Word of the Day: Idiosyncrasy
idiosyncrasy id-i-o-syn-cra-sy / ĭd-ē-ō-sĭng-krə-sē noun 1. a peculiar habit or mannerism; a quirk It is one of man’s curious idiosyncrasies to create difficulties for the pleasure of resolving them. Joseph de Maistre 1753-1821 2. an individual’s own, unique physical or emotional make-up The only success worth one’s powder was success in the line of one’s idiosyncrasy… what was talent but the art of being completely whatever one... Read More
Word of the Day: Filter
filter fil-ter / fĭl-tər noun 1. a device or material with tiny openings which liquid or gas is passed through in order to remove impurities or unwanted substances While primarily we use paper filters to stop coffee particles from ending up in our cup, paper also affects the flavour of coffee in a variety of different ways. Ana Paula Rosas, “Green Home Brewing: Four Ways To... Read More
Word of the Day: Umami
umami u-ma-mi / o͞o-mä-mē adjective 1. having or suggestive of the savory, meaty flavor produced by glutamates and nucleotides Strong-tasting cheeses like Parmesan—it can take anywhere from 18 to 36 months for the flavor to develop—are high in glutamate, which means lots of umami taste. Nandita Godbole, “What is Umami, Exactly?”, Reader’s Digest, www.rd.com/list/13-foods-with-natural-umami, accessed February 21, 2024 noun 1. one of the five basic taste sensations, alongside... Read More
Word of the Day: Squeal
squeal squeal / skwēl noun 1. a loud, piercing high-pitched cry or noise Everything had happened at once–the blow, the counter-blow, the squeal of agony from the porcupine, the big cat’s squall of sudden hurt and astonishment. From “White Fang” by Jack London, 1876 – 1916 verb 1. to make a loud, piercing high-pitched cry or noise It does not always rain when a pig squeals.... Read More
Word of the Day: Hoodwink
hoodwink hood-wink / ho͝od–wĭngk verb 1. to trick or mislead through deception An enlightened mind is not hoodwinked; it is not shut up in a gloomy prison till it thinks the walls of its dungeon the limits of the universe, and the reach of its own chain the outer verge of intelligence. Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, 1807 – 1882 2. (archaic) to blindfold A thinking man is the worst... Read More
Word of the Day: Ladle
ladle la-dle / lād-l noun 1. a cup-shaped spoon with a long handle, used to serve or move liquids No man can perfectly empty a pot with a ladle. South African Proverb 2. a bucket-like container used to transfer molten metal A shout was heard, and a tall crane swung a gigantic ladle under the converting vessel, which then mysteriously upended, exploding like a cannon a prodigious... Read More
Word of the Day: Peripatetic
peripatetic per-i-pa-tet-ic / pĕr-ə-pə-tĕt-ĭk adjective 1. itinerant; walking about or traveling from place to place La Fontaine sauntered about from one to the other, a peripatetic, absent-minded, boring, unbearable dreamer, who kept buzzing and humming at everybody’s elbow a thousand poetic abstractions. From “The Man in the Iron Mask” by Alexandre Dumas, 1802 – 1870 2. (Peripatetic) pertaining to the Greek philosopher Aristotle, who taught philosophy while walking... Read More
Word of the Day: Interact
interact in-ter-act / ĭn-tər-ăkt verb 1. to relate mutually to; to act together with or on another Leaders should interact with everyone in their organization as if the interaction is being recorded and will be used as a training film on how to treat colleagues, coworkers, and customers. Bill Crawford, Ph.D, ? –
Word of the Day: Comparison
comparison com-par-i-son / kəm-păr-ĭ-sən noun 1. the act of examining two or more things with the view of discovering the similarities or differences Comparisons make enemies of our friends. American Proverb 2. the state of association based on similarities and differences What lies behind you and what lies in front of you, pales in comparison to what lies inside of you. Ralph Waldo Emerson, 1803 – 1882 3. a... Read More
Word of the Day: Ponder
ponder pon-der / pŏn-dər verb 1. to think about something carefully and thoroughly, to contemplate, to consider The optimist pleasantly ponders how high his kite will fly; the pessimist woefully wonders how soon his kite will fall. William Arthur Ward, 1921 – 1994