December 2016 – WOTDs

Posted on by

December 2016

31 December 2016

glebe

[gleeb]

noun

1. Also called glebe land. Chiefly British. the cultivable land owned by a parish church or ecclesiastical benefice.
2. Archaic. soil; field.

Origin of glebe

Middle English, Latin

1275-1325; Middle English < Latin glēba, glaeba clod of earth

Related forms

glebeless, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for glebe

Historical Examples

It had never occurred to me that a parson has no fee-simple in the house and glebe he occupies.
The Works of William Cowper
William Cowper

A terrier of glebe lands, with any exchange noted, should be made.
Churchwardens’ Manual
George Henry

One could almost make an accurate restoration drawing of this glebe house from the description.
Virginia Architecture in the Seventeenth Century
Henry Chandlee Forman

Anagram

be leg

30 December 2016

poseur

[poh-zur; French paw-zœr]

noun, plural poseurs [poh-zurz; French paw-zœr]

1. a person who attempts to impress others by assuming or affecting a manner, degree of elegance, sentiment, etc., other than his or her true one.

Origin of poseur

French

1880-1885; < French; see pose1, -eur

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for poseur

Historical Examples

It is the poseur who is soft—soft at the very top, where Henry Ford is hard.
Abroad at Home
Julian Street

Poet and poseur he was, the strangest combination ever seen in man.
The Daffodil Mystery
Edgar Wallace

They were inclined to think he was somewhat of a poseur at first, but later they came to like him—all of them.
The “Genius”
Theodore Dreiser

He may be named only to be cursed as wanton and mocker, poseur, trifler and vagrant.
Ezra Pound: His Metric and Poetry
T. S. Eliot

He was not a poseur ; he was merely sensitively conscious of himself and of life as an art.
The Works of Robert Louis Stevenson – Swanston Edition
Robert Louis Stevenson

He’s not a bit like an actor; he’s natural and not a bit of a poseur.
My Actor-Husband
Anonymous

As to his personality, it seems to be that of the poseur —almost of the snob.
The Key to Yesterday
Charles Neville Buck

Even in “De Profundis” the poseur supplemented the artist, and the truth was not in him.
Oscar Wilde
Leonard Cresswell Ingleby

Mr. Bellton was at heart the poseur, but he was also the fighter.
The Key to Yesterday
Charles Neville Buck

Many consider Tolstoy a poseur, but he sincerely believes in himself.
Abroad with the Jimmies
Lilian Bell

Anagram

rope us
so pure

29 December 2016

raillery

[rey-luh-ree]

noun, plural railleries.

1. good-humored ridicule; banter.
2. a bantering remark.

Origin of raillery

French

1645-1655; < French raillerie, equivalent to Middle French raill (er) to rail2+ -erie -ery

Synonyms

1. jesting, joking, badinage, chaff, pleasantry.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for raillery

Historical Examples

For my own part, I thought pride in his case an improper subject for raillery.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson

Poussin studied nature with a minuteness that often exposed him to raillery.
Chambers’s Edinburgh Journal, No. 462
Various

His powers of wit and raillery never failed him, even to the Deathbed wit last.
A History of the Nineteenth Century, Year by Year
Edwin Emerson

Her raillery, like the raillery of princes, was without fear of retort.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth

He had disdained to reply further than by shaking his wise old head, but had omitted no precaution because of her raillery.
Dorothy’s House Party
Evelyn Raymond

I was a little afraid of his raillery, and of the quickness of his observation.
Tales And Novels, Volume 9 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth

He, he, I swear though, your raillery provokes me to a smile.
The Comedies of William Congreve
William Congreve

Notwithstanding this raillery, all that was said did take place.
The Memoirs of Count Grammont, Complete
Anthony Hamilton

He ignored her raillery, and told her what he thought of a courage so fine and ready.
A Daughter of the Dons
William MacLeod Raine

If your mood incline to raillery you’ll find your match in some lad of the stables.
The Shame of Motley
Raphael Sabatini

Anagram

rare lily
rely rail

28 December 2016

cisgender or cis-gender

[sis-jen-der]

adjective

1. Also, cisgendered. noting or relating to a person whose gender identity corresponds with that person’s biological sex assigned at birth.
noun
2. a person who is cisgender.

Not transgender.

Origin of cisgender

1990-1995; cis- ( def 3 ) + gender1; modeled on transgender

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for cisgender

Contemporary Examples

Cis Male (see also Cis Man, cisgender Male, cisgender Man); a male who identifies as a man/has a masculine gender identity.
If gender isn’t binary, if it is fluid and can transgress boundaries, than a binary between cisgender and transgender cannot exist.
I am NOT cisgendered
J. Nelson Aviance
18 July 2014
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/j-nelson-aviance/i-am-not-cisgendered_b_5598113.html

Anagram

cede grins
creed sign
green disc

27 December 2016

whist drive

noun

1. a social gathering where whist is played; the winners of each hand move to different tables to play the losers of the previous hand.

Example

Every Friday night, for years they attended a whist drive.

Anagram

diver whits
TV whirs die

26 December 2016

taciturn

[tas-i-turn]

adjective

1. inclined to silence; reserved in speech; reluctant to join in conversation.
2. dour, stern, and silent in expression and manner.

Origin of taciturn

Latin

1765-1775; Latin taciturnus, quiet, maintaining silence, equivalent to tacit (us) silent (see tacit ) + -urnus adj. suffix of time

Related forms

taciturnly, adverb
untaciturn, adjective
untaciturnly, adverb

Synonyms

1. silent, uncommunicative, reticent, quiet.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for taciturn

Contemporary Examples

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

No one would confuse him the taciturn, forgetful and vengeful Senate Majority Leader.
Nevada Guv Faces Fans and Foes in Reelection
Lloyd Green
March 17, 2014

The exuberant, indefatigable Democrat from Oregon and the dour, taciturn Republican from New Hampshire made an odd couple.
The Senate’s New Taxman Won’t Be Controlled By His Own Party
Linda Killian
February 17, 2014

But he was also taciturn, rarely betraying his inner thoughts, his friends have said.
Moon Men: The Private Lives of Neil Armstrong and Pals in “Togethersville”
Lily Koppel
August 31, 2012

Historical Examples

Sometimes Master Tommy is obstinate, as well as taciturn, and his “won’t” is as strong as his will.
Manners and Rules of Good Society
Anonymous

Don Saturnino was taciturn and of violent temper, but very industrious.
An Eagle Flight
Jos Rizal

This was the hope which had produced his taciturn resignation and brought that savage smile on his lips.
The Collection of Antiquities
Honore de Balzac

A loquacious advocate is more likely to gain his case than a taciturn one.
The Proverbs of Scotland
Alexander Hislop

Little by little, one word at a time, he gained from the taciturn negro an idea of what had taken place while he slept.
“Forward, March”
Kirk Munroe

Anagram

attic urn
tacit run

25 December 2016

pied-à-terre

[pee-ey-duh-tair, -dah-, pyey-]

noun, plural pieds-à-terre [pee-ey-duh-tair, -dah-, pyey-]

1. a residence, as an apartment, for part-time or temporary use.

Origin of pied-à-terre

1820-1830; < French: literally, foot on ground

Dictionary.com

Example

The pied-à-terre was a secret from his wife, to be used with his mistress.

Anagram

tired peer

24 December 2016

kybosh or kibosh

[kahy-bosh, ki-bosh]

noun

1. a variant spelling of kibosh

Collins English Dictionary – Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Examples from the Web for kybosh

Contemporary Examples

For all intents and purposes Australia now has two federal governments. Government number one appears to front the people, attend official functions, promise things then backtrack. Government number two seems to call the shots and kybosh the other’s policy.Government number two seems to call the shots and kybosh the other’s policy.
Comment: Malcolm Turnbull buckles on effective climate action
Sydney Morning Herald
12 December 2016
http://www.msn.com/en-au/news/australia/comment-malcolm-turnbull-buckles-on-effective-climate-action/ar-AAlqAh3

This definitely puts the kybosh on the make-up rumors, as there is no way Harry could marry a movie star.
Cressida Bonas Cast In New Weinstein Movie
Tom Sykes
June 10, 2014

Historical Examples

That put the kybosh on one bit, but it didn’t ‘urt the general scheme not a bit.
Twelve Stories and a Dream
H. G. Wells

kybosh ; some sort of difficulty or ‘fix’:—’He put the kybosh on him: he defeated him.’
English As We Speak It in Ireland
P. W. Joyce

There’ll be a dickens of a kybosh if they find we’ve broken parole, and I don’t want you hauled into the beastly thing.
The Riddle of the Spinning Wheel
Mary E. Hanshew

Anagram

hob sky

23 December 2016

Ponzi

[pon-zee]

noun

1. a swindle in which a quick return, made up of money from new investors, on an initial investment lures the victim into much bigger risks.

Also called Ponzi game, Ponzi scheme.

Origin of Ponzi

after Charles Ponzi (died 1949), the organizer of such a scheme in the U.S., 1919-20

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for Ponzi

Contemporary Examples

De la Villehuchet’s suicide adds yet another gruesome chapter to the Bernie Madoff Ponzi scheme.
Suicides on Wall Street
Charlie Gasparino
December 30, 2008

Through Vennes, religious investors poured money into what turned out to be a multibillion-dollar Ponzi scheme.
Bachmann and Pawlenty’s Ponzi Pal
Michelle Goldberg
April 27, 2011

Many of the victims of the Ponzi scheme are actually not victims at all but people who got out more than they put in.
Madoff Victims’ Gibraltar Money Grab
Lucinda Franks
March 17, 2009

I don’t think he ever even slipped—you know, dropped some hint—about his Ponzi scheme to any of his mistresses.
Madoff’s Other Girlfriends
Lucinda Franks
August 14, 2009

Perry called Social Security a Ponzi scheme and “a monstrous lie.”
Paul Begala to Rick Perry: Adios, Mofo
Paul Begala
January 18, 2012

When the Ponzi scheme collapsed, the couple was forced to sell the two-bedroom apartment at the distressed price of $1.2 million.
Meet Madoff’s Mistress
Allan Dodds Frank
August 13, 2009

Prosecutors said the Ponzi scheme, run over decades, moved more than $170 billion in and out of more than 4,000 customer accounts.
Feds Want 150 Years for Bernie
Allan Dodds Frank
June 25, 2009

Now that would be a neat trick: the alleged Ponzi artist bringing his victims down to his own level.
Sticking It to Madoff Victims
Benjamin Sarlin
January 27, 2009

Anagram

zip on

22 December 2016

ex parte

[eks pahr-tee]

adjective, adverb

1. from or on one side only of a dispute, as a divorce suit; without notice to or the presence of the other party.

Origin of ex parte

Latin

1665-1675; < Latin

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for ex parte

Contemporary Examples

The unusual procedure by Swain of reviewing documents ” ex parte ” amounted to the judge going an extra mile to be fair.
Madoff Secretary Annette Bongiorno Jailed Over Ponzi Millions
Allan Dodds Frank
December 20, 2010

Historical Examples

It was an ex parte judgment which a look at the other fellow might have modified.
From the Bottom Up
Alexander Irvine

ex parte : on one side; an ex parte statement is a statement on one side only.
The Verbalist
Thomas Embly Osmun, (AKA Alfred Ayres)

Anagram

a expert
pert axe
peer tax
peter ax

21 December 2016

apiary

[ey-pee-er-ee]

noun, plural apiaries.

1. a place in which a colony or colonies of bees are kept, as a stand or shed for beehives or a bee house containing a number of beehives.

Origin of apiary

Latin

1645-1655; < Latin apiārium beehive, equivalent to api (s) bee + -ārium -ary

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for apiary

Contemporary Examples

He came to the Waldorf two years ago from a hotel in Toronto, where he ran a similar rooftop garden and apiary.
Honey Harvest at the Waldorf Astoria’s Beehives
Josh Dzieza
August 2, 2013

Historical Examples

It could, however, be recommended as an integral part of a windbreak, or woodlot where the land owner has an apiary.
Trees of Indiana
Charles Clemon Deam

Proper condition of an apiary at close of honey season, 321.
Langstroth on the Hive and the Honey-Bee
L. L. Langstroth

There is nothing about the apiary more difficult to determine, nothing more likely than to be deceived.
Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained
M. Quinby

In the apiary of one of his parishioners, five swarms lit in one mass.
Langstroth on the Hive and the Honey-Bee
L. L. Langstroth

The señora, guided by a quicker sense than that of her husband, had gone straight to the apiary.
The Ape, the Idiot & Other People
W. C. Morrow

Never did apiary have a finer outlook or more rugged surroundings.
Expository Writing
Mervin James Curl

This they remember, and retaliate, as occasion offers; and it may be when quietly walking in the apiary.
Mysteries of Bee-keeping Explained
M. Quinby

Before you get the first colony decide where your apiary is to be located.
The Library of Work and Play: Outdoor Work
Mary Rogers Miller

I have not yet forgotten the first apiary I saw, where I learned to love the bees.
The Life of the Bee
Maurice Maeterlinck

Anagram

air pay

20 December 2016

piffle

[pif-uh l] Informal.

noun

1. nonsense, as trivial or senseless talk.
verb (used without object), piffled, piffling.
2. to talk nonsense.

Origin of piffle

1840-1850; perhaps akin to puff

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for piffle

Contemporary Examples

Of course, the book market suffers from being saturated by piffle and filth, but has this not always been the case?
In Defense of Martin Amis’ ‘Lionel Asbo’
Liam Hoare
August 20, 2012

Despite the best efforts of the Gowers family, the towers of piffle have continued to climb ever higher.
Will Jargon Be the Death of the English Language?
The Telegraph
March 29, 2014

Historical Examples

But she did not intend to write a love story—that was piffle.
Etheldreda the Ready
Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

Anagram

if pelf

19 December 2016

omnishambles

[om-nuh-sham-buh lz]

noun, plural omnishambles. (used with a singular verb)

1. Chiefly British Informal. a situation, especially in politics, in which poor judgment results in disorder or chaos with potentially disastrous consequences.

Origin of omnishambles

2009; omni- + shamble(s)1( def 1 ); first used in the BBC TV series “The Thick of It,” a political satire

Dictionary.com

Anagram

balm hominess
Mason blemish
Hmm abseils on

18 December 2016

thane or thegn

[theyn]

noun

1. Early English History. a member of any of several aristocratic classes of men ranking between earls and ordinary freemen, and granted lands by the king or by lords for military service.
2. Scottish History. a person, ranking with an earl’s son, holding lands of the king; the chief of a clan, who became one of the king’s barons.

Origin of thane

Scots, Middle English, Old English

900 before 900; late Middle English, spelling variant ( Scots) of Middle English thain, thein, Old English thegn; cognate with Old Norse thegn subject, German Degen warrior, hero, Greek téknon child

Related forms

underthane, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for thane

Contemporary Examples

In August 2001, a politician in thane, the sprawling city northeast of Mumbai, died in the Singhania hospital there.
Mumbai on Edge With Shiv Sena Founder Bal Thackeray Ill
Dilip D’Souza
November 15, 2012

thane Creech, too, has his doubts that President Obama can deliver.
How It Played in the Gulf
Rick Outzen
June 15, 2010

Historical Examples

As he walked across the court thane looked carefully at his opponent, appraising him.
Evil Out of Onzar
Mark Ganes

“Drink and sing, thou beast, and cease prating,” the thane said.
Burlesques
William Makepeace Thackeray

As thane lined up the pirate again, the intercom said, “Five seconds to warp-line!”
Evil Out of Onzar
Mark Ganes

How, then, was a thane to plant new settlers on his ‘gesettes-land’?
The English Village Community
Frederic Seebohm

The rank of a priest as equal to that of a thane is frequently recognized.
Parish Priests and Their People in the Middle Ages in England
Edward L. Cutts

We must remember that the overlord might be the king, or a bishop; a monastery, or a thane.
Our English Towns and Villages
H. R. Wilton Hall

I am content to be a thane, as my father was before me, and seek no greater change than that of a stay for a month at court.
Wulf the Saxon
G. A. Henty

There is not a thane of them but in his house I have a servant feed.
Early English Dramatists–Recently Recovered “Lost” Tudor Plays with some others
Various

Anagram

neath
he tan

17 December 2016

teleology

[tel-ee-ol-uh-jee, tee-lee-]

noun, Philosophy.

1. the doctrine that final causes exist.
2. the study of the evidences of design or purpose in nature.
3. such design or purpose.
4. the belief that purpose and design are a part of or are apparent in nature.
5. (in vitalist philosophy) the doctrine that phenomena are guided not only by mechanical forces but that they also move toward certain goals of self-realization.

Origin of teleology

1730-1740; < New Latin teleologia. See teleo-, -logy

Related forms

teleological [tel-ee-uh-loj-i-kuh l, tee-lee-], teleologic, adjective
teleologism, noun
teleologist, noun

Dictionary.com

Anagram

tell gooey
to yell ego

16 December 2016

verso

[vur-soh]

noun, plural versos. Printing.

1. a left-hand page of an open book or manuscript (opposed to recto ).

Origin of verso

Latin

1830-1840; short for Latin in versō foliō on the turned leaf

pollice verso

[pohl-li-ke wer-soh; English pol-uh-see vur-soh]

adverb, Latin.

1. with thumbs turned downward: the sign made by spectators calling for the death of a defeated gladiator in the ancient Roman circus.

folio verso

[foh-lee-oh vur-soh; Latin foh-lee-oh wer-soh]

noun

1. the back of the page; verso (opposed to folio recto ).

Origin
Latin

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for verso

Historical Examples

There is a woodcut of the royal arms on verso of titlepage, which occurs again on K3vv at the beginning of the ‘Confessions’.
Catalogue of the Books Presented by Edward Capell to the Library of Trinity College in Cambridge
W. W. Greg

The modern title page and verso have been relocated to the end of the text.
Chronicles of Border Warfare
Alexander Scott Withers

Transcriptions of ads from the verso of the cover and the verso of the half-title page follow.
Paper-bag Cookery
Vera Serkoff

A Table of Contents has been added below the verso to aid in navigation.
Mystery at Geneva
Rose Macaulay

Anagram

roves
overs
servo

15 December 2016

recto

[rek-toh]

noun, plural rectos. Printing.

1. a right-hand page of an open book or manuscript; the front of a leaf (opposed to verso ).

Origin of recto

Late Latin, Latin
1815-1825; < Late Latin rēctō (foliō) on the right-hand (leaf or page), ablative of Latin rēctus right

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for recto

Historical Examples

On the recto of the first leaf there is a large woodcut of Pynson’s arms, or device No.
The Ship of Fools, Volume 1
Sebastian Brandt

(recto) “Here begynneth the prologue of this present treatyse.”
The Ship of Fools, Volume 1
Sebastian Brandt

The Latin text is on the verso of the page, the English on the recto, facing each other.
A Catalogue of Books in English Later than 1700 (Vol 2 of 3)
Various

The text ends on the recto of l 6, the last page being blank.
Game and Playe of the Chesse
Caxton

(folio 11 recto) The socket of the eye is not over-depressed, for it has to receive the images (spetie) of visible things.
Studies in the History and Method of Science
Various

Both the recto and the verso of the leaf have the full complement of 23 lines but there is a hiatus in the text.
Catalogue of the William Loring Andrews Collection of Early Books in the Library of Yale University
Anonymous

In addition to the ordinary page numbers, each text labeled the recto (odd) pages of the first half of each signature.
Reflections on Dr. Swift’s Letter to Harley (1712) and The British Academy (1712)
John Oldmixon

Stamp date of bill and cost in book on first recto after title page: “27 June 1914 Binding 75.”
Library Bookbinding
Arthur Low Bailey

Instead, it labeled the recto (odd) pages of the first few leaves of each 8-page signature.
The Path-Way to Knowledg
Robert Record

Term indicating that the print on the verso falls exactly over that on the recto.
Library Bookbinding
Arthur Low Bailey

Anagram

cot re

14 December 2016

calescent

[kuh-les-uh nt]

adjective

1. growing warm; increasing in heat.

Origin of calescent

Latin

1795-1805; < Latin calēscent- (stem of calēscēns becoming warm, present participle of calēscere), equivalent to cal- (stem of calēre to be warm) + -ēscent- -escent

Related forms

calescence, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for calescent

Historical Examples

This calescent mode of proceeding was adopted with the idea of exciting a counter-irritation in the diseased part.
The Great Events by Famous Historians, Volume 14
Various

Anagram

lace cents
scan elect

13 December 2016

dotard

[doh-terd]

noun

1. a person, especially an old person, exhibiting a decline in mental faculties; a weak-minded or foolish old person.
2. doater(2).

Origin of dotard

Middle English

1350-1400; Middle English; see dote, -ard

Related forms

dotardly, adverb

Dictionary.com

Anagram

add rot
do dart

12 December 2016

orrery

[awr-uh-ree, or-]

noun, plural orreries.

1. an apparatus for representing the positions, motions, and phases of the planets, satellites, etc., in the solar system.
2. any of certain similar machines, as a planetarium.

Origin of orrery

1705-1715; named after Charles Boyle, Earl of Orrery (1676-1731), for whom it was first made

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for orrery

Historical Examples

His countenance, says orrery, could be terribly expressive of the sterner passions.
Swift
Leslie Stephen

He was the improver of that noble instrument the orrery, which, in honour of him, was called after his name.
Chelsea
George Bryan

And they constructed a government as they would have constructed an orrery,—to display the laws of nature.
The New Freedom
Woodrow Wilson

11 December 2016

brandish

[bran-dish]

verb (used with object)

1. to shake or wave, as a weapon; flourish:
Brandishing his sword, he rode into battle.

noun

2. a flourish or waving, as of a weapon.

Origin of brandish

Middle English, Middle French
1275-1325; Middle English bra (u) ndisshen < Anglo-French, Middle French brandiss- (long stem of brandir, derivative of brand sword < Gmc). See brand, -ish2

Related forms

brandisher, noun

Synonyms

1. swing, flaunt, wield, display.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for brandish

Contemporary Examples

Those who do nothing to end the slaughter are as complicit as those who brandish their weapons.
The Coalition of the Unwilling
Christopher Dickey
September 6, 2013

It does not give you license to brandish a gun and wave it around.
American Gun Law 5
David Frum
December 17, 2012

Both Cameron and Sarkozy will now brandish their cojones, claiming to have had “a good war.”
Libya War’s Unsung Heroes
Clive Irving
August 21, 2011

As with his Harvard degree, Obama did not hesitate to brandish his pretty white wife with the Boston accent.
The Tragic Life of Barack Obama’s Father
Sally H. Jacobs
July 9, 2011

Historical Examples

No, he could not brandish it, he could not so much as even lift it.
Tales from the Fjeld
P. Chr. Asbjrnsen

Why brandish in that hand of thine a javelin of pointed steel?
The $30,000 Bequest and Other Stories
Mark Twain

When he began to dance and to brandish the silver sword, everybody applauded.
Folk-Tales of the Khasis
K. U. Rafy

What is your stick good for that you brandish it so proudly?
Sagas from the Far East
Various

Suddenly he was startled by seeing his mother snatch a stump of a fire-shovel from the hearth and brandish it over his head.
All He Knew
John Habberton

This the ape at once laid hold of, and began to brandish like a hammer.
Animal Intelligence
George J. Romanes

Anagram

his brand
hinds bar
bash rind

10 December 2016

exonym

[ek-soh-nim]

noun

1. a name used by foreigners for a place, as Florence for Firenze.
2. a name used by foreigners to refer to a people or social group that the group itself does not use, as Germans for Deutsche.

Dictionary.com

Example

But upon closer examination, “political correctness” becomes an impossibly slippery concept. The term is what Ancient Greek rhetoricians would have called an “exonym”: a term for another group, which signals that the speaker does not belong to it. Nobody ever describes themselves as “politically correct”. The phrase is only ever an accusation.
Political correctness: how the right invented a phantom enemy
Moira Wiegel
30 November 2016

Anagram

me onyx
my oxen

9 December 2016

patois

[pat-wah, pah-twah; French pa-twa]

noun, plural patois [pat-wahz, pah-twahz; French pa-twa]

1. a regional form of a language, especially of French, differing from the standard, literary form of the language.
2. a rural or provincial form of speech.
3. jargon; cant; argot.

Origin of patois

1635-1645; < French: literally clumsy speech; akin to Old French patoier to handle clumsily, derivative of pate paw

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for patois

Historical Examples

His voice was deep, sonorous, and somewhat touched with the true Kerry patois.
Bits of Blarney
R. Shelton Mackenzie

He only spoke in the patois, which Frank understood very well.
The Silver Lining
John Roussel

French was to be no longer a hodgepodge or a patois, but the pure and perfect speech of the king and his court.
A History of Literary Criticism in the Renaissance
Joel Elias Spingarn

There is no mistaking it; it is peculiar to Pont du Sable, and note, too, her patois !
A Village of Vagabonds
F. Berkeley Smith

“The young patron is mistaken,” interposed the Indian, speaking a patois of the lingoa-geral.
Our Young Folks–Vol. I, No. II, February 1865
Various

Their language was a Spanish patois ; their voices were sharp and disagreeable.
The Scalp Hunters
Mayne Reid

“His Excellency is in there,” said the old man, in his Sicilian patois.
My Strangest Case
Guy Boothby

The man spoke in patois French, the woman in her native Cree language.
The Buffalo Runners
R.M. Ballantyne

patois, a name the French give to a corrupt dialect of a language spoken in a remote province of a country.
The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
Edited by Rev. James Wood

“Lower that spar, my lads,” he added, in the patois the men used.
Rob Harlow’s Adventures
George Manville Fenn

Anagram

so pita

8 December 2016

wazzock

[wuhz-ek]

noun

1. (English, dialect) a foolish or annoying person

Word Origin

possibly from wiseacre, influenced by pillock, or possibly wazz +‎ -ock. First attested in the 1984 novel When the Martians Land in Huddersfield by Mike Harding.

Collins English Dictionary

Contemporary definitions for wazzock

noun

– an idiot; an annoyingly stupid person

Usage Note
slang

Dictionary.com

7 December 2016

daedal

[deed-l]

adjective

1. skillful; ingenious.
2. cleverly intricate, e.g. the computer’s daedal circuitry
3. diversified.
4. adorned with many things, e.g.

Origin of daedal

Latin, Greek
1580-1590; < Latin daedalus skillful < Greek daídalos, equivalent to daidál (lein) to work with skill + -os adj. suffix

Dictionary.com
merriam-webster.com

Anagram

ad deal
dad ale

6 December 2016

Mediterranean

[med-i-tuh-rey-nee-uh n]

noun

1. Mediterranean Sea.
2. a person whose physical characteristics are considered typical of the peoples native to or inhabiting the Mediterranean area.
3. the, Informal. the islands and countries of the Mediterranean Sea collectively.
adjective
4. pertaining to, situated on or near, or dwelling about the Mediterranean Sea.
5. pertaining to or characteristic of the peoples native to the lands along or near the Mediterranean Sea.
6. surrounded or nearly surrounded by land.

Origin of Mediterranean

Latin

1585-1595; < Latin mediterrāne (us) midland, inland (see medium, terra, -an, -eous ) + -an. Latin: medius (middle), terra (earth) – literally, centre of the earth.

Related forms

non-Mediterranean, noun, adjective
trans-Mediterranean, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for Mediterranean

Contemporary Examples

But the study is a boon to Mediterranean expats in the U.S., particularly those in the restaurant business.
Eat Like a Greek: The Mediterranean Diet That Could Save Your Life
Lizzie Crocker
February 26, 2013

Mediterranean flavors paired with eggplant and barley make these lamb shanks perfect for winter.
Fresh Picks
Anne Burrell
December 28, 2009

Fruits and veggies are mainstays of the Mediterranean diet, along with legumes and fish.
Eat Like a Greek: The Mediterranean Diet That Could Save Your Life
Lizzie Crocker
February 26, 2013

Anagram

drama internee
manta reindeer
a marine tender

5 December 2016

asinine

[as-uh-nahyn]

adjective

1. foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid:
It is surprising that supposedly intelligent people can make such asinine statements.
2. of or like an ass:
asinine obstinacy; asinine features.

Origin of asinine

Latin

1600-1610; < Latin asinīnus, equivalent to asin (us) ass1+ -īnus -ine1

Related forms

asininely, adverb
asininity [as-uh-nin-i-tee]. noun

Synonyms

1. See foolish.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for asinine

Contemporary Examples

Actress Ashley Judd, who campaigned against the aerial slaughter of wolves, is “a perky, pretty celebrity” with “ asinine plans.”
10 Palin Hits the Leakers Missed
Benjamin Sarlin, Samuel P. Jacobs
November 16, 2009

asinine comments like this leave the President looking like the only mature kid in town.
See Ya, Randian Romney!
Justin Green
November 14, 2012

Is Olivia Pope an “Angry Black Woman,” as one asinine TV critic suggests?
‘Scandal’ Review: Olivia Pope Has Lost Her Damn Mind
Kevin Fallon
September 25, 2014

She hypnotized Cory with her free spirit, freer hair, and asinine name, coaxing him out of his shell and into love with her.
‘Boy Meets World’ Turns 20: The Silly Show We Can’t Help but Love
Kevin Fallon
September 23, 2013

Funny how the ones deemed “geniuses” always act the most asinine in relationships.
Lights, Camera, Cocktails
Brody Brown
September 10, 2011

Historical Examples

What an asinine act, this pouring of poison into the stomach to cure a malady of the soul!
The Root of Evil
Thomas Dixon

Why can not you keep quiet, instead of making your asinine remarks?
Among the Humorists and After Dinner Speakers, Vol. I
Various

It was the first time I had presented myself at a strange hotel without my asinine credentials.
On a Donkey’s Hurricane Deck
R. Pitcher Woodward

These equine and asinine glories have passed away, extinguished by the rail.
Lancashire Folk-lore
John Harland

If you had an idea that I am the type of man to use as the butt for a silly, asinine jest, I’ll teach you to think differently.
Mixed Faces
Roy Norton

Anagram

is insane
in anise

4 December 2016

elicit

[ih-lis-it]

verb (used with object)

1. to draw or bring out or forth; educe; evoke:
to elicit the truth; to elicit a response with a question.

Origin of elicit

Latin

1635-1645; Latin ēlicitus drawn out (past participle of ēlicere), equivalent to ē- e-1+ lici- draw, lure + -tus past participle suffix

Related forms

elicitation, noun
elicitor, noun

nonelicited, adjective
unelicited, adjective

Can be confused

elicit, illicit.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for elicit

Contemporary Examples

The accusation that Makaburi encouraged young men to kill Americans touched a nerve—and did not elicit a denial.
Death Squads in Kenya’s Shadow War on Shabaab Sympathizers
Margot Kiser
April 5, 2014

The Deport Justin Bieber Petition, has already garnered the necessary number of signatures to elicit a White House response.
Justin Bieber Has Been Drag Racing Down the Road to Recovery
Amy Zimmerman
February 4, 2014

Putman’s funeral will elicit new tributes Wednesday at the Saint-Germain-des-Prés church in Paris.
Andrée Putman, ‘the Grande Dame of Design,’ Revolutionized Interiors
Tracy McNicoll
January 19, 2013

Not bad, if Sediuk’s intentions really were to elicit an authentic response from the original Material Girl.
An Analysis of Vitalii Sediuk’s Pranks (He’s the Guy Who Touched Brad Pitt)
Amy Zimmerman
May 28, 2014

Historical Examples

Possibly, but not one more likely to elicit Wallenstein’s candour.
The Mercenary
W. J. Eccott

With what authority do we elicit respect and obedience from our little people!
Mother Earth, Vol. 1 No. 4, June 1906
Various

But whenever the teacher fails to elicit both respect and love, his power for good is lost.
Buchanan’s Journal of Man, June 1887
Various

No amount of cross-examination could elicit any further information.
The Light of Scarthey
Egerton Castle

No question was admissible which tended to elicit information or a positive declaration from the respondent.
Aristotle
George Grote

Anagram

lit ice

3 December 2016

cadge(1)

[kaj]

verb (used with object), cadged, cadging.

1. to obtain by imposing on another’s generosity or friendship.
2. to borrow without intent to repay.
3. to beg or obtain by begging.
verb (used without object), cadged, cadging.
4. to ask, expect, or encourage another person to pay for or provide one’s drinks, meals, etc.
5. to beg.

Origin of cadge(1)

Middle English

1275-1325; perhaps to be identified with Middle English caggen to tie, of uncertain origin

Related forms

cadger, noun

cadge(2)

[kaj]

noun, Falconry.

1. a frame on which hawks are carried to the field.

Origin

1605-15; apparently variant of cage

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for cadge

He might cadge for a bath, but his hands he could look after himself for nothing.
The Story of Louie
Oliver Onions

Anagram

caged

2 December 2016

sepia

[see-pee-uh]

noun

1. a brown pigment obtained from the inklike secretion of various cuttlefish and used with brush or pen in drawing.
2. a drawing made with this pigment.
3. a dark brown.
4. Photography. a print or photograph made in this color.
5. any of several cuttlefish of the genus Sepia, producing a dark fluid used naturally for defense and, by humans, in ink.
adjective
6. of a brown, grayish brown, or olive brown similar to that of sepia ink.

Origin of sepia

Latin, Greek
1560-1570; < Latin sēpia cuttlefish, its secretion < Greek sēpía; akin to sêpsis sepsis

Related forms

sepialike, adjective
sepic [see-pik, sep-ik], adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for sepia

Contemporary Examples

With a book about Jane Franklin and her life of letters to her brother Benjamin, sepia yellow connotes yellowing papers.
You Can Indeed Judge a Book By Its Cover
Brian Gresko
November 19, 2013

Each of those women had a sepia photograph on the mantelpiece, of a young man in uniform.
The Tragic, Heroic Women of World War I
Jacqueline Winspear
June 28, 2014

A sepia photo shows him as a young boy, head in his hands, with a large book open at a bar table.
The Bars That Made America Great
Nina Strochlic
December 27, 2014

Filmed in Riga, Latvia, in monochromatic, sepia tones, the film evokes a world drained of life and color.
The Female ‘Schindler’
Kati Marton
April 17, 2009

Both play within a relatively constrained color palette rich in sepia yellow, with strategic daubs of sky blue and red.
You Can Indeed Judge a Book By Its Cover
Brian Gresko
November 19, 2013

Historical Examples

Its flavour is most rich, and its texture most delicate when the gills show the pink colour with sepia margins.
Mushroom Culture
W. Robinson

All derived from cuttle-fish varieties of sepia used for baits.
The Sailor’s Word-Book
William Henry Smyth

The picture is a copy in sepia tones of Murillo’s Saint Anthony, 16 inches in height by 20 inches horizontally.
The Library of Work and Play: Home Decoration
Charles Franklin Warner

This food is chiefly the Squid or sepia octopus, known also by the name of the cuttle-fish.
Old Jack
W.H.G. Kingston

In other cases they extend laterally along a greater length of the body, as in sepia (fig. 15).
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 5, Slice 6
Various

Anagram

as pie

1 December 2016

gillie or gilly

[gil-ee]

noun

1. Scot.
a hunting or fishing guide.
a male attendant or personal servant to a Highland chieftain.
2. ghillie.

Origin of gillie

Scots Gaelic

1590-1600; < Scots Gaelic gille lad, servant

ghillie or gillie

[gil-ee]

Spell Syllables

noun

1. a low-cut, tongueless shoe with loops instead of eyelets for the laces, which cross the instep and are sometimes tied around the ankle.

Origin

1590-1600; see gillie; apparently a type of shoe orig. worn by Scottish hunting guides

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for gillie

Historical Examples

“I think it is time to go back,” suggested the gillie in a dull, uninterested voice.
A Prince of Good Fellows
Robert Barr

The gem referred to was no other than our friend gillie White.
Rivers of Ice
R.M. Ballantyne

I accordingly, whilst holding on for all I was worth, sent the gillie ahead to stone him up.
Chats on Angling
H. V. Hart-Davis

Leave a Reply