wretch wretch / rĕch noun 1. a person who is miserably unhappy or unfortunate Hatred, in the course of time, kills the unhappy wretch who delights in nursing it in his bosom. Giacomo Casanova, 1725 – 1798 2. a vile, despicable person Hell is crowded with ungrateful wretches. Italian Proverb

evince e-vince / ĭ-vĭns verb 1. to display or demonstrate clearly; to make evident or clear Deep joy is a serene and sober emotion, rarely evinced in open merriment. Madame Roland, 1754 – 1793

munificent mu-nif-i-cent / myo͞o-nĭf-ĭ-sənt adjective 1. extremely generous; freely giving If riches increase, let thy mind hold pace with them; and think it not enough to be liberal, but munificent.  Thomas Browne, 1605 – 1682 2. generous or abundant in amount or quantity While so engaged at Greenbush, now East Albany, N.Y., he [Herman Melville] received the munificent salary of ‘six dollars a quarter and board.’ From “Introduction... Read More

longanimity lon-ga-nim-i-ty / lŏng-gə-nĭm-ĭ-tē, lông-gə-nĭm-ĭ-tē noun 1. patience or self-control in times of suffering or hardship; forbearance; long-suffering In the midst of uncertainty, we can pray for the virtue of longanimity to strengthen our souls and guard us against despair. Theresa Smart, “Longanimity: The virtue of waiting for God”, McGrath Institute Blog, www.mcgrathblog.nd.edu/longanimity-the-virtue-of-waiting-for-god, February 11, 2019

epithet ep-i-thet / ĕp-ə-thĕt noun 1. a descriptive, characterizing word or phrase used as a nickname or to refer to a person Husband of Penelope, father of Telemachus, and son of Laërtes and Anticlea, Odysseus is renowned for his brilliance, guile, and versatility, and is hence known by the epithet Odysseus the Cunning. www.amazon.com/Odysseus-Ithaca-Bronze-Oddysey-Mythical/dp/B00O8281W0. Accessed April 25, 2023 2. a word or phrase that is defamatory, abusive or... Read More

euphoric eu-pho-ric / yo͞o-fôr-ĭk, yo͞o-fŏr-ĭk adjective 1. characterized by or feeling great joy or excitement; elated When we feel joyful, euphoric, happy, we are more open to life, more capable of seeing things clearly and handling daily tensions. Leo Buscaglia, 1924 – 1998

dung dung / dŭng noun 1. the excrement of animals; manure Dung is no saint, but where it falls it works miracles. Spanish Proverb 2. something that is revolting or disgusting One had better not rush, otherwise dung comes out rather than creative work. From a Letter to A. S. Suvorin from Anton Chekhov, 1860 – 1904 verb 1. to apply manure to soil to fertilize There,... Read More

senectitude se-nec-ti-tude / sĭ-nĕk-tĭ-to͞od, sĭ-nĕk-tĭ-tyo͞od noun 1. old age The play opens as Lear, the King of Britain, now aged and willing to enjoy a nice and peaceful senectitude, decides to step down and share his kingdom evenly among his three daughters depending on the love they profess for him. Sara Moldoveanu, “‘Doth any here know me? Who is it that can tell me who I am?’... Read More

proffer prof-fer / prŏf-ər noun 1. an offer or the act of making a formal offer or presenting for acceptance Instead of cutting a deal before information is divulged, a prosecutor will almost always insist on scheduling a “proffer of information,” where the target and his attorney will meet with the prosecutor and investigating agent so that the target can set out what he knows. Mark Osler,... Read More

malfeasance mal-fea-sance / măl-fē-zəns noun 1. a wrongdoing or behavior that is improper or illegal, particularly when done by a public official Public records are one portal through which the people observe their government, ensuring its accountability, integrity, and equity while minimizing sovereign mischief and malfeasance. Sandra Day O’Connor, 1930 –