Word of the Day 7.22.08

min·ion (mnyn)

n.

1. An obsequious follower or dependent; a sycophant.

2. A subordinate official.

3. One who is highly esteemed or favored; a darling.

[French `mignon`, darling, from Old French `mignot, mignon`.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Posted on July 22, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.21.08

mug·wump (mgwmp)

n.

1. A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.

2. often Mugwump A Republican who bolted the party in 1884, refusing to support presidential candidate James G. Blaine.

[Massachusett `mugguomp, mummugguomp`, war leader.]

mugwumper·y n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Posted on July 21, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.20.08

mawk·ish (môksh)

adj.

1. Excessively and objectionably sentimental. See Synonyms at sentimental.

2. Sickening or insipid in taste.

[From Middle English `mawke`, maggot, variant of `magot`; see maggot.]

mawkish·ly adv.

mawkish·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Posted on July 20, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.19.08

in·cho·ate (n-kt)

adj.

1. In an initial or early stage; incipient.

2. Imperfectly formed or developed: a vague, inchoate idea.

[Latin `inchotus`, past participle of `inchore`, to begin, alteration of `incohre` : `in-`, in; see in-² + `cohum`, strap from yoke to harness.]

in·choate·ly adv.

in·choate·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Posted on July 19, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.18.08

in·veigh (n-v)

intr.v. in·veighed, in·veigh·ing, in·veighs

To give vent to angry disapproval; protest vehemently.

[Latin `inveh`, to attack with words, inveigh against, passive of `invehere`, to carry in : `in-`, in; see in-² + `vehere`, to carry; see `wegh-` in Indo-European roots.]

in·veigher n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Posted on July 18, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.17.08

gain·say (gn-s, gns)

tr.v. gain·said (-sd, -sd), gain·say·ing, gain·says (-sz, -sz)

1. To declare false; deny. See Synonyms at deny.

2. To oppose, especially by contradiction.

[Middle English `gainsayen` : `gain-`, against (from Old English `gegn-`) + `sayen`, to say (from Old English `secgan`; see say).]

gain·sayer n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Posted on July 17, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.16.08

fis·sip·a·rous (f-spr-s)

adj.

1. Reproducing by biological fission.

2. Tending to break up into parts or break away from a main body; factious.

fis·sipa·rous·ly adv.

fis·sipa·rous·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Posted on July 16, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.15.08

el·ee·mos·y·nar·y (l-ms-nr, l--)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or dependent on charity.

2. Contributed as an act of charity; gratuitous. See Synonyms at benevolent.

[Medieval Latin `elemosynrius`, from Late Latin `elemosyna`, alms; see alms.]

Posted on July 15, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.14.08

vi·bris·sa (v-brs, v-)

n. pl. vi·bris·sae (-brs)

1. Any of the long stiff hairs that project from the snout or brow of most mammals, as the whiskers of a cat.

2. One of several long modified feathers that grow along the gape of the mouth of insect-eating birds.

[From Late Latin `vibrissae`, nostril hairs, from `vibrre`, to vibrate; see vibrate.]

Posted on July 14, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.13.08

cudg·el (kjl)

n.

A short heavy stick; a club.

tr.v. cudg·eled or cudg·elled, cudg·el·ing or cudg·el·ling, cudg·els

To beat or strike with or as if with a cudgel.

[Middle English `cuggel`, from Old English `cycgel`.]

Posted on July 13, 2008 by admin

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cockcrow
Definition:	The first light of day.
Synonyms:	aurora, break of day, dawn, daybreak, dayspring, first light, sunrise, sunup, morning

S	M	T	W	T	F	S
« Jun				Aug »
		1	2	3	4	5
6	7	8	9	10	11	12
13	14	15	16	17	18	19
20	21	22	23	24	25	26
27	28	29	30	31

min·ion (mnyn)

n.

1. An obsequious follower or dependent; a sycophant.

2. A subordinate official.

3. One who is highly esteemed or favored; a darling.

[French mignon, darling, from Old French mignot, mignon.]

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

mug·wump (mgwmp)

n.

1. A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics.

2. often Mugwump A Republican who bolted the party in 1884, refusing to support presidential candidate James G. Blaine.

[Massachusett mugguomp, mummugguomp, war leader.]

mugwumper·y n.

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

mawk·ish (môksh)

adj.

1. Excessively and objectionably sentimental. See Synonyms at sentimental.

2. Sickening or insipid in taste.

[From Middle English mawke, maggot, variant of magot; see maggot.]

mawkish·ly adv.

mawkish·ness n.

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

in·cho·ate (n-kt)

adj.

1. In an initial or early stage; incipient.

2. Imperfectly formed or developed: a vague, inchoate idea.

[Latin inchotus, past participle of inchore, to begin, alteration of incohre : in-, in; see in-2 + cohum, strap from yoke to harness.]

in·choate·ly adv.

in·choate·ness n.

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

in·veigh (n-v)

intr.v. in·veighed, in·veigh·ing, in·veighs

To give vent to angry disapproval; protest vehemently.

[Latin inveh, to attack with words, inveigh against, passive of invehere, to carry in : in-, in; see in-2 + vehere, to carry; see wegh- in Indo-European roots.]

in·veigher n.

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

gain·say (gn-s, gns)

tr.v. gain·said (-sd, -sd), gain·say·ing, gain·says (-sz, -sz)

1. To declare false; deny. See Synonyms at deny.

2. To oppose, especially by contradiction.

[Middle English gainsayen : gain-, against (from Old English gegn-) + sayen, to say (from Old English secgan; see say).]

gain·sayer n.

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

fis·sip·a·rous (f-spr-s)

adj.

1. Reproducing by biological fission.

2. Tending to break up into parts or break away from a main body; factious.

fis·sipa·rous·ly adv.

fis·sipa·rous·ness n.

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

el·ee·mos·y·nar·y (l-ms-nr, l--)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or dependent on charity.

2. Contributed as an act of charity; gratuitous. See Synonyms at benevolent.

[Medieval Latin elemosynrius, from Late Latin elemosyna, alms; see alms.]

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

vi·bris·sa (v-brs, v-)

n. pl. vi·bris·sae (-brs)

1. Any of the long stiff hairs that project from the snout or brow of most mammals, as the whiskers of a cat.

2. One of several long modified feathers that grow along the gape of the mouth of insect-eating birds.

[From Late Latin vibrissae, nostril hairs, from vibrre, to vibrate; see vibrate.]

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

cudg·el (kjl)

n.

A short heavy stick; a club.

tr.v. cudg·eled or cudg·elled, cudg·el·ing or cudg·el·ling, cudg·els

To beat or strike with or as if with a cudgel.

[Middle English cuggel, from Old English cycgel.]

hm()

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Weather

[French `mignon`, darling, from Old French `mignot, mignon`.]

[Massachusett `mugguomp, mummugguomp`, war leader.]

[From Middle English `mawke`, maggot, variant of `magot`; see maggot.]

[Latin `inchotus`, past participle of `inchore`, to begin, alteration of `incohre` : `in-`, in; see in-² + `cohum`, strap from yoke to harness.]

[Latin `inveh`, to attack with words, inveigh against, passive of `invehere`, to carry in : `in-`, in; see in-² + `vehere`, to carry; see `wegh-` in Indo-European roots.]

[Middle English `gainsayen` : `gain-`, against (from Old English `gegn-`) + `sayen`, to say (from Old English `secgan`; see say).]

[Medieval Latin `elemosynrius`, from Late Latin `elemosyna`, alms; see alms.]

[From Late Latin `vibrissae`, nostril hairs, from `vibrre`, to vibrate; see vibrate.]

[Middle English `cuggel`, from Old English `cycgel`.]