This week’s theme
Words that turn into other words when beheaded

This week’s words
erose
scow
vaward
thew
pelf

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A.Word.A.Day

PRONUNCIATION:

(VAH-ward, VOU-ord)

MEANING:

noun: The forefront; vanguard.

ETYMOLOGY:

From vaumward/vamward, from vantward, from Old French avantward, from avant (before) + garde (guard). Earliest documented use: 1400.

USAGE:

“In the movement towards this road, the Athenians who formed the left wing were naturally the vaward, and it was upon them that the trying duty would devolve of first crossing the bridge in the face of Persian cavalry.”
J.B. Bury; A History of Greece; Macmillan; 1900.

“Falstaff: You that are old consider not the capacities of us that are young ... we that are in the vaward of our youth.”
William Shakespeare; Henry IV, Part 2; 1596-1599.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: