A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Mon Nov 2 00:01:03 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--cushy X-Bonus: We have probed the earth, excavated it, burned it, ripped things from it, buried things in it, chopped down its forests, leveled its hills, muddied its waters, and dirtied its air. That does not fit my definition of a good tenant. If we were here on a month-to-month basis, we would have been evicted long ago. -Rose Bird, Chief Justice of California Supreme Court (2 Nov 1936-1999) James Nicoll, a book reviewer, once said: "The problem with defending the purity of the English language is that English is about as pure as a cribhouse whore. We don't just borrow words; on occasion, English has pursued other languages down alleyways to beat them unconscious and rifle their pockets for new vocabulary." Or as Mary Trump would say: Too Much and Never Enough. Given its colorful history, it's no wonder the English language boasts one of the largest vocabulary of any language.* Who knows, perhaps "Forbes" magazine is working on an annual list of Richest Languages in the World. English has acquired its vocabulary from far and wide. One might say that some words were forced into English's pockets when England was ruled by the Vikings and Normans and it acquired others when it itself went plundering around the world. This week we'll take a tour of its golden mansion and see artifacts acquired (or "borrowed", in linguistics) from languages around the world. *Counting number of words in a language is not an exact science. For starters, what counts as a word? The question is not as simple as it sounds. Run (verb) and run (noun) : two separate words or one? Singular and plural forms? Runs, ran, running? And so on. cushy (KOO-shee) adjective 1. Easy; not burdensome. 2. Soft; comfortable. [From Hindi/Urdu khushi (pleasure, happiness), from Persian khushi. The second sense probably influenced by the word cushion. Earliest documented use: 1887.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/cushy Exaggerate much? https://wordsmith.org/words/images/cushy_large.jpg A description of toilet paper in a Target stores' ad Photo: miheco https://www.flickr.com/photos/88164721@N00/5717960896/ "Few relish the thought of losing a cushy job in a recession." Google Grows Up; The Economist (London, UK); Aug 1, 2020. -------- Date: Tue Nov 3 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--pogonip X-Bonus: There is no such thing as not voting: you either vote by voting, or you vote by staying home and tacitly doubling the value of some diehard's vote. -David Foster Wallace, novelist, essayist, and short story writer (21 Feb 1962-2008) This week's theme: Borrowed words pogonip (POG-uh-nip) noun A dense winter fog having ice particles. [From Shoshone paγinappih (cloud). Earliest documented use: 1860.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/pogonip https://wordsmith.org/words/images/pogonip_large.jpg Photo: Jeff Sullivan https://www.flickr.com/photos/jeffreysullivan/11318113935/ "The valley floor is covered with a blanket of snow, the trees glisten with the shimmering ice crystals of pogonip and the holiday season is almost over." Wendy Hanson Mazet; Live Christmas Tree After-Care; Reno Gazette-Journal (Nevada); Dec 28, 2013. -------- Date: Wed Nov 4 00:01:03 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--pishogue X-Bonus: Too many people spend money they haven't earned, to buy things they don't want, to impress people they don't like. -Will Rogers, humorist (4 Nov 1879-1935) This week's theme: Borrowed words pishogue (pi-SHOHG) noun Sorcery; witchcraft; spell. [From Irish piseog (witchcraft). Earliest documented use: 1829.] "You have totally glamoured me with your pishogue." N.E. Tovell; Tides of the Undead; iUniverse; 2011. -------- Date: Thu Nov 5 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--zarf X-Bonus: So many gods, so many creeds, So many paths that wind and wind, While just the art of being kind is all the sad world needs. -Ella Wheeler Wilcox, poet (5 Nov 1850-1919) This week's theme: Borrowed words zarf (zarf) noun A sleeve or holder designed to hold a hot cup. [From Arabic zarf (container, sheath). Earliest documented use: 1836.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/zarf A traditional zarf, made of silver, Russia https://wordsmith.org/words/images/zarf1_large.jpg Photo: Obrez / Wikimedia https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Podstakannik_and_glass_of_tea.jpg A modern zarf, made of reclaimed coffee sack, Seattle https://wordsmith.org/words/images/zarf2_large.jpg Photo: Alexa Baehr https://www.flickr.com/photos/alexabaehr/5313889941/ "He brought steaming conical cups in plastic zarfs, two by two, to the craving, sobering hands all around him." Jonathan Franzen; The Twenty-Seventh City; Farrar, Straus, and Giroux; 1988. -------- Date: Fri Nov 6 00:01:04 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--picaro X-Bonus: I don't think that combat has ever been written about truthfully; it has always been described in terms of bravery and cowardice. I won't even accept these words as terms of human reference any more. And anyway, hell, they don't even apply to what, in actual fact, modern warfare has become. -James Jones, novelist (6 Nov 1921-1977) This week's theme: Borrowed words picaro (PEE-kuh-roh) noun A rogue; an adventurer. [From Spanish picaro (rogue). Earliest documented use: 1622. Also see picaresque https://wordsmith.org/words/picaresque.html and picaroon https://wordsmith.org/words/picaroon.html .] "Too often his bedeviling qualities get passed over as the colorful traits of a picaro." Lee Siegel; The Tower of Babel; The Nation (New York); Nov 17, 2005. -------- Date: Mon Nov 9 00:01:04 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--anemious X-Bonus: The Earth is a very small stage in a vast cosmic arena. Think of the rivers of blood spilled by all those generals and emperors so that, in glory and triumph, they could become the momentary masters of a fraction of a dot. Think of the endless cruelties visited by the inhabitants of one corner of this pixel on the scarcely distinguishable inhabitants of some other corner, how frequent their misunderstandings, how eager they are to kill one another, how fervent their hatreds. -Carl Sagan, astronomer and writer (9 Nov 1934-1996) All present; everyone in order. We are not talking about some school assembly or a military drill. It's about vowels, a, e, i, o, u, all of them present and in order. This week we've picked five such words. To many of these words you can add the suffix -ly to introduce the sometime-vowel y and still keep them all in order. What everyday phrases can you think of that have all the five vowels in order? Share them on our website https://wordsmith.org/words/anemious.html or email us at words@wordsmith.org. Here are two to get you started: "trade-discount" and "have it out". anemious (uh-NEE-mi-uhs) adjective Growing in windy conditions. [From Greek anemos (wind). Earliest documented use: 1879.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/aeiou_large.jpg Sculpture: Bernard Johnson, Photo: Feathering the Nest https://www.flickr.com/photos/magicattic88/2636760308 "By late afternoon the light that washed over the garden turned it into a lake of gold, with islands of shadow; the blown lilies, the long tendrils of roses and the anemious grasses streamed like plants that grow in water." Edith Pope; River in the Wind; Scribner; 1954. -------- Date: Tue Nov 10 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--acedious X-Bonus: A merely fallen enemy may rise again, but the reconciled one is truly vanquished. -Friedrich Schiller, poet, philosopher, physician, historian, and playwright (10 Nov 1759-1805) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels and in order acedious (uh-SEE-dee-uhs) adjective Characterized by apathy, boredom, or sloth. [From Latin acedia, from Greek akedia, from a- (not) + kedos (care). Earliest documented use: 1609. Also see acedia https://wordsmith.org/words/acedia.html .] Acedia (detail from "The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things") https://wordsmith.org/words/images/acedious_large.jpg Art: Hieronymus Bosch, c. 1500 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Seven_Deadly_Sins_and_the_Four_Last_Things#/media/File:Hieronymus_Bosch-_The_Seven_Deadly_Sins_and_the_Four_Last_Things.JPG "His life of shameless self-indulgence, love of hunting, and scornful disregard of the rule in matters of labor, study, and claustration* show him to be an acedious monk." Robert M. Correale & Mary Hamel; Sources and Analogues of the Canterbury Tales, Volume 2; D.S. Brewer; 2002. *confinement -------- Date: Wed Nov 11 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--adventitious X-Bonus: A brother is a friend given by nature. -Gabriel Legouve, poet (1764-1812) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels and in order adventitious (ad-ven-TI-shuhs) adjective 1. Arising from an external source. 2. Happening by chance. 3. Appearing in an unusual place. [From Latin adventicius (coming from outside, foreign), from advenire (to arrive), from ad- (toward) + venire (to come). Earliest documented use: 1603. Also spelled as adventious https://wordsmith.org/words/adventious.html . See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/adventitious https://wordsmith.org/words/images/adventitious_large.jpg Photo: Rahul O R / Wikimedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Banyan#/media/File:The_great_banyan_tree.jpg "The great thing about tomatoes is that they form adventitious roots all along their stems, so overgrown seedlings, well watered, may still develop great root systems and bear lots of fruit." Bara Damrosch; Never Got Around to Sowing for Spring? You Still Have Time; The Washington Post; Jun 8, 2017. "The 'bank holiday' and Emergency Banking Act were adventitious measures rather than ones FDR had been planning all along." George Selgin; Assessing the Not-So-Great New Deal; USA Today; Sep 2020. -------- Date: Thu Nov 12 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--caesious X-Bonus: Patience is also a form of action. -Auguste Rodin, sculptor (12 Nov 1840-1917) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels and in order caesious (SEE-zee-uhs) adjective Bluish or grayish green. [From Latin caesius, probably from caelum (sky). Earliest documented use: 1835.] "Leaves [are] medium green on upper surface, caesious beneath." Peter Sell and Gina Murrell; Flora of Great Britain and Ireland; Cambridge University Press; 2006. -------- Date: Fri Nov 13 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--annelidous X-Bonus: It is perhaps a more fortunate destiny to have a taste for collecting shells than to be born a millionaire. -Robert Louis Stevenson, novelist, essayist, and poet (13 Nov 1850-1894) This week's theme: Words having all five vowels and in order annelidous (uh-NEL-uh-duhs) adjective Of or relating to worms. [From French anneler (to ring), from Latin anellus, diminutive of anus (ring). Earliest documented use: 1835.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/aeiou_scrabble_tiles_large.jpg Photo: John Kocijanski https://www.flickr.com/photos/22897666@N00/6072652847 "The mud in many places was thrown up by numbers of some kind of worm, or annelidous animal." Charles Darwin; Voyage of the Beagle; 1839. -------- Date: Mon Nov 16 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gambit X-Bonus: It has always seemed to me that the test of integrity is its blunt refusal to be compromised. -Chinua Achebe, writer and professor (16 Nov 1930-2013) As a cushion is for the hip, what is for the elbow? Well, a little etymological dissection is in order to understand the anatomy of these linguistic parts. The word cushion is from Latin coxa (hip, thigh), because that's what a cushion was meant for. As it turned out, Romans had an elbow cushion as well, which they called cubital, from Latin cubitus (elbow). That's where we got the word cubit, the unit of length equal to the length of the forearm. These body parts have a way of showing up where you'd least expect them. This week we'll see five words that owe their origins to the body, some obvious, others not. gambit (GAM-bit) noun 1. An opening in which a minor piece is sacrificed to obtain a strategic advantage. 2. A maneuver used to secure an advantage. 3. A remark used to open or redirect a conversation. [From Spanish gambito, from Italian gambetto (the act of tripping someone), from gamba (leg). Earliest documented use: 1656.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/gambit "This was a risky gambit for both cola rivals. But it paid off." Fire-Starter; The Economist (London, UK); Sep 26, 2020. -------- Date: Tue Nov 17 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--propugnaculum X-Bonus: Through others, we become ourselves. -Lev Vygotsky, psychologist (17 Nov 1896-1934) This week's theme: Words derived from body propugnaculum (praw-puhg-NAK-yuh-luhm) noun A fortress; defense; protection. [From Latin propugnaculum (bulwark), from propugnare (to fight in defense of something), from pro- (toward) + pugnare (to fight), from pugnus (fist). Ultimately from the Indo-European root peuk- (to prick), which is also the source of point, puncture, pungent, punctual, poignant, pounce, poniard, oppugn https://wordsmith.org/words/oppugn.html , repugn https://wordsmith.org/words/repugn.html , impugn https://wordsmith.org/words/impugn.html , pugnacious https://wordsmith.org/words/pugnacious.html , pugilist https://wordsmith.org/words/pugilist.html , and repugnant https://wordsmith.org/words/repugnant.html . Earliest documented use: 1773.] "Something rather paradoxical has been happening to this Self, this base camp of behaviorism, this propugnaculum of steadfastness, this command post of the soul." Philip Mirowski; Machine Dreams; Cambridge University Press; 2002. -------- Date: Wed Nov 18 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--flatfooted X-Bonus: Anger is a great force. If you control it, it can be transmuted into a power which can move the whole world. -William Shenstone, poet (18 Nov 1714-1763) This week's theme: Words derived from body flatfooted (flat-FOOT-id) adjective 1. Clumsy; unimaginative; uninspired. 2. Forthright. 3. Unprepared. 4. Uncompromising. 5. Having the arch of the foot flattened so the entire sole touches the ground. [From flat, from Old Norse flatr + foot, from Old English fot. Earliest documented use: 1601.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/flat-footed NOTES: A flatfoot http://wordsmith.org/words/flatfoot.html is not necessarily flatfooted. "I pick up a book, sigh over its flawed reasoning and flat-footed writing." James C. Howell; The Beauty of the Word; Westminster John Knox Press; 2011. "I want to come out flatfooted and ask you boys to OK the proposition of a Symphony Orchestra for Zenith." Sinclair Lewis; Babbitt; Harcourt, Brace & Co.; 1922. "The dog, caught flatfooted by his master's sudden move, was forced to run to catch up." Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman; The Hand of Chaos; Bantam Books; 1993. "Litvinoff's life was defined by a delight in the weight of the real; his friend's by a rejection of reality, with its army of flat-footed facts." Nicole Krauss; The History of Love; Norton; 2006. "Look at these boot prints, amigo. They turn in at the heel, worn down on the inside. This man is flat footed, that's the way he walks." Edna Evans; Gypsy Fires; Writers Club Press; 2001. -------- Date: Thu Nov 19 00:01:01 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--consanguineous X-Bonus: One cannot hire a hand; the whole man always comes with it. -Peter Drucker, management consultant, professor, and writer (19 Nov 1909-2005) This week's theme: Words derived from body consanguineous (kon-sang-GWIN-ee-uhs) adjective Related by blood; having a common ancestor. [From Latin consanguineus, from con- (with) + sanguineus (bloody), from sanguis (blood). Earliest documented use: 1616.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/consanguineous "Europe's royalty is also known for historic inter-familial relationships. Records show that the Spanish Habsburg kings frequently engaged in consanguineous marriage. Nine of the 11 marriages that occurred over the dynasty's 200-year reign were consanguineous, with two uncle-niece marriages and one first-cousin marriage." Lianne Kolirin; King Tut Wasn't the Only One Keeping it in the Family; Express (London, UK); Oct 20, 2014. -------- Date: Fri Nov 20 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--ham-handed X-Bonus: I believe at our best America is a beacon for the globe. And we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example. -Joe Biden, president-elect of the United States (b. 20 Nov 1942) This week's theme: Words derived from body ham-handed (HAM-han-did) adjective Clumsy; tactless; lacking social grace. [From ham + hand. It's the same ham (one who overacts), apparently from the minstrel song, "The Hamfat Man". Earliest documented use: 1918.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/ham-handed "There was a certain thrill, a challenge in taking an ordinary man who was ham-handed with compliments and possessed of two left feet, and turn him into something sublime." Bronwyn Scott; A Lady Seduces; Harlequin; 2013. -------- Date: Mon Nov 23 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--euphoria X-Bonus: Poetry is a sort of homecoming. -Paul Celan, poet and translator (23 Nov 1920-1970) A word that makes use of only one of the vowels (example: strengthlessness) is called a univocalic https://wordsmith.org/words/univocalic.html . In the same way, when a word or phrase makes use of all the vowels, it's known as a supervocalic. This week we'll feature supervocalic words. CONTEST: What supervocalic news headline (real or imagined) can you come up with? PRIZES: Winners will receive their choice of any of the following: A copy of any of my books A copy of the word game Word Up! FINE PRINT: The vowels can be in any order. Use as many of each vowel as you need. Send your entries by Friday. Mention your location. Email your entries to (contest at wordsmith.org) or post them on our website at https://wordsmith.org/words/euphoria.html Here's a supervocalic news headline I came up with: Trump Is A Loser (I think it's a winning entry, but the contest officials tell me that I'm not eligible to enter the contest. No worries, my elite team of high-priced lawyers is filing an emergency petition with the US Supreme Court as we speak.) euphoria (yoo-FOHR-ree-uh) noun A feeling or state of elation or well-being. [From Greek eu- (well) + pherein (to bear). Ultimately from the Indo-European root bher- (to carry, to bear children) that gave birth to words such as basket, suffer, fertile, burden, bring, bear, offer, prefer, birth, adiaphorism https://wordsmith.org/words/adiaphorism.html , delate https://wordsmith.org/words/delate.html , opprobrious https://wordsmith.org/words/opprobrious.html , sufferance https://wordsmith.org/words/sufferance.html , and paraphernalia https://wordsmith.org/words/paraphernalia.html . Earliest documented use: 1684.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/euphoria "What is different, though, is the absence of euphoria. Few seem to want to cheer the rally in risky eurobonds." Still Crazy After Falling Yields; The Economist (London, UK); Aug 12, 2017. "When they finally reached it a fraction of a moment later, a shower of euphoria rained on them, drenching them both." Marie Ferrarella; Christmas Cowboy Duet; Harlequin; 2014. -------- Date: Tue Nov 24 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--quaternion X-Bonus: To understand is not to forgive. It is simply better than the alternative, which is not to understand. -Alec Nove, economist, author, and professor (24 Nov 1915-1994) This week's theme: Supervocalic words quaternion (kwuh/kwah-TUHR-nee-uhn) noun A set of four persons, things, etc. [From Latin quattuor (four). Earliest documented use: 1384.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/quaternion "There were four of us then, not merely two, and in our quaternion the vintage sap flowed freely, flowed and bled and boiled as it may never again." John Hawkes; The Blood Oranges; New Directions; 1972. -------- Date: Wed Nov 25 00:01:01 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--urticaceous X-Bonus: Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community. -Andrew Carnegie, industrialist (25 Nov 1835-1919) This week's theme: Supervocalic words urticaceous (uhr-tih-KAY-shuhs) adjective 1. Relating to a nettle. 2. Stinging. [From Latin urtica (nettle), from urere (to burn). Earliest documented use: 1836.] "Urtica dioica" https://wordsmith.org/words/images/urticaceous_large.jpg Illustration: Illustration Prof. Dr. Otto Wilhelm Thomé, in the book "Flora von Deutschland, Österreich, und der Schweiz" 1885 "[Rhizostoma Aldrovandi] possesses an urticaceous apparatus, which produces an effect similar to the stinging nettle when applied to the skin." Louis Figuier; The Ocean World; Appleton; 1869. -------- Date: Thu Nov 26 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--autotelic X-Bonus: The best theology is probably no theology; just love one another. -Charles Schulz, cartoonist (26 Nov 1922-2000) This week's theme: Supervocalic words autotelic (ah-toh-TEH-lik) adjective Having a purpose, motivation, or meaning in itself; not driven by external factors. [From Greek auto- (self) + telos (end). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kwel- (to revolve), which also gave us colony, cult, culture, cycle, cyclone, chakra, collar, telic https://wordsmith.org/words/telic.html , entelechy https://wordsmith.org/words/entelechy.html , talisman https://wordsmith.org/words/talisman.html , col https://wordsmith.org/words/col.html , and accolade https://wordsmith.org/words/accolade.html . Earliest documented use: 1864.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/autotelic "I knew I had found my theme, but it was an artistic, an academic, an autotelic choice, having nothing to do with extraneous matters." Reginald Hill; Death's Jest-Book; Harper; 2002. -------- Date: Fri Nov 27 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--vinaceous X-Bonus: Use only that which works and take it from any place you can find it. -Bruce Lee, martial artist and actor (27 Nov 1940-1973) This week's theme: Supervocalic words vinaceous (vy/vi/vuh-NAY-shuhs) adjective 1. Relating to wine. 2. Of the color of red wine: reddish. [From Latin vinum (wine). Earliest documented use: 1688.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/vinaceous Vinaceous rosefinch https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnfish/704422100/ Photo: John&Fish https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnfish/704422100/ "He took another piece made of darker clay. It had been burnished to make it shine like vinaceous enamel." Bob Shacochis; Easy in the Islands; Grove Press; 2004. -------- Date: Mon Nov 30 00:01:02 EST 2020 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--yeanling X-Bonus: Laws are like cobwebs which may catch small flies, but let wasps and hornets break through. -Jonathan Swift, satirist (30 Nov 1667-1745) The artist Leah Palmer Preiss http://www.leahpalmerpreiss.com/ is a national treasure. She calls herself an artist, but alchemist would be more like it. I gave her a few words earlier this year. She went to her studio and turned these words, plus some paint, into works of magic. We'll see five more such words this week. Now, after enjoying this week if you can't wait till the next year, find her illustrations from previous years here https://wordsmith.org/awad/leah.html. You can reach her at (curiouser at mindspring.com). yeanling (YEEN-ling) noun: The young of an animal, especially of a sheep or a goat. adjective: New-born; infant. [From yean (to give birth to a young), from Old English geeanian, from eanian (to bear young) + -ling (small, young, inferior). Earliest documented use: 1644.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/yeanling_large.jpg Art: Leah Palmer Preiss http://www.leahpalmerpreiss.com/ "In residence therein is a handsome chestnut colt the Lewises bought for $200,000 as a yeanling. His name is Charismatic." Larry Bortstein; Battle-Tested Kentucky Derby; Orange County Register (Santa Ana, California); Apr 30, 1999.