September 2017 WOTDs

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September 2017 WOTDs

30 September 2017

smarmy

[smahr-mee]

adjective, smarmier, smarmiest.

1. excessively or unctuously flattering, ingratiating, servile, etc.:
the emcee with the smarmy welcome.

Origin of smarmy

1905-1910; smarm, variant of dial. smalm to smear, make slick (< ?) + -y1

Related forms

smarmily, adverb

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for smarmy

Contemporary Examples

Thomas Sadoski should be the frontrunner to play every smarmy privileged thirty-something from now on.
‘The Newsroom’ Ended As It Began: Weird, Controversial, and Noble
Kevin Fallon
December 14, 2014

King smarmy Bill, Queen Smug Chilary, and Princess Spolied Chlesea [sic].
The Strange Leak of the New Exposé ‘Clinton, Inc.’
Lloyd Grove
July 13, 2014

Brad is a smarmy, popular jerk, without whom Adam would have no credibility with the cool kids.
A New Huck on the Hardcore LGBT Hudson
William O’Connor
June 10, 2014

Anagram

my arms
Mrs May

29 September 2017

zonk

[zongk, zawngk] Slang.

verb (used without object), (often fol. by out)

1. to become unconscious from alcohol or narcotic drugs; pass out.
2. to fall soundly asleep or relax completely:
I’ve got to go home and zonk out.
verb (used with object)
3. to stupefy, as by alcohol or narcotic drugs.
4. to sedate or anesthetize:
If the pain gets too bad the doctors will zonk you.
5. to strike or defeat soundly; knock out; clobber.

Origin of zonk

1945-1950; of expressive orig.; -onk perhaps copies conk2

Dictionary.com

Word Origin and History for zonk Expand

v.

1950, “to hit hard;” 1968, “to put into a stupor;” slang term, of echoic origin.

zonk
v,v phr

To lose consciousness, esp from alcohol or narcotics; fall asleep; become stuporous : He suddenly zonked and went rigid (1968+)
To strike a stupefying blow; clobber: ”We’ve been zonked,” said Jim Robbins (1950+)
[fr zonked]

The Dictionary of American Slang, Fourth Edition by Barbara Ann Kipfer, PhD. and Robert L. Chapman, Ph.D.
Copyright (C) 2007 by HarperCollins Publishers.

28 September 2017

dipsomania

[dip-suh-mey-nee-uh, -soh-]

noun

1. an irresistible, typically periodic craving for alcoholic drink.

Origin of dipsomania

Greek

1835-1845; < New Latin < Greek díps(a) thirst + -o- -o- + manía -mania

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for dipsomania

Historical Examples

It’s best not to be too intelligent about insanity and dipsomania and all the other hereditary details.
Dear Enemy
Jean Webster

Then I remembered our enthusiasm over the Palace of dipsomania.
The Belovd Vagabond
William J. Locke

It is, however, as an authority on dipsomania that he is best known.
The Quiver, 2/1900
Various

Anagram

amid pianos
a snap idiom
dip in Samoa

27 September 2017

impasto

[im-pas-toh, -pah-stoh]

noun, Painting.

1. the laying on of paint thickly.
2. the paint so laid on.
3. enamel or slip applied to a ceramic object to form a decoration in low relief.

Origin of impasto

1775-1785; < Italian, noun derivative of impastare to impaste
Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for impasto

Contemporary Examples

His colors are darker, his impasto is thicker, and his brushstrokes are quick and imperfect.
Did Monet Invent Abstract Art?
Rachel Wolff
March 4, 2010

Historical Examples

His brush knew one stroke only—his impasto was laid on at once.
Franz Hals
Edgcumbe Staley

In a photograph you are not disturbed by colour, or by impasto.
Masques & Phases
Robert Ross

All is careful, clear and precise, and there are no passages of heavy colouring or impasto work.
William Blake
Irene Langridge

Anagram

aim post
atom sip

26 September 2017

parabiosis

[par-uh-bahy-oh-sis, -bee-]

noun, Biology.

1. experimental or natural union of two individuals with exchange of blood.
2. Physiology. the temporary loss of conductivity or excitability of a nerve cell.

Origin of parabiosis

1905-1910 First recorded in 1905-10; para-1+ -biosis

Related forms

parabiotic [par-uh-bahy-ot-ik, -bee-] (Show IPA), adjective

Dictionary.com

Anagram

a isobar sip
Sir Asia Bop

25 September 2017

gibbet

[jib-it]

noun

1. a gallows with a projecting arm at the top, from which the bodies of criminals were formerly hung in chains and left suspended after execution.
verb (used with object), gibbeted, gibbeting.
2. to hang on a gibbet.
3. to put to death by hanging on a gibbet.
4. to hold up to public scorn.

Origin of gibbet

Middle English Old French
1175-1225; Middle English < Old French gibet (earlier, staff or cudgel), diminutive of gibe staff, club

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for gibbet

Historical Examples

Long ago the cliff with its gibbet has been washed away by the sea.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews

The body of Peare was not permitted to remain long on the gibbet.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews

The gibbet remained for three years, and was then blown down in a gale.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews

The gibbet was standing until the year 1850, when it was blown down.
Bygone Punishments
William Andrews

I avoided the gibbet which, however, should not have dishonored me as I should only have been hung.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt

Fire and gibbet had been mercilessly employed to destroy it.
The Rise of the Hugenots, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Henry Martyn Baird

The gibbet and the fearful “estrapade” had not deterred them.
The Rise of the Hugenots, Vol. 1 (of 2)
Henry Martyn Baird

But once a gibbet stood on Wapping Wharf, and pirates were hanged upon it.
Wappin’ Wharf
Charles S. Brooks

Patch: Nothin ‘s been right since that ol’ lady hanged me ter a gibbet.
Wappin’ Wharf
Charles S. Brooks

Skull and Crossbones was too obvious, and my next choice was The gibbet.
Wappin’ Wharf
Charles S. Brooks

Anagram

bet big

24 September 2017

coypu

[koi-poo]

noun, plural coypus (especially collectively) coypu.
1. a large, South American, aquatic rodent, Myocastor (or Myopotamus) coypus, yielding the fur nutria.

Origin of coypu

Araucanian

1785-1795; American Spanish coipú; Araucanian coipu

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for coypu

Historical Examples

coypu are abundant in the fresh waters of South America, even small ponds being often tenanted by one or more pairs.
Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 7, Slice 6
Various

Another animal that is at least in one respect allied to the ‘possum is the coypu.
The Gold Diggings of Cape Horn
John R. Spears

In habits and otherwise the coypu is much like the beaver, but is a smaller animal, and has a rounder tail.
The Land of Fire
Mayne Reid

Anagram

coy up

23 September 2017

corybantic

[kawr-uh-ban-tik, kor-]

adjective

1. frenzied; agitated; unrestrained.
2. (initial capital letter). Also, Corybantian [kawr-uh-ban-shuh n, kor-] (Show IPA), Corybantine [kawr-uh-ban-tin, -tahyn, kor-]. of or relating to a Corybant.

Origin of corybantic

1635-1645 First recorded in 1635-45; Corybant + -ic

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for corybantic

Historical Examples

He laid the corybantic young lady in question upon the table to substantiate his statement.
A Safety Match
Ian Hay

But the machinery—the hideously discordant human orchestra, the corybantic dancing!
Visionaries
James Huneker

Anagram

botanic cry
abort cynic
by narcotic
cry it bacon
try coca bin

22 September 2017

gimcrack

[jim-krak]

noun

1. a showy, useless trifle; gewgaw.
adjective
2. showy but useless.

Origin of gimcrack

Middle English Old French

1325-1375 for earlier sense; Middle English gib(e)crake; compare Middle English gibben to waver (< Old French giber to shake)

Synonyms

1. bauble, knickknack, trinket, ornament.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for gimcrack

Historical Examples

I will buy her the necklace she scolded me about at Lacy and gimcrack ‘s; it’s just the sum.
The International Magazine, Volume 2, No. 2, January, 1851
Various

A nice set you must be to give your gimcrack craft such a name as that!
Fitz the Filibuster
George Manville Fenn

The Gothic souls find fault with it, and say it is gimcrack and tawdry and cheap.
Aaron’s Rod
D. H. Lawrence

Anagram

mag crick

21 September 2017

agora(1)

[ag-er-uh]

noun, plural agorae [ag-uh-ree] (in ancient Greece)

1. a popular political assembly.
2. the place where such an assembly met, originally a marketplace or public square.
3. the Agora, the chief marketplace of Athens, center of the city’s civic life.

Origin of agora(1)

Greek

1590-1600; < Greek agorā́ marketplace, equivalent to agor- (variant stem of ageírein to gather together < a pre-Hellenic IE substratum language, equivalent to a(d)- ad- + *ǵher- grasp, cognate with Sanskrit har- seize, fetch) + -ā noun ending

agora(2)

[ah-gawr-uh, -gohr-uh; Sephardic Hebrew ah-gaw-rah]

noun, plural agorot [ah-gawr-oht, -gohr-; Sephardic Hebrew ah-gaw-rawt] (Show IPA)

1. an aluminum coin and monetary unit of Israel, the 100th part of a shekel: replaced the prutah as the fractional unit in 1960.

Also, agura.

Origin

From Hebrew

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for agora

Historical Examples

These shall be inscribed on a column in front of the court of the wardens of the agora.
Laws
Plato

The temples should be placed round the agora, and the city built in a circle on the heights.
Laws
Plato

The care of the agora will fall to the wardens of the agora.
Laws
Plato

20 September 2017

vaunt

[vawnt, vahnt]

verb (used with object)

1. to speak vaingloriously of; boast of:
to vaunt one’s achievements.
verb (used without object)
2. to speak boastfully; brag.
noun
3. a boastful action or utterance.

Origin of vaunt

Middle English Middle French Late Latin Latin

1350-1400; Middle English vaunten < Middle French vanter to boast < Late Latin vānitāre, frequentative of *vānāre, derivative of Latin vānus vain. See vanity

Related forms

vaunter, noun
vauntingly, adverb
outvaunt, verb (used with object)

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for vaunt

Historical Examples

He has answered me back, vaunt for vaunt, rhetoric for rhetoric.
The Napoleon of Notting Hill
Gilbert K. Chesterton

Thus did he vaunt, and the Argives were stung by his saying.
The Iliad
Homer

Thus did he vaunt, but darkness closed the eyes of the other.
The Iliad
Homer

19 September 2017

forswear

[fawr-swair]

verb (used with object), forswore, forsworn, forswearing.

1. to reject or renounce under oath:
to forswear an injurious habit.
2. to deny vehemently or under oath.
3. to perjure (oneself).
verb (used without object), forswore, forsworn, forswearing.
4. to swear falsely; commit perjury.

Origin of forswear

Middle English, Old English
900 before 900; Middle English forsweren, Old English forswerian. See for-, swear

Related forms

forswearer, noun

Synonyms

1. abjure, relinquish, forgo, forsake, abandon.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for forswear

Contemporary Examples

You do not forswear studying by electric light because Lincoln relied on his fireplace.
Randy Cohen’s Three Favorite Ethicist Columns
Randy Cohen
October 8, 2012

Historical Examples

The old girl must be protected from that sort of eye-opener, if I’ve to forswear my soul.
Romance
Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer

He would not forswear his fathers’ faith and did not understand what the priest said.
From Pole to Pole
Sven Anders Hedin

“Then I forswear all rash promises for the future,” he declared.
That Girl Montana
Marah Ellis Ryan

All the world seemed bent on compelling her to forswear herself.
The Madigans
Miriam Michelson

What is the secret of thy ring that a man must forswear love for it?
Operas Every Child Should Know
Mary Schell Hoke Bacon

The Tunker says that I must forswear myself to become a Christian.
In The Boyhood of Lincoln
Hezekiah Butterworth

But what right had he to defend from gallantry the woman he was about to forswear before the world?
Excuse Me!
Rupert Hughes

If you would belong to me, forswear all of which this is the emblem.
The Pastor’s Fire-side Vol. 4 (of 4)
Jane Porter

I abhor myself, and from this hour, I forswear all woman-kind for your sake.
Self-control
Mary Brunton

Anagram

fear rows
safer row
few roars

18 September 2017

fillip

[fil-uh p]

verb (used with object)

1. to strike with the nail of a finger snapped from the end of the thumb.
2. to tap or strike smartly.
3. to drive by or as by a fillip:
Anticipation filliped his passion.
verb (used without object)
4. to make a fillip with the fingers.
noun
5. an act or instance of filliping; a smart tap or stroke.
6. anything that tends to rouse, excite, or revive; a stimulus:
Praise is an excellent fillip for waning ambition.

Origin of fillip

late Middle English

1425-1475; late Middle English philippe to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger; expressive word of uncertain orig; cf. flip1

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for fillip

Historical Examples

And doubtless some break in the monotony gives a fillip of pleasure.
Hiero
Xenophon

It was just a fillip to my enjoyment, as I looked on and off my page alternately.
Daisy
Elizabeth Wetherell

He has given a fillip to existence, loath as I am to acknowledge it.
The Prairie Mother
Arthur Stringer

Corrupting a Legislature is not something a man may do with a fillip of his finger and thumb.
Frenzied Finance
Thomas W. Lawson

She knew that it wanted but this fillip to carry her through.
The Merry-Go-Round
Carl Van Vechten

Eat, drink, play; all other human joys are not worth a fillip.’
The Works of Lord Byron
Lord Byron

And the baron with a fillip of the finger made this toy whirl round.
Original Short Stories, Volume 10 (of 13)
Guy de Maupassant

The common parent was given a fillip of a contemptuous thumb and finger.
A Man of Two Countries
Alice Harriman

Vaucorbeil watched him, then, with a fillip, knocked off his cap.
Bouvard and Pcuchet
Gustave Flaubert

A fillip to the wheel of her fate was given as she and Ellis went up the hill.
The Barrier
Allen French

Anagram

if pill
fill pi

17 September 2017

esoteric

[es-uh-ter-ik]

adjective

1. understood by or meant for only the select few who have special knowledge or interest; recondite:
poetry full of esoteric allusions.
2. belonging to the select few.
3. private; secret; confidential.
4. (of a philosophical doctrine or the like) intended to be revealed only to the initiates of a group:
the esoteric doctrines of Pythagoras.

Origin of esoteric

Greek

1645-1655; < Greek esōterikós inner, equivalent to esṓter(os) inner + -ikos -ic

Related forms

esoterically, adverb
nonesoteric, adjective
nonesoterically, adverb
unesoteric, adjective

Can be confused

esoteric, exoteric.

Synonyms

1. abstruse, arcane, cryptic, enigmatic.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for esoteric

Contemporary Examples

There is a pill in Tibetan Buddhism that contains a lot of esoteric ingredients, some of which are bodily substances.
How to Think With Your Gut
Mindy Farabee
April 8, 2013

He noted that some esoteric historians call them “Palestinians.”
Moshe Feiglin Is Now Mainstream
Gabriel Fisher
December 6, 2012

Suddenly you can hold forth about leading and kerning and other esoteric aspects of typesetting.
Instagram App Deepens Class Warfare Between Apple and Android Smartphones
Dan Lyons
April 5, 2012

In the old days it was not uncommon for the admissions officer to pose some esoteric —make that wacko—question.
Do College Interviews Count?
Steve Cohen, Mike Muska
October 5, 2011

Dig deeper into exotic and esoteric areas of interest for direction in creative pursuits, especially.
Zodiac Beast
Starsky + Cox
April 8, 2011

Historical Examples

He was again conscious of that esoteric disturbance in his temples.
The Black Bag
Louis Joseph Vance

The design of this cave-like aperture should betray its esoteric meaning.
Sex=The Unknown Quantity
Ali Nomad

There might be an esoteric book for the individual’s own account of himself.
The Task of Social Hygiene
Havelock Ellis

A key to some great and deep occult teachings, and esoteric mysteries.
The Human Aura
Swami Panchadasi

Instruct him in the meaning of the Vedas,Reveal to him their esoteric sense.V.
The Buddha
Paul Carus

Anagram

so recite
cite rose
eco tiers
core site

 

 

16 September 2017

lacuna

[luh-kyoo-nuh]

noun, plural lacunae [luh-kyoo-nee], lacunas.

1. a gap or missing part, as in a manuscript, series, or logical argument; hiatus.
2. Anatomy. one of the numerous minute cavities in the substance of bone, supposed to contain nucleate cells.
3. Botany. an air space in the cellular tissue of plants.

Origin of lacuna

Latin

1655-1665; Latin lacūna ditch, pit, hole, gap, deficiency, akin to lacus vat, lake1. Cf. lagoon

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for lacuna

Contemporary Examples

The critique extends into nearly every little crevice and lacuna of our civic life.
Who Are the Judicial Activists Now?
Michael Tomasky
October 6, 2014

Historical Examples

The record of the first appears likely to be lost in the lacuna of 934 AH.
The Bbur-nma in English
Babur, Emperor of Hindustan

This essay is an attempt to fill in a small part of the lacuna.
Studies in the History and Method of Science
Various

15 September 2017

epicure

[ep-i-kyoo r]

noun

1. a person who cultivates a refined taste, especially in food and wine; connoisseur.
2. Archaic. a person dedicated to sensual enjoyment.

Origin of epicure

Middle English, Latin

1350-1400 for earlier sense; 1555-65 for def 2; Middle English Epicures, Epicureis Epicureans (plural) < Latin Epicūrēus (singular) (see epicurean )

Synonyms

1. gastronome, gourmet, epicurean. 2. voluptuary, sensualist, gourmand.

Antonyms

1. ascetic.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for epicure

Historical Examples

It was introduced into England as an epicure ‘s dish in the seventeenth century.
De Libris: Prose and Verse
Austin Dobson

Kingozi’s methods of eating had in them little of the epicure.
The Leopard Woman
Stewart Edward White

Across the top of its door were painted in gold letters, the words: “The epicure.”
The Einstein See-Saw
Miles John Breuer

I was always an epicure in the matter of love, and knew the best when I found it.
The Golden Fountain
Lilian Staveley

These are quite an epicure ‘s dish, and care must be taken to cook them slowly.
Nelson’s Home Comforts
Mary Hooper

Certainly, he mused to himself, his brother was an epicure in love.
The Mask
Arthur Hornblow

Your book, “The epicure of Medicine,” is worth its weight in gold.
Food for the Traveler
Dora Cathrine Cristine Liebel Roper

We are told by Chaucer that he was a great householder and an epicure.
The Canterbury Puzzles
Henry Ernest Dudeney

The oyster is now a dish for the epicure and the lobster for the millionaire.
The Old Coast Road
Agnes Rothery

He spoke in French, fluent and exact, and his manner was entirely that of the epicure.
Hushed Up
William Le Queux

Anagram

pure ice
pie cure
ice peru

14 September 2017

undine

[uhn-deen, uhn-deen]

noun

1. any of a group of female water spirits described by Paracelsus.

Origin of undine

New Latin undīna (1658; coined by Paracelsus), equivalent to Latin und(a) wave, water + -īna -ine1

Synonyms

See sylph.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for undine

Historical Examples

“She’s like undine after she had found her soul,” said the Englishman.
The Eternal City
Hall Caine

You remind me just now of pictures I have seen of undine and the woodland nymphs.
Pretty Madcap Dorothy
Laura Jean Libbey

Urquhart called her undine, and she was mostly known as the Mermaid.
Love and Lucy
Maurice Henry Hewlett

I will sell it, fair undine, and you shall have the proceeds.
The Memoires of Casanova, Complete
Jacques Casanova de Seingalt

Then there is undine, but she only appears on the operatic stage, and that but rarely.
From a Terrace in Prague
Lieut.-Col. B. Granville Baker

I didn’t make much success of waking my undine ‘s soul to life!
The Making of a Soul
Kathlyn Rhodes

Anagram

in dune

13 September 2017

triumvirate

[trahy-uhm-ver-it, -vuh-reyt]

noun

1. Roman History. the office or magistracy of a triumvir.
2. a government of three officers or magistrates functioning jointly.
3. a coalition of three magistrates or rulers for joint administration.
4. any association of three in office or authority.
5. any group or set of three.

Origin of triumvirate

Latin

1575-1585 From the Latin word triumvirātus, dating back to 1575-85. See triumvir, -ate3
Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for triumvirate

Contemporary Examples

Successful politicians seek to marry a triumvirate of charisma, certitude, and leadership.
The Ugly Truth About Ugly Politicians
Tim Teeman
July 25, 2014

Beyond this triumvirate I struggle to recall something or someone truly remarkable.
Gal With a Suitcase
Jolie Hunt
July 16, 2010

Historical Examples

They, with Gallatin, formed the triumvirate which ruled the country for sixteen years.
Albert Gallatin
John Austin Stevens

To him there was no triumvirate: the word had never been mentioned to his ears.
The Life of Cicero
Anthony Trollope

The Third triumvirate went down to breakfast with small appetite.
The Varmint
Owen Johnson

The alliance of these three men is called the First triumvirate.
A Treasury of Heroes and Heroines
Clayton Edwards

Meanwhile what were Cæsar’s partners in the triumvirate doing?
Historic Tales, Volume 11 (of 15)
Charles Morris

When the triumvirate went down, their ways at first lay separate.
Rowlandson’s Oxford
A. Hamilton Gibbs

A triumvirate of Paredes, Tornel and Valencia was much talked of.
The War With Mexico, Volume I (of 2)
Justin H. Smith

This ministry has therefore been sometimes called The triumvirate.
A History of England, Period III.
Rev. J. Franck Bright

Anagram

mutt I arrive
ram virtue it

12 September 2017

doggerel

[daw-ger-uh l, dog-er-]

adjective

1. comic or burlesque, and usually loose or irregular in measure.
rude; crude; poor.
noun
2. doggerel verse.

Also, doggrel [daw-gruh l, dog-ruh l].

Origin of doggerel

Middle English

1350-1400; Middle English; see dog, -rel; cf. dog Latin

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for doggerel

Historical Examples

Because you recited that doggerel about The Run of Crusader.
Thoroughbreds
W. A. Fraser

Ramsey shook his head and tried to force the thoughts from his mind with doggerel.
Equation of Doom
Gerald Vance

This supposition has found strength and sanction in doggerel verse.
Welsh Folk-Lore
Elias Owen

By now, Presley could not tell whether what he had written was true poetry or doggerel.
The Octopus
Frank Norris

My lady was pleased to laugh at the doggerel, and even Mrs. Manners.
Richard Carvel, Complete
Winston Churchill

One of them had written a bit of doggerel on a sheet of paper and tacked it to a tree.
The Putnam Hall Champions
Arthur M. Winfield

It is only doggerel but it helps to keep the idea before our people.
The New Glutton or Epicure
Horace Fletcher

It was doggerel, bad enough to satisfy every aspiration of an antiquary.
The Wizard’s Son, Vol. 1(of 3)
Margaret Oliphant

I occupied myself, as I often do, in composing a bit of doggerel to the rhythm of the wheels.
Walking Shadows
Alfred Noyes

This was at once removed by the saying aloud of some charm in doggerel verse.
Lancashire Folk-lore
John Harland

Anagram

go ledger
gored leg
older egg

11 September 2017

belay

[bih-ley]

verb (used with object), belayed, belaying.

1. Nautical. to fasten (a rope) by winding around a pin or short rod inserted in a holder so that both ends of the rod are clear.
2. Mountain Climbing.
to secure (a person) by attaching to one end of a rope.
to secure (a rope) by attaching to a person or to an object offering stable support.
3. to cease (an action); stop.
to ignore (an announcement, order, etc.):
Belay that, the meeting will be at 0900 instead of 0800.
verb (used without object), belayed, belaying.
4. to belay a rope:
Belay on that cleat over there.
noun
5. Mountain Climbing. a rock, bush, or other object sturdy enough for a running rope to be passed around it to secure a hold.

Origin of belay

Middle English, Old English

900 before 900; Middle English beleggen, Old English belecgan. See be-, lay1

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for belay

Historical Examples

The order was given to belay the head braces, and we waited the result in silence.
Ned Myers
James Fenimore Cooper

By the time a voice on board her cried, ” belay,” faintly, she had gone from my sight.
Romance
Joseph Conrad and F.M. Hueffer

Well there with the throat-halliards; well with the peak; belay !
The Pirate Slaver
Harry Collingwood

“ belay that sea-lawyering, Marline,” interposed Captain Miles.
The White Squall
John Conroy Hutcheson

“ belay that,” said Captain Miles, rousing up now and rubbing his eyes.
The White Squall
John Conroy Hutcheson

There now, old man, just belay all that, and let me finish my snooze.
Salt Water
W. H. G. Kingston

“After that round turn, you may belay,” cried young Tom, laughing.
Jacob Faithful
Captain Frederick Marryat

None of the four that remained could do more than haul aft and belay a sheet.
The Celebrity, Complete
Winston Churchill

He did not belay the tired animal with a whip and curse and swear at him in his helplessness.
My Wonderful Visit
Charlie Chaplin

All he has to do when on a wind is to take and harden in all he can, and belay.
Yachting Vol. 1
Various.

Anagram

by ale

10 September 2017

dearth

[durth]

noun

1. an inadequate supply; scarcity; lack:
There is a dearth of good engineers.
2. scarcity and dearness of food; famine.

Origin of dearth

Middle English

1200-1250 First recorded in 1200-50, dearth is from the Middle English word derthe. See dear1, -th1

Can be confused

dearth, plethora.
dearth, death.

Synonyms

1. shortage, want, paucity, insufficiency.

Antonyms

1. abundance, plenty, sufficiency; surplus.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for dearth

Contemporary Examples

The Pentagon security reviewers must have been suffering a dearth of caffeine or sleep.
‘They Don’t Call It SEAL Team 6-Year-Old for Nothing’: Commandos Clash Over Tell-All Book
Kimberly Dozier
November 2, 2014

The FDA is hoping to remedy the dearth of knowledge with a plea aimed at influential drugmakers.
Why Male Breast Cancer Is Back in the Limelight
Kevin Zawacki
July 15, 2014

And the dearth of top Democratic visitors could have a real impact on down-ballot Democrats.
Iowa Has a Phantom Democratic Presidential Candidates Problem
Ben Jacobs
July 7, 2014

Anagram

hatred
thread

9 September 2017

peignoir

[peyn-wahr, pen-, peyn-wahr, pen-]

noun

1. a woman’s dressing gown.
2. a cloak or gown of terry cloth for wear after swimming or, especially in France, after the bath.

Origin of peignoir

1825-1835; < French: literally, comber, i.e., something worn while one’s hair is being combed, equivalent to peign(er) to comb (<
Late Latin pectināre; see pecten) + -oir < Latin -ōrium -ory1

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for peignoir

Historical Examples

So I had to put on her peignoir, and tidy her up, and arrange her hair just as I have done.
A Comedy of Marriage and Other Tales
Guy De Maupassant

Her peignoir of beige, embroidered with red silk, was evidently of Parisian manufacture.
The Downfall
Emile Zola

Besides, the peignoir weighs nothing; a feather, a puff of vapour.
Rita
Laura E. Richards

Yes, but you will not care to go to the dining-room in your peignoir?
The Son of Monte Christo
Jules Lermina

Ma’ame Plagie had been sitting beside the bed in her peignoir and slippers.
Bayou Folk
Kate Chopin

Anagram

ignore pi
pi region
rip in ego

8 September 2017

remiss

[ri-mis]

adjective

1. negligent, careless, or slow in performing one’s duty, business, etc.:
He’s terribly remiss in his work.
2. characterized by negligence or carelessness.
3. lacking force or energy; languid; sluggish.

Origin of remiss

late Middle English Latin

1375-1425; late Middle English < Latin remissus (past participle of remittere to send back, slacken, relax); see remit

Related forms

remissly, adverb
remissness, noun
overremiss, adjective
overremissly, adverb
overremissness, noun

Synonyms

1, 2. derelict, thoughtless, lax, slack, neglectful. 3. dilatory, slothful, slow.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for remiss

Contemporary Examples

But I would be remiss if I didn’t mention what gives me hope from this case.
For Ricky Jackson, a Just Verdict—But 39 Years Too Late
Cliff Schecter
November 25, 2014

I would be remiss not to mention David Wenham, who played Al.
Elisabeth Moss Reveals Four Tough Challenges in Making ‘Top of the Lake’
August 26, 2013

And I’d be remiss not to direct you a display of animal behavior in action.
Meet Germany’s Wolf Man
Justin Green
January 28, 2013

And yet I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge the considerable controversy that your generous decision has generated.
Obama’s Nobel Prize Acceptance Speech
Barack Obama
December 9, 2009

Historical Examples

If you will pardon the offense, I will promise not to be so remiss in the future.
Jolly Sally Pendleton
Laura Jean Libbey

Giusippe and I have been both rude and remiss, haven’t we, Giusippe?
The Story of Glass
Sara Ware Bassett

I was thunderstruck, and tried to think if I had been remiss in anything.
Behind the Scenes
Elizabeth Keckley

Anagram

misers

7 September 2017

complicit

[kuh m-plis-it]

adjective

1. choosing to be involved in an illegal or questionable act, especially with others; having complicity.

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for complicit

Contemporary Examples

After all, doing so would make them complicit in irrationality, which is against their religion.
In Florida, ’Tis The Season for Satan
Jay Michaelson
December 7, 2014

At the age of sixteen these bad guys chase you, often under the amused and complicit watch of policemen.
Living Black & Gay in the ’50s
Alain Mabanckou
December 3, 2014

Even the five who the Nazis turned on, however, were complicit with the regime in some fashion.
Top Nazis And Their Complicated Relationship With Artists
William O’Connor
November 30, 2014

But my silence was not only wrong; I am complicit on some level in nurturing the “rape culture” that we see today in our country.
What Trait Do Bill Cosby’s Defenders Share?
Dean Obeidallah
November 26, 2014

But through all of those years, I was complicit in pushing the myth.
I Pushed the Lance Armstrong Lie: An Open Letter to Greg LeMond
Mark McKinnon
July 31, 2014

But viewers know the rules of these shows, how they are crafted and stories manipulated, and are complicit with the manipulation.
‘The Real Housewives of New York City’ Loses a Leg in Sixth-Season Finale
Tim Teeman
July 23, 2014

Pretty much every single participant was complicit in the effort to put on a show.
The Scopes Monkey Trial 2.0: It’s Not About the Stupid Science-Deniers
Michael Schulson
July 21, 2014

They interrogate members of this strange community and discover that many of them might be complicit in a dark conspiracy.
‘True Detective,’ Obsessive-Compulsive Noir, and ‘Twin Peaks’
Jimmy So
March 14, 2014

Begg later sued the government for damages claiming Britain had been complicit in mistreating him during his detention.
Former Guantanamo Detainee Moazzam Begg Arrested Following Compensation Payout
The Telegraph
February 26, 2014

Historical Examples

The United States could have accepted the permanent division of Europe, and been complicit in the oppression of others.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006
Various

6 September 2017

creel

[kreel]

noun

1. a wickerwork basket worn on the back or suspended from the shoulder, used especially by anglers for carrying fish.
2. a basket made of wicker or other material, for holding fish, lobsters, etc.
3. a trap for fish, lobsters, etc., especially one made of wicker.
4. a framework, especially one for holding bobbins in a spinning machine.

Origin of creel

Middle English

1275-1325; Middle English crele, of uncertain origin

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for creel

Historical Examples

He gathers up the straps of Dick’s creel, and turns to the shadow for your own.
The Forest
Stewart Edward White

The spools from the spooler are placed on a large frame, called a creel.
The Fabric of Civilization
Anonymous

He had been drawing on his waders and buckling on his creel.
The Highgrader
William MacLeod Raine

“Let us try again,” said Civil, as he set his creel of mackerel in the boat.
Granny’s Wonderful Chair
Frances Browne

“Granny will have her creel full to sell to-morrow,” he thought.
Michael Penguyne
William H. G. Kingston

You had better let me take your creel, Nelly; it will be nothing to me.
Michael Penguyne
William H. G. Kingston

I wanted you to take off that creel and have a turn with me.
Michael Penguyne
William H. G. Kingston

Didn’t I desire you to fill the creel to the top, and above it?’
The Black Baronet; or, The Chronicles Of Ballytrain
William Carleton

It would be putting adders in the creel wi the eggs if ye did na.
The Entail
John Galt

I had no net, no creel, therefore had to lead my trout into my hand.
Fishing With The Fly
Charles F. Orvis and Others

5 September 2017

gravid

[grav-id]

adjective

1. pregnant1(def 1).

Origin of gravid

Latin

1590-1600; Latin gravidus, equivalent to grav(is) burdened, loaded + -idus -id4

Related forms

gravidity [gruh-vid-i-tee], gravidness, noun
gravidly, adverb

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for gravid

Historical Examples

To my thinking, at any rate, they make a gravid mistake who look for “realism” in these things.
Holbein
Beatrice Fortescue

Most of the females were gravid and the males were in breeding condition.
Fishes of Chautauqua, Cowley and Elk Counties, Kansas
Artie L. Metcalf

The woman was gravid at the time, and the soldier-like joke made her blush.
Comrade Kropotkin
Victor Robinson

This may be done either by collecting the ova deposited by the fish in the spawning beds or from the gravid females.
Amateur Fish Culture
Charles Edward Walker

Its shape was that of a gravid goldfish, with a smaller sphere hanging beneath it.
Creatures of the Abyss
Murray Leinster

4 September 2017

ambivalence

[am-biv-uh-luh ns]

noun

1. uncertainty or fluctuation, especially when caused by inability to make a choice or by a simultaneous desire to say or do two opposite or conflicting things.
2. Psychology. the coexistence within an individual of positive and negative feelings toward the same person, object, or action, simultaneously drawing him or her in opposite directions.

Also, ambivalency.

Origin of ambivalence

1910-1915 First recorded in 1910-15; ambi- + valence

Related forms

ambivalent, adjective

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for ambivalence

Contemporary Examples

The ambivalence is reflected in U.S. policy, which often has served to complicate aid delivery in conflict zones.
Why Humanitarians Talk to ISIS
Joshua Hersh
October 23, 2014

A strong note of ambivalence is also present in the conflict over love and duty between Gromov and his wife.
Fake Snowden Is Russia’s Newest TV Star
Cathy Young
October 11, 2014

The administration appears united behind Obama, but with an undercurrent of ambivalence that the president no doubt shares.
How the Obama Administration Reversed Course on Syria Strikes
Eleanor Clift, Josh Rogin
August 28, 2013

In content, they deal in lost loves, lost opportunities, and the ambivalence inspired by a difficult childhood.
This Week’s Hot Reads: June 17, 2013
Sarah Stodola, Jen Vafidis
June 16, 2013

After 10 years of marriage, our ambivalence towards kids has been consistent.
Why I Choose to Be Child-Free: Readers Share Their Stories
Harry Siegel
February 26, 2013

Or at least an ambivalence toward reading the Megilla—an invitation to drink in itself.
Purim Perils: His View Is His Own
Rabbi Daniel Landes
February 17, 2013

The thoughtful man said he was surprised at how the top security officials expressed their own ambivalence and regrets.
‘The Gatekeepers,’ Brooklyn College BDS Forum: Week of Israel Debate
Gail Sheehy
February 7, 2013

Historical Examples

But now also the psychological fatality of ambivalence demands its rights.
Totem and Taboo
Sigmund Freud

With the decline of this ambivalence the taboo, as the compromise symptom of the ambivalent conflict, also slowly disappeared.
Totem and Taboo
Sigmund Freud

Anagram

manacle vibe
becalm naive
bail cavemen

3 September 2017

reave(1)

[reev]

verb (used with object), reaved or reft, reaving. Archaic.

1. to take away by or as by force; plunder; rob.

Origin of reave(1)

Middle English Old English
900 before 900; Middle English reven, Old English rēafian; cognate with German rauben, Dutch roven to rob

reave(2)

[reev]

verb (used with or without object), reaved or reft, reaving.

1. Archaic. to rend; break; tear.

Origin

1175-1225; Middle English; apparently special use of reave(1)(by association with rive )

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for reave

Historical Examples

I am doing what I can to reave the heavens of these monsters.
The Works of Robert G. Ingersoll, Vol. 7 (of 12)
Robert G. Ingersoll

But they try to reave from God, His part, who would be praised of men for good deeds.
The Form of Perfect Living and Other Prose Treatises
Richard Rolle of Hampole

Not forty Van Hupfeldts nor a legion of ghosts should reave him of those telling pieces of evidence!
The Late Tenant
Louis Tracy

Anagram

a ever

2 September 2017

stramash

[struh-mash, stram-uh sh]

noun, Scot.

1. an uproar; disturbance.

Origin of stramash

1795-1805 First recorded in 1795-1805; origin uncertain

Dictionary.com

Examples from the Web for stramash

Historical Examples

Men hae been married afore now without making sic a stramash.
Tommy and Grizel
J.M. Barrie

British Dictionary definitions for stramash

stramash

/strəˈmæʃ/

noun

1. an uproar; tumult; brawl
verb (transitive)
2. to destroy; smash

Word Origin

C18: perhaps expanded from smash

Collins English Dictionary

Anagram

ah smarts
harm tsars
art shams

1 September 2017

smout

/smaʊt/

noun (Scot)

1. a child or undersized person

Collins English Dictionary

smout, smowt, n. (slang) a printer who gets chance jobs in various offices.
Chambers’s Twentieth Century Dictionary (part 4 of 4: S-Z and supplements)

Anagram

to sum

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