Category Archives: one of those days

Word of the Day – January 25, 2020

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obdurate

(ŏb′do͝o-rĭt, -dyo͝o-)

adj.

1. Not changing in response to argument or other influence; obstinate or intractable: “Everyone in the region has been obdurate in water negotiations with everyone else” (Marq de Villiers).
2.

a. Hardened in wrongdoing or wickedness; stubbornly impenitent: “obdurate conscience of the old sinner” (Sir Walter Scott).
b. Hardened against feeling; hardhearted: an obdurate miser.

Word of the day – February 9, 2019

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Hackles

1. Any of the long, slender, often glossy feathers on the neck of a bird, especially a male fowl.
2. hackles The erectile hairs along the back of the neck of an animal, especially of a dog.
3. A feather, usually from the neck of a chicken, used in trimming a fishing fly.
tr.v. hack·led, hack·ling, hack·les

To trim (an artificial fishing fly) with a hackle.

Idiom:

get (one’s) hackles up

To be extremely insulted or irritated.

Word of the Day October 6, 2018

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burgeon

also bour·geon (bûr′jən)

intr.v. bur·geoned, bur·geon·ing, bur·geons also bour·geoned or bour·geon·ing or bour·geons

1.

a. To put forth new buds, leaves, or greenery; sprout.
b. To begin to grow or blossom.
2. To grow or develop rapidly; expand or proliferate.

Word of the Day August 18, 2018

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im·pe·tus

(ĭm′pĭ-təs)

n. pl. im·pe·tus·es

1. An impelling force; an impulse.
2. The force or energy associated with a moving body.
3.

a. Something that incites; a stimulus.
b. Increased activity in response to a stimulus: The approaching deadline gave impetus to the investigation.
[Middle English impetous, from Latin impetus, from impetere, to attack : in-, against; see in-2 + petere, to go towards, seek; see pet- in Indo-European roots.]
CITE: American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Word of the Day July 28, 2018

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widdershins

(wĭd′ər-shĭnz′) or with·er·shins (wĭth′-)

adv.

In a contrary or counterclockwise direction: “The coracle whirled round, clockwise, then widdershins” (Anthony Bailey).
[Middle Low German weddersinnes, from Middle High German widersinnes : wider, back (from Old High German widar; see wi- in Indo-European roots) + sinnes, in the direction of (from sin, direction, from Old High German; see sent- in Indo-European roots).]
CITE: American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Word of the Day March 9, 2018

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trepidation

(ˌtrɛp ɪˈdeɪ ʃən)

n.

1. tremulous fear, alarm, or agitation; perturbation.
2. a trembling or quivering movement.
[1595–1605; < Latin trepidātiō, derivative of trepidā(re) to be apprehensive, panic]