April 2013 – WOTDs

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Words this month:

30 April 2013

bespoke

[bih-spohk]

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of bespeak.

adjective

2. (British)
a. (of clothes) made to individual order; custom-made: a bespoke jacket.
b. making or selling such clothes: a bespoke tailor.
3. Older Use. engaged to be married; spoken for.

Origin:
1745–55 for definition 2

29 April 2013

sobriquet

[soh-bruh-key, -ket, soh-bruh-key, -ket; French saw-bree-ke]

noun

– a humorous epithet, assumed name, or nickname

Example:

David Evans of U2, earned the sobriquet ‘The Edge’ because of his sharp wit, insightful thinking and sharp, clear, ‘cutting-edge’ guitar-playing.

28 April 2013

oeuvre

[œ-vruh]

noun, plural oeu·vres [œ-vruh] French.

1. the works of a writer, painter, or the like, taken as a whole.
2. any one of the works of a writer, painter, or the like.

27 April 2013

reredos

[reer-dos, reer-i-, rair-i-]

noun

1. a screen or a decorated part of the wall behind an altar in a church.

2. the back of a fireplace or of a medieval open hearth.

26 April 2013

pulchritude

[puhl-kri-tood, -tyood]

noun

– physical beauty; comeliness.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin pulchritūdō beauty, equivalent to pulchri- (combining form of pulcher beautiful) + -tūdō -tude

Synonyms
loveliness, beauteousness, fairness.

25 April 2013

winsome

(ˈwɪnsəm)

— adj
charming; winning; engaging: a winsome smile

[Old English wynsum, from wynn joy (related to Old High German wunnia, German Wonne ) + -sum -some 1 ]

‘winsomely

— adv

‘winsomeness

— n

24 April 2013

vestige

[ves-tij]

noun

1. a mark, trace, or visible evidence of something that is no longer present or in existence: A few columns were the last vestiges of a Greek temple.
2. a surviving evidence or remainder of some condition, practice, etc.: These superstitions are vestiges of an ancient religion.
3. a very slight trace or amount of something: Not a vestige remains of the former elegance of the house.
4. Biology . a degenerate or imperfectly developed organ or structure that has little or no utility, but that in an earlier stage of the individual or in preceding evolutionary forms of the organism performed a useful function.
5. Archaic. a footprint; track.

Origin:
1535–45; < Middle French < Latin vestīgium footprint

Synonyms
1. token. See trace1 . 3. hint, suggestion.

23 April 2013

rant

[rant]

verb (used without object)

1. to speak or declaim extravagantly or violently; talk in a wild or vehement way; rave: The demagogue ranted for hours.
verb (used with object)
2. to utter or declaim in a ranting manner.
noun
3. ranting, extravagant, or violent declamation.
4. a ranting utterance.

Origin:
1590–1600; < Dutch ranten (obsolete) to talk foolishly

Introduced to the English language by William Shakespeare.

Related forms
rant·er, noun
rant·ing·ly, adverb
out·rant, verb (used with object)
un·rant·ing, adjective

Synonyms
1. bombast, extravagance.

22 April 2013

erudite

[er-yoo-dahyt, er-oo-]

adjective

– characterized by great knowledge; learned or scholarly: an erudite professor; an erudite commentary. Synonyms: educated, knowledgeable; wise, sapient.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin ērudītus, equivalent to ērud- ( ē- e-1 + rud- unformed, rough, rude) + -ītus -ite2

Related forms
er·u·dite·ly, adverb
er·u·dite·ness, noun
non·er·u·dite, adjective
non·er·u·dite·ly, adverb
non·er·u·dite·ness, noun

21 April 2013

denouement

[dey-noo-mahn]

noun
1. the final resolution of the intricacies of a plot, as of a drama or novel.
2. the place in the plot at which this occurs.
3. the outcome or resolution of a doubtful series of occurrences.
Also, dé·noue·ment.

Origin:
1745–55; < French: literally, an untying, equivalent to dénouer to untie, Old French desnoer ( des- de- + noer to knot < Latin nōdāre, derivative of nōdus knot) + -ment -ment

Synonyms
3. solution, conclusion, end, upshot.

20 April 2013

Draconian

[drey-koh-nee-uhn, druh-]
adjective
1. of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Draco or his code of laws. (Draco was the first legislator for Athens in Ancient Greece. He replaced the oral law and blood feud system with harsh, written laws enforced by a court).
2. ( often lowercase ) rigorous; unusually severe or cruel: Draconian forms of punishment.
Also, Draconic.

Origin:
1810–20; < Latin Dracōn- (stem of Draco) + -ian

Related forms
Dra·co·ni·an·ism, noun

19 April 2013

shibboleth

[shib-uh-lith, ‐leth]
noun
1. a peculiarity of pronunciation, behavior, mode of dress, etc., that distinguishes a particular class or set of persons, e.g. ‘The New York accent is a distinct shibboleth’, ‘political shibboleths distinguished the major parties during the election’.
2. a slogan; catchword.
3. a common saying or belief with little current meaning or truth.

Origin:
< Hebrew shibbōleth literally, freshet, a word used by the Gileadites as a test to detect the fleeing Ephraimites, who could not pronounce the sound sh (Judges 12:4–6)

18 April 2013

false flag

Covert military or paramilitary operations designed to deceive in such a way that the operations appear as though they are being carried out by other entities may be described as being carried out under a false flag or black flag. Operations carried out during peace-time by civilian organisations, as well as covert government agencies, may by extension be called false flag operations if they seek to hide the real organisation behind an operation.

The term originates from naval warfare in which a ship from one country would replace their national flag with the national flag of an enemy nation in order to fool enemy ships. Similarly, it has been used in land warfare. ‘False Flag’ activity in warfare are generally acceptable providing it is not perfidious (a form of deception in which one combatant promises to act in good faith with the intention of breaking that promise, e.g. raising a flag of surrender with the intention of attacking instead of surrendering).

17 April 2013

stricture

[strik-cher]

noun

1. a remark or comment, especially an adverse criticism: The reviewer made several strictures upon the author’s style.

2. an abnormal contraction of any passage or duct of the body.

3. a restriction.

4. Archaic. the act of enclosing or binding tightly.

5. Obsolete , strictness.

16 April 2013

libation

[lahy-bey-shuhn] noun

1. a pouring out of wine or other liquid in honor of a deity.

2. the liquid poured out.

3. Often Facetious.

a. an intoxicating beverage, as wine, especially when drunk in ceremonial or celebrative situations.

b. an act or instance of drinking such a beverage.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English libacio ( u ) n < Latin lībātiōn- (stem of lībātiō ) a drink offering, equivalent to lībāt ( us ) (past participle of lībāre to pour; cognate with Greek leíbein ) + -iōn- -ion

Related forms

li·ba·tion·al, li·ba·tion·ar·y, adjective

15 April 2013

segue

[sey-gwey, seg-wey]

verb, se·gued, se·gue·ing, noun
verb (used without object)

1. to continue at once with the next musical section or composition (often used as a musical direction).
2. to perform in the manner of the preceding section (used as a musical direction).
3. to make a transition from one thing to another smoothly and without interruption: ‘The conversation segued from travel anecdotes to food’.
noun
4. an uninterrupted transition made between one musical section or composition and another.
5. any smooth, uninterrupted transition from one thing to another.

Origin:
1850–55; < Italian: (there) follows, 3rd person singular present indicative of seguire ≪ Latin sequī to follow.

There is also the ‘Segway’, a two-wheeled, self-balancing, electric powered, personal transportation device.

14 April 2013

allegory

[al-uh-gawr-ee, -gohr-ee]
noun, plural al·le·go·ries.

1. a representation of an abstract or spiritual meaning through concrete or material forms; figurative treatment of one subject under the guise of another.
2. a symbolical narrative: the allegory of Piers Plowman.
3. emblem ( def 3 ) .

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English allegorie < Latin allēgoria < Greek allēgoría, derivative of allēgoreîn to speak so as to imply something other. See allo-, agora; Greek agoreúein to speak, proclaim, orig. meant to act (e.g., speak) in the assembly

Synonyms
2. fable, parable.

13 April 2013

homologate

[huh-mol-uh-geyt, hoh-]
verb (used with object), ho·mol·o·gat·ed, ho·mol·o·gat·ing.

1. to approve; confirm or ratify.
2. to register (a specific make of automobile in general production) so as to make it eligible for international racing competition.

Origin:
1635–45; < Medieval Latin homologātus (past participle of homologāre < Greek homologeîn to agree to, allow); see -ate1

Related forms
ho·mol·o·ga·tion, noun

12 April 2013

atavistic

[at-uh-vis-tik]

adjective

– of, pertaining to, or characterized by atavism; reverting to or suggesting the characteristics of a remote ancestor or primitive type.

Origin:
1870–75; atav(ism) + -istic

Related forms
at·a·vis·ti·cal·ly, adverb

11 April 2013

zizzle

noun (slang)

– a wild card word for words beginning with Z, such as Zippo (lighter). (Also for other words with initial Z.) : He held a stogie in his hand, looked at his buddy, and said, “Zizzle?”.

10 April 2013

nix

[niks]

Slang. noun

1. nothing.

adverb
2. no.

interjection
3. (used as an exclamation, especially of warning): Nix, the cops!

verb (used with object)
4. to veto; refuse to agree to; prohibit: to nix the project.

Origin:
1780–90; < German: variant of nichts nothing

9 April 2013

squiffy

[skwif-ee]

— adj , -fier , -fiest

informal ( Brit ) Also: squiffed

– slightly drunk

[C19: of unknown origin]

8 April 2013

prate

[preyt]

verb, prat·ed, prat·ing, noun
verb (used without object)

1. to talk excessively and pointlessly; babble: They prated on until I was ready to scream.

verb (used with object)
2. to utter in empty or foolish talk: to prate absurdities with the greatest seriousness.

noun
3. act of prating.

4. empty or foolish talk.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English praten (v.) < Middle Dutch praeten. See prattle

7 April 2013

vagient

[vuh-jee-ent]

a. [L. vagiens, p. pr. of vagire

– to cry like a young child. Crying like a baby. [Obs.]

6 April 2013

vaccilate

[vas-uh-leyt]

verb (used without object), vac·il·lat·ed, vac·il·lat·ing.

1. to waver in mind or opinion; be indecisive or irresolute: His tendency to vacillate makes him a poor leader.
2. to sway unsteadily; waver; totter; stagger.
3. to oscillate or fluctuate.
Origin:
1590–1600; < Latin vacillātus (past participle of vacillāre to sway to and fro); see -ate1

Related forms
vac·il·la·tor, noun

Synonyms
1. hesitate. See waver1 . 2. reel.

5 April 2013

spelunk

[spi-luhngk]

verb (used without object)

– to explore caves, especially as a hobby.

Whereas speleology is the scientific study of caves.

Origin:
back formation from spelunker, spelunking

4 April 2013

ego

[ee-goh, eg-oh]
noun, plural e·gos.

1. the “I” or self of any person; a person as thinking, feeling, and willing, and distinguishing itself from the selves of others and from objects of its thought.
2. Psychoanalysis . the part of the psychic apparatus that experiences and reacts to the outside world and thus mediates between the primitive drives of the id and the demands of the social and physical environment.
3. egotism; conceit; self-importance: Her ego becomes more unbearable each day.
4. self-esteem or self-image; feelings: Your criticism wounded his ego.
5. (often initial capital letter) Philosophy .
a. the enduring and conscious element that knows experience.
b. Scholasticism. the complete person comprising both body and soul.

Example

If I did not have an ego I would not be here tonight
If I did not have an ego I might not think that I was right
If you did not have an ego you might not care the way you dressed
If you did not have an ego you’d just be like the rest

– Skyhooks, ‘Ego is not a dirty word‘.

3 April 2013

bevy

[bev-ee]
noun, plural bev·ies.

1. a group of birds, as larks or quail, or animals, as roebuck, in close association.
2. a large group or collection: a bevy of boisterous sailors.
3. (Australian slang): an alcoholic beverage, e.g. ‘going for a couple of bevies after work’.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English bevey, of obscure origin

Synonyms
1. covey, flight; brood. 2. assembly, company.

2 April 2013

basket case

noun Slang.

1. a person who is helpless or incapable of functioning normally, especially due to overwhelming stress, anxiety, or the like.
3. anything that is impaired or incapable of functioning: Right after the war the conquered nation was considered an economic basket case.
Origin:
1915–20

1 April 2013

ninnyhammer

[nin-ee-ham-er]

noun
– a fool or simpleton; ninny.

Origin:
1585–95; ninny + hammer

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