halfway half-way / hăf-wā, häf-wā adjective 1. midway; equally between two points Every great mistake has a halfway moment, a split second when it can be recalled and perhaps remedied. Pearl S. Buck, 1892 – 1973 2. partial; covering only a half or part A halfway decent haircut will go a long way! G-Eazy adverb 1. midway between two points; in the middle The most important trip... Read More

becloud be-cloud / bĭ-kloud verb 1. to obscure, darken or cover with or as with a cloud From their height they could see it sweeping far across the land, not high in the air, but beclouding the prairie like a fog. From “Winning the Wilderness” by Margaret Hill McCarter, 1860 – 1938 2. to confuse; to befuddle We live in the midst of alarms; anxiety beclouds the future;... Read More

muffler muf-fler / mŭf-lər noun 1. a heavy scarf worn around the neck to keep one warm Well, never mind, I will do without it,’ cried little Hans, and he took down his great fur coat, and his warm scarlet cap, and tied a muffler round his throat, and started off.  From “The Happy Prince” by Oscar Wilde, 1854 – 1900 2. any of various devices used... Read More

shiver shiv-er / shĭv-ər noun 1. a tremble or the act of trembling or shaking A cold shiver was creeping through his veins.  From “The Illustrious Prince” by E. Phillips Oppenheim, 1866 – 1946 2. the shivers, an instance or attack of quivering or trembling The ruined houses and abandoned outbuildings are guaranteed to give even the biggest skeptic the shivers.  Dana Hanson, “10 Reasons to Visit Portlock,... Read More

nippy nip-py / nĭp-ē adjective 1. having a tendency to bite Spoiling may create a pushy, nippy dog that lacks confidence.  From “Choosing a Dog: Your Guide to Picking the Perfect Breed” by Nancy Baer and Steve Duno 2. chilly; cold And the days of a long, hot Kansas summer, a glorious autumn, and a short, nippy winter swung by in their appointed seasons. From “A Master’s Degree” by... Read More

silence si-lence / sī-ləns noun (no plural) 1. the failure or refusal to speak out or communicate From his silence a man’s consent is inferred.  Latin Proverb 2. the state or condition of being silent Love and let the world know, hate in silence.  Egyptian Proverb 3. complete quiet; the absence of any sound; stillness God speaks in the silence of the heart. Mother Teresa, 1910 – 1997 4. a period... Read More

felicity fe-lic-i-ty / fĭ-lĭs-ĭ-tē noun 1. happiness; the state of being happy Human felicity is produced not so much by great pieces of good fortune that seldom happen, as by little advantages that occur every day. Benjamin Franklin, 1706 – 1790   2. an occurrence of great happiness or joy And what greater felicity than to be alone in a tavern with your last new song, just... Read More

strive strive / strīv verb 1. to exert oneself; to earnestly try Love one another and do not strive for another’s undoing.  Native American Proverb 2. to struggle against; to fight for superiority or victory Two dogs strive for a bone, and a third runs away with it.  Traditional Proverb

anew a-new / ə-no͞o, ə-nyo͞o adverb 1. once again; once more All work is as seed sown; it grows and spreads, and sows itself anew.  Turkish Proverb 2. in a new and different way or manner When any real progress is made, we unlearn and learn anew what we thought we knew before.  Henry David Thoreau, 1817 – 1862