28 February 2014
grok
(grok)
MEANING:
verb tr.: To understand deeply and intuitively.
ETYMOLOGY:
Coined by Robert A. Heinlein in his science-fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land. Earliest documented use: 1961.
NOTES:
In Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein describes grok as a Martian word meaning ‘to drink’. That’s the literal meaning, however, figuratively it means to understand something in a profound way. To grok something is to be one with it in a way that the observer and the observed become merged.
USAGE:
“Any first-time Apple user immediately groks the nature of the device.”
Melvin Bukiet; Me and My Mac; The Chronicle of Higher Education (Washington, DC); Oct 16, 2011.
(From Wordsmith.org)
27 February 2014
tyro
[tahy-roh]
noun, plural ty·ros.
– a beginner in learning anything; novice.
Also, tiro.
Origin:
1605–15; < Latin tīrō recruit
Related forms
ty·ron·ic [tahy-ron-ik] Show IPA , adjective
Synonyms
neophyte, learner.
Anagram
Troy
26 February 2014
roil
[roil]
verb (used with object)
1. to render (water, wine, etc.) turbid by stirring up sediment.
2. to disturb or disquiet; irritate; vex: to be roiled by a delay.
verb (used without object)
3. to move or proceed turbulently.
Origin:
1580–90; origin uncertain
Related forms
un·roiled, adjective
Can be confused: roil, royal.
Synonyms
2. annoy, fret, ruffle, exasperate, provoke, rile.
25 February 2014
provenance
[prov-uh-nuhns, -nahns]
noun
– place or source of origin: The provenance of the ancient manuscript has never been determined.
Origin:
1860–65; < French, derivative of provenant, present participle of provenir < Latin prōvenīre to come forth; see pro-1 , convene, -ant
Can be confused: provenance, province.
Anagram
proven acne
rap convene
24 February 2014
derogate
[v. der-uh-geyt; adj. der-uh-git, -geyt]
verb (used without object), der·o·gat·ed, der·o·gat·ing.
1. to detract, as from authority, estimation, etc. (usually followed by from ).
2. to stray in character or conduct; degenerate (usually followed by from ).
verb (used with object), der·o·gat·ed, der·o·gat·ing.
3. to disparage or belittle.
4. Archaic. to take away (a part) so as to impair the whole.
adjective
5. Archaic. debased.
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin dērogātus repealed, restricted (past participle of dērogāre ), equivalent to dē- de- + rog ( āre ) to ask + -ātus -ate1
Related forms
der·o·ga·tion, noun
non·der·o·ga·tion, noun
un·der·o·gat·ing, adjective
Can be confused: abdicate, abrogate, arrogate, derogate.
Synonyms
1. See decry.
Anagram
agreed to
trade ego
date goer
23 February 2014
horripilation
[haw-rip-uh-ley-shuhn, ho-]
noun
– a bristling of the hair on the skin from cold, fear, etc.; goose flesh. Example: ‘Suddenly he was swept by horripilation’. – Stephen King, The Dome.
Origin:
1615–25; < Late Latin horripilātiōn- (stem of horripilātiō ). See horripilate, -ion
Anagram
hairpin oil rot
phial iron riot
22 February 2014
windrow
windrow
[wind-roh, win-]
noun
1. a row or line of hay raked together to dry before being raked into heaps.
2. any similar row, as of sheaves of grain, made for the purpose of drying.
3. a row of dry leaves, dust, etc., swept together by the wind.
verb (used with object)
4. to arrange in a windrow.
Anagram
word win
rind wow
21 February 2014
loafing
[lohf-ing]
verb (used without object)
1. to idle away time: He figured the mall was as good a place as any for loafing.
2. to lounge or saunter lazily and idly: We loafed for hours along the water’s edge.
verb (used with object)
3. to pass idly (usually followed by away ): to loaf one’s life away.
Origin:
1825–35, Americanism; back formation from loafer
Related forms
un·loaf·ing, adjective
Synonyms
2. loll, idle.
Anagram
flag ion
nail fog
align of
20 February 2014
vapid
[vap-id]
adjective
1. lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat: vapid tea.
2. without liveliness or spirit; dull or tedious: a vapid party; vapid conversation.
Origin:
1650–60; < Latin vapidus; akin to vapor
Related forms
va·pid·i·ty, vap·id·ness, noun
vap·id·ly, adverb
Can be confused: vacant, vacuous, vapid.
Synonyms
1. lifeless, flavorless. 2. spiritless, unanimated, tiresome, prosaic.
Antonyms
1. pungent. 2. stimulating
19 February 2014
cafuné
[ka-foo-nay]
(Portuguese)
verb
– to repeatedly run your fingers through someone’s hair. Usually done in a soft and affectionate manner.
Example:
The couple laid in each other’s arms, enjoying the moment in silence and cafuné.
Anagram
ace fun
18 February 2014
rhetoric
[ret-er-ik]
noun
1. (in writing or speech) the undue use of exaggeration or display; bombast.
2. the art or science of all specialized literary uses of language in prose or verse, including the figures of speech.
3. the study of the effective use of language.
4. the ability to use language effectively.
5. the art of prose in general as opposed to verse.
6. speech or discourse that pretends to significance but lacks true meaning: all the politician says is mere rhetoric
7. the art of making persuasive speeches; oratory.
8. (in classical oratory) the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience.
9. (in older use) a work on rhetoric.
Origin:
1300–50; < Latin rhētorica < Greek rhētorikḕ ( téchnē ) rhetorical (art); replacing Middle English rethorik < Medieval Latin rēthorica, Latin rhētorica, as above
rhetorical [ri-tawr-i-kuhl, -tor-]
— adjective
1. concerned with effect or style rather than content or meaning; bombastic. A rhetorical question – a question to which an answer is not expected.
2. of or relating to rhetoric or oratory
rhe’torically
— adv
Anagram (rhetoric)
richer to
or thrice
rich rote
hot crier
I or retch
17 February 2014
touchstone
[tuhch-stohn]
noun
1. a test or criterion for the qualities of a thing, e.g. touchstone of truth.
2. a black siliceous stone formerly used to test the purity of gold and silver by the color of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal.
Origin:
1475–85; touch + stone
Synonyms
1. standard, measure, model, pattern.
Anagram
chosen tout
notches out
snoot chute
no cute host
16 February 2014
inane
[ih-neyn]
adjective
1. lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly: inane questions.
2. empty; void.
noun
3. something that is empty or void, especially the void of infinite space.
Origin:
1655–65; < Latin inānis
Related forms
in·ane·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1. pointless. See foolish.
Anagram
A nine
15 February 2014
dysphemism
[dis-fuh-miz-uhm]
noun
1. the substitution of a harsh, disparaging, or unpleasant expression for a more neutral one. For example: ‘Though often meant to shock or offend, dysphemisms may also serve as in-group markers to signal closeness’.
2. an expression so substituted.
Origin:
1880–85; dys- + (eu)phemism
Related forms
dys·phe·mis·tic, adjective
Antonyms
euphemism.
Anagram
sped shimmy
dips my hems
14 February 2014
umbrage
[uhm-brij]
noun
1. offense; annoyance; displeasure: to feel umbrage at a social snub; to give umbrage to someone; to take umbrage at someone’s rudeness.
2. the slightest indication or vaguest feeling of suspicion, doubt, hostility, or the like.
3. leaves that afford shade, as the foliage of trees.
4. shade or shadows, as cast by trees.
5. a shadowy appearance or semblance of something.
Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Old French; see umbra, -age
Synonyms
1. pique, grudge, resentment.
Anagram
Bear gum
grab emu
13 February 2014
antidisestablishmentarianism
[an-tee-dis-uh-stab-lish-muhn-tair-ee-uh-niz-uhm, an-tahy-]
noun
– originally, opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England (meaning to remove the Anglican church as the state church of England, Ireland and Wales). Now, it’s opposition to the belief that there should no longer be an official church in a country.
Example: When people are asked for the longest word they know, they often say antidisestablishmentarianism.
Antidisestablishmentarianism is one of the longest words in the English language, with 28 letters and 12 syllables.
Anagram
A Databases Interim Hint Slim Sin
Mine Ambassadress hit a lint in it
12 February 2014
apical
[ey-pi-kuhl, ap-i-]
adjective
1. of, at, or forming the apex.
2. Phonetics . (of a speech sound) articulated principally with the aid of the tip of the tongue, as t or d.
noun
3. Phonetics . an apical sound.
Origin:
1820–30; < Latin apic- (stem of apex ) apex + -al
Related forms
a·pi·cal·ly, adverb
Anagram
ail cap
11 February 2014
pliant
[plahy-uhnt]
adjective
1. bending readily; flexible; supple; adaptable: She manipulated the pliant clay.
2. easily influenced; yielding to others; compliant: He has a pliant nature.
Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Old French, present participle of plier to ply2 ; see -ant
Related forms
pli·an·cy, pli·ant·ness, noun
pli·ant·ly, adverb
non·pli·an·cy, noun
non·pli·ant, adjective
non·pli·ant·ly, adverb
Synonyms
1, 2. pliable, flexile. See flexible. 2. manageable, tractable, docile.
Anagram
lip tan
plan it
10 February 2014
misology
mi-SOL-uh-jee, mahy-
noun
1. distrust or hatred of reason or reasoning.
Origin
from Greek misologia, from misos hatred + logos word, reasoning. See logos ]
mi’sologist
— noun
Anagram
is gloomy
oily smog
my igloos
9 February 2014
fecund
[fee-kuhnd, -kuhnd, fek-uhnd, -uhnd]
adjective
1. producing or capable of producing offspring, fruit, vegetation, etc., in abundance; prolific; fruitful: fecund parents; fecund farmland.
2. very productive or creative intellectually: the fecund years of the Italian Renaissance.
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin fēcundus, equivalent to fē- (see fetus) + -cundus adj. suffix; replacing late Middle English fecounde < Anglo-French
Related forms
non·fe·cund, adjective
un·fe·cund, adjective
fecundity
[fi-kuhn-di-tee]
noun
1. the quality of being fecund; capacity, especially in female animals, of producing young in great numbers.
2. fruitfulness or fertility, as of the earth.
3. the capacity of abundant production: fecundity of imagination.
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin fēcunditās fruitfulness, fertility. See fecund, -ity
Related forms
non·fe·cun·di·ty, noun
su·per·fe·cun·di·ty, noun
Anagram (fecundity)
city unfed
8 February 2014
callipygian
[kal-uh-pij-ee-uhn]
adjective
– having well-shaped buttocks, ‘As they prepared for their squat classes, the couple playfully argued over who had the most callipygian assets’.
Also, cal·li·py·gous [kal-uh-pahy-guhs]
1640–50; < Greek kallipýg ( os ) with beautiful buttocks; referring to a statue of Aphrodite ( kalli- calli- + pyg ( ḗ ) rump + -os adj. suffix) + -ian
Anagram
I lag pliancy
7 February 2014
farctate
[fahrk-teyt]
adjective
– Stuffed; filled solid; as, a farctate leaf, stem, or pericarp; — opposed to tubular or hollow. [Obs.]
– stuffed; as in eaten a large meal, Christmas is marked by farctate meals.
[L. farctus, p. p. of farcire. See Farce, v. t.] (Bot.)
Anagram
fat crate
fat react
fear tact
face tart
artefact
6 February 2014
despot
[des-puht, -pot]
noun
1. a king or other ruler with absolute, unlimited power; autocrat.
2. any tyrant or oppressor.
3. History/Historical . an honorary title applied to a Byzantine emperor, afterward to members of his family, and later to Byzantine vassal rulers and governors.
Origin:
1555–65; < Greek despótēs master < *dems-pot- presumably, “master of the house,” equivalent to *dems-, akin to dómos house + pot-, base of pósis husband, spouse; cf. hospodar, host
Anagram
sped to
pod set
5 February 2014
prandicle
noun
[pran-dee-kil]
– small meal, ‘a prandicle of tapas and wine’.
Origin
Latin ‘prandiculum’ for ‘light meal’
Anagram
candle rip
cried plan
clan price
4 February 2014
atychiophobia
noun
[ah-tik-ee-oh-foh-bee-uh]
– fear of failure, fear of not being good enough.
Anagram
ciao thy phobia
yahoo chip bait
3 February 2014
retrouvailles
[reh-troh-vey-yeh]
[French. meaning: rediscovery]
– The joy of reuniting with someone after a long separation
Anagram
soul retrieval
2 February 2014
cacophobia
[kah-kok-oh-foh-bee-uh]
– an overwhelming and irrational fear of ugliness, whether it be of a person or a situation.
Anagram
I bop a coach
Cacao pi hob
1 February 2014
galleonic
[gal-lee-on-ik]
– marked by indifference or easygoing carelessness or irresponsibility, ‘galleonic attitude’, ‘he was galleonic’.
Anagram
grace lion
ocean gill
angel coil
