A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Sat May 1 00:07:23 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--peremptory X-Bonus: The willow which bends to the tempest, often escapes better than the oak which resists it; and so in great calamities, it sometimes happens that light and frivolous spirits recover their elasticity and presence of mind sooner than those of a loftier character. -Walter Scott (1771-1832) peremptory (puh-REMP-tuh-ree) adjective 1. Putting an end to all debate or action: a peremptory decree. 2. Not allowing contradiction or refusal; imperative: The officer issued peremptory commands. 3. Having the nature of or expressing a command; urgent: The teacher spoke in a peremptory tone. 4. Offensively self-assured; dictatorial: a swaggering, peremptory manner. [Latin peremptorius, from peremptus, past participle of perimere, to take away : per- + emere, to obtain.] "Internally, decisions were reached by consensus, the chairman having no peremptory authority." Melinda W. Cooke, India: Chapter 10D. Organization, Equipment, and Training, Countries of the World, 1 Jan 1991. This week's theme: Words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Sun May 2 00:07:27 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--navvy X-Bonus: A cynic is not merely one who reads bitter lessons from the past, he is one who is prematurely disappointed in the future. -Sydney J. Harris navvy (NAV-ee) noun Chiefly British. A laborer, especially one employed in construction or excavation projects. [Short for navigator, canal laborer (obsolete).] "That includes Jack Firebrace, a London navvy who helped dig the deepest of the London underground lines, the Central." Uzanne Ruta, Life During Wartime, Newsday, 11 Feb 1996. This week's theme: Words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Mon May 3 00:07:43 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--impassible X-Bonus: Do not praise yourself / not slander others: / There are still many days to go / and any thing could happen. -Kabir impassible (im-PAS-uh-buhl) adjective 1. Not subject to suffering or pain. 2. Unfeeling; impassive. [Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin impassibilis : in-, not + passibilis, passible.] "At the sound of the gold, Aramis raised his eyes, and Porthos started; as to Athos, he remained impassible." Dumas, Alexandre, Three Musketeers: Chapter XLVIII. Even though it can be caught by any run-of-the-mill spell-checker "definately" is perhaps one of the most commonly misspelled words around. If this trend continues maybe some day it will tiptoe its way to the dictionary as "miniscule" did: first tagged as erroneous and over time simply as a variant. On the other hand there are words that may appear as typos and trip a spell-checker even though they are genuine dictionary words. We continue from last week and feature seven such words. -Anu -------- Date: Tue May 4 00:07:28 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--wether X-Bonus: The illusion which exalts us is dearer to us than ten thousand truths. -Aleksandr Pushkin, poet, novelist, and playwright (1799-1837) wether (WETH-uhr) noun A castrated ram. [Middle English, from Old English, wether, from Germanic wethruz, perhaps "yearling".] "The wolf, well-sated, puts himself to sleep counting his bags of wool, then dreams of queues replete with shivering wethers, meaty ewes;" Cannon, Melissa, Fairy tale and gloss. (poem), Ploughshares, 1 Mar 1996. This week's theme: words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Wed May 5 00:07:23 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hight X-Bonus: During the first period of a man's life the greatest danger is not to take the risk. When once the risk has really been taken, then the greatest danger is to risk too much. -Soren Aaby Kierkegaard, philosopher (1813-1855) hight (hyte) adjective Archaic. Named or called. [Middle English, past participle of highten, hihten, to call, be called, from hehte, hight, past tense of hoten, from Old English hatan.] "It was a Moorish maiden was sitting by a well, And what that maiden thought of, I cannot, cannot tell, When by there rode a valiant knight, from the town of Oviedo-- Alphonso Guzman was he hight, the Count of Desparedo." William Edmonstoune Aytoun, The Broken Pitcher, The World's Best Poetry on CD, 20 Mar 1995. This week's theme: words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Thu May 6 00:07:25 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--angary X-Bonus: Punctuality is the politeness of kings. -Louis XVIII angary (ANG-guh-ree) also angaria (ang-GAR-ee-uh) noun The legal right of a belligerent to seize, use, or destroy the property of a neutral, provided that full compensation is made. [Late Latin angaria, service to a lord, from Greek angareia, impressment for public service, from angaros, conscript courier.] "While this approach does have its advantages, one problem is that the development of institutions is not always clear. This is especially the case in the sections covering taxation, requisition, and impressment (angaria) by the army." Roth, Jonathan, The Limits of Empire: The Roman Army in the East. (Book reviews), The Journal of the American Oriental Society, 18 Jul 1996. This week's theme: words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Fri May 7 00:07:25 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--stile X-Bonus: War is an instrument entirely inefficient toward redressing wrong; and multiplies, instead of indemnifying losses. -Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) [The New Dictionary of Thoughts] stile (style) noun 1. A set or series of steps for crossing a fence or wall. 2. A turnstile. [Middle English, from Old English stigel.] A vertical member of a panel or frame, as in a door or window sash. [Probably from Dutch stijl, doorpost, from Middle Dutch, possibly from Latin stilus, pole, post.] "After about two miles the canal joins the river, and you climb a stile and walk on to the sea." Caroline Dilke, A man, a plan, a canal - all strictly for the birds, Independent, 22 Nov 1997. "A wise choice is to order a mid-rail option on stile and rail doors." Grant O. Young, Making an Entrance, American School & University, 1 Dec 1997. This week's theme: words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Sat May 8 00:07:27 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--specie X-Bonus: Every child comes with the message that God is not yet tired of the man. -Rabindranath Tagore, poet (1861-1941) specie (SPEE-shee, -see) noun Coined money; coin. idiom. in specie. 1. In coin. 2. In a similar manner; in kind. 3. Law. In the same kind or shape; as specified. [From (in) specie, (in) the actual form, from Latin (in) specie, (in) kind, ablative of species.] "Since the earliest application of computers to banking and securities, information about money has often been more important than the physical money itself. Today it would be absurd to think of wealth in terms of gold bullion, let alone some form of specie." Jeffrey F. Rayport, Managing in the Marketspace, Harvard Business Review, 1 Nov 1994. This week's theme: words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Sun May 9 00:07:24 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--demur X-Bonus: To appreciate nonsense requires a serious interest in life. -Gelett Burgess (1866-1951) demur (di-MUR) verb intr. 1. To voice opposition; object: demurred at the suggestion. 2. Law. To enter a demurrer (A method of objecting that admits the facts of the opponent's argument but denies that they sustain the pleading based upon them). 3. To delay. noun 1. The act of demurring. 2. An objection. 3. A delay. [Middle English demuren, to delay, from Anglo-Norman demurer, from Latin demorari : de- + morari, to delay (from mora, delay).] "As press photographers tried to snap pictures of Chim, he demurred, saying: `Don't be like that. I am not a public figure anymore and I don't want to be pictured.'" Angel Lau, Camera-shy Chim fights costs, Hong Kong Standard, 16 Oct 1998. This week's theme: words with slightly different spellings from some everyday words. -------- Date: Mon May 10 00:07:53 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--demarche X-Bonus: Let advertisers spend the same amount of money improving their product that they do on advertising and they wouldn't have to advertise it. -Will Rogers demarche (day-MARSH) noun 1. A course of action; a maneuver. 2. A diplomatic representation or protest. 3. A statement or protest addressed by citizens to public authorities. [French, from Old French demarche, gait, from demarchier, to march : de- + marchier, to march (probably of Germanic origin.] "On January 22nd, the European Union sent a demarche to the State Department, demanding that the federal government get its unruly provincials in line." A state's foreign policy: The Mass that roared, The Economist, 8 Feb 1997. Did you know the word "diplomacy" anagrams to "Mad Policy?" Perhaps that's why someone said "Diplomacy is the art of letting someone else get your way." Enhance your savoir-faire in any diplomatic circle with this week's words from the world of international relations, treaties, and agreements. -Anu P.S. Some other anagrams for the word are "Lad Myopic" and "I'm Lady Cop". Discover some for yourself at the Internet Anagram Server: https://wordsmith.org/anagram -------- Date: Tue May 11 00:07:29 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--extraterritoriality X-Bonus: Take time to come home to yourself everyday. -Robin Casarjean extraterritoriality (ek-struh-ter-i-tor-ee-AL-i-tee) noun Exemption from local legal jurisdiction, such as that granted to foreign diplomats. "Disputes broke out over Brazilian salvage of a wrecked British ship in 1861 and over British pretensions to extraterritoriality for their sailors arrested on Brazilian soil." Jan Knippers Black, Brazil: Chapter 1B. The Transition to Independence, Countries of the World, 1 Jan 1991. This week's theme: words about diplomacy. -------- Date: Wed May 12 00:15:29 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--legation X-Bonus: Drive-thru banking was invented so cars could meet their true owners. -Ron Picavet legation (li-GAY-shuhn) noun 1. The act of sending a legate. 2. A diplomatic mission in a foreign country ranking below an embassy. The diplomatic minister and staff of such a mission. The premises occupied by such a mission. "He told me that the Yemeni had no knowledge of the external world--at the time the only two external legations they had were the UN Mission and the subbranch of the Yemeni Foreign Office in Cairo ..." An Editor's Odyssey, The World & I, 1 Apr 1994. This week's theme: words about diplomacy. -------- Date: Thu May 13 00:07:26 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--detente X-Bonus: Man: a reasoning rather than a reasonable animal. -Alexander Hamilton detente (day-TANT) noun 1. A relaxing or easing, as of tension between rivals. 2. A policy toward a rival nation or bloc characterized by increased diplomatic, commercial, and cultural contact and a desire to reduce tensions, as through negotiation or talks. [French detente, a loosening, from Old French destente, from feminine past participle of destendre, to release : des-, de- + tendre, to stretch (from Latin tendere).] "Creating gender detente out of gender conflict requires both individual and institutional strategies to desexualize the workplace, focus on job performance, and confront harassment." Miller, Laura L, Creating Gender Detente in the Military, Contemporary Women's Issues Database, 1 Mar 1995. "No word yet whether Sir John, in recognition of the new detente with Buenos Aires, will watch the match with his Argentine counterpart." David Usborne, Our man sets the world to rhyme, Independent on Sunday, 28 Jun 1998. This week's theme: words about diplomacy. -------- Date: Fri May 14 00:07:23 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--derecognize X-Bonus: It is preoccupation with possessions, more than anything else, that prevents us from living freely and nobly. -Bertrand Russell derecognize (dee-REK-uhg-nyze) verb tr. To rescind formal, especially diplomatic recognition of. "In early 1996, China invited South Africa's Foreign Minister Alfred Nzo to Beijing in an effort to persuade South Africa to recognize China and derecognize Taiwan." Payne, Richard J., Veney, Cassandra R., China's post-cold war African policy, Asian Survey, Sep 1998. This week's theme: words about diplomacy. -------- Date: Sat May 15 00:07:26 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--referendum X-Bonus: Grandchildren don't make a man feel old; it's the knowledge that he's married to a grandmother. -Agatha Christie referendum (ref-uh-REN-duhm) noun 1. The submission of a proposed public measure or actual statute to a direct popular vote. Such a vote. 2. A note from a diplomat to the diplomat's government requesting instructions. [Latin, neuter gerundive of referre, to refer.] "In a referendum Sunday, Okinawans voted overwhelmingly to call for a reduction in the heavy U.S. military presence on the islands." Steven Komarow, Joint Chiefs chairman champions Bosnia vote., USA Today, 12 Sep 1996. This week's theme: words about diplomacy. -------- Date: Sun May 16 00:07:24 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--identic X-Bonus: If you want to build a ship, don't drum up people together to collect wood and don't assign them tasks and work, but rather teach them to long for the endless immensity of the sea. -Antoine de Saint-Exupery identic (eye-DEN-tik) adjective 1. Being, or constituting, a diplomatic action or diplomatic language in which two or more governments agree to use the same forms in their relations with other governments. 2. Identical. [Medieval Latin identicus, identical.] "Europe was unanimous in presenting an identic Note to the Porte." Earl Granville, Times, 10 Aug 1880. This week's theme: words about diplomacy. -------- Date: Mon May 17 00:07:40 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--tessera X-Bonus: ADMIRATION - Our polite recognition of another's resemblance to ourselves. -Ambrose Bierce [Devil's Dictionary] tessera (TES-uhr-uh) noun; plural tesserae (TES-uhr-ee) One of the small squares of stone or glass used in making mosaic patterns. [Latin, from Greek, neuter of tesseres, variant of tessares, four.] "Kobi, the director at the site, showed us where a single tessera had come loose. If not reset, it could easily become lost and the empty space could then make it easier for the other tiles to come out, he says." Haim Shapiro, Ein Gedi's Mosaic Miracles, Jerusalem Post, 30 May 1997. What unites the seven words for this week in a common thread? You tell us! This week's theme remains a secret till the end of the week and you as a word-sleuth get to identify it. Each day brings a new word as another piece of the puzzle. The first person to correctly deduce the theme gets his or her name spread in all continents. Send your answer to (garg AT wordsmith.org). -Anu -------- Date: Tue May 18 00:25:01 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hypolimnion X-Bonus: I am a kind of paranoiac in reverse. I suspect people of plotting to make me happy. -J.D. Salinger hypolimnion (hy-puh-LIM-nee-on, -uhn) noun The layer of water in a thermally stratified lake that lies below the thermocline, is noncirculating, and remains perpetually cold. [Hypo- + Greek limnion, diminutive of limne, lake, pool.] "Therefore, the warm top layer, called the epilimnion, tends not to mix with the denser lower layer, the hypolimnion. For all practical purposes, they're like oil and vinegar, and the two layers are free to slip and slide past each other." Teresi, Dick, Monster of the tub (legend of a mysterious beast beneath Lake Champlain), Discover Magazine, 1 Apr 1998. This week's theme: yours to discover! -------- Date: Wed May 19 00:07:27 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--decerebrate X-Bonus: Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much of life. So aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something. -Henry David Thoreau decerebrate (dee-SER-uh-brayt) verb tr. To eliminate cerebral brain function in (an animal) by removing the cerebrum, cutting across the brain stem, or severing certain arteries in the brain stem, as for purposes of experimentation. adjective 1. Deprived of cerebral function, as by having the cerebrum removed. 2. Resulting from or as if from decerebration. 3. Lacking intelligence or reason. noun A decerebrate animal or person. "At this moment, presumably, Lincoln became decerebrate - that is, brain dead." Richard A.R. Fraser, M.D., Assassination of the President. // He Was Shot at the Theatre. // Doctors Swiftly Attended Him And Probed the Wound. // This Was a Mistake // The Gunshot Was Not Necessarily Fatal, But the Probe Irritated .... , Minneapolis Star Tribune, 10 Feb 1995. This week's theme: yours to discover! -------- Date: Thu May 20 00:07:24 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--homonym X-Bonus: Children need love, especially when they do not deserve it. -Harold S. Hulbert homonym (HOM-uh-nim) noun 1. One of two or more words that have the same sound and often the same spelling but differ in meaning. 2. A word that is used to designate several different things. A namesake. 3. Biology. A taxonomic name that is identical to one previously applied to a different species or genus and that therefore is unacceptable in its new use. [Latin homonymum, from Greek homonumon, from neuter of homonumos, homonymous.] "Shapiro's title, Earthwards, cannot be spoken without calling up its near homonym, `Earthwords,' the title of Craig Owens's influential 1979 review of Smithson's writing as a paragon of postmodernism." Boettger, Suzaan, Earthwards: Robert Smithson and Art After Babel. (Book reviews), Art Journal, 1 Jun 1996. This week's theme: yours to discover! -------- Date: Fri May 21 00:07:31 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--extravasate X-Bonus: Drop the question what tomorrow may bring, and count as profit every day that fate allows you. -Horace extravasate (ik-STRAV-uh-sayt) verb tr. 1. Pathology. To force the flow of (blood or lymph) from a vessel out into surrounding tissue. 2. Geology. To cause (molten lava) to pour forth from a volcanic vent. verb intr. 1. Pathology. To exude from a vessel into surrounding tissue. 2. Geology. To erupt. [Extra- + vas (o)- + -ate.] "Malignant cells then extravasate from the vessel into the host tissue where they grow and produce a metastatic tumor." Strohl, Roberta Anne, Cutaneous manifestations of malignant disease, Dermatology Nursing, 1 Feb 1998. This week's theme: yours to discover! -------- Date: Sat May 22 00:07:29 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--minim X-Bonus: I have one request: may I never use my reason against truth. -Elie Wiesel minim (MIN-uhm) noun 1. A unit of fluid measure, as: In the United States, 1/60 of a fluid dram (0.0616 milliliters). In Great Britain, 1/20 of a scruple (0.0592 milliliters). 2. Music. A half note. 3. An insignificantly small portion or thing. 4. A downward vertical stroke in handwriting. [Middle English, half note, from Medieval Latin minimus, least, from Latin.] "Streaking the ground with sinuous trace: not all Minims of nature; some of serpent kind, Wondrous in length and corpulence, involved Their snaky folds, and added wings." Milton, John, Paradise Lost: Seventh Book. This week's theme: yours to discover! -------- Date: Sun May 23 00:07:29 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--reverberate X-Bonus: We'd all like a reputation for generosity and we'd all like to buy it cheap. -Mignon McLaughlin reverberate (ri-VUR-buh-rayt) verb intr. 1. To resound in or as if in a succession of echoes; reecho. 2. To be repeatedly reflected, as sound waves, heat, or light. 3. To be forced or driven back; recoil or rebound. verb tr. 1. To reecho (a sound). 2. To reflect (heat or light) repeatedly. 3. To drive or force back; repel. 4. To subject (a metal, for example) to treatment in a reverberatory furnace. [Latin reverberare, reverberat-, to repel : re-, + verberare, to beat (from verber, whip.] "As the fallout from Sunday's announcement reverberated through the world mining community, (David) Walsh had little to say to reporters as he sped away from Bre-X's Calgary headquarters." Darren Schuettler, Bre-X's maverick founder dreamed of riches, Reuters, 05 May 1997. This week's theme: yours to discover! (To get the solution to this week's puzzle, please see AWADmail Issue 12 at https://wordsmith.org/awad/awadmail12.html or get it by email by sending a blank message to wsmith@wordsmith.org with the Subject line as: awadmail 12) -------- Date: Mon May 24 00:07:48 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--asperse X-Bonus: A raindrop, dripping from a cloud, / Was ashamed when it saw the sea. / `Who am I where there is a sea?' it said. / When it saw itself with the eye of humility, / A shell nurtured it in its embrace. -Saadi of Shiraz (c. 1200 AD) asperse (a-SPURS) verb tr. 1. To spread false or damaging charges or insinuations against. 2. To sprinkle, especially with holy water. [Middle English, to besprinkle, from Latin aspergere, aspers- : ad- + spargere, to strew.] "Finally, the Sycophants arose among the people, aspersing all individual greatness, and reviling those who took the lead in public affairs." Hegel, G.W.F., Philosophy Of History: Section II. Phases Of Individuality Aesthetically Conditioned - Work Of Art, History of the World, 1 Jan 1992. "Even Sixtus V, who insisted on having his obelisks aspersed with holy water to cast out their devils, admired the brilliance of the Egyptians who had been able to carve such great stones." Anthony Grafton, The Obelisks' Tale, The New Republic, 24 Nov 1997. asperse, v.t. Maliciously to ascribe to another vicious actions which one has not had the temptation and opportunity to commit. [From The Devil's Dictionary] This week's AWAD presents seven words from The Devil's Dictionary by American satirist Ambrose Bierce (1842-1914). First published as The Cynic's Word Book, "a name which the author had not the power to reject or happiness to approve," the Dictionary is a compilation of witty, aphoristic definitions he penned over the years for the San Francisco journal Wasp. His succinct style, acid wit, and keen observation of life is evident in almost every entry, such as: "Apologize - To lay the foundation for a future offence," and "Politics - A strife of interests masquerading as a contest of principles. The conduct of public affairs for private advantage." -Anu (The Dictionary can be browsed at http://www.alcyone.com/max/lit/devils/ ) -------- Date: Tue May 25 00:07:22 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--pillory X-Bonus: We've heard that a million monkeys at a million keyboards could produce the Complete Works of Shakespeare; now, thanks to the Internet, we know this is not true. -Robert Wilensky pillory (PIL-uh-ree) noun A wooden framework on a post, with holes for the head and hands, in which offenders were formerly locked to be exposed to public scorn as punishment. verb tr. 1. To expose to ridicule and abuse. 2. To put in a pillory as punishment. [Middle English, from Old French pilori, probably from Latin pila, pillar.] "Just as Carson was pilloried for her 1962 book Silent Spring, which warned of the dangers of the pesticide DDT, Colborn has been in the hot seat for her 1996 book Our Stolen Future (co-authored with Dianne Dumanoski and John Peterson Myers). Colborn's controversial message is that even low-dose exposures to many of the man-made chemicals found in common plastics, cleaning compounds, and cosmetics can affect newborn babies and developing fetuses, and can cause a range of problems, including low IQs, genital malformations, low sperm counts, and infertility." Snell, Marilyn Berlin, Theo Colborn: a controversial scientist speaks out on plastics, IQ, and the womb, Mother Jones, 13 Mar 1998. pillory, n. A mechanical device for inflicting personal distinction -- prototype of the modern newspaper conducted by persons of austere virtues and blameless lives. [From The Devil's Dictionary] This week's theme: Words from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. -------- Date: Wed May 26 00:07:23 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--proboscis X-Bonus: The funny thing about regret is that it's better to regret something you have done than to regret something you haven't. -Gibby Hanes proboscis (proe-BOS-is) noun [plural proboscises or proboscides] 1. A long, flexible snout or trunk, as of an elephant. 2. The slender, tubular feeding and sucking organ of certain invertebrates, such as insects, worms, and mollusks. 3. A human nose, especially a prominent one. [Latin, from Greek proboskis : pro-, in front + boskein, to feed.] "Pulling potentates' proboscises is perennially perilous. Zimbabwe's former president, the Reverend Canaan Banana, grew so angry at the jollity inspired by his name that he banned all jokes about himself. One dreads to imagine what China's rulers will do if they catch the hacker who created a computer virus that erases the hard drive of anyone who answers `No' to the question, `Do you think that Prime Minister Li Peng is an idiot?'" You think that's funny?, The Economist, 20 Dec 1997. proboscis, n. The rudimentary organ of an elephant which serves him in place of the knife-and-fork that Evolution has as yet denied him. For purposes of humor it is popularly called a trunk. [From The Devil's Dictionary] This week's theme: Words from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. -------- Date: Thu May 27 00:07:24 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--longanimity X-Bonus: There is a point beyond which even justice becomes unjust. -Sophocles, Electra longanimity (long-guh-NIM-i-tee) noun Calmness in the face of suffering and adversity; forbearance. [Middle English longanimite, from Old French, from Late Latin longanimitas, from longanimis, patient : Latin longus, long + Latin animus, mind, reason.] "In line with the integrity of a true warrior, he faced the imposition of this terrible condition with dignity and longanimity ...." Obituaries / Paid Death Notices, Newsday, 2 Apr 1999. longanimity, n. The disposition to endure injury with meek forbearance while maturing a plan of revenge. [From The Devil's Dictionary] This week's theme: Words from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. -------- Date: Fri May 28 00:07:26 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--mugwump X-Bonus: To see things in the seed, that is genius. -Lao-tzu mugwump (MUG-wump) noun 1. A person who acts independently or remains neutral, especially in politics. 2. Often Mugwump. A Republican who bolted the party in 1884, refusing to support presidential candidate James G. Blaine. [Massachusett mugquomp, mummugquomp, war leader.] "Mr. and Mrs. America are hopelessly moderate mugwumps, difference-splitters par excellence." Chris Tucker, Middle class sees few fringe benefits, The Dallas Morning News, 26 Apr 1998. mugwump, n. In politics one afflicted with self-respect and addicted to the vice of independence. A term of contempt. [From The Devil's Dictionary] This week's theme: Words from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. -------- Date: Sat May 29 00:07:29 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--plebiscite X-Bonus: The wild, cruel beast is not behind the bars of the cage. He is in front of it. -Axel Munthe plebiscite (PLEB-i-syte) noun 1. A direct vote in which the entire electorate is invited to accept or refuse a proposal. 2. A vote in which a population exercises the right of national self-determination. [French plebiscite, from Latin plebiscitum : plebis, genitive of plebs, the people + scitum, decree, from neuter past participle of sciscere, to vote for, inchoative of scire, to know.] "Let the president, once a year, frame a piece of legislation and put it before the entire nation. The mere threat of a plebiscite pitting the majority against one or two special interests would make all special interests more amenable to reason." Mickey Kaus, Don't blame our sick democracy on high technology, Minneapolis Star Tribune, 17 Feb 1995. plebiscite, n. A popular vote to ascertain the will of the sovereign. [From The Devil's Dictionary] This week's theme: Words from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. -------- Date: Sun May 30 00:07:20 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--abdicate X-Bonus: The squirrel that you kill in jest, dies in earnest. -Henry David Thoreau abdicate (AB-di-kayt) verb tr. To relinquish (power or responsibility) formally. verb intr. To relinquish formally a high office or responsibility. [Latin abdicare, abdicat-, to disclaim : ab-, away + dicare, to proclaim] "Other Javanese rulers who were forced to abdicate after the Dutch firmly established their colonial rule in Java in 1830 fared a worse fate, be it death, exile or prison such as former president Sukarno who died in military detention in 1970." Onghokham, Soeharto embodied Javanese ruler, The Jakarta Post, 25 May 1998. abdication, n. An act whereby a sovereign attests his sense of the high temperature of the throne. [From The Devil's Dictionary] This week's theme: Words from The Devil's Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. -------- Date: Mon May 31 00:07:44 EDT 1999 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--guru X-Bonus: One should count each day a separate life. -Lucius Annaeus Seneca, philosopher (BCE 3-65 CE) guru (GOOR-oo, goo-ROO) noun 1. A personal spiritual teacher. 2. A teacher and guide in spiritual and philosophical matters. A trusted counselor and adviser; a mentor. 3. A recognized leader in a field. An acknowledged and influential advocate, as of a movement or idea. [Hindi guru, from Sanskrit guruh, from guru-, heavy, venerable.] "CSC Index puts on seminars at which outside gurus ponder issues such as creativity or the changing role of chief executives." That's what clients want: The big idea, The Economist, 22 Mar 1997. What first comes to mind when you think of India? While India has had more than its fair share of sages, mystics and spiritual teachers, in modern times it is software gurus for which that country is becoming known. The English language has borrowed generously from Hindi, India's national language, and from Sanskrit, an ancient classical language of India. This week's AWAD spotlights seven loanwords taken from these languages and focuses on terms that refer to venerated persons. -Anu