February 2014 – WOTDs

Posted on by

28 February 2014

grok

(grok)

MEANING:
verb tr.: To understand deeply and intuitively.

ETYMOLOGY:
Coined by Robert A. Heinlein in his science-fiction novel Stranger in a Strange Land. Earliest documented use: 1961.

NOTES:
In Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein describes grok as a Martian word meaning ‘to drink’. That’s the literal meaning, however, figuratively it means to understand something in a profound way. To grok something is to be one with it in a way that the observer and the observed become merged.

USAGE:
“Any first-time Apple user immediately groks the nature of the device.”
Melvin Bukiet; Me and My Mac; The Chronicle of Higher Education (Washington, DC); Oct 16, 2011.

(From Wordsmith.org)

27 February 2014

tyro

[tahy-roh]

noun, plural ty·ros.

– a beginner in learning anything; novice.

Also, tiro.

Origin:
1605–15; < Latin tīrō recruit

Related forms
ty·ron·ic [tahy-ron-ik] Show IPA , adjective

Synonyms
neophyte, learner.

Anagram

Troy

26 February 2014

roil

[roil]

verb (used with object)

1. to render (water, wine, etc.) turbid by stirring up sediment.
2. to disturb or disquiet; irritate; vex: to be roiled by a delay.

verb (used without object)
3. to move or proceed turbulently.

Origin:
1580–90; origin uncertain

Related forms
un·roiled, adjective

Can be confused: roil, royal.

Synonyms
2. annoy, fret, ruffle, exasperate, provoke, rile.

25 February 2014

provenance

[prov-uh-nuhns, -nahns]

noun

– place or source of origin: The provenance of the ancient manuscript has never been determined.

Origin:
1860–65; < French, derivative of provenant, present participle of provenir < Latin prōvenīre to come forth; see pro-1 , convene, -ant
Can be confused: provenance, province.

Anagram

proven acne
rap convene

24 February 2014

derogate

[v. der-uh-geyt; adj. der-uh-git, -geyt]

verb (used without object), der·o·gat·ed, der·o·gat·ing.

1. to detract, as from authority, estimation, etc. (usually followed by from ).
2. to stray in character or conduct; degenerate (usually followed by from ).

verb (used with object), der·o·gat·ed, der·o·gat·ing.

3. to disparage or belittle.
4. Archaic. to take away (a part) so as to impair the whole.

adjective
5. Archaic. debased.
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin dērogātus repealed, restricted (past participle of dērogāre ), equivalent to dē- de- + rog ( āre ) to ask + -ātus -ate1

Related forms
der·o·ga·tion, noun
non·der·o·ga·tion, noun
un·der·o·gat·ing, adjective

Can be confused: abdicate, abrogate, arrogate, derogate.

Synonyms
1. See decry.

Anagram

agreed to
trade ego
date goer

23 February 2014

horripilation

[haw-rip-uh-ley-shuhn, ho-]

noun

– a bristling of the hair on the skin from cold, fear, etc.; goose flesh. Example: ‘Suddenly he was swept by horripilation’. – Stephen King, The Dome.

Origin:
1615–25; < Late Latin horripilātiōn- (stem of horripilātiō ). See horripilate, -ion

Anagram

hairpin oil rot
phial iron riot

22 February 2014

windrow

windrow
[wind-roh, win-]

noun
1. a row or line of hay raked together to dry before being raked into heaps.
2. any similar row, as of sheaves of grain, made for the purpose of drying.
3. a row of dry leaves, dust, etc., swept together by the wind.
verb (used with object)
4. to arrange in a windrow.

Anagram

word win
rind wow

21 February 2014

loafing

[lohf-ing]

verb (used without object)

1. to idle away time: He figured the mall was as good a place as any for loafing.
2. to lounge or saunter lazily and idly: We loafed for hours along the water’s edge.
verb (used with object)
3. to pass idly (usually followed by away ): to loaf one’s life away.

Origin:
1825–35, Americanism; back formation from loafer

Related forms
un·loaf·ing, adjective

Synonyms
2. loll, idle.

Anagram

flag ion
nail fog
align of

20 February 2014

vapid

[vap-id]

adjective

1. lacking or having lost life, sharpness, or flavor; insipid; flat: vapid tea.
2. without liveliness or spirit; dull or tedious: a vapid party; vapid conversation.

Origin:
1650–60; < Latin vapidus; akin to vapor

Related forms
va·pid·i·ty, vap·id·ness, noun
vap·id·ly, adverb

Can be confused: vacant, vacuous, vapid.

Synonyms
1. lifeless, flavorless. 2. spiritless, unanimated, tiresome, prosaic.

Antonyms
1. pungent. 2. stimulating

19 February 2014

cafuné

[ka-foo-nay]

(Portuguese)

verb

– to repeatedly run your fingers through someone’s hair. Usually done in a soft and affectionate manner.

Example:

The couple laid in each other’s arms, enjoying the moment in silence and cafuné.

Anagram

ace fun

18 February 2014

rhetoric

[ret-er-ik]

noun

1. (in writing or speech) the undue use of exaggeration or display; bombast.
2. the art or science of all specialized literary uses of language in prose or verse, including the figures of speech.
3. the study of the effective use of language.
4. the ability to use language effectively.
5. the art of prose in general as opposed to verse.
6. speech or discourse that pretends to significance but lacks true meaning: all the politician says is mere rhetoric
7. the art of making persuasive speeches; oratory.
8. (in classical oratory) the art of influencing the thought and conduct of an audience.
9. (in older use) a work on rhetoric.

Origin:
1300–50; < Latin rhētorica < Greek rhētorikḕ ( téchnē ) rhetorical (art); replacing Middle English rethorik < Medieval Latin rēthorica, Latin rhētorica, as above

rhetorical [ri-tawr-i-kuhl, -tor-]

— adjective
1. concerned with effect or style rather than content or meaning; bombastic. A rhetorical question – a question to which an answer is not expected.
2. of or relating to rhetoric or oratory

rhe’torically

— adv

Anagram (rhetoric)

richer to
or thrice
rich rote
hot crier
I or retch

17 February 2014

touchstone

[tuhch-stohn]

noun

1. a test or criterion for the qualities of a thing, e.g. touchstone of truth.
2. a black siliceous stone formerly used to test the purity of gold and silver by the color of the streak produced on it by rubbing it with either metal.

Origin:
1475–85; touch + stone

Synonyms
1. standard, measure, model, pattern.

Anagram

chosen tout
notches out
snoot chute
no cute host

16 February 2014

inane

[ih-neyn]

adjective

1. lacking sense, significance, or ideas; silly: inane questions.

2. empty; void.

noun

3. something that is empty or void, especially the void of infinite space.

Origin:
1655–65; < Latin inānis

Related forms
in·ane·ly, adverb

Synonyms
1. pointless. See foolish.

Anagram

A nine

15 February 2014

dysphemism

[dis-fuh-miz-uhm]

noun

1. the substitution of a harsh, disparaging, or unpleasant expression for a more neutral one. For example: ‘Though often meant to shock or offend, dysphemisms may also serve as in-group markers to signal closeness’.
2. an expression so substituted.

Origin:

1880–85; dys- + (eu)phemism

Related forms
dys·phe·mis·tic, adjective

Antonyms
euphemism.

Anagram

sped shimmy
dips my hems

14 February 2014

umbrage

[uhm-brij]

noun

1. offense; annoyance; displeasure: to feel umbrage at a social snub; to give umbrage to someone; to take umbrage at someone’s rudeness.
2. the slightest indication or vaguest feeling of suspicion, doubt, hostility, or the like.
3. leaves that afford shade, as the foliage of trees.
4. shade or shadows, as cast by trees.
5. a shadowy appearance or semblance of something.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Old French; see umbra, -age

Synonyms
1. pique, grudge, resentment.

Anagram

Bear gum
grab emu

13 February 2014

antidisestablishmentarianism

[an-tee-dis-uh-stab-lish-muhn-tair-ee-uh-niz-uhm, an-tahy-]

noun

– originally, opposition to the disestablishment of the Church of England (meaning to remove the Anglican church as the state church of England, Ireland and Wales). Now, it’s opposition to the belief that there should no longer be an official church in a country.

Example: When people are asked for the longest word they know, they often say antidisestablishmentarianism.

Antidisestablishmentarianism is one of the longest words in the English language, with 28 letters and 12 syllables.

Anagram

A Databases Interim Hint Slim Sin
Mine Ambassadress hit a lint in it

12 February 2014

apical

[ey-pi-kuhl, ap-i-]

adjective

1. of, at, or forming the apex.
2. Phonetics . (of a speech sound) articulated principally with the aid of the tip of the tongue, as t or d.

noun
3. Phonetics . an apical sound.
Origin:
1820–30; < Latin apic- (stem of apex ) apex + -al

Related forms
a·pi·cal·ly, adverb

Anagram

ail cap

11 February 2014

pliant

[plahy-uhnt]

adjective

1. bending readily; flexible; supple; adaptable: She manipulated the pliant clay.
2. easily influenced; yielding to others; compliant: He has a pliant nature.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Old French, present participle of plier to ply2 ; see -ant

Related forms
pli·an·cy, pli·ant·ness, noun
pli·ant·ly, adverb
non·pli·an·cy, noun
non·pli·ant, adjective
non·pli·ant·ly, adverb

Synonyms
1, 2. pliable, flexile. See flexible. 2. manageable, tractable, docile.

Anagram

lip tan
plan it

10 February 2014

misology

mi-SOL-uh-jee, mahy-

noun

1. distrust or hatred of reason or reasoning.

Origin

from Greek misologia, from misos hatred + logos word, reasoning. See logos ]

mi’sologist

— noun

Anagram

is gloomy
oily smog
my igloos

9 February 2014

fecund

[fee-kuhnd, -kuhnd, fek-uhnd, -uhnd]

adjective

1. producing or capable of producing offspring, fruit, vegetation, etc., in abundance; prolific; fruitful: fecund parents; fecund farmland.
2. very productive or creative intellectually: the fecund years of the Italian Renaissance.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin fēcundus, equivalent to fē- (see fetus) + -cundus adj. suffix; replacing late Middle English fecounde < Anglo-French

Related forms
non·fe·cund, adjective
un·fe·cund, adjective

fecundity

[fi-kuhn-di-tee]

noun

1. the quality of being fecund; capacity, especially in female animals, of producing young in great numbers.
2. fruitfulness or fertility, as of the earth.
3. the capacity of abundant production: fecundity of imagination.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin fēcunditās fruitfulness, fertility. See fecund, -ity

Related forms
non·fe·cun·di·ty, noun
su·per·fe·cun·di·ty, noun

Anagram (fecundity)

city unfed

8 February 2014

callipygian

[kal-uh-pij-ee-uhn]

adjective

– having well-shaped buttocks, ‘As they prepared for their squat classes, the couple playfully argued over who had the most callipygian assets’.

Also, cal·li·py·gous [kal-uh-pahy-guhs]

1640–50; < Greek kallipýg ( os ) with beautiful buttocks; referring to a statue of Aphrodite ( kalli- calli- + pyg ( ḗ ) rump + -os adj. suffix) + -ian

Anagram

I lag pliancy

7 February 2014

farctate

[fahrk-teyt]

adjective

– Stuffed; filled solid; as, a farctate leaf, stem, or pericarp; — opposed to tubular or hollow. [Obs.]
– stuffed; as in eaten a large meal, Christmas is marked by farctate meals.

[L. farctus, p. p. of farcire. See Farce, v. t.] (Bot.)

Anagram

fat crate
fat react
fear tact
face tart
artefact

6 February 2014

despot

[des-puht, -pot]

noun

1. a king or other ruler with absolute, unlimited power; autocrat.
2. any tyrant or oppressor.
3. History/Historical . an honorary title applied to a Byzantine emperor, afterward to members of his family, and later to Byzantine vassal rulers and governors.

Origin:
1555–65; < Greek despótēs master < *dems-pot- presumably, “master of the house,” equivalent to *dems-, akin to dómos house + pot-, base of pósis husband, spouse; cf. hospodar, host

Anagram

sped to
pod set

5 February 2014

prandicle

noun

[pran-dee-kil]

– small meal, ‘a prandicle of tapas and wine’.

Origin

Latin ‘prandiculum’ for ‘light meal’

Anagram

candle rip
cried plan
clan price

4 February 2014

atychiophobia

noun

[ah-tik-ee-oh-foh-bee-uh]

– fear of failure, fear of not being good enough.

Anagram

ciao thy phobia
yahoo chip bait

3 February 2014

retrouvailles

[reh-troh-vey-yeh]

[French. meaning: rediscovery]

– The joy of reuniting with someone after a long separation

Anagram

soul retrieval

2 February 2014

cacophobia

[kah-kok-oh-foh-bee-uh]

– an overwhelming and irrational fear of ugliness, whether it be of a person or a situation.

Anagram

I bop a coach
Cacao pi hob

1 February 2014

galleonic

[gal-lee-on-ik]

– marked by indifference or easygoing carelessness or irresponsibility, ‘galleonic attitude’, ‘he was galleonic’.

Anagram

grace lion
ocean gill
angel coil

Leave a Reply