hound   hound / hound noun 1. any of several breeds of dog commonly used for hunting, often having large, droopy ears Hares are caught with hounds, fools with praise, and women with gold. German Proverb 2. any dog Hounds follow those who feed them. Otto von Bismarck, 1815 – 1898 3. a person who is mean or despicable A man is a mean hound who refuses to work... Read More

itinerary i-tin-er-ar-y / ī-tĭn-ə-rĕr-ē, ĭ-tĭn-ə-rĕr-ē adjective 1. pertaining to travel or travel route, particularly one with many stops He did make a progress from Lincoln to the northern parts, though it were rather an itinerary circuit of justice than a progress. From “Historie of the Raigne of King Henry the Seventh” by Francis Bacon, 1561 – 1626 noun (plural itineraries) 1. the plan for a trip or... Read More

expensive ex-pen-sive / ĭk-spĕn-sĭv adjective 1. costing a lot of money If you think education is expensive, try ignorance. African Proverb 2. characterized by charging high prices It [Bijan] has been called ‘the most expensive store in the world’, catering to the wealthiest of the wealthy and carrying things like a $15,000 vicuña coat, a $120,000 Chinchilla bedspread and a $65,000 crocodile trimmed luggage set. “The Most... Read More

expansive ex-pan-sive / ĭk-spăn-sĭv adjective 1. able to or tending to expand The more expansive government is, the more perils people face in daily lives, be it from IRS agents or from child support services, or from other agencies that often have little or no legal restraints on their power. James Bovard, 1956 – 2. extensive; large in range or size Being willing to change allows you to... Read More

heroine her-o-ine / hĕr-ō-ĭn noun 1. a famous woman, admired for exceptional bravery, ability or achievement There are always these moments in life when the limits of suffering are reached and we become heroes and heroines. Katherine Mansfield, 1888 – 1923 2.  the main female character in a story, play, film, etc. Heroine: girl who is perfectly charming to live with, in a book. Mark Twain, pen name... Read More

unconditional un-con-di-tion-al / ŭn-kən-dĭsh-ə-nəl   adjective 1. free from restrictions, limitations or conditions; absolute What it’s like to be a parent: It’s one of the hardest things you’ll ever do but in exchange it teaches you the meaning of unconditional love. From “The Wedding” by Nicholas Sparks, 1965 –

nonce nonce / nŏns noun 1. the current time or happening What is wanted for the nonce is, that folks should be as agreeable as possible in conversation and demeanor; so that good humor may be said to be one of the very best articles of dress one can wear in society. William Makepeace Thackeray, 1811 – 1863

gesture ges-ture / jĕs-chər noun 1. a movement of the hand, body or face that expresses ideas or feelings We see that every external motion, act, gesture, whether voluntary or mechanical, organic or mental, is produced and preceded by internal feeling or emotion, will or volition, and thought or mind. H. P. Blavatsky, 1831 – 1891 2. an act or something that is said as a formality... Read More

prior pri-or / prī-ər adjective 1. occurring earlier in time or order Prior to any questioning, the person must be warned that he has a right to remain silent, that any statement he does make may be used as evidence against him and that he has a right to the presence of an attorney, either retained or appointed. Earl Warren, 1891 – 1974  2. preceding; existing or... Read More

spurious spu-ri-ous / spyo͝or-ē-əs adjective 1. counterfeit; not real or genuine America overflows with specious “victims” demanding redress for spurious grievances. George Will, “Reform in Baseball as In Life”, www.sfgate.com. April 2, 2001 2. untrustworthy; invalid; incorrect Correlations are not explanations and besides, they can be as spurious as the high correlation in Finland between foxes killed and divorces. Gunnar Myrdal. 1898 – 1987 3. in plants, having a... Read More