March 2014 – WOTDs

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31 March 2014

evince

[ih-vins]

verb (used with object), e·vinced, e·vinc·ing.
1. to show clearly; make evident or manifest; prove. e.g. evinced by the fact that interests in partnerships are sold to new partners.
2. to reveal the possession of (a quality, trait, etc.).

Origin:
1600–10; < Latin ēvincere to conquer, overcome, carry one’s point, equivalent to ē- e-1 + vincere to conquer

Related forms
e·vin·ci·ble, adjective
non·e·vin·ci·ble, adjective
un·e·vinced, adjective
un·e·vin·ci·ble, adjective

usage: Evince is sometimes wrongly used where evoke is meant: the proposal evoked (not evinced) a storm of protest.

Anagram

vice en

30 March 2014

tacit

[tas-it]

adjective

1. understood without being openly expressed; implied: tacit approval.
2. silent; saying nothing: a tacit partner.
3. unvoiced or unspoken: a tacit prayer.

Origin:
1595–1605; < Latin tacitus silent, past participle of tacēre to be silent (cognate with Gothic thahan; akin to Old Norse thegja )

Related forms
tac·it·ly, adverb
tac·it·ness, noun

Synonyms
1. unexpressed, unspoken, unsaid, implicit.

Antonyms
1. expressed.

Anagram

act it

 

29 March 2014

redolent

[red-l-uhnt]

adjective

1. having a pleasant odor; fragrant: redolent perfume.
2. odorous or smelling (usually followed by of ): redolent of garlic.
3. suggestive; reminiscent (usually followed by of ): verse redolent of Shakespeare.

Origin:
1350–1400; Middle English < Latin redolent- (stem of redolēns ), present participle of redolēre to emit odor, equivalent to red- red- + ol ( ēre ) to smell (akin to odor) + -ent- -ent

Related forms
red·o·lence, red·o·len·cy, noun
red·o·lent·ly, adverb

Synonyms
1. odorous, aromatic, odoriferous.

Anagram

elder ton
let drone
dole rent
Teen Lord

28 March 2014

lissome

[lis-uhm]

adjective

1. lithesome or lithe, especially of body; supple; flexible.
2. agile, nimble, or active.

Also, lis·som.

Origin:
1790–1800; variant of lithesome

Related forms
lis·some·ly, adverb
lis·some·ness, noun

Can be confused: lithe, lissome.

Antonyms
1. rigid. 2. clumsy.

Anagram

lie moss
oil mess
smile so

27 March 2014

evoke

[ih-vohk]

verb (used with object), e·voked, e·vok·ing.

1. to call up or produce (memories, feelings, etc.): to evoke a memory.
2. to elicit or draw forth: His comment evoked protests from the shocked listeners.
3. to call up; cause to appear; summon: to evoke a spirit from the dead.
4. to produce or suggest through artistry and imagination a vivid impression of reality: a short passage that manages to evoke the smells, colors, sounds, and shapes of that metropolis.

Origin:
1615–25; < Latin ēvocāre, equivalent to ē- e-1 + vocāre to call (akin to vōx voice)

Related forms
e·vok·er, noun
un·e·voked, adjective
evocative, adjective – tending to evoke

26 March 2014

plenitude

[plen-i-tood, -tyood]

noun

1. fullness or adequacy in quantity, measure, or degree; abundance: a plenitude of food, air, and sunlight.
2. state of being full or complete.

Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English < Latin plēnitūdō. See plenum, -i-, tude

Related forms
o·ver·plen·i·tude, noun

Can be confused: planetary, plenary, plentiful, plenitude.

Synonyms
1. profusion, quantity.

Anagram

need tulip
dilute pen
duel inept
let pun die

25 March 2014

enunciate

[ih-nuhn-see-eyt]

verb (used with object), e·nun·ci·at·ed, e·nun·ci·at·ing.

1. to utter or pronounce (words, sentences, etc.), especially in an articulate or a particular manner: He enunciates his words distinctly.
2. to state or declare definitely, as a theory.
3. to announce or proclaim: to enunciate one’s intentions.
verb (used without object), e·nun·ci·at·ed, e·nun·ci·at·ing.
4. to pronounce words, especially in an articulate or a particular manner.

Origin:

1615–25; < Latin ēnūntiātus (past participle of ēnūntiāre ), equivalent to ē- e-1 + nūnti ( us ) messenger, message + -ātus -ate1

Related forms
e·nun·ci·a·ble, adjective
e·nun·ci·a·bil·i·ty, noun
e·nun·ci·a·tive, e·nun·ci·a·to·ry, adjective
e·nun·ci·a·tive·ly, adverb
e·nun·ci·a·tor, noun

Anagram

cane unite
A nice tune
ice tea nun

23 March 2014

adroit

[uh-droit]

adjective

1. expert or nimble in the use of the hands or body.
2. cleverly skillful, resourceful, or ingenious: an adroit debater.

Origin:

1645–55; < French, Old French: elegant, skillful, equivalent to a- a-5 + droit, dreit straight, just, correct < Latin dīrēctus; see direct

Related forms
a·droit·ly, adverb
a·droit·ness, noun
un·a·droit, adjective
un·a·droit·ly, adverb
un·a·droit·ness, noun

Can be confused: adroit, à droite.

Synonyms
1. skillful, clever; deft, apt, adept. 1, 2. See dexterous.

Antonyms
1. clumsy.

Anagram

to raid
I do art
ad riot

23 March 2014

trope

trope [trohp]

noun

1. Rhetoric .
a. any literary or rhetorical device, as metaphor, metonymy, synecdoche, and irony, that consists in the use of words in other than their literal sense.
b. an instance of this. Compare figure of speech.
2. a phrase, sentence, or verse formerly interpolated in a liturgical text to amplify or embellish.
3. (in the philosophy of Santayana) the principle of organization according to which matter moves to form an object during the various stages of its existence.

Origin:
1525–35; < Latin tropus figure in rhetoric < Greek trópos turn, turning, turn or figure of speech, akin to trépein to turn

-trope
a combining form meaning “one turned toward” that specified by the initial element ( heliotrope ); also occurring in concrete nouns that correspond to abstract nouns ending in -tropy, or -tropism:, allotrope.
Origin:
< Greek -tropos; see trope, tropo-

Anagram

or pet
per to

22 February 2014

toto

– entire, total (from Latin)

in toto

[in toh-toh]

Latin.

– in all; completely; entirely; wholly. ‘The speech was published in toto’.

toto caelo

[toh-toh kahy-loh; English toh-toh see-loh]

Latin.

– by the entire extent of the heavens; diametrically.

Example 1:’Her opinion differed toto caelo to the rest of her family’.

Example 2: ‘Between this and the religious view, the difference is toto caelo (heaven-wide), as also the point of departure and the ultimate aim differ from it toto caelo (diametrically, heaven-wide) … ‘ (from Kirkegaard’s Writings: Two Ages, Towards apocalypse: Kirkegaard’s Later Years‘, Soren Kirkegaard)

Not to be confused with dodgy 1980s new wave band and one-hit wonder, Toto Coelo (not to mention their questionable Latin spelling). Remember, ‘I Eat Cannibals‘? No? Ok … from high-brow Latin to low-brow British disco …

Across the Atlantic, Bobby Kimball was in Toto, then ex Toto, then in Toto … hmm, speaking of dodgy bands … ok, moving right along …

Anagram

toot
Otto

 

21 March 2014

meticulous

[muh-tik-yuh-luhs]

adjective

1. taking or showing extreme care about minute details; precise; thorough: a meticulous craftsman; meticulous personal appearance.
2. finicky; fussy: meticulous adherence to technicalities.

Origin:
1525–35; < Latin metīculōsus full of fear, fearful, equivalent to metī- for metū- (stem of metus fear) + -culōsus, extracted from perīculōsus perilous

Related forms
me·tic·u·lous·ly, adverb
me·tic·u·lous·ness, me·tic·u·los·i·ty [muh-tik-yuh-los-i-tee] Show IPA , noun
un·me·tic·u·lous, adjective
un·me·tic·u·lous·ly, adverb
un·me·tic·u·lous·ness, noun

Synonyms
1. exact, strict, scrupulous. See painstaking.

Antonyms
1, 2. careless.

Anagram

emu oculist
I muscle out

20 March 2014

scrupulous

[skroo-pyuh-luhs]

adjective

1. having scruples; having or showing a strict regard for what one considers right; principled.
2. punctiliously or minutely careful, precise, or exact: a scrupulous performance.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin scrūpulōsus. See scruple, -ous

Related forms
scru·pu·los·i·ty [skroo-pyuh-los-i-tee]
scru·pu·lous·ness, noun
scru·pu·lous·ly, adverb
hy·per·scru·pu·los·i·ty, noun
hy·per·scru·pu·lous, adjective
hy·per·scru·pu·lous·ly, adverb

Synonyms
1. conscientious, cautious, careful, circumspect. 2. exacting, rigorous. Scrupulous, punctilious imply abiding exactly by rules. Scrupulous implies conscientious carefulness in attending to details: scrupulous attention to details. Punctilious suggests strictness, preciseness, and rigidity, especially in observance of social conventions.

Antonyms
2. careless.

Anagram

coup slur us
locus usurp

19 March 2014

punctilious

[puhngk-til-ee-uhs]

adjective

– extremely attentive to detail; strict or exact in the observance of the formalities, etiquette or amenities of conduct or actions.

Origin:
1625–35; punctili(o) + -ous

Related forms
punc·til·i·ous·ly, adverb
punc·til·i·ous·ness, noun
un·punc·til·i·ous, adjective
un·punc·til·i·ous·ly, adverb
un·punc·til·i·ous·ness, noun

Can be confused: punctual.

Synonyms
precise, demanding; careful, conscientious. See scrupulous.

Antonyms
careless.

Anagrams

tulip cousin
uncoil situp
oils up tunic

18 March 2014

flocculent

[flok-yuh-luhnt]

adjective
1. like a clump or tuft of wool, e.g. ‘the flocculent clouds’
2. covered with a soft, woolly substance, e.g. ‘he appeared more flocculent than hirsute’.
3. consisting of or containing loose woolly masses.
4. flocky.
5. Chemistry . consisting of flocs and floccules.

Anagram

collect fun

17 March 2014

skedaddle

[ski-dad-l]

Informal.

verb (used without object), ske·dad·dled, ske·dad·dling.

1. to run away hurriedly; flee.

noun
2. a hasty flight.
Origin:
1860–65, Americanism; compare dial. ( Scots, N England) skedaddle to spill, scatter, skiddle to move away quickly

Anagram

Added elks
desk addle

16 March 2014

parlance

[pahr-luhns]

noun

1. a way or manner of speaking; vernacular; idiom: legal parlance.
2. speech, especially a formal discussion or debate.
3. talk; parley.

Origin:
1570–80; < Anglo-French; see parle, -ance

Anagram

clean rap
plan race
per canal

15 March 2014

ides

[ahydz]
noun (used with a singular or plural verb)

– (in the ancient Roman calendar) the fifteenth day of March, May, July, or October, and the thirteenth day of the other months.

Origin:
1300–50; Middle English < Old French < Latin īdūs (feminine plural); replacing Middle English idus < Latin

-ides
a Greek plural suffix appearing in scientific names: cantharides.
Origin:
< Greek, plural of -is, suffix of ‘source or origin’.

Anagram

dies
side

14 March 2014

persnickety

[per-snik-i-tee]

adjective Informal.

1. overparticular; fussy.
2. snobbish or having the aloof attitude of a snob.
3. requiring painstaking care.

Also, pernickety.

Origin:
1885–90; orig. Scots, variant of pernickety

Related forms
per·snick·et·i·ness, noun

Synonyms
1. nitpicking, finicky.

Anagram

pry neckties
spiky centre
stinky creep
inky sceptre

13 March 2014

scud

scud (1)

[skuhd]

verb (used without object), scud·ded, scud·ding.

1. to run or move quickly or hurriedly. ‘Best scud along’
2. Nautical . to run before a gale with little or no sail set.
3. Archery. (of an arrow) to fly too high and wide of the mark.

noun
4. the act of scudding.
5. clouds, spray, or mist driven by the wind; a driving shower or gust of wind. ‘clouds scud by’.
6. low-drifting clouds appearing beneath a cloud from which precipitation is falling.

Origin:
1525–35; Middle Low German – schudden to shake

scud (2)

[skuhd]

verb (used with object), scud·ded, scud·ding.
1. to cleanse (a trimmed and roughly depilated skin or hide) of remaining hairs or dirt.
noun
2. the hairs or dirt removed by scudding.

Origin:
1635–45; perhaps to be identified with obsolete scud dirt

Scud could be the possible origin of the word ‘skeddadle’, meaning to leave somewhere in a hurry.

Anagram

cuds

12 March 2014

logolepsy

[loh-goh-lep-see]

– an obsession with words.

‘To say he suffered logolepsy would be to ignore the extreme pleasure that the malady brought him’.

Anagram

ogle ploys
yelp logos
lop sly ego
go ply sole

11 March 2014

verboten

[ver-boht-n; German fer-boht-n]

adjective

– forbidden, as by law; prohibited.

Origin:
1910–15; < German: past participle of verbieten to forbid

Anagram

borne vet
verb note

10 March 2014

interdict

[n. in-ter-dikt; v. in-ter-dikt]

noun

1. Civil Law. any prohibitory act or decree of a court or an administrative officer.
2. Roman Catholic Church . a punishment by which the faithful, remaining in communion with the church, are forbidden certain sacraments and prohibited from participation in certain sacred acts.
3. Roman Law. a general or special order of the Roman praetor forbidding or commanding an act, especially in cases involving disputed possession.
verb (used with object)
4. to forbid; prohibit.
5. Ecclesiastical . to cut off authoritatively from certain ecclesiastical functions and privileges.
6. to impede by steady bombardment: Constant air attacks interdicted the enemy’s advance.

Origin:
1250–1300; (noun) < Latin interdictum prohibition, noun use of neuter of interdictus past participle of interdīcere to forbid, equivalent to inter- inter- + -dic- (variant stem of dīcere to speak) + -tus past participle suffix; replacing Middle English enterdit < Old French < Latin, as above; (v.) < Latin interdictus; replacing Middle English enterditen < Old French entredire (past participle entredit ) < Latin, as above

Related forms
in·ter·dic·tor, noun
un·in·ter·dict·ed, adjective
interdiction, noun – an act or instance of interdicting

Anagram

cried tint
tin credit

9 March 2014

kyrofelonoshophobia

[keer-oh-fee-loo-noo-shoh-foh-bee-yah]

– fear of cartoon characters.

Anagram

A Bookshelf Hoop Irony
A Bolero Fishhook Pony
A Bonfire Hook Holy Ops
Ooh looks a phony fibre

8 March 2014

cathexis

[kuh-thek-sis]
noun, plural ca·thex·es

[kuh-thek-seez] Psychoanalysis .

1. the investment of emotional significance in an activity, object, or idea.
2. the charge of psychic energy so invested.
Origin:
1920–25; < Neo-Latin < Greek káthexis a keeping, equivalent to kathek- (variant stem of katéchein to keep, hold on to, equivalent to cat cat- + échein to have, hold) + -sis -sis, as translation of German Besetzung a taking possession of (Freud’s term)

Related forms
ca·thec·tic [kuh-thek-tik] adjective

Anagram

teach six
taxes chi
axes chit

7 March 2014

supererogation

[soo-per-er-uh-geyt]

verb (used without object), su·per·er·o·gat·ed, su·per·er·o·gat·ing.

– to do more than duty requires.

Origin:
1730–40; < Late Latin superērogātus (past participle of superērogāre to pay out in addition), equivalent to super- super- + ērogātus past participle of ērogāre to pay out, equivalent to ē- e-1 + rog ( ere ) to ask + -ātus -ate1

Related forms
su·per·er·o·ga·tion, noun
su·per·er·o·ga·tor, noun

Anagram

organise troupe
prisoner outage
operation surge
Guinea troopers
up to reorganise

6 March 2014

buffalo

So, everyone knows the meaning of this word, yes? Then I’ll lead with the example sentence as I’m sure it will make perfect sense to you:

Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

This is not a shopping list of buffalo, but a grammatically correct sentence which has obvious meaning. It was written by William J. Rapaport (just so he’s not left out of the equation). When you think you understand the sentence, or if you’re too excited or lazy to work it out yourself, read on. The sentence means:

Buffalo from Buffalo (New York) who are bullied by other buffalo, themselves bully buffalo.

Do you still feel confident in your understanding of the definition of buffalo?

buffalo

[buhf-uh-loh]

noun, plural buf·fa·loes, buf·fa·los ( especially collectively ) buf·fa·lo.

1. any of several large wild oxen of the family Bovidae. Compare bison, Cape buffalo, water buffalo.
2. buffalo robe.
3. a buffalofish.
4. a shuffling tap-dance step.

verb (used with object), buf·fa·loed, buf·fa·lo·ing. Informal.

5. to puzzle or baffle; confuse; mystify: He was buffaloed by the problem.
6. to impress or intimidate by a display of power, importance, bully, etc.: The older boys buffaloed him.

Origin:
1535–45, Americanism; earlier bufalo < Portuguese (now bufaro ) < Late Latin būfalus, variant of Latin būbalus bubal

Not to labour the point, but how about this example using a couple of more of the definitions listed above:

Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo.

(Bullied confused tapdancing buffalo from Buffalo, New York, who are bullied by confused tap-dancing buffalo also bully other confused tap-dancing buffalo from Buffalo).

Yes, I know … it’s all bull!

Anagram

luff boa
a fob flu
flob oaf

5 March 2014

efficacy

[ef-i-kuh-see]

noun, plural ef·fi·ca·cies.

– capacity for producing a desired result or effect; effectiveness: a remedy of great efficacy.

Origin:
1520–30; < Latin efficācia, equivalent to efficāc- (see efficacious) + -ia -y3

Related forms
non·ef·fi·ca·cy, noun

4 March 2014

aerie

[air-ee, eer-ee]

noun

1. the nest of a bird of prey, as an eagle or a hawk.
2. a lofty nest of any large bird.
3. a house, fortress, or the like, located high on a hill or mountain. E.g. The hills served as an aerie in which the drug smuggler could hide.
4. Obsolete . the brood in a nest, especially of a bird of prey.

Also, aery, eyrie, eyry.

Origin:
1575–85; < Anglo-French, Old French airie, equivalent to aire (< Latin ager field, presumably “nest” in Vulgar Latin; see acre) + ie -y3 ; compare Medieval Latin aerea, aeria aerie, brood < Old French aire

Can be confused: 1. aerie, airy ; 2. aerie, eerie, Erie.

3 March 2014

wastrel

[wey-struhl]

noun

1. a wasteful person; spendthrift.
2. Chiefly British .
a. refuse; waste.
b. a waif; abandoned child.
c. an idler or good-for-nothing.

Example:

For a wastrel, he has been surprisingly successful.

Origin:
1580–90; waste + -rel

Anagram

let wars
law rest

2 March 2014

resplendent

[ri-splen-duhnt]

adjective

– shining brilliantly; gleaming; splendid: troops resplendent in white uniforms; resplendent virtues.

Best use of the word ‘resplendent’ in a movie:

Buffalo Soldiers, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Ed Harris.

SPC Ray Elwood (reading a letter he wrote for the Colonel to sign): ‘I regret the death of your son immensely. There was nobody in the battalion I would have trusted more with my life. In him were resplendent the virtues of honor and loyalty. He fell off the rooftop while making technical repairs to the antennae that guard against the enemy’.

Colonel Berman: ‘You kept this one short’.

Elwood: ‘I thought it best not to get lost in detail, sir’.

Berman: ‘I liked the bit about trusting him with my life’.

Elwood: ‘It’s a new angle, sir.

Berman: ‘Here’s something though. “Resplendent”. That’s not a good word to describe a soldier. What about “contained”? In him were contained the virtues of honour and loyalty’

Elwood: ‘That’s much better. – Oh, much better, sir’.

Berman: Don’t let the word ‘resplendent’ leave this base.

Elwood: ‘Yes, sir’.

—

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English < Latin resplendent- (stem of resplendēns ), present participle of resplendēre to shine brightly, equivalent to re- re- + splend ( ēre ) shine (see splendor) + -ent- -ent

Related forms
re·splend·ent·ly, adverb
self-re·splend·ent, adjective
un·re·splend·ent, adjective
un·re·splend·ent·ly, adverb

Synonyms
radiant; dazzling, gorgeous, magnificent.

Anagram

spent lender
nerds let pen

1 March 2014

snaffle (1)

[snaf-uhl]

noun

1. Also called snaffle bit. a bit, usually jointed in the middle and without a curb, with a large ring at each end to which a rein and cheek strap are attached.

verb (used with object), snaf·fled, snaf·fling.
2. to put a snaffle on (a horse).
3. to control with or as with a snaffle.

Origin:
1525–35; origin uncertain; compare Old Frisian snavel mouth, Dutch snavel, German Schnabel beak, bill

snaffle (2)

[snaf-uhl]

verb (used with object), snaf·fled, snaf·fling. British Informal.

– to appropriate for one’s own use, especially by devious means; purloin; filch. ‘He snaffled a bottle of wine’.

Origin:
1715–25; origin uncertain

Anagram

self fan
elf fans

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