Nucleus /ˈnü-klē-əs/ Noun 1) a central or essential part around which other parts are grouped or collected, the core “The family is the nucleus of civilization.” – Will Durant (1885 – 1981) 2) something regarded as a basis for future development and growth “Community is built around a nucleus of relationships…Because it’s through the activities that you do where you intersect, overlap, and meet... Read More

Lagoon /lə-ˈgün/ Noun a shallow body of water, especially one separated from the sea by sandbars or coral reefs “There are two types of lagoons: atoll and coastal. Atoll lagoons form when an island completely subsides beneath the water, leaving a ring of coral that continues to grow upwards… Coastal lagoons form along gently sloping coasts. They are generally shallower than atoll lagoons and... Read More

Verse /vərs/ noun 1) writing that follows a metrical pattern “The one who writes a poem writes it above all because verse writing is an extraordinary accelerator of consciousness, of thinking, of comprehending the universe.” – from On Grief and Reason: Essays, by Joseph Brodsky (1940 – 1996) 2) one line of poetry “Thus a verse strictly speaking is a line.” – from The... Read More

Revert /ri-ˈvərt/ verb 1) to return to a former condition, practice, subject, or belief “Some of the poetic writers who insert passages of realism in their texts have no underlying philosophy to uphold them, and revert to realism.” – Marguerite Young (1908 – 1995) 2) (in law) to return to the previous owner or the previous owner’s heirs “Upon the company’s dissolution, the copyrights... Read More

Adoration /ˌadəˈrāSHən/ noun 1) profound love, reverence, or admiration “It is human nature to want approval, acceptance, and adoration because it feels good.” – Deborah Bravandt (1960 – ) 2) the act of worship “Adoration means concentrating on what is essential: ridding ourselves of useless things and addictions that anesthetize the heart and confound the mind.” – Pope Francis (1936 – 2025)

Loom /ˈlüm/ noun 1) a device or machine from which cloth is made by interweaving yarn or thread at right angles “We sleep, but the loom of life never stops, and the pattern which was weaving when the sun went down is weaving when it comes up in the morning.” – Henry Ward Beecher (1813 – 1887) verb 2) to come into view as a... Read More

Vast /vast/ adjective 1) very great in size, number, amount, or quantity “You may accumulate a vast amount of knowledge, but it will be of far less value to you than a much smaller amount if you have not thought it over for yourself.” -Arthur Schopenhauer (1788 – 1860) 2) very great in area or extent, immense “Literature is a vast bazaar where customers... Read More

Pollinate /ˈpäləˌnāt/ verb to transfer pollen from an anther (male) to a stigma (female) of a plant or flower in the process of fertilization that allows the growth of new fruit and seeds “Animals and plants provide us with life-saving drugs and food, they pollinate crops and provide important ingredients for many industrial processes.” -from Last Chance to See, by Mark Carwardine (1959 –... Read More

Preserve /prəˈzərv/ verb 1) to keep safe, as from injury or peril, to protect “Every creature is better alive than dead, men and moose and pine trees, and he who understands it aright will rather preserve its life than destroy it.” – Henry David Thoreau (1817 – 1862) 2) to maintain unchanged “Photographs are physically and chemically complex and require special care to preserve.”... Read More