Word of the Day: Tomb
tomb tomb / to͞om noun: 1. a place for the burial of a corpse; a grave We all will die, but our tombs will differ. Malawian Proverb 2. a vault or chamber where the dead are buried For a greedy man even his tomb is too small. Tajikistani Proverb 3. a monument to preserve the memory of the deceased For the whole earth is... Read More
Word of the Day: Resplendent
resplendent re-splen-dent / ri-ˈsplen-dənt adjective shining brightly; gleaming Work on your strong qualities and become resplendent like the ruby. Rumi, 1207-1273 Etymology From the present active participle replendens, resplendentis of the Latin verb resplendeo, resplendere, a combination of the prefix re (back, again) and the verb splendeo, splendere (shine). Etymology provided by Allen Ward
Word of the Day: Wax
wax wax / wăks noun 1. a solid, fatty substance, of natural organic origin, that melts when heated Politeness is what warmth is to wax. German Proverb 2. a solid, oily substance composed largely of hydrocarbons, found in mineral layers, such as paraffin wax or ozocerite, that melts when heated The same heat that melts wax, bakes clay. French Proverb 3. a resin, that... Read More
Words of the Day: Hare and Hair
hare hare / hâr noun an animal, of the genus Lepus, similar to a rabbit, that is larger; unlike a rabbit, it does not burrow and its young are born covered with fur If you run after two hares, you will catch neither. Japanese Proverb Etymology hare, from the Anglo-Saxon hara _________________________________________________________________________________ hair hair / hâr noun a threadlike strand that grows out of... Read More
Word of the Day: Charm
charm / ˈchärm noun 1. the quality of being pleasing or attractive, either by nature or physical beauty There is no personal charm so great as the charm of a cheerful temperament. Henry Van Dyke, 1852-1933 2. an item used to ward off bad luck I’m not really superstitious – I don’t have any lucky charms or a mascot. Andrew Flintoff, 1977- 3. a... Read More
Word of the Day: Ingenious
ingenious in-gen-ious / ĭn-jēn-yəs adjective clever, skillful He is the best physician who is the most ingenious inspirer of hope. Samuel Taylor Coleridge, 1772 – 1834 imaginative and original Reading is sometimes an ingenious device for avoiding thought. Arthur Helps, 1813 – 1875 (obsolete) brilliant, possessing genius To be humane, we must ever be ready to pronounce that wise, ingenious and modest statement ‘I... Read More
Word of the Day: Foundation
foundation foun-da-tion / foun-dā-shən noun 1. the basic fundamentals or basis on which something is established An educated workforce is the foundation of every community and the future of every economy. Brad Henry, 1963 – 2. the act of establishing, setting up or starting something new or the state of being established or started Not long after his coronation, he announced the foundation of... Read More
Word of the Day: Reconciliation
reconciliation rec-on-cil-i-a-tion / ˌre-kən-ˌsi-lē-ˈā-shən noun 1. an act or instance of restoring amicable relations True reconciliation is never cheap, for it is based on forgiveness which is costly. Desmond Tutu, 1931- 2. in US government, a process which expedites the passing of a bill relating to the federal budget, via a majority vote Reconciliation was created in a 1974 budget law and its main... Read More
Word of the Day: Census
census cen-sus / sĕn-səs noun 1. the official count of a population that often includes other statistics, such as age, sex, etc. The true test of civilization is not the census, nor the size of cities, nor the crops – no, but the kind of man the country turns out. Ralph Waldo Emerson 1803-1882 2. an official count You can’t choose between right and... Read More
Homonyms: Profit and Prophet
profit prof-it / prŏf-ĭt noun 1. a monetary gain Profit is a by-product of work; happiness is its chief product. Henry Ford, 1863 – 1947 2. the excess of revenues over expenses Small profits and often, are better than large profits and seldom. German Proverb 3. a benefit It is of no profit to have learned well, if you neglect to do well. Publilius... Read More