December 2013

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31 December 2013

ionic (1)

[ahy-on-ik]

adjective

1. of or pertaining to ions.
2. pertaining to or occurring in the form of ions.

ionic (2)

[ahy-on-ik]

adjective

1. Architecture . noting or pertaining to one of the five classical orders that in ancient Greece consisted of a fluted column with a molded base and a capital composed of four volutes, usually parallel to the architrave with a pulvinus connecting a pair on each side of the column, and an entablature typically consisting of an architrave of three fascias, a richly ornamented frieze, and a cornice corbeled out on egg-and-dart and dentil moldings, with the frieze sometimes omitted. Roman and Renaissance examples are often more elaborate, and usually set the volutes of the capitals at 45° to the architrave. Compare composite ( def 3 ) , Corinthian ( def 2 ) , Doric ( def 3 ) , Tuscan ( def 2 ) . See illus. under order, volute.
2. Prosody . noting or employing a foot consisting either of two long followed by two short syllables (greater Ionic) or of two short followed by two long syllables (lesser Ionic)
3. noting or pertaining to that variety of the eastern branch of the early greek alphabet that was used for the writing of the Ionic dialect and that became the variety used for all dialects of Greek from the 4th century b.c. to the present.
4. of or pertaining to Ionia or the Ionians.
noun
5. Prosody . an Ionic foot, verse, or meter.
6. the dialect of ancient Greek spoken in Euboea, the Cyclades, and on the mainland of Asia Minor at Miletus and elsewhere.
7. Trademark. a style of printing type.

Origin:
1555–65; < Latin Iōnicus < Greek Iōnikós of Ionia; see -ic

Related forms
non-I·on·ic, adjective, noun

anagram

i icon

30 December 2013

insouciant

[in-soo-see-uhnt; French an-soo-syahn]

adjective

– free from concern, worry, or anxiety; carefree; nonchalant.

Origin:
1820–30; < French, equivalent to in- in-3 + souciant present participle of soucier to worry < Vulgar Latin *sollicītāre, for Latin sollicitāre to disturb; see solicitous

Related forms
in·sou·ci·ant·ly, adverb

Synonyms
lighthearted, debonair, jaunty, breezy.

Anagram

inaction us
casino unit

29 December 2013

rapprochement

[rap-rohsh-mahn; French ra-prawsh-mahn]

noun

– an establishment or reestablishment of harmonious relations: a rapprochement reached between warring factions.

Origin:
1800–10; < French, equivalent to rapproche ( r ) to bring near, bring together ( r ( e )- re- + approcher; see approach) + -ment -ment

Synonyms
reconciliation, understanding, accommodation.

Anagram

rematch prep on
cane her prompt

28 December 2013

besot

[bih-sot]

verb (used with object), be·sot·ted, be·sot·ting.

1. to intoxicate or stupefy with drink.
2. to make stupid or foolish: The stories had besotted her mind with fear and superstition.
3. to infatuate; obsess: Youth and beauty have a tendency to besot middle-aged men; charm and tenderness does it for women of all ages.

Origin:
1575–85; be + sot

Related forms
be·sot·ting·ly, adverb

Anagram

bet so

27 December 2013

facetious

[fuh-see-shuhs]

adjective

1. not meant to be taken seriously or literally: a facetious remark.
2. amusing; humorous.
3. lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous: a facetious person.

Origin:

1585–95; facete + -ious; see facetiae

Related forms
fa·ce·tious·ly, adverb
fa·ce·tious·ness, noun
non·fa·ce·tious, adjective
non·fa·ce·tious·ly, adverb
non·fa·ce·tious·ness, noun

Can be confused: facetious, factious, factitious, fictional, fictitious.

Synonyms
2. humorous

Anagram

cause of it

26 December 2013

poke

[pohk]

verb (used with object), poked, pok·ing.

1. to prod or push, especially with something narrow or pointed, as a finger, elbow, stick, etc.: to poke someone in the ribs.
2. to make (a hole, one’s way, etc.) by or as by prodding or pushing.
3. to thrust or push: She poked her head out of the window.
4. to force, drive, or stir by or as by pushing or thrusting: He poked the fire up.
5. to thrust obtrusively: The prosecutor kept poking his finger at the defendant.

verb (used without object), poked, pok·ing.

6. to make a pushing or thrusting movement with the finger, a stick, etc.
7. to extend or project (often followed by out ): His handkerchief is poking out of his back pocket.
8. to thrust oneself obtrusively: to poke into something that is not one’s affair.
9. to search curiously; pry (often followed by around or about ).
10. to go or proceed in a slow or aimless way (often followed by along ).

noun

11. a thrust or push.
12. Informal. a slow or dawdling person; slowpoke.
13. a bag or sack (from early 13th century).

Idioms

14. poke fun at, to ridicule or mock, especially covertly or slyly: In her novel, she pokes fun at her ex-husband.
15. poke one’s nose into, Informal. to meddle in; pry into: We felt as if half the people in town were poking their noses into our lives.
16. pig in a poke. Referring to something that conceals the true value of the thing being purchased (usually lesser value than expected, e.g. ‘The used-car salesman was selling a pig in a poke’). A confidence trick. Originated in the Middle Ages when meat was scarce. Buyers would buy a suckling pig, which was often in a bag (poke). The poke would sometimes contain a dog or cat (which were not scarce and not considered a valued source of meat). This idiom is also linked to ‘let the cat out of the bag’, referring to letting someone in on a secret, in this case, letting them know the bag contained a worthless cat instead of a valuable pig.

Origin:

1300–50; Middle English < Middle Dutch, Middle Low German poken to thrust. See poach

Related forms
pok·a·ble, adjective

25 December 2013

Noel

[noh-el for 1, 2; noh-uhl, nohl for 3]

noun

1. the Christmas season; yuletide.
2. ( lowercase ) a Christmas song or carol, which references the ‘first birthday’ or birthday of Jesus which is celebrated at Christmas (Noel being French for birthday, which is derived from the Latin, ‘dies natalis’ meaning ‘birthday’).
3. a male given name.
Origin:
1805–15; < French ≪ Latin nātālis ( diēs ) birthday; see natal

Anagram

lone

24 December 2013

brusque

[bruhsk; especially British broosk]

adjective

– abrupt in manner; blunt; rough: A brusque welcome greeted his unexpected return.

Also, brusk.

Origin:
1595–1605; < Middle French < Italian brusco rough, tart, special use of brusco (noun) butcher’s broom < Late Latin brūscum, for Latin rūscus, rūscum, perhaps conflated with Vulgar Latin *brūcus heather (see brier2 )

Related forms
brusque·ly, adverb
brusque·ness, noun

Synonyms
unceremonious, short, curt. See blunt.

Anagram

rubs que

23 December 2013

fustian

[fuhs-chuhn]

noun

1. a stout fabric of cotton and flax.
2. a fabric of stout twilled cotton or of cotton and low-quality wool, with a short nap or pile.
3. inflated or turgid language in writing or speaking: Fustian can’t disguise the author’s meager plot.
adjective
4. made of fustian: a fustian coat; fustian bed linen.
5. pompous or bombastic, as language: fustian melodrama.
6. worthless; cheap: fustian knaves and dupes.

Anagram

as unfit

22 December 2013

solstice

[sol-stis, sohl-]

noun

1. Astronomy
a. either of the two times a year when the sun is at its greatest distance from the celestial equator: about June 21, when the sun reaches its northernmost point on the celestial sphere, or about December 22, when it reaches its southernmost point. Compare summer solstice, winter solstice.
b. either of the two points in the ecliptic farthest from the equator.
2. a furthest or culminating point; a turning point.

Origin:
1200–50; < Middle English < Old French < Latin sōlstitium, equivalent to sōl sun + -stit-, combining form of stat-, variant stem of sistere to make stand (see stand) + -ium -ium; see -ice)

Anagram

ice slots

21 December 2013

trepan (1)

[trih-pan]

noun

1. a tool for cutting shallow holes by removing a core.
2. Surgery . an obsolete form of the trephine resembling a carpenter’s bit and brace.
verb (used with object), tre·panned, tre·pan·ning.
3. Machinery . to cut circular disks from (plate stock) using a rotating cutter.
4. Surgery . to operate upon with a trepan; trephine.

Origin:
1350–1400; (noun) Middle English trepane < Middle French trepan crown saw < Medieval Latin trepanum < Greek trȳ́panon borer, akin to trŷpa hole, trȳpân to bore; (v) late Middle English trepanen, derivative of the noun

Related forms
trep·a·na·tion [trep-uh-ney-shuhn], noun
tre·pan·ner, noun

trepan (2)

[trih-pan], Archaic.

noun

1. a person who ensnares or entraps others.
2. a stratagem; a trap.
verb (used with object), tre·panned, tre·pan·ning.
3. to ensnare or entrap.
4. to entice.
5. to cheat or swindle.
Also, trapan.

Origin:
1635–45; earlier trapan, equivalent to trap1 + -an < ?

Related forms
trep·a·na·tion [trep-uh-ney-shuhn], noun
tre·pan·ner, noun

Anagram

entrap
parent

20 December 2013

excoriate

[ik-skawr-ee-eyt, -skohr-]

verb (used with object), ex·co·ri·at·ed, ex·co·ri·at·ing.
1. to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally: He was excoriated for his mistakes.
2. to strip off or remove the skin from: Her palms were excoriated by the hard labor of shoveling.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Late Latin excoriātus (past participle of excoriāre to strip, skin).

Related forms
un·ex·co·ri·at·ed, adjective

Anagram

are exotic

19 December 2013

discordant

[dis-kawr-dnt]

adjective

1. being at variance; disagreeing; incongruous: discordant opinions.
2. disagreeable to the ear; dissonant; harsh.
3. Geology . (of strata) structurally unconformable.

Origin:
1250–1300; Middle English discordaunt < Anglo-French < Latin discordant- (stem of discordāns ), present participle of discordāre. See discord, -ant

Related forms
dis·cord·ant·ly, adverb
non·dis·cord·ant, adjective
un·dis·cord·ant, adjective
un·dis·cord·ant·ly, adverb

Anagram

rancid dots

18 December 2013

mollify

[mol-uh-fahy]

verb (used with object), mol·li·fied, mol·li·fy·ing.

1. to soften in feeling or temper, as a person; pacify; appease.
2. to mitigate or reduce; soften: to mollify one’s demands.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Middle French mollifier < Late Latin mollificāre, equivalent to Latin molli ( s ) soft + -ficāre -fy

Related forms
mol·li·fi·ca·tion, noun
mol·li·fi·er, noun
mol·li·fy·ing·ly, adverb
mol·li·fi·a·ble, adjective
re·mol·li·fy, verb (used with object), re·mol·li·fied, re·mol·li·fy·ing.

Anagram

fly limo

17 December 2013

juxtapose

[juhk-stuh-pohz, juhk-stuh-pohz]

verb (used with object), jux·ta·posed, jux·ta·pos·ing.

– to place close together or side by side, especially for comparison or contrast.

Origin:
1850–55; back formation from juxtaposition

Anagram

Apex joust

16 December 2013

balk

[bawk] (also baulk)

verb (used without object)

1. to stop, as at an obstacle, and refuse to proceed or to do something specified (usually followed by at ): He balked at making the speech.
2. (of a horse, mule, etc.) to stop short and stubbornly refuse to go on.
3. Baseball. to commit a balk.
verb (used with object)
4. to place an obstacle in the way of; hinder; thwart: a sudden reversal that balked her hopes.
5. Archaic. to let slip; fail to use: to balk an opportunity.

15 December 2013

suborn

[suh-bawrn]

verb (used with object)

1. to bribe or induce (someone) unlawfully or secretly to perform some misdeed or to commit a crime.
2. Law.
a. to induce (a person, especially a witness) to give false testimony.
b. to obtain (false testimony) from a witness.

Origin:
1525–35; < Latin subornāre to instigate secretly, orig., to supply, equivalent to sub- sub- + ornāre to equip; see adorn

Related forms
sub·or·na·tion [suhb-awr-ney-shuhn], noun
sub·or·na·tive [suh-bawr-nuh-tiv], adjective
sub·orn·er, noun
un·sub·orned, adjective

Anagram

Rubs on

14 December 2013

milquetoast

[milk-tohst]

noun (sometimes initial capital letter)

– a very timid, unassertive, spineless person, especially one who is easily dominated or intimidated: a milquetoast who’s afraid to ask for a raise.
Also called Caspar Milquetoast.

Origin:
1935–40, Americanism; after Caspar Milquetoast, a character in The Timid Soul, comic strip by H. T. Webster (1885–1952), American cartoonist

Anagram

most tequila

13 December 2013

panache

[puh-nash, -nahsh]

noun

1. a grand or flamboyant manner; verve; style; flair: The actor who would play Cyrano must have panache.
2. an ornamental plume of feathers, tassels, or the like, especially one worn on a helmet or cap.
3. Architecture . the surface of a pendentive.

Origin:
1545–55; variant (after F) of pennache < Middle French < early Italian pennachio < Late Latin pinnāculum, diminutive of pinna wing; identical in form with pinnāculum pinnacle

Anagram

Ache nap

12 December 2013

cloy

[kloi]

verb (used with object)

1. to weary by an excess of food, sweetness, pleasure, etc.; surfeit; satiate.
verb (used without object)
2. to become uninteresting or distasteful through overabundance: A diet of cake and candy soon cloys.

Origin:
1350–1400; aphetic variant of Middle English acloyen < Middle French enclo ( y ) er < Late Latin inclāvāre to nail in, equivalent to in- in-2 + -clāvāre, verbal derivative of clāvus nail

Related forms
o·ver·cloy, verb (used with object)
un·cloyed, adjective

Synonyms
1. glut, sate, bore.

11 December 2013

falstaffian

(fal-STAF-ee-uhn)

adjective

– Fat, jolly, and convivial.

ETYMOLOGY:
After Sir John Falstaff, a character in Shakespeare’s plays Henry IV (parts 1 & 2) and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Earliest documented use: 1809.

USAGE:
‘His hair was long and scruffy, his ties ludicrous and his manner jovial bordering on Falstaffian; a board meeting, for him, was a debate, punctuated by gales of his maniacal laughter’.
John Harvey-Jones; The Economist (London, UK); Jan 17, 2008.

Anagram

A fatal sniff

10 December 2013

construe

[v. kuhn-stroo or, esp. British, kon-stroo; n. kon-stroo]
verb, con·strued, con·stru·ing, noun
verb (used with object)

1. to give the meaning or intention of; explain; interpret.
2. to deduce by inference or interpretation; infer: He construed her intentions from her gestures.
3. to translate, especially orally.
4. to analyze the syntax of; to rehearse the applicable grammatical rules of: to construe a sentence.
5. to arrange or combine (words, phrases, etc.) syntactically.
Relevant Questions
How To Construe A Patent
What Is The Past Tense Of Construe?
What Is Construed?
What Is The Prefix For Construe?
Where Was The Titanic Construed?
What Is The Definition Of Construed?
verb (used without object)
6. to admit of grammatical analysis or interpretation.
noun
7. the act of construing.
8. something that is construed.
Origin:
1325–75; Middle English construen < Latin construere to put together, build, equivalent to con- con- + struere to pile up, arrange, perhaps akin to sternere to spread, strew; see stratum

Related forms
con·stru·er, noun
un·con·strued, adjective

Anagram

Our scent

9 December 2013

largesse

[lahr-jes, lahr-jis]

noun

1. generous bestowal of gifts.
2. the gift or gifts, as of money, so bestowed.
3. Obsolete . generosity; liberality.

Also, lar·gesse.

Example

The public is subject to ‘market discipline’, however, multinationals continue to enjoy the largesse of the Bank.

Origin:
1175–1225; Middle English largesse < Old French; see large, -ice

Can be confused: large, largess.

Anagram

ears legs

8 December 2013

brawn

[brawn]

noun

1. strong, well-developed muscles.
2. muscular strength. (The project took brains to plan and brawn to implement).
3. Chiefly British .
a. a boar’s or swine’s flesh, especially when boiled and pickled.
b. headcheese.

Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English brawne < Old French braon slice of flesh ( Provençal bradon ) < Germanic; compare German Braten joint of meat, akin to Old English brǣd flesh

Synonyms
2. brawniness, robustness, muscle, sturdiness, might, power.

7 December 2013

hoick

[hoik]

verb (informal)

1. to rise or raise abruptly and sharply: She hoicked her dress above her knees
2. to clear the throat and spit
3. throw something: He hoicked the cricket ball back to the bowler.

[C20: perhaps a variant of hike ]

Anagram

hock I

6 December 2013

Nous

[noos, nous]

noun

1. Greek Philosophy . mind or intellect. Example: ‘He had the technical nous to design the system’.
2. Neoplatonism. the first and purest emanation of the One, regarded as the self-contemplating order of the universe.
Origin:
1670–80; < Greek noûs, contracted variant of nóos mind

5 December 2013

duumverate

[doo-uhm-ver-it, dyoo-]

noun

1. a coalition of two persons holding the same office, as in ancient Rome.
2. the office or government of two such persons.

Example:

From 5 December 1975 until 15 December 1975, Prime Minister Gough Whitlam and his deputy Lance Barnard, operated a duumverate, sharing 27 ministeries between them, while waiting for the election results to be finalised before swearing in the full Cabinet.

Origin:
1650–60; < Latin duumvirātus. See duumvir, -ate

Anagram

Datum Revue

4 December 2013

epithet

[ep-uh-thet]

noun

1. any word or phrase applied to a person or thing to describe an actual or attributed quality: “Richard the Lion-Hearted” is an epithet of Richard I.
2. a characterizing word or phrase firmly associated with a person or thing and often used in place of an actual name, title, or the like, as “man’s best friend” for “dog.”
3. a word, phrase, or expression used invectively as a term of abuse or contempt, to express hostility, etc.

Origin:
1570–80; < Latin epitheton epithet, adjective < Greek epítheton epithet, something added, equivalent to epi- epi- + the- (variant stem of tithénai to put) + -ton neuter verbid suffix

Related forms
ep·i·thet·ic, ep·i·thet·i·cal, adjective

Can be confused: epigram, epigraph, epitaph, epithet.

Synonyms
1, 2. nickname, sobriquet, designation, appellation. 3. curse, insult, abuse, expletive, obscenity.

Anagram

The Pet I

3 December 2013

meretricious

[mer-i-trish-uhs]

adjective

1. alluring by a show of flashy or vulgar attractions; tawdry. Example, a meretricious city
2. based on pretense, deception, or insincerity. Example: meretricious behaviour
3. pertaining to or characteristic of a prostitute. Example: meretricious relationship.

Origin:
1620–30; < Latin meretrīcius of, pertaining to prostitutes, derivative of meretrīx prostitute = mere-, stem of merēre to earn + -trīx -trix; see -ous

Related forms
mer·e·tri·cious·ly, adverb
mer·e·tri·cious·ness, noun
un·mer·e·tri·cious, adjective
un·mer·e·tri·cious·ly, adverb
un·mer·e·tri·cious·ness, noun

Can be confused: meritorious, meretricious.

Synonyms
1. showy, gaudy. 2. spurious, sham, false.

Anagram

Cries Emu Riot

2 December 2013

crepuscule

[kri-puhs-kyool, krep-uh-skyool]

noun

– twilight; dusk.

Also, cre·pus·cle [kri-puhs-uhl]

Origin:
1350–1400; < Latin crepuscul ( um ), equivalent to crepus- (akin to creper obscure) + -culum -cule1

Anagram

An anagram of cepuscule is: cruel puces

Today’s Word of the Day introduces a new section: ‘Anagram’. This section will try to include an anagram of the word of the day.

1 December 2013

acrostic

[uh-kraw-stik, uh-kros-tik]

noun

1. a series of lines or verses in which the first, last, or other particular letters when taken in order spell out a word, phrase, etc.
adjective
2. Also, a·cros·ti·cal. of, like, or forming an acrostic.

Origin:
1580–90; < Greek akrostichís, equivalent to akro- acro- + stích ( os ) stich + -is noun suffix

Related forms
a·cros·ti·cal·ly, adverb

Examples

There are numerous examples of acrostic poetry, including Edgar Allan Poe’s obviously titled poem, An Acrostic, which was written for his cousin and published only after Poe had died:

Elizabeth it is in vain you say
“Love not” — thou sayest it in so sweet a way:
In vain those words from thee or L. E. L.
Zantippe’s talents had enforced so well:
Ah! if that language from thy heart arise,
Breathe it less gently forth — and veil thine eyes.
Endymion, recollect, when Luna tried
To cure his love — was cured of all beside —
His folly — pride — and passion — for he died.

Acrostics have been used as a method of appearing to pay respects to the dead, while actually sending a blunt message. Two of the most famous include the headstone that animal rights organisation PeTA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) placed near the grave of Kentucky Fried Chicken founder, Colonel Harlan Sanders. Refer to the PeTA website for further information (http://www.peta.org/blog/colonel-sanders-graveyard-companion), however, this is a photo of headstone. The acrostic reads ‘KFC tortures birds’:

kfc_headstone_closeup

One other famous acrostic that appears on a headstone, is not exactly safe for work, however, it is worthy of mention given the circumstances. John Laird McCaffery sadly passed away. In an unusual display of bipartisanship, Mr McCaffery’s wife and mistress joined forces and penned a headstone. As Panda’s WOTD is meant to be family and work-friendly, I won’t repeat the acrostic here. However, if you want to see it, please refer to Snopes: http://www.snopes.com/photos/signs/headstone.asp

Anagram

An anagram of acrostic is: socratic (of or pertaining to Greek philosopher Socrates (469-399 B.C.E.), especially in reference to his method of eliciting truth by question and answer. His name is Greek Sokrates, literally ‘having safe might’.)

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