A.Word.A.Day --hazmat

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Today's Word

hazmat

PRONUNCIATION:

(HAZ-mat)

MEANING:

noun: Dangerous material, for example, something toxic, explosive, or inflammable.
adjective: Relating to hazardous material.

ETYMOLOGY:

A shortening of hazardous + material. Earliest documented use: 1972.

USAGE:

“Charity Stinks. At least it will for Nathan Oystrick and Jordan LaVallee, a couple of AHL players who have decided to wear their hockey equipment for 27 hours because someone said it would be a fun way to raise money for a couple of charities. [They] have to play in next Wednesday’s game against Peoria Riverman then stay fully dressed overnight before practicing the next day, making appearances at a handful of Chicago restaurants and finally shedding their wretched gear at precisely 10 pm. No word on whether hazmat officials will be standing by in case of a spill.”
Allan Maki; Charity Stinks; Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada); Dec 12, 2007.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

His mother had often said, When you choose an action, you choose the consequences of that action. She had emphasized the corollary of this axiom even more vehemently: when you desired a consequence you had damned well better take the action that would create it. -Lois McMaster Bujold, writer (b. 2 Nov 1949)

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