Justify /ˈjəstəˌfī/ verb 1. to show or prove to be right Those who lack the courage will always find a philosophy to justify it. – Albert Camus (1913 – 1960) 2. to make even or true, as lines of type by proper spacing When you “justify” text in a Word document, you give your text straight edges on both sides of the paragraph. Justifying... Read More

Anachronism /əˈnakrəˌnizəm/ noun something belonging to a time period other than the one in which it exists or is depicted in, a chronological inconsistency, especially one that is old-fashioned We know time to be a hurricane…our buildings, our sense of style, our ideas, all of these will soon enough be anachronisms, and the machines in which we now take inordinate pride will seem no... Read More

Column /ˈkäləm/ noun 1. a supporting pillar If you look at Gothic detail right down to the bottom of a column, it’s a small version of the whole building— that’s why, like dating the backbones of a dinosaur a good historian can look at a detail of a Gothic building and tell you exactly what the rest of the building was, and infer the... Read More

Subsidence /səbˈsīdns,ˈsəbsədns/ noun the gradual sinking or caving in of a piece of land that can be caused by both natural processes and human activity Subsidence can happen over very large areas like whole states or provinces, or very small areas like the corner of your yard. – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

Button /ˈbətn/  noun 1. a small disc or knob that is used to fasten a dress, pants, shirt, or other article of clothing Don’t get me wrong, I love a good cardigan too, but a jacket— especially one with sharp shoulders, interesting buttons, or a unique collar— always looks the most fashion forward. – Nina Garcia, (1965 – ) 2. a knob on... Read More

Tend /tend/ verb 1. to take care of something The Earth is our environment to protect and the garden to tend to. – Pope Francis (1936 – 2025) 2. to be likely to, to do something habitually Stories of imagination tend to upset those without one. – Terry Pratchett (1948 – 2015)

Barrel /ˈberəl/ noun 1. a large container shaped like a cylinder What we need is a cup of understanding, a barrel of love, and an ocean of patience. – Saint Francis de Sales (1567-1623) 2. the long metal tube forming part of a gun Political power grows out of the barrel of a gun. – Mao Zedong (1893-1976) verb to move forward quickly in... Read More