June 2017 WOTDs
30 June 2017
belabour
[bih-ley-ber]
verb (used with object)
1. to explain, worry about, or work at (something) repeatedly or more than is necessary:
He kept belaboring the point long after we had agreed.
2. to assail persistently, as with scorn or ridicule:
a book that belabors the provincialism of his contemporaries.
3. to beat vigorously; ply with heavy blows.
4. Obsolete. to labor at.
Also, especially British, belabour.
Origin of belabor
1590-1600 First recorded in 1590-1600; be- + labor
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for belabor
Historical Examples
It is exhausting to belabour a thick-skinned and obstinate animal with a stick.
Blue Lights
R.M. Ballantyne
Have you any particular spite at my door, that you belabour it in that style?
Macaria
Augusta Jane Evans Wilson
He made himself greatly dreaded by his orchestra, whom he used to belabour over the head with his fiddle.
Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCLXXVI. February, 1847. Vol. LXI.
Various
He said he would track him out and belabour him as he deserved.’
Penshurst Castle
Emma Marshall
At one time some worthy fellow entreats us to take up the public cudgel and belabour a blatant Economist.
Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 68, No. 417, July, 1850
Various
belabour thy brains, as to whom it would be well to question.
Scribner’s Magazine, Volume 26, July 1899
Various
He chased the sheep into a corner of the enclosure, and proceeded to belabour them with a heavy stick.
The Pilots of Pomona
Robert Leighton
He seized a stick that was lying on the ground, and began to belabour the hag with all his might.
The Mantle and Other Stories
Nicholas Gogol
So saying she snatched up the ladle from the dripping-pan, and threatened to belabour him with it.
Boscobel: or, the royal oak
William Harrison Ainsworth
He may hit me on the head and they may belabour me from behind.
White Nights and Other Stories
Fyodor Dostoevsky
Anagram
a blue orb
29 June 2017
sexton
[sek-stuh n]
noun
1. an official of a church charged with taking care of the edifice and its contents, ringing the bell, etc., and sometimes with burying the dead.
2. an official who maintains a synagogue and its religious articles, chants the designated portion of the Torah on prescribed days, and assists the cantor in conducting services on festivals.
Origin of sexton
Middle English, Anglo-French
1275-1325; Middle English sexteyn, sekesteyn, syncopated variant of segerstane, secristeyn < Anglo-French segerstaine sacristan
Related forms
sextonship, noun
undersexton, noun
Can be confused
sextant, sextet, sexton.
Examples from the Web for sexton
Contemporary Examples
Last September, sexton pleaded guilty in New York state court to money laundering and agreed to forfeit $600,000.
Las Vegas Betting Scandal Earns $5.5 Million Fine but the Boss Walks
John L. Smith
January 20, 2014
Historical Examples
“No, old chap,” cried North, slapping the sexton on the shoulder in a jocular way.
The Man with a Shadow
George Manville Fenn
Why, here in Denmark: I have been sexton here, man and boy, thirty years.
Hamlet
William Shakespeare
Anagram
ox tens
28 June 2017
Huguenot
[hyoo-guh-not or, often, yoo-]
noun
1. a member of the Reformed or Calvinistic communion of France in the 16th and 17th centuries; a French Protestant.
Origin of Huguenot
German
1555-1565; French, perhaps blend of Hugues (name of a political leader in Geneva) and eidgenot, back formation from eidgenots, Swiss variant of German Eidgenoss confederate, literally, oath comrade
Related forms
Huguenotic, adjective
Huguenotism, noun
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for Huguenot
Contemporary Examples
The du Pont family descended from Huguenot nobility in Burgundy, emigrating to the United States in 1800.
Foxcatcher’s Real-Life Psycho Killer
Marlow Stern
November 17, 2014
Historical Examples
This induces him to cross the Channel in order to take a share in the Huguenot wars.
A Roving Commission
G. A. Henty
He was of Huguenot ancestry, and learned the goldsmith’s trade of his father.
Tea Leaves
Various
This seems strange considering that all the merchants of the new company were Huguenot Protestants.
Montreal 1535-1914 under the French Rgime
William Henry Atherton
“I would rather see him hanged, but saved, than alive and a Huguenot,” was the gloomy reply.
The Works of Honor de Balzac
Honor de Balzac
He escaped in 1576, and put himself at the head of the Huguenot party.
Great Men and Famous Women. Vol. 1 of 8
Various
Armadas, though born in Hull, was the son of a Huguenot refugee.
Days of the Discoverers
L. Lamprey
Anagram
into huge
tongue uh
he outgun
27 June 2017
brio
[bree-oh; Italian bree-aw]
noun
1. vigor; vivacity.
Origin of brio
Italian, Spanish, Celtic, Old Irish
1725-1735, Italian < Spanish brío energy, determination < Celtic *brīgos; compare Old Irish bríg (feminine) power, strength, force, Middle Welsh bri (masculine) honor, dignity, authority
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for brio
Contemporary Examples
The New Yorker critic Pauline Kael dismissed the film as “journalism presented with the brio of drama.”
Goodfellas Turns 20
Sean Macaulay
September 20, 2010
Historical Examples
Certainly Gurickx played magnificently, and with a brio I have rarely heard equalled.
Music-Study in Germany
Amy Fay
Gozzi gave him brio and bonarietà , with cordiality and humor.
Folkways
William Graham Sumner
26 June 2017
forgo
[fawr-goh]
verb (used with object), forwent, forgone, forgoing.
1. to abstain or refrain from; do without.
2. to give up, renounce, or resign.
3. Archaic. to neglect or overlook.
4. Archaic. to quit or leave.
5. Obsolete. to go or pass by.
Also, forego.
Origin of forgo
Middle English, Old English
950 before 950; Middle English forgon, Old English forgān. See for-, go1
Related forms
forgoer, noun
unforgone, adjective
Synonyms
1. forbear, sacrifice, forsake.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for forgo
Contemporary Examples
He forced her, along with her older sisters, to forgo any semblance of a normal childhood.
Why My Mother Would Save Aurora Shooter James Holmes
Anna Klassen
April 2, 2013
Bulgaria recently announced they will forgo adopting the single Euro currency.
The Euro Misses A Victim
Justin Green
September 4, 2012
We had decided to forgo a rainy Parisian night of hailing cabs and falling prey to more tourist traps.
For the Love of Pâté
Molly Hannon
January 4, 2011
And if he does lose, the political pressure on him to forgo a Syria strike will likely prove overwhelming.
Obama Decision on Syria Good for U.S Democracy, but His Case Is Weak
Peter Beinart
September 2, 2013
Historical Examples
He finally agreed to forgo the pleasure of possessing it for a suitable reward.
The River and I
John G. Neihardt
The freshmen who had been so favored did not wish to forgo these joys.
Hester’s Counterpart
Jean K. Baird
It is extremely good of you to forgo any engagement you may have had merely to return this to me with your own hands.
The Silver Butterfly
Mrs. Wilson Woodrow
It was a mere piece of theatricality, such as it was not in Scaramouche’s nature to forgo.
Scaramouche
Rafael Sabatini
Most had agreed to forgo rents and to help with artificial manure for next year.
The Foundations of Japan
J.W. Robertson Scott
Anagram
or fog
25 June 2017
je ne sais quoi
[zhuh nuh se kwa]
noun, French.
1. an indefinable, elusive quality, especially a pleasing one:
She has a certain je ne sais quoi that charms everybody.
Origin of je ne sais quoi
literally, I don’t know what
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for je ne sais quoi
Contemporary Examples
She never finishes her soup and she wears a toweling robe with a certain je ne sais quoi.
Polanski’s Brilliant Comeback
Simon Schama
February 17, 2010
Just in time for Paris Fashion Week, a new book, Paris Street Style, offers tips on how to acheive that certain je ne sais quoi.
A New Guide to Parisian Style
Rebecca Benhamou
March 2, 2013
Historical Examples
I don’t know what that means, but I love that sort of—of—of— je ne sais quoi, in short!
Trilby
George Du Maurier
Tout le reste a je ne sais quoi de chimrique et souvent de trs-funeste.
The Life of Albert Gallatin
Henry Adams
There is something about you, Tweeny, there is a je ne sais quoi about you.
The Admirable Crichton
J. M. Barrie
A raven hopping about the casks gives a je ne sais quoi, a cachet, to the premises.
Punch, or the London Charivari, Vol. 158, March 3rd, 1920
Various
And not one has the beginnings of the polished charm of manner, the fire of glance, the je ne sais quoi of Mrs. Hunt Maclean.
The Californians
Gertrude Franklin Horn Atherton
But there was a je ne sais quoi in their behaviour to-day, which begins to alarm my suspicion.
The Adventures of Ferdinand Count Fathom, Complete
Tobias Smollett
But there was a je ne sais quoi in the whole cut of your jib as familiar to me as rolls and coffee.
Grey Roses
Henry Harland
“A ‘ je ne sais quoi young man,'” quotes the younger Miss Beresford, with a sneer.
Rossmoyne
Unknown
Anagram
24 June 2017
workaday
[wur-kuh-dey]
adjective
1. of or befitting working days; characteristic of a workday and its occupations.
2. ordinary; commonplace; everyday; prosaic.
Origin of workaday
Middle English
1150-1200; alteration (probably after nowadays ) of earlier worky-day workday, alteration (by association with holiday ) of Middle English werkeday, obscurely derived from work and day
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for workaday
Contemporary Examples
And it divides an audience’s attention from the quotidian, workaday world, whether at the Globe or the Delacorte.
Anne Hathaway’s Magical “Night”
Daniel Menaker
June 27, 2009
But unlike most workaday reporters, Lepore is steeped in the history of the city and the American Revolution.
Great New Reads
The Daily Beast
October 14, 2010
Even typically Teflon partners will melt if you apply too much heat in workaday dealings.
What the Stars Hold for Your Week
Starsky + Cox
July 7, 2011
Historical Examples
There was just one thing in all the room that looked poor, workaday.
Aurora the Magnificent
Gertrude Hall
But in the workaday world one never knows the ending till it comes.
Tommy and Co.
Jerome K. Jerome
The summer ought not to be an entirely frivolous season, neither ought it to be too workaday.
A Girl’s Student Days and After
Jeannette Marks
At noon, however, its workaday aspect was on; it was no more than a lunching place.
The Readjustment
Will Irwin
I put away even the rings I wore habitually, keeping out only an inferior cat’s-eye for workaday wear.
Masterpieces of Mystery
Various
Margot discovered she could not disturb the little girl’s workaday life.
Little Jeanne of France
Madeline Brandeis
The Ghetto was all astir, for it was half-past eight of a workaday morning.
The Grandchildren of the Ghetto
Israel Zangwill
Anagram
away dork
a yard wok
23 June 2017
ducal
[doo-kuh l, dyoo-]
adjective
1. of or relating to a duke or dukedom.
Origin of ducal
Late Latin
1485-1495 First recorded in 1485-95, ducal is from the Late Latin word ducālis of a leader. See duke, -al1
Related forms
unducal, adjective
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for ducal
Historical Examples
It is as if he had stripped off the stately robe and the ducal cap, and shown the soul of Venice in the bare child of the lagoons.
Stray Studies from England and Italy
John Richard Greene
But it was not until the year 1443 that the Montefeltri acquired their ducal title.
New Italian sketches
John Addington Symonds
Mr. Gladstone and Mr. Bright would doubtless have gone much further in the path of reform if unfettered by ducal retainers.
The Galaxy
Various
Black velvet slippers are on his feet, and his ducal cap is of black velvet.
New Italian sketches
John Addington Symonds
Then followed the names of his rival lovers, and a list of the vast sums she had filched from the ducal treasury.
A German Pompadour
Marie Hay
“You had better take his place,” said the ducal proprietor to Harold.
Happy Days
Alan Alexander Milne
Francesco Sforza, the last and childless heir of the ducal house, was left in Milan till his death, which happened in 1535.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 15, Slice 1
Various
He took careful aim in the direction of the ducal tent, and loosed the quarrel.
Love-at-Arms
Raphael Sabatini
The ducal museum contains a rich collection of antique and medieval curiosities, engravings and pictures.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3
Various
And the colored marbles of the ducal palace fairly palpitate.
The Lure of the Mask
Harold MacGrath
22 June 2017
envoi
(or envoy)
[en-voi, ahn-]
noun
1. a short stanza concluding a poem in certain archaic metrical forms, as a ballade, and serving as a dedication, or a similar postscript to a prose composition.
Origin of envoi
Middle English
1350-1400; Middle English envoye < Old French, derivative of envoyer to send; see envoy1
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for envoy
Historical Examples
In Middle English poetry the envoi mostly serves the same purposes.
A History of English Versification
Jakob Schipper
The poem might also conclude with a half stanza or tornada, (French envoi).
The Troubadours
H.J. Chaytor
“I will try to remember the last stanza and the envoi as we go along,” added Victor.
The Grey Cloak
Harold MacGrath
Even in Modern English poetry the envoi has not quite gone out of use.
A History of English Versification
Jakob Schipper
Followed the beat of lessening footfalls, while the nightingale improvised an envoi.
Chivalry
James Branch Cabell
But as a writer reviews his own words, it is inevitable that some sort of envoi should present itself to his mind.
To My Younger Brethren
Handley C. G. Moule
At the end of nearly every section he adds an envoi of his own to drive home the moral more surely.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 3, Part 1, Slice 3
Various
The scheme is a b a b c c d d e d E in the stanzas and d d e d E in the envoi.
A History of English Versification
Jakob Schipper
Guynemer’s biography is of such a nature that it must seem like a poem: why not, then, conclude it with an envoi ?
Georges Guynemer
Henry Bordeaux
It is composed of five strophes, identical in arrangement, of eleven verses each, and of an envoi of five verses.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 7
Various
Anagram
I oven
vie on
21 June 2017
heimweh
[haym-vee]
noun
– homesickness
Origin
German: heim (“home”) + Weh (“pain”). Literally “homesickness”
Antonym
fernweh
Anagram
whee him
he we him
20 June 2017
fernweh
[fee-uhn-vee]
noun
– wanderlust, a desire to travel, a longing for far-off places
Etymology
German: fern (“far”) + Weh (“pain”). Literally “farsickness” or “longing for far-off places”
Antonym
heimweh
Anagram
when ref
19 June 2017
glut
[gluht]
verb (used with object), glutted, glutting.
1. to feed or fill to satiety; sate:
to glut the appetite.
2. to feed or fill to excess; cloy.
3. to flood (the market) with a particular item or service so that the supply greatly exceeds the demand.
4. to choke up:
to glut a channel.
verb (used without object), glutted, glutting.
5. to eat to satiety or to excess.
noun
6. a full supply.
7. an excessive supply or amount; surfeit.
8. an act of glutting or the state of being glutted.
Origin of glut
Middle English
1275-1325; Middle English gluten, back formation from glutun glutton1
Related forms
gluttingly, adverb
overglut, verb (used with object), overglutted, overglutting.
unglutted, adjective
Synonyms
1. surfeit, stuff, satiate. 5. gorge, cram. 7. surplus, excess, superabundance.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for glut
Contemporary Examples
But should you lack the energy to sift through the glut of options yourself, we can at least helpfully endorse this one.
WGN’s ‘Manhattan’ Is Summer’s Best New Show. But Will Anyone Watch?
Kevin Fallon
July 26, 2014
But if Democrats are faced with the reality of a glut of qualified candidates, Republicans are assembling more of a fantasy team.
The Golden State Preps for the ‘Red Wedding’ of Senate Races
David Freedlander
January 8, 2015
Despite the glut of vampire-centric entertainment, Let Me In offers a novel, haunting take on the genre.
Let Me In Is the Anti-Twilight
Jace Lacob
September 28, 2010
Surpluses set in motion a process that ends the glut : Just watch the last half hour of a garage sale.
When the Economy Is Bad, Debt Gets Worse
Megan McArdle
September 11, 2012
Tallinn feels palpably Scandinavian with its polished old-town brick, seaside positioning and glut of cool cafes.
Next Stop, Quito: Our Top Cities for 2015
Brandon Presser
December 18, 2014
Historical Examples
The supreme moment had arrived when Mr. Hugh Price was to glut his vengeance.
The Real America in Romance, Volume 6;
John R. Musick
When there is a glut in the market, Jonathan, you know what happens.
The Common Sense of Socialism
John Spargo
He determined, therefore, to put on the bravado, and glut that revenge upon his still surviving victim.
All-Hallow Eve; or, The Test of Futurity.
Robert Curtis
You may glut yourself with his suffering and feed fat your revenge.
Sir Henry Morgan, Buccaneer
Cyrus Townsend Brady
They may come upon him when he sleeps and glut their revenge; but you will be safe.
The Adventures of Captain Bonneville
Washington Irving
18 June 2017
rostrum
[ros-truh m]
noun, plural rostra [ros-truh], rostrums.
1. any platform, stage, or the like, for public speaking.
2. a pulpit.
3. a beaklike projection from the prow of a ship, especially one on an ancient warship for ramming an enemy ship; beak; ram.
4. Roman Antiquity. (in the forum) the raised platform, adorned with the beaks of captured warships, from which orations, pleadings, etc., were delivered.
5. Biology. a beaklike process or extension of some part; rostellum.
6. British Theater. a raised platform or dais, especially one with hinged sides that can be folded and stored within a relatively small space.
Origin of rostrum
Latin
1570-1580; Latin rōstrum snout, bill, beak of a bird, ship’s prow (in plural, speaker’s platform), equivalent to rōd(ere) to gnaw, bite (cf. rodent ) + -trum instrumental suffix, with dt > st
Synonyms
1. stand, dais, podium, lectern.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for rostrum Expand
Contemporary Examples
It was hard not to get mixed messages from the rostrum, too.
Fear and Loathing at the Republican Leadership Conference
David Freedlander
June 2, 2014
That nominee had three challenges as he took the rostrum in Tampa.
Romney’s Lame Speech Might Have Gone Better Had He Learned From Bush 1 and Al Gore
Robert Shrum
August 31, 2012
Historical Examples
Presently they were all assembled, and the Head appeared upon his rostrum.
The Lighter Side of School Life
Ian Hay
Anagram
Mrs Tour
Mr Tours
sort rum
17 June 2017
paucity
[paw-si-tee]
noun
1. smallness of quantity; scarcity; scantiness:
a country with a paucity of resources.
2. smallness or insufficiency of number; fewness.
Origin of paucity
late Middle English Latin
1375-1425; late Middle English paucite < Latin paucitās fewness, derivative of paucus few; see -ity
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for paucity
Contemporary Examples
Poor health care, a paucity of jobs, and a sense of instability is now taking its toll.
One Year Later, Libya’s Long Road Continues
Jamie Dettmer
October 21, 2012
The paucity of women in STEM is not just a problem for New York.
Twitter Invests in Young Women with ‘Girls Who Code’
Allison Yarrow
June 25, 2012
A former studio chief agrees that the paucity of stars under 30 is a serious problem for the studios.
Is He Sabotaging His Career?
Kim Masters
March 8, 2010
Anagram
up a city
put a icy
16 June 2017
withers
[with -erz]
noun, ( used with a plural verb)
1. the highest part of the back at the base of the neck of a horse, cow, sheep, etc.
Idioms
2. wring one’s withers, to cause one anxiety or trouble:
The long involved lawsuit is wringing his withers.
Origin of withers
1535-1545 First recorded in 1535-45; origin uncertain
Anagram
writhes
her wits
he wrist
whet sir
15 June 2017
catharsis
[kuh-thahr-sis]
noun, plural catharses [kuh-thahr-seez] (Show IPA)
1. the purging of the emotions or relieving of emotional tensions, especially through certain kinds of art, as tragedy or music.
2. Medicine/Medical. purgation.
3. Psychiatry.
psychotherapy that encourages or permits the discharge of pent-up, socially unacceptable affects.
discharge of pent-up emotions so as to result in the alleviation of symptoms or the permanent relief of the condition.
Origin of catharsis
Greek
1795-1805; New Latin; Greek kátharsis a cleansing, equivalent to kathar- (variant stem of kathaírein to cleanse, derivative of katharós pure) + -sis -sis
Related forms
hypercatharsis, noun
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for catharsis
Contemporary Examples
Sharon Begley reveals why scary flicks give us a powerful feeling of catharsis and reinforce old-fashioned beliefs about morality.
Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies
Sharon Begley
October 25, 2011
Encountering such exaggerations on the page serves as a kind of catharsis, and provides a kind of perspective.
Lifetime’s ‘Flowers in the Attic’ Review: The Incest Is There, The Strange Magic Is Not
Andrew Romano
January 15, 2014
“The word ‘Katrina’ is so close to the word ‘ catharsis,'” he says.
The Katrina Divorces
Nicole LaPorte
August 21, 2010
He suggests that the appeal to teenagers also goes beyond thrill-seeking and catharsis.
Why Our Brains Love Horror Movies
Sharon Begley
October 25, 2011
But I always feel that making the film is the catharsis that stops the nightmares, if you will.
James Cameron on How to Find Flight MH370, Climate Change, Leonardo DiCaprio, and More
Marlow Stern
April 11, 2014
Historical Examples
He however refers only to the catharsis upon the spectator, but not to that of the author’s work upon himself.
The Literature of Ecstasy
Albert Mordell
Evacuations by venesection and catharsis, and then by the exhibition of opium.
Zoonomia, Vol. II
Erasmus Darwin
He had no sympathy with the poetry that had a social message and he did not understand its effect as a catharsis.
The Literature of Ecstasy
Albert Mordell
There are certainly times when catharsis is necessary but “one thing is certain, the day for routine purgation is past.”
Outwitting Our Nerves
Josephine A. Jackson and Helen M. Salisbury
It does not touch the ‘ catharsis ’ of tragedy, which is another matter.
The Comedies of William Congreve
William Congreve
Anagram
archaists
sat chairs
cash stair
14 June 2017
ave
[ah-vey, ey-vee]
interjection
1. hail; welcome.
2. farewell; goodbye.
noun
3. the salutation “ave.”.
4. (initial capital letter) Ave Maria.
Origin of ave
Middle English
1200-1250 Middle English < Latin: imperative 2nd singular of avēre to be well, fare well
Ave.or ave
1. avenue.
ave atque vale
[ah-we aht-kwe wah-le; English ey-vee at-kwee vey-lee, ah-vey aht-kwey vah-ley]
interjection, Latin.
1. hail and farewell.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for ave
Contemporary Examples
For all her face betrayed, the organ might have been singing an ave Maria.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show
Robert W. Chambers
February 19, 2014
A soaring “ ave Maria” and a tender “Danny Boy” marked the passing of two more brothers.
Boston and New York’s Bravest Are Brothers Bonded by Tragedy
Michael Daly
April 14, 2014
June 24, 2014
ave Atque Vale I’m gonna hang out With these two smoking hotties And fly privately Around the world.
The Poetry of Charlie Sheen
Michael Solomon
February 28, 2011
Angram
Eva
13 June 2017
axis mundi
noun
The axis mundi (also cosmic axis, world axis, world pillar, center of the world, world tree), in certain beliefs and philosophies, is the world center, or the connection between Heaven and Earth. As the celestial pole and geographic pole, it expresses a point of connection between sky and earth where the four compass directions meet. At this point travel and correspondence is made between higher and lower realms. Communication from lower realms may ascend to higher ones and blessings from higher realms may descend to lower ones and be disseminated to all. The spot functions as the omphalos (navel), the world’s point of beginning.
Anagram
unsaid mix
Saudi minx
I mix Sudan
mix USA din
12 June 2017
Ubuntu
[oo-buhn-too]
/ʊˈbuːntʊ/
noun
1. (South African) humanity or fellow feeling; kindness
a quality that includes the essential human virtues; compassion and humanity.
“there is a need for understanding not vengeance, ubuntu not victimization”
Word Origin
Nguni
Collins English Dictionary
Contemporary Examples
Additionally, Jeremy Fox, who helmed ubuntu in Napa Valley, is planning a series of pop-up dinners around the Bay Area.
The Buzziest Pop-Up Restaurants
Tien Nguyen
February 15, 2011
He not only embodied ubuntu ; he taught millions to find that truth within themselves.
Full Text of President Obama’s Eulogy for Nelson Mandela
The Daily Beast
December 9, 2013
11 June 2017
tenet
[ten-it; British also tee-nit]
noun
1. any opinion, principle, doctrine, dogma, etc., especially one held as true by members of a profession, group, or movement.
Origin of tenet
1590-1600; < Latin: he holds
Can be confused
tenant, tenet.
Synonyms
See more synonyms on Thesaurus.com
belief, position.
Examples from the Web for tenet
Contemporary Examples
Asked who would have made the order, Clarke replies, “I would think it would have been made by the director,” referring to tenet.
An Explosive New 9/11 Charge
Philip Shenon
August 10, 2011
When tenet was asked whether it was appropriate to describe Ciralsky that way, tenet answered, “No.”
Ex-Chief: CIA Investigation Could Be Construed as Anti-Semitic
Eli Lake
April 22, 2012
“Thou shalt not overspend” is rapidly becoming a tenet of the evangelical belief system, rivaling social issues like gay marriage.
Evangelicals Preach the Gospel of Getting Out of Debt
Lisa Miller
February 25, 2011
“Well, they could die,” tenet remembers telling Black about his staff.
Meet Mitt Romney’s Trusted Envoy to the Dark Side, Cofer Black
Eli Lake
April 10, 2012
By late Jan. 2003, tenet had signed the first formal guidelines for interrogation and confinement.
Inside the CIA’s Sadistic Dungeon
Tim Mak
December 8, 2014
Historical Examples
The splendid creature felt the warmth of tenet ‘s breath upon her neck, and her skin tingled under that burning contact.
Mayflower (Flor de mayo)
Vicente Blasco Ibez
He was as unconscious, almost, as he had been back there in tenet ‘s cabin after his fall.
Mayflower (Flor de mayo)
Vicente Blasco Ibez
A notable contrast is afforded by the entry: ‘In villa que vocatur Blot tenet ipse R. iiii.
Feudal England — Historical Studies On The Eleventh And Twelfth Centuries
J.H. Round
Was it something in a cast of character or a tenet of a creed, or was it what any one could emulate?
The Letter of the Contract
Basil King
Dogma, dog′ma, n. a settled opinion: a principle or tenet : a doctrine laid down with authority.
Chambers’s Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 1 of 4: A-D)
Various
10 June 2017
emollient
[ih-mol-yuh nt]
adjective
1. having the power of softening or relaxing, as a medicinal substance; soothing, especially to the skin:
emollient lotions for the face.
Synonyms: relieving, palliative, healing, assuasive.
noun
2. an emollient medicine, lotion, salve, etc.
Origin of emollient
Latin
1635-1645; Latin ēmollient- (stem of ēmolliēns) softening up (present participle of ēmollīre), equivalent to ē- e-1+ molli(s) soft + -ent- -ent
Related forms
emollience, noun
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for emollient
Contemporary Examples
Rubenstein listened and as an emollient agreed to an in-house investigation.
The Latino Fight to Be Included in the Kennedy Center Honors
Sandra McElwaine
November 28, 2012
Historical Examples
emollient poultices and drinks were prescribed, and a low diet enjoined.
North American Medical and Surgical Journal, Vol. 2, No. 3, July, 1826
Various
They eulogised, at the same time, the emollient properties of the dog’s-tooth.
Everyday Objects
W. H. Davenport Adams
Anagram
nil omelet
molten lie
motel line
lemon tile
9 June 2017
trice(1)
[trahys]
noun
1. a very short time; an instant:
in a trice.
Origin of trice1 Expand
late Middle English
1400-1450; late Middle English tryse; probably special use of *trise a pull, tug, derivative of trisen, to pull; see trice2
trice(2)
[trahys]
verb (used with object), triced, tricing. Nautical.
1. to pull or haul with a rope.
2. to haul up and fasten with a rope (usually followed by up).
Origin
1350-1400; Middle English trisen < Middle Dutch trīsen to hoist, derivative of trīse pulley
Related forms
untriced, adjective
-trice
1. variant of -trix.
Origin
French or Italian -trice < Latin -trīcem, accusative of -trīx -trix
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for trice
Historical Examples
So, in a trice, a third appeared, and met with exactly the same fate.
Harley Greenoak’s Charge
Bertram Mitford
You’re cold and tired—I’ll have a nice cup of tea for you in a trice.
Lucy Maud Montgomery Short Stories, 1909 to 1922
Lucy Maud Montgomery
That work was performed in a trice, as the materials were at hand and all the neighbors took part in it.
The Philippine Islands, 1493-1898 – Volume 40 of 55
Francisco Colin
8 June 2017
iterative
[it-uh-rey-tiv, -er-uh-tiv]
adjective
1. repeating; making repetition; repetitious.
2. Grammar. frequentative.
Origin of iterative
Late Latin
1480-1490 From the Late Latin word iterātīvus, dating back to 1480-90. See iterate, -ive
Related forms
iteratively, adverb
iterativeness, noun
uniterative, adjective
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for iterative
Contemporary Examples
He prefers a conversation, and conversations aren’t etched in stone, they’re iterative.
Paul Begala on Why Bill Clinton’s Still Got the Magic
Paul Begala
October 9, 2012
Historical Examples
He knows his own mind, and hammers his doctrines out with a hard and iterative stroke that hits its mark.
Diderot and the Encyclopdists
John Morley
The style is that of the pulpit, iterative, florid, and full of amplifications; but that was natural.
The Contemporary Review, Volume 36, October 1879
Various
Anagram
vie attire
trivia tee
7 June 2017
shufti
[shoo-ph-tee]
noun
– a brief glance
plural: shuftis
Origin
From Egyptian Arabic شُفْتِي (šufti, “have you seen?”), from شَاف (šāf, “to see”).
Example
He sneaked a shufti before cautiously entering the darkened corridor.
Anagram
if huts
6 June 2017
gubbins
/ˈɡʌbɪnz/
noun (informal)
1. (functioning as sing) an object of little or no value
2. (functioning as sing) a small device or gadget
3. (functioning as pl) odds and ends; litter or rubbish
4. (functioning as sing) a silly person
Word Origin
(meaning: fragments): from obsolete gobbon, probably related to gobbet
Collins English Dictionary
Examples from the Web for gubbins
Historical Examples
There’s a lot like gubbins, an’ one has to try an’ sweeten ’em a bit once a week or so.
The Record of Nicholas Freydon
A. J. (Alec John) Dawson
The sergeant called for assistance, and gubbins was hauled up.
For Fortune and Glory
Lewis Hough
For Green would not think of him as dead, and no more for that matter did gubbins, though Davis had given up all hope long ago.
For Fortune and Glory
Lewis Hough
Anagram
bub sign
snug bib
5 June 2017
funicular
[fyoo-nik-yuh-ler]
adjective
1. of or relating to a rope or cord, or its tension.
2. worked by a rope or the like.
noun
3. funicular railway.
Origin of funicular
Latin
1655-1665; Latin fūnicul(us) (see funiculus ) + -ar1
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for funicular
Contemporary Examples
What was the thinking behind using models for the funicular that runs up to the hotel—and for the first shots of the hotel itself?
The Look of ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’
Andrew Romano
March 6, 2014
Historical Examples
These were the days before the funicular from Stresa, when one trudged up a rude path through the chestnuts and walnuts.
Marriage
H. G. Wells
They start along the terrace toward the station of the funicular railway.
A Book of Burlesques
H. L. Mencken
Anagram
incur a flu
a runic flu
4 June 2017
nacre
[ney-ker]
noun
1. mother-of-pearl.
Origin of nacre
Medieval Latin, Old Italian, Arabic
1590-1600; Medieval Latin nacrum, nacer, variant of nacara < Old Italian naccara kind of drum, nacre; Arabic naqqārah drum
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for nacre
Historical Examples
He lifted a small hammer and struck a velvet-voiced bell that stood on the Arabian table of cedar inlaid with nacre and ivory.
The Decadent
Ralph Adams Cram
The value of the pearl is based on the brilliancy of the nacre, the size, and the form.
The Sea-beach at Ebb-tide
Augusta Foote Arnold
nacre is the hard and brilliant substance with which the valves of certain shells are lined in the interior.
The Ocean World:
Louis Figuier
Anagram
crane
3 June 2017
covfefe
noun / adjective / verb (unknown)
1. (noun) When you want to say “coverage” but your hands are too small to hit all the letters on your keyboard.
2. (noun) When you want to type “kerfuffle” but can’t spell it.
3. Covfefe is the Joker in the grammatical pack of the English language. Covfefe can mean whatever you want it to mean.
Origin
Originated from US President Donald Trump’s tweet of 30 May 2017: “Despite the constant negative press covfefe”.
Strong contender for word of the year, 2017.
2 June 2017
glacis
[gley-sis, glas-is]
noun, plural glacis [gley-seez, -siz, glas-eez, -iz] (Show IPA), glacises.
1. a gentle slope.
2. Fortification. a bank of earth in front of the counterscarp or covered way of a fort, having an easy slope toward the field or open country.
Origin of glacis
Middle French
1665-1675; Middle French; akin to Old French glacier to slide; compare Latin glaciāre to make into ice; see glacé
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for glacis
Historical Examples
We have two mitrailleuses above the terre-plein to sweep at once the moat and the glacis.
History of the Commune of 1871
P. Lissagary
In six days they completed the parapet, with a glacis on the opposite side.
The Battle of New Orleans
Zachary F. Smith
I found them drawn off from the glacis a few hundred yards; but, oh!
Twenty-Five Years in the Rifle Brigade
William Surtees
They crossed the street and went down the glacis of the cobblestoned wharf.
Edith and John
Franklin S. Farquhar
Neither ditch nor glacis exist on the eastern face, where the rapids of the Nile render them unnecessary.
A History of Art in Ancient Egypt, Vol. II (of 2)
Georges Perrot
There was the sound of a gentle chuckle from the glacis where Learoyd lay.
Soldiers Three
Rudyard Kipling
Gourgues was now on the glacis, when he heard Cazenove shouting from the gate that the Spaniards were escaping on that side.
The Atlantic Monthly, Volume 14, No. 85, November, 1864
Various
The masonry was concealed from view by the ditch and glacis.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 10, Slice 6
Various
Its bastions, ramparts, and glacis are a marvel of engineering.
French and English
Evelyn Everett-Green
The storm passed over, covering the glacis with snow and sleet.
Beethoven: the Man and the Artist
Ludwig van Beethoven
Anagram
gal sic
1 June 2017
imprecate
[im-pri-keyt]
verb (used with object), imprecated, imprecating.
1. to invoke or call down (evil or curses), as upon a person.
Origin of imprecate
Latin
1605-1615; Latin imprecātus past participle of imprecārī to invoke, pray to or for, equivalent to im- im-1+ prec- pray + -ātus -ate1
Related forms
imprecator, noun
imprecatory, adjective
unimprecated, adjective
Synonyms
curse, execrate, anathematize, accurse, denunciate.
Antonyms
bless.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for imprecate
Historical Examples
To imprecate evil on any living being seems to them unchristian, barbarous, a relic of dark ages and dark superstitions.
Town and Country Sermons
Charles Kingsley
Bowing my head to think—to pray—to imprecate, I lost all sense of time and place.
Heralds of Empire
Agnes C. Laut
I know not what I ought to imprecate on the wretches who had spread a report of your death.
Letters of John Calvin, Volume II (of 4)
Jules Bonnet
But now there is scarcely a tongue in all New England that does not imprecate curses on his name.
Grandfather’s Chair
Nathaniel Hawthorne
There was nothing for him to resent, nothing for him to imprecate but his own folly.
The Alaskan
James Oliver Curwood
He ceased to imprecate only when, by repetition, his oaths became too inexpressive to be worth while.
The Eagle’s Heart
Hamlin Garland
