A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Fri, 1 Apr 1994 00:03:07 -0500 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--incunabulum X-Bonus: Many people would rather die than think; in fact, most do. -Bertrand Russell in.cu.nab.u.lum \.in-ky*-'nab-y*-l*m, .in_e-\ n, pl -la \-l*\ : a book printed before 1501 -------- Date: Sat, 2 Apr 1994 00:03:13 -0500 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--runic X-Bonus: Tranquillity is like quicksilver. The harder you grab for it, the less likely you will grasp it. -Bern Williams rune \'ru_:n\ n 1: a character of an alphabet formerly used by the Germanic peoples 2: MYSTERY, MAGIC 3: a poem esp. in Finnish or Old Norse -- ru.nic \'ru_:-nik\ adj -------- Date: Sun, 3 Apr 1994 00:03:07 -0500 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--equerry X-Bonus: You can rehearse a wedding but not a marriage. -Al Batt eq.uer.ry \'ek-w*-re_-, i-'kwer-e_-\ n 1: an officer in charge of the horses of a prince or nobleman 2: a personal attendant of a member of the British royal family -------- Date: Mon, 4 Apr 1994 00:03:09 -0400 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--prothalamion X-Bonus: If one advances confidently in the direction of one's dreams, and endeavours to live the life which one has imagined, one will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. -Henry David Thoreau pro.tha.la.mi.on \.pro_--th*-'la_--me_--*n\ or pro.tha.la.mi.um \-me_--*m\ n, pl -mia \-me_--*\ : a song in celebration of a marriage -------- Date: Tue, 5 Apr 1994 00:23:41 -0400 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--wainscot X-Bonus: If he does not fight, it is not because he rejects all fighting as futile, but because he has finished his fights. He has overcome all dissensions between himself and the world and is now at rest... We shall have wars and soldiers so long as the brute in us is untamed. -Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishnan, president of India during 1962-1967 (1888-1975) wain.scot \'wa_-n-.sko_-t, -.ska_:t, -sk*t\ n 1: a usu. paneled wooden lining of an interior wall of a room 2: the lower part of an interior wall when finished differently from the rest -- wainscot vb ----- apr 5 - happy birthday to me. (-: -------- Date: Wed, 6 Apr 1994 00:03:07 -0400 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--adumbrate X-Bonus: Apathy at the individual level translates into insanity at the mass level. -Douglas Hofstadter ad.um.brate \'ad-*m-.bra_-t\ vb 1: to foreshadow vaguely : INTIMATE 2: to suggest or disclose partially 3: SHADE, OBSCURE -- ad.um.bra.tion \.ad-*m-'bra_--sh*n\ n -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--majordomo Date: Thu, 7 Apr 1994 00:03:10 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Why take life seriously? You're not coming out of it alive anyway! ma.jor.do.mo \.ma_--j*r-'do_--mo_-\ n 1: a head steward 2: BUTLER -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--carcinogen Date: Fri, 8 Apr 1994 00:03:10 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: They laughed when I said I was going to be a comedian. They're not laughing now. -Bob Monkhouse, comedian (1928-2003) car.cin.o.gen \ka_:r-'sin-*-j*n\ n : an agent causing or inciting cancer -- car.cin.o.gen.ic \-.sin-*-'jen-ik\ adj -- car.cin.o.ge.nic.i.ty \-.sin-*-j*-'nis-*t-e_-\ n -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--muleteer Date: Sat, 9 Apr 1994 00:03:07 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Question Authority... and the Authorities will question you! mu.le.teer \.myu_:-l*-'ti*r\ n : one who drives mules -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--cachet Date: Sun, 10 Apr 1994 00:03:05 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Male zebras have white stripes, but female zebras have black stripes. ca.chet \ka-'sha_-\ n 1: a seal used esp. as a mark of official approval 2: a feature or quality conferring prestige; also : PRESTIGE 3: a flour paste capsule for medicine 4: a design, inscription, or advertisement printed or stamped on mail -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--muriphobia Date: Mon, 11 Apr 1994 00:04:47 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: HELP! MY TYPEWRITER IS BROKEN! -E.E. CUMMINGS mu.ri.pho.bia \ 'myu_.r-*-'fo_--be_--* \ n : fear of mice -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hippopotomonstrosesquipedalian Date: Tue, 12 Apr 1994 00:05:51 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Bureaucrat, n.: A person who cuts red tape sideways. hip.po.poto.mon.stro.sesqui.ped.al.ian \ 'hip-*-.pot.-'ma_:n-str*s_s-'kwip_ped-*l.ian\ adj : pertaining to a very, very long word -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--troll Date: Wed, 13 Apr 1994 00:03:13 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Fossil flowers come from the Petrified Florist. 1 troll \'tro_-l\ vb 1: to sing the parts of (a song) in succession 2: to angle for with a hook and line drawn through the water 3: to sing or play in a jovial manner 2 troll n : a lure used in trolling; also : the line with its lure 3 troll n : a supernatural being of Teutonic folklore inhabiting caves or hills -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--buskin Date: Thu, 14 Apr 1994 00:03:09 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Circle: A line that meets its other end without ending. bus.kin \'b*s-k*n\ n 1: a laced half boot 2: tragic drama -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--shibboleth Date: Fri, 15 Apr 1994 00:03:10 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: It is better to have loved and lost than just to have lost. shib.bo.leth \'shib-*-l*th\ n 1: a pet phrase : CATCHWORD, SLOGAN 2: language that is a criterion for distinguishing members of a group -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--caravansary Date: Sat, 16 Apr 1994 00:03:07 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: To study a subject best, understand it thoroughly before you start. car.a.van.sa.ry \.kar-*-'van-s*-re_-\ or car.a.van.se.rai \-s*-.ri_-\ n 1: an inn in eastern countries where caravans rest at night 2: HOTEL, INN -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--poetaster Date: Sun, 17 Apr 1994 00:03:07 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: God is REAL, unless explicitly declared INTEGER. po.et.as.ter \-.as-t*r\ n : an inferior poet -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--highfalutin Date: Mon, 18 Apr 1994 00:03:10 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Defeat is worse than death because you have to live with defeat. high.fa.lu.tin \.hi_--f*-'lu_:t- *n\ adj : PRETENTIOUS, POMPOUS -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hamadryad Date: Tue, 19 Apr 1994 00:03:11 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: It is a miracle that curiosity survives formal education. -- Albert Einstein hama.dry.ad \.ham-*-'dri_--*d\ n : a nymph living in the woods -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--peradventure Date: Wed, 20 Apr 1994 00:03:16 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Under-Achievers Anonymous has an 11-step program. 1 per.ad.ven.ture \'p*r-*d-.ven-ch*r\ adv, archaic : PERHAPS 2 peradventure n : DOUBT, CHANCE -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--plenipotentiary Date: Thu, 21 Apr 1994 00:03:24 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: The cynic says: the pessimist is a realist who isn't afraid to admit it. pleni.po.ten.tia.ry \.plen-*-p*-'tench-(*-)re_-\ n : a diplomatic agent having full authority -- plenipotentiary adj -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--moiety Date: Fri, 22 Apr 1994 00:03:16 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: My opinions might have changed, but not the fact that I am right. moi.e.ty \'mo_.i-*t-e_-\ n 1: HALF 2: one of two approximately equal parts -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--verdigris Date: Sat, 23 Apr 1994 00:03:17 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: A hangover: the wrath of grapes. ver.di.gris \'v*rd-*-.gre_-s, -.gr*s\ n : a green or bluish deposit that forms on copper, brass, or bronze surfaces when exposed to the weather -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--eclat Date: Sun, 24 Apr 1994 00:03:12 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: I'll race you to China. You can have a head start. Ready, set, GO! eclat \a_--'kla_:\ n 1: a dazzling effect or success 2: ACCLAIM -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--autochthonous Date: Mon, 25 Apr 1994 00:03:15 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Having children will turn you into your parents. au.toch.tho.nous \o_.-'ta_:k-th*-n*s\ adj : INDIGENOUS, NATIVE -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--chrematophobia Date: Mon, 26 Apr 1994 23:29:53 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Sorry, but my karma just ran over your dogma. chre.ma.to.pho.bia \ kre_ma.-to_'fo_--be_--* \ n : fear of money -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--whippersnapper Date: Wed, 27 Apr 1994 00:03:17 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: Air travel: Breakfast in London, dinner in New York, luggage in Brazil. whip.per.snap.per \'hwip-*r-.snap-*r\ n : a small, insignificant, or presumptuous person -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--colophon Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 00:03:12 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: What this country needs is more leaders who know what this country needs. col.o.phon \-f*n, -.fa_:n\ n : an inscription placed at the end of a book with facts relative to its production -------- Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gyve Date: Sat, 30 Apr 1994 00:03:18 -0400 (EDT) X-Bonus: The bureaucracy expands to meet the needs of an expanding bureaucracy. gyve \'ji_-v\ n : FETTER -- usu. used in pl. -- gyve vb