Word of the Day 9.10.9

lissome

lis·some also lis·som (lsm)

adj.

1. Easily bent; supple.

2. Having the ability to move with ease; limber.


[Alteration of lithesome.]


lissome·ly adv.

lissome·ness n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

lissome – moving and bending with ease

graceful – characterized by beauty of movement, style, form, or execution

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

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Lemuria

Lemuria (continent)

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Posted on September 9, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 9.9.9

amalgamate

a·mal·ga·mate (-mlg-mt)

v. a·mal·ga·mat·ed, a·mal·ga·mat·ing, a·mal·ga·mates

v.tr.

1. To combine into a unified or integrated whole; unite. See Synonyms at mix.

2. To mix or alloy (a metal) with mercury.

v.intr.

1. To become combined; unite.

2. To unite or blend with another metal.


a·malga·mative adj.

a·malga·mator n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Verb

1.

amalgamate – to bring or combine together or with something else; “resourcefully he mingled music and dance”

alter, change, modify – cause to change; make different; cause a transformation; “The advent of the automobile may have altered the growth pattern of the city”; “The discussion has changed my thinking about the issue”

aggregate, combine – gather in a mass, sum, or whole

concoct – make a concoction (of) by mixing

combine, compound – combine so as to form a whole; mix; “compound the ingredients”

blend, immingle, intermingle, intermix – combine into one; “blend the nuts and raisins together”; “he blends in with the crowd”; “We don’t intermingle much”

Adj.

1.

amalgamate – joined together into a whole; “United Industries”; “the amalgamated colleges constituted a university”; “a consolidated school”

united – characterized by unity; being or joined into a single entity; “presented a united front”

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

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Posted on September 9, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 9.8.9

miscreant

mis·cre·ant (mskr-nt)

n.

1. An evildoer; a villain.

2. An infidel; a heretic.


[Middle English miscreaunt, heretic, from Old French mescreant, present participle of mescroire, to disbelieve : mes-, wrongly, not; see mis-1 + croire, to believe (from Latin crdere; see kerd- in Indo-European roots).]


miscre·ant adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

miscreant – a person without moral scruples

offender, wrongdoer – a person who transgresses moral or civil law

degenerate, deviant, deviate, pervert – a person whose behavior deviates from what is acceptable especially in sexual behavior

black sheep, scapegrace – a reckless and unprincipled reprobate

wretch – performs some wicked deed

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

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Word of the Day 9.7.9

mundane

mun·dane (mn-dn, mndn)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, or typical of this world; secular.

2. Relating to, characteristic of, or concerned with commonplaces; ordinary.


[Middle English mondeine, from Old French mondain, from Latin mundnus, from mundus, world.]


mun·danely adv.

mun·daneness, mun·dani·ty (-dn-t) n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

mundane – found in the ordinary course of events; “a placid everyday scene”; “it was a routine day”; “there’s nothing quite like a real…train conductor to add color to a quotidian commute”- Anita Diamant

ordinary – not exceptional in any way especially in quality or ability or size or degree; “ordinary everyday objects”; “ordinary decency”; “an ordinary day”; “an ordinary wine”

2.

mundane – concerned with the world or worldly matters; “mundane affairs”; “he developed an immense terrestrial practicality”

worldly, secular, temporal – characteristic of or devoted to the temporal world as opposed to the spiritual world; “worldly goods and advancement”; “temporal possessions of the church”

3.

mundane – belonging to this earth or world; not ideal or heavenly; “not a fairy palace; yet a mundane wonder of unimagined kind”; “so terrene a being as himself”

earthly – of or belonging to or characteristic of this earth as distinguished from heaven; “earthly beings”; “believed that our earthly life is all that matters”; “earthly love”; “our earthly home”

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

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9.6.9

ampoule

am·poule also am·pule or am·pul (mpl, -pyl)

n.

A small glass vial that is sealed after filling and used chiefly as a container for a hypodermic injection solution.


[French, from Old French, from Latin ampulla; see ampulla.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

ampoule – a small bottle that contains a drug (especially a sealed sterile container for injection by needle)

bottle – a glass or plastic vessel used for storing drinks or other liquids; typically cylindrical without handles and with a narrow neck that can be plugged or capped

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

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Word of the Day 9.5.9

vitreous

vit·re·ous (vtr-s)

adj.

1. Of, relating to, resembling, or having the nature of glass; glassy.

2. Obtained or made from glass.

3. Of or relating to the vitreous humor.

n.

The vitreous humor.


[From Latin vitreus, from vitrum, glass.]


vitre·osi·ty (-s-t), vitre·ous·ness (-s-ns) n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Adj.

1.

vitreous – of or relating to or constituting the vitreous humor of the eye; “the vitreous chamber”

2.

vitreous – relating to or resembling or derived from or containing glass; “vitreous rocks”; “vitreous silica”

3.

vitreous – (of ceramics) having the surface made shiny and nonporous by fusing a vitreous solution to it; “glazed pottery”; “glassy porcelain”; “hard vitreous china used for plumbing fixtures”

ceramics – the art of making and decorating pottery

shiny, glazed – having a shiny surface or coating; “glazed fabrics”; “glazed doughnuts”

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

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Posted on September 5, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 9.4.9

abscond

ab·scond (b-sknd)

intr.v. ab·scond·ed, ab·scond·ing, ab·sconds

To leave quickly and secretly and hide oneself, often to avoid arrest or prosecution.


[Latin abscondere, to hide : abs-, ab-, away; see ab-1 + condere, to put; see dh- in Indo-European roots.]


ab·sconder n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Verb

1.

abscond – run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along; “The thief made off with our silver”; “the accountant absconded with the cash from the safe”

levant – run off without paying a debt

flee, take flight, fly – run away quickly; “He threw down his gun and fled”

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


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Posted on September 4, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 9.3.09

thurible

thu·ri·ble (thr-bl)

n.

A censer used in certain ecclesiastical ceremonies or liturgies.


[Middle English thorible, from Old French thurible, from Latin thribulum, from ths, thr-, incense, from alteration of Greek thuos, from thein, to sacrifice.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

thuriblethurible – a container for burning incense (especially one that is swung on a chain in a religious ritual)

vessel – an object used as a container (especially for liquids)

faith, religion, religious belief – a strong belief in a supernatural power or powers that control human destiny; “he lost his faith but not his morality”

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

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Posted on September 3, 2009 by admin

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Word of the Day 9.2.9

ruffian

ruf·fi·an (rf-n, rfyn)

n.

1. A tough or rowdy person.

2. A thug or gangster.


[French, pimp, from Old French rufien, from Old Provençal rufian, from Old Italian ruffiano.]


ruffi·an·ism n.

ruffi·an·ly adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Noun

1.

ruffian – a cruel and brutal fellow

aggressor, assailant, assaulter, attacker – someone who attacks

bullyboy – a swaggering tough; usually one acting as an agent of a political faction

muscleman, muscle – a bully employed as a thug or bodyguard; “the drug lord had his muscleman to protect him”

skinhead – a young person who belongs to a British or American group that shave their heads and gather at rock concerts or engage in white supremacist demonstrations

plug-ugly, tough guy – someone who bullies weaker people

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

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Posted on September 2, 2009 by admin

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