dross dross / drŏs or drôs noun 1. waste, garbage, trash, impurity I also have in mind that seemingly wealthy, but most terribly impoverished class of all, who have accumulated dross, but know not how to use it, or get rid of it, and thus have forged their own golden or silver fetters. Henry David Thoreau, 1817 – 1862 2. the scum formed on the surface of... Read More

bowl bowl / bōl noun 1. a hollow, rounded container, shaped like half of a sphere, capable of holding a liquid What should it matter that one bowl is dark and the other pale, if each is of good design and serves its purpose well? Native American Hopi Proverb 2. the contents of a rounded, hemispherical shaped container; bowlful Give a bowl of rice to a man and... Read More

sire sire / sīr noun 1. a father; a biological male parent I had rather aske of my sire browne bread, then borrow of my neighbour white. George Herbert, 1593 – 1633 2. the male parent of an animal, especially used of a horse or other domesticated animal Every foal is not like its sire. Danish Proverb 3. creator or founder Toil, says the proverb, is the sire... Read More

janitor jan-i-tor / jăn-ĭ-tər noun 1. one who takes care of the cleaning or maintenance of a building Apply yourself at whatever you do, whether you’re a janitor or taking your first summer job, because that work ethic will be reflected in everything you do in life. Tyler Perry , 1969 –

trepidation trep-i-da-tion / trĕp-ĭ-dā-shən noun 1. fear; a feeling of dread or anxiety But the first lie in the series is the one you make with the greatest trepidation and the heaviest heart. Michael Chabon, 1963 – 2. (archaic) a condition of involuntary trembling or palpitation They pass the planets sev’n, and pass the fix’d, And that crystalline sphere whose balance weighs The trepidation talk’d, and that first-mov’d.... Read More

reservation res-er-va-tion / rĕz-ər-vā-shən noun 1. an agreement made in advance to hold a place for someone Have your name put in the Lamb’s Book of Life in Heaven so you’ll be sure you’ve got your reservation confirmed for one of those mansions in God’s golden Space City! David Berg, 1919 – 1994 2. hesitation; qualm; doubt Any man worth his salt will stick up for... Read More

grease grease / grēs (as a noun) and grēs or grēz (as a verb) noun 1. a soft or melted animal fat Many Texas barbecue fanatics have a strong belief in the beneficial properties of accumulated grease. Calvin Trillin, 1935 – 2. any thick, oily matter, particularly that used as a lubricant I hate to be a kicker, I always long for peace, But the wheel that... Read More

quell quell / kwĕl verb 1. to calm; to quiet It is a happy thing that time quells the longings of vengeance and hushes the promptings of rage and aversion. From “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë, 1816 – 1855 2. to suppress; to bring under control forcibly No tempest or conflagration, however great, is harder to quell than mob carried away by the novelty of power. Marcus... Read More

fetid (also foetid) fet-id / fĕt-ĭd, fē-tĭd adjective 1.  having a terrible, offensive smell; stinking; foul One wondered about this, as also about the swarms of flies which hung about the scene, literally blackening the air, and the strange, fetid odor which assailed one’s nostrils, a ghastly odor, of all the dead things of the universe. From “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair, 1878 – 1968

frank frank / frăngk adjective 1. candid, honest, forthright, direct and straightforward in speech and expression If everyone were clothed with integrity, if every heart were just, frank, kindly, the other virtues would be well-nigh useless. Moliere, 1622 – 1673 2. evident; readily perceived; unmistakable Often, the first presentation of allergy is discovered during the comprehensive exam’s case history, rather than the patient showing up with frank symptoms. John... Read More