-------- Date: Fri Dec 1 00:37:20 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gardyloo X-Bonus: Mistakes are the portals of discovery. -James Joyce gar.dy.loo \.ga:rd-e--'lu:\ n [perh. fr. F garde a' l'eau! look out for the water!] : a warning cry formerly used on throwing slops into the streets from the windows in Edinburgh -------- Date: Sat Dec 2 00:33:41 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--eschatology X-Bonus: The most exciting phrase to hear in science, the one that heralds new discoveries, is not 'Eureka!' but 'That's funny...' -Isaac Asimov es.cha.tol.o.gy \.es-k*-'ta:l-*-je-\ n [Gk eschatos last, farthest] : belief about or in the end of the world or the last things (as the second coming of Christ, resurrection, Judgment, the new age) -------- Date: Sun Dec 3 00:31:34 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--cacoethes X-Bonus: Don't be afraid to take a big step. You can't cross a chasm in two small jumps. -David Lloyd George caco.eth.es \.kak-*-'we--(.)the-z\ n [L, fr. Gk kakoe-thes wickedness, fr. neut. of kakoe-the-s] malignant, fr. kak- cac- + e-thos character - more at ETHICAL : an insatiable desire : MANIA -------- Date: Mon Dec 4 00:30:41 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--catachresis X-Bonus: What the Caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly. -Richard Bach, [Illusions] cat.a.chre.sis or cat.a.chres.ti.cal \.kat-*-'kre--s*s\ \-'kre--.se-z\ \-'kres-tik\ \-ti-k*l\ \-ti-k(*-)le-\ n or cat.a.chre.ses [L, fr. Gk katachre-sis misuse, fr. katachre-sthai to use up,] pl misuse, fr. kata- + chre-sthai to use 1: use of the wrong word for the context 2: use of a forced and esp. paradoxical figure of speech (as blind mouths) - cat.a.chres.ti.c aj -------- Date: Tue Dec 5 10:59:35 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--esurient X-Bonus: Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons. -Popular Mechanics, forecasting the relentless march of science, 1949 esu.ri.ent \-*nt\ aj [L esurient-, esuriens, prp. of esurire to be hungry] : HUNGRY, GREEDY - esu.ri.ent.ly av -------- Date: Wed Dec 6 00:25:57 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--carp X-Bonus: Love is the triumph of imagination over intelligence. -Oscar Wilde 1. carp \'ka:rp\ vi [ME carpen, of Scand origin; akin to Icel karpa to dispute] : to find fault or complain querulously - carp.er n 2. carp n or carp or carps [ME carpe, fr. MF, fr. LL carpa, prob. of Gmc origin; akin to OHG (] plXkarpfo carp : a large variable Old World soft-finned freshwater fish (Cyprinus carpio) of sluggish waters often reared for food; also : any of various related fishes (family Cyprinidae) or similar fishes (as the European sea bream) -------- Date: Wed Dec 6 10:18:09 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--epicure X-Bonus: There is an easy answer to your problem that is neat, plausible, and wrong. ep.i.cure \'ep-i-.kyu.(*)r\ n [Epicurus -270 BCE Gk philosopher] archaic 1: one devoted to sensual pleasure : SYBARITE 2: one with sensitive and discriminating tastes in food or wineVIVANT mean one who take pleasure in eating and drinking. EPICURE implies fastidiousness and voluptuousness of taste; GOURMET implies being a connoisseur in food and drink and the discriminating enjoyment of them; GOURMAND suggests a hearty interest in good food; GLUTTON stresses greediness and insatiability of appetite; BON VIVANT stresses the enjoyment of fine food and drink in company SYN syn EPICURE, GOURMET, GOURMAND, GLUTTON, BON -------- Date: Thu Dec 7 00:37:30 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--depredate X-Bonus: All things are possible, except skiing through a revolving door. dep.re.date \'dep-r*-.da-t\ \.dep-r*-'da--sh*n\ \'dep-r*-.da-t-*r, di-'pred-*t-\ \di-'pred-*-.to-r-e-, 'dep-ri-d*-, -.to.r-\ vb [LL depraedatus, pp. of depraedari, fr. L de- + praedariX to plunder - more at PREY : PLUNDER, RAVAGE - dep.re.da.tion n -------- Date: Fri Dec 8 00:35:55 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--roach X-Bonus: In skating over thin ice, our safety is in our speed. -Ralph Waldo Emerson 1. roach \'ro-ch\ n or roach also roach.es [ME roche, fr. MF] pl 1: a silver-white European freshwater cyprinid fish (Rutilus rutilus) with a greenish back; also : any of various related fishes (as some shiners) 2: any of several American freshwater sunfishes (family Centrarchidae) 2. roach vt [origin unknown] 1: to cause to arch; specif : to brush (the hair) in a roach - often used with up 2: to cut (as a horse's mane) so the part left stands upright 3. roach n 1: a curved cut in the edge of a sail to prevent chafing or secure a better fit 2: a roll of hair brushed straight back from the forehead or side of the head 4. roach n : COCKROACH -------- Date: Sat Dec 9 18:05:58 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--depredate X-Bonus: Imagine a school with children that can read or write, but with teachers who can not, and you have a metaphor of the Information Age in which we live. -Peter Cochrane dep.re.date \'dep-r*-.da-t\ \.dep-r*-'da--sh*n\ \'dep-r*-.da-t-*r, di-'pred-*t-\ \di-'pred-*-.to-r-e-, 'dep-ri-d*-, -.to.r-\ vb [LL depraedatus, pp. of depraedari, fr. L de- + praedariX to plunder - more at PREY : PLUNDER, RAVAGE - dep.re.da.tion n -------- Date: Mon Dec 11 14:13:36 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sibilant X-Bonus: Leadership is getting someone to do what they don't want to do, to achieve what they want to achieve. -Tom Landry 1. sib.i.lant \'sib-*-l*nt\ aj [L sibilant-, sibilans, prp. of sibilare to hiss, whistle, of] imit. origin : having, containing, or producing the sound of or a sound resembling that of the s or the sh in sash {a ~ affricate} {a ~ snake} - sib.i.lant.ly av 2. sibilant n : a sibilant speech sound (as English /s/, /z -, /sh/, /zh/, /ch(=tsh)/, or /j(=dzh)/) -- Imagine a world without sounds, where there is no clang of bells, murmur of a stream, or the cry of an infant. What a dreary place that would be! English boasts dozens of words to describe the sounds. This week, we hear seven of them in AWAD. -Anu -------- Date: Tue Dec 12 00:25:58 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--caterwaul X-Bonus: It's not a matter of where you stand but in what direction you're headed. cat.er.waul \'kat-*r-.wo.l\ vi [ME caterwawen] : to make the characteristic harsh cry or a rutting cat - caterwaul n -------- Date: Wed Dec 13 10:41:01 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--canorous X-Bonus: Life is not so much a matter of position as of disposition. ca.no.rous \k*-'no-r-*s, -'no.r-; 'kan-*-r*s\ aj [L canorus, fr. canor melody, fr. canere to sing - more at]CHANT : sounding pleasantly : MELODIOUS - ca.no.rous.ly av -------- Date: Thu Dec 14 00:32:30 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--orotund X-Bonus: I don't know why we are here, but I'm pretty sure that it is not in order to enjoy ourselves. -Ludwig Wittgenstein, philosopher oro.tund \'o.r-*-.t*nd, 'a:r-, 'o-r-\ \.o.r-*-'t*n-d*t-e-, .a:r-, .o-r-\ aj [modif. of L ore rotundo, lit., with round mouth] 1: marked by fullness, strength, and clarity of sound : SONOROUS 2: POMPOUS, BOMBASTIC - oro.tun.di.ty n -------- Date: Fri Dec 15 00:25:52 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--tintinnabulation X-Bonus: He who foresees calamities suffers them twice over. tin.tin.nab.u.la.tion \.tin-t*-.nab-y*-'la--sh*n\ n [L tintinnabulum bell, fr. tintinnare to ring, jingle, of imit. ori]gin 1: the ringing or sounding of bells 2: a jingling or tinkling sound as if of bells -------- Date: Sat Dec 16 00:26:57 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--screak X-Bonus: Your lucky number is 364958674928. Watch for it everywhere. screak \'skre-k\ \-e-\ vi [of Scand origin; akin to ON skrkja to screak; akin to ME scr]emen to scream : to make a harsh shrill noise : SCREECH - screak n -------- Date: Sun Dec 17 00:28:23 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--jangle X-Bonus: What I do today is important because I am paying a day of my life for it. What I accomplish must be worthwhile because the price is high. 1. jan.gle \'jan-g*l\ \-g(*-)lin\ \-g(*-)l*r\ vb or jan.gling [ME janglen, fr. OF jangler, of Gmc origin; akin to MD jangelen)X to grumble archaic 1: to talk idly 2: to quarrel verbally 3: to make a harsh or discordant sound 1: to utter or sound in a discordant, babbling, or chattering way 2a: to cause to sound harshly or inharmoniously 2b: to excite to tense and discordant irritation - jan.gler n 2. jangle n 1: idle talk 2: noisy quarreling 3: discordant sound -------- Date: Mon Dec 18 00:27:45 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--kibitzer X-Bonus: Don't go through life, grow through life. -Eric Butterworth ki.bitz.er \'kib-*t-s*r, k*-'bit-\ n : one who looks on and often offers unwanted advice or comment esp. at a card game -------- Date: Tue Dec 19 00:29:00 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--schnozzle X-Bonus: Simplicity is the natural result of profound thought. schnoz.zle \'shna:-z*l\ n [prob. modif. of Yiddish shnoitsl, dim. of shnoits snout, fr. G ]schnauze snout, muzzle - more at SNOUT slang : NOSE -------- Date: Wed Dec 20 10:36:15 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--mishmash X-Bonus: Is this true or only clever? -Augustine Birrell mish.mash \'mish-.mash, -.ma:sh\ n [redupl. of 1mash] : HODGEPODGE, JUMBLE -------- Date: Thu Dec 21 13:10:04 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--schlemiel X-Bonus: It is the first of all problems for a man to find out what kind of work he is to do in this universe. -Thomas Carlyle schle.miel \shl*-'me-(*)l\ n [Yiddish shlumiel] slang : an unlucky bungler : CHUMP -------- Date: Fri Dec 22 00:24:51 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--mitzvah X-Bonus: To philosophize is to doubt. -Montaigne mitz.vah \'mits-v*\ \-.vo-t(h), -.vo-s\ n or mitz.voth or mitz.vahs [Heb missub-dot>wa-h] pl 1: a commandment of the Jewish law 2: a meritorious act -------- Date: Sat Dec 23 00:24:38 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--schwarmerei X-Bonus: You must be the change you wish to see in the world. -Mahatma Gandhi schwar.me.rei \.shfer-m*-'ri-\ n [G schwa:rmerei, fr. schwa:rmen to be enthusiastic, lit., to swar]m : excessive or unwholesome sentiment -------- Date: Sun Dec 24 00:24:20 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--imprimis X-Bonus: Many candles can be kindled from one candle without diminishing it. -The Midrash im.pri.mis \im-'pri--m*s, -'pre--\ av [ME inprimis, fr. L in primis among the first (things)] : in the first place -------- Date: Mon Dec 25 00:26:12 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--lustrate X-Bonus: When you've seen one non-sequitur, the price of tea in China. lus.trate \'l*s-.tra-t\ \.l*s-'tra--sh*n\ vt [L lustratus, pp. of lustrare to brighten, purify] : to purify ceremonially - lus.tra.tion n -------- Date: Tue Dec 26 14:38:19 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--blazon X-Bonus: The human race has one really effective weapon, and that is laughter. 1. bla.zon \'bla-z-*n\ n [ME blason, fr. MF] 1a: COAT OF ARMS 1b: the proper description or representation of heraldic or armorial bearings 2: DESCRIPTION, SHOW; esp : ostentatious display 2. blazon \'bla-z-nin, -*n-in\ \-n*r, -*n-*r\ vt or bla.zon.ing 1: to publish far and wide esp : to boast of 2a: to describe (heraldic or armorial bearings) in technical terms 2b: to represent (armorial bearings) in drawing or engraving 3a: to depict or inscribe in colors 3b: DECK, ADORN - bla.zon.er n -------- Date: Wed Dec 27 00:29:13 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--flagellate X-Bonus: Truth can never be told so as to be understood, and not be believed. -William Blake 1. flag.el.late \'flaj-*-.la-t\ vt [L flagellatus, pp. of flagellare, fr. flagellum, dim. of ]flagrum whip; akin to ON blaka to wave 1: WHIP 2: to drive or punish as if by whipping 2. fla.gel.late \'flaj-*-l*t, -.la-t; fl*-'jel-*t\ \'flaj-*-.la-t-*d\ aj or flag.el.lat.ed [NL flagellatus, fr. flagellum] [3flagellate] 1a: having flagella 1b: shaped like a flagellum 2: of, relating to, or caused by flagellates 3. flagellate \like 2\ n [NL Flagellata, class of unicellular organisms, fr. neut. pl. of flage]llatus : a flagellate protozoan or alga -------- Date: Thu Dec 28 13:31:22 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--arcuate X-Bonus: Honesty is the best policy, but insanity is a better defense. ar.cu.ate \'a:r-ky*-w*t\ aj [L arcuatus, pp. of arcuare to bend like a bow, fr. arcus bow] : curved like a bow - ar.cu.ate.ly av -------- Date: Fri Dec 29 00:24:16 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--upbraid X-Bonus: Never cut what you can untie. -Joseph Joubert Cross references: 1. scold up.braid \.*p-'bra-d\ vt [ME upbreyden, fr. OE u-pbregdan] 1: to criticize severely : find fault with 2: to reproach severely : scold vehemently - up.braid.er n -------- Date: Sat Dec 30 00:23:27 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hierophant X-Bonus: No one worth possessing \ Can be quite possessed. -Sara Teasdale hi.ero.phant \'hi--(*-)r*-.fant\ \.hi--(*-)r*-'fant-ik\ n [LL hierophanta, fr. Gk hierophante-s, fr. hier- + phai]nein to show - more at FANCY 1: a priest in ancient Greece; specif : the chief priest of the Eleusinian mysteries 2a: EXPOSITOR, INTERPRETER 2b: ADVOCATE - hi.ero.phan.tic aj -------- Date: Sun Dec 31 00:27:22 EST 1995 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--expectorate X-Bonus: People usually get what's coming to them... unless it was mailed. ex.pec.to.rate \-t*-.ra-t\ \-.spek-t*-'ra--sh*n\ vb [prob. fr. (assumed) NL expectoratus, pp. of expectorare, fr. L, to] cast out of the mind, fr. ex- + pector-, pectus breast, soul 1: to eject from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and spitting 2: SPIT 1: to discharge matter from the throat or lungs by coughing or hawking and spitting 2: SPIT - ex.pec.to.ra.tion n