October 2015 – WOTDs

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31 October 2015

rakish (1)

[rey-kish]

adjective

1. like a rake; dissolute:
rakish behavior.

Origin of rakish (1)

1700-1710; rake2+ -ish1

Related forms

rakishly, adverb
rakishness, noun

rakish (2)

[rey-kish]

adjective

1. smart; jaunty; dashing:
a hat worn at a rakish angle.
2. (of a vessel) having an appearance suggesting speed.

Origin

1815-25; rake3+ -ish1

Synonyms

1. sporting, dapper, debonair, breezy.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for rakish

Contemporary Examples

Last of Robin Hood also centers on a young woman who falls for a rakish older movie star.
Susan Sarandon on Her Love Affair With David Bowie, Woody Allen’s Creepiness, and Psychedelics
Marlow Stern
July 23, 2014

Sometimes his leather jackets were sporty and rakish, at others they were sculpted into prim, hourglass shapes.
Paris Fashion Week Frenzy: Let’s Focus on Clothes
Robin Givhan
March 8, 2011

The prince was rakish and clever and yes, even charming at times.
How the Sultan of Brunei Violated His Sharia Law With Me
Jillian Lauren
May 5, 2014

30 October 2015

empirical

[em-pir-i-kuh l]

adjective

1. derived from or guided by experience or experiment.
2. depending upon experience or observation alone, without using scientific method or theory, especially as in medicine.
3. provable or verifiable by experience or experiment.

Origin of empirical

1560-1570; empiric + -al1

Related forms

empirically, adverb
empiricalness, noun
antiempirical, adjective
antiempirically, adverb
nonempirical, adjective

Synonyms

1, 2. practical, firsthand, pragmatic.

Antonyms

1, 2. secondhand, theoretical.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for empirical

Contemporary Examples

There’s also a fair amount of empirical support for the theory that lobbying dollars are driving up home prices in the District.
Is DC Real Estate Headed Up or Down?
Megan McArdle
October 22, 2012

Manzi, who founded a company that makes software expediting RFTs, is an enthusiast of this empirical approach, and rightly so.
David’s Book Club: Uncontrolled
Kenneth Silber
May 11, 2012

Those are the kinds of things that the IMF, for the first time, is actually studying in details and with empirical data.
Transcript: Thomas Friedman Interviews Hillary Clinton and Christine Lagarde
April 4, 2014

Anagram

ripe claim
eclair imp

29 October 2015

hermetic or hermetical

[hur-met-ik]

adjective

1. made airtight by fusion or sealing.
2. not affected by outward influence or power; isolated.
3. (sometimes initial capital letter) of, relating to, or characteristic of occult science, especially alchemy.
4. (initial capital letter) of or relating to Hermes Trismegistus or the writings ascribed to him.

Origin of hermetic

Medieval Latin

1630-1640; < Medieval Latin hermēticus of, pertaining to Hermes Trismegistus, equivalent to Latin Hermē (s) Hermes + -ticus -tic

Related forms

unhermetic, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for hermetic

Contemporary Examples

The government of Colombia decided to loan the 28,000 square meter fixer-upper to a fraternity of hermetic Benedictine monks.
Pablo Escobar’s Private Prison Is Now Run by Monks for Senior Citizens
Jeff Campagna
June 6, 2014

And Demme, by barely indicating the visual presence of the audience until the end, intensifies the closed-off, hermetic feeling.
The Stacks: Pauline Kael’s Talking Heads Obsession
Pauline Kael
November 21, 2014

We love to laugh at Kim and Company because it distracts our souls from the horrific reality of their hermetic regime.
Pyongyang Shuffle: Hollywood In Dead Panic Over Sony Hack
James Poulos
December 18, 2014

Anagram

creme hit
the crime
therm ice

28 October 2015

iatrophobia

[eye(ee)-at-roh-foh-bee-uh]

noun

– abnormal or irrational fear of going to the doctor.

Anagram

a phobia riot
to pariah bio
bait hair hoop

27 October 2015

quiddity

[kwid-i-tee]

noun, plural quiddities.

1. the quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing.
2. a trifling nicety of subtle distinction, as in argument.

Origin of quiddity

Medieval Latin

1530-1540; < Medieval Latin quidditās, equivalent to Latin quid what + -itās -ity

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for quiddity

Historical Examples

The suchness of being implies a previously existing being and quiddity.
Plotinos: Complete Works, v. 1
Plotinos (Plotinus)

Aristotle has thus shown how the Essence or quiddity (τί ἐστι) may become known in this class of cases.
Aristotle
George Grote

The lawyer’s clerk, whose name was quiddity, also set about publishing the whole of the matter abroad.
Forgotten Tales of Long Ago
E. V. Lucas

Anagram

Tidy quid

26 October 2015

lorn

[lawrn]

adjective

1. forsaken, desolate, bereft, or forlorn.
2. Archaic. lost, ruined, or undone.

Origin of lorn
Middle English, Old English
1250-1300; Middle English; Old English loren, past participle of -lēosan to lose (recorded in compounds)

Related forms

lornness, noun

Lorne or Lorn

[lawrn]

noun

1. Firth of, an inlet of the Atlantic Ocean, on the W coast of Scotland, leading NE to the Caledonian Canal.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for lorn

Historical Examples

This interesting historic memorial is still preserved by the lineal descendant of the Macdougals of lorn.
The Archaeology and Prehistoric Annals of Scotland
Daniel Wilson

I’m a lone, lorn grass-widow, dear, but I will not sleep in my stays.
The Works of Rudyard Kipling: One Volume Edition
Rudyard Kipling

This results in the galley of lorn being in chief, and the Campbell gyrons in base.
A Complete Guide to Heraldry
Arthur Charles Fox-Davies

25 October 2015

effendi

[ih-fen-dee]

noun, plural effendis.

1. a former Turkish title of respect, especially for government officials.
2. (in eastern Mediterranean countries) a man who is a member of the aristocracy.

Origin of effendi

Turkish, Greek
1605-1615; < Turkish efendi < Modern Greek, Greek authentḗs doer, master. See authentic

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for effendi

Historical Examples

This privilege is granted to them on payment of a sum of money to the effendi in charge of the Haram.
Jerusalem Explored, Volume I–Text
Ermete Pierotti

“Everything that you have ordered has been done, effendi,” he said humbly.
The Clue of the Twisted Candle
Edgar Wallace

“You may think that those are, effendi,” said Yussuf in his quiet way.
Yussuf the Guide
George Manville Fenn

Anagram

feed fin
find fee

24 October 2015

hikikomori

noun, adjective

a state or condition of acute social withdrawal, esp. among adolescents or young adults; an extreme introvert

Examples

A majority of people experiencing hikikomori are male.

Word Origin

2000; Japanese. ‘pulling away’

Dictionary.com

23 October 2015

cotillion

[kuh-til-yuh n, koh-]

noun

1. a formal ball given especially for debutantes.
2. a lively French social dance originating in the 18th century, consisting of a variety of steps and figures and performed by couples.
3. any of various dances resembling the quadrille.
4. music arranged or played for these dances.
5. a formalized dance for a large number of people, in which a head couple leads the other dancers through elaborate and stately figures.

Origin of cotillion

French

1760-1770; < French cotillon kind of dance, in Old French: petticoat, equivalent to cote coat + -illon diminutive suffix

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for cotillion

Contemporary Examples

Mitt, dear chap, one is delighted to escort Muffy to the cotillion.
Paul Begala: Huntsman Wins South Carolina Debate by Dropping Out
Paul Begala
January 16, 2012

Historical Examples

A toy harness from the cotillion favors jangled on her dress.
The House of Fulfilment
George Madden Martin

I simply said I wanted to be excused from taking her to the cotillion.
Stanford Stories
Charles K. Field

Anagram

ionic toll
licit loon
in cool lit

Origin of coxcomb

1565-1575; spelling variant of cockscomb

Related forms

coxcombical [koks-kom-i-kuh l, -koh-mi-], coxcombic, adjective

coxcombically, adverb

Synonyms

1. dude, popinjay, jackanapes.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for coxcomb

Historical Examples

Mr. Dashwood could not be mistaken for a pedant, unless a coxcomb be a sort of pedant.
Tales And Novels, Volume 1 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth

Somebody says, that nature may make a fool, but a coxcomb is always of his own making.
Tales And Novels, Volume 4 (of 10)
Maria Edgeworth

He hints that this is perhaps the reason why a coxcomb always believes himself to be handsome.
Critical Miscellanies (Vol 2 of 3)
John Morley

20 October 2015

fribble

[frib-uh l]

verb (used without object), fribbled, fribbling.

1. to act in a foolish or frivolous manner; trifle.
verb (used with object), fribbled, fribbling.
2. to waste foolishly (often followed by away):
He fribbled away one opportunity after another.
noun
3. a foolish or frivolous person; trifler.
4. anything trifling or frivolous.
5. frivolousness.
adjective
6. frivolous; foolish; trifling.

Origin of fribble

1620-1630; perhaps alteration of frivol

Related forms

fribbler, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for fribble

Historical Examples

Out here a Howat Penny, just like any fribble about the Court.
The Three Black Pennys
Joseph Hergesheimer

And so he became a priest, a fribble, and a coxcomb, but a man of truth.
The Browning Cyclopedia
Edward Berdoe

19 October 2015

peripeteia

[per-uh-pi-tahy-uh, -tee-uh]

noun

1. a sudden turn of events or an unexpected reversal, especially in a literary work.

Also, peripetia, peripety [puh-rip-i-tee]

Origin of peripeteia

Greek

1585-1595; < Greek peripéteia sudden change, equivalent to peripet (ḗs) literally, falling round ( peri- peri- + pet-, base of píptein to fall) + -eia -y3

Dictionary.com

Anagram

pear pie tie
eat pie pier

18 October 2015

timocracy

[tahy-mok-ruh-see]

noun, plural timocracies.

1. a form of government in which love of honor is the dominant motive of the rulers.
2. a form of government in which a certain amount of property is requisite as a qualification for office.

Origin of timocracy

Greek

1580-1590; earlier timocratie (< F) < Greek tīmokratía, equivalent to tīmo- (combining form of tīmḗ honor, worth) + -kratia -cracy

Related forms

timocratic [tahy-muh-krat-ik] (Show IPA), timocratical, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for timocracy

Historical Examples

Out of this timocracy, or timarchy, the city will next pass into an oligarchy, or government of wealth.
Plato and the Other Companions of Sokrates, 3rd ed. Volume IV (of 4)
George Grote

The individual who answers to timocracy has some noticeable qualities.
The Republic
Plato

Yet the question might be asked, under what category we would place the timocracy, or government of the rich.
Introduction to the Literature of Europe in the Fifteenth, Sixteenth, and Seventeenth Centuries, Vol. 1
Henry Hallam

Anagram

macro city

17 October 2015

aesthetics

[es-thet-iks or, esp. British, ees-]

noun, ( used with a singular verb)

1. the branch of philosophy dealing with such notions as the beautiful, the ugly, the sublime, the comic, etc., as applicable to the fine arts, with a view to establishing the meaning and validity of critical judgments concerning works of art, and the principles underlying or justifying such judgments.
2. the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.

Also, esthetics.

Origin of aesthetics

1815-1825; see aesthetic, -ics

aestheticor esthetic
[es-thet-ik or, esp. British, ees-]

adjective

1. relating to the philosophy of aesthetics; concerned with notions such as the beautiful and the ugly.
2. relating to the science of aesthetics; concerned with the study of the mind and emotions in relation to the sense of beauty.
3. having a sense of the beautiful; characterized by a love of beauty.
4. relating to, involving, or concerned with pure emotion and sensation as opposed to pure intellectuality.
noun
5. the philosophical theory or set of principles governing the idea of beauty at a given time and place:
the clean lines, bare surfaces, and sense of space that bespeak the machine-age aesthetic; the Cubist aesthetic.
6. Archaic. the study of the nature of sensation.

Origin
1815-25; < New Latin aestheticus < Greek aisthētikós, equivalent to aisthēt (ḗs) (see aesthete ) + -ikos -ic

Related forms

nonaesthetic, adjective
pseudoaesthetic, adjective

Can be confused

acetic, aesthetic, ascetic.

Synonyms

2. discriminating, cultivated, refined.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for aesthetics

Contemporary Examples

To Vorotnikov and his wife, aesthetics and diplomacy have long ceased being a part of the discussion.
Russian Protesters Use Art as Act of War
Anna Nemtsova
January 5, 2012

The newspaper interviews two industrial designers—both of whom place value on the aesthetics of more “invisible” technologies.
Jennifer Lawrence Gets ‘Chopped’; Viktor & Rolf Return to Couture
The Fashion Beast Team
April 21, 2013

We often talk about religion in terms of commitment and ideology, but the aesthetics and experience matter, too.
Is American Christianity Becoming a Workout Cult?
Michael Schulson
April 26, 2014

Anagram

teaches its

16 October 2015

improvident

[im-prov-i-duh nt]

adjective

1. not provident; lacking foresight; incautious; unwary.
2. neglecting to provide for future needs.

Origin of improvident
1505-1515; im-2+ provident

Related forms

improvidence, noun
improvidently, adverb

Synonyms

1. thoughtless, careless, imprudent, heedless. 2. shiftless, thriftless, unthrifty, wasteful, prodigal.

Antonyms

1. prudent. 2. economical.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for improvident

Contemporary Examples

The old elite worried that the masses were too improvident and seditious.
The New Heat Center
Michael Lind
January 18, 2009

Government nurtured these behemoths by weaving an improvident safety net, and by practicing crony capitalism.
Break Up the Banks?
Megan McArdle
February 10, 2013

Historical Examples

It is said by some that the native is shiftless and improvident.
The Philippine Islands
Ramon Reyes Lala
1899

Anagram

divine mr top
primed ion tv

15 October 2015

wheedle

[hweed-l, weed-l]

verb (used with object), wheedled, wheedling.

1. to endeavor to influence (a person) by smooth, flattering, or beguiling words or acts:
We wheedled him incessantly, but he would not consent.
2. to persuade (a person) by such words or acts:
She wheedled him into going with her.
3. to obtain (something) by artful persuasions:
I wheedled a new car out of my father.
verb (used without object), wheedled, wheedling.
4. to use beguiling or artful persuasions:
I always wheedle if I really need something.

Origin of wheedle

1655-1665; origin uncertain

Related forms

wheedler, noun
wheedlingly, adverb
unwheedled, adjective

Synonyms

1. flatter, cajole. 2, 3. coax, beguile, inveigle.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for wheedle

Contemporary Examples

Instantly there flashes to mind the image of a carpet salesman in the Istanbul bazaar trying to wheedle me into his stall.
So, When Do We Become a Third World Nation?
James Atlas
December 1, 2008

Many times he would approach a patient and wheedle his great head under the patient’s hand.
RIP Cobber
David Frum
September 30, 2012

Historical Examples

I know that I have but to wheedle you and you, too, will yield!
Chivalry
James Branch Cabell

Anagram

wheeled
held ewe
wed heel

14 October 2015

chork

verb

mid-15c., now Scottish, “to make the noise which the feet do when the shoes are full of water” [Jamieson]. Related: Chorked ; chorking.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Examples from the Web for chork

Historical Examples

There, in the valley of the chork, it joined up with the Tenth Corps.
The Story of the Great War, Volume III (of VIII)
Various

13 October 2015

valise

[vuh-lees or, esp. British, -leez]

noun

1. a small piece of luggage that can be carried by hand, used to hold clothing, toilet articles, etc.; suitcase; traveling bag.

Origin of valise

French, Italian, Medieval Latin
1605-1615; < French < Italian valigia, of obscure origin; compare Medieval Latin valēsium

Can be confused

briefcase, handbag, pocketbook, purse, valise, wallet.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for valise

Contemporary Examples

Next morning Alcide packed my valise, and leaving him in charge of my apartments I took the Orient express for Constantinople.
Read ‘The King in Yellow,’ the ‘True Detective’ Reference That’s the Key to the Show
Robert W. Chambers
February 19, 2014

Historical Examples

Yes, it is, assented the young pitcher, for I did want Reggie Varley to know who really robbed his valise.
Baseball Joe in the Central League
Lester Chadwick

I will write you again as soon as we get into billets when I can find my valise.
Letters of Lt.-Col. George Brenton Laurie
George Brenton Laurie

Anagram

I slave
is veal
as veil

12 October 2015

expectorate

[ik-spek-tuh-reyt]

verb (used without object), expectorated, expectorating.

1. to eject or expel matter, as phlegm, from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and spitting; spit.
verb (used with object), expectorated, expectorating.
2. to eject or expel (matter) in this way.

Origin of expectorate

Latin

1595-1605; < Latin expectorātus (past participle of expectorāre to expel from the breast), equivalent to ex- ex-1+ pector- (stem of pectus) breast + -ātus -ate1

Related forms

expectorator, noun
unexpectorated, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for expectorate

Historical Examples

The others, sitting on the floor, backs to the wall and knees drawn up to chins, smoke their pipes and expectorate.
‘Neath Verdun, August-October, 1914
Maurice Genevoix

So absorbed was his attention that he even forgot to expectorate.
Original Short Stories of Maupassant, Volume 1
Guy de Maupassant

He is advised not to blow the nose, but to hawk as much of the secretion as possible backwards and then expectorate it.
A System of Operative Surgery, Volume IV (of 4)
Various

Anagram

orate except
exert ace pot
re exact poet

11 October 2015

Utopia

[yoo-toh-pee-uh]

noun

1. an imaginary island described in Sir Thomas More’s Utopia (1516) as enjoying perfection in law, politics, etc.
2. (usually lowercase) an ideal place or state.
3. (usually lowercase) any visionary system of political or social perfection.

Origin of Utopia

Greek< New Latin (1516) < Greek ou not + tóp (os) a place + -ia -y3

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for Utopia

Contemporary Examples

Until that Utopia arrives, it might be heartening to realize that most students have easy, albeit illegal, access to these drugs.
Randy Cohen’s Three Favorite Ethicist Columns
Randy Cohen
October 8, 2012

On Broadway, she won a Tony award in 2000 for The Real Thing and another in 2007 for The Coast of Utopia.
A Gifted Man’s Leading Lady
Jace Lacob
September 22, 2011

Paradise on earth is elusive; there is a reason that the Latin word “ Utopia ” translates as “no place.”
Must Read New Fiction: ‘Arcadia,’ ‘Men in Space,’ ‘The O’Briens,’ ‘Hot Pink’
Chloë Schama, Jacob Silverman, Wendy Smith, Daniel Roberts
March 22, 2012

Anagram

auto pi

10 October 2015

kulak

[koo-lahk, -lak; koo-lahk, -lak]

noun, (in Russia)

1. a comparatively wealthy peasant who employed hired labor or possessed farm machinery and who was viewed and treated by the Communists during the drive to collectivize agriculture in the 1920s and 1930s as an oppressor and class enemy.
2. (before the revolution of 1917) a prosperous, ruthless, and stingy merchant or village usurer.

Origin of kulak

1875-1880; < Russian kulák literally, fist

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for kulak

Historical Examples

Not I, seeing that I have had two and a half roubles per soul squeezed out of me by a brute of a kulak !
Dead Souls
Nikolai Vasilievich Gogol

The growth of the kulak far outstripped the general growth of agriculture. The policy of the government under the slogan “face to the country” was actually a turning of its face to the kulak … Bukharin, the theoretician of the ruling faction at that time, tossed to the peasantry his famous slogan, “Get rich!” In the language of theory that was supposed to mean a gradual growing of the kulaks into socialism. In practice it meant the enrichment of the minority at the
expense of the overwhelming majority.

The Revolution Betrayed
Leon Trotsky, 1936

9 October 2015

epoch

[ep-uh k or, esp. British, ee-pok]

noun

1. a particular period of time marked by distinctive features, events, etc.:
The treaty ushered in an epoch of peace and good will.
2. the beginning of a distinctive period in the history of anything:
The splitting of the atom marked an epoch in scientific discovery.
3. a point of time distinguished by a particular event or state of affairs; a memorable date:
His coming of age was an epoch in his life.
4. Geology. any of several divisions of a geologic period during which a geologic series is formed.
Compare age (def 12).
5. Astronomy.
an arbitrarily fixed instant of time or date, usually the beginning of a century or half century, used as a reference in giving the elements of a planetary orbit or the like.
the mean longitude of a planet as seen from the sun at such an instant or date.
6. Physics. the displacement from zero at zero time of a body undergoing simple harmonic motion.

Origin of epoch

Greek

1605-1615; < New Latin epocha < Greek epochḗ pause, check, fixed time, equivalent to ep- ep- + och- (variant stem of échein to have) + -ē noun suffix
Related forms Expand
subepoch, noun
superepoch, noun

Can be confused
epic, epoch.

Synonyms
1. age, date, era, time. See age.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for epoch

Contemporary Examples

As I said, Balzac wrote about an epoch that is curiously like our own.
Happy Birthday, Balzac: The Essential Novels
Ronald K. Fried
May 19, 2013

At the same time, it is the hallmark of brilliant people whatever their civilization, epoch, or area of expertise.
Insufferable Elitism of the SATs
James Poulos
March 7, 2014

Prague Fatale is authentic because Kerr can muffle the horror of this epoch in dramatic irony but he can also shout it out loud.
Must Read Fiction: ‘Prague Fatale,’ ‘Derby Day’ and More
Malcolm Forbes, Hillary Kelly, Mythili Rao
May 8, 2012

Historical examples

The utopian hopes of the epoch of military communism came in later for a cruel, and in many respects just, criticism.
The Revolution Betrayed.
Leon Trotsky, 1936

Anagram

he cop

8 October 2015

snafu

[sna-foo, snaf-oo]

noun

1. a badly confused or ridiculously muddled situation:
A ballot snafu in the election led to a recount.

Synonyms: snarl, bedlam, tumult, disarray, disorder, confusion, mess; foul-up.
Antonyms: order, efficiency, calm.

adjective, Rare.
2. in disorder; out of control; chaotic:
a snafu scheme that simply won’t work.

verb (used with object), snafued, snafuing. Rare.
3. to throw into disorder; muddle:
Losing his passport snafued the whole vacation.

Synonyms: confuse, mess up, bungle.

Origin of snafu

1940-1945; s(ituation) n(ormal): a(ll) f(–ked) u(p); sometimes euphemistically construed as f(ouled) u(p)

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for snafu

Contemporary Examples

So is this snafu an image problem, or is the real problem the reality behind the curtain—a curtain that needed to be pulled back?
Let the Military Mouth Off!
Christopher Brownfield
July 5, 2010

Anagram

fauns

7 October 2015

punk (1)

[puhngk]

noun

1. any prepared substance, usually in stick form, that will smolder and can be used to light fireworks, fuses, etc.
2. dry, decayed wood that can be used as tinder.
3. conk (3).
4. a spongy substance derived from fungi; amadou; touchwood.

Origin of punk (1)
1680-16901680-90, Americanism; origin uncertain

punk (2)

[puhngk]

noun

1. Slang.
something or someone worthless or unimportant.
a young ruffian; hoodlum.
an inexperienced youth.
a young male partner of a homosexual.
an apprentice, especially in the building trades.
Prison Slang. a boy.
2. punk rock.
3. a style or movement characterized by the adoption of aggressively unconventional and often bizarre or shocking clothing, hairstyles, makeup, etc., and the defiance of social norms of behavior, usually associated with punk rock musicians and fans.
4. a punker.
5. Archaic. a prostitute.
adjective
6. Informal. poor in quality or condition.
7. of, relating to, or characteristic of punk rock :
a punk band.
8. pertaining to, characteristic of, or adopting punk styles:
punk youths; punk hairstyles in various colors.

Origin
1590-1600; of obscure origin; the sense development is apparently “prostitute” > “catamite” > “hoodlum”; the adj. “poor in quality” (1896) is unclearly derived and perhaps a distinct word
Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for punk

Contemporary Examples

She was the Kathleen Hanna of Hollywood—a punk rock princess in a Barbie world.
Lori Petty on ‘Orange Is the New Black,’ the Halcyon ‘90s, and Discovering Jennifer Lawrence
Marlow Stern
June 7, 2014

Surfing, skating, punk rock—these were all very antisocial and rebellious at their births, but are now billion dollar industries.
U.S. Open of Surfing Turns Into Riot
Mark Lukach
July 30, 2013

The recently-engaged Miley Cyrus has added another line to her resume: punk.
Miley’s Punk New Haircut!
Isabel Wilkinson
August 12, 2012

6 October 2015

sanctimonious

[sangk-tuh-moh-nee-uh s]

adjective

1. making a hypocritical show of religious devotion, piety, righteousness, etc.:
They resented his sanctimonious comments on immorality in America.
2. Obsolete. holy; sacred.

Origin of sanctimonious

1595-1605; sanctimony + -ous

Related forms

sanctimoniously, adverb
sanctimoniousness, noun
nonsanctimonious, adjective
nonsanctimoniously, adverb
nonsanctimoniousness, noun

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for sanctimonious

Contemporary Examples

The pious, sanctimonious Oscar ceremony is how Hollywood wants to see itself.
The Gaudy, Gauche and Sometimes Corrupt Greatness of the Golden Globes
Richard Rushfield
January 15, 2012

One purported fan blogged a review calling the interlude “an interminable and sanctimonious speech.”
Intimate Madonna Show at Paris’s Olympia Hall Turns Ugly
Tracy McNicoll
July 26, 2012

The sanctimonious, the puritans of all stripes, and the killjoys in general raise the issue annually.
Keep Christmas Commercialized!
P. J. O’Rourke
December 5, 2014

Anagram

oust insomniac
Ascot unionism
insomnia scout
a stoicism noun
on to musicians
manic sinus too
stun mosaic ion

5 October 2015

solicitous

[suh-lis-i-tuh s]

adjective

1. anxious or concerned (usually followed by about, for, etc., or a clause):
solicitous about a person’s health.
2. anxiously desirous:
solicitous of the esteem of others.
3. eager (usually followed by an infinitive):
He was always solicitous to please.
4. careful or particular:
a solicitous housekeeper.

Origin of solicitous

Latin

1555-1565; < Latin sollicitus anxious. See solicit, -ous

Related forms

solicitously, adverb
solicitousness, noun
nonsolicitous, adjective
nonsolicitously, adverb
nonsolicitousness, noun

Synonyms

1. mindful, regardful, attentive.

Antonyms

1. unconcerned, careless.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for solicitous

Contemporary Examples

In a world increasingly bending toward snark, Updike managed to remain curious, solicitous, a gentleman.

The Literary Gentleman
John Freeman
January 29, 2009
Historical Examples

The youthful shepherd did her every little service in his power, and Amarillis was pleased to see him so solicitous to oblige her.
The Blossoms of Morality
Richard Johnson

I was not solicitous to vindicate him when I was not joined in their reflection.
Clarissa, Volume 1 (of 9)
Samuel Richardson

Anagram

I it us cools

4 October 2015

quintessential

[kwin-tuh-sen-shuh l]

adjective

1. of the pure and essential essence of something:
the quintessential Jewish delicatessen.
2. of or relating to the most perfect embodiment of something:
the quintessential performance of the Brandenburg Concertos.

Related forms

quintessentially, adverb

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for quintessential

Contemporary Examples

But in reality he is the quintessential example of how Washington corrupts.
Leon Panetta Is What’s Wrong With D.C.
Michael Cohen
October 7, 2014

Ignoring people you hooked up with at Shooters when encountering them on campus is a quintessential Duke experience.
Random Hook-Ups or Dry Spells: Why Millennials Flunk College Dating
Ellie Schaack
December 31, 2014

“That was quintessential Breitbart,” Irby said, sipping on a “Wave,” a frozen margarita swirled with sangria.
At Bars Nationwide, Conservatives Raise a Glass to Andrew Breitbart
Ben Jacobs, Laura Isensee
March 1, 2013

Anagram

Sequential tins
tennis tequilas

3 October 2015

capacious

[kuh-pey-shuh s]

adjective

1. capable of holding much; spacious or roomy:
a capacious storage bin.

Origin of capacious

1605-1615; capaci(ty) + -ous

Related forms

capaciously, adverb
capaciousness, noun
uncapacious, adjective
uncapaciously, adverb
uncapaciousness, noun

Synonyms

ample, large.

Antonyms
confining.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for capacious

Contemporary Examples

As we were getting ready to repair to his capacious table, we were joined by Claude Lanzmann, the maker of the film Shoah.
My Moments With Ariel Sharon
Seth Lipsky
January 10, 2014

Yet I doubt that she will become a capacious judge with wide-ranging interests and intense curiosity.
Elena Kagan’s Surprise Defender
Richard A. Epstein
May 10, 2010

Anagram

a ciao cups

2 October 2015

carrel
or carrell

[kar-uh l]

noun

1. Also called cubicle, stall. a small recess or enclosed area in a library stack, designed for individual study or reading.
2. a table or desk with three sides extending above the writing surface to serve as partitions, designed for individual study, as in a library.

Origin of carrel
1585-1595; variant spelling of carol enclosure

1 October 2015

sacristy

[sak-ri-stee]

noun, plural sacristies.

1. an apartment in or a building connected with a church or a religious house, in which the sacred vessels, vestments, etc., are kept.

Origin of sacristy

late Middle English Medieval Latin

1400-1450; late Middle English < Medieval Latin sacristia vestry, equivalent to sacrist (a) (see sacristan ) + -ia -y3

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for sacristy

Historical Examples

In the library above the sacristy are several early paintings in carved and gilt frames.
The Shores of the Adriatic
F. Hamilton Jackson

Somebody went to the sacristy and told the Father what was happening outside.
The Christian
Hall Caine

I have been in the sacristy before the mass, and at the convent feast after it.
Chronicles of the Schonberg-Cotta Family
Elizabeth Rundle Charles

Anagram

its scary
icy stars

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