cynosure cy-no-sure /  sī-nə-sho͝or, sĭn-ə-sho͝or   noun 1. something or someone that draws attention and admiration He felt uncomfortable, for he was a modest young man and did not like to be the cynosure of all eyes. From “The Blue Tower” by Evelyn E. Smith, 1922 – 2000   2. something that serves as a guide The 1897 Cape Palliser Lighthouse, resplendent in its wide red bands,... Read More

timorous tim-or-ous / tĭm-ər-əs adjective 1. fearful; shy; easily frightened; anxious The weakest and most timorous are the most revengeful and implacable. Thomas Fuller, 1608 – 1661 2. caused by fear or indicative of fear When once a man has made celebrity necessary to his happiness, he has put it in the power of the weakest and most timorous malignity, if not to take away his satisfaction, at... Read More

refuse  re-fuse / rĭ-fyo͞oz verb  1. to decline to accept or allow If wisdom were offered me with this restriction, that I should keep it close and not communicate it, I would refuse the gift.  Lucius Annaeus Seneca, c. 4 BC – 65 AD 2. to deny, to fail to give something We are rich only through what we give, and poor only through what we refuse.... Read More

legendary leg-en-dar-y  /  lĕj-ən-dĕr-ē adjective 1. based on an unverified story that has been handed down from earlier times Perseus, one of the most renowned of the legendary heroes of antiquity, was the son of Zeus and Danae, daughter of Acrisius, king of Argos. From “Myths and Legends of Ancient Greece and Rome” by E.M. Berens 2. remarkable enough to be famous; very well... Read More

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