http://www.odeo.com/channels/112126-Merriam-Webster-s-Word-of-the-Day Kailash no Free daily dose of word power from Merriam-Webster's experts Free daily dose of word power from Merriam-Webster's experts Free daily dose of word power from Merriam-Webster's experts 40 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 Literature http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25545150-sastruga Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 16, 2009 is: sastruga • \SAS-truh-guh\  • noun : a wavelike ridge of hard snow formed by the wind -- usually used in plural Example sentence: "Over the sastrugi it is all up and down hill, and the covering of ice crystals prevents the sledge from gliding even on the down-grade." (Robert Falcon Scott, Journals: Captain Scott’s Last Expedition) Did you know? If "sastruga" and its plural "sastrugi" seem like unusual English words, that may be because in some ways they are. Many of the words we use in English can be traced to one of two sources: about one-quarter of our vocabulary can be traced back to English's Germanic origins, and another two-thirds comes from Latinate sources (most such words come by way of French or from Latin directly, but Spanish and Italian have made their contributions as well). "Sastruga" was borrowed from German, but is not Germanic in origin. It’s ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 16, 2009 is: sastruga • \SAS-truh-guh\  • noun : a wavelike ridge of hard snow formed by the wind -- usually used in plural Example sentence: "Over the sastrugi it is all up and down hill, and the covering of ice crystals prevents the sledge from gliding even on the down-grade." (Robert Falcon Scott, Journals: Captain Scott’s Last Expedition) Did you know? If "sastruga" and its plural "sastrugi" seem like unusual English words, that may be because in some ways they are. Many of the words we use in English can be traced to one of two sources: about one-quarter of our vocabulary can be traced back to English's Germanic origins, and another two-thirds comes from Latinate sources (most such words come by way of French or from Latin directly, but Spanish and Italian have made their contributions as well). "Sastruga" was borrowed from German, but is not Germanic in origin. It’s originally from "zastruga," a word that comes from a dialect of Russian and means "groove," "small ridge," or "furrow." "Sastruga" is not widely used in English, and when it is used, it often takes the plural form, as in our example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 16, 2009 is: sastruga • \SAS-truh-guh\  • noun : a wavelike ridge of hard snow formed by the wind -- usually used in plural Example sentence: "Over the sastrugi it is all up and down hill, and the covering of ice crystals prevents the sledge from gliding even on the down-grade." (Robert Falcon Scott, Journals: Captain Scott’s Last Expedition) Did you know? If "sastruga" and its plural "sastrugi" seem like unusual English words, that may be because in some ways they are. Many of the words we use in English can be traced to one of two sources: about one-quarter of our vocabulary can be traced back to English's Germanic origins, and another two-thirds comes from Latinate sources (most such words come by way of French or from Latin directly, but Spanish and Italian have made their contributions as well). "Sastruga" was borrowed from German, but is not Germanic in origin. It’s originally from "zastruga," a word that comes from a dialect of Russian and means "groove," "small ridge," or "furrow." "Sastruga" is not widely used in English, and when it is used, it often takes the plural form, as in our example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-15,25545150 Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25541145-whimsical Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 15, 2009 is: whimsical • \WIM-zih-kul\  • adjective 1 : full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims 2 *a : resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially : lightly fanciful b : subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change Example sentence: The whimsical decor of Mary’s home reflects her playful personality. Did you know? As you may have guessed, the words "whimsical," "whim," and "whimsy" are related. All three ultimately derive from the word "whim-wham" ("a whimsical object" or "a whim"), which is of unknown origin and dates to at least 1500. "Whimsy" was the first of the three to spin off from "whim-wham," debuting in print in 1605. English speakers then added the adjective suffix "-ical" to "whimsy" to create "whimsical," dating from 1653. "Whim," which came about as a shorte... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 15, 2009 is: whimsical • \WIM-zih-kul\  • adjective 1 : full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims 2 *a : resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially : lightly fanciful b : subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change Example sentence: The whimsical decor of Mary’s home reflects her playful personality. Did you know? As you may have guessed, the words "whimsical," "whim," and "whimsy" are related. All three ultimately derive from the word "whim-wham" ("a whimsical object" or "a whim"), which is of unknown origin and dates to at least 1500. "Whimsy" was the first of the three to spin off from "whim-wham," debuting in print in 1605. English speakers then added the adjective suffix "-ical" to "whimsy" to create "whimsical," dating from 1653. "Whim," which came about as a shortened version of "whim-wham," appeared as early as 1641 in a sense that is now obsolete, but its current sense of "a sudden wish, desire, or change of mind" didn't appear in print until 1686. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 15, 2009 is: whimsical • \WIM-zih-kul\  • adjective 1 : full of, actuated by, or exhibiting whims 2 *a : resulting from or characterized by whim or caprice; especially : lightly fanciful b : subject to erratic behavior or unpredictable change Example sentence: The whimsical decor of Mary’s home reflects her playful personality. Did you know? As you may have guessed, the words "whimsical," "whim," and "whimsy" are related. All three ultimately derive from the word "whim-wham" ("a whimsical object" or "a whim"), which is of unknown origin and dates to at least 1500. "Whimsy" was the first of the three to spin off from "whim-wham," debuting in print in 1605. English speakers then added the adjective suffix "-ical" to "whimsy" to create "whimsical," dating from 1653. "Whim," which came about as a shortened version of "whim-wham," appeared as early as 1641 in a sense that is now obsolete, but its current sense of "a sudden wish, desire, or change of mind" didn't appear in print until 1686. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-14,25541145 Mon, 14 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25532966-depredate Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 14, 2009 is: depredate • \DEP-ruh-dayt\  • verb *1 : to lay waste : plunder, ravage 2 : to engage in plunder Example sentence: “[O]ne of our party, after being asked by the owner to help depredate a few of the green, squawky birds at a feedlot, took 4 shots and killed over one hundred.” (The Bakersfield Californian, August 16, 2008) Did you know? "Depredate" derives primarily from the Latin verb "praedari," meaning "to plunder," an ancestor to our words "predator" and "prey." First appearing in English in the 17th century, the word most commonly appears in contexts relating to nature and ecology, where it is often used to describe the methodical, almost automatic destruction of life. That’s how the film critic Stanley Kauffman, for example, summarized the plot of the famous horror movie Jaws (1975): “A killer shark depredates the beach of an island summ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 14, 2009 is: depredate • \DEP-ruh-dayt\  • verb *1 : to lay waste : plunder, ravage 2 : to engage in plunder Example sentence: “[O]ne of our party, after being asked by the owner to help depredate a few of the green, squawky birds at a feedlot, took 4 shots and killed over one hundred.” (The Bakersfield Californian, August 16, 2008) Did you know? "Depredate" derives primarily from the Latin verb "praedari," meaning "to plunder," an ancestor to our words "predator" and "prey." First appearing in English in the 17th century, the word most commonly appears in contexts relating to nature and ecology, where it is often used to describe the methodical, almost automatic destruction of life. That’s how the film critic Stanley Kauffman, for example, summarized the plot of the famous horror movie Jaws (1975): “A killer shark depredates the beach of an island summer resort. Several people are killed. Finally, the shark is killed. That's the story.” *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 14, 2009 is: depredate • \DEP-ruh-dayt\  • verb *1 : to lay waste : plunder, ravage 2 : to engage in plunder Example sentence: “[O]ne of our party, after being asked by the owner to help depredate a few of the green, squawky birds at a feedlot, took 4 shots and killed over one hundred.” (The Bakersfield Californian, August 16, 2008) Did you know? "Depredate" derives primarily from the Latin verb "praedari," meaning "to plunder," an ancestor to our words "predator" and "prey." First appearing in English in the 17th century, the word most commonly appears in contexts relating to nature and ecology, where it is often used to describe the methodical, almost automatic destruction of life. That’s how the film critic Stanley Kauffman, for example, summarized the plot of the famous horror movie Jaws (1975): “A killer shark depredates the beach of an island summer resort. Several people are killed. Finally, the shark is killed. That's the story.” *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-13,25532966 Sun, 13 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25530084-indefeasible Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 13, 2009 is: indefeasible • \in-dih-FEE-zuh-bul\  • adjective : not capable of being annulled or voided or undone Example sentence: After his father's untimely demise, which reeked of foul play, Prince Nikolai took to the throne as was his indefeasible right as the king's eldest son. Did you know? We acquired "indefeasible" in the mid-16th century by combining the English prefix "in-" ("not") with "defeasible," a word borrowed a century earlier from Anglo-French. "Defeasible" itself can be traced to an Old French verb meaning "to undo" or "to destroy." It's no surprise, then, that something indefeasible is essentially "un-undoable" or "indestructible." Another member of this family of words is "feasible," meaning "capable of being done or carried out." Ultimately, all three -- "indefeasible," "defea... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 13, 2009 is: indefeasible • \in-dih-FEE-zuh-bul\  • adjective : not capable of being annulled or voided or undone Example sentence: After his father's untimely demise, which reeked of foul play, Prince Nikolai took to the throne as was his indefeasible right as the king's eldest son. Did you know? We acquired "indefeasible" in the mid-16th century by combining the English prefix "in-" ("not") with "defeasible," a word borrowed a century earlier from Anglo-French. "Defeasible" itself can be traced to an Old French verb meaning "to undo" or "to destroy." It's no surprise, then, that something indefeasible is essentially "un-undoable" or "indestructible." Another member of this family of words is "feasible," meaning "capable of being done or carried out." Ultimately, all three -- "indefeasible," "defeasible," and "feasible" -- can be traced back to the Latin verb "facere," meaning "to do." Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 13, 2009 is: indefeasible • \in-dih-FEE-zuh-bul\  • adjective : not capable of being annulled or voided or undone Example sentence: After his father's untimely demise, which reeked of foul play, Prince Nikolai took to the throne as was his indefeasible right as the king's eldest son. Did you know? We acquired "indefeasible" in the mid-16th century by combining the English prefix "in-" ("not") with "defeasible," a word borrowed a century earlier from Anglo-French. "Defeasible" itself can be traced to an Old French verb meaning "to undo" or "to destroy." It's no surprise, then, that something indefeasible is essentially "un-undoable" or "indestructible." Another member of this family of words is "feasible," meaning "capable of being done or carried out." Ultimately, all three -- "indefeasible," "defeasible," and "feasible" -- can be traced back to the Latin verb "facere," meaning "to do." tag:odeo.com,2009-12-12,25530084 Sat, 12 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25526740-receipt Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 12, 2009 is: receipt • \rih-SEET\  • noun 1 : recipe *2 : the act or process of receiving 3 : something received -- usually used in plural 4 : a writing acknowledging the receiving of goods or money Example sentence: If you find that the item has been damaged during shipping, please contact us upon receipt to request a return shipping label. Did you know? These days it may seem odd to speak of "grandma's cookie receipt," but at one time the only meaning of "receipt" was "recipe." The first recorded use of "receipt" is a reference to a medicinal preparation in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1386). "Recipe" didn't arrive until the 1500s, and it was also first used to describe medicine. Both words began to be applied to cooking only in the 18th century, after which "recipe" slowly became the preferred word. "Receipt" acquired its currently more familiar se... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 12, 2009 is: receipt • \rih-SEET\  • noun 1 : recipe *2 : the act or process of receiving 3 : something received -- usually used in plural 4 : a writing acknowledging the receiving of goods or money Example sentence: If you find that the item has been damaged during shipping, please contact us upon receipt to request a return shipping label. Did you know? These days it may seem odd to speak of "grandma's cookie receipt," but at one time the only meaning of "receipt" was "recipe." The first recorded use of "receipt" is a reference to a medicinal preparation in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1386). "Recipe" didn't arrive until the 1500s, and it was also first used to describe medicine. Both words began to be applied to cooking only in the 18th century, after which "recipe" slowly became the preferred word. "Receipt" acquired its currently more familiar sense of "a written statement saying that money or goods have been received" in the 17th century. Both "receipt" and "recipe" are thought to be ultimately derived from Latin "recipere" ("to receive"), making them probable relatives as well as synonyms. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 12, 2009 is: receipt • \rih-SEET\  • noun 1 : recipe *2 : the act or process of receiving 3 : something received -- usually used in plural 4 : a writing acknowledging the receiving of goods or money Example sentence: If you find that the item has been damaged during shipping, please contact us upon receipt to request a return shipping label. Did you know? These days it may seem odd to speak of "grandma's cookie receipt," but at one time the only meaning of "receipt" was "recipe." The first recorded use of "receipt" is a reference to a medicinal preparation in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1386). "Recipe" didn't arrive until the 1500s, and it was also first used to describe medicine. Both words began to be applied to cooking only in the 18th century, after which "recipe" slowly became the preferred word. "Receipt" acquired its currently more familiar sense of "a written statement saying that money or goods have been received" in the 17th century. Both "receipt" and "recipe" are thought to be ultimately derived from Latin "recipere" ("to receive"), making them probable relatives as well as synonyms. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-11,25526740 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25530085-receipt Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 12, 2009 is: receipt • \rih-SEET\  • noun 1 : recipe *2 : the act or process of receiving 3 : something received -- usually used in plural 4 : a writing acknowledging the receiving of goods or money Example sentence: If you find that the item has been damaged during shipping, please contact us upon receipt to request a return shipping label. Did you know? These days it may seem odd to speak of "grandma's cookie receipt," but at one time the only meaning of "receipt" was "recipe." The first recorded use of "receipt" is a reference to a medicinal preparation in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1386). "Recipe" didn't arrive until the 1500s, and it was also first used to describe medicine. Both words began to be applied to cooking only in the 18th century, after which "recipe" slowly became the preferred word. "Receipt" acquired its currently more familiar se... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 12, 2009 is: receipt • \rih-SEET\  • noun 1 : recipe *2 : the act or process of receiving 3 : something received -- usually used in plural 4 : a writing acknowledging the receiving of goods or money Example sentence: If you find that the item has been damaged during shipping, please contact us upon receipt to request a return shipping label. Did you know? These days it may seem odd to speak of "grandma's cookie receipt," but at one time the only meaning of "receipt" was "recipe." The first recorded use of "receipt" is a reference to a medicinal preparation in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1386). "Recipe" didn't arrive until the 1500s, and it was also first used to describe medicine. Both words began to be applied to cooking only in the 18th century, after which "recipe" slowly became the preferred word. "Receipt" acquired its currently more familiar sense of "a written statement saying that money or goods have been received" in the 17th century. Both "receipt" and "recipe" are thought to be ultimately derived from Latin "recipere" ("to receive"), making them probable relatives as well as synonyms. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 12, 2009 is: receipt • \rih-SEET\  • noun 1 : recipe *2 : the act or process of receiving 3 : something received -- usually used in plural 4 : a writing acknowledging the receiving of goods or money Example sentence: If you find that the item has been damaged during shipping, please contact us upon receipt to request a return shipping label. Did you know? These days it may seem odd to speak of "grandma's cookie receipt," but at one time the only meaning of "receipt" was "recipe." The first recorded use of "receipt" is a reference to a medicinal preparation in Chaucer's Canterbury Tales (c. 1386). "Recipe" didn't arrive until the 1500s, and it was also first used to describe medicine. Both words began to be applied to cooking only in the 18th century, after which "recipe" slowly became the preferred word. "Receipt" acquired its currently more familiar sense of "a written statement saying that money or goods have been received" in the 17th century. Both "receipt" and "recipe" are thought to be ultimately derived from Latin "recipere" ("to receive"), making them probable relatives as well as synonyms. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-11,25530085 Fri, 11 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25526741-namby-pamby Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 11, 2009 is: namby-pamby • \nam-bee-PAM-bee\  • adjective 1 : lacking in character or substance : insipid *2 : weak, indecisive Example sentence: The candidate criticized her opponent during the debate, calling him a namby-pamby flip-flopper who could not stand up for what he believed in. Did you know? Eighteenth-century poets Alexander Pope and Henry Carey didn't think much of their contemporary Ambrose Philips. His sentimental, singsong verses were too childish and simple for their palates. In 1726, Carey came up with the rhyming nickname "Namby-Pamby" (playing on "Ambrose") to parody Philips: "Namby-Pamby's doubly mild / Once a man and twice a child . . . / Now he pumps his little wits / All by little tiny bits." In 1733, Pope borrowed the nickname to take his own satirical jab at Philips in the poem "The Dunciad." Before long, "namby-pamby" was being applied to any pie... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 11, 2009 is: namby-pamby • \nam-bee-PAM-bee\  • adjective 1 : lacking in character or substance : insipid *2 : weak, indecisive Example sentence: The candidate criticized her opponent during the debate, calling him a namby-pamby flip-flopper who could not stand up for what he believed in. Did you know? Eighteenth-century poets Alexander Pope and Henry Carey didn't think much of their contemporary Ambrose Philips. His sentimental, singsong verses were too childish and simple for their palates. In 1726, Carey came up with the rhyming nickname "Namby-Pamby" (playing on "Ambrose") to parody Philips: "Namby-Pamby's doubly mild / Once a man and twice a child . . . / Now he pumps his little wits / All by little tiny bits." In 1733, Pope borrowed the nickname to take his own satirical jab at Philips in the poem "The Dunciad." Before long, "namby-pamby" was being applied to any piece of writing that was insipidly precious, simple, or sentimental, and later to anyone considered pathetically weak or indecisive. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 11, 2009 is: namby-pamby • \nam-bee-PAM-bee\  • adjective 1 : lacking in character or substance : insipid *2 : weak, indecisive Example sentence: The candidate criticized her opponent during the debate, calling him a namby-pamby flip-flopper who could not stand up for what he believed in. Did you know? Eighteenth-century poets Alexander Pope and Henry Carey didn't think much of their contemporary Ambrose Philips. His sentimental, singsong verses were too childish and simple for their palates. In 1726, Carey came up with the rhyming nickname "Namby-Pamby" (playing on "Ambrose") to parody Philips: "Namby-Pamby's doubly mild / Once a man and twice a child . . . / Now he pumps his little wits / All by little tiny bits." In 1733, Pope borrowed the nickname to take his own satirical jab at Philips in the poem "The Dunciad." Before long, "namby-pamby" was being applied to any piece of writing that was insipidly precious, simple, or sentimental, and later to anyone considered pathetically weak or indecisive. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-10,25526741 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25522043-namby-pamby Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 11, 2009 is: namby-pamby • \nam-bee-PAM-bee\  • adjective 1 : lacking in character or substance : insipid *2 : weak, indecisive Example sentence: The candidate criticized her opponent during the debate, calling him a namby-pamby flip-flopper who could not stand up for what he believed in. Did you know? Eighteenth-century poets Alexander Pope and Henry Carey didn't think much of their contemporary Ambrose Philips. His sentimental, singsong verses were too childish and simple for their palates. In 1726, Carey came up with the rhyming nickname "Namby-Pamby" (playing on "Ambrose") to parody Philips: "Namby-Pamby's doubly mild / Once a man and twice a child . . . / Now he pumps his little wits / All by little tiny bits." In 1733, Pope borrowed the nickname to take his own satirical jab at Philips in the poem "The Dunciad." Before long, "namby-pamby" was being applied to any pie... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 11, 2009 is: namby-pamby • \nam-bee-PAM-bee\  • adjective 1 : lacking in character or substance : insipid *2 : weak, indecisive Example sentence: The candidate criticized her opponent during the debate, calling him a namby-pamby flip-flopper who could not stand up for what he believed in. Did you know? Eighteenth-century poets Alexander Pope and Henry Carey didn't think much of their contemporary Ambrose Philips. His sentimental, singsong verses were too childish and simple for their palates. In 1726, Carey came up with the rhyming nickname "Namby-Pamby" (playing on "Ambrose") to parody Philips: "Namby-Pamby's doubly mild / Once a man and twice a child . . . / Now he pumps his little wits / All by little tiny bits." In 1733, Pope borrowed the nickname to take his own satirical jab at Philips in the poem "The Dunciad." Before long, "namby-pamby" was being applied to any piece of writing that was insipidly precious, simple, or sentimental, and later to anyone considered pathetically weak or indecisive. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 11, 2009 is: namby-pamby • \nam-bee-PAM-bee\  • adjective 1 : lacking in character or substance : insipid *2 : weak, indecisive Example sentence: The candidate criticized her opponent during the debate, calling him a namby-pamby flip-flopper who could not stand up for what he believed in. Did you know? Eighteenth-century poets Alexander Pope and Henry Carey didn't think much of their contemporary Ambrose Philips. His sentimental, singsong verses were too childish and simple for their palates. In 1726, Carey came up with the rhyming nickname "Namby-Pamby" (playing on "Ambrose") to parody Philips: "Namby-Pamby's doubly mild / Once a man and twice a child . . . / Now he pumps his little wits / All by little tiny bits." In 1733, Pope borrowed the nickname to take his own satirical jab at Philips in the poem "The Dunciad." Before long, "namby-pamby" was being applied to any piece of writing that was insipidly precious, simple, or sentimental, and later to anyone considered pathetically weak or indecisive. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-10,25522043 Thu, 10 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25526742-provender Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 10, 2009 is: provender • \PRAH-vun-der\  • noun 1 : dry food for domestic animals : feed *2 : food, victuals Example sentence: "The ambrosial and essential part of the [huckleberry] fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) Did you know? When English speakers first chewed on the word "provender" around 1300, it referred to a stipend that a clergyman received from his cathedral or collegiate church, something also known as a "prebend." A mere 25 years later, though, the word’s current meanings had developed. These days you’re most likely to encounter "provender" in articles written by food and travel writers. A few such writers confuse "provender" with "purveyor," meaning "a person or business that sells or provides something," but most of them keep the wo... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 10, 2009 is: provender • \PRAH-vun-der\  • noun 1 : dry food for domestic animals : feed *2 : food, victuals Example sentence: "The ambrosial and essential part of the [huckleberry] fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) Did you know? When English speakers first chewed on the word "provender" around 1300, it referred to a stipend that a clergyman received from his cathedral or collegiate church, something also known as a "prebend." A mere 25 years later, though, the word’s current meanings had developed. These days you’re most likely to encounter "provender" in articles written by food and travel writers. A few such writers confuse "provender" with "purveyor," meaning "a person or business that sells or provides something," but most of them keep the words straight, as Deidre Schipani does in this quote: "The kitchen remains true to its local roots. Buying from island farmers, fisherman, shrimpers, butchers and small local artisans keeps the provender and purveyors in alignment." (The Post and Courier, September 3, 2009) *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 10, 2009 is: provender • \PRAH-vun-der\  • noun 1 : dry food for domestic animals : feed *2 : food, victuals Example sentence: "The ambrosial and essential part of the [huckleberry] fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) Did you know? When English speakers first chewed on the word "provender" around 1300, it referred to a stipend that a clergyman received from his cathedral or collegiate church, something also known as a "prebend." A mere 25 years later, though, the word’s current meanings had developed. These days you’re most likely to encounter "provender" in articles written by food and travel writers. A few such writers confuse "provender" with "purveyor," meaning "a person or business that sells or provides something," but most of them keep the words straight, as Deidre Schipani does in this quote: "The kitchen remains true to its local roots. Buying from island farmers, fisherman, shrimpers, butchers and small local artisans keeps the provender and purveyors in alignment." (The Post and Courier, September 3, 2009) *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-09,25526742 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25517503-provender Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 10, 2009 is: provender • \PRAH-vun-der\  • noun 1 : dry food for domestic animals : feed *2 : food, victuals Example sentence: "The ambrosial and essential part of the [huckleberry] fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) Did you know? When English speakers first chewed on the word "provender" around 1300, it referred to a stipend that a clergyman received from his cathedral or collegiate church, something also known as a "prebend." A mere 25 years later, though, the word’s current meanings had developed. These days you’re most likely to encounter "provender" in articles written by food and travel writers. A few such writers confuse "provender" with "purveyor," meaning "a person or business that sells or provides something," but most of them keep the wo... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 10, 2009 is: provender • \PRAH-vun-der\  • noun 1 : dry food for domestic animals : feed *2 : food, victuals Example sentence: "The ambrosial and essential part of the [huckleberry] fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) Did you know? When English speakers first chewed on the word "provender" around 1300, it referred to a stipend that a clergyman received from his cathedral or collegiate church, something also known as a "prebend." A mere 25 years later, though, the word’s current meanings had developed. These days you’re most likely to encounter "provender" in articles written by food and travel writers. A few such writers confuse "provender" with "purveyor," meaning "a person or business that sells or provides something," but most of them keep the words straight, as Deidre Schipani does in this quote: "The kitchen remains true to its local roots. Buying from island farmers, fisherman, shrimpers, butchers and small local artisans keeps the provender and purveyors in alignment." (The Post and Courier, September 3, 2009) *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 10, 2009 is: provender • \PRAH-vun-der\  • noun 1 : dry food for domestic animals : feed *2 : food, victuals Example sentence: "The ambrosial and essential part of the [huckleberry] fruit is lost with the bloom which is rubbed off in the market cart, and they become mere provender." (Henry David Thoreau, Walden) Did you know? When English speakers first chewed on the word "provender" around 1300, it referred to a stipend that a clergyman received from his cathedral or collegiate church, something also known as a "prebend." A mere 25 years later, though, the word’s current meanings had developed. These days you’re most likely to encounter "provender" in articles written by food and travel writers. A few such writers confuse "provender" with "purveyor," meaning "a person or business that sells or provides something," but most of them keep the words straight, as Deidre Schipani does in this quote: "The kitchen remains true to its local roots. Buying from island farmers, fisherman, shrimpers, butchers and small local artisans keeps the provender and purveyors in alignment." (The Post and Courier, September 3, 2009) *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-09,25517503 Wed, 09 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25526743-ukase Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 09, 2009 is: ukase • \yoo-KAYSS\  • noun 1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law 2 a : a proclamation having the force of law* b : order, command Example sentence: "The professor's first instruction to the [playwriting] class was a ukase: Never begin a play with a telephone ringing." (Bruce McCabe, The Boston Globe, June 23, 2000) Did you know? English speakers adopted "ukase" more or less simultaneously from French ("ukase") and Russian ("ukaz") in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb "ukazat'," meaning "to show" or "to order," and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English s... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 09, 2009 is: ukase • \yoo-KAYSS\  • noun 1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law 2 a : a proclamation having the force of law* b : order, command Example sentence: "The professor's first instruction to the [playwriting] class was a ukase: Never begin a play with a telephone ringing." (Bruce McCabe, The Boston Globe, June 23, 2000) Did you know? English speakers adopted "ukase" more or less simultaneously from French ("ukase") and Russian ("ukaz") in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb "ukazat'," meaning "to show" or "to order," and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English speakers were also using "ukase" generally for any command that seemed to come from a higher authority, particularly one that was final or arbitrary. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 09, 2009 is: ukase • \yoo-KAYSS\  • noun 1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law 2 a : a proclamation having the force of law* b : order, command Example sentence: "The professor's first instruction to the [playwriting] class was a ukase: Never begin a play with a telephone ringing." (Bruce McCabe, The Boston Globe, June 23, 2000) Did you know? English speakers adopted "ukase" more or less simultaneously from French ("ukase") and Russian ("ukaz") in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb "ukazat'," meaning "to show" or "to order," and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English speakers were also using "ukase" generally for any command that seemed to come from a higher authority, particularly one that was final or arbitrary. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-08,25526743 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25512529-ukase Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 09, 2009 is: ukase • \yoo-KAYSS\  • noun 1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law 2 a : a proclamation having the force of law* b : order, command Example sentence: "The professor's first instruction to the [playwriting] class was a ukase: Never begin a play with a telephone ringing." (Bruce McCabe, The Boston Globe, June 23, 2000) Did you know? English speakers adopted "ukase" more or less simultaneously from French ("ukase") and Russian ("ukaz") in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb "ukazat'," meaning "to show" or "to order," and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English s... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 09, 2009 is: ukase • \yoo-KAYSS\  • noun 1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law 2 a : a proclamation having the force of law* b : order, command Example sentence: "The professor's first instruction to the [playwriting] class was a ukase: Never begin a play with a telephone ringing." (Bruce McCabe, The Boston Globe, June 23, 2000) Did you know? English speakers adopted "ukase" more or less simultaneously from French ("ukase") and Russian ("ukaz") in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb "ukazat'," meaning "to show" or "to order," and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English speakers were also using "ukase" generally for any command that seemed to come from a higher authority, particularly one that was final or arbitrary. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 09, 2009 is: ukase • \yoo-KAYSS\  • noun 1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law 2 a : a proclamation having the force of law* b : order, command Example sentence: "The professor's first instruction to the [playwriting] class was a ukase: Never begin a play with a telephone ringing." (Bruce McCabe, The Boston Globe, June 23, 2000) Did you know? English speakers adopted "ukase" more or less simultaneously from French ("ukase") and Russian ("ukaz") in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb "ukazat'," meaning "to show" or "to order," and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English speakers were also using "ukase" generally for any command that seemed to come from a higher authority, particularly one that was final or arbitrary. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-08,25512529 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25507613-fiery Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 08, 2009 is: fiery • \FYE-uh-ree\  • adjective 1 a : consisting of or marked by fire b : using or carried out with fire c: flammable 2 : hot or glowing like a fire 3 : red 4 *a : full of emotion or spirit b : easily provoked : irritable Example sentence: "As the game ended, he gave a fiery pep talk to his linemen, and on a brutally tough day, they appreciated it." (Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News, November 16, 2009) Did you know? If you find yourself tempted to spell today's word "firey," you're relying on sound logic. "Fiery" was formed by combining the word "fire" and the "-y" suffix, so it is reasonable to expect that the result would be spelled "firey." At the time that the adjective was coined in the 13th century, however, the spelling of the noun had not yet become standardized. One alternate spelling was "fier." Presumably, it was this spelling t... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 08, 2009 is: fiery • \FYE-uh-ree\  • adjective 1 a : consisting of or marked by fire b : using or carried out with fire c: flammable 2 : hot or glowing like a fire 3 : red 4 *a : full of emotion or spirit b : easily provoked : irritable Example sentence: "As the game ended, he gave a fiery pep talk to his linemen, and on a brutally tough day, they appreciated it." (Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News, November 16, 2009) Did you know? If you find yourself tempted to spell today's word "firey," you're relying on sound logic. "Fiery" was formed by combining the word "fire" and the "-y" suffix, so it is reasonable to expect that the result would be spelled "firey." At the time that the adjective was coined in the 13th century, however, the spelling of the noun had not yet become standardized. One alternate spelling was "fier." Presumably, it was this spelling that eventually led to English speakers settling on "fiery," even as the lone surviving spelling of the noun turned out to be "fire." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 08, 2009 is: fiery • \FYE-uh-ree\  • adjective 1 a : consisting of or marked by fire b : using or carried out with fire c: flammable 2 : hot or glowing like a fire 3 : red 4 *a : full of emotion or spirit b : easily provoked : irritable Example sentence: "As the game ended, he gave a fiery pep talk to his linemen, and on a brutally tough day, they appreciated it." (Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News, November 16, 2009) Did you know? If you find yourself tempted to spell today's word "firey," you're relying on sound logic. "Fiery" was formed by combining the word "fire" and the "-y" suffix, so it is reasonable to expect that the result would be spelled "firey." At the time that the adjective was coined in the 13th century, however, the spelling of the noun had not yet become standardized. One alternate spelling was "fier." Presumably, it was this spelling that eventually led to English speakers settling on "fiery," even as the lone surviving spelling of the noun turned out to be "fire." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-07,25507613 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25512530-fiery Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 08, 2009 is: fiery • \FYE-uh-ree\  • adjective 1 a : consisting of or marked by fire b : using or carried out with fire c: flammable 2 : hot or glowing like a fire 3 : red 4 *a : full of emotion or spirit b : easily provoked : irritable Example sentence: "As the game ended, he gave a fiery pep talk to his linemen, and on a brutally tough day, they appreciated it." (Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News, November 16, 2009) Did you know? If you find yourself tempted to spell today's word "firey," you're relying on sound logic. "Fiery" was formed by combining the word "fire" and the "-y" suffix, so it is reasonable to expect that the result would be spelled "firey." At the time that the adjective was coined in the 13th century, however, the spelling of the noun had not yet become standardized. One alternate spelling was "fier." Presumably, it was this spelling t... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 08, 2009 is: fiery • \FYE-uh-ree\  • adjective 1 a : consisting of or marked by fire b : using or carried out with fire c: flammable 2 : hot or glowing like a fire 3 : red 4 *a : full of emotion or spirit b : easily provoked : irritable Example sentence: "As the game ended, he gave a fiery pep talk to his linemen, and on a brutally tough day, they appreciated it." (Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News, November 16, 2009) Did you know? If you find yourself tempted to spell today's word "firey," you're relying on sound logic. "Fiery" was formed by combining the word "fire" and the "-y" suffix, so it is reasonable to expect that the result would be spelled "firey." At the time that the adjective was coined in the 13th century, however, the spelling of the noun had not yet become standardized. One alternate spelling was "fier." Presumably, it was this spelling that eventually led to English speakers settling on "fiery," even as the lone surviving spelling of the noun turned out to be "fire." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 08, 2009 is: fiery • \FYE-uh-ree\  • adjective 1 a : consisting of or marked by fire b : using or carried out with fire c: flammable 2 : hot or glowing like a fire 3 : red 4 *a : full of emotion or spirit b : easily provoked : irritable Example sentence: "As the game ended, he gave a fiery pep talk to his linemen, and on a brutally tough day, they appreciated it." (Bob Wojnowski, The Detroit News, November 16, 2009) Did you know? If you find yourself tempted to spell today's word "firey," you're relying on sound logic. "Fiery" was formed by combining the word "fire" and the "-y" suffix, so it is reasonable to expect that the result would be spelled "firey." At the time that the adjective was coined in the 13th century, however, the spelling of the noun had not yet become standardized. One alternate spelling was "fier." Presumably, it was this spelling that eventually led to English speakers settling on "fiery," even as the lone surviving spelling of the noun turned out to be "fire." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-07,25512530 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503546-Nimrod Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the t... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the tower resulted in the wrath of the Lord and proved a disastrous idea, "nimrod" is sometimes used with yet another meaning: "a stupid person." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the tower resulted in the wrath of the Lord and proved a disastrous idea, "nimrod" is sometimes used with yet another meaning: "a stupid person." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-07,25503546 Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25502607-Nimrod Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the t... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the tower resulted in the wrath of the Lord and proved a disastrous idea, "nimrod" is sometimes used with yet another meaning: "a stupid person." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the tower resulted in the wrath of the Lord and proved a disastrous idea, "nimrod" is sometimes used with yet another meaning: "a stupid person." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-06,25502607 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25512531-Nimrod Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the t... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the tower resulted in the wrath of the Lord and proved a disastrous idea, "nimrod" is sometimes used with yet another meaning: "a stupid person." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 07, 2009 is: Nimrod • \NIM-rahd\  • noun 1 : a descendant of Ham represented in Genesis as a mighty hunter and a king of Shinar *2 not capitalized : hunter 3 not capitalized, slang : idiot, jerk Example sentence: Dad fancied himself a mighty nimrod after he captured the rabbit who had been eating our garden. Did you know? Nimrod is described in Genesis as "the first on earth to be a mighty man" and "a mighty hunter before the Lord." It's easy to see how people made the leap from one mighty hunter in the Bible to calling any hunter a "nimrod." A lesser-known fact is that "nimrod" has seen some use in English as a noun meaning "tyrant" (apparently, the mighty Nimrod was not reputed to be an especially benevolent king), although that sense is now essentially obsolete. The legendary Nimrod is also sometimes associated with the attempt to build the Tower of Babel. Because the tower resulted in the wrath of the Lord and proved a disastrous idea, "nimrod" is sometimes used with yet another meaning: "a stupid person." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-06,25512531 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503548-lief Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then, however, in the phrases "had as lief," "would as lief," "had liefer," and "would liefer." Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then, however, in the phrases "had as lief," "would as lief," "had liefer," and "would liefer." tag:odeo.com,2009-12-06,25503548 Sun, 06 Dec 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25498721-lief Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then, however, in the phrases "had as lief," "would as lief," "had liefer," and "would liefer." Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then, however, in the phrases "had as lief," "would as lief," "had liefer," and "would liefer." tag:odeo.com,2009-12-05,25498721 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25512532-lief Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then, however, in the phrases "had as lief," "would as lief," "had liefer," and "would liefer." Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 06, 2009 is: lief • \LEEF\  • adverb : soon, gladly Example sentence: "I thank you for your company; but, good faith, I had as / lief have been myself alone." (William Shakespeare, As You Like It) Did you know? "Lief" began as "lēof" in Old English and has since appeared in many literary classics, first as an adjective and then as an adverb. It got its big break in the epic poem "Beowulf" as an adjective meaning "dear" or "beloved." The adverb first appeared in the 13th century, and in 1390, it was used in John Gower’s collection of love stories, "Confessio Amantis." Since that time, it has graced the pages of works by William Makepeace Thackeray, Alfred Lord Tennyson, and D.H. Lawrence, among others. Today, the adjective is considered to be archaic and the adverb is used much less frequently than in days of yore. It still pops up now and then, however, in the phrases "had as lief," "would as lief," "had liefer," and "would liefer." tag:odeo.com,2009-12-05,25512532 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503549-chapfallen Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen&quo... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen" is the past participle of "fall." Thus, to be "chapfallen" or "chopfallen" is, literally, to have one's jaw in a fallen or lower position. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen" is the past participle of "fall." Thus, to be "chapfallen" or "chopfallen" is, literally, to have one's jaw in a fallen or lower position. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-05,25503549 Sat, 05 Dec 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25498722-chapfallen Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen&quo... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen" is the past participle of "fall." Thus, to be "chapfallen" or "chopfallen" is, literally, to have one's jaw in a fallen or lower position. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen" is the past participle of "fall." Thus, to be "chapfallen" or "chopfallen" is, literally, to have one's jaw in a fallen or lower position. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-04,25498722 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25494865-chapfallen Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen&quo... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen" is the past participle of "fall." Thus, to be "chapfallen" or "chopfallen" is, literally, to have one's jaw in a fallen or lower position. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 05, 2009 is: chapfallen • \CHAP-faw-lun\  • adjective 1 : having the lower jaw hanging loosely *2 : cast down in spirit : depressed Example sentence: The team's failure to make it to the playoffs yet again was another disappointment, but hardly a surprise, for its chapfallen and long-suffering fans. Did you know? "Chapfallen" is also commonly written as "chopfallen," a spelling that may help us to better understand this somewhat unusual word. The "chap" in "chapfallen" is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." If that phrase doesn't seem to quite right to you, it is likely because you are more familiar with "chops," an alteration of "chaps" which is also used to refer to the jaw or the mouth. "Fallen" is the past participle of "fall." Thus, to be "chapfallen" or "chopfallen" is, literally, to have one's jaw in a fallen or lower position. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-04,25494865 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503551-leviathan Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a cru... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a crushing political bureaucracy. "Leviathan" can also be immensely useful as a general term meaning "something monstrous or of enormous size." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a crushing political bureaucracy. "Leviathan" can also be immensely useful as a general term meaning "something monstrous or of enormous size." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-04,25503551 Fri, 04 Dec 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489973-leviathan Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a cru... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a crushing political bureaucracy. "Leviathan" can also be immensely useful as a general term meaning "something monstrous or of enormous size." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a crushing political bureaucracy. "Leviathan" can also be immensely useful as a general term meaning "something monstrous or of enormous size." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-03,25489973 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25494866-leviathan Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a cru... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a crushing political bureaucracy. "Leviathan" can also be immensely useful as a general term meaning "something monstrous or of enormous size." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 04, 2009 is: leviathan • \luh-VYE-uh-thun\  • noun 1 : the political state; especially : a totalitarian state having a vast bureaucracy *2 : something large or formidable Example sentence: Towering leviathans of the forest, these giant sequoias often reach heights of more than 200 feet. Did you know? Old Testament references to a huge sea monster, "Leviathan" (in Hebrew, "Liwyāthān"), are thought to spring from an ancient myth in which the god Baal slays a multiheaded sea monster. Leviathan appears in the book of Psalms, as a sea serpent that is killed by God and then given as food to the Hebrews in the wilderness, and it is referred to in the book of Job as well. We began equating "Leviathan" with the political state after the philosopher Thomas Hobbes used the word in (and as the title of) his 1651 political treatise on government. Today, "Leviathan" often suggests a crushing political bureaucracy. "Leviathan" can also be immensely useful as a general term meaning "something monstrous or of enormous size." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-03,25494866 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503553-winnow Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with th... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with the movement of air led to the meanings "to brandish" and "to beat with or as if with wings," but those uses are now rare. The last meanings blew in at the turn of the 19th century. They are "to blow on" and "to blow in gusts." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with the movement of air led to the meanings "to brandish" and "to beat with or as if with wings," but those uses are now rare. The last meanings blew in at the turn of the 19th century. They are "to blow on" and "to blow in gusts." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-03,25503553 Thu, 03 Dec 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489974-winnow Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with th... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with the movement of air led to the meanings "to brandish" and "to beat with or as if with wings," but those uses are now rare. The last meanings blew in at the turn of the 19th century. They are "to blow on" and "to blow in gusts." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with the movement of air led to the meanings "to brandish" and "to beat with or as if with wings," but those uses are now rare. The last meanings blew in at the turn of the 19th century. They are "to blow on" and "to blow in gusts." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-02,25489974 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25484019-winnow Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with th... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with the movement of air led to the meanings "to brandish" and "to beat with or as if with wings," but those uses are now rare. The last meanings blew in at the turn of the 19th century. They are "to blow on" and "to blow in gusts." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 03, 2009 is: winnow • \WIN-oh\  • verb 1 : to remove (as chaff) by a current of air; also : to free (as grain) from waste in this manner 2 : to remove, separate, or select as if by winnowing *3 : to narrow or reduce 4 : to blow on or fan Example sentence: The search committee is finding it extremely difficult to winnow the list of job candidates down to five; many of them are highly qualified and very desirable. Did you know? Beginning as "windwian" in Old English, "winnow" first referred to the removal of chaff from grain by a current of air. This use was soon extended to describe the removal of anything undesirable or unwanted (a current example of this sense would be "winnowing out outdated information"). People then began using the word for the selection of the most desirable elements (as in "winnowing out the qualified applicants"). The association of "winnow" with the movement of air led to the meanings "to brandish" and "to beat with or as if with wings," but those uses are now rare. The last meanings blew in at the turn of the 19th century. They are "to blow on" and "to blow in gusts." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-02,25484019 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503554-pundit Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (some... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-02,25503554 Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489975-pundit Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (some... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-01,25489975 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25477961-pundit Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (some... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 02, 2009 is: pundit • \PUN-dit\  • noun 1 : a learned person : teacher *2 : authority, critic Example sentence: Grandpa likes watching liberal and conservative pundits spar about the issues of the day on the Sunday morning talk shows. Did you know? The original pundits were highly respected teachers and leaders in India. Their title was taken from the Hindi word "pandit," a term of respect for a wise person that itself derives from the Sanskrit "pandita," meaning "learned." English speakers began using the form "pundit" specifically to refer to those Hindu sages as long ago as the 1600s. By the 1800s, they had also extended the term to refer to other sagacious individuals, and now "pundit" is often used with a hint of sarcasm to refer to informed opinion makers (such as political commentators, financial analysts, and newspaper columnists) who boldly share their views (sometimes at great length) on just about any subject that lies within their areas of expertise. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-01,25477961 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503555-disputatious Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputati... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputatious" and its synonym "disputative" have changed their connotation somewhat from their Latin source, the verb "disputare." That word means simply "to discuss." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputatious" and its synonym "disputative" have changed their connotation somewhat from their Latin source, the verb "disputare." That word means simply "to discuss." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-12-01,25503555 Tue, 01 Dec 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489976-disputatious Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputati... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputatious" and its synonym "disputative" have changed their connotation somewhat from their Latin source, the verb "disputare." That word means simply "to discuss." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputatious" and its synonym "disputative" have changed their connotation somewhat from their Latin source, the verb "disputare." That word means simply "to discuss." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-30,25489976 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25458756-disputatious Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputati... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputatious" and its synonym "disputative" have changed their connotation somewhat from their Latin source, the verb "disputare." That word means simply "to discuss." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for December 01, 2009 is: disputatious • \dis-pyuh-TAY-shus\  • adjective 1 : inclined to dispute b: marked by disputation *2 : provoking debate : controversial Example sentence: The radio host's disputatious opinions and discussions have drawn legions of listeners, and now he is moving his show to network television. Did you know? "Disputatious" can be used of both people and things. Disputatious people like to provoke arguments or find something to disagree about. In the "things" category, the word can apply to both situations and issues. For example, court trials are disputatious; that is, they are marked by disputation, or verbal controversy. An issue or matter is disputatious if it provokes controversy. However, if a matter, such as an assertion made by someone, is open to question rather than downright controversial, it's merely "disputable." In any case, there's no arguing that both "disputatious" and its synonym "disputative" have changed their connotation somewhat from their Latin source, the verb "disputare." That word means simply "to discuss." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-30,25458756 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503556-tristful Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym of "trust." This word eventually fell into disuse, but before doing so, it may have given rise to a word for a station used by hunters, which is in turn believed to have led to "tryst." Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym of "trust." This word eventually fell into disuse, but before doing so, it may have given rise to a word for a station used by hunters, which is in turn believed to have led to "tryst." tag:odeo.com,2009-11-30,25503556 Mon, 30 Nov 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489977-tristful Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym of "trust." This word eventually fell into disuse, but before doing so, it may have given rise to a word for a station used by hunters, which is in turn believed to have led to "tryst." Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym of "trust." This word eventually fell into disuse, but before doing so, it may have given rise to a word for a station used by hunters, which is in turn believed to have led to "tryst." tag:odeo.com,2009-11-29,25489977 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25458758-tristful Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym of "trust." This word eventually fell into disuse, but before doing so, it may have given rise to a word for a station used by hunters, which is in turn believed to have led to "tryst." Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 30, 2009 is: tristful • \TRIST-ful\  • adjective : sad, melancholy Example sentence: "And, come four o'clock, the Winter Garden is packed with tea parties gobbling cucumber sandwiches …, while a tristful harpist completes recollections of rainy afternoons trapped in British seaside palm courts…." (Simon Schama, The New Yorker, May 31, 2004) Did you know? The Middle English word "trist," from which "tristful" is derived, means "sad." Today, we spell this word "triste" (echoing the spelling of a French ancestor), whereas "tristful" has continued to be spelled without the "e." Is there a connection between "triste" ("sad") and "tryst" ("a secret rendezvous of lovers")? Not exactly. "Tryst" can be traced back to a Middle English "trist," but it is a different word, one that was a synonym of "trust." This word eventually fell into disuse, but before doing so, it may have given rise to a word for a station used by hunters, which is in turn believed to have led to "tryst." tag:odeo.com,2009-11-29,25458758 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503557-imbroglio Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," which also entered the language in the early 17th century, comes from the same source. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of "embrouiller" : "imbrogliare," meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun "imbroglio" as well. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," which also entered the language in the early 17th century, comes from the same source. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of "embrouiller" : "imbrogliare," meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun "imbroglio" as well. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-29,25503557 Sun, 29 Nov 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489978-imbroglio Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," which also entered the language in the early 17th century, comes from the same source. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of "embrouiller" : "imbrogliare," meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun "imbroglio" as well. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," which also entered the language in the early 17th century, comes from the same source. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of "embrouiller" : "imbrogliare," meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun "imbroglio" as well. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-28,25489978 Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25458759-imbroglio Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," which also entered the language in the early 17th century, comes from the same source. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of "embrouiller" : "imbrogliare," meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun "imbroglio" as well. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 29, 2009 is: imbroglio • \im-BROHL-yoh\  • noun 1 : a confused mass 2 a : a complicated situation b : a painful or embarrassing misunderstanding* c : a violent or bitter altercation : embroilment Example sentence: The two motorists got into an imbroglio after both tried to make a move for the same parking spot. Did you know? "Imbroglio" and "embroilment" are more than just synonyms; they're also linked through etymology. Both descend from the Middle French verb "embrouiller" (same meaning as "embroil"), from the prefix "em-," meaning "thoroughly," plus "brouiller," meaning "to mix" or "to confuse." ("Brouiller" is itself a descendant of an Old French word for broth.) Early in the 17th century, English speakers began using "embroil," a direct adaptation of "embrouiller." Our noun "embroilment," which also entered the language in the early 17th century, comes from the same source. Meanwhile, the Italians were using their own alteration of "embrouiller" : "imbrogliare," meaning "to entangle." In the mid-18th century, English speakers embraced the Italian noun "imbroglio" as well. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-28,25458759 Sat, 28 Nov 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503558-congruous Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another famil... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another familiar "congruere" descendant in English is "congruent," which first appeared at least a century earlier with the same meaning as "congruous." We also acquired "congrue," a verb meaning "to be in harmony" or "to agree," from "congruere," but it has since become obsolete. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another familiar "congruere" descendant in English is "congruent," which first appeared at least a century earlier with the same meaning as "congruous." We also acquired "congrue," a verb meaning "to be in harmony" or "to agree," from "congruere," but it has since become obsolete. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-28,25503558 Sat, 28 Nov 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489979-congruous Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another famil... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another familiar "congruere" descendant in English is "congruent," which first appeared at least a century earlier with the same meaning as "congruous." We also acquired "congrue," a verb meaning "to be in harmony" or "to agree," from "congruere," but it has since become obsolete. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another familiar "congruere" descendant in English is "congruent," which first appeared at least a century earlier with the same meaning as "congruous." We also acquired "congrue," a verb meaning "to be in harmony" or "to agree," from "congruere," but it has since become obsolete. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-27,25489979 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25458760-congruous Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another famil... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another familiar "congruere" descendant in English is "congruent," which first appeared at least a century earlier with the same meaning as "congruous." We also acquired "congrue," a verb meaning "to be in harmony" or "to agree," from "congruere," but it has since become obsolete. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 28, 2009 is: congruous • \KAHNG-groo-us\  • adjective 1 *a : being in agreement, harmony, or correspondence b : conforming to the circumstances or requirements of a situation : appropriate 2 : marked or enhanced by harmonious agreement among constituent elements Example sentence: “I’m not convinced that your ideas are congruous with the client’s expressed desire for simplicity,” wrote my boss at the top of the design plan I’d submitted. Did you know? "Congruous" has been used in English since at least 1599, when it appeared in the following description: "All the parts of his bodie were in good proportion, and congruous as a man could wish." It has remained more or less true to its Latin roots: it is derived from Latin "congruus," an adjective that comes from the verb "congruere," which means "to come together" or “to agree." Another familiar "congruere" descendant in English is "congruent," which first appeared at least a century earlier with the same meaning as "congruous." We also acquired "congrue," a verb meaning "to be in harmony" or "to agree," from "congruere," but it has since become obsolete. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-27,25458760 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25503559-inoculate Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin "oculus" was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin "oculus" was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-27,25503559 Fri, 27 Nov 2009 08:30:15 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489980-inoculate Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin "oculus" was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin "oculus" was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-26,25489980 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25458761-inoculate Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert ... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin "oculus" was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 27, 2009 is: inoculate • \ih-NAHK-yuh-layt\  • verb 1 a : to introduce a microorganism into b : to introduce (as a microorganism) into a suitable situation for growth* c : to introduce immunologically active material (as an antibody or antigen) into especially in order to treat or prevent a disease 2 : to introduce something into the mind of 3 : to protect as if by inoculation Example sentence: In 1796, the English physician Edward Jenner discovered that inoculating people with cowpox could provide immunity against smallpox. Did you know? If you think you see a connection between "inoculate" and "ocular" ("of or relating to the eye"), you are not mistaken -- both words look back to "oculus," the Latin word for "eye." But what does the eye have to do with inoculation? Our answer lies in the original use in English of "inoculate" in Middle English: "to insert a bud in a plant." Latin "oculus" was sometimes applied to things that were seen to resemble eyes, and one such thing was the bud of a plant. "Inoculate" was later applied to other forms of engrafting or implanting, including the introduction of vaccines as a preventative against disease. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-26,25458761 Thu, 26 Nov 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489981-scrumptious Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2009 is: scrumptious • \SKRUMP-shus\  • adjective : delightful, excellent; especially : delicious Example sentence: To celebrate their first Thanksgiving in their new home, Ilene and Paul prepared a scrumptious feast for 12 guests. Did you know? First appearing in English in 1830, "scrumptious" is a mouth-watering word that is used to describe what is delightful and delectable. It probably originated as an alteration of "sumptuous," and it carries the elegant and wonderful connotations of its parent. ("Sumptuous" derives via Middle English from the Latin verb "sumere," meaning "to take or spend.") British author Roald Dahl had some fun with “scrumptious,” and created a delightful coinage, when he inserted the infix “-diddly-” into the word to make “scrumdiddlyumptious,” the word that chocolate magnate Willy Wonka uses to name his best-sell... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2009 is: scrumptious • \SKRUMP-shus\  • adjective : delightful, excellent; especially : delicious Example sentence: To celebrate their first Thanksgiving in their new home, Ilene and Paul prepared a scrumptious feast for 12 guests. Did you know? First appearing in English in 1830, "scrumptious" is a mouth-watering word that is used to describe what is delightful and delectable. It probably originated as an alteration of "sumptuous," and it carries the elegant and wonderful connotations of its parent. ("Sumptuous" derives via Middle English from the Latin verb "sumere," meaning "to take or spend.") British author Roald Dahl had some fun with “scrumptious,” and created a delightful coinage, when he inserted the infix “-diddly-” into the word to make “scrumdiddlyumptious,” the word that chocolate magnate Willy Wonka uses to name his best-selling treats in his novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964). Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2009 is: scrumptious • \SKRUMP-shus\  • adjective : delightful, excellent; especially : delicious Example sentence: To celebrate their first Thanksgiving in their new home, Ilene and Paul prepared a scrumptious feast for 12 guests. Did you know? First appearing in English in 1830, "scrumptious" is a mouth-watering word that is used to describe what is delightful and delectable. It probably originated as an alteration of "sumptuous," and it carries the elegant and wonderful connotations of its parent. ("Sumptuous" derives via Middle English from the Latin verb "sumere," meaning "to take or spend.") British author Roald Dahl had some fun with “scrumptious,” and created a delightful coinage, when he inserted the infix “-diddly-” into the word to make “scrumdiddlyumptious,” the word that chocolate magnate Willy Wonka uses to name his best-selling treats in his novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964). tag:odeo.com,2009-11-25,25489981 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25458762-scrumptious Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2009 is: scrumptious • \SKRUMP-shus\  • adjective : delightful, excellent; especially : delicious Example sentence: To celebrate their first Thanksgiving in their new home, Ilene and Paul prepared a scrumptious feast for 12 guests. Did you know? First appearing in English in 1830, "scrumptious" is a mouth-watering word that is used to describe what is delightful and delectable. It probably originated as an alteration of "sumptuous," and it carries the elegant and wonderful connotations of its parent. ("Sumptuous" derives via Middle English from the Latin verb "sumere," meaning "to take or spend.") British author Roald Dahl had some fun with “scrumptious,” and created a delightful coinage, when he inserted the infix “-diddly-” into the word to make “scrumdiddlyumptious,” the word that chocolate magnate Willy Wonka uses to name his best-sell... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2009 is: scrumptious • \SKRUMP-shus\  • adjective : delightful, excellent; especially : delicious Example sentence: To celebrate their first Thanksgiving in their new home, Ilene and Paul prepared a scrumptious feast for 12 guests. Did you know? First appearing in English in 1830, "scrumptious" is a mouth-watering word that is used to describe what is delightful and delectable. It probably originated as an alteration of "sumptuous," and it carries the elegant and wonderful connotations of its parent. ("Sumptuous" derives via Middle English from the Latin verb "sumere," meaning "to take or spend.") British author Roald Dahl had some fun with “scrumptious,” and created a delightful coinage, when he inserted the infix “-diddly-” into the word to make “scrumdiddlyumptious,” the word that chocolate magnate Willy Wonka uses to name his best-selling treats in his novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964). Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 26, 2009 is: scrumptious • \SKRUMP-shus\  • adjective : delightful, excellent; especially : delicious Example sentence: To celebrate their first Thanksgiving in their new home, Ilene and Paul prepared a scrumptious feast for 12 guests. Did you know? First appearing in English in 1830, "scrumptious" is a mouth-watering word that is used to describe what is delightful and delectable. It probably originated as an alteration of "sumptuous," and it carries the elegant and wonderful connotations of its parent. ("Sumptuous" derives via Middle English from the Latin verb "sumere," meaning "to take or spend.") British author Roald Dahl had some fun with “scrumptious,” and created a delightful coinage, when he inserted the infix “-diddly-” into the word to make “scrumdiddlyumptious,” the word that chocolate magnate Willy Wonka uses to name his best-selling treats in his novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (1964). tag:odeo.com,2009-11-25,25458762 Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:15:01 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day http://www.odeo.com/episodes/25489982-temerarious Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 25, 2009 is: temerarious • \tem-uh-RAIR-ee-us\  • adjective : marked by temerity : rashly or presumptuously daring Example sentence: The brave explorer set off for the unplumbed depths of the dangerous cave with only a few supplies and one temerarious companion. Did you know? If you have guessed that "temerarious" may be related to the somewhat more common word "temerity," you are correct. "Temerarious" was borrowed into English in the early 16th century from Latin "temerarius," which in turn derives from Latin "temere," meaning "blindly" or" recklessly." "Temerity," which arrived in English over a century earlier, also derives from "temere"; another descendant is the rare word "intemerate" (meaning "pure" or "undefiled"). "Temere" itself is akin to Old High German "demar," Latin &quo... Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 25, 2009 is: temerarious • \tem-uh-RAIR-ee-us\  • adjective : marked by temerity : rashly or presumptuously daring Example sentence: The brave explorer set off for the unplumbed depths of the dangerous cave with only a few supplies and one temerarious companion. Did you know? If you have guessed that "temerarious" may be related to the somewhat more common word "temerity," you are correct. "Temerarious" was borrowed into English in the early 16th century from Latin "temerarius," which in turn derives from Latin "temere," meaning "blindly" or" recklessly." "Temerity," which arrived in English over a century earlier, also derives from "temere"; another descendant is the rare word "intemerate" (meaning "pure" or "undefiled"). "Temere" itself is akin to Old High German "demar," Latin "tenebrae," and Sanskrit "tamas," all of which have associations with darkness. Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for November 25, 2009 is: temerarious • \tem-uh-RAIR-ee-us\  • adjective : marked by temerity : rashly or presumptuously daring Example sentence: The brave explorer set off for the unplumbed depths of the dangerous cave with only a few supplies and one temerarious companion. Did you know? If you have guessed that "temerarious" may be related to the somewhat more common word "temerity," you are correct. "Temerarious" was borrowed into English in the early 16th century from Latin "temerarius," which in turn derives from Latin "temere," meaning "blindly" or" recklessly." "Temerity," which arrived in English over a century earlier, also derives from "temere"; another descendant is the rare word "intemerate" (meaning "pure" or "undefiled"). "Temere" itself is akin to Old High German "demar," Latin "tenebrae," and Sanskrit "tamas," all of which have associations with darkness. tag:odeo.com,2009-11-24,25489982 Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:15:02 -0800 no Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day