Excel /ikˈsel/ Verb to improve on, to be superior One who is persistent will excel. – Venus Williams (1980-)

Piano /pēˈanō/ Noun a musical instrument played by hitting its keys with fingers, which hit hammers which strike metal strings Life is like a piano – what you get out of it depends on how you play it.  – Tom Lehrer (1928-2025)

Forgery /ˈfôrjərē/ Noun 1. a false or altered document, art object, or other item, made for the purpose of fraud; a counterfeit A skeptic is a person who, when he sees the handwriting on the wall, claims it is a forgery. – Morris Bender (1905-1983) 2. the making of such an item While still a teenager, William Henry taught himself forgery and fabricated multiple... Read More

Invest /inˈvest/ Verb 1. to commit money or capital in order to earn a return, such as profit, interest, or appreciation in value Never invest in a business you cannot understand. – Warren Buffet (1930-) 2. to devote time, energy, or effort toward a goal with the expectation of future benefit. We must invest in our schools, not only with money, but with compassion... Read More

Foliage /ˈfōl(ē)ij/ Noun leaves Rise and put on your foliage, and be seen to come forth, like the springtime, fresh and green. – Robert Herrick (1591-1674)

Placebo /pləˈsēbō/ Noun a harmless medical treatment that has no direct physiological effect but may provide psychological benefits to the patient A placebo is a phony cure that works. – Charles Jencks (1939-2019)

Comic /ˈkämik/ Adjective/Noun 1. Adjective humorous My mother wanted us to understand that the tragedies of your life one day have the potential to be comic stories the next. – Nora Ephron (1941-2012) 2. Noun a story or narrative told through drawings or illustrations, often accompanied by captions and text in speech bubbles A picture is worth a thousand words, but a comic is... Read More

Cryptography /kripˈtäɡrəfē/ Noun the practice of devising and deciphering secret codes Computers had their origin in military cryptography—in a sense, every computer game represents the commandeering of a military code-breaking apparatus for purposes of human expression. – Austin Grossman (1969-)