A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Thu May 1 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--unicity X-Bonus: Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for. -Joseph Addison, writer (1 May 1672-1719) This week's theme: Words that aren't what they appear to be unicity (yoo-NIS-uh-tee) noun The quality of being the only one of its kind: uniqueness or oneness. [From Latin unicus (one, unique). Earliest documented use: 1691. A synonym is uniquity https://wordsmith.org/words/uniquity.html .] NOTES: Philosophers use "unicity" when talking about things like the unicity of God or the unicity of truth; or you might do so in reference to the unicity of your Bluetooth connection when it's finally working properly for once in its life. Not to be confused with duplicity, when one is being two-faced (aka Janus-faced https://wordsmith.org/words/janus-faced.html ). https://wordsmith.org/words/images/unicity_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "[Emmanuel Macron] asks what is the unicity of the EU and defines it as a unique political body without hegemony, sharing sovereignty and uniting people democratically." Paul Gillespie; Germany Must Meet Macron's Demands; Irish Times (Dublin); May 13, 2017. -------- Date: Fri May 2 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--piepowder X-Bonus: Man can be the most affectionate and altruistic of creatures, yet he's potentially more vicious than any other. He is the only one who can be persuaded to hate millions of his own kind whom he has never seen and to kill as many as he can lay his hands on in the name of his tribe or his God. -Benjamin Spock, pediatrician and author (2 May 1903-1998) This week's theme: Words that aren't what they appear to be piepowder (PY-pow-duhr) noun A traveler, especially a traveling merchant. [From Old French pie (foot) + poudre (powder, dust). Earliest documented use: 1436.] NOTES: Back in the pre-sneaker, pre-sidewalk, pre-horseless-carriage era, travelers https://wordsmith.org/words/alsatia.html earned their name the hard way: one dusty footstep at a time. The term piepowder literally means dusty-foot, a poetic nod to the grime that clung to merchants as they wandered from fair to fair, hawking wares and dodging pickpockets. Itinerant merchants were the original pop-up shops. Because disputes over goods, weights, and prices were inevitable, special Courts of Piepowders were held on the spot to mete out justice, fairground-style. Think Judge Judy, but with more livestock and fewer microphones. "Bartholomew Fair" (1807) https://wordsmith.org/words/images/piepowder_large.jpg Etching: Thomas Rowlandson, after John Nixon https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bartholomew_Fair_MET_DP873843.jpg "I had the rogues up at the court of piepowder, and they will harm no more peaceful traders." Arthur Conan Doyle; The White Company; Smith, Elder & Co.; 1891. -------- Date: Mon May 5 00:01:03 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--elucidatory X-Bonus: When a clown moves into a palace, he does not become a king. The palace becomes a circus. -Elizabeth Bangs, writer (b. 30 Oct 1956) I like people who practice what they preach. But I love words that do. Take pentasyllabic, a word that both means and is five syllables long. Talk about walking the syllabic walk. (More here https://wordsmith.org/words/monosemous.html ) That got me wondering: Why doesn't the word _vowel_ include all the vowels? Where are a, i, and u hiding? It's like a party missing half the guests. Let's fix it. We make some progress with _vowelize_. But that still leaves it without a and u. How about _vowelization_? Now all we need is a u. Where do we go from here? Maybe u can help? Share on our website https://wordsmith.org/words/elucidatory.html or email us at words@wordsmith.org. Include your location: city, state. We're all ears. And eyes. And sometimes y. In the meantime, we vow to bring you words this week with all vowels: aeiou, and yes, even the sometime-shy y. Some vowely good fun from our archives: Shortest word with all five vowels: eunoia https://wordsmith.org/words/eunoia.html Shortest with all six vowels: oxygeusia https://wordsmith.org/words/oxygeusia.html Words with vowels in order: See here https://wordsmith.org/words/abstentious.html here https://wordsmith.org/words/anemious.html and here https://wordsmith.org/words/affectious.html Vowels once and in alphabetical order: https://wordsmith.org/words/abstemious.html All six vowels, any order: https://wordsmith.org/words/elocutionary.html Only one vowel (because why not do the opposite): https://wordsmith.org/words/parastatal.html elucidatory (i-LOO/LYOO-si-duh-tuh-ree) adjective Serving to clarify or explain. [From Latin elucidare (to make clear), from lucid (bright, clear), from lucere (to shine), from lux (light). Ultimately from the Indo-European root leuk- (light), which also gave us lunar, lunatic, light, lightning, lucid, illuminate, illustrate, lustration https://wordsmith.org/words/lustration.html , Lucifer, translucent, lux, and lynx. Earliest documented use: 1774.] NOTES: Something elucidatory is a flashlight in the fog of confusion. It’s what a good teacher provides, what a user manual _tries_ to be, and what this very entry hopes to accomplish. https://wordsmith.org/words/images/elucidatory_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "Fans scrambled to decode and catalogue all this information online, providing elucidatory footnotes." Rachel Aroesti; From Baby Reindeer to Taylor Swift, How Amateur Sleuths Ruined Pop Culture; The Guardian (London, UK); May 25, 2024. -------- Date: Tue May 6 00:01:03 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--questionary X-Bonus: In the small matters trust the mind, in the large ones the heart. -Sigmund Freud, neurologist, founder of psychoanalysis (6 May 1856-1939) This week's theme: Words with all the vowels questionary (KWES-chuh-ner-ee) noun: 1. A list of questions: a questionnaire. 2. One who asks questions. adjective: 1. Inquisitive. 2. Having or relating to questions. [From question, from Middle French question, from Latin quaerere (to ask). Earliest documented use: 1541.] NOTES: A questionary can be both the interrogator and the instrument. How handy! Whether you're handing out a survey or peppering someone with pointed queries, you're being delightfully -- or annoyingly -- questionary. Could Sherlock Holmes be called a questionary detective? Or is that just elementary? See also: sixty-four-dollar question https://wordsmith.org/words/sixty-four_dollar_question.html "Counsel shall limit the cross examination to no more than twenty questions, confining them solely to matters related to animals, vegetables, or minerals." https://wordsmith.org/words/images/questionary_large.jpg Cartoon: Dan Piraro https://www.facebook.com/bizarrocomics/ "The depth and relevance of the testing offered by these companies varies widely, as does the usefulness of the information they provide. Some rely on detailed questionaries." Adam Piore; Forget Fad Diets. AI Knows Exactly What You Should Eat for Your Best Health; Newsweek (New York); Mar 17, 2023. "The look on her face now was very questionary, and the answer was unspoken in his mouth like a song yet unsung." Devaughn Jackson; The Voodoo Queen; D. Jackson; 2022. -------- Date: Wed May 7 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--cylindraceous X-Bonus: By plucking her petals, you do not gather the beauty of the flower. -Rabindranath Tagore, poet, philosopher, author, songwriter, painter, educator, composer, Nobel laureate (7 May 1861-1941) This week's theme: Words with all the vowels cylindraceous (sil-in-DRAY-shuhs) adjective Resembling a cylinder. [From Latin cylindrus, from Greek kylindros, from kylindein (to roll). Earliest documented use: 1676.] NOTES: Something cylindraceous rolls into your life like a can of soup: efficient, symmetrical, and always ready to store something. The word shows up in botany too, describing tube-shaped structures like flower stalks or plant stems. So if someone says you have a cylindraceous head, they might mean you're well-rounded, at least vertically. https://wordsmith.org/words/images/cylindraceous_large.jpg Photo: Amy Buthod https://www.flickr.com/photos/akbuthod/2483115620/ "Sherrie [was] bending down to examine a rigid cylindraceous thingy attached to a harness." Donald Huffman Graff; Madstones; BookLocker; 2024. -------- Date: Thu May 8 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--autocephality X-Bonus: Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a source of terror to all its citizens and creates a country where everyone lives in fear. -Harry S. Truman, 33rd US president (8 May 1884-1972) This week's theme: Words with all the vowels autocephality (ah-to-suh-FAL-i-tee) noun Self-rule. [From Greek auto- (self) + -cephal (head).] NOTES: Autocephality is a fancy word for self-governance. It's especially used in the context of Eastern Orthodox Churches that independently govern their spiritual affairs without a higher ecclesiastical authority. Think of it as running their own spiritual show. No higher-ups pulling the incense strings. Not to be confused with autocephalopods. Those would be self-governing squids. https://wordsmith.org/words/images/autocephality_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "Autocephality in Bulgaria and the rest of the Balkans made the churches a tool for nationalist propaganda and war in the nineteenth century." Alex Moldovan ; The Orthodox Church and a Very Balkan Affair; OpenDemocracy (London, UK); Nov 5, 2018. -------- Date: Fri May 9 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--quodlibetary X-Bonus: How can we expect righteousness to prevail when there is hardly anyone willing to give himself up individually to a righteous cause... It is such a splendid sunny day, and I have to go. But how many have to die on the battlefield in these days, how many young, promising lives. What does my death matter if by our acts thousands are warned and alerted. -Sophie Scholl, student and anti-Nazi activist (9 May 1921-1943) [Her last words before being executed by guillotine.] This week's theme: Words with all the vowels quodlibetary (kwod-LIB-uh-ter-ee) adjective: Relating to a discussion or debate involving subtle or hypothetical points. noun: 1. One who takes part in such a discussion. 2. One who does whatever pleases them. 3. A subtle or hypothetical point. [From Latin quodlibetum (whatever pleases), from Latin quod (what) + libet (it pleases). Earliest documented use: 1604.] NOTES: In medieval universities, a quodlibetary question was one posed at will -- anything the audience pleased -- and answered by a scholar in public debate. These discussions could range from profound to playful, often spotlighting a debater’s wit and agility. The word also lives on in music: a quodlibet is a medley of familiar tunes humorously combined. Think of it as a musical potluck -- whatever pleases. https://wordsmith.org/words/images/quodlibetary_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "Down with the disputations, cardinal and quodlibetary." Victor Hugo (Translation: J.C. Beckwith); The Hunchback of Notre-Dame; Routledge; 1891. -------- Date: Mon May 12 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--renunciatory X-Bonus: The hottest places in hell are reserved for those who, in time of great moral crisis, maintain their neutrality. -Dante Alighieri, poet (c. May 1265-1321) A dictionary definition is like a passport photo of a word: flat, official, and a little lifeless. It captures the essence of a word. A great usage example, on the other hand, catches the word in action. Rather than rely on contrived sentences, we comb the real world for organic usage examples. Ones that do more than explain a word. Sometimes they go beyond the mundane: they tell a clever story, reveal something about the human condition, or simply bring a smile. This week we'll share five words with such usage examples. renunciatory (ri-NUHN-see-uh-tor-ee) adjective Relating to giving up, renouncing, or rejecting. [From Latin renuntiare (renounce or report). Earliest documented use: 1667.] https://wordsmith.org/words/images/renunciatory_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "Six pages in [the book "Deep Work"], I powered down my laptop. Twenty pages in, I left the house to buy an alarm clock so that I wouldn't have an excuse to sleep next to my phone. A hundred pages in, I asked my brother to change my Twitter password so that I could no longer log in to my account. Nothing like starting the new year off with a renunciatory spree!" Molly Young; Help Desk; The New York Times Book Review; Jan 31, 2016. -------- Date: Tue May 13 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--winsome X-Bonus: In a free country there is much clamor, with little suffering: in a despotic state there is little complaint but much suffering. -Lazare Nicolas Marguerite Carnot, statesman and engineer (13 May 1753-1823) This week's theme: Interesting usage examples winsome (WIN-suhm) adjective Pleasing or charming, especially in a childlike or innocent manner. [From Old English wynsum, from wynn (joy) + -sum (-some). Earliest documented use: 450.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/winsome https://wordsmith.org/words/images/winsome_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "The guest lists included women who were 'as winsome as possible' to make the town seem attractive to the (male) engineer in charge of choosing [the site of a nuclear research center https://inl.gov/ ]. The plan worked." Going Nuclear; The Economist (London, UK); Jul 1, 2023. -------- Date: Wed May 14 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--susurrant X-Bonus: You can't be suspicious of a tree, or accuse a bird or a squirrel of subversion or challenge the ideology of a violet. -Hal Borland, author and journalist (14 May 1900-1978) This week's theme: Interesting usage examples susurrant (soo/suh-SUHR-uhnt) adjective Whispering or rustling. [From Latin susurrare (to whisper or hum), of imitative origin. Earliest documented use: 1791. The verb form is susurrate https://wordsmith.org/words/susurrate.html and the noun is susurrus https://wordsmith.org/words/susurrus.html .] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/susurrant https://wordsmith.org/words/images/susurrant_large.gif Gif: Gifer https://gifer.com/en/7JCR "She decides to seduce the scruffy macho cop with the susurrant name, Detective Scieziesciez." Liam Lacey; One Messy Electra Complex; The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada); Oct 24, 2014. -------- Date: Thu May 15 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--ruderal X-Bonus: The past is never where you think you left it. -Katherine Anne Porter, writer and activist (15 May 1890-1980) This week's theme: Interesting usage examples ruderal (ROO-duhr-uhl) adjective: Growing in waste places, disturbed land, or poor soil. noun: A plant that thrives in such conditions. [From Latin rudus (rubble). Earliest documented use: 1835.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/ruderal https://wordsmith.org/words/images/ruderal_large.jpg Photo: Julia Hinterseer-Pinter https://www.flickr.com/photos/162657228@N08/42144133204/ "Carl Linneaus revolutionized the way in which [taxonomy] was done. In fact, he courted controversy at the time, using quite explicit sεxual descriptions, such as 'eight men in the same bride's chamber, with one woman'! ["Octandria Monogynia"] The German botanist, Johann Siegesbeck, referred to Linnaeus' work as 'loathsome harlotry', though Linnaeus, believing in revenge as a dish best served well and truly chilled, retorted with taxonomic vengeance, naming a small and insignificant little ruderal plant ("Siegesbeckia") https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sigesbeckia after his accuser." Keith Skene; Form, Function, Forests, and Fossils; Contemporary Review (Oxford, UK); Dec 2011. https://picryl.com/media/paxtons-magazine-of-botany-and-register-of-flowering-plants-1842-14759940946-702998 -------- Date: Fri May 16 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bereft 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: Interesting usage examples bereft (bi-REFT) adjective Deprived of or lacking. [Past participle of bereave (to deprive), from Old English bereafian (to rob someone of something). Earliest documented use: 1531.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/bereft "Bereft" 1893 https://wordsmith.org/words/images/bereft_large.jpg Art: William Harris Weatherhead https://www.artnet.com/artists/william-harris-weatherhead/bereft-i1OL7Xpm6SOoR06CbLXJ1Q2 "Too many voters today are easily conned, deeply biased, impervious to fact, and bereft of survival instincts. Contrary to myth, frogs leap out of heating pots. Stampeding cattle stop at a cliff edge. Lemmings don’t really commit mass suicide. We’ll find out about Americans in 2024." Mort Rosenblum; Deadly Hot Air; The Mort Report; Feb 10, 2023. -------- Date: Mon May 19 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sanguineous X-Bonus: Red roses for young lovers. French beans for longstanding relationships. -Ruskin Bond, author (b. 19 May 1934) Last month I went for a blood donation. Usually, I use that time for a quick nap, but that afternoon as I lay on the table hooked up to a needle random thoughts began circulating. If octopuses have blue blood https://wordsmith.org/words/blue_blood.html (they do), does that make them more likely to be aristocrats? And instead of removing blood and storing it, why not supply fresh blood? When someone needs a pint, just hook them up to a donor. As fresh as it gets.* The recipient and the donor can look in each other's eyes. Where it's coming from, where it's going. As a side effect, we'd probably have fewer people like the one I met while grocery shopping. I was in a Trader Joe's parking lot looking for a parking spot. I noticed a car pulling out and I pulled in. After I got out of the car and started walking toward the store, I heard a guy yelling, "I have been waiting five minutes for this spot." In the crowd of cars I hadn't seen that on the other side of the lane someone was waiting for that spot. My view was blocked by other cars. I realized my error and told him, "Sorry, I didn't see you." I went into the store and had forgotten all about it. This guy found a parking spot and came running behind me chasing me inside the store. I said again, "I'm sorry, I didn't see you." He replied, "I don't want to hear anything!" It was just a parking spot. I wonder what someone like him would do if he lost something bigger, say a presidential election. Not much difference. A parking spot one might occupy for a few minutes, the presidential chair for a few years, but on the cosmic scale it's all the same: a blip. I figured I'd let him vent, but then he added "Your culture ..." I put my hand up and said, "Stop! I don't accept what you're offering. It stays with you."** Then I turned toward the produce section. He huffed and went away. I began picking up items from my list: oranges (from Sanskrit naranga) avocados (from Nahuatl ahuacatl) bananas (from Wolof banaana) and more*** I wondered: If a parking spot gets someone's blood boiling, what will they do when real stuff in life hits (and it sure does hit everyone, sooner or later). Have you checked your blood pressure lately? I don't know who he was, but I hope he finds peace. And space. Preferably next to any store entrance. Anyway, back to blood. As it flowed out and the pouch filled, among other things I thought about words. I think about words no matter what's flowing. I thought about words related to blood, many of which we use metaphorically. This week we'll see some of them. What's your experience with the red fluid? Have you received a transfusion? Have you donated? Have you thought about it?**** Share on our website https://wordsmith.org/words/sanguineous.html or email us at words@wordsmith.org. As always, include your location (city, state). * Yes, I know they screen blood before putting it in circulation, but surely we can come up with an instant filter like those we use for water while hiking. ** When I was growing up I read the story of Buddha ignoring a man's insults. When asked why he said, "If I don't accept what he gives, it stays with him." I'm no Buddha, nor a Buddhist, but this works for me. I just realized "Bloody Buddha" could be the start of a fun tongue twister. In some strains of English, that may be offensive, but hey, Buddha is enlightened. Literally, carries less weight, spreads more light. Live lightly. Or, live bloody lightly! *** Sanskrit: an ancient language of India Nahuatl: an indigenous language of Mexico that also gave us tomato and chocolate Wolof: a language of West Africa **** About 1/10 of total body blood is donated at a time. I think we can donate 10% of anything, especially something like blood that's easily replenished in just a few weeks. I have a fear of needles. Each time I donate I get poked twice. I have to look the other way as the needle goes in my skin. But my mantra is the same as my blood type: Be positive. B+ sanguineous (sang-GWIN-ee-uhs) adjective 1. Relating to blood. 2. Of the color of blood. 3. Involving bloodshed. 4. Confident or optimistic. [From Latin sanguis (blood), which also gave us sanguine https://wordsmith.org/words/sanguine.html , sanguinary https://wordsmith.org/words/sanguinary.html , sanguinolency https://wordsmith.org/words/sanguinolency.html , pur sang https://wordsmith.org/words/pur_sang.html , consanguineous https://wordsmith.org/words/consanguineous.html , consanguinity https://wordsmith.org/words/consanguinity.html , and sang-froid https://wordsmith.org/words/sang-froid.html . Earliest documented use: 1520.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/sanguineous https://wordsmith.org/words/images/sanguineous_large.jpg Cartoon: Dan Piraro https://www.facebook.com/bizarrocomics/ "President Mahinda Rajapaksa has brought to end one of the most sanguineous civil wars of our time." S. Prasannarajan; Out of Colombo; India Today (New Delhi); Nov 25, 2013. "Apples, as they say, must not be compared to oranges, and certainly not blood oranges, which is perhaps the better analogy for this tart, tangy, and juicily sanguineous offering [the film "John Wick: Chapter 4"]. Michael O'Sullivan; One Great Action Set Piece After Another; The Washington Post; Mar 24, 2023. "The piece was 'I Present Your Royal Highness,' a canvas from 2018 ... layered with fleshy pinks and sanguineous swipes." Rebecca Mead; Color Instinct; The New Yorker; Nov 18, 2024. -------- Date: Tue May 20 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bloody-minded X-Bonus: A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case he is justly accountable to them for the injury. -John Stuart Mill, philosopher and economist (20 May 1806-1873) This week's theme: Bloody words! bloody-minded (BLUHD-ee-MYN-did) adjective 1. Disposed to violence and bloodshed. 2. Stubborn; obstructive. (chiefly used in British English) [From blood, from Old English blod + mind, from Old English gemynd (memory, thought). Earliest documented use: 1545.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/bloody-minded NOTES: The word bloody itself has an unexpectedly colorful history. Depending on where you are, it can be a mild intensifier (bloody fool) or borderline profane. Its taboo status may have arisen from a mistaken belief that it referred to Christ's blood. Bloody in the second meaning of bloody-minded is used as an intensifier, implying someone is strong-willed. For more bloody fun, see how Pygmalion https://wordsmith.org/words/pygmalion.html came to be a euphemism for bloody. And if you're wondering how far it's come, look no further than Tourism Australia's 2006 ad campaign: "So where the bloody hell are you?" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/So_where_the_bloody_hell_are_you%3F "I know my head's bloody, but I still don't want to go to the hospital." https://wordsmith.org/words/images/bloody-minded_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "[Jon Meacham] says, 'Pilate was a bullying, bloody-minded prefect.'" Jim Keogh; Seeking Truth in Gibson's 'Passion'; Telegram & Gazette (Worcester, Massachusetts); Feb 19, 2004. "[Virat] Kohli's ambition is as fierce as ever, his bloody-minded focus on winning matches undimmed." Anand Vasu; Trophy Awaits Its Champions; The Economic Times (New Delhi, India); Mar 9, 2025. -------- Date: Wed May 21 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--anemia X-Bonus: A man should never be ashamed to own he has been in the wrong, which is but saying, in other words, that he is wiser today than he was yesterday. -Alexander Pope, poet (21 May 1688-1744) This week's theme: Bloody words! anemia (uh-NEE-mee-uh) noun 1. A medical condition characterized by a deficiency of red blood cells or hemoglobin resulting in weakness, tiredness, shortness of breath, and paleness. 2. A lack of vitality, strength, or vividness. [From Greek anaimia, from an- (without) + haima (blood). Earliest documented use: 1807. The adjective is anemic https://wordsmith.org/words/anemic.html, but the word anemious http://wordsmith.org/words/anemious.html is entirely different.] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/anemia "Do you have iron deficiency anemia?" https://wordsmith.org/words/images/anemia_large.jpg Image: bbcemporium / eBay https://www.ebay.com/itm/144824266713 "The idea [of the TV program] was to educate -- a word that suggested ratings anemia in the entertainment business." William R. Kennedy; Diamond of Greed; Writers Club Press; 2001. -------- Date: Thu May 22 00:01:01 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--red-blooded X-Bonus: When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. -Arthur Conan Doyle, physician and writer (22 May 1859-1930) This week's theme: Bloody words! red-blooded (RED-BLUHD-id) adjective Strong; energetic; high-spirited; vigorous; virile. [Implying full of healthy blood, not lacking in red blood cells or hemoglobin. Earliest documented use: 1794. The opposite is anemic https://wordsmith.org/words/anemic.html .] See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/red-blooded https://wordsmith.org/words/images/red-blooded_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "America is not just the land of red-blooded capitalism. It has an esoteric tradition of capitalist altruism, too. Take Trader Joe's, an own-label grocery chain like M&S in Britain. It somehow retains a local-community feel, like an indoor farmers' market with good prices and wonderful staff, despite having 549 stores. Whole Foods Market, a 530-store Mecca for well-heeled health nuts and epicureans, has a similar vibe." Trader Joe's v Whole Foods; The Economist (London, UK); Jun 8, 2024. https://wordsmith.org/words/mecca.html -------- Date: Fri May 23 00:01:01 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hemorrhage 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: Bloody words! hemorrhage (HEM-uhr-ij, HEM-rij) noun: 1. A severe or uncontrollable loss of blood. 2. A rapid and significant loss of assets. verb intr.: To bleed copiously. verb tr.: To lose assets rapidly and in large amounts. [From Latin haemorrhagia, from Greek haimorrhagia, from haima (blood) + rhegnunai (to burst). Earliest documented use: 1671.] NOTES: Still craving more blood-related words after a whole week of lexical bloodletting? Sink your teeth into a few more from our archives: bloody shirt https://wordsmith.org/words/bloody_shirt.html blood-and-guts https://wordsmith.org/words/blood-and-guts.html bloodnoun :) https://wordsmith.org/words/bloodnoun.html See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/hemorrhage "Let’s brainstorm how to stop this hemorrhaging." https://wordsmith.org/words/images/hemorrhage_large.jpg Illustration: Anu Garg + AI "Since 2011, as calls have grown more urgent to reduce the greenhouse emissions that cause climate change, the industry has hemorrhaged 41,000 jobs." Luis Feliz Leon; What's the Future of Coal Mining?; Labor Notes (Detroit, Michigan); Sep 2021. -------- Date: Mon May 26 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Aaron's rod 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) In 2019 the Apostrophe Protection Society https://www.apostrophe.org.uk/ shut down. Did they run out of those curly little marks? Did they think apostrophe abuse had been eradicated at last? Neither. Its founder, John Richards, was 96 and tired. "Ignorance and laziness present in modern times have won!" he declared. "This poor defenceless creature is indeed a threatened species." With all due respect, that's only half true. In some places it's a threatened species; in others, an invasive one. The universe's apostrophe supply, overall, stays in equilibrium. Anyway, Richards was tired, and who can blame him? People forget to add an apostrophe where it's needed and sprinkle one in at random, just in case, like salt on bland grammar. Not long after, Richards died. He had earned his rest. But in 2022, a man named Bob McCalden revived the Society to carry Richards' legacy. (Or should it be Richards's? Or Richard's? Or just Richards? Discuss on our website https://wordsmith.org/words/aarons_rod.html or email us at words@wordsmith.org. Present your best argument for each.) I visited the Apostrophe Protection Society's online store. It offers the usual fare: mugs, T-shirts, books, etc., but curiously omits the two most essential tools in any punctuation vigilante's kit: a black marker and a bottle of whiteout. Back in 2019, I made the case for retiring the apostrophe altogether. https://wordsmith.org/words/cats_pajamas.html And I still believe it's better to say hasta la vista to this twisted little squiggle. What would happen to the English language?! Nothing, itd just stroll on unbothered. Context, after all, is king. It tells you whether someone meant it is or its possessive. Sure, you can craft a sentence where it's ambiguous but then one can do that even _with_ the apostrophe. Until it goes the way of the penny, though, we might as well use it correctly. This week, we feature terms that answer the question: Whose what? Each includes an apostrophe exactly where it belongs. Aaron's rod (air-uhnz ROD) noun 1. A powerful force that overcomes others around it. 2. Any of various plants with tall, flowering stems, like goldenrod or mullein. 3. An architectural molding featuring a snake motif, sometimes with vines and leaves. [After Aaron, a prophet in the Old Testament. Earliest documented use: 1631.] NOTES: In the biblical talent show that was Pharaoh's court (Exodus 7-12), God tells Moses and his brother Aaron what miracle to perform: toss Aaron's staff in front of Pharaoh and, abracadabra, it becomes a snake. Pharaoh summons his own magicians who perform the same trick. Aaron's rod, well, literally, eats the competition. In Numbers 17:8 it sprouted and produced almonds. A magical staff indeed. "Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh: An Allegory of the Dinteville Family" 1537 https://wordsmith.org/words/images/aarons_rod_large.jpg Artist unknown https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Moses_and_Aaron_before_Pharaoh-_An_Allegory_of_the_Dinteville_Family_MET_DT1462.jpg See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/Aaron's%20rod "Only the Caspar mill was running, Fort Bragg being the Aaron's rod that had swallowed all the others." Peter Johnstone (ed.); Giants in the Earth; Heyday Books; 2001. -------- Date: Tue May 27 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--chef's kiss X-Bonus: Compassion is not weakness and concern for the unfortunate is not socialism. -Hubert Humphrey, US Vice President (27 May 1911-1978) This week's theme: Whose what? chef's kiss (chefs KIS) noun 1. A gesture made by kissing one's fingertip(s) and thumb and spreading them outward. 2. Something or someone considered excellent or perfect. [Alluding to a stereotypical Italian chef's gesture upon tasting a flawless dish. Earliest documented use: 1975.] NOTES: The term is from the Italian gesture al bacio (as good as a kiss), typically made by a chef to express culinary triumph. It was popularized in the post-WWII US through food ads. See usage examples in Vocabulary.com's dictionary: https://www.vocabulary.com/dictionary/chef's%20kiss https://wordsmith.org/words/images/chefs_kiss_large.gif Gif: Giphy https://giphy.com/gifs/peacocktv-seth-meyers-late-night-with-VIbjalOSH80Uq3bvXk "This look was another smash hit in my opinion. Overall, this outfit was a chef’s kiss." Abby Jarrett; Star Wars and Nip Slips?; The Battalion (College Station, Texas); Feb 12, 2024. -------- Date: Wed May 28 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--rat's nest X-Bonus: Necessity is the plea for every infringement of human freedom. It is the argument of tyrants; it is the creed of slaves. -William Pitt, British prime minister (28 May 1759-1806) This week's theme: Whose what? rat's nest (RATS nest) noun A confused mess. [From the messiness typically found in a rat's living quarters. Earliest documented use: 1850. A synonym is mare's nest https://wordsmith.org/words/mares_nest.html .] Cables in a broadcasting van https://wordsmith.org/words/images/rats_nest_large.jpg Photo: Gael Mace / Wikimedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_Video_Bridging#/media/File:StudioWiring.png "If you look at a map of pipelines in America, you will be struck by the rat's nest that covers the Gulf Coast." Lawrence Wright; The Glut Economy; The New Yorker; Jan 01, 2018. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Natural_gas_pipelines_map.png -------- Date: Thu May 29 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--devil's tattoo X-Bonus: War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today. -John F. Kennedy, 35th US president (29 May 1917-1963) This week's theme: Whose what? devil's tattoo (dev-uhlz ta-TOO) noun A rhythmic tapping of fingers, knuckles, or feet. [From devil, from Old English deofol, from Latin and Greek diabolus (accuser or slanderer), + tattoo (a series of hits, as on a drum), from Dutch taptoe (shut the tap). Earliest documented use: 1755.] NOTES: They say an idle mind is the devil's workshop. Well, an idle hand does a devil's tattoo on any available surface, usually as a sign of impatience, agitation, or deep thought. The tattoo here is a homonym with the skin tattoo which comes from Polynesian languages (Tahitian, Tongan, Samoan, Marquesan, etc.). https://wordsmith.org/words/images/devils_tattoo_large.gif Gif: Giphy https://giphy.com/gifs/paramountplus-paramount-i-love-lucy-plus-qSYeGGz7DtDEo9Htk0 "My neighbour, you see, is a writer, and a reasonably serious one at that. Three to four hours, I tell you, almost motionless but for the fugitive fingers tapping a soundless devil's tattoo on the keys of his laptop." Jack Ross; Troubling Our Sleep; Ka Mate Ka Ora (Auckland, New Zealand); Sep 2009. -------- Date: Fri May 30 00:01:02 EDT 2025 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Adam's ale X-Bonus: Your love to me was like an unread book. -Countee Cullen, poet, novelist, and playwright (30 May 1903-1946) This week's theme: Whose what? Adam's ale (ad-uhmz AYL) noun Water. [Alluding to the biblical Adam for whom the only drink available was water. Earliest documented use: 1643.] NOTES: Adam's ale is plain old water, the original beverage. Ye Olde Watering Hole in the Garden of Eden had just one item on tap: Adam's ale. A true Hobson's choice https://wordsmith.org/words/hobsons_choice.html . One wonders why they didn't at least offer apple... cider? Adam has given his name to another term, adamite https://wordsmith.org/words/adamite.html , though adamantine https://wordsmith.org/words/adamantine.html has nothing to do with him. "Keeping 'Adam's Ale' Up to Par!" https://wordsmith.org/words/images/adams_ale_large.jpg Dow Chemical ad for activated carbon water filtration Image: Science History Institute https://digital.sciencehistory.org/works/vm40xs31x "The Autozaza drinking hole sticks to Adam's ale but spices up the aqua with various vegetable undertones." Barry Davis; Once Upon an Apple; Jerusalem Post (Israel); Oct 6, 2023. "Malaysia is a country that is blessed with an abundance of water sources. Instead of looking after this Adam’s ale, we abuse it." Water Pollution, Again?; New Straits Times (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia); Oct 6, 2020.