The word for today is… surly (adjective) - 1: menacing or threatening in appearance 2 obsolete : arrogant, imperious 3: irritably sullen and churlish in mood or manner : crabbed Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : In its very earliest uses in the 16th century, surly meant "majestic" or "lordly." These
The word for today is… yen (noun, noun, verb) - noun : the basic monetary unit of Japan noun : a strong desire or propensity verb : a strong desire or propensity Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Although yen suggests no more than a strong desire these days (as in “a yen for a beach
The word for today is… mnemonic (adjective, noun) - adjective 1: assisting or intended to assist memory, also : of or relating to mnemonics 2: of or relating to memory noun : a mnemonic device or code Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Need a mnemonic device to remember how to spell mnemonic? Although the
The word for today is… grandiose (adjective) - 1: characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by absurd exaggeration 2: impressive because of uncommon largeness, scope, effect, or grandeur Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : When it comes to bigness, there’s grand and then there’s grandiose. Both words can be
The word for today is… dilapidate (verb) - 1: to bring into a condition of decay or partial ruin 2 archaic : squander Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Something that is dilapidated may not have been literally pummeled with stones, but it might look that way. Dilapidate derives from the past participle of
The word for today is… dilemma (noun) - 1a: a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice b: a situation involving such a choice, broadly : predicament 2a: a problem involving a difficult choice b: a difficult or persistent problem 3: an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent
The word for today is… petard (noun) - 1: a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall 2: a firework that explodes with a loud report Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Aside from historical references to siege warfare, and occasional contemporary references to fireworks,
The word for today is… temporise (verb) - 1: to act to suit the time or occasion : yield to current or dominant opinion 2: to draw out discussions or negotiations so as to gain time Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Temporise comes from the Middle French word temporiser, which in turn likely
The word for today is… gyre (noun, verb) - noun : a circular or spiral motion or form, especially : a giant circular oceanic surface current verb : to move in a circle or spiral Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : William Butler Yeats opens his 1920 poem, "The Second Coming," with the following
The word for today is… ferrule (noun) - 1: a ring or cap usually of metal put around a slender shaft (such as a cane or a tool handle) to strengthen it or prevent splitting 2: a usually metal sleeve used especially for joining or binding one part to another
The word for today is… compunction (noun) - 1a: anxiety arising from awareness of guilt b: distress of mind over an anticipated action or result 2: a twinge of misgiving : scruple Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : An old proverb says "a guilty conscience needs no accuser," and it's
The word for today is… hibernaculum (noun) - : a shelter occupied during the winter by a dormant animal (such as an insect, snake, bat, or marmot) Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : If you’re afraid of snakes or bats, you probably won’t enjoy thinking about hibernacula, where hundreds, even thousands, of
The word for today is… stereotype (verb, noun) - verb 1: to make a stereotype from 2a: to repeat without variation : make hackneyed b: to develop a mental stereotype about noun 1: a plate cast from a printing surface 2: something conforming to a fixed or general pattern, especially : a
The word for today is… franchise (noun, verb) - noun 1a(1): the right or license granted to an individual or group to market a company's goods or services in a particular territory. Also : a business granted such a right or license (2): the territory involved in such
The word for today is… pious (adjective) - 1 a: marked by or showing reverence for deity and devotion to divine worship b: marked by conspicuous religiosity 2: sacred or devotional as distinct from the profane or secular : religious 3: showing loyal reverence for a person or thing : dutiful 4
The word for today is… conversant (adjective) - 1: having knowledge or experience —used with with 2 archaic : having frequent or familiar association 3 archaic : concerned, occupied Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The adjectives conversant and conversational both descend from the Latin verb conversari, meaning "to associate with." Conversant dates
