September 2017 WOTDs
- agora
- ambivalence
- belay
- complicit
- corybantic
- coypu
- creel
- dearth
- dipsomania
- doggerel
- epicure
- esoteric
- fillip
- forswear
- gibbet
- gimcrack
- gravid
- impasto
- lacuna
- parabiosis
- peignoir
- reave
- remiss
- smarmy
- smout
- stramas
- triumvirate
- undine
- vaunt
- zonk
30 September 2017
smarmy
[smahr-mee]
adjective, smarmier, smarmiest.
1. excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc.:
the emcee with the smarmy welcome.
Origin of smarmy
1905-1910; smarm, variant of dial. smalm to smear, make slick (< ?) + -y1
Related forms
smarmily, adverb
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for smarmy
Contemporary Examples
Thomas Sadoski should be the frontrunner to play every smarmy privileged thirty-something from now on.
‘The Newsroom’ Ended As It Began: Weird, Controversial, and Noble
Kevin Fallon
December 14, 2014
King smarmy Bill, Queen Smug Chilary, and Princess Spolied Chlesea [sic].
The Strange Leak of the New Exposé ‘Clinton, Inc.’
Lloyd Grove
July 13, 2014
Brad is a smarmy, popular jerk, without whom Adam would have no credibility with the cool kids.
A New Huck on the Hardcore LGBT Hudson
William O’Connor
June 10, 2014
Anagram
my arms
Mrs May
29 September 2017
zonk
[zongk, zawngk] Slang.
verb (used without object), (often fol. by out)
1. to become unconscious from alcohol or narcotic drugs; pass out.
2. to fall soundly asleep or relax completely:
I’ve got to go home and zonk out.
verb (used with object)
3. to stupefy, as by alcohol or narcotic drugs.
4. to sedate or anesthetize:
If the pain gets too bad the doctors will zonk you.
5. to strike or defeat soundly; knock out; clobber.
Origin of zonk
1945-1950; of expressive orig.; -onk perhaps copies conk2
Dictionary.com
Word Origin and History for zonk Expand
v.
1950, “to hit hard;” 1968, “to put into a stupor;” slang term, of echoic origin.
zonk
v,v phr
To lose consciousness, esp from alcohol or narcotics; fall asleep; become stuporous : He suddenly zonked and went rigid (1968+)
To strike a stupefying blow; clobber: ”We’ve been zonked,” said Jim Robbins (1950+)
[fr zonked]
The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.
Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.
28 September 2017
dipsomania
[dip-suh-mey-nee-uh, -soh-]
noun
1. an irresistible, typically periodic craving for alcoholic drink.
Origin of dipsomania
Greek
1835-1845; < New Latin < Greek díps(a) thirst + -o- -o- + manía -mania
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for dipsomania
Historical Examples
It’s best not to be too intelligent about insanity and dipsomania and all the other hereditary details.
Dear Enemy
Jean Webster
Then I remembered our enthusiasm over the Palace of dipsomania.
The Belovd Vagabond
William J. Locke
It is, however, as an authority on dipsomania that he is best known.
The Quiver, 2/1900
Various
Anagram
amid pianos
a snap idiom
dip in Samoa
27 September 2017
impasto
[im-pas-toh, -pah-stoh]
noun, Painting.
1. the laying on of paint thickly.
2. the paint so laid on.
3. enamel or slip applied to a ceramic object to form a decoration in low relief.
Origin of impasto
1775-1785; < Italian, noun derivative of impastare to impaste
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for impasto
Contemporary Examples
His colors are darker, his impasto is thicker, and his brushstrokes are quick and imperfect.
Did Monet Invent Abstract Art?
Rachel Wolff
March 4, 2010
Historical Examples
His brush knew one stroke only—his impasto was laid on at once.
Franz Hals
Edgcumbe Staley
In a photograph you are not disturbed by colour, or by impasto.
Masques & Phases
Robert Ross
All is careful, clear and precise, and there are no passages of heavy colouring or impasto work.
William Blake
Irene Langridge
Anagram
aim post
atom sip
26 September 2017
parabiosis
[par-uh-bahy-oh-sis, -bee-]
noun, Biology.
1. experimental or natural union of two individuals with exchange of blood.
2. Physiology. the temporary loss of conductivity or excitability of a nerve cell.
Origin of parabiosis
1905-1910 First recorded in 1905-10; para-1+ -biosis
Related forms
parabiotic [par-uh-bahy-ot-ik, -bee-] (Show IPA), adjective
Dictionary.com
Anagram
a isobar sip
Sir Asia Bop
25 September 2017
gibbet
[jib-it]
noun
1. a gallows with a projecting arm at the top, from which the bodies of criminals were formerly hung in chains and left suspended after execution.
verb (used with object), gibbeted, gibbeting.
2. to hang on a gibbet.
3. to put to death by hanging on a gibbet.
4. to hold up to public scorn.
Origin of gibbet
Middle English Old French
1175-1225; Middle English < Old French gibet (earlier, staff or cudgel), diminutive of gibe staff, club
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for gibbet
Historical Examples
Long ago the cliff with its gibbet has been washed away by the sea.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews
The body of Peare was not permitted to remain long on the gibbet.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews
The gibbet remained for three years, and was then blown down in a gale.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews
The gibbet was standing until the year 1850, when it was blown down.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews
I avoided the gibbet which, however, should not have dishonored me as I should only have been hung.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
Fire and gibbet had been mercilessly employed to destroy it.
The Rise of the Hugenots, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Henry Martyn Baird
The gibbet and the fearful “estrapade” had not deterred them.
The Rise of the Hugenots, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Henry Martyn Baird
But once a gibbet stood on Wapping Wharf, and pirates were hanged upon it.
Wappin’ Wharf
Charles S. Brooks
Patch: Nothin ‘s been right since that ol’ lady hanged me ter a gibbet.
Wappin’ Wharf
Charles S. Brooks
Skull and Crossbones was too obvious, and my next choice was The gibbet.
Wappin’ Wharf
Charles S. Brooks
Anagram
bet big
24 September 2017
coypu
[koi-poo]
noun, plural coypus (especially collectively) coypu.
1. a large, South American, aquatic rodent, Myocastor (or Myopotamus) coypus, yielding the fur nutria.
Origin of coypu
Araucanian
1785-1795; American Spanish coipú; Araucanian coipu
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for coypu
Historical Examples
coypu are abundant in the fresh waters of South America, even small ponds being often tenanted by one or more pairs.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6
Various
Another animal that is at least in one respect allied to the ‘possum is the coypu.
The Gold Diggings of Cape Horn
John R. Spears
In habits and otherwise the coypu is much like the beaver, but is a smaller animal, and has a rounder tail.
The Land of Fire
Mayne Reid
Anagram
coy up
23 September 2017
corybantic
[kawr-uh-ban-tik, kor-]
adjective
1. frenzied; agitated; unrestrained.
2. (initial capital letter). Also, Corybantian [kawr-uh-ban-shuh n, kor-] (Show IPA), Corybantine [kawr-uh-ban-tin, -tahyn, kor-]. of or relating to a Corybant.
Origin of corybantic
1635-1645 First recorded in 1635-45; Corybant + -ic
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for corybantic
Historical Examples
He laid the corybantic young lady in question upon the table to substantiate his statement.
A Safety Match
Ian Hay
But the machinery—the hideously discordant human orchestra, the corybantic dancing!
Visionaries
James Huneker
Anagram
botanic cry
abort cynic
by narcotic
cry it bacon
try coca bin
22 September 2017
gimcrack
[jim-krak]
noun
1. a showy, useless trifle; gewgaw.
adjective
2. showy but useless.
Origin of gimcrack
Middle English Old French
1325-1375 for earlier sense; Middle English gib(e)crake; compare Middle English gibben to waver (< Old French giber to shake)
Synonyms
1. bauble, knickknack, trinket, ornament.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for gimcrack
Historical Examples
I will buy her the necklace she scolded me about at Lacy and gimcrack ‘s; it’s just the sum.
The International Magazine, Volume 2, No. 2, January, 1851
Various
A nice set you must be to give your gimcrack craft such a name as that!
Fitz the Filibuster
George Manville Fenn
The Gothic souls find fault with it, and say it is gimcrack and tawdry and cheap.
Aaron’s Rod
D. H. Lawrence
Anagram
mag crick
21 September 2017
agora(1)
[ag-er-uh]
noun, plural agorae [ag-uh-ree] (in ancient Greece)
1. a popular political assembly.
2. the place where such an assembly met, originally a marketplace or public square.
3. the Agora, the chief marketplace of Athens, center of the city’s civic life.
Origin of agora(1)
Greek
1590-1600; < Greek agorā́ marketplace, equivalent to agor- (variant stem of ageírein to gather together < a pre-Hellenic IE substratum language, equivalent to a(d)- ad- + *ǵher- grasp, cognate with Sanskrit har- seize, fetch) + -ā noun ending
agora(2)
[ah-gawr-uh, -gohr-uh; Sephardic Hebrew ah-gaw-rah]
noun, plural agorot [ah-gawr-oht, -gohr-; Sephardic Hebrew ah-gaw-rawt] (Show IPA)
1. an aluminum coin and monetary unit of Israel, the 100th part of a shekel: replaced the prutah as the fractional unit in 1960.
Also, agura.
Origin
From Hebrew
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for agora
Historical Examples
These shall be inscribed on a column in front of the court of the wardens of the agora.
Laws
Plato
The temples should be placed round the agora, and the city built in a circle on the heights.
Laws
Plato
The care of the agora will fall to the wardens of the agora.
Laws
Plato
20 September 2017
vaunt
[vawnt, vahnt]
verb (used with object)
1. to speak vaingloriously of; boast of:
to vaunt one’s achievements.
verb (used without object)
2. to speak boastfully; brag.
noun
3. a boastful action or utterance.
Origin of vaunt
Middle English Middle French Late Latin Latin
1350-1400; Middle English vaunten < Middle French vanter to boast < Late Latin vānitāre, frequentative of *vānāre, derivative of Latin vānus vain. See vanity
Related forms
vaunter, noun
vauntingly, adverb
outvaunt, verb (used with object)
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for vaunt
Historical Examples
He has answered me back, vaunt for vaunt, rhetoric for rhetoric.
The Napoleon of Notting Hill
Gilbert K. Chesterton
Thus did he vaunt, and the Argives were stung by his saying.
The Iliad
Homer
Thus did he vaunt, but darkness closed the eyes of the other.
The Iliad
Homer
19 September 2017
forswear
[fawr-swair]
verb (used with object), forswore, forsworn, forswearing.
1. to reject or renounce under oath:
to forswear an injurious habit.
2. to deny vehemently or under oath.
3. to perjure (oneself).
verb (used without object), forswore, forsworn, forswearing.
4. to swear falsely; commit perjury.
Origin of forswear
Middle English, Old English
900 before 900; Middle English forsweren, Old English forswerian. See for-, swear
Related forms
forswearer, noun
Synonyms
1. abjure, relinquish, forgo, forsake, abandon.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for forswear
Contemporary Examples
You do not forswear studying by electric light because Lincoln relied on his fireplace.
Randy Cohen’s Three Favorite Ethicist Columns
Randy Cohen
October 8, 2012
Historical Examples
The old girl must be protected from that sort of eye-opener, if I’ve to forswear my soul.
Romance
Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer
He would not forswear his fathers’ faith and did not understand what the priest said.
From Pole to Pole
Sven Anders Hedin
“Then I forswear all rash promises for the future,” he declared.
That Girl Montana
Marah Ellis Ryan
All the world seemed bent on compelling her to forswear herself.
The Madigans
Miriam Michelson
What is the secret of thy ring that a man must forswear love for it?
Operas Every Child Should Know
Mary Schell Hoke Bacon
The Tunker says that I must forswear myself to become a Christian.
In The Boyhood of Lincoln
Hezekiah Butterworth
But what right had he to defend from gallantry the woman he was about to forswear before the world?
Excuse Me!
Rupert Hughes
If you would belong to me, forswear all of which this is the emblem.
The Pastor’s Fire-side Vol. 4 (of 4)
Jane Porter
I abhor myself, and from this hour, I forswear all woman-kind for your sake.
Self-control
Mary Brunton
Anagram
fear rows
safer row
few roars
18 September 2017
fillip
[fil-uh p]
verb (used with object)
1. to strike with the nail of a finger snapped from the end of the thumb.
2. to tap or strike smartly.
3. to drive by or as by a fillip:
Anticipation filliped his passion.
verb (used without object)
4. to make a fillip with the fingers.
noun
5. an act or instance of filliping; a smart tap or stroke.
6. anything that tends to rouse, excite, or revive; a stimulus:
Praise is an excellent fillip for waning ambition.
Origin of fillip
late Middle English
1425-1475; late Middle English philippe to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger; expressive word of uncertain orig; cf. flip1
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for fillip
Historical Examples
And doubtless some break in the monotony gives a fillip of pleasure.
Hiero
Xenophon
It was just a fillip to my enjoyment, as I looked on and off my page alternately.
Daisy
Elizabeth Wetherell
He has given a fillip to existence, loath as I am to acknowledge it.
The Prairie Mother
Arthur Stringer
Corrupting a Legislature is not something a man may do with a fillip of his finger and thumb.
Frenzied Finance
Thomas W. Lawson
She knew that it wanted but this fillip to carry her through.
The Merry-Go-Round
Carl Van Vechten
Eat, drink, play; all other human joys are not worth a fillip.’
The Works of Lord Byron
Lord Byron
And the baron with a fillip of the finger made this toy whirl round.
Original Short Stories, Volume 10 (of 13)
Guy de Maupassant
The common parent was given a fillip of a contemptuous thumb and finger.
A Man of Two Countries
Alice Harriman
Vaucorbeil watched him, then, with a fillip, knocked off his cap.
Bouvard and Pcuchet
Gustave Flaubert
A fillip to the wheel of her fate was given as she and Ellis went up the hill.
The Barrier
Allen French
Anagram
if pill
fill pi
17 September 2017
esoteric
[es-uh-ter-ik]
adjective
1. understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite:
poetry full of esoteric allusions.
2. belonging to the select few.
3. private; secret; confidential.
4. (of a philosophical doctrine or the like) intended to be revealed only to the initiates of a group:
the esoteric doctrines of Pythagoras.
Origin of esoteric
Greek
1645-1655; < Greek esōterikós inner, equivalent to esṓter(os) inner + -ikos -ic
Related forms
esoterically, adverb
nonesoteric, adjective
nonesoterically, adverb
unesoteric, adjective
Can be confused
esoteric, exoteric.
Synonyms
1. abstruse, arcane, cryptic, enigmatic.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for esoteric
Contemporary Examples
There is a pill in Tibetan Buddhism that contains a lot of esoteric ingredients, some of which are bodily substances.
How to Think With Your Gut
Mindy Farabee
April 8, 2013
He noted that some esoteric historians call them “Palestinians.”
Moshe Feiglin Is Now Mainstream
Gabriel Fisher
December 6, 2012
Suddenly you can hold forth about leading and kerning and other esoteric aspects of typesetting.
Instagram App Deepens Class Warfare Between Apple and Android Smartphones
Dan Lyons
April 5, 2012
In the old days it was not uncommon for the admissions officer to pose some esoteric —make that wacko—question.
Do College Interviews Count?
Steve Cohen, Mike Muska
October 5, 2011
Dig deeper into exotic and esoteric areas of interest for direction in creative pursuits, especially.
Zodiac Beast
Starsky + Cox
April 8, 2011
Historical Examples
He was again conscious of that esoteric disturbance in his temples.
The Black Bag
Louis Joseph Vance
The design of this cave-like aperture should betray its esoteric meaning.
Sex=The Unknown Quantity
Ali Nomad
There might be an esoteric book for the individual’s own account of himself.
The Task of Social Hygiene
Havelock Ellis
A key to some great and deep occult teachings, and esoteric mysteries.
The Human Aura
Swami Panchadasi
Instruct him in the meaning of the Vedas,Reveal to him their esoteric sense.V.
The Buddha
Paul Carus
Anagram
so recite
cite rose
eco tiers
core site
16 September 2017
lacuna
[luh-kyoo-nuh]
noun, plural lacunae [luh-kyoo-nee], lacunas.
1. a gap or missing part, as in a manuscript, series, or logical argument; hiatus.
2. Anatomy. one of the numerous minute cavities in the substance of bone, supposed to contain nucleate cells.
3. Botany. an air space in the cellular tissue of plants.
Origin of lacuna
Latin
1655-1665; Latin lacūna ditch, pit, hole, gap, deficiency, akin to lacus vat, lake1. Cf. lagoon
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for lacuna
Contemporary Examples
The critique extends into nearly every little crevice and lacuna of our civic life.
Who Are the Judicial Activists Now?
Michael Tomasky
October 6, 2014
Historical Examples
The record of the first appears likely to be lost in the lacuna of 934 AH.
The Bbur-nma in English
Babur, Emperor of Hindustan
This essay is an attempt to fill in a small part of the lacuna.
Studies in the History and Method of Science
Various
15 September 2017
epicure
[ep-i-kyoo r]
noun
1. a person who cultivates a refined taste, especially in food and wine; connoisseur.
2. Archaic. a person dedicated to sensual enjoyment.
Origin of epicure
Middle English, Latin
1350-1400 for earlier sense; 1555-65 for def 2; Middle English Epicures, Epicureis Epicureans (plural) < Latin Epicūrēus (singular) (see epicurean )
Synonyms
1. gastronome, gourmet, epicurean. 2. voluptuary, sensualist, gourmand.
Antonyms
1. ascetic.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for epicure
Historical Examples
It was introduced into England as an epicure ‘s dish in the seventeenth century.
De Libris: Prose and Verse
Austin Dobson
Kingozi’s methods of eating had in them little of the epicure.
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White
Across the top of its door were painted in gold letters, the words: “The epicure.”
The Einstein See-Saw
Miles John Breuer
I was always an epicure in the matter of love, and knew the best when I found it.
The Golden Fountain
Lilian Staveley
These are quite an epicure ‘s dish, and care must be taken to cook them slowly.
Nelson’s Home Comforts
Mary Hooper
Certainly, he mused to himself, his brother was an epicure in love.
The Mask
Arthur Hornblow
Your book, “The epicure of Medicine,” is worth its weight in gold.
Food for the Traveler
Dora Cathrine Cristine Liebel Roper
We are told by Chaucer that he was a great householder and an epicure.
The Canterbury Puzzles
Henry Ernest Dudeney
The oyster is now a dish for the epicure and the lobster for the millionaire.
The Old Coast Road
Agnes Rothery
He spoke in French, fluent and exact, and his manner was entirely that of the epicure.
Hushed Up
William Le Queux
Anagram
14 September 2017
undine
[uhn-deen, uhn-deen]
noun
1. any of a group of female water spirits described by Paracelsus.
Origin of undine
New Latin undīna (1658; coined by Paracelsus), equivalent to Latin und(a) wave, water + -īna -ine1
Synonyms
See sylph.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for undine
Historical Examples
“She’s like undine after she had found her soul,” said the Englishman.
The Eternal City
Hall Caine
You remind me just now of pictures I have seen of undine and the woodland nymphs.
Pretty Madcap Dorothy
Laura Jean Libbey
Urquhart called her undine, and she was mostly known as the Mermaid.
Love and Lucy
Maurice Henry Hewlett
I will sell it, fair undine, and you shall have the proceeds.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt
Then there is undine, but she only appears on the operatic stage, and that but rarely.
From a Terrace in Prague
Lieut.-Col. B. Granville Baker
I didn’t make much success of waking my undine ‘s soul to life!
The Making of a Soul
Kathlyn Rhodes
Anagram
in dune
13 September 2017
triumvirate
[trahy-uhm-ver-it, -vuh-reyt]
noun
1. Roman History. the office or magistracy of a triumvir.
2. a government of three officers or magistrates functioning jointly.
3. a coalition of three magistrates or rulers for joint administration.
4. any association of three in office or authority.
5. any group or set of three.
Origin of triumvirate
Latin
1575-1585 From the Latin word triumvirātus, dating back to 1575-85. See triumvir, -ate3
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for triumvirate
Contemporary Examples
Successful politicians seek to marry a triumvirate of charisma, certitude, and leadership.
The Ugly Truth About Ugly Politicians
Tim Teeman
July 25, 2014
Beyond this triumvirate I struggle to recall something or someone truly remarkable.
Gal With a Suitcase
Jolie Hunt
July 16, 2010
Historical Examples
They, with Gallatin, formed the triumvirate which ruled the country for sixteen years.
Albert Gallatin
John Austin Stevens
To him there was no triumvirate: the word had never been mentioned to his ears.
The Life of Cicero
Anthony Trollope
The Third triumvirate went down to breakfast with small appetite.
The Varmint
Owen Johnson
The alliance of these three men is called the First triumvirate.
A Treasury of Heroes and Heroines
Clayton Edwards
Meanwhile what were Cæsar’s partners in the triumvirate doing?
Historic Tales, Volume 11 (of 15)
Charles Morris
When the triumvirate went down, their ways at first lay separate.
Rowlandson’s Oxford
A. Hamilton Gibbs
A triumvirate of Paredes, Tornel and Valencia was much talked of.
The War With Mexico, Volume I (of 2)
Justin H. Smith
This ministry has therefore been sometimes called The triumvirate.
A History of England, Period III.
Rev. J. Franck Bright
Anagram
mutt I arrive
ram virtue it
12 September 2017
doggerel
[daw-ger-uh l, dog-er-]
adjective
1. comic or burlesque, and usually loose or irregular in measure.
rude; crude; poor.
noun
2. doggerel verse.
Also, doggrel [daw-gruh l, dog-ruh l].
Origin of doggerel
Middle English
1350-1400; Middle English; see dog, -rel; cf. dog Latin
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for doggerel
Historical Examples
Because you recited that doggerel about The Run of Crusader.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser
Ramsey shook his head and tried to force the thoughts from his mind with doggerel.
Equation of Doom
Gerald Vance
This supposition has found strength and sanction in doggerel verse.
Welsh Folk-Lore
Elias Owen
By now, Presley could not tell whether what he had written was true poetry or doggerel.
The Octopus
Frank Norris
My lady was pleased to laugh at the doggerel, and even Mrs. Manners.
Richard Carvel, Complete
Winston Churchill
One of them had written a bit of doggerel on a sheet of paper and tacked it to a tree.
The Putnam Hall Champions
Arthur M. Winfield
It is only doggerel but it helps to keep the idea before our people.
The New Glutton or Epicure
Horace Fletcher
It was doggerel, bad enough to satisfy every aspiration of an antiquary.
The Wizard’s Son, Vol. 1(of 3)
Margaret Oliphant
I occupied myself, as I often do, in composing a bit of doggerel to the rhythm of the wheels.
Walking Shadows
Alfred Noyes
This was at once removed by the saying aloud of some charm in doggerel verse.
Lancashire Folk-lore
John Harland
Anagram
go ledger
gored leg
older egg
11 September 2017
belay
[bih-ley]
verb (used with object), belayed, belaying.
1. Nautical. to fasten (a rope) by winding around a pin or short rod inserted in a holder so that both ends of the rod are clear.
2. Mountain Climbing.
to secure (a person) by attaching to one end of a rope.
to secure (a rope) by attaching to a person or to an object offering stable support.
3. to cease (an action); stop.
to ignore (an announcement, order, etc.):
Belay that, the meeting will be at 0900 instead of 0800.
verb (used without object), belayed, belaying.
4. to belay a rope:
Belay on that cleat over there.
noun
5. Mountain Climbing. a rock, bush, or other object sturdy enough for a running rope to be passed around it to secure a hold.
Origin of belay
Middle English, Old English
900 before 900; Middle English beleggen, Old English belecgan. See be-, lay1
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for belay
Historical Examples
The order was given to belay the head braces, and we waited the result in silence.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper
By the time a voice on board her cried, ” belay,” faintly, she had gone from my sight.
Romance
Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer
Well there with the throat-halliards; well with the peak; belay !
The Pirate Slaver
Harry Collingwood
“ belay that sea-lawyering, Marline,” interposed Captain Miles.
The White Squall
John Conroy Hutcheson
“ belay that,” said Captain Miles, rousing up now and rubbing his eyes.
The White Squall
John Conroy Hutcheson
There now, old man, just belay all that, and let me finish my snooze.
Salt Water
W. H. G. Kingston
“After that round turn, you may belay,” cried young Tom, laughing.
Jacob Faithful
Captain Frederick Marryat
None of the four that remained could do more than haul aft and belay a sheet.
The Celebrity, Complete
Winston Churchill
He did not belay the tired animal with a whip and curse and swear at him in his helplessness.
My Wonderful Visit
Charlie Chaplin
All he has to do when on a wind is to take and harden in all he can, and belay.
Yachting Vol. 1
Various.
Anagram
by ale
10 September 2017
dearth
[durth]
noun
1. an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack:
There is a dearth of good engineers.
2. scarcity and dearness of food; famine.
Origin of dearth
Middle English
1200-1250 First recorded in 1200-50, dearth is from the Middle English word derthe. See dear1, -th1
Can be confused
dearth, plethora.
dearth, death.
Synonyms
1. shortage, want, paucity, insufficiency.
Antonyms
1. abundance, plenty, sufficiency; surplus.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for dearth
Contemporary Examples
The Pentagon security reviewers must have been suffering a dearth of caffeine or sleep.
‘They Don’t Call It SEAL Team 6-Year-Old for Nothing’: Commandos Clash Over Tell-All Book
Kimberly Dozier
November 2, 2014
The FDA is hoping to remedy the dearth of knowledge with a plea aimed at influential drugmakers.
Why Male Breast Cancer Is Back in the Limelight
Kevin Zawacki
July 15, 2014
And the dearth of top Democratic visitors could have a real impact on down-ballot Democrats.
Iowa Has a Phantom Democratic Presidential Candidates Problem
Ben Jacobs
July 7, 2014
Anagram
hatred
thread
9 September 2017
peignoir
[peyn-wahr, pen-, peyn-wahr, pen-]
noun
1. a woman’s dressing gown.
2. a cloak or gown of terry cloth for wear after swimming or, especially in France, after the bath.
Origin of peignoir
1825-1835; < French: literally, comber, i.e., something worn while one’s hair is being combed, equivalent to peign(er) to comb (<
Late Latin pectināre; see pecten) + -oir < Latin -ōrium -ory1
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for peignoir
Historical Examples
So I had to put on her peignoir, and tidy her up, and arrange her hair just as I have done.
A Comedy of Marriage and Other Tales
Guy De Maupassant
Her peignoir of beige, embroidered with red silk, was evidently of Parisian manufacture.
The Downfall
Emile Zola
Besides, the peignoir weighs nothing; a feather, a puff of vapour.
Rita
Laura E. Richards
Yes, but you will not care to go to the dining-room in your peignoir?
The Son of Monte Christo
Jules Lermina
Ma’ame Plagie had been sitting beside the bed in her peignoir and slippers.
Bayou Folk
Kate Chopin
Anagram
ignore pi
pi region
rip in ego
8 September 2017
remiss
[ri-mis]
adjective
1. negligent, careless, or slow in performing one’s duty, business, etc.:
He’s terribly remiss in his work.
2. characterized by negligence or carelessness.
3. lacking force or energy; languid; sluggish.
Origin of remiss
late Middle English Latin
1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin remissus (past participle of remittere to send back, slacken, relax); see remit
Related forms
remissly, adverb
remissness, noun
overremiss, adjective
overremissly, adverb
overremissness, noun
Synonyms
1, 2. derelict, thoughtless, lax, slack, neglectful. 3. dilatory, slothful, slow.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for remiss
Contemporary Examples
But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what gives me hope from this case.
For Ricky Jackson, a Just Verdict—But 39 Years Too Late
Cliff Schecter
November 25, 2014
I would be remiss not to mention David Wenham, who played Al.
Elisabeth Moss Reveals Four Tough Challenges in Making ‘Top of the Lake’
August 26, 2013
And I’d be remiss not to direct you a display of animal behavior in action.
Meet Germany’s Wolf Man
Justin Green
January 28, 2013
And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated.
Obama’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
Barack Obama
December 9, 2009
Historical Examples
If you will pardon the offense, I will promise not to be so remiss in the future.
Jolly Sally Pendleton
Laura Jean Libbey
Giusippe and I have been both rude and remiss, haven’t we, Giusippe?
The Story of Glass
Sara Ware Bassett
I was thunderstruck, and tried to think if I had been remiss in anything.
Behind the Scenes
Elizabeth Keckley
Anagram
misers
7 September 2017
complicit
[kuh m-plis-it]
adjective
1. choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others; having complicity.
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for complicit
Contemporary Examples
After all, doing so would make them complicit in irrationality, which is against their religion.
In Florida, ’Tis The Season for Satan
Jay Michaelson
December 7, 2014
At the age of sixteen these bad guys chase you, often under the amused and complicit watch of policemen.
Living Black & Gay in the ’50s
Alain Mabanckou
December 3, 2014
Even the five who the Nazis turned on, however, were complicit with the regime in some fashion.
Top Nazis And Their Complicated Relationship With Artists
William O’Connor
November 30, 2014
But my silence was not only wrong; I am complicit on some level in nurturing the “rape culture” that we see today in our country.
What Trait Do Bill Cosby’s Defenders Share?
Dean Obeidallah
November 26, 2014
But through all of those years, I was complicit in pushing the myth.
I Pushed the Lance Armstrong Lie: An Open Letter to Greg LeMond
Mark McKinnon
July 31, 2014
But viewers know the rules of these shows, how they are crafted and stories manipulated, and are complicit with the manipulation.
‘The Real Housewives of New York City’ Loses a Leg in Sixth-Season Finale
Tim Teeman
July 23, 2014
Pretty much every single participant was complicit in the effort to put on a show.
The Scopes Monkey Trial 2.0: It’s Not About the Stupid Science-Deniers
Michael Schulson
July 21, 2014
They interrogate members of this strange community and discover that many of them might be complicit in a dark conspiracy.
‘True Detective,’ Obsessive-Compulsive Noir, and ‘Twin Peaks’
Jimmy So
March 14, 2014
Begg later sued the government for damages claiming Britain had been complicit in mistreating him during his detention.
Former Guantanamo Detainee Moazzam Begg Arrested Following Compensation Payout
The Telegraph
February 26, 2014
Historical Examples
The United States could have accepted the permanent division of Europe, and been complicit in the oppression of others.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006
Various
6 September 2017
creel
[kreel]
noun
1. a wickerwork basket worn on the back or suspended from the shoulder, used especially by anglers for carrying fish.
2. a basket made of wicker or other material, for holding fish, lobsters, etc.
3. a trap for fish, lobsters, etc., especially one made of wicker.
4. a framework, especially one for holding bobbins in a spinning machine.
Origin of creel
Middle English
1275-1325; Middle English crele, of uncertain origin
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for creel
Historical Examples
He gathers up the straps of Dick’s creel, and turns to the shadow for your own.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White
The spools from the spooler are placed on a large frame, called a creel.
The Fabric of Civilization
Anonymous
He had been drawing on his waders and buckling on his creel.
The Highgrader
William MacLeod Raine
“Let us try again,” said Civil, as he set his creel of mackerel in the boat.
Granny’s Wonderful Chair
Frances Browne
“Granny will have her creel full to sell to-morrow,” he thought.
Michael Penguyne
William H. G. Kingston
You had better let me take your creel, Nelly; it will be nothing to me.
Michael Penguyne
William H. G. Kingston
I wanted you to take off that creel and have a turn with me.
Michael Penguyne
William H. G. Kingston
Didn’t I desire you to fill the creel to the top, and above it?’
The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain
William Carleton
It would be putting adders in the creel wi the eggs if ye did na.
The Entail
John Galt
I had no net, no creel, therefore had to lead my trout into my hand.
Fishing With The Fly
Charles F. Orvis and Others
5 September 2017
gravid
[grav-id]
adjective
1. pregnant1(def 1).
Origin of gravid
Latin
1590-1600; Latin gravidus, equivalent to grav(is) burdened, loaded + -idus -id4
Related forms
gravidity [gruh-vid-i-tee], gravidness, noun
gravidly, adverb
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for gravid
Historical Examples
To my thinking, at any rate, they make a gravid mistake who look for “realism” in these things.
Holbein
Beatrice Fortescue
Most of the females were gravid and the males were in breeding condition.
Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk Counties, Kansas
Artie L. Metcalf
The woman was gravid at the time, and the soldier-like joke made her blush.
Comrade Kropotkin
Victor Robinson
This may be done either by collecting the ova deposited by the fish in the spawning beds or from the gravid females.
Amateur Fish Culture
Charles Edward Walker
Its shape was that of a gravid goldfish, with a smaller sphere hanging beneath it.
Creatures of the Abyss
Murray Leinster
4 September 2017
ambivalence
[am-biv-uh-luh ns]
noun
1. uncertainty or fluctuation, especially when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.
2. Psychology. the coexistence within an individual of positive and negative feelings toward the same person, object, or action, simultaneously drawing him or her in opposite directions.
Also, ambivalency.
Origin of ambivalence
1910-1915 First recorded in 1910-15; ambi- + valence
Related forms
ambivalent, adjective
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for ambivalence
Contemporary Examples
The ambivalence is reflected in U.S. policy, which often has served to complicate aid delivery in conflict zones.
Why Humanitarians Talk to ISIS
Joshua Hersh
October 23, 2014
A strong note of ambivalence is also present in the conflict over love and duty between Gromov and his wife.
Fake Snowden Is Russia’s Newest TV Star
Cathy Young
October 11, 2014
The administration appears united behind Obama, but with an undercurrent of ambivalence that the president no doubt shares.
How the Obama Administration Reversed Course on Syria Strikes
Eleanor Clift, Josh Rogin
August 28, 2013
In content, they deal in lost loves, lost opportunities, and the ambivalence inspired by a difficult childhood.
This Week’s Hot Reads: June 17, 2013
Sarah Stodola, Jen Vafidis
June 16, 2013
After 10 years of marriage, our ambivalence towards kids has been consistent.
Why I Choose to Be Child-Free: Readers Share Their Stories
Harry Siegel
February 26, 2013
Or at least an ambivalence toward reading the Megilla—an invitation to drink in itself.
Purim Perils: His View Is His Own
Rabbi Daniel Landes
February 17, 2013
The thoughtful man said he was surprised at how the top security officials expressed their own ambivalence and regrets.
‘The Gatekeepers,’ Brooklyn College BDS Forum: Week of Israel Debate
Gail Sheehy
February 7, 2013
Historical Examples
But now also the psychological fatality of ambivalence demands its rights.
Totem and Taboo
Sigmund Freud
With the decline of this ambivalence the taboo, as the compromise symptom of the ambivalent conflict, also slowly disappeared.
Totem and Taboo
Sigmund Freud
Anagram
manacle vibe
becalm naive
bail cavemen
3 September 2017
reave(1)
[reev]
verb (used with object), reaved or reft, reaving. Archaic.
1. to take away by or as by force; plunder; rob.
Origin of reave(1)
Middle English Old English
900 before 900; Middle English reven, Old English rēafian; cognate with German rauben, Dutch roven to rob
reave(2)
[reev]
verb (used with or without object), reaved or reft, reaving.
1. Archaic. to rend; break; tear.
Origin
1175-1225; Middle English; apparently special use of reave(1)(by association with rive )
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for reave
Historical Examples
I am doing what I can to reave the heavens of these monsters.
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 7 (of 12)
Robert G. Ingersoll
But they try to reave from God, His part, who would be praised of men for good deeds.
The Form of Perfect Living and Other Prose Treatises
Richard Rolle of Hampole
Not forty Van Hupfeldts nor a legion of ghosts should reave him of those telling pieces of evidence!
The Late Tenant
Louis Tracy
Anagram
a ever
2 September 2017
stramash
[struh-mash, stram-uh sh]
noun, Scot.
1. an uproar; disturbance.
Origin of stramash
1795-1805 First recorded in 1795-1805; origin uncertain
Dictionary.com
Examples from the Web for stramash
Historical Examples
Men hae been married afore now without making sic a stramash.
Tommy and Grizel
J.M. Barrie
British Dictionary definitions for stramash
stramash
/strəˈmæʃ/
noun
1. an uproar; tumult; brawl
verb (transitive)
2. to destroy; smash
Word Origin
C18: perhaps expanded from smash
Collins English Dictionary
Anagram
ah smarts
harm tsars
art shams
1 September 2017
smout
/smaʊt/
noun (Scot)
1. a child or undersized person
Collins English Dictionary
smout, smowt, n. (slang) a printer who gets chance jobs in various offices.
Chambers’s Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)
Anagram
to sum