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A.Word.A.Day--vet vet (vet) verb tr. 1. To examine: to check for validity, accuracy or authenticity. 2. To subject to veterinary care. noun Veterinarian; veterinary. [Shortening of veterinarian.] noun Veteran: a soldier, especially one who has fought in a war. [Shortening of veteran.] Why is it that to doctor a document is to falsify it, but to vet it is to check it for its accuracy? Today's word in Visual Thesaurus. "Commonwealth Press Union New Zealand chairman Gavin Ellis said 'the suggestion that journalists should give up their copy to judges for vetting is totally unacceptable.'" Judge Says Checks on Journalists Won't Be Abused; New Zealand Herald (Auckland); Nov 12, 2004. "The bills will then be sent to India's finance and law ministries to be vetted before being put before the president for his approval." India on Track For Biggest Tax Revamp; Gulf Daily News (Bahrain); Nov 3, 2004. This week's theme: short words. X-Bonus There's a schizoid quality to our relationship with animals, in which sentiment and brutality exist side by side. Half the dogs in America will receive Christmas presents this year, yet few of us pause to consider the miserable life of the pig -- an animal easily as intelligent as a dog -- that becomes the Christmas ham. -Michael Pollan, professor and writer (1955- )

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