January 2018 WOTDs

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January 2018 WOTDs

31 January 2018

renege

[ri-nig, -neg, -neeg]

verb (used without object), reneged, reneging.

1. Cards. to play a card that is not of the suit led when one can follow suit; break a rule of play.
2. to go back on one’s word:
He has reneged on his promise.
verb (used with object), reneged, reneging.
3. Archaic. to deny; disown; renounce.
noun
4. Cards. an act or instance of reneging.

Origin of renege

Medieval Latin

1540-1550; earlier renegue < Medieval Latin renegāre, equivalent to re- re- + negāre to deny (cf. negative )

Related forms

reneger, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for renege

Contemporary Examples

Dubowitz, however, says he is concerned Moscow could renege on its promise not to sell Iran the S-300.
Russia’s Ace in the Hole: a Super-Missile It Can Sell to Iran
Eli Lake
April 8, 2014

Will Syria collapse or Egypt renege on the Camp David Accords?
Yair Lapid and the Peace Process
Geoffrey Levin
April 25, 2013

Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger convinced Reagan to renege on his support for these cuts, so they never happened.
Reagan’s Deal With Democrats for Tax Increases Paired With Spending Cuts Is a Myth
John M. Barry
December 5, 2012

30 January 2018

scapegrace

[skeyp-greys]

noun

1. a complete rogue or rascal; a habitually unscrupulous person; scamp.

Origin of scapegrace

1800-1810 First recorded in 1800-10; scape2+ grace

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for scapegrace

Historical Examples

It may be that after this lapse of time, the Judge even tolerates the scapegrace.
Shoulder-Straps
Henry Morford

Could the scapegrace still be a gambler, and that could account for it?
Man and Maid
Elinor Glyn

Three people determined upon it must surely save the scapegrace !
Man and Maid
Elinor Glyn

29 January 2018

abdicate

[ab-di-keyt]

verb (used without object), abdicated, abdicating.

1. to renounce or relinquish a throne, right, power, claim, responsibility, or the like, especially in a formal manner:
The aging founder of the firm decided to abdicate.
verb (used with object), abdicated, abdicating.
2. to give up or renounce (authority, duties, an office, etc.), especially in a voluntary, public, or formal manner:
King Edward VIII of England abdicated the throne in 1936.

Origin of abdicate

Latin

1535-1545; < Latin abdicātus renounced (past participle of abdicāre), equivalent to ab- ab- + dicātus proclaimed ( dic- (see dictum ) + -ātus -ate1)

Related forms

abdicable [ab-di-kuh-buh l], adjective
abdicative [ab-di-key-tiv, -kuh-], adjective
abdicator, noun
nonabdicative, adjective
unabdicated, adjective

Can be confused

abdicate, abrogate, arrogate, derogate.

Synonyms

1. resign, quit. 2. abandon, repudiate.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for abdicate

Contemporary Examples

A palace insider however insisted to the Daily Beast today that the Queen was not about to abdicate.
Could The Queen Abdicate on Christmas Day?
Tom Sykes
December 17, 2014

Juan Carlos is the second European monarch to abdicate in just over a year.
Shock As King Juan Carlos of Spain Abdicates
Tom Sykes
June 2, 2014

Much like the British monarchy, when the current Aga Khan is ready to abdicate his post, he will personally choose a successor.
Model Kendra Spears Engaged to a Shi’a Prince
Misty White Sidell
April 30, 2013

Anagram

acid beat
cat abide

28 January 2018

swelter

[swel-ter]

verb (used without object)

1. to suffer from oppressive heat.
verb (used with object)
2. to oppress with heat.
3. Archaic. to exude, as venom.
noun
4. a sweltering condition.

Origin of swelter

late Middle English

1375-1425; late Middle English swelt(e)ren (v.), equivalent to swelt(en) to be overcome with heat ( Old English sweltan to die; cognate with Old Norse svelta, Gothic swiltan) + -eren -er6

Related forms

unsweltered, adjective

Examples from the Web for swelter

Contemporary Examples

There no longer is anywhere to hide from the swelter and welter of the American id.
Drug-Resistant Gonorrhea, the ‘Sex Superbug,’ Is Not Worse Than AIDS
Kent Sepkowitz
May 7, 2013

Historical Examples

The beat of the sun from above and the swelter of dust from below were overpowering.
The Great Boer War
Arthur Conan Doyle

The city, hot as an oven, seemed to swelter in the stifling night.
The Works of Guy de Maupassant, Vol. 6
Guy de Maupassant

“But in hot weather like this it must make you swelter,” continued Elmer.
Endurance Test
Alan Douglas

How far away now seems the welter and swelter of the city, the hectic sophistication of the streets.
Ballads of a Bohemian
Robert W. Service

The poor children have to swelter in knitted socks, knitted hoods, and knitted sweaters, just because they come from America.
The Spell of the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines
Isabel Anderson

Then there is hot weather, perhaps up in the eighties, and Californians grumble, swelter and rustle for summer clothes.
Complete Story of the San Francisco Horror
Richard Linthicum

She knew as a child what it was to live amidst storms of babies, in the heat and swelter of fecundity.
The Rainbow
D. H. (David Herbert) Lawrence

How the crowded chickadee babies must swelter in their bed of fur and feathers tucked inside a close, stuffy hole!
Birds Every Child Should Know
Neltje Blanchan

He hadn’t much missed her in the swelter of the new passion, but after ten days passed he began to worry.
Painted Veils
James Huneker

Anagram

wrestle

27 January 2018

cosmopolitan

[koz-muh-pol-i-tn]

adjective

1. free from local, provincial, or national ideas, prejudices, or attachments; at home all over the world.
2. of or characteristic of a cosmopolite.
3. belonging to all the world; not limited to just one part of the world.
4. Botany, Zoology. widely distributed over the globe.
noun
5. a person who is free from local, provincial, or national bias or attachment; citizen of the world; cosmopolite.
6. a cocktail made with vodka, cranberry juice, an orange-flavored liqueur, and lime juice.

Origin of cosmopolitan

1835-1845 First recorded in 1835-45; cosmopolite + -an

Related forms

cosmopolitanism, noun
cosmopolitanly, adverb
noncosmopolitan, adjective, noun
noncosmopolitanism, noun
uncosmopolitan, adjective

Synonyms

1. sophisticated, urbane, worldly.

Antonyms

1. provincial, parochial.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for cosmopolitan

Contemporary Examples

The Levant is already a far cry from the cosmopolitan melting pot it once was.
Beirut Letter: In Lebanon, Fighting ISIS With Culture and Satire
Kim Ghattas
September 22, 2014

The British editor of cosmopolitan says she loves talking about (and having) sex.
Joanna Coles: Why Cosmopolitan Does Sexy and Serious So Well
Lloyd Grove
August 22, 2014

Anagram

complains too
optical moons
monastic polo
moonlit capos

26 January 2018

abeyance

[uh-bey-uh ns]

noun

1. temporary inactivity, cessation, or suspension:
Let’s hold that problem in abeyance for a while.
2. Law. a state or condition of real property in which title is not as yet vested in a known titleholder:
an estate in abeyance.

Origin of abeyance

Anglo-French, Old French
1520-1530; < Anglo-French; Old French abeance aspiration, literally, a gaping at or toward. See a-5, bay2, -ance

Synonyms

1. remission, deferral.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for abeyance

Contemporary Examples

The court will then hold the eleven felony allocutions in abeyance.
Inside the ‘PayPal 14’ Trial
Alexa O’Brien
December 6, 2013

Historical Examples

“The punishment lies in abeyance for the present,” explained Hamish.
The Channings
Mrs. Henry Wood

It would have been hard to bear had she not known what a triumph she held in abeyance.
A Singer from the Sea
Amelia Edith Huddleston Barr

Anagram

a cane bye

25 January 2018

slavish

[sley-vish]

adjective

1. of or befitting a slave :
slavish subjection.
2. being or resembling a slave; abjectly submissive:
He was slavish in his obedience.
3. base; mean; ignoble:
slavish fears.
4. deliberately imitative; lacking originality:
a slavish reproduction.

Origin of slavish

1555-1565 First recorded in 1555-65; slave + -ish1

Related forms

slavishly, adverb
slavishness, noun
overslavish, adjective
overslavishly, adverb
overslavishness, noun

Synonyms

2. groveling, sycophantic, fawning, cringing. See servile.

Antonyms

2. independent. 3. exalted.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for slavish

Contemporary Examples

DC Comics uses a slavish adherence to the status quo to prevent anything socially progressive from taking place on its pages.
DC Comics’ Diversity Crisis: Why the Status Quo Rules
Liz Watson
July 20, 2014

She must whitewash these brown men and women, rid them of their savage, slavish ways, and repaint them in her own image.
The Abused Wives of Westeros: A Song of Feminism in ‘Game of Thrones’
Amy Zimmerman
April 30, 2014

Zaks had to find the delicate poise between vivid restating and slavish reenactment.
New York’s Greatest Show Or How They Did Not Screw Up ‘Guys and Dolls’
Ross Wetzsteon
April 6, 2014

24 January 2018

obeisance

[oh-bey-suh ns, oh-bee-]

noun

1. a movement of the body expressing deep respect or deferential courtesy, as before a superior; a bow, curtsy, or other similar gesture.
2. deference or homage:
The nobles gave obeisance to the new king.

Origin of obeisance

Middle English, Old French, Middle French
1325-1375; Middle English obeisaunce < Middle French obeissance, derivative of Old French obeissant, present participle of obeir to obey; see -ance

Related forms

obeisant, adjective
obeisantly, adverb

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for obeisance

Historical Examples

Pani rose and made an obeisance, and brought forward a chair.
A Little Girl in Old Detroit
Amanda Minnie Douglas

Jacintha came in with the tonic in a glass, and retired with an obeisance.
White Lies
Charles Reade

To the Governor-General, however, the Sultan must do obeisance.
From Jungle to Java
Arthur Keyser

Taking the offered money, she made an obeisance, and withdrew.
Madeline Payne, the Detective’s Daughter
Lawrence L. Lynch

The sisters sang their hymn, made their obeisance, and departed.
Gryll Grange
Thomas Love Peacock

And when he made his obeisance to David, he inquired of him whence he came.
The Antiquities of the Jews
Flavius Josephus

As he spoke, he brought his wife before the King and she made an obeisance.
Operas Every Child Should Know
Mary Schell Hoke Bacon

Sweeping the cavaliers’ obeisance, gallantest of bows, they rode away.
The Amazing Marriage, Complete
George Meredith

The two stood before the throne and looked at Pharaoh, making no obeisance.
Moon of Israel
H. Rider Haggard

Your hostess will give her hand to you when you make your obeisance.
The Complete Bachelor
Walter Germain

Anagram

casino bee
a sonic bee
I be oceans
can Obi see

23 January 2018

revenant

[rev-uh-nuh nt]

noun

1. a person who returns.
2. a person who returns as a spirit after death; ghost.

Origin of revenant

1820-1830; < French: ghost, noun use of present participle of revenir to return, equivalent to re- re- + ven(ir) to come (< Latin venīre) + -ant -ant

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for revenant

Historical Examples

That is true, Monsieur; he has been often taken for a revenant.
The Room in the Dragon Volant
J. Sheridan LeFanu

It is by the strength of the revenant, by the return of his soul into his body?
The Phantom World
Augustin Calmet

You are now one of us; a revenant, even as I, and to live you must feed on the living.
Each Man Kills
Victoria Glad

Like that shadowy majesty of Denmark, our dramatic author was a ” revenant.”
Their Majesties’ Servants (Volume 3 of 3)
John Doran

But there is no doubt that the majority of us would prefer encountering a human rather than a four-footed ” revenant.”
Stranger Than Fiction
Mary L. Lewes

No one present, then no revenant or spook, or astral body, or hallucination: what’s in a name?
The Return
Walter de la Mare

“It might account for her seeing this revenant cavalier in any passenger,” said Lauzun, not satisfied yet.
A Reputed Changeling
Charlotte M. Yonge

Somehow, the idea of a revenant Beta curve didn’t make up for the basic loss.
Pagan Passions
Gordon Randall Garrett

Now, when she thought of him at all, it was as of some revenant of kindly countenance from a half-forgotten dream.
Linda Lee, Incorporated
Louis Joseph Vance

The Jena was a remarkably fine and fast vessel, and, as the revenant privateer, had formerly cruised long and very successfully.
The Life of Admiral Viscount Exmouth
Edward Osler

Anagram

near vent
raven ten
enter van

22 January 2018

ichor

[ahy-kawr, ahy-ker]

noun

1. Classical Mythology. an ethereal fluid flowing in the veins of the gods.
2. Pathology. an acrid, watery discharge, as from an ulcer or wound.

Origin of ichor

Late Latin, Greek

1630-1640; < Late Latin īchōr (in medical sense) < Greek īchṓr

Related forms

ichorous [ahy-ker-uh s], adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for ichor

Historical Examples

When their ichor is up, they misbehave as we do when our blood is up, during the fury of war.
Homer and His Age
Andrew Lang

Then Talus said, ‘Who are you, strange maiden, and where is this ichor of youth?’
The Heroes
Charles Kingsley

The skin is red and fretted, discharging an ichor which hardens into crusts.
A Treatise on Sheep:
Ambrose Blacklock

Then Talus said, “Who are you, strange maiden; and where is this ichor of youth?”
Myths That Every Child Should Know
Various

Winifred was not discontented with her lot—the ichor of youth and good health flowed too strongly in her veins.
The Bartlett Mystery
Louis Tracy

This ichor intoxicated her and strengthened her at once, and she did not weary of drinking it.
The Marquis of Pealta (Marta y Mara)
Armando Palacio Valds

Then the mast elephant of the wind began to rush, showering drops of rain like drops of ichor, and rooting up trees.
The Kath Sarit Sgara
Somadeva Bhatta

So saying, she wiped the ichor from the wrist of her daughter with both hands, whereon the pain left her, and her hand was healed.
The Iliad
Homer

ichor, an ethereal fluid presumed to supply the place of blood in the veins of the Greek gods.
The Nuttall Encyclopaedia
Edited by Rev. James Wood

She spoke, and with her palms wiped off the ichor from her hand: the hand was healed, and the severe pains mitigated.
The Iliad of Homer (1873)
Homer

Anagram

choir

21 January 2018

plew or plu

[ploo]

noun, Older Use (in Western U.S. and Canada) .

1. a beaver skin, especially one of prime quality.

Origin of plew

Canadian French

1790-1800; Canadian French pelu; French: noun use of pelu haired, hairy (now obsolete or dial.); see poilu

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for plew

Historical Examples

The beaver-skins have fallen, according to their phraseology, to a ‘ plew a plug,’ and they find ‘red-skin’ pays better.
The Scalp Hunters
Mayne Reid

Them was the times when this child first went to the mountains: six dollars the plew —old’un or kitten!
In the Old West
George Frederick Ruxton

Them was the times when this child first went to the mountains: six dollars the plew —old ‘un or kitten.
Blackwood’s Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 63, No. 392, June, 1848
Various

“Thar’s no money in beaver at a dollar a plew,” commented Hank, watching his partner out of the corner of his eye.
Bring Me His Ears
Clarence E. Mulford

 

20 January 2018

carapace

[kar-uh-peys]

noun

1. a bony or chitinous shield, test, or shell covering some or all of the dorsal part of an animal, as of a turtle.

Origin of carapace Expand

French, Spanish
1830-1840; < French < Spanish carapacho, of obscure origin

Related forms

carapaced, adjective
carapacial [kar-uh-pey-shuh l] (Show IPA), adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for carapace

Contemporary Examples

I walked back to my desk, keeping the satisfaction locked tight within a carapace of steely unconcern, and took in the scene.
Wall Street Bonuses Tumble, But Bankers Have Nowhere to Go
Aaron Timms
March 2, 2012

It encases their loserdom in a carapace of purity and righteousness.
The GOP’s Leading Crank
Michael Tomasky
August 30, 2011

Ian McEwan: Well, I think one way… I think you have to develop a carapace of boringness.
Hanging Out with Ian McEwan: Full Transcript
The Daily Beast Video
April 14, 2010

Anagram

a pace car
a race cap

19 January 2018

commensurate

[kuh-men-ser-it, -sher-]

adjective

1. corresponding in amount, magnitude, or degree:
Your paycheck should be commensurate with the amount of time worked.
2. proportionate; adequate:
a solution commensurate to the seriousness of the problem.
3. having the same measure; of equal extent or duration.
4. having a common measure or divisor; commensurable.

Origin of commensurate Expand

Late Latin

1635-1645; < Late Latin commēnsūrātus, equivalent to Latin com- com- + mēnsūrātus (past participle of mēnsūrāre to measure ); see -ate1

Related forms

commensurately, adverb
commensurateness, noun
commensuration [kuh-men-suh-rey-shuh n, -shuh-] (Show IPA), noun
uncommensurate, adjective
uncommensurately, adverb

Can be confused

commensurate, commiserate.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for commensurate

Contemporary Examples

Nevertheless, commensurate reductions in greenhouse gas emissions have not been made.
30 Years to Catastrophe—Bill McKibben’s Mission to Save Us
Mark Hertsgaard
September 27, 2013

The effort invested in “getting it right” should be commensurate with the importance of the decision.
Daniel Kahneman Talks Intuition and Optimism With Sam Harris
Sam Harris
November 30, 2011

His death is not commensurate with the tonnage of human suffering he caused.
The Relief of 9/11 Heroes
John Avlon
May 2, 2011

Historical Examples

It is commensurate with the degree in which they themselves appear not in their work.
Modern Painters Volume I (of V)
John Ruskin

No gratitude could be commensurate with the benefit I conferred upon you.
St. Martin’s Summer
Rafael Sabatini

“My fee shall be commensurate with my inexperience,” I smiled.
The Pirate of Panama
William MacLeod Raine

Whether the results were commensurate with our efforts I cannot say.
The Promised Land
Mary Antin

Love, which is commensurate with life, has innumerable phases.
What Is and What Might Be
Edmond Holmes

Our attainments in these directions appear to be commensurate with our needs.
Fragments of science, V. 1-2
John Tyndall

Let the education of woman be commensurate with her influence.
The Young Maiden
A. B. (Artemas Bowers) Muzzey

Anagram

create summon
octane summer
Etruscan memo

18 January 2018

theophoric

[thee-OH-fawr-ik]

adjective: theophoric; adjective: theophorous
bearing the name of a god.

Example

And while “Israel” is evidently a theophoric name, the Biblical account of the name’s origin is hard to accept. For one thing, its description of how the name was conferred isn’t how theophoric names worked. According to the etymology based on the Biblical story, “isra” is a verb that describes Jacob’s relationship with the deity El. But the verb in theophoric names in the ancient Near East, and in ancient Israel in particular, should describe an attribute of the deity, not of the person. So, based on that rule, the verb isra probably described the god El in some way (who, 3,300 years ago, was not considered a sole god, but the head of the Canaanite pantheon). The problem is that it isn’t clear what that rare verb isra means, and various scholars and translators do not agree.
read more: https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-1.652699

Anagram

cipher hoot
thrice hoop
cheroot hip
their pooch
to ochre hip

17 January 2018

incisive

[in-sahy-siv]

adjective

1. penetrating; cutting; biting; trenchant:
an incisive tone of voice.
2. remarkably clear and direct; sharp; keen; acute:
an incisive method of summarizing the issue.
3. adapted for cutting or piercing.
4. of or relating to the incisors :
the incisive teeth.

Origin of incisive

Medieval Latin

1520-1530 From the Medieval Latin word incīsīvus, dating back to 1520-30. See incise, -ive

Related forms

incisively, adverb
incisiveness, noun
unincisive, adjective
unincisively, adverb
unincisiveness, noun

Synonyms

1. acid, mordant; sarcastic, sardonic.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for incisive

Contemporary Examples

His correspondence, much of which survives, is that of an incisive and articulate observer.
Stonewall Jackson, VMI’s Most Embattled Professor
S. C. Gwynne
November 28, 2014

John Jenkins describes Miller as an “ incisive witness both to scientific acumen and religious belief.”
Meet the Prizewinning Catholic Biologist Creationists Can’t Stand
Karl W. Giberson
April 5, 2014

But unlike Bloom and Eagleton, his books have been, while erudite and incisive, unashamedly populist.
John Sutherland‘s Enjoyable Little History of Literature
Malcolm Forbes
November 28, 2013

Anagram

I vice sin

16 January 2018

trug

[truhg, troo g]

noun, British.

1. a shallow basket for carrying flowers, vegetables, etc., made from strips of wood.
2. a shallow wooden milk pan.
3. a wooden tray for holding mortar.

Origin of trug

1570-1580 First recorded in 1570-80; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for trug

Historical Examples

It occurred to him that trug would not be the liveliest of company.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

But trug, he has not followed; very like they think we’ll not run away and leave him behind.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

“Mayhap if you had trug with you, you could start some here,” suggested Francis.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

The village is remarkable for a local industry—the making of ” trug ” baskets for the carriage of fruit.
Seaward Sussex
Edric Holmes

“Why, he is somewhat like other men,” Miles whispered softly to Giles, but trug grumbled in his throat.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

Then he turned his back on her, and gave his attention to leading trug safely from stone to stone across the brook.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

He felt chilly now, he found, and hungry too, and he guessed he and trug were best go seek Dolly.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

Miles stood up and held Dolly close to him with one arm, while he grasped trug ‘s collar with the other hand.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

Soon Dolly gasped for breath, trug lolled out his tongue, and even Miles found many pretexts to rest.
Soldier Rigdale
Beulah Marie Dix

Another favourite cradle is made from a trug basket, the handle cut off.
Field and Hedgerow
Richard Jefferies

15 January 2018

spat(1)

[spat]

noun

1. a petty quarrel.
2. a light blow; slap; smack.
verb (used without object), spatted, spatting.
3. to engage in a petty quarrel or dispute.
4. to splash or spatter; rain spatting against the window.
verb (used with object), spatted, spatting.
5. to strike lightly; slap.

Origin of spat(1)

1795-1805 An Americanism dating back to 1795-1805; perhaps imitative

Synonyms

1. tiff, scrap, set-to.

spat(2)

[spat]

verb

1. a simple past tense and past participle of spit1.

spat(3)

[spat]

noun

1. a short gaiter worn over the instep and usually fastened under the foot with a strap, worn especially in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Origin

First recorded in 1795-1805; short for spatterdash

spat(4)

[spat]

noun

1. the spawn of an oyster or similar shellfish.
2. young oysters collectively.
3. a young oyster.
4. seed oyster.

Origin

1350-1400; Middle English; origin uncertain

spit(1)

[spit]

verb (used without object), spit or spat, spitting.

1. to eject saliva from the mouth; expectorate.
2. to express hatred, contempt, etc., by or as if by ejecting saliva from the mouth.
3. to sputter:
grease spitting on the fire.
4. to fall in scattered drops or flakes, as rain or snow.
verb (used with object), spit or spat, spitting.
5. to eject from the mouth:
The children were spitting watermelon seeds over the fence.
6. to throw out or emit like saliva:
The kettle spits boiling water over the stove.
7. to set a flame to.
noun
8. saliva, especially when ejected.
9. the act of spitting.
10. Entomology.. Also called spittle. the frothy secretion exuded by spittlebugs.
11. a light fall of rain or snow.
Verb phrases
12. spit up, to vomit; throw up:
The wounded soldier spat up blood. If you jostle the baby, she’ll spit up.

Idioms

13. spit and image, Informal. exact likeness; counterpart:
Hunched over his desk, pen in hand, he was the spit and image of his father at work.
Also, spitting image, spit ‘n’ image.

Origin

before 950; (v.) Middle English spitten, Old English spittan; cognate with German (dial.) spitzen to spit; akin to Old English spǣtan to spit, spātl spittle; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the v.

Related forms

spitlike, adjective

Synonyms

3. spatter.

spit(2)

[spit]

noun

1. a pointed rod or bar for thrusting through and holding meat that is to be cooked before or over a fire.
2. any of various rods, pins, or the like used for particular purposes.
3. a narrow point of land projecting into the water.
4. a long, narrow shoal extending from the shore.
verb (used with object), spitted, spitting.
5. to pierce, stab, or transfix, as with a spit; impale on something sharp.
6. to thrust a spit into or through.

Origin

before 1000; Middle English spite, Old English spitu; cognate with Middle Dutch, Middle Low German spit, spet, Old High German spiz spit; akin to Old Norse spīta peg

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for spat

Contemporary Examples

Upstairs, in the living room, splintered logs of hemlock cackled and spat from inside the wood stove.
Dungeons and Genital Clamps: Inside a Legendary BDSM Chateau
Ian Frisch
December 20, 2014

They kicked and fought and spat and succeeded in repeatedly filling their opponents with fear.
Of Gamers, Gates, and Disco Demolition: The Roots of Reactionary Rage
Arthur Chu
October 16, 2014

He licked them up with a slick bronzy tongue and spat a thick wad of honey-brown juice into the empty teacup.
Short Stories from The Daily Beast: Four Hundred Grand
Elliot Ackerman
July 6, 2014

Anagram

taps

13 January 2018

tress

[tres]

noun

1. Usually, tresses. long locks or curls of hair.
2. a plait or braid of hair.

Origin of tress

Middle English

1250-1300; Middle English tresse < Middle French: plait or braid of hair < ?

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for tress

Historical Examples

She lifted a tress on her forefinger and smoothed it against the sunlight.
Fort Amity
Arthur Thomas Quiller-Couch

The glory of the pipe, as tress had suggested, lay in its carving.
The Lock And Key Library
Various

The more I examined the pipe the more amazed I was at tress ‘s generosity.
The Lock And Key Library
Various

Anagram

rests

 

12 January 2018

nave

[neyv]

noun

1. the principal longitudinal area of a church, extending from the main entrance or narthex to the chancel, usually flanked by aisles of less height and breadth: generally used only by the congregation.

Origin of nave

Medieval Latin

1665-1675; < Medieval Latin nāvis, Latin: ship; so called from the resemblance in shape

Can be confused

knave, naval, nave (see synonym study at knave )

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for nave

Historical Examples

On most Sundays doth he preach here in the nave to all sorts of folk.
The Armourer’s Prentices
Charlotte M. Yonge

The nave of the church is Decorated, and has beautiful windows of that period.
Yorkshire Painted And Described
Gordon Home

The nave was slowly filled, the men being at the right and the women at the left.
The Dream
Emile Zola

The nave, then as now, was the charge of the parish; the chancel, of the rector.
Cameos from English History, from Rollo to Edward II
Charlotte Mary Yonge

Saxon arches separating the nave from the aisles and chancel are plain.
English Villages
P. H. Ditchfield

Many were cruciform, and consisted of nave, transepts, and chancel.
English Villages
P. H. Ditchfield

The nave of the church is now filled with seats for the use of the congregation.
English Villages
P. H. Ditchfield

They were too numerous to be counted, they studded the nave with stars of great price.
The Three Cities Trilogy, Complete
Emile Zola

“It is better that I did not meet him,” he said, with nave conviction.
A Spirit in Prison
Robert Hichens

It planted itself in the centre of the nave and grew there monstrously.
Abbe Mouret’s Transgression
Emile Zola

Anagram

vane

11 January 2018

precipitate

[verb pri-sip-i-teyt; adjective, noun pri-sip-i-tit, -teyt]

verb (used with object), precipitated, precipitating.

1. to hasten the occurrence of; bring about prematurely, hastily, or suddenly:
to precipitate an international crisis.
2. to cast down headlong; fling or hurl down.
3. to cast, plunge, or send, especially violently or abruptly:
He precipitated himself into the struggle.
Chemistry. to separate (a substance) in solid form from a solution, as by means of a reagent.
verb (used without object), precipitated, precipitating.
5. Meteorology. to fall to the earth’s surface as a condensed form of water; to rain, snow, hail, drizzle, etc.
6. to separate from a solution as a precipitate.
7. to be cast or thrown down headlong.
adjective
8. headlong:
a precipitate fall down the stairs.
9. rushing headlong or rapidly onward.
10. proceeding rapidly or with great haste:
a precipitate retreat.
11. exceedingly sudden or abrupt:
a precipitate stop; a precipitate decision.
12. done or made without sufficient deliberation; overhasty; rash:
a precipitate marriage.
noun
13. Chemistry. a substance precipitated from a solution.
14. moisture condensed in the form of rain, snow, etc.

Origin of precipitate

Latin

1520-1530; (v. and adj.) < Latin praecipitātus (past participle of praecipitāre to cast down headlong), equivalent to praecipit- (stem of praeceps steep; see precipice ) + -ātus -ate1; (noun) < New Latin praecipitātum a precipitate, noun use of neuter of praecipitātus

Related forms

precipitately, adverb
precipitateness, noun
precipitative, adjective
precipitator, noun
nonprecipitative, adjective

Can be confused

precipitate, precipitous.

Synonyms

1. accelerate. 4. crystallize. 12. reckless, impetuous.

Antonyms

1. retard. 12. careful.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for precipitate

Contemporary Examples

And it was probably at least partly this that precipitated his downfall.
Relishing Rembrandt’s Blockbuster London Show
Nancy Durrant
October 16, 2014

Rather, it precipitated a month-long diplomatic crisis of byzantine complexity that exposed deeper, long-term sources of conflict.
Barbara Tuchman’s ‘The Guns of August’ Is Still WWI’s Peerless Chronicle
James A. Warren
September 29, 2014

Our public fascination with buttholes has also precipitated a whole new genre of celebrity rumors.
The ‘Back Door’ Is Having Its Pop Culture Moment
Gabriella Paiella
September 27, 2014

Her departure was precipitated by her decision as an IACC member to vote against more funding for studies on vaccine safety.
“Autism Speaks”- but Should Everyone Listen?
Emily Shire
June 13, 2014

Did the writers give you any idea what precipitated this collapse—perhaps a nuclear war or environmental devastation?
The Great Character Actor: Guy Pearce on His Brilliant Career, From ‘Priscilla’ to ‘The Rover’
Richard Porton
May 23, 2014

Historical Examples

Let not your Clarissa be precipitated into a state she wishes not to enter into with any man!
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson

This was on April 24, 1846, and precipitated hostilities at once.
Aztec Land
Maturin M. Ballou

This precipitated a vigorous discussion which extended into the next day.
The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume IV
Various

I have been precipitated, alive, into this hell by another ghost.
Romance
Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer

For this, Europe, during two centuries, was precipitated on Asia.
Blackwoods Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 59, No. 366, April, 1846
Various

Anagram

irate peptic
pita receipt
create pi pit
trace pie tip

10 January 2018

gerontocracy

[jer-uh n-tok-ruh-see, jeer-]

noun, plural gerontocracies.

1. government by a council of elders.
2. a governing body consisting of old people.
3. a state or government in which old people rule.

Origin of gerontocracy

1820-1830 First recorded in 1820-30; geronto- + -cracy

Related forms

gerontocrat [juh-ron-tuh-krat], noun
gerontocratic, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for gerontocracy

Historical Examples

gerontocracy, that is, government by the aged, is the most ancient form of government.
The Cult of Incompetence
Emile Faguet

Anagram

corn category
correct agony

9 January 2018

nim(1)

[nim]

verb (used with or without object), nimmed, nimming. Archaic.

1. to steal or pilfer.

Origin of nim(1)

Middle English Old English

900 before 900; Middle English nimen, Old English niman, cognate with German nehmen, Old Norse nema, Gothic niman to take; cf. numb

nim(2)

[nim]

noun

1. a game in which two players alternate in drawing counters, pennies, or the like, from a set of 12 arranged in three rows of 3, 4, and 5 counters, respectively, the object being to draw the last counter, or, sometimes, to avoid drawing it.

Origin

First recorded in 1900-05; special use of nim1

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for nim

Contemporary Examples

When she got him, she just decided she was going to have fun with nim.
‘Project Nim’: The Stunning New Documentary about Chimpanzees
Marlow Stern
July 9, 2011

There, nim lived out the rest of his days, dying in 2000 at age 26 from a heart attack.
‘Project Nim’: The Stunning New Documentary about Chimpanzees
Marlow Stern
July 9, 2011

There, nim met Bob Ingersoll, a high-spirited University of Oklahoma student who worked at the facility.
‘Project Nim’: The Stunning New Documentary about Chimpanzees
Marlow Stern
July 9, 2011

8 January 2018

contretemps

[kon-truh-tahn; French kawntruh-tahn]

noun, plural contretemps [kon-truh-tahnz; French kawntruh-tahn] (Show IPA)

1. an inopportune occurrence; an embarrassing mischance:
He caused a minor contretemps by knocking over his drink.

Origin of contretemps

1675-1685; < French, equivalent to contre- counter- + temps time (< Latin tempus); perhaps alteration (by folk etymology) of Middle French contrestant, present participle of contrester to oppose; see contrast

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for contretemps Expand

Contemporary Examples

That seemed like it was the end of the matter but then new life was breathed into the contretemps on Monday.
A Cuomo-Christie Proxy War?
Ben Jacobs
December 3, 2013

The contretemps escalated during a commercial break when Khrushchev was handed a note by one of his advisers.
Nikita Khrushchev, Talk Show Guest
Stephen Battaglio
November 20, 2010

Carter reveals that Jay made weird, borderline mentorly calls to Kimmel long before the Conan contretemps began.
Secrets of the Late Night War
Bryan Curtis
November 8, 2010

But the Web contretemps has had an impact all the same, particularly on the political right.
The GOP’s Supreme Problem
Reihan Salam
May 27, 2009

Historical Examples

He determined to take no notice of the contretemps, but return boldly to the attack.
Masterpieces of Mystery
Various

Not only was there no contretemps, but all went off well and pleasantly.
Diary And Notes Of Horace Templeton, Esq.
Charles James Lever

It was an aggravation of annoyance to have her as a witness of these contretemps.
The Girls of St. Olave’s
Mabel Mackintosh

A contretemps less likely to occur at the Choctaw Chief, and there stayed they.
The Death Shot
Mayne Reid

I will write all the pleasant things, but for the jokes—the contretemps, no!
Pixie O’Shaughnessy
Mrs. George de Horne Vaizey

There are no contretemps, no unhappy moments, no jealousies, no heart-burnings.
Betty Vivian
L. T. Meade

Anagram

cement ports
most percent
centre stomp
protects men

7 January 2018

arnica

[ahr-ni-kuh]

noun

1. any composite plant of the genus Arnica, having opposite leaves and yellow flower heads.
2. a tincture of the flowers of A. montana, of Europe, and other species of Arnica, formerly used as an external application in sprains and bruises.

Origin of arnica

1745-1755; < New Latin < ?

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for arnica

Historical Examples

She spent the whole morning bathing and poulticing me, and rubbing me with arnica.
My Antonia
Willa Cather

Free applications of arnica or iodine will have an excellent effect.
Searchlights on Health: Light on Dark Corners
B.G. Jefferis

Oil of arnica is an excellent application for inflamed Piles.
An Epitome of Homeopathic Healing Art
B. L. Hill

There was an atmosphere of arnica and dejection in the house when we got there.
At Good Old Siwash
George Fitch

My knee he bandaged with arnica, after bathing it a long while with warm water.
White Dandy; or, Master and I
Velma Caldwell Melville

The next morning all were lame and sore and there were demands for arnica and a massage.
Baseball Joe on the Giants
Lester Chadwick

I have hitherto been successful in all cases by using tincture of arnica.
Troy and its Remains
Henry (Heinrich) Schliemann

Or apply common white paint by laying it on gently with a brush, or else tincture of marigold or arnica in the same manner.
Cooley’s Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades…, Sixth Edition, Volume I
Arnold Cooley

Mrs. Bull had to patch up his coat and give him some arnica and vaseline.
The Casual Ward
A. D. Godley

Oh, I shall give him a bottle of arnica, or whatever it is, for black eyes!
The Story of Louie
Oliver Onions

Anagram

air can

6 January 2018

prorogue

[proh-rohg]

verb (used with object), prorogued, proroguing.

1. to discontinue a session of (the British Parliament or a similar body).
2. to defer; postpone.

Origin of prorogue

late Middle English Latin

1375-1425; late Middle English proroge < Latin prōrogāre to prolong, protract, defer, literally, to ask publicly, equivalent to prō- pro-1+ rogāre to ask, propose

Related forms

prorogation [proh-ruh-gey-shuh n] (Show IPA), noun
nonprorogation, noun
unprorogued, adjective

Synonyms

1. suspend.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for prorogue

Historical Examples

The sovereign had never dared to prorogue them against their will, they argued.
The Scottish Parliament
Robert S. (Robert Sangster) Rait

This view of q bears upon the theory of words like prorogue, &c.
The English Language
Robert Gordon Latham

The Governor had the right to summon, to prorogue, and to dissolve the Assembly.
Give Me Liberty
Thomas J. Wertenbaker

The Governor may prorogue or dissolve the Legislative Assembly by proclamation or otherwise whenever the Governor considers it expedient.
Queensland Constitution

Anagram

grope our
pour ogre
urge poor

5 January 2018

faff

/fæf/

verb

1. (Brit, informal) ( intransitive) to dither or fuss. Often followed by ‘about’, such as ‘Instead of working, he would just faff about’.

Word Origin
of obscure origin

Collins English Dictionary

4 January 2018

bestial

[bes-chuh l, bees-]

adjective

1. of, relating to, or having the form of a beast :
the belief that a person could assume bestial form after death; the bestial signs of the zodiac.
2. without reason or intelligence; brutal; inhuman:
bestial treatment of prisoners.
3. beastlike in gratifying one’s sensual desires; carnal; debased.

Origin of bestial

Middle English Anglo-French Late Latin Latin

1350-1400; Middle English (< Anglo-French) < Late Latin bēstiālis (Latin bēsti(a) beast + -ālis -al1)

Related forms
bestially, adverb

Dictionary.com

Anagram

sit able
set bale

3 January 2018

axiom

[ak-see-uh m]

noun

1. a self-evident truth that requires no proof.
2. a universally accepted principle or rule.
3. Logic, Mathematics. a proposition that is assumed without proof for the sake of studying the consequences that follow from it.

Origin of axiom

Latin

1475-1485; < Latin axiōma < Greek: something worthy, equivalent to axiō-, variant stem of axioûn to reckon worthy + -ma resultative

noun suffix

Can be confused

adage, aphorism, apothegm, axiom, maxim, proverb.
assumption, axiom, premise, presumption.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for axiom

Contemporary Examples

Whether or not Hippocrates ever actually said “First, do no harm,” the axiom is central to medical ethics.
Why So Many Surgeons Are Psychos
Russell Saunders
December 16, 2014

Jakes says he believes in the axiom that the act of forgiveness is not really a gift to others as much as it is a gift to oneself.
Bishop T.D. Jakes on His New Book and Whitney Houston’s Death
Allison Samuels
March 9, 2012

Historical Examples

It is an axiom in all progress that the more we conquer the more easily we conquer.
The Conquest of Fear
Basil King

Anagram

am I ox

2 January 2018

ergot

[ur-guh t, -got]

noun

1. Plant Pathology.
a disease of rye and other cereal grasses, caused by a fungus of the genus Claviceps, especially C. purpurea, which replaces the affected grain with a long, hard, blackish sclerotial body.
the sclerotial body itself.
2. Pharmacology. the dried sclerotium of C. purpurea, developed on rye plants: used in the production of ergotamine and ergotoxine.

Origin of ergot

Old French

1675-1685; French: literally, a rooster’s spur; Old French argos, argoz, argot spur(s)

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for ergot

Historical Examples

A peculiar variety of sugar, extracted by alcohol from ergot of rye.
Cooley’s Practical Receipts, Volume II
Arnold Cooley

All the poisonous symptoms of ergot are induced from continuously partaking of bread made with ergot ised flour.
Cooley’s Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades…, Sixth Edition, Volume I
Arnold Cooley

To prevent this the ergot should be well dried, and then placed in bottles or tin canisters, and closely preserved from the air.
Cooley’s Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades…, Sixth Edition, Volume I
Arnold Cooley

The ergot is placed in a wide-mouth stoppered bottle, and covered with a thick layer of the powdered charcoal.
Cooley’s Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades…, Sixth Edition, Volume I
Arnold Cooley

A small quantity of ether is dropped on the ergot contained in a bottle, and the latter closed with a well-fitting stopper.
Cooley’s Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades…, Sixth Edition, Volume I
Arnold Cooley

M. Tancret states that he has succeeded in obtaining an alkaloid from ergot of rye, which he names ergot inine.
Cooley’s Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades…, Sixth Edition, Volume I
Arnold Cooley

According to M. Bonjean, this preparation possesses all the hmostatic without any of the poisonous qualities of ergot.
Cooley’s Cyclopdia of Practical Receipts and Collateral Information in the Arts, Manufactures, Professions, and Trades…, Sixth Edition, Volume I
Arnold Cooley

There was ergot in it, cleverly concealed by the natural smell and taste of the sauce.
The Social Gangster
Arthur B. Reeve

The history of ergot of Rye is too fresh in the memory of most people to require more than an allusion here.
Epidemics Examined and Explained: or, Living Germs Proved by Analogy to be a Source of Disease
John Grove

ergot and turpentine are administered in case of hemorrhage—the former best, perhaps, hypodermatically.
A System of Practical Medicine By American Authors, Vol. II
Various

Anagram

or get

1 January 2018

élan

[ey-lahn, ey-lan; French ey-lahn]

noun

1. dash; impetuous ardor:
to dance with great élan.
2. a combination of style and vigour: he performed the concerto with élan

Origin of élan

Middle French

1875-1880; French, Middle French eslan a dash, rush, noun derivative of eslancer to dart, equivalent to es- ex-1+ lancer to lance1

Can be confused

éclat, élan.

Dictionary.com

Contemporary Examples

The romance of elan energized the volunteers who flocked to the colors in the early years of the struggle.
Lawrence of Arabia Became Popular as the Dashing Antithesis of the War in Europe
Jack Schwartz
December 21, 2013

Now that we know about DNA, we no longer need an elan vital.
Is the Brain No Different From a Light Switch? The Uncomfortable Ideas of the Philosopher Daniel Dennett
Jonathan Weiner
May 19, 2013

As the indictment notes, Martoma was regarded by an SAC official as a “one-trick pony with elan.”
The Insider-Trading Cloud Hanging Over SAC Capital’s Steven A. Cohen
Daniel Gross
November 27, 2012

Historical Examples

Besides, there isnt any dead body awaiting his elan on that ship or any ship.
A Place in the Sun
C.H. Thames

The course of the aqueduct from elan to Birmingham was marked by a thin red line.
The Blue Germ
Martin Swayne

My friend Sarakoff and I introduced the germ that we discovered into the elan reservoirs.
The Blue Germ
Martin Swayne

On the north lay the river elan and on the south the steep side of a mountain towered up against the luminous sky.
The Blue Germ
Martin Swayne

elan was its characteristic—but it was hard to reduce to the stratified regularity of an army.
Four Years in Rebel Capitals
T. C. DeLeon

Daim is the French for deer, and cerf for stag; elan is the true term, when one would speak of an elk.
The Last of the Mohicans
James Fenimore Cooper

It was not an ordinary movement, but an intense rush made with all the elan and vigour of hardy and highly-trained men.
The Lady of the Shroud
Bram Stoker

Anagram

lean
lane

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