August 2014 WOTDs

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31 August 2014

garner

[gahr-ner]

verb (used with object)

1. to gather or deposit in or as if in a granary or other storage place.
2. to get; acquire; earn:
He gradually garnered a national reputation as a financial expert.
3. to gather, collect, or hoard.
noun
4. a granary or grain bin.
5. a store or supply of anything.

Origin

1125-75; Middle English garner, gerner < Old French gernier, grenier < Latin grānārium granary; see -er2

Related forms

ungarnered, adjective

Anagram

ranger

30 August 2014

outré

[oo-trey]

adjective

1. passing the bounds of what is usual or considered proper; unconventional; bizarre.

Origin

1715-17251715-25; < French, past participle of outrer to push beyond bounds (see outrage )

Examples for outré

– Whether outre plots or gimmicky marketing will succeed in reviving the soaps remains to be seen.

Anagram

route

29 August 2014

anamnesis

[an-am-nee-sis]

noun, plural anamneses [an-am-nee-seez]

1. the recollection or remembrance of the past; reminiscence.
2. Platonism. recollection of the Ideas, which the soul had known in a previous existence, especially by means of reasoning.
3. the medical history of a patient.
4. Immunology. a prompt immune response to a previously encountered antigen, characterized by more rapid onset and greater effectiveness of antibody and T cell reaction than during the first encounter, as after a booster shot in a previously immunized person.
5. (often initial capital letter) a prayer in a Eucharistic service, recalling the Passion, Resurrection, and Ascension of Christ.

Origin

1650-60; < Neo-Latin < Greek anámnēsis remembrance, equivalent to ana (mi) mnḗ (skein) to remember ( ana ana- + mimnḗskein to call to mind) + -sis -sis

Related forms

anamnestic [an-am-nes-tik], adjective
anamnestically, adverb

Anagram

amass nine
sane mains

28 August 2014

cockalorum

[kok-uh-lawr-uh m, -lohr-]

noun

1. a self-important little man.

2. bragging talk; crowing

Origin

1705-1715 1705-15; mock Latin, equivalent to cock1+ fanciful -al- + L genitive plural ending -ōrum

Anagram

mock ocular

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

26 August 2014

purview

[pur-vyoo]

noun

1. the range of operation, authority, control, concern, etc.
2. the range of vision, insight, or understanding.
3. Law.
that which is provided or enacted in a statute, as distinguished from the preamble.
the purpose or scope of a statute.
4. the full scope or compass of any document, statement, subject, book, etc.

Origin

1225-75; Middle English purveu < Anglo-French: past participle of purveier to purvey

1. scope, responsibility, compass, extent.

Examples for purview

– Perhaps this is because the problem of insomnia was for a long time the purview mainly of psychologists.
– These responses to serve the changing needs of students are by no means the sole purview of the for-profits.
– His purview, however, is mostly limited to the magazine.

25 August 2014

flinty

[flin-tee]

adjective, flintier, flintiest.
1. composed of, containing, or resembling flint, especially in hardness.
2. unyielding; unmerciful; obdurate:
a flinty heart.

Origin
1530-1540 1530-40; flint + -y1
Related forms
flintily, adverb
flintiness, noun

Anagram

nit fly

24 August 2014

taxonomy

[tak-son-uh-mee]

noun, plural taxonomies.

1. the science or technique of classification.
2. a classification into ordered categories:
a proposed taxonomy of educational objectives.
3. Biology. the science dealing with the description, identification, naming, and classification of organisms.

Origin

1805-15; French taxonomie. See taxo-, -nomy
Related forms
taxonomic [tak-suh-nom-ik], taxonomical, adjective
taxonomically, adverb
taxonomist, taxonomer, noun
nontaxonomic, adjective
nontaxonomical, adjective
nontaxonomically, adverb

Anagram

atom onyx

23 August 2014

riven

[riv-uh n]
verb

1. a past participle of rive.
adjective

2. rent or split apart.

3. split radially, as a log.

Related forms
unriven, adjective

rive

[rahyv]

Syllables

verb (used with object), rived, rived or riven, riving.

1. to tear or rend apart:
to rive meat from a bone.
2. to separate by striking; split; cleave.
3. to rend, harrow, or distress (the feelings, heart, etc.).
4. to split (wood) radially from a log.
verb (used without object), rived, rived or riven, riving.
5. to become rent or split apart:
stones that rive easily.
Origin

1225-75; Middle English riven < Old Norse rīfa to tear, split. See rift
Related forms
unrived, adjective

Examples for riven
Lame duck president, deeply riven board, ridiculous faculty senate.
And yet, this comment made me think of the cochlear implant controversy that has riven the deaf community.
Amid this pressure the hacker underground, riven by squabbles and splits over personality and policy, has turned on itself.

22 August 2014

nary

[nair-ee]

adjective, Older Use.

1. not any; no; never a:
nary a sound.

Origin
1740-1750
variant of ne’er a never a

Examples for nary

– Not a plank left in the dam, and nary a bridge on the river.
– He was then perfunctory-marched through two days of interviews by depressed handlers, with nary a call later.
– They said nary a word and the service was uninterrupted.

Anagram

yarn

21 August 2014

ingénue

[an-zhuh-noo, -nyoo; French an-zhey-ny]

noun, plural ingénues [an-zhuh-nooz, -nyooz; French an-zhey-ny]

1. the part of an artless, innocent, unworldly girl or young woman, especially as represented on the stage.
2. an actress who plays such a part or specializes in playing such parts.

Also, ingenue.
Origin

1840-50; < French, feminine of ingénu < Latin ingenuus native, inborn, etc.; see ingenuous

Examples for ingénue
– The ingenue couldn’t see garden-variety jealousy when it smacked her with her own rising star.
– In the tragedy, she chain-smokes and fidgets, while in the comedy she has an ingenue ‘s golden glow.
– Her character is neither a simple ingenue nor a vamp.

Anagram

genuine

20 August 2014

palpable

[pal-puh-buh l]

adjective

1. readily or plainly seen, heard, perceived, etc.; obvious; evident:
a palpable lie; palpable absurdity.
2. capable of being touched or felt; tangible.
3. Medicine/Medical. perceptible by palpation.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English < Late Latin palpābilis that can be touched, equivalent to palpā (re) to stroke, touch, palpate1+ -bilis -ble

Related forms

palpability, palpableness, noun
palpably, adverb
nonpalpability, noun
nonpalpable, adjective
nonpalpably, adverb

Synonyms
1. manifest, plain. 2. material, corporeal.
Antonyms
1. obscure.

Examples for palpable

– At the meeting, the electricity about it was palpable, and it was obvious what it was.
– There was some palpable resentment.
– But there is a palpable need for consistent rules of engagement.

Anagram

be appall
papa bell
lab apple

19 August 2014

repudiate

[ri-pyoo-dee-eyt]

verb (used with object), repudiated, repudiating.

1. to reject as having no authority or binding force:
to repudiate a claim.
2. to cast off or disown:
to repudiate a son.
3. to reject with disapproval or condemnation:
to repudiate a new doctrine.
4. to reject with denial:
to repudiate a charge as untrue.
5. to refuse to acknowledge and pay (a debt), as a state, municipality, etc.

Origin

1535-45; < Latin repudiātus (past participle of repudiāre to reject, refuse), equivalent to repudi (um) a casting off, divorce ( re- re- + pud (ere) to make ashamed, feel shame (see pudendum ) + -ium -ium ) + -ātus -ate1

Related forms

repudiable, adjective
repudiative, adjective
repudiator, noun
nonrepudiable, adjective
nonrepudiative, adjective

Can be confused

repudiate, refute, refudiate (see word story at refudiate )

Synonyms
1. disavow, renounce, discard, disclaim. 3. condemn, disapprove.

Antonyms
1. accept. 3. approve.

Examples for repudiate Expand

– To affirm this as a psychiatric malady is to repudiate the principles of science itself.
– Our leaders-and would-be leaders-should repudiate this sort of fatalism.
– Before me now is plaintiff’s motion to repudiate the settlement agreement.

Anagram

– idea erupt
– due pirate

18 August 2014

expansive

[ik-span-siv]

adjective

1. having a wide range or extent; comprehensive; extensive:
expansive mountain scenery.
2. (of a person’s character or speech) effusive, unrestrained, free, or open:
Our expansive host welcomed us warmly.
3. tending to expand or capable of expanding.
4. causing expansion :
the expansive force of heat.
5. working by expansion, as an engine.
6. Psychiatry. marked by an abnormal euphoric state and by delusions of grandeur.

Origin
1645-1655 1645-55; expans(ion) + -ive
Related forms
expansively, adverb
expansiveness, noun
nonexpansive, adjective
nonexpansively, adverb
nonexpansiveness, noun

Synonyms
2. sociable, extroverted, outgoing, genial, unreserved; gushy, gushing.

Examples for expansive
– It is normally a time for upbeat comments about bright futures and expansive political visions.
– In previous entries of my sabbatical diary, one topic that arose was how to handle expansive periods of unstructured time.
– If you buy this premise, there are expansive implications.

Anagram

apes vixen
pain vexes

17 August 2014

demure

demure

[dih-myoo r]

adjective, demurer, demurest.

1. characterized by shyness and modesty; reserved.
2. affectedly or coyly decorous, sober, or sedate.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English dem (e) ur (e) well-mannered, grave < Anglo-French demuré, past participle of demurer to demur; perhaps influenced by Old French mur, mëur grave, mature (< Latin matūrus)

Related forms
demurely, adverb
demureness, noun
undemure, adjective
undemurely, adverb
undemureness, noun

Can be confused
demur, demure.

Synonyms Expand
1. retiring. See modest.

Antonyms
1, 2. indecorous.

Anagram

red emu
rude me

16 August 2014

cauterise

[kaw-tuh-rahyz]

verb (used with object), cauterised, cauterising.
1. to burn with a hot iron, electric current, fire, or a caustic, especially for curative purposes; treat with a cautery.
Expand
Also, especially American, cauterize.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English < Late Latin cautērizāre to brand, equivalent to cautēr- (< Greek kautḗr branding iron, equivalent to kau-, variant stem of kaíein to burn (cf. caustic ), + -tēr agent suffix) + -izāre -ize

Anagram

rite cause
acute rise
a rescue it

15 August 2014

nyctophilia

[nikt-oh-fill-ee-uh]

noun

– a preference or love for the night or darkness. Also called ‘scotophilia’.

Anagram

ponytail chi
a thin policy
I chop litany

14 August 2014

wild fire

[wahyld-fahyuhr]

noun

1. a highly flammable composition, also known as Greek fire, difficult to extinguish when ignited, formerly used in warfare. (Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine empire from around 672AD. It was often used in naval battles because of its ability to continue burning while floating on water).
2. any large fire that spreads rapidly and is hard to extinguish.
3. sheet lightning, unaccompanied by thunder.
4. the ignis fatuus or a similar light.
5. Plant Pathology . a disease of tobacco and soybeans, characterized by brown, necrotic spots, each surrounded by a yellow band, on the leaves and caused by a bacterium, Pseudomonas tabaci.
6. Pathology Obsolete . erysipelas or some similar disease.

Origin:
before 1000; Middle English wildefire, Old English wildfȳr.

13 August 2014

sessile

[ses-il, -ahyl]

adjective

1. Botany . attached by the base, or without any distinct projecting support, as a leaf issuing directly from the stem.
2. Zoology . permanently attached; not freely moving.

Origin:
1715–25; < Latin sessilis fit for sitting on, low enough to sit on, dwarfish (said of plants), equivalent to sess ( us ) (past participle of sedēre to sit1 ) + -ilis -ile

Related forms
ses·sil·i·ty [se-sil-i-tee] noun
pseu·do·ses·sile, adjective
sub·ses·sile, adjective

12 August 2014

kinetic

[ki-net-ik, kahy-]

adjective

1. pertaining to motion.
2. caused by motion.
3. characterized by movement: Running and dancing are kinetic activities.

Origin:
1850–55; < Greek kīnētikós moving, equivalent to kīnē- (verbid stem of kīneîn to move) + -tikos -tic

Related forms
ki·net·i·cal·ly, adverb
non·ki·net·ic, adjective

Anagram

Ice knit
nice kit

11 June 2014

parlay

[pahr-ley, -lee]

verb (used with object)

1. to bet or gamble (an original amount and its winnings) on a subsequent race, contest, etc.
2. Informal. to use (one’s money, talent, or other assets) to achieve a desired objective, as spectacular wealth or success: He parlayed a modest inheritance into a fortune.
noun
3. a bet of an original sum and the subsequent winnings.

Origin:
1820–30, Americanism; alteration of earlier paroli < French < Neapolitan Italian, plural of parolo, perhaps derivative of paro equal < Latin pār; see pair

Anagram

lay rap

10 April 2014

apocryphal

[uh-pok-ruh-fuhl]

adjective

1. of doubtful authorship or authenticity.
2. Ecclesiastical .
a. (initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the Apocrypha.
b. of doubtful sanction; uncanonical.
3. false; spurious: He told an apocryphal story about the sword, but the truth was later revealed.

Origin:
1580–90; apocryph(a) + -al1

Related forms
a·poc·ry·phal·ly, adverb
a·poc·ry·phal·ness, noun

Anagram

parlay chop

9 August 2014

curricle

[kur-i-kuhl]
noun
a light, two-wheeled, open carriage drawn by two horses abreast.

Origin:
1675–85; < Latin curriculum; see curriculum: < Latin: action of running, course of action, race, chariot, equivalent to curr ( ere ) to run

8 August 2014

scintillate

[sin-tl-eyt]

verb (used without object), scin·til·lat·ed, scin·til·lat·ing.

1. to emit sparks.
2. to sparkle; flash: a mind that scintillates with brilliance.
3. to twinkle, as the stars.
4. Electronics. (of a spot of light or image on a radar display) to shift rapidly around a mean position.
5. Physics.
a. (of the amplitude, phase, or polarization of an electromagnetic wave) to fluctuate in a random manner.
b. (of an energetic photon or particle) to produce a flash of light in a phosphor by striking it.

verb (used with object), scin·til·lat·ed, scin·til·lat·ing.

6. to emit as sparks; flash forth.

Origin:
1615–25; < Latin scintillātus (past participle of scintillāre to send out sparks, flash). See scintilla, -ate1

Anagram

elastic lint
a lit stencil
a client list

7 August 2014

rift

[rift]

noun

1. an opening made by splitting, cleaving, etc.; fissure; cleft; chink.
2. an open space, as in a forest or cloud mass, or a clear interval.
3. a break in friendly relations: a rift between two people; a rift between two nations.
4. a difference in opinion, belief, or interest that causes such a break in friendly relations.
5. Geology .
a. a fault.
b. a graben of regional extent.
6. the plane or direction along which a log or mass of granite can most easily be split.
7. wood or a piece of wood that has been split radially from a log.

6 August 2014

foible

[foi-buhl]

noun

1. a minor weakness or failing of character; slight flaw or defect: an all-too-human foible.
2. the weaker part of a sword blade, between the middle and the point (opposed to forte ).

Origin:
1640–50; < French, obsolete form of faible feeble

Synonyms
1. frailty, quirk, crotchet, eccentricity, peculiarity. See fault.

Antonyms
1. strength.

5 August 2014

berm

[burm]

noun

1. Also, berme. Fortification . a horizontal surface between the exterior slope of a rampart and the moat.
2. Also called bench. any level strip of ground at the summit or sides, or along the base, of a slope.
3. Also called backshore, beach berm. a nearly flat back portion of a beach, formed of material deposited by the action of the waves.
4. Chiefly Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia. the bank of a canal or the shoulder of a road.
5. Chiefly Alaska. a mound of snow or dirt, as formed when clearing land.
6. a bank of earth placed against an exterior wall or walls of a house or other building as protection against extremes of temperature.

4 August 2014

multifarious

[muhl-tuh-fair-ee-uhs]

adjective

1. having many different parts, elements, forms, etc.
2. numerous and varied; greatly diverse or manifold: multifarious activities.

Origin:
1585–95; < Late Latin multifārius many-sided, manifold, equivalent to Latin multifāri ( am ) on many sides + -us adj. suffix (see -ous); see multi-, bifarious

Related forms
mul·ti·far·i·ous·ly, adverb
mul·ti·far·i·ous·ness, noun

Anagram

a futurism oil
a four stimuli
i suit formula
if sumo ritual

3 August 2014

apropos

[ap-ruh-poh]

adverb

1. fitting; at the right time; to the purpose; opportunely.
2. Obsolete . by the way.

adjective
3. opportune; pertinent: apropos remarks.

Idioms
4. apropos of, with reference to; in respect or regard to: apropos of the preceding statement.

Origin:
1660–70; < French à propos literally, to purpose < Latin ad prōpositum. See ad-, proposition

Can be confused: appropriate, apropos, expropriate.

Anagram

poor sap

2 August 2014

chicanery

[shi-key-nuh-ree, chi-]

noun, plural chi·can·er·ies.
1. trickery or deception by quibbling or sophistry: He resorted to the worst flattery and chicanery to win the job.
2. a quibble or subterfuge used to trick, deceive, or evade.

Origin:
1605–15; < French chicanerie. See chicane, -ery

Synonyms
1. fraud, deception, knavery. 2. evasion.

Anagram
racy niche
nice chary
A cynic her

1 August 2014

doover / doovie

[doo-ver] [doo-vee]

noun Australian Slang.

– thingumbob; thingumajig. A word used when the proper word doesn’t come to mind.

– horses doovers – Australian slang for hors d’Oeuvres

Origin:
1940–45; probably to be identified with doofer, doofah in same sense, perhaps representing do for, as in that will do for now

Anagram

overdo

 

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