27 August 2014

veridical

[vuh-rid-i-kuh l]

adjective

1. truthful; veracious.
2. corresponding to facts; not illusory; real; actual; genuine.

Also, veridic.

Origin

1645-55; < Latin vēridicus (vēr (us) true + -i- -i- + -dicus speaking) + -al1
Related forms
veridicality, noun
veridically, adverb
unveridic, adjective
unveridical, adjective
unveridically, adverb

Anagram

acid liver
idle vicar
viced liar
iced rival

Today’s quote

I don’t consider myself bald, I’m just taller than my hair.

– Lucius Annaeus Seneca, 5AD – 65AD

On this day

27 August 1883 – the world’s biggest recorded explosion occurs on Krakatoa, an Indonesian island as a volcano erupts, killing between 36,000 and 120,000 people. The noise is heard in Perth, Western Australia, 3,500km away and Mauritius, 4,800km away where it was thought to be cannon fire. Tsunamis up to 30m high were recorded. It generated a cloud of ash 27km high. In the 12 months after the explosion, global temperatures fell by 1.2oC. The explosion darkened the sky for years afterward.

27 August 1908 – birth of Sir Donald Bradman (The Don), Australia’s (and arguably, the world’s) greatest cricketer. In his last Test, Bradman’s batting average was 101.39 runs per innings, but on the second ball he faced, he was bowled for a duck (zero), reducing his batting average to 99.94. It is the highest batting average in test cricket. Died 25 February 2001.

27 August 1975 – death of Haile Selassie I, Emperor of Ethiopia. Although Selassie was an Ethiopian Orthodox Christian, Rastafarians believe that he is the Messiah returned.