Word of the Day 7.12.08

gab·er·dine (gbr-dn, gbr-dn)

n.

1. A long, coarse cloak or frock worn especially by Jews during the Middle Ages. Also called gabardine.

2. Chiefly British A loose smock worn by laborers.

3. See gabardine.

[Obsolete French `gauvardine`, from Old French `galvardine`, perhaps from Middle High German `wallevart`, pilgrimage : `wallen`, to roam (from Old High German `walln`; see `wel-`² in Indo-European roots) + `vart`, journey (from Old High German, from `faran`, to go; see `per-`² in Indo-European roots).]

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 12, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.11.08

ob·du·rate (bd-rt, -dy-)

adj.

1. a. Hardened in wrongdoing or wickedness; stubbornly impenitent: “obdurate conscience of the old sinner” Sir Walter Scott.

b. Hardened against feeling; hardhearted: an obdurate miser.

2. Not giving in to persuasion; intractable. See Synonyms at inflexible.

[Middle English `obdurat`, from Late Latin `obdrtus`, past participle of `obdrre`, to harden, from Latin, to be hard, endure : `ob-`, intensive pref.; see ob- + `drus`, hard; see `deru-` in Indo-European roots.]

obdu·rate·ly adv.

obdu·rate·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 11, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.10.08

non·pa·reil (nnp-rl)

adj.

Having no equal; peerless: the Yankees’ nonpareil center fielder.

n.

1. A person or thing that has no equal; a paragon.

2. See painted bunting.

3. A small, flat chocolate drop covered with white pellets of sugar.

[Middle English `nounparalle`, from Old French `nonpareil` : `non-`, non- + `pareil`, equal (from Vulgar Latin `pariculus`, diminutive of Latin `pr`, equal*; see `per-`² in Indo-European roots).]

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 10, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.9.08

dough·ty (dout)

adj. dough·ti·er, dough·ti·est

Marked by stouthearted courage; brave.

[Middle English, from Old English `dohtig`; see `dheugh-` in Indo-European roots.]

doughti·ly adv.

doughti·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 9, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.8.08

ven·er·ate (vn-rt)

tr.v. ven·er·at·ed, ven·er·at·ing, ven·er·ates

To regard with respect, reverence, or heartfelt deference. See Synonyms at revere1.

[Latin venerr, venert-, to venerate, from venus, vener-, love, desire; see wen-1 in Indo-European roots.]

vener·ator 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 8, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.7.08

su·sur·ra·tion (ss-rshn) also su·sur·rus (s-sûrs, -sr-)

n.

A soft, whispering or rustling sound; a murmur.

[Middle English susurracioun, from Late Latin susurrti, susurrtin-, from Latin susurrtus, past participle of susurrre, to whisper, from susurrus, whisper, ultimately of imitative origin.]

su·surrant (s-sûrnt, -sr-), su·surrous (-sûrs, -sr-) adj.

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 7, 2008 by admin

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TDF

Posted on July 6, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.6.08

quo·tid·i·an (kw-td-n)

adj.

1. Everyday; commonplace: “There’s nothing quite like a real . . . train conductor to add color to a quotidian commute” Anita Diamant.

2. Recurring daily. Used especially of attacks of malaria.

[Middle English `cotidien`, from Old French, from Latin `qutdinus`, from `qutdi`, each day : `quot`, how many, as many as; see `k^wo-` in Indo-European roots + `di`, ablative of `dis`, day; see `dyeu-` in Indo-European roots.]

Posted on July 6, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.5.08

liege (lj)

n.

1. A lord or sovereign to whom allegiance and service are due according to feudal law.

2. A vassal or subject owing allegiance and services to a lord or sovereign under feudal law.

3. A loyal subject to a monarch.

adj.

1. a. Entitled to the loyalty and services of vassals or subjects: a liege lord.

b. Bound to give such allegiance and services to a lord or monarch.

2. Loyal; faithful.

[Middle English, from Old French, entitled to feudal allegiance, from Late Latin `laeticus`, being a semifree colonist in Gaul, from `laetus`, a semifree colonist, of Germanic origin; see `l-` in Indo-European roots.]

Posted on July 5, 2008 by admin

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Word of the Day 7.4.08

av·o·cet (v-st)

n.

Any of several long-legged shore birds of the genus Recurvirostra, characterized by a long, slender, upturned beak.

[French `avocette`, from Italian `avocetta`.]

Posted on July 4, 2008 by admin

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

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gab·er·dine (gbr-dn, gbr-dn)

n.

1. A long, coarse cloak or frock worn especially by Jews during the Middle Ages. Also called gabardine.

2. Chiefly British A loose smock worn by laborers.

3. See gabardine.

[Obsolete French gauvardine, from Old French galvardine, perhaps from Middle High German wallevart, pilgrimage : wallen, to roam (from Old High German walln; see wel-2 in Indo-European roots) + vart, journey (from Old High German, from faran, to go; see per-2 in Indo-European roots).]

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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.

ob·du·rate (bd-rt, -dy-)

adj.

1.

a. Hardened in wrongdoing or wickedness; stubbornly impenitent: “obdurate conscience of the old sinner” Sir Walter Scott.

b. Hardened against feeling; hardhearted: an obdurate miser.

2. Not giving in to persuasion; intractable. See Synonyms at inflexible.

[Middle English obdurat, from Late Latin obdrtus, past participle of obdrre, to harden, from Latin, to be hard, endure : ob-, intensive pref.; see ob- + drus, hard; see deru- in Indo-European roots.]

obdu·rate·ly adv.

obdu·rate·ness n.

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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.

non·pa·reil (nnp-rl)

adj.

Having no equal; peerless: the Yankees’ nonpareil center fielder.

n.

1. A person or thing that has no equal; a paragon.

2. See painted bunting.

3. A small, flat chocolate drop covered with white pellets of sugar.

[Middle English nounparalle, from Old French nonpareil : non-, non- + pareil, equal (from Vulgar Latin *pariculus, diminutive of Latin pr, equal; see per-2 in Indo-European roots).]

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.

dough·ty (dout)

adj. dough·ti·er, dough·ti·est

Marked by stouthearted courage; brave.

[Middle English, from Old English dohtig; see dheugh- in Indo-European roots.]

doughti·ly adv.

doughti·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.

ven·er·ate (vn-rt)

tr.v. ven·er·at·ed, ven·er·at·ing, ven·er·ates

To regard with respect, reverence, or heartfelt deference. See Synonyms at revere1.

[Latin venerr, venert-, to venerate, from venus, vener-, love, desire; see wen-1 in Indo-European roots.]

vener·ator 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.

su·sur·ra·tion (ss-rshn) also su·sur·rus (s-sûrs, -sr-)

n.

A soft, whispering or rustling sound; a murmur.

[Middle English susurracioun, from Late Latin susurrti, susurrtin-, from Latin susurrtus, past participle of susurrre, to whisper, from susurrus, whisper, ultimately of imitative origin.]

su·surrant (s-sûrnt, -sr-), su·surrous (-sûrs, -sr-) adj.

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.

quo·tid·i·an (kw-td-n)

adj.

1. Everyday; commonplace: “There’s nothing quite like a real . . . train conductor to add color to a quotidian commute” Anita Diamant.

2. Recurring daily. Used especially of attacks of malaria.

[Middle English cotidien, from Old French, from Latin qutdinus, from qutdi, each day : quot, how many, as many as; see kwo- in Indo-European roots + di, ablative of dis, day; see dyeu- in Indo-European roots.]

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.

liege (lj)

n.

1. A lord or sovereign to whom allegiance and service are due according to feudal law.

2. A vassal or subject owing allegiance and services to a lord or sovereign under feudal law.

3. A loyal subject to a monarch.

adj.

1.

a. Entitled to the loyalty and services of vassals or subjects: a liege lord.

b. Bound to give such allegiance and services to a lord or monarch.

2. Loyal; faithful.

[Middle English, from Old French, entitled to feudal allegiance, from Late Latin laeticus, being a semifree colonist in Gaul, from laetus, a semifree colonist, of Germanic origin; see l- in Indo-European roots.]

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.

av·o·cet (v-st)

n.

Any of several long-legged shore birds of the genus Recurvirostra, characterized by a long, slender, upturned beak.

[French avocette, from Italian avocetta.]

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.

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[Middle English `obdurat`, from Late Latin `obdrtus`, past participle of `obdrre`, to harden, from Latin, to be hard, endure : `ob-`, intensive pref.; see ob- + `drus`, hard; see `deru-` in Indo-European roots.]

[Middle English `nounparalle`, from Old French `nonpareil` : `non-`, non- + `pareil`, equal (from Vulgar Latin `pariculus`, diminutive of Latin `pr`, equal*; see `per-`² in Indo-European roots).]

[Middle English, from Old English `dohtig`; see `dheugh-` in Indo-European roots.]

[Middle English `cotidien`, from Old French, from Latin `qutdinus`, from `qutdi`, each day : `quot`, how many, as many as; see `k^wo-` in Indo-European roots + `di`, ablative of `dis`, day; see `dyeu-` in Indo-European roots.]

[Middle English, from Old French, entitled to feudal allegiance, from Late Latin `laeticus`, being a semifree colonist in Gaul, from `laetus`, a semifree colonist, of Germanic origin; see `l-` in Indo-European roots.]

[French `avocette`, from Italian `avocetta`.]