assuage - uh-SWAYJ - to soothe, mollify, "take the edge off"
Example: "According to NPR this morning, President Obama failed to assuage the resistance most Republican and some "blue" Democratic congressmen have regarding immediate passage of his proposed health plan."
Friday, July 31, 2009
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Word for Today - July 30, 2009
expansive - eks-PAN-siv - comprehensive, sweeping, broad, voluminous, open, generous
Example: "On NPR this morning an Iraqui spoke expansively about the conflicts among the various religious sects."
Example: "On NPR this morning an Iraqui spoke expansively about the conflicts among the various religious sects."
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
Word for Today - July 29, 2009
septuagenarian, octogenarian - SEP-tua-jen-AIR-yan, OCK-toe-jen-AIR-yan - person who's in 70s, person who's in 80s
Example: "When Ms. Ertel turned 70, she became a septuagenarian; 10 years later, for a decade she was an octogenarian."
Example: "When Ms. Ertel turned 70, she became a septuagenarian; 10 years later, for a decade she was an octogenarian."
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Word for Today - July 28, 2009
sardonic - sar-DON-ik - sarcastic, contemptuous, jeering, "smart-alecky"
Reactions to Ms. Palin's stepping down from Alaskan politics brought mixed reactions, from hopes she may return for the next presidential election to sardonic disbelief."
Reactions to Ms. Palin's stepping down from Alaskan politics brought mixed reactions, from hopes she may return for the next presidential election to sardonic disbelief."
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Word for Today - July 26, 2009
libido; libidinous - lib-BEE-doh; leh-BID-den-US - sexual drive; having or expressing strong sexual desires
Example: A recent study at Texas A&M University suggests that watermelon may deliver Viagra-like effects to increase libido and without any side effects."
Example: A recent study at Texas A&M University suggests that watermelon may deliver Viagra-like effects to increase libido and without any side effects."
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Word for Today - July 25, 2009
mitigate - MIT-ih-GATE - to make something less harsh, less offensive, less violent
Example: "After President Obama's initially harsh reaction to the apparently racial incident, he received a more complete description of the incident and then mitigated his original statement."
Example: "After President Obama's initially harsh reaction to the apparently racial incident, he received a more complete description of the incident and then mitigated his original statement."
Friday, July 24, 2009
Word for Today - July 24, 2009
abnegate - AB-neh-GATE - forego, renounce, give up
Example: "Regarding the situation in New Jersey, the press is condemning those politicians and clerics whom they say have, for purely selfish reasons, abnegated their public and religious responsibilities."
Example: "Regarding the situation in New Jersey, the press is condemning those politicians and clerics whom they say have, for purely selfish reasons, abnegated their public and religious responsibilities."
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Word for Today - July 23, 2009
fatuous - FACH-oo-US - showing a lack of intelligence without realizing it
Example: "A call-in listener to NPR felt the idea of comparing rappers' attack songs with attacks between warring countries a fatuous comparison."
Example: "A call-in listener to NPR felt the idea of comparing rappers' attack songs with attacks between warring countries a fatuous comparison."
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Word for Today - July 22, 2009
vitriolic - VIT-ree-ALL-ik - bitter, sarcastic, nasty, malicious
Example: "As Fifty Cents discovered too late, rapper competition can be fierce and often vitriolic."
Example: "As Fifty Cents discovered too late, rapper competition can be fierce and often vitriolic."
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Word for Today - July 21, 2009
prodigious - pro-DIJ-us - huge, spectacular, astounding
Example: "Getting to the moon 30 years ago was a prodigious accomplishment."
Example: "Getting to the moon 30 years ago was a prodigious accomplishment."
Monday, July 20, 2009
Word for Today - July 20, 2009
mundane - MUN-DANE - everyday, common, humdrum, prosaic, pedestrian
Example: "Both the husband and wife agreed; his work at the office and her chores around the house were different but equally mundane."
Example: "Both the husband and wife agreed; his work at the office and her chores around the house were different but equally mundane."
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Word for Today - July 19, 2009
diminutive - dim-IN-you-TIV - tiny, small, pint-sized, petite, Lilliputian
Example: "Electrons are diminutive, even smaller than atoms, around which they orbit."
Example: "Electrons are diminutive, even smaller than atoms, around which they orbit."
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Word for Today - July 18, 2009
perfidious - purr-FID-ee-us - guilty of treachery or deceit
Example: (From Nietzche) "The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments."
Example: (From Nietzche) "The most perfidious way of harming a cause consists of defending it deliberately with faulty arguments."
Friday, July 17, 2009
Word for Today - July 17, 2009
paucity - PAW-sit-ee - shortage, insufficiency, lack, scarcity
Example: "With 14% unemployment in Michigan, the paucity of available jobs in one way or another has affected everyone in the state."
Example: "With 14% unemployment in Michigan, the paucity of available jobs in one way or another has affected everyone in the state."
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Word for Today - July 16, 2009
sturm und drang - shturm unt drong - literally, storm & stress; upheaval, turmoil, big deal
Example: "The latest sturm und drang among some senators is whether or not people should display their unmentionables on an outside clothesline."
Example: "The latest sturm und drang among some senators is whether or not people should display their unmentionables on an outside clothesline."
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Word for Today - July 15, 2009
extant - EKS-TANT - existing, living, surviving, remaining
Example: "There is a great controversy over whether or not polar bears will still be extant after the next few decades of global changes."
Example: "There is a great controversy over whether or not polar bears will still be extant after the next few decades of global changes."
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Word for Today - July 14, 2009
diatribe - DYE-uh-TRIBE - a scathing written or verbal attack
Example: "The Republican senators continue a thinly disguised diatribe against Sonia Sotomayor as a possible judge on the Supreme Court."
Example: "The Republican senators continue a thinly disguised diatribe against Sonia Sotomayor as a possible judge on the Supreme Court."
Monday, July 13, 2009
Word for Today - July 13, 2009
gregarious - gree-GER-ee-us - sociable, likes the company of others
Example: "Karl Malden, who died on July 1, 2009, was off the screen a most gregarious gentleman."
Example: "Karl Malden, who died on July 1, 2009, was off the screen a most gregarious gentleman."
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Word for Today - July 12, 2009
de rigueur - dur-ree-GUR - strictly required by fashion or by etiquette
Example: "Among teens, showing as much skin or underwear as possible in public is considered de rigueur, as is excessive use of profanity."
Example: "Among teens, showing as much skin or underwear as possible in public is considered de rigueur, as is excessive use of profanity."
Saturday, July 11, 2009
Word for the Day - July 11, 2009
perfidy - PURR-fid-EE - faithless, a betrayal of trust, treachery
Example: "It was an act of perfidy: my keyboard died, and I spent a quarter tank of gas & half the day to find that no store carries one to fit my computer."
Example: "It was an act of perfidy: my keyboard died, and I spent a quarter tank of gas & half the day to find that no store carries one to fit my computer."
Friday, July 10, 2009
Word for the Day - July 10, 2009
quintessential - KWINT-eh-SEN-shul - representing the most perfect or typical example of a person or thing
Example: "An NPR reporter was questioned this morning for comparing the pope and our president as the quintessential heads of their representative 'states' - the pope over Catholics, the president over Americans."
Example: "An NPR reporter was questioned this morning for comparing the pope and our president as the quintessential heads of their representative 'states' - the pope over Catholics, the president over Americans."
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Word for the Day - July 9, 2009
commandeer - ka-MAN-DEER - seize something usually for military purposes, take something over
Example: "The take-over regime in Honduras has, as is the custom in such situations, commandeered all broadcast media for its own propaganda purposes."
Example: "The take-over regime in Honduras has, as is the custom in such situations, commandeered all broadcast media for its own propaganda purposes."
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Word for the Day - July 7, 2009
symbiotic - SIM-bee-AW-tik - referring to a mutually beneficial relationship
Example: "In our summer garden, the bees and flowers have a perfect symbiotic relationship."
Example: "In our summer garden, the bees and flowers have a perfect symbiotic relationship."
Word for the Day - July 8, 2009
dalliance - DAL-ih-yans - flirtation, love affair, fooling around
Example: "The USA, France & now Italy have joined the scandals of dalliance in high politics."
Example: "The USA, France & now Italy have joined the scandals of dalliance in high politics."
Monday, July 6, 2009
Word for the Day - July 6, 2009
arcane - ar-KANE - mysterious, hard to fathom, difficult to understand without special knowledge
Example: "Until the press is notified with some releases, President Obama's trip to Russia may involve several arcane meetings there."
Example: "Until the press is notified with some releases, President Obama's trip to Russia may involve several arcane meetings there."
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Word for the Day - July 5, 2009
bluestocking - blew-stock-ing - an old term describing (usually derisively) a woman who is well educated or who has scholarly interests
Example: "While the rest of us were celebrating the 4th with parades, eating, drinking, playing games and watching fireworks, the bluestockings remained comfortably at home, passing the time with their favorite dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Example: "While the rest of us were celebrating the 4th with parades, eating, drinking, playing games and watching fireworks, the bluestockings remained comfortably at home, passing the time with their favorite dictionaries and encyclopedias.
Saturday, July 4, 2009
Word for the Day - July 4, 2009
sanguine - SAN-gwin - robust, upbeat, optimistic (also ruddy complexioned)
Example: "Isn't it amazing, regardless our everyday political attitudes, how sanguine we become on the 4th of July."
Example: "Isn't it amazing, regardless our everyday political attitudes, how sanguine we become on the 4th of July."
Friday, July 3, 2009
Word for the Day - July 3, 2009
torpor - TOR-por - state of inactivity, sluggishness
Example: "There certainly is no torpor despite the 2 1/2-hour length of the new gangster film 'Public Enemies.'"
Example: "There certainly is no torpor despite the 2 1/2-hour length of the new gangster film 'Public Enemies.'"
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Word for the Day - July 2, 2009
elegiac - ELL-eh-JAY-ik - mournful, sad, sorrowful
Example: "With recent news of so many deaths of entertainers - the latest being Karl Malden at 97 - an elegiac mood has settled over the country."
Example: "With recent news of so many deaths of entertainers - the latest being Karl Malden at 97 - an elegiac mood has settled over the country."
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Word for the Day - July 1, 2009
puer aeternus - POO-air aye-TAIR-nus - a child (literally, boy) forever
Example: "Michael Jackson was considered by an analyst, in trying to explain the singer's strange actions, to be a puer aeternus."
Example: "Michael Jackson was considered by an analyst, in trying to explain the singer's strange actions, to be a puer aeternus."
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