Skip to content

David Theobald

The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… oblige (verb): 1 : to constrain by physical, moral, or legal force or by the exigencies of circumstance 2a : to put in one’s debt by a favor or service b : to do a favor for Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : If you are obliged by a

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… festoon (noun, verb): noun 1 : a decorative chain or strip hanging between two points 2 : a carved, molded, or painted ornament representing a decorative chain verb 1 : to hang or form festoons on 2 : to shape into festoons Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The noun festoon

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… panacea (noun): : a remedy for all ills or difficulties Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : English speakers took panacea from Latin, but as is the case with many Latin borrowings, the word ultimately traces its roots to Greek: panakes, meaning “all-healing,” comes from pan-, meaning “all,

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… burgle (verb): : to break into and steal from (a home, business, etc.) : to commit robbery Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Burglary and burglar, which refer respectively to the act of breaking into a dwelling especially at night in order to commit theft or some other crime,

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… alleviate (verb): : relieve, lessen: such as – a : to make (something, such as pain or suffering) more bearable b : to partially remove or correct (something undesirable) Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Alleviate derives from the past participle of Late Latin alleviare (“to lighten or relieve”), which in

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… evanescent (adjective): : tending to vanish like vapor Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The fragile, airy quality of evanescent things reflects the etymology of the word evanescent itself. It’s from a form of the Latin verb evanescere, which means “to evaporate” or “to vanish.” (Evanescere is

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… abrogate (verb): 1 formal : to abolish by authoritative action : annul 2 formal : to treat as nonexistent : to fail to do what is required by (something, such as a responsibility) 3 formal : to suppress or prevent (a biological function or process and especially an immune response)

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… vocation (noun): : a summons or strong inclination to a particular state or course of action especially : a divine call to the religious life b : an entry into the priesthood or a religious order 2a : the work in which a person is employed b : the persons

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… sumptuous (adjective): extremely costly, rich, luxurious, or magnificent Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : The word sumptuous typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense, a fact that keeps the modern English word tied to its Latin source: sumptus, meaning “expense.” Another English

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… fidelity (noun): 1a : the quality or state of being faithful b : accuracy in details 2 : the degree to which an electronic device (such as a record player, radio, or television) accurately reproduces its effect (such as sound or picture) Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Fidelity came

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… decry (verb): 1 : to depreciate (something, such as a coin) officially or publicly 2 : to express strong disapproval of Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Decry has several synonyms in English, among them disparage and belittle. Decry connotes an open condemnation that makes it the best choice

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… punitive (adjective): : inflicting, involving, or aiming at punishment Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : 1620s, from French punitif (16c.) or directly from Medieval Latin punitivus, from Latin punitus, past participle of punire “to punish, correct, chastise”. Punitive is an important word in the law. When you sue

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… perfunctory (adjective): 1 : characterized by routine or superficiality : mechanical 2 : lacking in interest or enthusiasm Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : A perfunctory explanation of the origins of perfunctory would be this: it comes from Latin. Borrowed in the late 16th century, the word is specifically from

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… garner (verb): 1a : to gather into storage b : to deposit as if in a granary 2a : to acquire by effort b : accumulate, collect Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : What do you call a building in which grain is stored? These days, English speakers are most likely

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… anodyne (adjective, noun): adjective 1 : serving to alleviate pain 2 : not likely to offend or arouse tensions noun 1 : something that soothes, calms, or comforts 2 : a drug that allays pain Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Anodyne came to English via Latin from Greek anodynos (meaning

Members Public
The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… behemoth (noun): 1 often capitalized, religion : a mighty animal described in Job 40:15–24 as an example of the power of God 2 : something of monstrous size, power, or appearance Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : In the biblical book of Job, Behemoth is the name

Members Public