Catch a Thief‘, ‘An Affair to Remember‘, ‘Gunga Din‘).

17 January 2014

demesne

[dih-meyn, -meen]

noun

1. possession of land as one’s own: land held in demesne.
2. an estate or part of an estate occupied and controlled by, and worked for the exclusive use of, the owner.
3. land belonging to and adjoining a manor house; estate.
4. the dominion or territory of a sovereign or state; domain.
5. a district; region.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English demeine < Anglo-French demesne, Old French demein; see domain

Related forms
de·mesn·i·al, adjective

Anagram:

needs me
seem end
me dense

Today’s aphorism

The important thing is not to stop questioning; curiosity has its own reasoning for existing.

– Albert Einstein

On this day

17 January 1899 – birth of Al Capone, who grew up to be one of America’s most famous gangsters. He died on 25 January 1947.

17 January 1942 – birthday of Muhammad Ali (born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr), American professional boxer (former world heavy-weight champion), philanthropist, social activist.

17 January 1966 – the United States loses 4 H-bombs after the B-52 that was carrying them, collided with a KC-135 tanker during mid-air refuelling. The tanker exploded, killing all 4 crew, the B-52 broke apart, killing 3 of the 7 crew. Three of the hydrogen bombs were located on land near the Spanish town of Palomares. Two of the non-nuclear explosives in the weapons detonated, contaminating 2 km2 with plutonium. The fourth bomb was located 2.5 months later in the Mediterranean Sea.

17 January 1991 – Operation Desert Storm commences after Iraqi President Saddam Hussein refuses to comply with a US directive that he remove his forces from Kuwait. Hussein claimed that Kuwait was stealing Iraqi oil. 32 nations were involved in the Operation to remove Iraqi forces from Kuwait.

17 January 1927 – birth of Eartha Kitt, American singer and actress. She played Catwoman in the 1960′s Batman TV series. Two of her more famous songs were ‘C’est Si Bon’ and ‘Santa Baby’. She died on 25 December 2008.

16 January 2014

ampersand

[am-per-sand, am-per-sand]

noun

– a character or symbol (& or ) for and : Smith & Jones, Inc.

The ampersand symbol (&) originated in Ancient Rome. ‘&’ was a cursive form of the word ‘et’ (in which the ‘e’ and the ‘t’ flowed into one another). In the 19th century, the ampersand was added to the end of the english alphabet, making it the 27th letter. Initially, it wasn’t called an ampersand, instead it was the phrase ‘and per se’ (meaning ‘by itself). Reciting the alphabet concluded with ‘ … x, y, z, and per se’. The word ‘ampersand’ is a mondegreen of ‘and per se’. Although the word ‘ampersand’ and its symbol (&) are in common usage, it was eventually dropped from the alphabet.

Some fonts clearly show the origin of ‘&’. These can be viewed here: http://www.adobe.com/type/topics/theampersand.html

Anagram

drama pens
panda rems
named raps
dream naps
sedan ramp

Today’s quote

You can’t process me with a normal brain.

Charlie Sheen.

On this day

16 January 1920 – Prohibition commences in the U.S. with the passing of the 18th Amendment which prohibited the importation, exportation, transporting, selling and manufacturing of alcohol.

16 January 1945 – Adolf Hitler flees to his bunker with his long-time companion, Eva Braun. They remain there for 105 days until he takes his own life.

16 January 1979 – The Shah of Iran is forced to flee Iran following the mutiny of his Army and a revolution led by students, which resulted in the Ayatollah Khomeini taking over the leadership of the country.

15 January 2014

sesquipedalian

[ses-kwi-pi-dey-lee-uhn, -deyl-yuhn]
adjective Also, ses·quip·e·dal [ses-kwip-i-dl]

1. given to using long words.
2. (of a word) containing many syllables.

noun

3. a sesquipedalian word.
Origin:
1605–15; < Latin sēsquipedālis measuring a foot and a half (see sesqui-, pedal) + -an

Related forms
ses·qui·pe·dal·i·ty [ses-kwi-pi-dal-i-tee] Show IPA , ses·qui·pe·da·li·an·ism, ses·quip·e·dal·ism [ses-kwip-i-dl-iz-uhm, ‐kwi-peed-l-iz-uhm] Show IPA , noun
un·ses·qui·pe·da·li·an, adjective

Anagram

nasalised equip
sequin palisade
passed aquiline
equalised Spain
salad sequin pie
equine salsa dip

Today’s aphorism

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

– Martin Luther King Jr.

On this day

15 January 1929 – birthday of Martin Luther King. American civil rights activist and clergyman. Died 4 April 1968.

14 January 2014

ephemeral

[ih-fem-er-uhl]

adjective

1. lasting a very short time; short-lived; transitory: the ephemeral joys of childhood.
2. lasting but one day: an ephemeral flower.

noun

3. anything short-lived, as certain insects.

Origin:
1570–80; < Greek ephḗmer ( os ) short-lived, lasting but a day ( ep- ep- + hēmér ( a ) day + -os adj. suffix) + -al1

Related forms
e·phem·er·al·ly, adverb
e·phem·er·al·ness, noun
non·e·phem·er·al, adjective
non·e·phem·er·al·ly, adverb
un·e·phem·er·al, adjective

Synonyms
1. fleeting, evanescent, transient, momentary, brief.

Antonyms
1. permanent.

Anagram

eel hamper
me a helper
repel a hem
ample here

Today’s aphorism

Love never dies a natural death. It dies because we don’t know how to replenish its source. It dies of blindness and errors and betrayals. It dies of illness and wounds; it dies of weariness, of witherings, of tarnishings.

– Anais Nin

On this day

14 January 1977 – death of Anais Nin, French-Cuban author. Born 21 February 1903.

14 January 1984 – death of Ray Kroc, founder of MacDonalds … and the Big Mac … Born 5 October 1902. Kroc had bought out Dick and Mac MacDonald before establishing the franchise network of fast-food restaurants.

13 January 2014

elision

[ih-lizh-uhn]

noun

1. the omission of a vowel, consonant, or syllable in pronunciation, as ‘Straya instead of Australia. E.g. The elision of native speakers can be confusing for those not fluent or familiar with the vernacular.
2. (in verse) the omission of a vowel at the end of one word when the next word begins with a vowel, as th’orient.
3. an act or instance of eliding or omitting anything.

Origin:
1575–85; < Latin ēlīsiōn- (stem of ēlīsiō ) a striking out, equivalent to ēlīs ( us ) (past participle of ēlīdere; see elide) + -iōn- -ion

Anagram

lionise
son I lie
I so line

Today’s aphorism

Do your little bit of good where you are; it is those little bits of good put all together that overwhelm the world.

– Desmond Tutu

On this day

13 January 1893 – birth of Roy Cazaly, Australian Rules football legend, known for his high marks and ruck-work. Immortalised in the song, ‘Up there Cazaly‘, by The Two Man Band (Mike Brady & Peter Sullivan). Died 10 October 1963.

13 January 1929 – death of Wyatt Earp in Los Angeles, American gunfighter, famous for the gunfight at the OK Corral. He was 80 years old.

13 January 1939 – Black Friday fires in Victoria, Australia, covering more than 4,900,000 acres, destroying 1,000 homes and killing 70 people, being more the world’s worst bush-fire disaster.

13 January 2001 – a 7.1 magnitude earthquake hits El Salvador, killing 1,000 people

12 January 2014

pendulous

[pen-juh-luhs, pen-duh-]

adjective

1. hanging down loosely: pendulous blossoms. (‘It’s true, there were dark storm clouds … heavy—black and pendulous, toward which they were driving’. – Narrator, Rocky Horror Show)
2. swinging freely; oscillating.
3. vacillating or undecided; wavering.

Origin:
1595–1605; < Latin pendulus hanging, swinging. See pend, -ulous

Related forms
pen·du·lous·ly, adverb
pen·du·lous·ness, noun
sem·i·pen·du·lous, adjective
sem·i·pen·du·lous·ly, adverb
sem·i·pen·du·lous·ness, noun

Synonyms
1. dangling, drooping, pendent, sagging.

Anagram

nodules up
lop unused
undue slop

Today’s aphorism

Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.

– Martin Luther King Jr

On this day

12 January 1948 – The United States Supreme Court that the all-white law school at University of Oklahoma must provide education to black students that is equal to the education provided to white students.

12 January 2012 – magnitude 7.0 earthquake strikes Haiti, killing between 100,000 and 250,000. Humanitarian aid was slow in coming to Haiti because of the damage to the country’s infrastructure, which resulted in the high death toll. The earthquake is the fourth deadliest on record.

12 January 2003 – death of Maurice Gibb on the Isle of Man. Founded the Bee Gees with his brothers, Robin and Barry. Born 22 December 1949.