Word of the day

[BM <3]

Word of the Day for Saturday, October 17, 2009

innocuous \ih-NOK-yoo-uhs\, adjective:

1. Harmless; producing no ill effect.
2. Not likely to offend or provoke; as, "an innocuous remark."

Furthermore, the public, not knowing how to interpret certain facts and figures, may end up unfairly vilifying a company that uses only innocuous traces of a certain toxic chemical.
-- "Can Selfishness Save the Environment?", The Atlantic, September 13, 2000

[BM <3]

Word of the Day for Sunday, October 18, 2009

turbid \TUR-bid\, adjective:

1. Muddy; thick with or as if with roiled sediment; not clear; -- used of liquids of any kind.
2. Thick; dense; dark; -- used of clouds, air, fog, smoke, etc.
3. Disturbed; confused; disordered.

Although both are found in the same waters, black crappies usually prefer clearer, quieter water, while white crappies flourish in warmer, siltier and more turbid water.
-- Tim Eisele, "Crappie Facts", Capital Times (Madison, Wisconsin), May 8, 1998

[BM <3]

Word of the Day for Monday, October 19, 2009

fugacious \fyoo-GAY-shuhs\, adjective:

Lasting but a short time; fleeting.

As the rain conspires with the wind to strip the fugacious glory of the cherry blossoms, it brings a spring delicacy to our dining table.
-- Sarah Mori, "A spring delicacy", Malaysian Star

[2jules7]

The innocuous slide at the park is great for kids.
You can see the turbid air before you enter a city.
They had a fugacious vacation.

[Done-With-It!]

Now I've actually heard of this one! lol

[BM <3]

Word of the Day for Tuesday, October 20, 2009

milieu \meel-YUH; meel-YOO\, noun;

plural milieus or milieux \-(z)\:
Environment; setting.

These were agricultural areas, populated with prosperous farming families and rural artisans -- a completely different milieu from the Monferrands', which was more closed, more cultured, but less affluent.
-- Antoine de Baecque and Serge Toubiana, Truffaut

[2jules7]

The milieu of the bbq was perfect.

[2jules7]

I'll start posting these again soon.

[2jules7]

Word of the Day for Saturday, October 31, 2009

eke \EEK\, transitive verb:

1. To gain or supplement with great effort or difficulty -- used with 'out'.
2. To increase or make last by being economical -- used with 'out'.

Although life was hard it was not unendurable, and the rugged and resourceful villagers eked out a living on the thin crust of the soil.
-- Suheil Bushrui and Joe Jenkins, "Kahlil Gibran: Man and Poet"

[2jules7]

In honor of saving trees the eeked people would email instead of writing on paper.

[2jules7]

Word of the Day for Tuesday, November 3, 2009

sommelier \suhm-uhl-YEY; Fr. saw-muh-LYEY\, noun:

A restaurant employee who orders and maintains the wines sold in the restaurant and usually has extensive knowledge about wine and food pairings.

In the restaurant we ordered hors d'oeuvres and beer. The sommelier brought the beer, tall, beaded on the outside of the steins, and cold. There were a dozen different dishes of hors d'oeuvres.
-- Ernest Hemmingway, The Sun Also Rises

[2jules7]

As the sommelier had fine taste, the restaurants beverages were divine.

[2jules7]

Word of the Day for Wednesday, November 4, 2009

skulduggery \skul-DUG-uh-ree\, noun;
also skullduggery:

Devious, dishonest, or unscrupulous behavior or activity; also: an instance thereof.

And then the inquests, and the coroner's reports, and the hints of diplomatic cover-ups, and skulduggery in high places.
-- Hilary Mantel, Eight Months on Ghazzah Street

[2jules7]

When reviewing the test the teacher noticed skulduggery answers.

[2jules7]

Word of the Day for Thursday, November 5, 2009

maunder \MON-duhr\, intransitive verb:

1. To talk incoherently; to speak in a rambling manner.
2. To wander aimlessly or confusedly.

As in one of his earlier novels , . . . Kerr invents a credibly grim scenario for our future: most of the earth's inhabitants are infected with a deadly virus and maunder in fetid cities.
-- Charles Flowers, "Blood on the Moon (Really!)", New York Times, February 14, 1999

[2jules7]

They maundered through the dark forest until they heard the rumbling of cars.

[BM <3]

I love how even though you are now doing the Word of the day posts you STILL do your sentences lol you are the best.

[2jules7]

Originally Posted by BM <3

I love how even though you are now doing the Word of the day posts you STILL do your sentences lol you are the best.

Lol, maybe it'll spark some inspiration in others to do it as well.

[2jules7]

Well, I dont know what happened to Friday. :(

Word of the Day for Saturday, November 7, 2009

abeyance \uh-BAY-uhn(t)s\, noun:

Suspension; temporary cessation.

He was nineteen years old, and officially a medical student, though inevitably his studies were in abeyance for the duration of the war.
-- Ruth Brandon, Surreal Lives: The Surrealists 1917-1945

[2jules7]

Word of the Day for Sunday, November 8, 2009

billet \BIL-it\, noun:

1. Lodging for soldiers.
2. An official order directing that a soldier be provided with lodging.
3. A position of employment; a job.

transitive verb:
1. To quarter, or place in lodgings.
2. To serve (a person) with an official order to provide lodging for soldiers.

intransitive verb:
1. To be quartered; to lodge.

When he was well enough, he was retrieved back to his billet in the American zone.
-- Frances Stonor Saunders, The Cultural Cold War