14 May 2018

torrid

[tawr-id, tor-]

adjective

1. subject to parching or burning heat, especially of the sun, as a geographical area:
the torrid sands of the Sahara.
2. oppressively hot, parching, or burning, as climate, weather, or air.
3. ardent; passionate:
a torrid love story.

Origin of torrid

Latin

1580-1590; < Latin torridus dried up, parched, equivalent to torr(ēre) to parch, burn (see torrent, thirst ) + -idus -id4

Related forms

torridity, torridness, noun
torridly, adverb
hypertorrid, adjective
hypertorridly, adverb
hypertorridness, noun

Synonyms

1. tropical. 2. scorching, fiery.

Antonyms

1. arctic. 2. frigid. 3. cool.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for torrid

Contemporary Examples

It is tasked with mitigating environmental destruction brought on by three and a half decades of torrid growth.
Why China Won’t Eclipse the United States
Ali Wyne
June 12, 2014

They look at each other meaningfully—and repair to the boiler room for some torrid sex.
‘Halt and Catch Fire’ and AMC’s Push to Reset Dramas
Andrew Romano
May 30, 2014

The pace of fourth quarter growth is nowhere near as torrid – about 2.3 percent according to Macroeconomic Advisers.
Bad News for People Who Like Bad News
Daniel Gross
December 20, 2013

Basil, cucumber, mangoes, the cooing of turtledoves on torrid afternoons, the screech of buses coming to a sudden halt.
André Aciman: How I Write
Noah Charney
November 28, 2012

Michelle Cottle on the ballad of Johnny and Rielle—and the lessons we can all learn from their torrid affair.
What You Can Learn From John Edwards and Rielle Hunter
Michelle Cottle
June 27, 2012

Historical Examples

But in the height of summer the heat is torrid on the Roof of France.
The Roof of France
Matilda Betham-Edwards

Bitter indeed must be the wintry blast, torrid the rays of summer here.
In the Heart of Vosges
Matilda Betham-Edwards

Then it entered into a zone of torrid light which the sun threw on the waves.
A Romance of the West Indies
Eugne Sue

We have valleys and we have mountains; we have torrid and we have temperate zones.
Boy Scouts Handbook
Boy Scouts of America

It seemed as if the torrid days of late summer were harder to bear than July had been.
The Forbidden Trail
Honor Willsie

Anagram

rid rot

Today’s quote

I think probably kindness is my number one attribute in a human being. I’ll put it before any of the things like courage or bravery or generosity or anything else … Kindness — that simple word. To be kind — it covers everything, to my mind. If you’re kind that’s it.

– Roald Dahl

On this day

14 May 1796 – Edward Jenner gives the first smallpox vaccination.

14 May 1879 – the first group of indentured Indians labourers arrive in Fiji aboard the Leonidas.

14 May 1919 – death of Henry John Heinz, founder of Heinz Company, responsible for canned baked beans. Born 11 October 1844.

14 May 1929 – Wilfred Rhodes takes his 4,000th first-class wicket at Leyton, after bowling 9/39. He played 58 test matches for England between 1899 and 1930. He was the first Englishman to complete both 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in Test cricket. He went on to achieve the double of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in individual first-class seasons a record 16 times. He retired with first-class totals of 4,204 wickets and 39,969 runs. In Tests he retired with 127 wickets and 2,325 runs.

14 May 1939 – Lina Medina (born 27 September 1933 in Peru) becomes the world’s youngest confirmed mother at the age of five. She gave birth by a caesarean section, to a boy, weighing 2.7kg (6.0lb). He was named Gerardo after the doctor who delivered him. He was raised believing Lina was his sister and was told the truth at the age of 10. Gerardo died in 1979, aged 40, of a bone marrow disease. Following Gerardo’s birth, Lina was diagnosed with extreme ‘precocious puberty’, in which puberty occurs at an unusually early age. It was initially reported that she hit puberty by the age of three, however, a further medical report indicated she had commenced puberty by eight months old. Lina never revealed who the father was or the circumstances of her impregnation. Lina later married and had a second child in 1972, when she was 39. She presently lives in Lima, Peru.

14 May 1948 – the modern nation of Israel is established by proclamation of the Jewish Agency headed by David Ben-Gurion, following the United Nations adoption of Resolution 181 on 29 November 1947.

12 May 2018

onset

[on-set, awn-]

noun

1. a beginning or start:
the onset of winter.
2. an assault or attack:
an onset of the enemy.
3. Phonetics. the segment of a syllable preceding the nucleus, as the gr in great.
Compare coda (def 5), core1(def 14).

Origin of onset

1525-1535; on + set, after the verb phrase set on

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for onset

Contemporary Examples

I was never sure whether this was phlegm or the onset of lunacy.
Why Can’t Movies Capture Genius?
Clive Irving
December 14, 2014

Believe it or not, a break at the onset of mild cramps may let you play in the game for longer.
A Lesson From LeBron James’ Game One Nightmare
Dr. Anand Veeravagu, MD, Tej Azad
June 7, 2014

The adults then burn one down but realize drugs are less fun with the onset of parental responsibilities.
‘Silicon Valley’ and the Return of Stoner Television
Rich Goldstein
April 10, 2014

He remembers how confused and scared people were by the onset of AIDS.
Matthew McConaughey In ‘Dallas Buyers Club’: From Bongos to Oscar Contender
Marlow Stern
October 30, 2013

Then there is the argument that there is no clear chain of evidence linking an enemy action to the onset of PTSD.
How The Purple Heart Can Help Heal Veterans with PTSD
Benjamin Tupper
August 23, 2013

Historical Examples

The onset and the issue were like the passage and destruction of a whirlwind.
The Last of the Mohicans
James Fenimore Cooper

He met their onset with a firm, steady foot, and fired straight at their heads.
The Field of Ice
Jules Verne

As an eagle descendeth on its prey, so rusheth my kinsman to the onset.
Wilson’s Tales of the Borders and of Scotland, Volume VI
Various

They were also greatly elated with the success which had crowned the first onset.
Three Years in the Federal Cavalry
Willard Glazier

Had I known this, I could have marked the onset with a less failing spirit.
Charles O’Malley, The Irish Dragoon, Volume 2 (of 2)
Charles Lever

Anagram

stone
tones
notes

Today’s quote

We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities.

– Oscar Wilde

On this day

12 May 1932 – the body of the Lindbergh baby is found near to the Lindbergh residence. The baby was the son of famous aviator, Charles Lindbergh, and had been kidnapped days earlier. The kidnapper had accidentally killed the baby during the kidnapping and abandoned the body in a nearby forest.

12 May 1937 – King George VI is crowned King of Britain (and it’s colonies) at Westminster Abbey, following the abdication of his brother.

12 May 1980 – death of Bette Nesmith Graham. Bette is the inventor of Liquid Paper. Her son, Mike Nesmith, was a member of 1960s UK/American pop/rock band, The Monkees. Born 23 March 1924 in Dallas, Texas.

12 May 1994 – in response to thousands acts of violence in the USA against abortion clinics and their patients, a bill is submitted to President Clinton making it a federal crime to prevent access to an abortion clinic or to threaten or use force against people attending the clinics. The bill resulted in the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act 1994. Between 1978 and 1993 anti-abortion (or pro-life) activists had been responsible for at least 9 murders, 17 attempted murders, 406 death threats, 179 acts of assault, 5 kidnappings of abortion providers, 41 bombings, 96 attempted bombings or arsons, 692 bomb threats, 1993 incidents of trespassing, 1400 incidents of vandalism and 100 attacks with butyric acid (stink bombs).

11 May 2018

trounce

[trouns]

verb (used with object), trounced, trouncing.

1. to beat severely; thrash.
2. to punish.
3. to defeat decisively.

Origin of trounce

1545-1555 First recorded in 1545-55; origin uncertain

Related forms

trouncer, noun
untrounced, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for trounce

Contemporary Examples

Most patriotic movies flaunt their pride by having America trounce foreign countries.
13 Most Patriotic Movies Ever: ‘Act of Valor,’ ‘Top Gun’ & More (VIDEO)
Melissa Leon
July 4, 2014

As sure as turkey on a table, Tom Brady and the 7–3 Patriots will likely trounce Mark Sanchez and the woeful New York Jets.
A Dummies Guide to the NFL’s Thanksgiving Games
Sujay Kumar
November 22, 2012

On Fox News Sunday, he predicted Sharron Angle will trounce Harry Reid for the Nevada Senate seat.
October 17: 7 Best Moments From Sunday Talk
The Daily Beast Video
October 17, 2010

Anagram

counter
our cent
eco turn

Today’s quote

At the age of six I wanted to be a cook. At seven I wanted to be Napoleon. And my ambition has been growing steadily ever since.

– Salvador Dali

On this day

11 May – World Keffiyeh Day, in solidarity with Palestine.

11 May 1904 – birth of Salvador Dali, Spanish surrealist painter. Died 23 January 1989.

11 May 1981 – death of Bob Marley, Jamaican reggae singer and musician. Born 6 February 1945.

11 May 1985 – death of Chester Gould, American creator of the cartoon strip, ‘Dick Tracy’. He drew the comic strip from 1931 to 1977. Born 20 November 1900.

10 May 2018

stipple

[stip-uh l]

verb (used with object), stippled, stippling.

1. to paint, engrave, or draw by means of dots or small touches.
noun, Also, stippling
2. the method of painting, engraving, etc., by stippling.
3. stippled work; a painting, engraving, or the like, executed by means of dots or small spots.

Origin of stipple

Dutch

1660-1670; < Dutch stippelen, frequentative of stippen to dot, derivative of stip dot

Related forms

stippler, noun
unstippled, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for stipple

Historical Examples

The student will notice in particular the stipple effect in the reproduction.
Crayon Portraiture
Jerome A. Barhydt

The stipple manner of engraving was a curious development of the art.
Engraving for Illustration
Joseph Kirkbride

She wanted to know the difference between a mezzotint and a stipple print.
One Man in His Time
Ellen Glasgow

Anagram

tipples

Today’s quote

My heroes are the ones who survived doing it wrong, who made mistakes, but recovered from them.

– Bono

On this day

10 May 1837 – the Panic of 1837: New York City banks fail and unemployment reaches record levels.

10 May 1893 – the Supreme Court of the United States rules in Nix v Hedden that a tomato is a vegetable, not a fruit, under the Tariff Act of 1883.

10 May 1908 – Mother’s Day first celebrated. Andrews Methodist Church in Grafton, West Virginia in the United States becomes the first place in the world to hold the first official Mother’s Day celebration. 407 women were in attendance that day. In 1872 Julie Ward Howe suggested a national holiday to celebrate peace and motherhood. At that time, many local groups held their own celebration of motherhood, but most were religious gatherings. Another influential figure was Anna Jarvis who campaigned for a national holiday following the death of her mother in 1905. Her mother, social activist Ann Jarvis used to hold an annual celebration, Mother’s Friendship Day, to help ease the pain of the US Civil War. In 1914, President Woodrow Wilson declared Mother’s Day a national holiday on the second Sunday of May. Anna Jarvis was arrested at a Mother’s Day celebration when she tried to stop the selling of flowers. She stated, ‘I wanted it to be a day of sentiment not of profit‘.

10 May 1924 – Edgard J. Hoover appointed Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A position he holds until his death in 1972.

10 May 1933 – in Germany, Nazis stage massive public book burnings.

10 May 1941 – Deputy Fuhrer Rudolf Hess, parachutes into Scotland to negotiate a peace settlement between the UK and Germany. Hess was arrested and convicted of crimes against peace and spent the remainder of his life in jail. He died in 1987.

10 May 1954 – Bill Haley and His Comets release Rock Around the Clock, the first rock and roll record to reach number one on the Billboard charts.

10 May 1960 – birth of Bono (Paul David Hewson), activist and Irish singer-songwriter with U2.

10 May 1994 – Nelson Mandela inaugurated as South Africa’s first black president.

10 May 2003 – The Golden Gumboot opens in Tully, North Queensland. It stands 7.9m tall and represents the record annual rainfall of 7900mm that Tully received in1950. Tully is officially Australia’s wettest town.

9 May 2018

Thaïs

[they-is]

noun

1. flourished late 4th century b.c, Athenian courtesan: mistress of Alexander the Great and Ptolemy I.

Examples

The Thais of that play is the most favourable delineation of the Athenian ‘ hetaera ‘ in ancient literature.
The Roman Poets of the Republic
William Young Sellar

Anagram

ash it

Today’s quote

Angry people want you to see how powerful they are… loving people want you to see how powerful You are.

― Chief Red Eagle

On this day

9 May – Russian Victory Day which marks the Soviet Union’s victory over Nazi Germany in 1945.

9 May 1960 – the ‘pill’, a contraceptive, is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration. It is now used by 100 million women worldwide.

9 May 1970 – 100,000 protestors gather near the White House to protest US involvement in the war in Cambodia.

9 May 1994 – Nelson Mandela is chosen by the newly-elected South African parliament to be the country’s new President.

8 May 2018

hetaera

[hi-teer-uh]

noun, plural hetaerae [hi-teer-ee]

1. a highly cultured courtesan or concubine, especially in ancient Greece.
2. any woman who uses her beauty and charm to obtain wealth or social position.
Also, hetaira.

Origin of hetaera

Greek

1810-1820, First recorded in 1810-20, hetaera is from the Greek word hetaíra (feminine) companion

Related forms

hetaeric, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for hetaera

Historical Examples

She adopted the hetaera life, and was the “companion” of Stilpo himself.
Greek Women
Mitchell Carroll

The concubine has the status of a hetaera ; she travels with the man, keeps his accounts, etc.
The Modern Woman’s Rights Movement
Kaethe Schirmacher

The Thais of that play is the most favourable delineation of the Athenian ‘ hetaera ‘ in ancient literature.
The Roman Poets of the Republic
William Young Sellar

Anagram

a heater
the area
heat era

Today’s quote

…the problem with words is that once spoken, they cannot find their way back to the speaker alone.

– Arturo Pérez-Reverte

On this day

8 May 1911 – birthday of Robert Johnson. American blues guitarist and singer-songwriter. Legend has it that Johnson met the devil at a crossroads and sold his soul in return for fame and fortune. One of the first musicians of the 20th century to join the 27 club. Died 16 August 1938.

8 May 1945 – VE day. Victory in Europe – the day that Nazi Germany formally surrendered in World War II.

7 May 2018

interregnum

[in-ter-reg-nuh m]

noun, plural interregnums, interregna [in-ter-reg-nuh]

1. an interval of time between the close of a sovereign’s reign and the accession of his or her normal or legitimate successor.
2. any period during which a state has no ruler or only a temporary executive.
3. any period of freedom from the usual authority.
4. any pause or interruption in continuity.

Origin of interregnum

1570-1580; < Latin, equivalent to inter- inter- + rēgnum reign

Related forms

interregnal, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for interregnum

Contemporary Examples

Throughout the bitter four-month interregnum, President Herbert Hoover had tried to get FDR to endorse joint policy statements.
What Obama and McCain Can Learn From FDR
Harold Evans
October 10, 2008

Historical Examples

I hover over my racked body like a ghost, and exist in an interregnum.
Dreamers of the Ghetto
I. Zangwill

At length the matter was adjusted, after an interregnum of three weeks.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year
Edwin Emerson

After an interregnum, Rudolf of Hapsburg had been chosen emperor in 1273.
An Introduction to the History of Western Europe
James Harvey Robinson

We can account, to some extent, for this interregnum or spiritual life, but only to some extent.
Introduction to Robert Browning
Hiram Corson

The interregnum has been long, both as to time and distance.
The Innocents Abroad
Mark Twain (Samuel Clemens)

It’s in English—a language that became obsolete during the interregnum.
The Lani People
J. F. Bone

Morally we have come a long way from the brutality of the interregnum.
The Lani People
J. F. Bone

During this interregnum, very little has been done in Parliament.
The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851
Various

The emperor Tacitus elected, after an interregnum of eight months.
The Every Day Book of History and Chronology
Joel Munsell

Anagram

turn regimen
entering rum
returning me

Today’s quote

The sun is a daily reminder that we too can rise again from the darkness, that we too can shine our own light.

– Sara Ajna

On this day

6 May – Following ‘May the Fourth be with you’, and Cinco de Mayo yesterday, does this make today ‘Revenge of the Sixth?’

6 May 1937 – the German passenger dirigible (Zeppelin), The Hindenburg, crashes bursts into flames, falling 200 feet to the ground, killing 37 people. The Hindenburg was the world’s largest hydrogen airship and the disaster marked the end of the airship era. The disaster was captured on camera and a newsreel released, which can be viewed on Youtube.

6 May 1945 – Hermann Göring, Hitler’s second in command and the most powerful Nazi alive, surrenders to US forces, effectively marking the end of the Second World War. The official surrender was announced by German officers on 8 May 1945.

6 May 1954 – Roger Bannister becomes the first man to break the 4 minute mile on foot. He ran the mile in 3 minutes 59.4 seconds at the Iffley Road Track, Oxford, England.

5 May 2018

caber

[key-ber]

noun, Scot.

1. a pole or beam, especially one thrown as a trial of strength.

Origin of caber

Scots Gaelic

1505-1515 First recorded in 1505-15, caber is from the Scots Gaelic word cabar pole

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for caber

Historical Examples

Arrived on ground, and found that “tossing the caber ” was in full progress.
Mr. Punch in the Highlands
Various

The caber is the heavy trunk of a tree from 16 to 20 ft. long.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 4
Various

The caber is a small tree, or beam, heavier at one end than the other.
Old English Sports

Anagram

brace

Today’s quote

You show me a capitalist, and I’ll show you a bloodsucker.

― Malcolm X

On this day

5 May – Cinco de Mayo (Spanish for 5th of May), celebrates Mexican heritage and pride. It originated as a celebration of freedom for Mexicans following the victory by Mexican forces over the French at the Battle of Puebla on 5 May 1862.

5 May 1818 – birth of Karl Marx, German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist and revolutionary socialist. One of the most influential economists in history. Marx’s work included Das Kapital, as well as The Communist Manifesto which he co-authored with German social scientist, Friedrich Engels. He fathered modern communism and socialism with the aim of putting the means of production in the hands of the workers to end exploitation at the hands of the bourgeoisie. He believed in the redistribution of wealth for the benefit of all, rather than accumulation of wealth in the hands of the few. The wealth, he believed, was created by the workers and should therefore be shared amongst the workers. He stated that communism would not succeed in the individual nation unless other nations supported it, hence the adoption of L’internationale as the socialist anthem following the ‘First International’ conference held by Marx and Engels in 1864. His international theory perhaps makes him the world’s first globalisationist. He believed socialism would not succeed in poverty, but required the building of wealth to succeed and distribution of wealth to be sustainable. Died 14 March 1883.

5 May 1821 – death of Napoleon Bonaparte, French Emperor. Born 15 August 1769.

5 May 1970 – University of New Mexico is the scene of protests against the Vietnam War, US attacks on Cambodia and the Kent State University massacre (see 4 May 1970), the National Guard and police are called in. The National Guard fixed bayonets and attacked the protestors, resulting in eleven protestors and journalists being bayonetted.

5 May 1981 – death of Bobby Sands, member of the Provisional Irish Republican Army (IRA) who died following a hunger strike while imprisoned at HM Prison Maze. He and other prisoners, were protesting against the removal of special category status which conferred a ‘Prisoner of War’ status on prisoners convicted of ‘Troubles-related’ offences in Ireland. Special Category Status meant they were subject to the Geneva Convention so didn’t have to wear prison uniforms or do prison work, were housed within paramilitary factions, received extra visits and more food. During his fast, Sands was elected to British Parliament as an anti-H-Block candidate (H-Block representing Maze Prison’s H-shaped block). Sands was one of 10 hunger strikers to die during the 1981 hunger strike. Born 9 March 1954.