21 May 2014

soporific

[sop-uh-rif-ik, soh-puh-]

adjective

1. causing or tending to cause sleep, ‘the soporific speech’.
2. pertaining to or characterized by sleep or sleepiness; sleepy; drowsy.

noun
3. something that causes sleep, as a medicine or drug.

Origin:
1655–65; < Latin sopor sopor + -i- + -fic; compare French soporifique

Related forms
sop·o·rif·i·cal·ly, adverb
an·ti·sop·o·rif·ic, adjective, noun
non·sop·or·if·ic, adjective, noun
un·sop·o·rif·ic, adjective

Anagram

coifs or pi

Today’s aphorism

The future which we hold in trust for our own children will be shaped by our fairness to other people’s children.

– Marian Wright Edelman

On this day

21 May – World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development.

21 May 1929 – Charles Lindbergh lands in Paris after completing the first non-stop trans-Atlantic flight. He had departed the day before from New York. Lindbergh was competing for the Orteig Prize which was to be awarded to the first person to make the transatlantic flight. Lindbergh won $25,000 in prize money. Six people had previously lost their lives in competing for the Orteig Prize.

21 May 1932 – Amelia Earhart flies from Newfoundland to Ireland, becoming the first woman to make a solo transatlantic flight.

21 May 1960 – An 8.5 magnitude earthquake hits Chile, causing massive land-slides and tsunamis, including an 8 metre wave. More than 5,000 people are killed and 2 million left homeless.

21 May 1979 – Dan White is convicted of voluntary manslaughter following being charged with first degree murder after assassinating Mayor George Moscone and Supervisor Harvey Milk. His defence team had successfully argued for conviction on the lesser charge because they claimed his mental state was diminished as he was suffering depression, evidenced by his consumption of Twinkies and other sugary foods. The defence became known as the ‘Twinkie Defence’.

20 May 2014

snollygoster

[snol-ee-gos-ter]

noun Slang.

– a clever, unscrupulous person.

Origin:
1855–60; origin uncertain

Anagram

Trolley songs
try lone gloss

Today’s aphorism

I have more respect for a man who lets me know where he stands, even if he’s wrong. Than the one who comes up like an angel and is nothing but a devil.

– Malcolm X

On this day

20 May 325 – conclusion of the First Council of Nicea, a cabal of 1800 bishops convened by Roman Emperor Constantine I (Constantine the Great) to gain consensus within the church for various doctrinal issues, such as the divinity of Christ, the Holy Trinity and the date for Easter which were articulated in the ‘Creed of Nicea’. The Council concluded on 25 August 325.

20 May 1896 – a 6 ton chandlier falls from the ceiling of the Palais Garnier, Paris, onto the crowd below. One person is killed and many injured.

19 May 2014

ponderous

[pon-der-uhs]

adjective

1. of great weight; heavy; massive.
2. awkward or unwieldy: He carried a ponderous burden on his back.
3. dull and labored: a ponderous dissertation.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English (< Middle French ponderos, pondereuse ) < Latin ponderōsus. See ponder, -ous

Related forms
pon·der·ous·ly, adverb
pon·der·ous·ness, pon·der·os·i·ty [pon-duh-ros-i-tee] Show IPA , noun
non·pon·der·os·i·ty, noun
non·pon·der·ous, adjective
non·pon·der·ous·ly, adverb

Synonyms
3. heavy, boring, dreary, plodding, tedious.

Antonyms
3. lively, exciting.

Anagram

dour opens
proud nose
rodeo puns

Today’s aphorism

You’re not supposed to be so blind with patriotism that you can’t face reality. Wrong is wrong, no matter who says it.

– Malcolm X

On this day

19 May 1536 – Anne Boleyn, second wife of King Henry VIII of England, is beheaded for adultery, incest and treason.

19 May 1568 – Queen Elizabeth I orders the arrest of Mary, Queen of Scots.

19 May 1897 – Oscar Wilde released from Reading Gaol.

19 May 1925 – birth of Malcolm X (born Malcolm Little), also known as El-Hajj Malik El-Shabazz, African-American Muslim minister and human rights activist. He campaigned for the rights of African-Americans. At the age of 20, while in prison, he joined the ‘Nation of Islam’, a group that preached black supremacy. He eventually became disillusioned with it and its leader, Elijah Muhammad. On 8 Mach 1964, he publicly announced he had the Nation of Islam. Malcolm X founded Muslim Mosque Inc and the Organisation of Afro-American Unity. He converted to Sunni Islam, revoked black supremacy and preached equal rights. He was assassinated on 21 February 1965 by three members of the Nation of Islam; Talmadge Hayer (also known as Thomas Hagan), Norman 3X Butler and Thomas 15X Johnson. All three were convicted, although Butler and Johnson maintained their innocence.

19 May 1962 – Marilyn Monroe sings a seductive version of ‘Happy Birthday‘ to President John F. Kennedy for his 45th birthday. She was introduced to the stage as the ‘late’ Marilyn Monroe. Less than three months later, Monroe was found dead. The dress Monroe wore was designed by Jean Louis and sold at auction in 1999 for more than $1,200,000. It was a sheer, flesh coloured dress with 2,500 rhinestones.

17 May 2014

castigate

[kas-ti-geyt]

verb (used with object), cas·ti·gat·ed, cas·ti·gat·ing.

1. to criticize or reprimand severely.
2. to punish in order to correct.

Origin:
1600–10; < Latin castīgātus literally, driven to be faultless (past participle of castigāre to chasten), equivalent to cast ( us ) pure, chaste + -īg-, combining form of agere to drive, incite + -ātus -ate1

Related forms
cas·ti·ga·tion, noun
cas·ti·ga·tive, cas·ti·ga·to·ry [kas-ti-guh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] Show IPA , adjective
cas·ti·ga·tor, noun
non·cas·ti·gat·ing, adjective
non·cas·ti·ga·tion, noun

Anagram

static age
aces tag it

Synonyms
1. scold, reprove. 2. discipline, chastise, chasten.

Today’s aphorism

A man must be big enough to admit his mistakes, smart enough to profit from them, and strong enough to correct them.

– John C. Maxwell

On this day

17 May 2000 – Thomas Blanton Jr and Bobby Frank Cherry, former Ku Klux Klan members, are arrested and charged with murder for the 1963 bombing of a church in Alabama which killed four girls. The two men were sentenced to life in prison.

17 May 2012 – Disco singer, Donna Summer dies from lung cancer. She was born on 31 December 1948.

16 May 2014

prodigy

[prod-i-jee]

noun, plural prod·i·gies.

1. a person, especially a child or young person, having extraordinary talent or ability: a musical prodigy.
2. a marvelous example (usually followed by of ).
3. something wonderful or marvelous; a wonder.
4. something abnormal or monstrous.
5. Archaic. something extraordinary regarded as of prophetic significance.

Origin:
1425–75; late Middle English prodige < Latin prōdigium prophetic sign

Can be confused: prodigy, protégé.

Anagram

God I pry

Today’s aphorism

Take the attitude of a student, never be too big to ask questions, never know too much to learn something new.

– Og Mandino

On this day

16 May 1920 – Joan of Arc is canonised (declared a saint) by the Catholic Church. In 1431, the Catholic Church accused her of heresy. She was subsequently ex-communicated and burnt at the stake. The church later nullified her ex-communication, declaring her a matyr who was unjustly executed because of a vendetta by the English (who controlled the Inquisitorial Court in occupied France). She was beatified (given the title of Blessed and the ability to intercede on behalf of those who pray to her) in 1909 prior to her canonisation in 1920.

16 May 1990 – death of Jim Henson, American muppeteer (Sesame Street, the Muppet Show). Born 24 September 1936.

16 May 1944 – birth of Danny Trejo, American actor (Desperado, Machete, Con-Air).

16 May 1945 – birth of Nicky Chinn, British songwriter and record producer. In conjunction with Queensland-born Mike Chapman, he wrote hit singles for Sweet, Suzi Quatro, Mud, Racey, Smokie and Tina Turner.

16 May 2010 – death of Ronald James Padavona, otherwise known as Ronny James Dio, heavy metal singer. Dio replaced Ozzy Osbourne as lead singer of Black Sabbath, for two years before leaving after disagreements with other band members. Dio was also associated with Rainbow, Dio, and Elf. Born 12 July 1942.

15 May 2014

nebulous

[neb-yuh-luhs]

adjective

1. hazy, vague, indistinct, or confused: a nebulous recollection of the meeting; a nebulous distinction between pride and conceit.
2. cloudy or cloudlike.
3. of or resembling a nebula or nebulae; nebular.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin nebulōsus full of mist, foggy, cloudy. See nebula, -ous

Related forms
neb·u·lous·ly, adverb
neb·u·lous·ness, noun
non·neb·u·lous, adjective
non·neb·u·lous·ly, adverb
non·neb·u·lous·ness, noun

Anagram

blue onus

Today’s aphorism

If an egg is broken by outside force, life ends. If broken by inside force, life begins. Great things always begin from inside.

– Jim Kwik

On this day

15 May – The Nakba (Day of the Catastrophe), Palestine – commemoration of the displacement of more than 700,000 Palestinians and the depopulation and destruction of at least 400 villages during the establishment of Israel in 1948.

15 May 1970 – At Jackson State University in Mississippi, police open fire on students who were protesting against the Vietnam and Cambodian Wars, killing two and injuring twelve.

14 May 2014

monger

[muhng-ger, mong-]

noun

1. a person who is involved with something in a petty or contemptible way (usually used in combination): a gossipmonger.
2. Chiefly British . a dealer in or trader of a commodity (usually used in combination): fishmonger.

verb (used with object)
3. to sell; hawk.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English (noun); Old English mangere, equivalent to mang ( ian ) to trade, act as a monger (≪ Latin mangō salesman) + -ere -er1 ; cognate with Old Norse, Old High German mangari

Related forms
mon·ger·ing, noun, adjective

Anagram

no germ

Today’s aphorism

Everything that happens, happens as it should, and if you observe carefully, you will find this to be so.

– Marcus Aurelius

On this day

14 May 1796 – Edward Jenner gives the first smallpox vaccination.

14 May 1879 – the first group of indentured Indians labourers arrive in Fiji aboard the Leonidas.

14 May 1919 – death of Henry John Heinz, founder of Heinz Company, responsible for canned baked beans. Born 11 October 1844.

14 May 1929 – Wilfred Rhodes takes his 4,000th first-class wicket at Leyton, after bowling 9/39. He played 58 test matches for England between 1899 and 1930. He was the first Englishman to complete both 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in Test cricket. He went on to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in individual first-class seasons a record 16 times. He retired with first-class totals of 4,204 wickets and 39,969 runs. In Tests he retired with 127 wickets and 2,325 runs.

14 May 1939 – Lina Medina (born 27 September 1933 in Peru) becomes the world’s youngest confirmed mother at the age of five. She gave birth by a caesarean section, to a boy, weighing 2.7kg (6.0lb). He was named Gerardo after the doctor who delivered him. He was raised believing Lina was his sister. Gerardo died in 1979, aged 40, of a bone marrow disease. Following Gerardo’s birth, Lina was diagnosed with extreme ‘precocious puberty’, in which puberty occurs at an unusually early age. It was initially reported that she hit puberty by the age of three, however, a further medical report indicated she had commenced puberty by eight months old. Lina never revealed who the father was or the circumstances of her impregnation. Lina later married and had a second child in 1972, when she was 39. She presently lives in Lima, Peru.

14 May 1948 – the modern nation of Israel is established by United Nations Resolution 181.

13 May 2014

arrant

[ar-uhnt]

adjective

1. downright; thorough; unmitigated; notorious: an arrant fool.
2. wandering; errant.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English, variant of errant

Related forms
ar·rant·ly, adverb

Can be confused: arrant, errant.

Synonyms
1. thoroughgoing, utter, confirmed, flagrant.

Anagram

ran rat

Today’s aphorism

To educate a man in mind and not in morals is to educate a menace to society.

– Theodore Roosevelt

On this day

13 May 1941 – birth of Richard Steven Valenzuela, otherwise known as Richie Valens. 1950s rock and roll star, famous for songs such as, ‘Come On, Let’s Go’, and ‘La Bamba. Died in a plane crash on 3 February 1959 with other musicians, Buddy Holly, J.P. ‘Big Bopper’ Richardson and the pilot, Roger Peterson. Their deaths were immortalised in the Don McLean song, ‘American Pie’, when he sang about the day the music died.

13 May 1981 – Pope John Paul II is injured in front of 2,000 people in St Peter’s Square after being shot by Turkish man, Mehmet Ali Agca.

12 May 2014

subsume

[suhb-soom]

verb (used with object), sub·sumed, sub·sum·ing.

1. to consider or include (an idea, term, proposition, etc.) as part of a more comprehensive one.
2. to bring (a case, instance, etc.) under a rule.
3. to take up into a more inclusive classification.

Origin:
1525–35; < Medieval Latin subsūmere, equivalent to Latin sub- sub- + sūmere to take; see consume

Related forms
sub·sum·a·ble, adjective

Anagram

emus bus
be sum us

Today’s aphorism

Some laws of state aimed at curbing crime are even more criminal.

– Friedrich Engels

On this day

12 May 1932 – the body of the Lindbergh baby is found near to the Lindbergh residence. The baby was the son of famous aviator, Charles Lindbergh, and had been kidnapped days earlier. The kidnapper had accidentally killed the baby during the kidnapping and abandoned the body in a nearby forest.

12 May 1937 – King George VI is crowned King of Britain (and it’s colonies) at Westminster Abbey, following the abdication of his brother.

12 May 1980 – death of Bette Nesmith Graham. Better is the inventor of Liquid Paper. Her son, Mike Nesmith, was a member of 1960s UK/American pop/rock band, The Monkees. Born 23 March 1924 in Dallas, Texas.

12 May 1994 – in response to thousands acts of violence in the USA against abortion clinics and their patients, a bill is submitted to President Clinton making it a federal crime to prevent access to an abortion clinic or to threaten or use force against people attending the clinics. The bill resulted in the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act 1994. Between 1978 and 1993 anti-abortion (or pro-life) activists had been responsible for at least 9 murders, 17 attempted murders, 406 death threats, 179 acts of assault, 5 kidnappings of abortion providers, 41 bombings, 96 attempted bombings or arsons, 692 bomb threats, 1993 incidents of trespassing, 1400 incidents of vandalism and 100 attacks with butyric acid (stink bombs).