A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Mon Dec 3 00:03:06 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--septentrional X-Bonus: It is error only, and not truth, that shrinks from inquiry. -Thomas Paine, philosopher and writer (1737-1809) Numbers are everywhere, though it may not always be obvious. A twine is, literally, two threads. A siesta is sixth hour. And to atone is to be "at one" or be in agreement. You can say this week's words are numbered. All of them are based on numbers, though their numeric origin is often hidden. septentrional (sep-TEN-tree-uh-nuhl) adjective Northern. [From Latin septentriones, literally the seven ploughing oxen, a name for the seven stars of the Great Bear constellation that appears in the northern sky. From Latin septem (seven) + triones (ploughing oxen). Earliest documented use: around 1400.] "Once the tourists have filtered back to their septentrional homes in Europe, the men of Spetsai [Greece] resume their norm of shooting birds." C.L. Sulzberger; A Return Visit to Glistening Spetsai; The New York Times; Sep 28, 1986. "The first entailed ... traveling north at a snail's pace through the septentrional regions of North Korea." Claude Lanzmann; The Patagonian Hare: A Memoir; Farrar, Straus and Giroux; 2012. (translation by Frank Wynne) -------- Date: Tue Dec 4 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--decimate X-Bonus: Mankind's true moral test, its fundamental test (which lies deeply buried from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals. And in this respect mankind has suffered a fundamental debacle, a debacle so fundamental that all others stem from it. -Milan Kundera, novelist, playwright, and poet (b.1929) This week's theme: Words derived from numbers decimate (DES-i-mayt) verb tr. To destroy a large part of something. [From Latin decimare (to take the tenth), from decem (ten). Earliest documented use: around 1600. Also see hecatomb https://wordsmith.org/words/hecatomb.html .] NOTES: In the ancient Roman army a group of soldiers guilty of mutiny were punished by killing every tenth soldier. Today the word has evolved to mean large-scale damage where a major proportion is annihilated. Instead of 10%, today it's more like 90%. "The World T20 showed now they have the batting firepower to decimate their opponents." Shamik Chakrabarty; IPL's Gangnam Effect; Financial Express (New Delhi, India); Oct 14, 2012. -------- Date: Wed Dec 5 00:03:06 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hebdomad X-Bonus: That sorrow which is the harbinger of joy is preferable to the joy which is followed by sorrow. -Saadi, poet (c.1213-1291) This week's theme: Words derived from numbers hebdomad (HEB-duh-mad) noun 1. A group of seven. 2. A period of seven days; a week. [From Latin hebdomas, from Greek hepta (seven). Earliest documented use: 1545.] "As a string quartet, the excellent Brooklyn Rider is all about the number four. But on their new album, Seven Steps, its members circle around the mysterious -- and some might even say spiritual -- power of the hebdomad." Anastasia Tsioulcas; Brooklyn Rider, 'Seven Steps'; National Public Radio (Washington, DC); Feb 5, 2012. -------- Date: Thu Dec 6 00:03:06 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--doyen X-Bonus: No man should judge unless he asks himself in absolute honesty whether in a similar situation he might not have done the same. -Viktor Frankl, author, neurologist and psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor (1905-1997) This week's theme: Words derived from numbers doyen (doi-EN, DOI-uhn) noun The senior member of a group, profession, etc. [From French doyen (most senior member), from Latin decanus (chief of ten), from decem (ten). Earliest documented use: 1422.] "[The financial sector's] doyens have gained powerful positions in government, although this may be down to the modern assumption that if people are rich they must be smart." The War on Finance; The Economist (London, UK); Feb 4, 2012. -------- Date: Fri Dec 7 00:03:04 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--dubious X-Bonus: One who condones evils is just as guilty as the one who perpetrates it. -Martin Luther King Jr., civil-rights leader (1929-1968) This week's theme: Words derived from numbers dubious (DOO-bee-uhs, DYOO-) adjective 1. Marked by doubt. 2. Of questionable character. [From Latin dubius (wavering), from duo (two). Ultimately from the Indo-European root dwo- (two) that also gave us dual, double, doubt, diploma, twin, between, redoubtable https://wordsmith.org/words/redoubtable.html , and didymous https://wordsmith.org/words/didymous.html . Earliest documented use: 1548.] "A scandal over dubious transfers of millions of euros is creating turbulence for European defense giant EADS." Investigation into Dubious EADS Austria Deal Intensifies; Der Spiegel (Hamburg, Germany); Nov 12, 2012. -------- Date: Mon Dec 10 00:03:06 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--princox X-Bonus: Writing is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far as the headlights, but you make the whole trip that way. -E.L. Doctorow, writer (b. 1931) "I love mankind. It's the people I can't stand." Do you ever find yourself repeating those words of cartoonist Charles Schulz? Maybe you're surrounded by persons described in this week's AWAD. There are times when everyone around us seems less than charming. It's not fun, but now at least you have colorful words to describe those people. And remember, just like the fingers of your hand, it takes all kinds to make this world. princox (PRIN-koks) noun A conceited person; a coxcomb https://wordsmith.org/words/coxcomb.html . Also princock. [Of uncertain origin. Earliest documented use: 1540.] "The crowing princock wouldn't mind his tongue, practically begged for a beating with his back talk." Jennifer Bray-Weber; A Kiss in the Wind; Harlequin; 2012. "You are a saucy boy ... You are a princox." William Shakespeare; Romeo & Juliet; 1590s. -------- Date: Tue Dec 11 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nincompoop X-Bonus: Reason often makes mistakes, but conscience never does. -Josh Billings, columnist and humorist (1818-1885) This week's theme: Words to describe people nincompoop (NIN-kuhm-poop, NING-) noun A silly or stupid person. [Origin unknown. Earliest documented use: 1673.] "I was a nincompoop. A moron. A blockhead." Jeanne Birdsall; The Penderwicks at Point Mouette; Knopf; 2011. -------- Date: Wed Dec 12 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--malingerer X-Bonus: If money be not thy servant, it will be thy master. The covetous man cannot so properly be said to possess wealth, as that may be said to possess him. -Francis Bacon, essayist, philosopher, and statesman (1561-1626) This week's theme: Words to describe people malingerer (muh-LING-gehr-uhr) noun One who feigns illness in order to avoid work. [From French malingre (sickly). Earliest documented use: 1785.] "Various studies have undertaken how to separate malingerers from the legitimately brain-injured." Shawn Vestal; Trooper's Tangle; Spokesman Review (Spokane, Washington); Aug 17, 2012. -------- Date: Thu Dec 13 00:03:06 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--curmudgeon X-Bonus: One ought, every day at least, to hear a little song, read a good poem, see a fine picture and, if it were possible, speak a few reasonable words. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832) This week's theme: Words to describe people curmudgeon (kuhr-MUJ-uhn) noun An ill-tempered, stubborn person, usually an old man. [Origin unknown. Earliest documented use: 1587.] "Fred Eaglesmith can sound like a curmudgeon at times, delivering cynical proclamations on the state of music." Cathalena Burch; Success Finds Man of the Road; Arizona Daily Star (Tucson); Feb 2, 2012. -------- Date: Fri Dec 14 00:03:04 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--whippersnapper X-Bonus: For a man to achieve all that is demanded of him he must regard himself as greater than he is. -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, poet, dramatist, novelist, and philosopher (1749-1832) This week's theme: Words to describe people whippersnapper (HWIP-uhr-snap-uhr, WIP-) noun A person regarded as unimportant and presumptuous, especially someone young. [Perhaps an alteration of whipsnapper, representing noise and uselessness, or an alteration of snippersnapper, similar in sense. Earliest documented use: 1674.] "Young high-flyers find it hard to manage older workers, and older curmudgeons resent being bossed about by whippersnappers." Age Shall Not Wither Them; The Economist (London, UK); Apr 7, 2011. -------- Date: Mon Dec 17 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--wakerife X-Bonus: A man too busy to take care of his health is like a mechanic too busy to take care of his tools. -Spanish proverb This week's words may appear to be chosen at random, but they are not. It took a bit of effort to find these five words so they'd fit. In what way? Well, that's for you to find out. Contest: Can you discover the reason these words were selected to be featured? Send your answers to (contest AT wordsmith.org) by Friday this week. One entry per person. Be sure to include your location (city/state/country). Results will be announced this weekend. A reader randomly selected from all the correct entries will receive the T-shirt AWAD to the wise is sufficient' http://www.uppityshirts.com/awad.shtml wakerife (WAYK-ryf) adjective Wakeful; alert. [From Old English wacan (to wake up) + rife (abundant, common). Earliest documented use: around 1480.] "If you're still wakerife let me suggest another, possibly chastening, exercise in memory." S.L. McKinlay; The Shots That Count; Glasgow Herald (Scotland); Dec 14, 1965. "As for me, I'm wakerife and morne, but hope springs eternal. I don't know how she does it, what with those leg irons on, but spring she does." Ben Tripp; Crouching Tiger, Hidden Agenda; CounterPunch (Petrolia, California); May 30, 2003. -------- Date: Tue Dec 18 00:03:03 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--quadrennium X-Bonus: Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf and take an insect view of its plain. -Henry David Thoreau, naturalist and author (1817-1862) This week's theme: Yours to discover quadrennium (kwa-DREN-ee-uhm) noun A period of four years. [From Latin quadri (four) + annus (year), ultimately from the Indo-European root at- (to go), which is also the source of annual, annals, annuity, anniversary, and perennial. Earliest documented use: 1779.] "Maybe it's because I'm an Olympic dad, but my wife and I had a baby each quadrennium." Jean Lopez, et al.; Family Power; Celebra; 2009. -------- Date: Wed Dec 19 00:03:04 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--subjugate X-Bonus: My soul is a broken field, plowed by pain. -Sara Teasdale, poet (1884-1933) This week's theme: Yours to discover subjugate (SUHB-juh-gayt) verb tr. To bring under control or to make submissive. [From Latin subjugare (to subjugate), from sub- (under) + jugum (yoke). Ultimately from the Indo-European root yeug- (to join), which is also the ancestor of such words as junction, yoke, yoga, adjust, juxtapose, junta, jugular https://wordsmith.org/words/jugular.html , and jugulate https://wordsmith.org/words/jugulate.html . Earliest documented use: 1429.] "Even more families lost control of their land, as the Indonesian army divided and relocated communities in its attempt to subjugate the population." Country Plots; The Economist (London, UK); May 5, 2012. -------- Date: Thu Dec 20 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--xerophyte X-Bonus: If we could read the secret history of our enemies, we should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility. -Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, poet (1807-1882) This week's theme: Yours to discover xerophyte (ZEER-uh-fyt) noun A plant adapted to growing in a very dry or desert environment. [From Greek xero- (dry) + phyton (plant). Earliest documented use: 1897.] "Saavik's bemused comment when Captain Howe, her former first officer, had sent her a 'get well cactus' was that on Vulcan it was a superfluous xerophyte." Keith R.A. DeCandido; Star Trek: Tales of the Dominion War; Simon & Schuster; 2004. -------- Date: Fri Dec 21 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--conversazione X-Bonus: Live a balanced life. Learn some and think some, and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some. -Robert Fulghum, author (b. 1937) This week's theme: Yours to discover conversazione (kon-vuhr-saht-see-O-nee, kahn-, -nay) noun A formal gathering for conversation, especially on arts, literature, etc. [From Italian conversazione (conversation), from Latin conversari (to associate with). Ultimately from the Indo-European root wer- (to turn or bend), also the source of wring, weird, writhe, worth, revert, universe, verso https://wordsmith.org/words/verso.html , versicolor https://wordsmith.org/words/versicolor.html , and animadvert https://wordsmith.org/words/animadvert.html . Earliest documented use: 1740.] "We must invite them to our conversazione." Amanda Grange; Mr. Darcy, Vampyre; Sourcebooks; 2009. -------- Date: Mon Dec 24 00:03:04 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--behoove X-Bonus: Anger as soon as fed is dead- / 'Tis starving makes it fat. -Emily Dickinson, poet (1830-1886) If the English language were a cake, its batter would have Germanic flour. Sugar, butter, and milk would be of Norse, French, and Latin origins, not necessarily in that order. And on top of that would be icing with little flourishes here and there made up of dozens of languages -- Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, and others -- it has borrowed from. Of course, that's the simplified view you might see on a Martha Stewart cooking show. The recipe for the making of the English language takes hundreds of ingredients, thousands of years of messy hodgepodge, and it goes on forever -- it's still in the oven. A language is never finished, unless it's a dead language. Here's a very brief biography of the English language. The 5th century brought Germanic tribes to Britain, pushing away Celtic speakers; in the 9th century it was the Vikings with their Norse; in the year 1066, French became paramount with William the Conqueror. Latin came over from academia and religion in fits and starts at various times throughout. Later, colonization, trade, and exploration brought words from dozens of languages, Hindi, Chinese, Japanese, and others into the English language. This week we'll feature five words to illustrate this mix of ingredients of the English language with words from Old English (Anglo-Saxon), Old Norse, Latin, French, and Chinese. behoove (bi-HOOV) verb tr., intr. To be necessary, worthwhile, or appropriate. [From Old English behofian (to need), from behof (profit, need). Earliest documented use: around 890.] "And it will behoove you to keep my visit and our secret to yourself." Brenda Jackson; A Silken Thread; Kimani Press; 2011. "It may behoove Google to take these suits to trial in order to clarify a principle." Old Media Sue; The Economist (London, UK); Mar 14, 2007. -------- Date: Tue Dec 25 00:03:03 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--ugsome X-Bonus: Walking is man's best medicine. -Hippocrates, the Father of Medicine (460-377 BCE) This week's theme: Words from various languages that built the English language ugsome (UG-suhm) adjective Dreadful, loathsome. [From Old Norse ugga (to fear). As in many typical stories where one child in a family becomes well-known while the other remains obscure, "ugly" and "ugsome" are two words derived from the same root -- one is an everyday word while the other remains uncommon. Earliest documented use: around 1425.] "She believed it was a step in the right direction that would eventually lead to abolishment of the ugsome deeds befalling all of them." Catherine Ann Sabatino; Voices in the Midst; AuthorHouse; 2010. -------- Date: Wed Dec 26 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--abjure X-Bonus: When old words die out on the tongue, new melodies break forth from the heart; and where the old tracks are lost, new country is revealed with its wonders. -Rabindranath Tagore, poet, philosopher, author, songwriter, painter, educator, composer, Nobel laureate (1861-1941) This week's theme: Words from various languages that built the English language abjure (ab-JOOR) verb tr. 1. To avoid or abstain from. 2. To renounce under oath. [From Latin abjurare (to deny on oath), from ab- (away) + jurare (to swear). Earliest documented use: 1430.] "Many modern writers abjure the power of stories in their work, banish them to the suburbs of literature, drive them out toward the lower pastures of the lesser moons." Pat Conroy; Interpreting the World Through Story; The Writer (Waukesha, Wisconsin); Jun 2012. -------- Date: Thu Dec 27 00:03:05 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--purlieu X-Bonus: We are so vain that we even care for the opinion of those we don't care for. -Marie von Ebner-Eschenbach, writer (1830-1916) This week's theme: Words from various languages that built the English language purlieu (PUHR-loo, PUHRL-yoo) noun 1. A neighboring area. 2. A place that one frequents or has control; haunt. [From Middle English purlewe (land on the edge of a forest), from puralee, influenced by Old French lieu (place), from Anglo-French pur- (thoroughly) + aler (to go). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ambhi- (around), which is also the source of ambulance, alley, preamble, bivouac, and obambulate https://wordsmith.org/words/obambulate.html . Earliest documented use: 1483.] "Dr Vince Cable remains in his post, though with this particular issue removed from his purlieu." Simon Heffer; Cameron Punishes Tories; The Daily Telegraph (London, UK); Dec 22, 2010. -------- Date: Fri Dec 28 00:03:07 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--cumshaw X-Bonus: Tact is the ability to describe others as they see themselves. -Abraham Lincoln, 16th president of the US (1809-1865) This week's theme: Words from various languages that built the English language cumshaw (KUM-shaw) noun A gift or a tip. [From Chinese (Amoy/Xiamen dialect), kan (to be grateful) + hsieh (thanks). The term was used by beggars in Chinese ports and picked up by visiting sailors during the 19th century. Earliest documented use: 1839.] "All those extra bodies don't necessarily increase the chances for cumshaw, according to some tip recipients." Sean M. Wood; Tourism Doesn't Fill Their Tip Jar; San Antonio Express-News (Texas); Apr 7, 2006. -------- Date: Mon Dec 31 00:03:11 EST 2012 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--numismatics X-Bonus: If you must play, decide on three things at the start: the rules of the game, the stakes, and the quitting time. -Chinese proverb Time marches on. We cut another notch on the tally stick of time. And a new year begins. In A.Word.A.Day, we'll begin the new year with new words. Well, they aren't really that new as you can see from the dates of their earliest documented use. They just sound new. This week we'll feature five words that begin with the "new" sound. A happy and peaceful new year to all. numismatics (noo-miz-MAT-iks, -mis-, nyoo-) noun The study or collection of currency: coins, notes, and sometimes similar objects, such as medals. [From Latin numisma (coin, currency), from Greek nomisma (current coin, custom), from nomos (custom). Ultimately from the Indo-European root nem- (to assign or take), which is also the source for words such as number, numb, nomad, metronome, astronomy, nemesis, and anomie https://wordsmith.org/words/anomie.html . Earliest documented use: 1790. Also see notaphily https://wordsmith.org/words/notaphily.html .] "Ron Paul was the middle of five boys and the only one to become fascinated with numismatics. He knew that certain pennies were worth more than their face value because few of them had been minted." Joel Achenbach; The Alternative; The Washington Post; Dec 15, 2011.