The word for today is… flimflam (noun) – 1. Nonsense; humbug. 2. A deception; a swindle. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Also flim-flam, 1530s, a contemptuous echoic construction, perhaps connected to some unrecorded dialectal word from Scandinavian (compare Old Norse flim “a lampoon”). From 1650s as a verb. If you enjoyed
The word for today is… ferret (verb) – 1. (a) To hunt (rabbits, for example) with ferrets. (b) To drive out, as from a hiding place; expel. 2. To uncover and bring to light by searching. Often used with out. 3. To hound or harry persistently; worry. (noun) – 1. A domesticated
The word for today is… demure (adj) – 1. Modest and reserved in manner or behaviour. 2. Characterised by or suggestive of reserve or modesty. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : In the nearly four centuries that demure has been in use, its meaning has only shifted slightly. While it began solely
The word for today is… crone (noun) – 1. (Derogatory) An old woman considered to be ugly; a hag. 2. A woman who is venerated for experience, judgment, and wisdom. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Late 14th century, “a feeble and withered old woman,” in Middle English a strong term of
The word for today is… catch-22 (noun) – 1. A situation in which a desired outcome or solution is impossible to attain because of a set of inherently contradictory rules or conditions. 2. A contradictory or self-defeating course of action. 3. A tricky or disadvantageous condition; a catch. Source : The Free
The word for today is… beholden (adj) – Owing something, such as gratitude, to another; indebted. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Have you ever found yourself under obligation to someone else for a gift or favour? It’s a common experience and, not surprisingly, many of the words describing this condition
This series is designed to help people to understand modern technology, and become more confident in using computing devices. It is not designed to educate experts. The author is involved in tutoring older students at SeniorNet, a New Zealand wide organisation. SeniorNet hopes that students will feel more confident in
The word for today is… aficionado (noun) – An enthusiastic admirer or follower; a fan. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : The affection an aficionado has for their favourite subject isn’t merely emotional—it’s also etymological. Back in the early 1800s, English borrowed aficionado from the past participle of the
The word for today is… stentorian (adj) – Extremely loud. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : The Greek herald Stentor was known for having a voice that came through loud and clear. In fact, in the Iliad, Homer described Stentor as a man whose voice was as loud as that of fifty
This series is designed to help people to understand modern technology, and become more confident in using computing devices. It is not designed to educate experts. The author is involved in tutoring older students at SeniorNet, a New Zealand wide organisation. SeniorNet hopes that students will feel more confident in
The word for today is… sovereignty (noun) – 1. Supremacy of authority or rule as exercised by a sovereign or sovereign state. 2. Royal rank, authority, or power. 3. Complete independence and self-government. 4. A territory existing as an independent state. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : mid-14th century, “pre-eminence,” from Anglo-French
The word for today is… tutelage (noun) – 1. The capacity or activity of a guardian; guardianship. 2. The capacity or activity of a tutor; instruction or teaching. 3. The state of being under the direction of a guardian or tutor. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : The Latin verb tueri means
This series is designed to help people to understand modern technology, and become more confident in using computing devices. It is not designed to educate experts. The author is involved in tutoring older students at SeniorNet, a New Zealand wide organisation. SeniorNet hopes that students will feel more confident in
The word for today is… volte-face (noun) – A reversal, as in policy; an about-face. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Volte-face came to English by way of French from Italian voltafaccia, a combination of voltare, meaning “to turn,” and faccia, “face.” It has existed as an English noun since at least
The word for today is… requisite (adj) – Something that circumstances make necessary. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Acquiring an understanding of where requisite comes from won’t require a formal inquiry. Without question, the quest begins with Latin quaerere, which means “to ask” or “to seek.” That word is ancestor
The word for today is… rife (adj) – 1. In widespread existence, practice, or use; increasingly prevalent. 2. Abundant or numerous. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : English is rife with words that have Germanic connections, many of which have been handed down to us from Old English. Rife is one of
