average av-er-age /  ăv-ər-ĭj, ăv-rĭj adjective 1. ordinary, usual, typical When you’re average, you’re just as close to the bottom as you are the top. Alfred North Whitehead, 1861 – 1947 2. pertaining to or estimated by the calculation of the arithmetic mean Calculating the average age of a group tells you what age most of the people fall closest to. Carter McBride, “How to Calculate Average... Read More

solitude sol-i-tude /   sŏl-ĭ-to͞od, sŏl-ĭ-tyo͞od noun 1. the state of being alone Solitude is enjoyed only when one is at peace with oneself.  Chinese Proverb 2. a secluded place or a place which is removed from civilization To sit in solitude, to think in solitude with only the music of the stream and the cedar to break the flow of silence, there lies the value of... Read More

incredulous in-cred-u-lous / ĭn-krĕj-ə-ləs adjective 1. skeptical; not believing or reluctant to believe The proof that this is the genuine spot where Noah was buried can only be doubted by uncommonly incredulous people.  From “The Innocents Abroad” by Mark Twain, 1835 – 1910 2. displaying or indicating disbelief ‘Try to forget them!’ he rejoined, raising his haggard face to hers, and regarding her with an incredulous stare. ... Read More

unexceptionable un-ex-cep-tion-a-ble /  ŭn-ĭk-sĕp-shə-nə-bəl adjective 1. perfect; beyond reproach or criticism Nothing is more essential to the establishment of manners in a State than that all persons employed in places of power and trust must be men of unexceptionable characters. Samuel Adams, 1722 – 1803 etymology A combination of the English negative prefix un- (not), akin to the Latin negative prefix in-, and the  adjective-forming suffix -able, which comes from a... Read More

soar soar / sôr noun 1. the act of gliding or flying through the air The soar of the eagle flying in the wind, As it glides through the air on its flight, It’s eyes piercing around looking far away, Ready to scoop down and take its prey From “The Eagles Flight” by Sharon Kemper, ? – 2. the altitude gained when flying through the air... Read More

blatant bla-tant / blāt-nt   adjective 1. disagreeably loud and noisy It was different from the dance- hall piano-banging and blatant brass bands he had heard.  From “Martin Eden” by Jack London, 1876 – 1916   2. boldly obvious; conspicuous, with no attempt to hide It is sometimes well for a blatant error to draw attention to overmodest truths. Jean Rostand 1894-1977   etymology Coined by... Read More

flagrant fla-grant / flā-grənt   adjective 1. obviously bad, shocking, egregious The flagrant disregard in the courtroom of elementary standards of proper conduct should not and cannot be tolerated.  Hugo Black, 1886 – 1971   2. (obsolete) blazing or burning Lust of power is the most flagrant of all the passions.  Tacitus, 56 – 117    etymology From flagrans, flagrantis, the present active participle of the Latin verb flagro,... Read More

disinterested dis-in-ter-est-ed / dĭs-ĭn-trĭ-stĭd, dĭs-ĭn-tə-rĕs-tĭd adjective 1. impartial; having no bias or selfish motives The fruits of charity are joy, peace, and mercy; charity demands beneficence and fraternal correction; it is benevolence; it fosters reciprocity and remains disinterested and generous; it is friendship and communion: Love is itself the fulfillment of all our works. Saint Augustine, 354 – 430 2. not interested or no... Read More

uninterested un-in-ter-est-ed / ŭn-ĭn-trĭ-stĭd, ŭn-ĭn-tər-ĭ-stĭd, ŭn-ĭn-tə-rĕs-tĭd adjective 1. having no interest; indifferent There are no uninteresting things, only uninterested people.  Gilbert K. Chesterton, 1874 – 1936 etymology A combination of the English negative prefix un- (not), akin to the Latin negative prefix in-, and the English adjective interested, which is ultimately derived from the Latin prepositional prefix inter- (between, among, within, involved with) and est the third person singular of the Latin verb sum, esse, fui,... Read More

seasonable sea-son-a-ble / sē-zə-nə-bəl adjective 1. appropriate or characteristic of the season or time of year It was a wild, cold, seasonable night of March, with a pale moon, lying on her back as though the wind had tilted her. From “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” by Robert Louis Stevenson, 1850 – 1894 2. occurring at the appropriate time; timely The true wisdom is... Read More