Word of the Day – January 25, 2020

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

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

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

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

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

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]