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David Theobald

The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… lackadaisical (adjective): : lacking life, spirit, or zest : languid Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Lackadaisical is rooted in the sort of sorrow that can put a damper on one’s passion for things. When people living from the late 17th to the late 19th century had one

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… vicinity (noun): Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Vicinity is a word with neighbourly origins that was welcomed into English as a French import in the 16th century from Middle French vicinité. It comes ultimately from Latin vicus, meaning “row of houses” or “village,” by way of

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… oracular (adjective): 1: resembling an oracle (as in solemnity of delivery) 2: of, relating to, or being an oracle Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : When the ancient Greeks had questions or problems, they would turn to the gods for answers by consulting an oracle, a person

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… foible (noun): 1: the part of a sword or foil blade between the middle and point 2: a minor flaw or shortcoming in character or behavior Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Borrowed from French in the 1600s, the word originally referred to the weakest part of

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… auspicious (adjective): 1: showing or suggesting that future success is likely 2: attended by good auspices Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Auspicious comes from Latin auspex, which literally means “bird seer” (from the words avis, meaning “bird,” and specere, meaning “to look at”). In ancient Rome,

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… circumscribe (verb): 1a: to constrict the range or activity of definitely and clearly b: to define or mark off carefully 2a: to draw a line around b: to surround by or as if by a boundary 3: to construct or be constructed around (a geometrical

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… shenanigan (noun): 1: a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose 2a: tricky or questionable practices or conduct—usually used in plural b: high-spirited or mischievous activity—usually used in plural Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The history of shenanigan is as tricky and mischievous

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… bowdlerise (verb): 1 literature : to expurgate (something, such as a book) by omitting or modifying parts considered vulgar 2: to modify by abridging, simplifying, or distorting in style or content Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Few editors have achieved the notoriety of Thomas Bowdler. He was

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… equivocal (adjective): 1a: subject to two or more interpretations and usually used to mislead or confuse b: uncertain as an indication or sign 2a: of uncertain nature or classification b: of uncertain disposition toward a person or thing : undecided c: of doubtful advantage, genuineness, or

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… gerrymander (noun, verb): noun 1: the act or method of gerrymandering 2: a district or pattern of districts varying greatly in size or population as a result of gerrymandering verb : to divide or arrange (a territorial unit) into election districts in a way that gives

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… belated (adjective): 1: delayed beyond the usual time 2: existing or appearing past the normal or proper time Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Long ago, there was a verb belate, which meant “to make late.” From the beginning, belate tended to mostly turn up in the

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… infantilise (verb): 1: to make or keep infantile 2: to treat as if infantile Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Infantilise is just a baby, linguistically speaking. It wasn’t until several decades into the 20th century that social scientists started using the term to discuss the

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… erstwhile (adverb, adjective): adverb : in the past : formerly adjective : former, previous Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The adverb erstwhile has been part of English since at least the 16th century, but it is formed from two words that are much older. It comes from the Old

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… démarche (noun): 1a: a course of action : maneuver b: a diplomatic or political initiative or maneuver 2: a petition or protest presented through diplomatic channels Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : When it comes to international diplomacy, it’s important not only to talk the talk but

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… perpetuity (noun): 1: eternity 2: the quality or state of being perpetual 3a: the condition of an estate limited so that it will not take effect or vest within the period fixed by law   b: an estate so limited 4: an annuity payable forever Source

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… recuse (verb): : to disqualify (oneself) as judge in a particular case , but broadly, to remove (oneself) from participation to avoid a conflict of interest Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : If you ever find yourself accused of refusing to recuse yourself, look on the bright side: you

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