21 September 2014

repository

[ri-poz-i-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

noun, plural repositories.

1. a receptacle or place where things are deposited, stored, or offered for sale:
a repository for discarded clothing.
2. an abundant source or supply; storehouse:
a repository of information.
3. a burial place; sepulcher.
4. a person to whom something is entrusted or confided.
5. Chiefly British, warehouse.

Origin

Latin

1475-1485; < Latin repositōrium that in which anything is placed; see reposit, -tory2

Synonyms

1. depot, storehouse, depository.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for repository

– With each open course offered, the content repository grows exponentially.
– These metaphors would then be stored in the metaphor repository.
– The ballot should then be physically transported to a secure repository and read by a machine by a second manufacturer.

Anagram

pie or story
tripe or soy
prise or toy

Today’s aphorism

Courageous people do not fear forgiving for the sake of peace.

– Nelson Mandela

On this day

21 September – International Day of Peace.

21 September – World Alzheimer’s Day.

21 September 1866 – birth of Herbert George ‘H.G.’ Wells, British science fiction writer, author of The War of the Worlds, Time Machine, Island of Dr Moreau, The War of the Worlds. Died 13 August 1946.

21 September 1937 – J.R.R. Tolkien’s ‘The Hobbit’ first published.

21 September 2012 – ‘The Hobbit Second Breakfast’ at 11am – to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Hobbit, people everywhere are invited to celebrate the Hobbit Second Breakfast at 11am by popping on the kettle and sitting down with family and friends for camaraderie, companionship and a love of good food.

20 September 2014

surcease

[sur-sees]

verb (used without object), surceased, surceasing.

1. to cease from some action; desist.
2. to come to an end.
verb (used with object), surceased, surceasing.
3. Archaic. to cease from; leave off.
noun
4. cessation; end.

Origin

late Middle English Middle French Latin
1400-1450; sur-1+ cease; replacing late Middle English sursesen (v.) < Middle French sursis (past participle of surseoir) < Latin supersessus (past participle of supersedēre to forbear; see supersede ), equivalent to super- super- + sed (ēre) sit1+ -tus past participle suffix, with dt > ss
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for surcease
– Electricity has given so much comfort to womankind, such surcease to her life of drudgery.
– More numerous, but relatively small, is the number that seek surcease from pain when aching or ulcerated teeth are to be drawn.
– High-level meetings with creditor nations bring no surcease.

Anagram

a rescues
uses care
sea cures

Today’s aphorism

Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain.

– Charlie Chaplin

On this day

20 September 2001 – U.S. President George W. Bush declares a ‘war on terror’.

20 September 2011 – the U.S. military ends its ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy, allowing gay servicemen and women to serve openly.

19 September 2014

emote

[ih-moht]

verb (used without object), emoted, emoting.

1. to show or pretend emotion :
to emote over the beauties of nature.
2. to portray emotion in acting, especially exaggeratedly or ineptly; behave theatrically:
The actress emoted for all she was worth.
Origin

1915-1920, Americanism; back formation from emotion

Related forms
emoter, noun
overemote, verb (used without object), overemoted, overemoting.
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for emote

– Computer power is a primary bottleneck to creating robots that can speak and emote.
– In fact, it’s this missing-hand-turned-evil that’s pictured above, encouraging its former owner to emote.
– They want him to emote and perform the proper theatrical gestures so they can see their emotions enacted on the public stage.

Anagram

me toe

Today’s aphorism

What do you want a meaning for? Life is a desire, not a meaning.

– Charlie Chaplin

On this day

19 September – International Talk Like a Pirate Day.

19 September 1952 – Charlie Chaplin exiled from the United States because of his anti-war and humanitarian beliefs which conflicted with McCarthy’s ‘reds under the bed’ policy.

19 September 1959 – USSR President Nikita Khrushchev banned from visiting Disneyland … ironically 31 years after Mickey Mouse debuted on screen. The reason given was that the Los Angeles Police Chief couldn’t provide adequate security.

19 September 1982 – birth of the emoticon. At 11.44am on this day, a computer scientist by the name of Scott Fahlman suggested on a bulletin board forum that the now iconic 🙂 be used to indicate a post was ‘not serious’. It has now come to also mean happy, as well as not serious for when people post comments, emails etc … or when they think a smiley will help ease a flame …

19 September 2003 – death of Slim Dusty AO, MBE, Australian country music singer, song-writer and producer. He was born as David Gordon Kirkpatrick and adopted the name of Slim Dusty at 11 years of age. He released his first record when he was 18. In 1957, he released ‘The Pub With No Beer‘, which became the biggest selling Australian song to that time, and the first Australian single to go gold. He won 36 Golden Guitar Awards at the Tamworth Country Music Festival. In 2000, he recorded his 100th album, ‘Looking Forward, Looking Back‘. He is the only artist in the world to have recorded 100 albums with the same record label (EMI). Born 13 June 1927.

18 September 2014

allusion

[uh-loo-zhuh n]

noun

1. a passing or casual reference; an incidental mention of something, either directly or by implication:
The novel’s title is an allusion to Shakespeare.
2. the act or practice of making a casual or indirect reference to something; the act of alluding :
The Bible is a fertile source of allusion in art.
3. Obsolete. a metaphor; parable.

Origin

Late Latin

1540-1550; < Late Latin allūsiōn- (stem of allūsiō), equivalent to allūs (us), past participle of allūdere (see allude; al- al- + lūd- play + -tus past participle suffix) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms

preallusion, noun

Can be confused

allusion, reference.
allusion, delusion, elusion, hallucination, illusion (see synonym study at illusion )

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for allusion
– This is an enormous collection of the allusion s to Shakespeare from 1591 to 1700.
– This was a startling allusion to several bodies of knowledge simultaneously.
– Belief is the process where the brain converts illusion to allusion, and allusion into certainty.

Anagram

soul nail

Today’s aphorism

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny but in ourselves.

– William Shakespeare

On this day

18 September 1873 – ‘The panic of 1873′ – a severe economic crisis in Europe and the United States caused by a drop in demand for silver following Germany’s decision to abandon the silver standard after the Franco-Prussian Wars. ‘The Panic’ lasted until 1879. It was known as the ‘Great Depression’, until the financial crisis of the 1930s.

18 September 1965 – ‘Get Smart’ premieres on U.S. television.

18 September 1970 – death of Jimi Hendrix. American guitarist and singer-songwriter. He was 27.

17 September 2014

foment

[foh-ment]

verb (used with object)

1. to instigate or foster (discord, rebellion, etc.); promote the growth or development of:
to foment trouble; to foment discontent.
2. to apply warm water or medicated liquid, ointments, etc., to (the surface of the body).

Origin

Middle English Late Latin
1350-1400; Middle English fomenten < Late Latin fōmentāre, verbal derivative of Latin fōmentum soothing application, poultice, contraction of *fōvimentum, equivalent to fōv (ēre) to keep warm + -i- -i- + -mentum -ment

Related forms

fomenter, noun
unfomented, adjective

Can be confused

ferment, foment.
Synonyms

1. incite, provoke, arouse, inflame, excite, stir up; encourage, stimulate.
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for foment Expand

– There are other demagogues there now who have and continue to foment war.
– Moreover, critics say that the army has historically done little but brutalise its own citizenry and foment instability.
– To foment revolution, with a drip-drip of snarky stories about corruption.

Anagram

oft men

Today’s aphorism

Don’t walk behind me; I may not lead. Don’t walk in front of me; I may not follow. Just walk beside me and be my friend.

– Albert Camus

On this day

17 September 1916 – Baron Manfred Von Richthofen (a.k.a The Red Baron), wins his first aerial combat in World War I.

17 September 1947 – the United State Department of Defense forms and is tasked with coordinating all defense related organisations in the U.S. The DoD is the largest employer in the world, with over 3.2 million employees, including active soldiers, sailors, airmen/women, and National Guard.

17 September 1951 – birth of Cassandra Peterson a.k.a Elvira, U.S. actress and host of late-night B-grade horror and sci-fi movies.

17 September 1961 – birth of Baz Luhrmann, Australian film director (Romeo and Juliet, Strictly Ballroom, Moulin Rouge).

17 September 1966 – St George Dragons beat Balmain Tigers 23-4, to win the New South Wales Rugby League (NSWRL) grand final for the 11th consecutive year. The longest premiership-winning streak in Australian sport.

17 September 1972 – M*A*S*H* premieres on NBC-TV.

17 September 1991 – first version of Linux released.

16 September 2014

sidle

[sahyd-l]

verb (used without object), sidled, sidling.

1. to move sideways or obliquely.
2. to edge along furtively.

noun
3. a sidling movement.

Origin

1690-1700; back formation from sideling (earlier spelling sidling misconstrued as present participle of a verb ending in -le )

Related forms

sidlingly, adverb
unsidling, adjective
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for sidle

– The thief would sidle up to its relative quietly in an effort to get at the food.
– Consumer spending will no more than sidle ahead, and fixed investment will continue to decline.
– Moments with dialogue are brief and easy to sidle around.

Anagram

slide
idles
is led

Today’s aphorism

Trust yourself, you know more than you think you do.

– Benjamin Spock

On this day

16 September – International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer.

16 September 1908 – General Motors is founded by William C. Durrant.

16 September 1920 – The bombing of Wall St, New York, which kills 38 and injures 143. The crime has never been solved, but is believed to have been committed by Italian anarchists known as Galleanists, (after their leader Luigi Galleani), who were protesting against capitalism. The bomb had been placed in a horse wagon.

16 September 1927 – birth of Peter Falk, U.S. actor (Colombo) … ‘therrre ya go‘… (died 23 June 2011.

16 September 1975 – Papua New Guinea gains independence from Australia. PNG National Day.

16 September 1977 – death of Marc Bolan in a car accident. Singer/guitarist for T-Rex. (Born 30 September 1947 as Mark Feld).

16 – 18 September 1982 – Lebanese Christian militia (Phalange) massacres between 765 and 3,500 Palestinian and Lebanese civilians in Sabra and Shatila refugee camps in Beirut. An inquiry in 1983 held Israeli troops indirectly responsible as they had surrounded the camps, controlling access to them, and were aware a massacre was occurring without taking steps to stop it.

15 September 2014

litany

[lit-n-ee]

noun, plural litanies.
1. a ceremonial or liturgical form of prayer consisting of a series of invocations or supplications with responses that are the same for a number in succession.
2. the Litany, the supplication in this form in the Book of Common Prayer.
3. a recitation or recital that resembles a litany.
4. a prolonged or tedious account:
We heard the whole litany of their complaints.

Origin
Late Latin, Late Greek

before 900; < Late Latin litanīa < Late Greek litaneía litany, Greek: an entreating, equivalent to litan- (stem of litaínein, variant of litaneúein to pray) + -eia -y3; replacing Middle English letanie, Old English letanīa < Medieval Latin, Late Latin, as above

Can be confused
litany, liturgy.

Synonyms

4. list, catalog, enumeration.
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for litany

– Higher education faces a litany of challenges, and desperate measures are required.
– The litany of statistics is as deadening as it is depressing.
– Ask anyone about the activities they perform each a day and they’ll rattle off a litany of actions.

Anagram

lay tin

Today’s aphorism

How do we change the world? One act of random kindness at a time.

– from the movie, Evan Almighty

On this day

15 September – International Day of Democracy.

15 September 1254 – birth of Marco Polo, Italian explorer. Died 9 January 1324.

13 September 2014

remit

[v., n. ri-mit; n. also ree-mit]

verb (used with object), remitted, remitting.
1. to transmit or send (money, a check, etc.) to a person or place, usually in payment.
2. to refrain from inflicting or enforcing, as a punishment, sentence, etc.
3. to refrain from exacting, as a payment or service.
4. to pardon or forgive (a sin, offense, etc.).
5. to slacken; abate; relax:
to remit watchfulness.
6. to give back:
to remit an overpayment.
7. Law. to send back (a case) to an inferior court for further action.
8. to put back into a previous position or condition.
9. to put off; postpone; defer.
10. Obsolete. to set free; release.
11. Obsolete. to send back to prison or custody.
12. Obsolete. to give up; surrender.
verb (used without object), remitted, remitting.
13. to transmit money, a check, etc., as in payment.
14. to abate for a time or at intervals, as a fever.
15. to slacken; abate.
noun
16. Law. a transfer of the record of an action from one tribunal to another, particularly from an appellate court to the court of original jurisdiction.
17. something remitted, as for further deliberation or action.
18. the act of remitting.
19. Chiefly British. the area of authority of a person or group.

Origin

Middle English Latin
1325-1375; Middle English remitten < Latin remittere to send back, let go back, concede, allow, equivalent to re- re- + mittere to send

Related forms
remittable, adjective
nonremittable, adjective
nonremittably, adverb
preremit, verb (used with object), preremitted, preremitting.
unremittable, adjective

Synonyms
1. forward. 4. excuse, overlook. 5. diminish. 6. return, restore.

Antonyms
1. retain. 4. condemn. 5. increase.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for remit

– Before economic reforms began, state firms simply received all financing from the government budget and remitted any profit.
– The country is home to a large stock of dollars, many of them remitted by migrant workers, and a sizeable stock of gold.
– The creditors care only about their payments and the value of the dollars that are remitted.

Anagram

mitre
timer
merit

Today’s aphorism

Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul. It is daily admission of one’s weakness. It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart.

– Mahatma Gandhi

On this day

13 September 1503 – Michelango commences his iconic sculpture, ‘David‘.

13 September 1922 – official highest temperature ever recorded: 57.8oC (138oF) at Azizya, Libya.

13 September 1940 – German Luftwaffe bombs Buckingham Palace, London, while King George VI and Queen Elizabeth (the Queen Mother) are in residence.

12 September 2014

congruent

[kong-groo-uh nt, kuh n-groo-, kuh ng-]

adjective

1. agreeing; accordant; congruous.
2. Mathematics. of or pertaining to two numbers related by a congruence.
3. Geometry. coinciding at all points when superimposed:
congruent triangles.

Origin

late Middle English Latin

1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin congruent- (stem of congruēns, present participle of congruere to come together, fit in, agree), equivalent to con- con- + -gru- base of uncertain meaning (attested only in this v. and ingruere to fall upon) + -ent- -ent

Related forms

congruently, adverb
noncongruent, adjective
noncongruently, adverb
Can be confused Expand
congruous, congruent, incongruous, incongruent.
Dictionary.com

Examples from the web for congruent

Salary is commensurate with education and experience and is congruent with national standards.
He simply felt you could not speak coherently about internal experiences, which was a perfectly congruent position.
By the time she entered her teens, she could look forward to marriage and to a life congruent with the one she knew.

Anagram

grunt once
cogent run

Today’s quote

Confining marine animals to tanks and separating them from their families and their natural surroundings, just so people can watch them swim in endless circles, teaches us far more about humans than it does about animals – and the lesson is not a flattering one.

– Pamela Anderson

On this day

12 September 1869 – death of Peter Roget, British lexographer and creator of Roget’s Thesaurus. (Born 18 January 1779).

12 September 1885 – the highest scoring soccer match in history is a Scottish Cup match played between Arbroath and Bon Accord. Arbroath won 36-0.

12 September 1990 – formal end of World War II. In 1945 there was no formal German state to accept the terms of surrender or the ongoing governing of Germany. The 1945 Potsdam Agreement set the provisional terms under which the Allies would govern Germany. The lack of a German government at the time, became known as ‘The German Question’ and was used by the U.S.A. as the reason for maintaining American bases in West Germany throughout the Cold War. It wasn’t until German re-unification in 1990, that the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) and the German Democratic Republic (East Germany) unified. To achieve full sovereignty the new unified state was required to accept the terms of the Potsdam Agreement. A settlement was then negotiated with the new German government between the new German state, the U.S.A, France, U.S.S.R and Britain, formally ending World War II.

12 September 2001 – Ansett, Australia’s first commercial airline, collapses.

12 September 2003 – death of Johnny Cash, American singer and musician. Born 26 February 1932.