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Post by David on Nov 19, 2020 18:28:28 GMT
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
One cannot hire a hand; the whole man always comes with it.
-Peter Drucker, management consultant, professor, and writer (19 Nov 1909-2005)
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Post by David on Nov 23, 2020 15:48:30 GMT
ham-handed
PRONUNCIATION:
(HAM-han-did)
MEANING:
adjective: Clumsy; tactless; lacking social grace.
ETYMOLOGY:
From ham + hand. It’s the same ham (one who overacts), apparently from the minstrel song,
“The Hamfat Man”. Earliest documented use: 1918.
USAGE:
“There was a certain thrill, a challenge in taking an ordinary man who was ham-handed with
compliments and possessed of two left feet, and turn him into something sublime.”
Bronwyn Scott; A Lady Seduces; Harlequin; 2013.
See more usage examples of ham-handed in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.
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Post by David on Nov 23, 2020 15:49:12 GMT
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
I believe at our best America is a beacon for the globe.
And we lead not by the example of our power, but by the power of our example.
-Joe Biden, president-elect of the United States (b. 20 Nov 1942)
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Post by David on Nov 23, 2020 19:59:25 GMT
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg
A word that makes use of only one of the vowels (example: strengthlessness) is called a univocalic.
In the same way, when a word or phrase makes use of all the vowels, it’s known as a super vocalic.
This week we’ll feature super vocalic words.
CONTEST: What supervocalic news headline (real or imagined) can you come up with?
PRIZES: Winners will receive their choice of any of the following:
A copy of any of my books
A copy of the word game Word Up!
FINE PRINT: The vowels can be in any order.
Use as many of each vowel as you need.
Send your entries by Friday.
Mention your location.
Email your entries to contest@wordsmith.org or post them below.
EXAMPLE:
Here’s a supervocalic news headline I came up with: Trump Is A Loser.
(I think it’s a winning entry, but the contest officials tell me that I’m not eligible to enter the contest.
No worries, my elite team of high-priced lawyers is filing an emergency petition with the US Supreme Court as we speak.)
euphoria
PRONUNCIATION:
((yoo-FOHR-ree-uh)
MEANING:
noun: A feeling or state of elation or well-being.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek eu- (well) + pherein (to bear). Ultimately from the Indo-European root bher- (to carry, to bear children)
that gave birth to words such as basket, suffer, fertile, burden, bring, bear, offer, prefer, birth, adiaphorism,
delate, opprobrious, sufferance, and paraphernalia. Earliest documented use: 1684.
USAGE:
“What is different, though, is the absence of euphoria. Few seem to want to cheer the rally in risky Eurobonds.”
Still Crazy After Falling Yields; The Economist (London, UK); Aug 12, 2017.
“When they finally reached it a fraction of a moment later, a shower of euphoria rained on them, drenching them both.”
Marie Ferrarella; Christmas Cowboy Duet; Harlequin; 2014.
See more usage examples of euphoria in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.
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Post by David on Nov 23, 2020 20:00:04 GMT
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Poetry is a sort of homecoming.
-Paul Celan, poet and translator (23 Nov 1920-1970)
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Post by David on Nov 24, 2020 12:33:15 GMT
quaternion
PRONUNCIATION:
(kwuh/kwah-TUHR-nee-uhn)
MEANING:
noun: A set of four persons, things, etc.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin quattuor (four). Earliest documented use: 1384.
USAGE:
“There were four of us then, not merely two, and in our quaternion
the vintage sap flowed freely, flowed and bled and boiled as it may never again.”
John Hawkes; The Blood Oranges; New Directions; 1972.
See more usage examples of quaternion in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.
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Post by David on Nov 24, 2020 12:34:17 GMT
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
To understand is not to forgive.
It is simply better than the alternative,
which is not to understand.
-Alec Nove, economist, author, and professor (24 Nov 1915-1994)
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Post by David on Nov 28, 2020 13:55:58 GMT
 urticaceous PRONUNCIATION: (uhr-tih-KAY-shuhs) MEANING: adjective: 1. Relating to a nettle. 2. Stinging. ETYMOLOGY: From Latin urtica (nettle), from urere (to burn). Earliest documented use: 1836. USAGE: “[Rhizostoma Aldrovandi] possesses an urticaceous apparatus, which produces an effect similar to the stinging nettle when applied to the skin.” Louis Figuier; The Ocean World; Appleton; 1869. |
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Post by David on Nov 28, 2020 13:56:52 GMT
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound
to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community.
-Andrew Carnegie, industrialist (25 Nov 1835-1919)
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Post by David on Nov 28, 2020 13:57:26 GMT
autotelic
PRONUNCIATION:
(ah-toh-TEH-lik)
MEANING:
adjective: Having a purpose, motivation, or meaning in itself; not driven by external factors.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Greek auto- (self) + telos (end). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kwel- (to revolve), which also gave us colony, cult, culture, cycle, cyclone, chakra, collar, telic, entelechy, talisman, col, and accolade. Earliest documented use: 1864.
USAGE:
“I knew I had found my theme, but it was an artistic, an academic, an autotelic choice, having nothing to do with extraneous matters.”
Reginald Hill; Death’s Jest-Book; Harper; 2002.
See more usage examples of autotelic in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
The best theology is probably no theology; just love one another. -Charles Schulz, cartoonist (26 Nov 1922-2000)
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Post by David on Nov 30, 2020 23:28:38 GMT
vinaceous
PRONUNCIATION:
(vy/vi/vuh-NAY-shuhs)
MEANING:
adjective:
1. Relating to wine.
2. Of the color of red wine: reddish.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin vinum (wine). Earliest documented use: 1688.
USAGE:
“He took another piece made of darker clay. It had been burnished to make it shine like vinaceous enamel.”
Bob Shacochis; Easy in the Islands; Grove Press; 2004.
See more usage examples of vinaceous in Vocabulary.com’s dictionary.
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Post by David on Nov 30, 2020 23:29:08 GMT
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Use only that which works and take it from any place you can find it.
-Bruce Lee, martial artist and actor (27 Nov 1940-1973)
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Post by David on Dec 2, 2020 17:52:37 GMT
A.Word.A.Day
with Anu Garg
The artist Leah Palmer Preiss is a national treasure. She calls herself an artist, but alchemist would be more like it.
I gave her a few words earlier this year. She went to her studio and turned these words, plus some paint, into works of magic.
We’ll see five more such words this week.
Now, after enjoying this week if you can’t wait till the next year, check out her illustrations from previous years.
You can reach her at (curiouser at mindspring.com).
yeanling
PRONUNCIATION:
(YEEN-ling)
MEANING:
noun: The young of an animal, especially of a sheep or a goat.
adjective: New-born; infant.
ETYMOLOGY:
From yean (to give birth to a young), from Old English geeanian, from eanian (to bear young) + -ling (small, young, inferior). Earliest documented use: 1644.
USAGE:
“In residence therein is a handsome chestnut colt the Lewises bought for $200,000 as a yeanling. His name is Charismatic.”
Larry Bortstein; Battle-Tested Kentucky Derby; Orange County Register (Santa Ana, California); Apr 30, 1999.
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Post by David on Dec 2, 2020 17:53:14 GMT
A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
Laws are like cobwebs which may catch small flies,
but let wasps and hornets break through.
-Jonathan Swift, satirist (30 Nov 1667-1745)
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Post by David on Dec 2, 2020 17:54:39 GMT
ursiform
PRONUNCIATION:
(UHR-suh-form)
MEANING:
adjective: Having the form or appearance of a bear.
ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin ursus (bear). Ultimately from the Indo-European root rtko- (bear),
which also gave us arctic (literally, of the bear), the name Ursula (diminutive of Latin ursa: bear),
and arctophile (one who is very fond of teddy bears). Earliest documented use: 1791.
USAGE:
“The cuddly ursiform creatures return in a new animated tale [Care Bears: Oopsy Does It!].”
Summer Movie Sneaks; Los Angeles Times (California); May 6, 2007.
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