Word of the Day 3.21.09

sentient

sen·tient (snshnt, -sh-nt)

adj.

1. Having sense perception; conscious: “The living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God’s stage” T.E. Lawrence.

2. Experiencing sensation or feeling.

[Latin sentins, sentient-, present participle of sentre, to feel; see sent- in Indo-European roots.]

sentient·ly adv.

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.

Adj. 1. sentient – endowed with feeling and unstructured consciousness; “the living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God’s stage”- T.E.Lawrence

animate
insensate, insentient – devoid of feeling and consciousness and animation; “insentient (or insensate) stone”
2. sentient – consciously perceiving; “sentient of the intolerable load”; “a boy so sentient of his surroundings”- W.A.White

conscious – knowing and perceiving; having awareness of surroundings and sensations and thoughts; “remained conscious during the operation”; “conscious of his faults”; “became conscious that he was being followed”

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Posted on March 31, 2009 by admin

Filed under Word of the Day | | No Comments »

Word of the Day 3.30.09

paroxysm

 

par·ox·ysm  (prk-szm) 

n. 

1. A sudden outburst of emotion or action: a paroxysm of laughter.
2. 

a. A sudden attack, recurrence, or intensification of a disease.
b. A spasm or fit; a convulsion.

 

 

[Middle English paroxism, periodic attack of a disease, from Medieval Latin paroxysmus, from Greek paroxusmos, from paroxnein, to stimulate, irritate : para-, intensive pref.; see para-1 + oxnein, to goad, sharpen (from oxus, sharp; see ak- in Indo-European roots).]

 

 

parox·ysmal (-k-szml) adj.
parox·ysmal·ly adv.

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.

 

parox·ysmal (-k-szml) adj.

parox·ysmal·ly adv.

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.

Noun 1. paroxysm – a sudden uncontrollable attack; “a paroxysm of giggling”; “a fit of coughing”; “convulsions of laughter”

convulsion, fit

attack – a sudden occurrence of an uncontrollable condition; “an attack of diarrhea”

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2008 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

Posted on March 30, 2009 by admin

Filed under Word of the Day | | No Comments »

Next Page »