capital cap-i-tal  /  kăp-ĭ-tl   adjective   first, primary, main Since the most ancient times, all men, and particularly those who endeavored in the practice of medicine, have brought closer together two natural phenomena of capital importance: illness or fever and fermentation. Louis Pasteur, 1822 – 1895   excellent, top-notch When I come upon anything-in Logic or in any other hard subject-that entirely puzzles... Read More

beg-gar / ˈbe-gər   noun   one who asks for money on the street, sometimes making their living this way There are people who can never forgive a beggar for their not having given him anything. Karl Kraus, 1874-1936   an impoverished person The man who has really won the love of one good woman in this world, I do not care if he... Read More

quick / kwik   adjective   fast to develop or happen Life seems but a quick succession of busy nothings. Jane Austen, 1775-1817   done in a fast manner The Art Snob can be recognized in the home by the quick look he gives the pictures on your walls, quick but penetrating, as though he were undressing them. Russell Lynes, 1910-1991   fast to... Read More

shark / ˈshärk   noun (1) any of a number of mostly marine fish belonging to subclass elasmobranch, ranging in size from a few inches to over 40 feet long, having a tough, dull-colored skin, and a predatory nature We provoke a shark every time we enter the water where sharks happen to be, for we forget: The ocean is not our territory –... Read More

friend-ly / ˈfren(d)-lē   adjective   showing kindly interest With a friendly word you get farther than with a club. Ukrainian Proverb   not hostile You can proclaim the truth also in a friendly way. Turkish Proverb   serving a beneficial purpose Cheerfulness is the best promoter of health and is as friendly to the mind as to the body. Joseph Addison, 1672-1719  ... Read More

groom / ɡro͞om   noun   a man who is to be married; a bridegroom In Hollywood, brides keep the bouquets and throw away the groom. Groucho Marx, 1890-1977   a person who tends to horses in a stable, typically male Give me the handling of a horse for twenty minutes, and I’ll tell you what sort of a groom he has had. from... Read More

eek  /  ēk   interjection   used to express alarm, fright, dismay or surprise I always cringe when people tell me they don’t eat breakfast, as though that’s a good thing. Eek! Alison Sweeney, 1976 –     eke eke  /  ēk     adverb   (archaic) also To friends and eke to foes true kindness show; No kindly heart unkindly deeds will do;... Read More

la-ment / ləˈment   verb   to express sorrow or regret, usually demonstratively; to mourn You can choose to accept the darkness and lament it, or you can choose to expand the light until the darkness no longer dominates. Deepak Chopra, 1946-   to regret strongly We are more prone to murmur at the punishment of our faults than to lament them. Marguerite Gardiner,... Read More

just / jəst   adjective   reasonable Learn good-humor, never to oppose without just reason; abate some degree of pride and moroseness. Isaac Watts, 1674-1748   conforming to a standard of being correct With fame in just proportion, envy grows. Edward Young, 1683-1765   righteous Our greatest happiness does not depend on the condition of life in which chance has placed us, but is... Read More

wran-gle / ˈraNGɡəl   verb   to argue or bicker in a noisy or peevish manner A husband and wife should resolve never to wrangle with each other; never to bandy words or indulge in the least ill-humour. Timothy Shay Arthur, 1809-1885   to tend or herd It pays to be in the best shape possible when you’re wrangling the largest reptiles on Earth!... Read More