25 November 2017

deference

[def-er-uh ns]

noun

1. respectful submission or yielding to the judgment, opinion, will, etc., of another.
2. respectful or courteous regard:
in deference to his wishes.

Origin of deference

French

1640-1650; < French déférence, Middle French, equivalent to defer(er) to defer2+ -ence -ence

Related forms

nondeference, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for deference

Contemporary Examples

He oversaw a brutal regime, aimed at instilling respect, deference and acceptance of duty into the princes.
Kate and William’s Royal Family Values
Tom Sykes
September 21, 2014

Other themes are more character-based, such as the “Bowie, Cocteau, Visconti” section, in deference to dandies and dapper men.
What Drives Fashion Designer Dries Van Noten
Sarah Moroz
March 3, 2014

Tall and taciturn, he exuded the easy authority of a young man used to money and the deference that came with it.
Doug Kenney: The Odd Comic Genius Behind ‘Animal House’ and National Lampoon
Robert Sam Anson
February 28, 2014

From the deference with which he was received they rightly guessed that he was the chief of the tribe.
The Story Behind The World’s Greatest Headline
Brandy Zadrozny
January 20, 2014

Heritage Action pushed for the government shutdown, but stayed out of the debt ceiling fight in deference to their funders.
Republicans Compromise on the Budget, but Don’t Expect Them To Compromise on the Debt Ceiling
Eleanor Clift
December 17, 2013

Historical Examples

Garson, however, was unconvinced, notwithstanding his deference to the judgment of his leader.
Within the Law
Marvin Dana

Yes, sir; but not my anxiety for your approbation, and my deference for your opinion.
Tales And Novels, Volume 9 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth

Anagram

deer fence

Today’s quote

They talk about the failure of socialism but where is the success of capitalism in Africa, Asia and Latin America?

– Fidel Castro

On this day

25 November 1963 – funeral of assassinated President John F. Kennedy in Washington DC. Over 800,000 people lined the streets. He was interred at Arlington Cemetery.

25 November 1947 – The ‘Hollywood Ten’ are blacklisted for their allegiance with, or sympathy for the American Communist Party. They were cited for Contempt of Congress when they refused to testify to the House Committee on Unamerican Activities. The Hollywood Ten were unable to work in the movie industry again. The ten were Alvah Bessie, Herbert Biberman, Lester Cole, Edward Dmytryk, Ring Lardner Jr., John Howard Lawson, Albert Maltz, Samuel Ornitz, Adrian Scott and Dalton Trumbo.

25 November 2016 – death of Fidel Castro, former Cuban President. Born 13 August 1926.

23 November 2017

Thespian

[thes-pee-uh n]

adjective

1. (often lowercase) pertaining to tragedy or to the dramatic art in general.
2. of or characteristic of Thespis.
3. of or relating to Thespiae.
noun
4. (sometimes lowercase) a tragedian; an actor or actress.

Origin of Thespian

1665-1675 First recorded in 1665-75; Thespi(s) + -an
“of or pertaining to tragedy or dramatic acting,” from Greek Thespis, poet of 6c. B.C.E., the traditional father of Greek tragedy. The names is literally “inspired by the gods.”

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for Thespian

Contemporary Examples

In the installation, the British Thespian would sleep in a glass box in the museum with nothing but pillows and a water jug.
Lady Gaga, John Lennon & More Celebs Doing Performance Art (VIDEO)
Rachel Osman , Victoria Kezra
August 8, 2013

Brooding British Thespian Henry Cavill (famous to Showtime fans of The Tudors) is on tap as the new Superman.
Invasion of the Bodybuilders
Chris Lee
June 5, 2011

His sublimated rage at Madonna notwithstanding, he is happy to defend her as a Thespian.
The New Adventures of Guy Ritchie
Jacob Bernstein
December 20, 2009

Anagram

ashen pit
hasten pi
heap nits
heat spin

Today’s quote

Acting is magical. Change your look and your attitude, and you can be anyone.

– Alicia Witt

On this day

23 November 534BC – Thespis of Icaria becomes the first recorded actor to portray a character on stage. The word ‘thespian’ is derived from Thespis.

23 November 1859 – birth of William H. Bonney aka Billy ‘The Kid’. American outlaw. Legend has it that he killed 21 men, although historians believe it may have been between 4 and 9 men. He was shot dead by Sheriff Pat Garrett around 14 July 1881. Some conspiracy theorists believe that Bonney did not get shot that day, but that Garrett staged the shooting so that Billy ‘The Kid’ could escape.

23 November 1889 – the first jukebox commences operation at the Palais Royale Saloon in San Francisco.

23 November 1963 – Dr Who premiers on BBC TV, starring William Hartnell. It has become the longest running science fiction series in the world.

23 November 1981 – US President Ronald Reagan signs the top secret National Security Directive 17 (NSDD-17), authorising the Central Intelligence Agency to recruit, train and support Contra rebels in Nicaragua, in order to wage guerilla warfare against the ruling leftist Sandanista regime. In 1982, the Boland Amendment was passed by Congress which banned US support of the Contras. The Reagan administration illegally continued funding the rebels. Part of the funding was obtained by illegally selling arms to Iran, which was the subject of an international arms boycott. The Reagan administration sold the arms in an effort to free seven US hostages being held by a group linked with Iran. The scandal became known as the Iran-Contra affair and was the subject of a Presidential Commission (the Tower Commission) as well as investigations by a number of Congressional Committees. As a result, a number of high ranking members of Reagan’s administration were indicted, including Caspar Weinberger (Secretary of Defence) – later pardoned by President H.W. Bush in 1991 before standing trial, William Casey (Head of the CIA), Robert C. MacFarlane (Assistant Secretary of State), Oliver North (National Security Council), Admiral John Poindexter, and numerous others. While Reagan knew of the operations, it was not definitively shown that he issued the orders.

22 November 2017

exult

[ig-zuhlt]

verb (used without object)

1. to show or feel a lively or triumphant joy; rejoice exceedingly; be highly elated or jubilant:
They exulted over their victory.
2. Obsolete. to leap, especially for joy.

Origin of exult

Latin

1560-1570; < Latin ex(s)ultāre to leap up, equivalent to ex- ex-1+ -sultāre (combining form of saltāre to leap)

Related forms

exultingly, adverb
self-exulting, adjective

Can be confused

exalt, exult.

Synonyms

1. delight, glory, revel.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for exult

Historical Examples

I exult in my freedom from a self-reproach, which would have been altogether insupportable under the kindness of which you speak.’
The Secret Memoirs of Louis XV./XVI, Complete
Madame du Hausset, an “Unknown English Girl” and the Princess Lamballe

But we would he knew that the strong do not exult in their strength, nor the wise in their wisdom.
The Book of Khalid
Ameen Rihani

The big woodsman, his rebellion once started, seemed to exult in it.
The Rainy Day Railroad War
Holman Day

For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony.
Personality in Literature
Rolfe Arnold Scott-James

They are desperate, then, and seem to exult in devilry of all kinds.
A Final Reckoning
G. A. Henty

Inhuman methods for inhuman foes, Who feed on horrors and exult in woes.
Custer, and Other Poems.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox

But I shall not let you exult over my falling into one of these well-laid traps.
Fairy Fingers
Anna Cora Mowatt Ritchie

It is a joyous spirit which causes “the bones of man to exult.”
Spontaneous Activity in Education
Maria Montessori

Yon demon,” cried he, “shall at least not live to exult over our death.
Wood Rangers
Mayne Reid

But the Incorruptible, ever envious and jealous, would not allow him to exult too soon.
The Elusive Pimpernel
Baroness Emmuska Orczy

Anagram

El Tux

Today’s quote

One of the delights known to age, and beyond the grasp of youth, is that of Not Going.

– Anthony Burgess

On this day

22 November 1819 – birth of Mary Ann Evans. One of England’s greatest novelists, she published under the name ‘George Eliot’ in order to be taken seriously. Some of her novels include ‘Adam Bede’, ‘Mill on the Floss’, ‘Silas Marner’, and ‘Daniel Deronda’. Her novel, ‘Middlemarch’, was described as the greatest novel in the English language. Died 22 December 1880.

22 November 1906 – the use of the morse code signal ‘SOS’ is implemented as a global distress call. The SOS signal is three dots, three dashes and three dots

(· · · — — — · · ·)

22 November 1963 – assassination of John F. Kennedy. 35th president of the United States. Born 29 May 1917.

22 November 1963 – death of Aldous Huxley, English writer. Most famous for his vision of the future, ‘Brave New World’, as well as his work ‘The Doors of Perception’, based on his use of psychedelic drugs. Jim Morrison named his 60’s psychedelic rock band, ‘The Doors’ after Huxley’s book. Born 26 July 1894.

22 November 1963 – death of Clive Staples (C.S.) Lewis, Irish novelist, author of ‘The Chronicles of Narnia’ and ‘The Screwtape Letters’. Born 29 November 1898.

22 November 1990 – UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher forced to resign by her own Cabinet who refused to endorse her as leader. She had come to power in 1979 and had become known as the ‘Iron Lady’. She is the longest-serving UK Prime Minister and the only female to hold the post. She fought numerous battles with unions over her economic and deregulation reforms. She introduced a ‘Community Charge’ or ‘Poll Tax’, which replaced rates with a flat-tax rate on every adult. It was extremely unpopular even within her own Cabinet and was a crucial catalyst for her disendorsement and subsequent resignation.

22 November 1993 – death of Anthony Burgess, English writer. Most famous for his dystopian novel, ‘The Clockwork Orange’, which Stanley Kubrick made into a controversial movie. Born 25 February 1917.

21 November 2017

prattle

[prat-l]

verb (used without object), prattled, prattling.

1. to talk in a foolish or simple-minded way; chatter; babble.
verb (used with object), prattled, prattling.
2. to utter by chattering or babbling.
noun
3. the act of prattling.
4. chatter; babble:
the prattle of children.
5. a babbling sound:
the prattle of water rushing over stones.

Origin of prattle

Middle Low German

1525-1535; < Middle Low German pratelen to chatter, frequentative of praten to prate; see -le

Related forms

prattler, noun
prattlingly, adverb

Synonyms

1. gab, jabber, gabble, blab.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for prattle

Contemporary Examples

Then, since the Battleground states are something about which the Talking Heads like to prattle.
The Prattleground States
Megan McArdle
November 6, 2012

Historical Examples

You know how readily we get into prattle upon a subject dear to our heart: you can excuse it.
The Letters of Robert Burns
Robert Burns

As for all the prattle about pre-Raphaelitism, I confess to you I am weary of it, and long have been.
Recollections of Dante Gabriel Rossetti
T. Hall Caine

The boy had pattered French with the former since he had first begun to prattle at all.
Billy Topsail & Company
Norman Duncan

He listened to people’s talk as though it had been children’s prattle.
Romance
Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer

Her prattle seeped in and he became aware of it and what she was saying.
Life Sentence
James McConnell

His prattle was the prattle of an unsophisticated maiden lady.
The O’Ruddy
Stephen Crane

The prattle of lovers and the sober wisdom of experience blended.
Charles Carleton Coffin
William Elliot Griffis, D. D.

She paid as little heed to my words as a nurse to the prattle of a child.
Dross
Henry Seton Merriman

Mr. Draconmeyer smiled with the air of one listening to a child’s prattle.
Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo
E. Phillips Oppenheim

Anagram

let rapt
pelt art

Today’s quote

Art washes away from the soul, the dust of everyday life.

– Pablo Picasso

On this day

21 November 164BC – Judas Maccabaeus, son of Mattathias of the Hasmonean family, restores the Temple in Jerusalem. This event is commemorated each year by the festival of Hanukkah.

21 November 1694 – birth of François-Marie Arouet, better known as Voltaire. French enlightment writer, historian and philosopher. A man of wit who advocated freedom of religion, freedom of expression and separation of church and state. Voltaire wrote more than 20,000 letters, 2,000 books and pamphlets. He criticised intolerance, religious dogma and social institutions. Died 30 May 1778.

21 November 1936 – birth of Victor Chang, a Chinese-Australian cardiac surgeon who pioneered heart transplants. Chang was shot dead on 4 July 1991, in a failed extortion attempt.

21 November 1965 – birth of Bjork (Björk Guðmundsdóttir), Icelandic singer-songwriter, producer and actress.

21 November 1986 – Oliver North, National Security Council staffer, begins shredding documents associated with the Iran-Contra debacle that could have implicated themselves and others within the Reagan administration in the illegal sale of arms to Iran in order to fund the rebel Nicaraguan Contras.

20 November 2017

ardent

[ahr-dnt]

adjective

1. having, expressive of, or characterized by intense feeling; passionate; fervent:
an ardent vow; ardent love.
2. intensely devoted, eager, or enthusiastic; zealous:
an ardent theatergoer. an ardent student of French history.
3. vehement; fierce:
They were frightened by his ardent, burning eyes.
4. burning, fiery, or hot:
the ardent core of a star.

Origin of ardent

Latin

1325-1375; < Latin ārdent- (stem of ārdēns, present participle of ārdēre to burn), equivalent to ārd- burn + -ent- -ent; replacing
Middle English ardant < Middle French

Related forms

ardently, adverb
ardency [ahr-dn-see] (Show IPA), ardentness, noun

Synonyms

1. fervid, eager, impassioned. 2. avid.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for ardent

Contemporary Examples

The outré character is sure to throw even the most ardent fans of the Golden Globe winner for a loop.
Michael C. Hall on Going Drag for ‘Hedwig and the Angry Inch’ and Exorcising ‘Dexter’
Marlow Stern
December 3, 2014

The pathetic dives and writhing on the field is a turn off to the most ardent American fan.
What Hillary Clinton Can Learn From Portugal, Costa Rica, and England in the World Cup
Nathan Daschle
June 30, 2014

No one agreed more than the members of an ardent and motivated fan base within the CIA.
Why the CIA Loved ‘Doctor Zhivago’
Kevin Canfield
June 25, 2014

Anagram

ranted
red ant
art den

Today’s quote

There is no greatness where there is no simplicity, goodness and truth.

– Leo Tolstoy

On this day

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

20 November 1910 – death of Leo Tolstoy, Russian writer, (‘Anna Karenina‘, ‘War and Peace‘). Born 9 September 1828.

20 November 1947 – Princess Elizabeth, who is crowned Queen Elizabeth II in 1952, marries Phillip Mountbatten in Westminster Abbey.

20 November 1985 – Microsoft launches Windows 1.01, a graphical user interface for personal computers. The program required MS-DOS to operate.

19 November 2017

lamster

[lam-ster]

noun, Slang.

1. a fugitive from the law.

Also, lamister.

Origin of lamster

1900-1905 First recorded in 1900-05; lam2+ -ster

Dictionary.com

Slang definitions & phrases for lamster

lamster

noun

An escaped convict

[1904+ Underworld; fr lam]

The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.
Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.

Anagram

Ms Alert
Mr Slate
Mrs Teal
Tsar Elm
rest lam
let Mars
armlets

Today’s quote

The worst form of inequality is to try to make unequal things equal.

– Aristotle

On this day

19 November 1863 – President Lincoln delivers the ‘Gettysburg Address’ during the American Civil War, while dedicating the Soldiers’ National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. The speech commenced with the now-famous words, ‘Four score and seven years ago …’, which was referring to the Declaration of Independence in 1777. The speech addressed equality, freedom and democracy being representative of all people.

19 November 2007 – share markets across the globe crashed, as the world entered the Global Financial Crisis.

18 November 2017

kalsarikännit

[cal-sar-y-cuhn-eet]

noun

1. the feeling when you are going to get drunk home alone in your underwear — with no intention of going out.

Source

Finnish

Example

Sorry, friends. Tonight calls for a kalsarikännit. I literally cannot wear pants a minute longer. I have only the physical strength to hold a glass of wine. You can find me on my couch. Bye.

https://www.popsugar.com/food/Finnish-Word-Drinking-Home-Your-Underwear-43182383

Anagram

snail rank kit

Today’s quote

The activist is not the man who says the river is dirty. The activist is the man who cleans up the river.

– Ross Perot

On this day

18 November 1922 – Benito Mussolini becomes the leader of Italy. Mussolini, was head of the National Fascist Party and one of the founders of fascism. As dictator he named himself ‘Il Duce’ (The Leader). Initially a socialist, Mussolini felt that socialism had failed and he opposed egalitarianism. He was an ardent supporter of Adolf Hitler. Mussolini was forced to stand down in 1943 by his opponents. He went into hiding and in 1945 was captured and executed.

18 November 1928 – Mickey Mouse makes his screen debut, in ‘Steamboat Willy’.

18 November 1978 – Jim Jones, leader of the cult ‘People’s Temple’ located in Jonestown, Guyana, instructs followers to drink a deadly brew of Kool-Aid, cyanide and sedatives. 914 people died in the mass suicide, including Jones. 303 children were among the victims. It is likely that some of the deaths were murder as a result of some people being forced to drink the concoction. Jones claimed that the cult was under surveillance of intelligence organisations who were preparing to raid Jonestown and either kill or capture the members. He claimed that survivors would be forced to convert to fascism.

18 November 2002 – death of James Coburn, actor (‘The Great Escape‘, ‘The Magnificent Seven‘). Born 31 August 1928.

17 November 2017

deflagrate

[def-luh-greyt]

verb (used with or without object), deflagrated, deflagrating.

1. to burn, especially suddenly and violently.

Origin of deflagrate

Latin

1720-1730; < Latin dēflagrātus (past participle of dēflagrāre to burn down), equivalent to dē- de- + flagr(āre) to burn + -ātus -ate1

Related forms

deflagrable, adjective
deflagrability, noun
deflagration, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for deflagrate

Historical Examples

The case is the same when this Salt is alkalizated by deflagration.
Elements of the Theory and Practice of Chymistry, 5th ed.
Pierre Joseph Macquer

deflagration is the burning of a substance with explosive violence, generally due to excess of oxygen.
The Elements of Blowpipe Analysis
Frederick Hutton Getman

It seems to me that the deflagration, by the intense brilliancy of the substances in combustion, is produced in pure oxygen.
From the Earth to the Moon, Direct in Ninety-Seven Hours and Twenty Minutes: and a Trip Round It
Jules Verne

The story of the prints and their deflagration may be true, but it is very questionable if they were for royal use.
The History of Prostitution
William W. Sanger

The thin wires are stretched between the balls, and the lower one is in course of deflagration.
The Boy’s Playbook of Science
John Henry Pepper

Anagram

fatal greed
federal tag
after glade

Today’s quote

If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.

– Dalai Lama

On this day

17 November 1950 – 15 year-old, Tenzin Gyatso becomes the 14th Dalai Lama in Tibet, a position he holds to this day.

17 November 1973 – U.S. President Richard Nixon televises a speech in which he states, ‘I am not a crook’. This was in relation to allegations of his involvement in the Watergate Scandal, in which documents were stolen from the offices of the Democratic National Convention at the Watergate Hotel in Washington on 17 June 1972. Nixon was implicated in the break-in when recordings of conversations held in the Oval Office showed his involvement. Impeachment proceedings were commenced, however, Nixon resigned on 8 August 1974 and avoided being impeached, although he faced possible criminal proceedings. Vice-President Gerald Ford became President immediately following Nixon’s resignations, and on 8 September 1974, Ford pardoned Nixon of any wrong-doing.

16 November 2017

ramekin or ramequin

[ram-i-kin]

noun

1. a small dish in which food can be baked and served.
2. a small, separately cooked portion of a cheese preparation or other food mixture baked in a small dish without a lid.

Origin of ramekin
Middle Dutch, French

1700-1710; French ramequin < dialectal Dutch, Middle Dutch rammeken

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for ramekin

Historical Examples

Anything used in a scramble or an omelet may be placed in the bottom of the ramekin.
The Myrtle Reed Cook Book
Myrtle Reed

Sometimes Roquefort is added, as in the ramekin recipes below.
The Complete Book of Cheese
Robert Carlton Brown

A “left-over” which is otherwise hopeless may often be used advantageously in a ramekin with an egg.
The Myrtle Reed Cook Book
Myrtle Reed

Put a tablespoonful of the sauce into a ramekin, add a small peeled tomato, and cover with the sauce.
The Myrtle Reed Cook Book
Myrtle Reed

Put in ramekin and bake 20 or 30 minutes in slow oven until well browned.
Dietetics for Nurses
Fairfax T. Proudfit

Some ramekin dishes are made so exquisitely that they may be collected like snuff bottles.
The Complete Book of Cheese
Robert Carlton Brown

anagram

mean irk

Today’s quote

I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. ‘Tis the business of little minds to shrink, but they whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves their conduct, will pursue their principles unto death.

– Leonardo da Vinci

On this day

16 November – International day for tolerance. ‘On this International Day of Tolerance, I call on all people and governments to actively combat fear, hatred and extremism with dialogue, understanding and mutual respect. Let us advance against the forces of division and unite for our shared future‘, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon.

16 November 1793 – During the French Revolution, 90 Catholic priests who were opposed to the Republic, are executed by drowning at Nantes.

16 November 1938 – Swiss scientist, Dr Albert Hofmann, creates the synthetic drug, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), at the Sandoz Laboratories in Basel, Switzerland.

16 November 1945 – United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) is founded in order ‘to contribute to peace and security in the world by promoting collaboration among nations through education, science, culture and communication in order to further universal respect for justice and the rule of law and for the human rights and fundamental freedoms which are affirmed for the peoples of the world, without distinction of race, sex, language or religion’.

16 November 1988 – 35 year old, Benazir Bhutto elected as Prime Minister of Pakistan, becoming the first woman elected to lead a Muslim state. She was a member of the democratic-socialist Pakistan People’s Party (PPP).