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Peter Andersen

The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… forsooth (adv) – In truth; indeed. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Forsooth sounds like a dated word, but it is still part of modern English; it is primarily used in humorous or ironic contexts, or in a manner intended to play off the word’s archaic

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… cocoon (verb) – 1. To envelop (an insect) in a cocoon. 2. To wrap in a blanket or other covering. 3. To cause to be isolated or protected from harsh, dangerous, or disturbing realities; insulate. (noun) – 1. (a) A protective case of silk or similar fibrous

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… berserk (adj) – 1. Destructively or frenetically violent: a berserk worker who started smashing all the windows. 2. Mentally or emotionally upset; deranged: berserk with grief. 3. Informal Unrestrained, as with enthusiasm or appetite; wild: berserk over chocolates. (noun) – 1. One that is violent, upset, or

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… welkin (noun) – 1. The vault of heaven; the sky. 2. The upper air. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : When it comes to welkin, the sky’s the limit. This heavenly word has been used in English to refer to the vault of the sky for

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… viridity (noun) – The quality or condition of being green, especially as manifested in vegetation. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Viridity is simply a highfalutin way to say “greenness” in both its literal and figurative senses. Greenness goes all the way back to Old English gr?

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… timorous (adj) – Full of apprehensiveness; timid. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Timid and timorous don’t just have similar spellings and meanings; they are etymologically related as well. Both words ultimately derive from the Latin verb tim?re, meaning “to fear.” The immediate ancestor of

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… quixotic (adj) – 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; idealistic without regard to practicality. 2. Capricious; impulsive. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : If you guessed that quixotic has something to do with Don Quixote, you’re absolutely

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… palpate (verb) – To examine or explore by touching (an organ or area of the body), usually as a diagnostic aid. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Palpate has been part of the English language since the 19th century. It was probably coined from the preexisting noun

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… ninja (noun) – A member of a class of medieval Japanese mercenary agents who were trained in the martial arts and hired for covert operations such as assassination and sabotage. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Ninjas may seem mysterious, but the origin of their name is

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… minutia (noun) – Usually minutiae. precise details; small or trifling matters. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Minutia was borrowed into English in the 18th century from the Latin plural noun minutiae, meaning “trifles” or “details,” and derived from the singular noun minutia, meaning “smallness.” In English,

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… lampoon (verb) – To ridicule or satirize in a lampoon. (noun) – A written attack ridiculing a person, group, or institution. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Lampoon can be a noun or a verb. The noun lampoon (meaning “satire” or, specifically, “a harsh satire usually directed against

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… incommunicado (adverb) – Without the means or right of communicating with others. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Incommunicado ultimately comes from Latin but made its way into English via the Spanish incomunicado. We borrowed the word (with a slightly modified spelling) from the past participle of

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… gibe (verb) – Jeer; taunt; deride. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Confused about jibe and gibe? The distinction actually isn’t as clear-cut as some commentators would like it to be. Jibe is used both for the verb meaning “to be in accord” or “agree” (as

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… fusty (adj) – 1. Smelling of mildew or decay; musty. 2. Old-fashioned; antique. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Fusty probably derives from the Middle English word foist, meaning “wine cask,” which in turn traces to the Medieval Latin word fustis, meaning “tree trunk” or “wood.” So

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… derogate (verb) – 1. To take away; detract. 2. To deviate from a standard or expectation; go astray. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Most of us encounter derogatory, the adjective meaning “expressing a low opinion,” more frequently than we do derogate, its less common verb relation,

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The BFD Word of the Day

The BFD Word of the Day

The word for today is… cordial (adj) – 1. (a) Warm and sincere; friendly. (b) Polite and respectful; formally pleasant. 2. Strongly felt; fervent. 3. (Archaic) Invigorating; stimulating. Used especially of a beverage. (noun) – 1. A liqueur. 2. An invigorating or medicinal drink; a tonic. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Cordial

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