A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Mon May 1 00:01:04 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--plethora X-Bonus: A full belly to the labourer is, in my opinion, the foundation of public morals and the only source of real public peace. -William Cobbett, journalist, pamphleteer, and farmer (1763-1835) The word "pulchritude" may mean "beauty", but it's an ugly word. So are the five words featured in this week's A.Word.A.Day. Please don't use them. If you ever feel tempted to use the word plethora, stay strong. Don't give in. Leave plethora out of your mind -- you're better than that. In extreme cases, you may have to temporarily remove A, E, H, L, O, P, R, or T keys from your keyboard until the urge subsides. (If you have used the word in the past, well, we wouldn't hold it against you. We all have done things that we are not proud of.) Now, I know we shouldn't judge a word by its spelling or sound. Also, what is one person's ugly may be another's beautiful. This week's words are just my pick. What words do you find ugly, and wish no one would ever use, and you never ever have to see again? plethora (PLETH-uhr-uh) noun An abundance or excess. [From Latin plethora, from Greek plethore (fullness), from plethein (to be full). In the beginning the word was applied to an excess of a humor, especially blood, in the body. Earliest documented use: 1541.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/plethora "The plethora and panoply of scents in his talented nose alone are beyond our mutual eloquence." Brian Doyle; Martin Marten; Thomas Dunne Books; 2015. -------- Date: Tue May 2 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--comestible X-Bonus: All the time a person is a child he is both a child and learning to be a parent. After he becomes a parent he becomes predominantly a parent reliving childhood. -Benjamin Spock, pediatrician and author (2 May 1903-1998) This week's theme: Ugly words comestible (kuh-MES-tuh-buhl) noun: An article of food. adjective: Fit to eat; edible. [From French comestible (edible, food), from Latin comedere (to eat up), from com- (intensive prefix) + edere (to eat). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ed- (to eat, to bite), which also gave us edible, obese, etch, fret, edacious https://wordsmith.org/words/edacious.html , anodyne https://wordsmith.org/words/anodyne.html , esurient https://wordsmith.org/words/esurient.html , prandial https://wordsmith.org/words/prandial.html , and postprandial https://wordsmith.org/words/postprandial.html . Earliest documented use: 1483.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/comestible "Their tastes ran to a plethora of comestibles your doctor would not recommend." Martin Gayford; Jazz Without Smoke?; The Daily Telegraph (London, UK); Apr 16, 1993. -------- Date: Wed May 3 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--myriad X-Bonus: The first method for estimating the intelligence of a ruler is to look at the men he has around him. -Niccolo Machiavelli, political philosopher and author (3 May 1469-1527) This week's theme: Ugly words myriad (MIR-ee-ehd) noun: A large number. adjective: Large in number, variations, etc. [From Greek myriás (ten thousand, countless). Earliest documented use: 1555.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/myriad "Travelers will be hard pressed to find an area that doesn't offer something in the way of a small meal; breads, pastries, pizzas, sandwiches, bagels, meats, cheeses, juices, ice creams, and vegetarian goodies are among the myriad comestible options available." Martin Dunford; The Rough Guide to New York City; Rough Guides; 2009. -------- Date: Thu May 4 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nugatory X-Bonus: The doctrine of the material efficacy of prayer reduces the Creator to a cosmic bellhop of a not very bright or reliable kind. -Herbert J. Muller, educator, historian, and author (1905-1980) This week's theme: Ugly words nugatory (NOO-guh-tor-ee, NYOO-) adjective 1. Of little value; trifling. 2. Having no force; ineffective. [From Latin nugatorius (trifling), from nugari (to trifle). Earliest documented use: 1603.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/nugatory "Candidates ... from a myriad of smaller parties ... were humiliated, their campaigns ending with a returning officer reading out their nugatory scores to a sports centre full of jeering politicos." In Praise of the Runners-Up; The Journal (Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, UK); May 12, 2015. -------- Date: Fri May 5 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--fructify X-Bonus: Heavy hearts, like heavy clouds in the sky, are best relieved by the letting of a little water. -Christopher Morley, writer (5 May 1890-1957) This week's theme: Ugly words fructify (FRUHK-tuh-fy, FROOK-) verb tr., intr.: To make or become fruitful. [From Latin fructificare (to bear fruit), from fructus (fruit). Earliest documented use: 1325.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/fructify "Rampant paranoia may be ... ultimately cathartic or fructifying, rendering conspiracy nugatory." James Morrison; Passport to Hollywood; SUNY Press; 1998. -------- Date: Mon May 8 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--au courant X-Bonus: If they can get you asking the wrong questions, they don't have to worry about the answers. -Thomas Pynchon, novelist (b. 8 May 1937) Twenty-five years ago I came to America. Ever since, I've hitched my fate to this country. I go where this country goes. And I want it to continue to succeed. I want a president who invests in modern technologies, not one who sends us back into coal mines. I want a president who sees this country as a place where we come up with world-changing innovations, like the Internet, not one who wants to put people on assembly lines. I want this country to continue to be the one people want to come to, not one that people run away from -- a place that attracts people from all over the world, people who win us patents and gold medals and Nobel prizes. I want a president who unites people, not divides them according to race, color, and religion. On January 20, as the new president was sworn in, I couldn't believe it was happening. My mind weary, I went for a run. After three miles both mind and body were tired, and in sync. Then I came home, logged on to my computer, and signed up to run a marathon. I have been training for a marathon ever since, and looking forward to running the whole distance in June. When I signed up, I wasn't sure I could do it, but as I'm slowly increasing my distance, I'm feeling more confident. Four days a week I run on a trail along a river near my home. After two or three miles, the mind clears. One foot falls after another, one leg goes in front of the other, and the body propels forward. It just goes on and on, as if in a trance. You can call it a kind of meditation, except that instead of sitting quietly in one place, your whole body hurtles through linear space. It also helps to have some mind tricks. For example, last Saturday, I ran 16 miles. When I started the run, I saw it only as half the distance. I just needed to go forward eight miles. After that, all that's left is to come back. I run, rain or shine. In rain, it takes a little longer. I see earthworms on the trail and I stop to scoop them up and put them safely back, off to the side. I also see geese along the trail. They mind their business, chomping away at the grass, rain drops sliding off their backs. But don't assume these birds are passive. You try to get a little closer to their eggs or goslings, and they hiss, and get nasty. And so it goes. Sometimes we just have to keep running, pausing only to help those vulnerable among us. And band together and hiss and get nasty when someone tries to break us. If we keep doing this, we can sustain 26 miles or four years. And we can not only sustain, we can overcome. On one of these runs I started thinking about what words in the English language have their origins in running. This week we'll see five of them. au courant (o koo-RAN) [the last syllable is nasal] adjective: 1. Up-to-date; fully-informed. 2. Fashionable. [From French au courant (literally, in the current, i.e. knowledgeable or up-to-date), from Latin currere (to run). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kers- (to run), which also gave us car, career, carpenter, occur, discharge, caricature, cark https://wordsmith.org/words/cark.html , discursive https://wordsmith.org/words/discursive.html , and succor https://wordsmith.org/words/succor.html . Earliest documented use: 1762.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/au%20courant "He was a good scholar, tried to keep au courant with the latest archaeological research." James A. Michener; The Source; Marjay; 1965. "The Troubadour makes a point of straddling the classic and au courant." Laura Chubb; Southern Comfort; Evening Standard (London, UK); Apr 28, 2017. -------- Date: Tue May 9 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--runnel X-Bonus: Inside my empty bottle I was constructing a lighthouse while all the others were making ships. -Charles Simic, poet (b. 9 May 1938) This week's theme: Words originating in running runnel (RUHN-l) noun A small stream or channel. [From Old English rinnan (to run). Ultimately from the Indo-European root rei- (to flow or run), which also gave us run, rival, and derive. Earliest documented use: 1577.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/runnel "Courts became runnels for judicial cruelty, dispensing sentences vastly more severe than anything usual for similar crimes." China Miéville; 'Oh, London, You Drama Queen'; The New York Times Magazine; Mar 4, 2012. -------- Date: Wed May 10 00:01:04 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--concur X-Bonus: The world is more malleable than you think and it's waiting for you to hammer it into shape. -Bono, musician and social activist (b. 10 May 1960) This week's theme: Words originating in running concur (kuhn-KUHR) verb intr. To agree, approve, or coincide. [From Latin concurrere (to run together, meet, or coincide), from con- (with) + currere (to run). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kers- (to run), which also gave us car, career, carpenter, occur, discharge, caricature, au courant https://wordsmith.org/words/au_courant.html , cark https://wordsmith.org/words/cark.html , discursive https://wordsmith.org/words/discursive.html , and succor https://wordsmith.org/words/succor.html . Earliest documented use: 1522.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/concur "The court did not concur with the tenant ... and issued a judgment both against the tenant and his guarantor." George Coucounis; Terminating Tenancy Agreements and Giving Notice; Cyprus Mail (Nicosia); Apr 30, 2017. -------- Date: Thu May 11 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--palindrome X-Bonus: Testing can show the presence of errors, but not their absence. -Edsger Dijkstra, computer scientist (11 May 1930-2002) This week's theme: Words originating in running palindrome (PAL-in-drohm) noun A word, phrase, sentence, or a longer work that reads the same backward and forward. For example, "A man, a plan, a canal, Panama!" [From Greek palindromos (running again), from palin (again) + dromos (running). Earliest documented use: 1637.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/palindrome Here's a palindromic URL: https://wordsmith.org/words/sdrow/gro.htimsdrow//:sptth Sator Square (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sator_Square), a Latin palindrome found in the ruins of Pompeii: https://wordsmith.org/words/images/palindrome_large.jpg "The entire family is obsessed with wordplay. Palindromes are their specialty (thus the girls' names [Ava and Pip])." J Courtney Sullivan; Little Sister, Big Plans; The New York Times Book Review; May 11, 2014. -------- Date: Fri May 12 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--excursus X-Bonus: Neither genius, fame, nor love show the greatness of the soul. Only kindness can do that. -Jean Baptiste Henri Lacordaire, preacher, journalist, and activist (12 May 1802-1861) This week's theme: Words originating in running excursus (ik-SKUHR-suhs, ek-) noun 1. A detailed discussion about a particular point, especially when added as an appendix. 2. A digression. [From Latin excurrere (to run out), from ex- (out) + currere (to run). Ultimately from the Indo-European root kers- (to run), which also gave us car, career, carpenter, occur, discharge, caricature, au courant https://wordsmith.org/words/au_courant.html , concur https://wordsmith.org/words/concur.html , cark https://wordsmith.org/words/cark.html , discursive https://wordsmith.org/words/discursive.html , and succor https://wordsmith.org/words/succor.html . Earliest documented use: 1803.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/excursus "Pushkin's translator and editor Vladimir Nabokov included a 50-page excursus on the current state of knowledge about 'Abram Gannibal'." Maggie Gee; Gannibal; New Statesman (London, UK); Aug 8, 2005. -------- Date: Mon May 15 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sadiron X-Bonus: When you re-read a classic, you do not see more in the book than you did before; you see more in yourself than there was before. -Clifton Fadiman, editor and critic (15 May 1904-1999) A clock's second hand is really its third hand. Refried beans are only fried once. A running joke is the same as a standing joke. The Mall of America is owned by Canadians. The President of America is owned by ... Well, don't look for much sense in naming. And what are words but names for things and ideas. This week we have selected five words that mean something very different from what you think they might mean. sadiron (SAD-eye-uhrn) noun A heavy flatiron pointed at both ends and having a detachable handle. [From sad (obsolete senses of the word: heavy, solid) + iron. Earliest documented use: 1759.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/sadiron_large.jpg Photo: Dave Weller https://www.flickr.com/photos/voiland/11121899466 "The next day, everything was ironed with a sadiron." Jean Baggott; The Drama of a Very Ordinary Life; Daily Mail (London, UK); Feb 27, 2010. -------- Date: Tue May 16 00:01:04 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--adoral X-Bonus: As a general truth, communities prosper and flourish, or droop and decline, in just the degree that they practise or neglect to practise the primary duties of justice and humanity. -William Henry Seward, Secretary of State, Governor, and Senator (16 May 1801-1872) This week's theme: Words that aren't what they appear to be adoral (ad-OHR-uhl) adjective Located toward the side or end where the mouth is located, especially in animals that don't have clear upper and lower sides. [From ad- (toward) + oral (relating to the mouth), from Latin os (mouth). Earliest documented use: 1862.] "The most severe lesions are in the adoral sections of the small intestine." Chris Cebra, et al.; Llama and Alpaca Care; Saunders; 2014. -------- Date: Wed May 17 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--lust-house X-Bonus: Most creativity is a transition from one context into another where things are more surprising. There's an element of surprise, and especially in science, there is often laughter that goes along with the 'Aha'. Art also has this element. Our job is to remind us that there are more contexts than the one that we're in -- the one that we think is reality. -Alan Kay, computer scientist (b. 17 May 1940) This week's theme: Words that aren't what they appear to be lust-house (LUST-hous) noun 1. A country house or a summer house. 2. A tavern with a beer garden. [From Dutch lusthuis (country house), from German Lusthaus (summer house), from lust (pleasure). Earliest documented use: 1590.] "There are other things besides lust-houses and flower-beds." Arthur Conan Doyle; Micah Clarke; Longmans, Green & Co.; 1889. -------- Date: Thu May 18 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bodkin X-Bonus: And if there were a God, I think it very unlikely that He would have such an uneasy vanity as to be offended by those who doubt His existence. -Bertrand Russell, philosopher, mathematician, author, Nobel laureate (18 May 1872-1970) This week's theme: Words that aren't what they appear to be bodkin (BOD-kin, -kuhn) noun 1. A small, pointed instrument for making holes in cloth, etc. 2. A blunt needle for drawing tape or cord through a loop or a hem. 3. A long, ornamental hairpin. 4. A dagger or stiletto. [Of unknown origin. Earliest documented use: 1386.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: http://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/bodkin https://wordsmith.org/words/images/bodkin_large.jpg Image: Shelley Crouch https://www.flickr.com/photos/21235480@N07/4670690574/ "Wild plums like these are excellent pricked with a bodkin." Helen Yemm; No-Hassle Hedge and Fancying Up a Fence; The Daily Telegraph (London, UK); Oct 29, 2016. -------- Date: Fri May 19 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--atrophy X-Bonus: The thing that makes you exceptional, if you are at all, is inevitably that which must also make you lonely. -Lorraine Hansberry, playwright and painter (19 May 1930-1965) This week's theme: Words that aren't what they appear to be atrophy (A-truh-fee) noun: A wasting away or decline, due to disease, injury, lack of use, etc. verb tr., intr.: To wither or cause to waste away. [From French atrophie, from Latin atrophia, from Greek atrophia, from a- (without) + trophe (food). Earliest documented use: 1620.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/atrophy "Here, I've been more or less a couch potato -- and my body is telling me to get moving before everything atrophies." Irene Hannon; Hope Harbor; Revell; 2015. -------- Date: Mon May 22 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gemutlich X-Bonus: I should dearly love that the world should be ever so little better for my presence. Even on this small stage we have our two sides, and something might be done by throwing all one's weight on the scale of breadth, tolerance, charity, temperance, peace, and kindliness to man and beast. We can't all strike very big blows, and even the little ones count for something. -Arthur Conan Doyle, physician and writer (22 May 1859-1930) The first thing that comes to mind with thinking about words from German is extravagant polysyllabic constructions such as gotterdammerung https://wordsmith.org/words/gotterdammerung.html ("These things are not words, they are alphabetical processions." -Mark Twain). But German does have plenty of short (relatively speaking) words. This week we'll feature some of them that have been borrowed into the English language. gemutlich (guh-MOOT-lik, -MUT-likh) adjective Cozy; comfortable; pleasant; friendly. [From German gemütlich (cozy, comfortable, etc.), from Gemüt (nature, mind, soul) + -lich (-ly). Earliest documented use: 1852. A related word is gemutlichkeit https://wordsmith.org/words/gemutlichkeit.html .] "Gemütlich ist Beisammensein" (The comforts of being together) https://wordsmith.org/words/images/gemutlich_large.jpg Art: August von Rentzell (1810-1891) "Between the radio playing soft music and the coals burning in the fireplace, it was a gemutlich atmosphere on a chilly December day." Annelore Harrell; 75 Years After Pearl Harbor; Savannah Morning News (Georgia); Dec 7, 2016. -------- Date: Tue May 23 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--anschauung X-Bonus: A house is no home unless it contains food and fire for the mind as well as the body. -Margaret Fuller, author, critic, and women's rights advocate (23 May 1810-1850) This week's theme: Words borrowed from German Anschauung (AHN-shou-uhng) noun 1. Intuition. 2. Outlook, attitude, opinion, etc. [From German Anschauung (view, contemplation, perception), from anschauen (to look at), from an- (at) + schauen (to look). Earliest documented use: 1820. Also see weltanschauung https://wordsmith.org/words/weltanschauung.html .] "You, through your knowledge and insight -- your Anschauung -- you can help people." H. Andrew Lynch; The Superhero's Closet; Xlibris; 2006. -------- Date: Wed May 24 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gesellschaft X-Bonus: I think of a hero as someone who understands the degree of responsibility that comes with his freedom. -Bob Dylan, singer-songwriter, Nobel laureate (b. 24 May 1941) This week's theme: Words borrowed from German gesellschaft (guh-ZEL-shaft) noun Social relations based on impersonal ties, such as obligations to an institution or society. [From German Gesellschaft (society, company, party), from Geselle (companion) + -schaft (-ship). Earliest documented use: 1964.] NOTES: The counterpart of gesellschaft is gemeinschaft (social relations based on personal ties) https://wordsmith.org/words/gemeinschaft.html . The German sociologist Ferdinand Tönnies described the two in his 1887 book "Gemeinschaft und Gesellschaft" (Community and Society). "As with those small-town figures, the doorman's knowledge of a person can be worrying, but it is comforting, too. The doorman is a touch of Gemeinschaft in an ever more Gesellschaft world." James Collins; Why Doormen?; The New York Times; Apr 26, 2010. -------- Date: Thu May 25 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gesamtkunstwerk X-Bonus: The true test of a civilization is, not the census, nor the size of the cities, nor the crops -- no, but the kind of man the country turns out. -Ralph Waldo Emerson, essayist (25 May 1803-1882) This week's theme: Words borrowed from German Gesamtkunstwerk (guh-ZAHMT-koonst-vuhrk) noun A work of art that makes use of many different art forms. [From German Gesamtkunstwerk (total artwork), from gesamt (total, whole) + Kunst (art) + Werk (work). Earliest documented use: 1939.] NOTES: The concept is Gesamtkunstwerk is associated with the composer Richard Wagner who described it in a series of essays in an attempt to synthesize music, drama, dance, poetry, etc. "Here all the arts were to amalgamate into one gigantic Gesamtkunstwerk: music, voice, song, dance, color, scent." Marjana Gaponenko; Who is Martha?; New Vessel Press; 2014. -------- Date: Fri May 26 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--krummholz X-Bonus: A man that is ashamed of passions that are natural and reasonable is generally proud of those that are shameful and silly. -Lady Mary Wortley Montagu, author (26 May 1689-1762) This week's theme: Words borrowed from German krummholz (KROOM-holts) noun Stunted trees near the timber line on a mountain. [From German, from krumm (crooked) + Holz (wood). Earliest documented use: 1908.] "Contorted spiky krummholz and tangled alder grew close to the water's edge." Julian May; Jack the Bodiless; Del Rey; 1991. -------- Date: Mon May 29 00:01:04 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--glocalize X-Bonus: We are not afraid to entrust the American people with unpleasant facts, foreign ideas, alien philosophies, and competitive values. For a nation that is afraid to let its people judge the truth and falsehood in an open market is a nation that is afraid of its people. -John F. Kennedy, 35th US president (29 May 1917-1963) In a recent issue of the "National Geographic" magazine I came across this sentence: "A few gravel streets run past a school, church, post office, supermarket, hardware store, health clinic, gas station, washateria, ..." http://www.nationalgeographic.com/magazine/2017/04/artifact-melt-alaska-archaeology-climate-change/ "Whoa!" I thought. "What's a washateria?" I had never seen this word, yet the writer used it without a gloss, indicating it's a common word. Well, I was able to figure out its meaning from the spelling and the context. I guessed it must be a blend of wash + cafeteria, meaning a self-serve laundry or a laundromat (which is also a blend: launder + automatic) and that's what it is. Of the many ways to create a new word, making a blend is the favorite of marketers (camcorder: camera + recorder) and for good reason: it makes it easy to figure out what a product is. This week we'll see five words coined by blending other words. These words are also known as portmanteaux https://wordsmith.org/words/portmanteau.html . glocalize (GLO-kuh-lyz) verb tr. To make a product or service available widely, but adapted for local markets. [A blend of global and localize. Earliest documented use: 1989.] Texarkana (Texas + Arkansas) https://wordsmith.org/words/images/portmanteau_texarkana_large.jpg Photo: Steve Snodgrass https://www.flickr.com/photos/stevensnodgrass/8183933764/ "Communications have also been glocalized. Facebook, the global power on the rise, is an expression of this." Uri Savir; Glocalization; Jerusalem Post (Israel); Feb 24, 2012. -------- Date: Tue May 30 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--solunar X-Bonus: We all too often have socialism for the rich and rugged free market capitalism for the poor. -Martin Luther King, Jr., civil-rights leader (1929-1968) This week's theme: Portmanteaux (blend words) solunar (so-LOO-nuhr) adjective Relating to the sun and the moon. [A blend of solar and lunar. Earliest documented use: 1936.] Goldendoodle (golden retriever + poodle) https://wordsmith.org/words/images/portmanteau_goldendoodle_large.jpg Photo: Shannon Tompkins https://www.flickr.com/photos/shannon_tompkins/16413137150/ "Even the highest orders of animals were less adaptable to different environmental conditions, and particularly to solunar and other cycles." Gordon R. Dickson; The Final Encyclopedia; Tor Books; 1996. -------- Date: Wed May 31 00:01:03 EDT 2017 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--judder X-Bonus: After you have exhausted what there is in business, politics, conviviality, and so on -- have found that none of these finally satisfy, or permanently wear -- what remains? Nature remains. -Walt Whitman, poet (31 May 1819-1892) This week's theme: Portmanteaux (blend words) judder (JUHD-uhr) verb intr.: To shake or vibrate violently. noun: An intense shaking or vibration. [A blend of jolt/jar/jerk and shudder. Earliest documented use: 1926.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/judder Tanknology (tank + technology) https://wordsmith.org/words/images/portmanteau_tanknology_large.jpg Photo: Chris Chan https://www.flickr.com/photos/crazytales562/2351684805 "Its only drawback is a firm suspension that accentuates uneven surfaces and sends a sharp judder up your back if you take speed bumps at anything more than a crawl." Adding Extra Spice to the City Car Scene; Express & Echo (Exeter, UK); May 11, 2017.