The word for today is… enhance (verb) – To improve or augment, especially in effectiveness, value, or attractiveness. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : When enhance was borrowed into English in the 13th century, it literally meant to raise something higher. That sense, though now obsolete, provides a clue about the origins
The word for today is… emollient (noun) – 1. An agent that softens or soothes the skin. 2. An agent that assuages or mollifies. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Emollient derives from the present participle of the Latin verb emollire, which, unsurprisingly, means “to soften or soothe.” Emollire, in turn, derives
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… dogma (noun) – 1. A doctrine or a corpus of doctrines relating to matters such as morality and faith, set forth in an authoritative manner by a religion. 2. A principle or statement of ideas, or a group of such principles or statements, especially when considered
The word for today is… crabwise (adj) – 1. Sideways. 2. In a furtive or circumspect manner; indirectly. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : There’s no reason to be indirect when explaining the etymology of crabwise—we’ll get right to the point. As you might guess, the meaning of the
The word for today is… collogue (verb) – 1. To be on friendly or intimate terms with someone. 2. (a) To consult or confer with someone. (b) To chat. 3. (Chiefly Upper Southern US) To conspire; intrigue. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Collogue has been with us since the 17th century,
The word for today is… benefic (adj) – Beneficent. Producing good or helpful results or effects Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Benefic comes from Latin beneficus, which in turn comes from bene (“well”) and facere (“to do”). The word was originally used by astrologers to refer to celestial bodies believed to
The word for today is… appreciable (adj) – Possible to estimate, measure, or perceive. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Appreciable, like the verb appreciate, comes from the Late Latin verb appretiare (“to appraise” or “to put a price on”). It is one of several English adjectives that can be applied to
The word for today is… abstain (verb) – 1. To keep oneself from doing, engaging in, or partaking of something; refrain. 2. To refrain from voting. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : If you abstain, you’re consciously, and usually with effort, choosing to hold back from doing something that you would
The word for today is… verbiage (noun) – 1. An excess of words for the purpose; wordiness. 2. The manner in which something is expressed in words. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Verbiage descends from French verbier, meaning “to trill” or “to warble.” The usual sense of the word implies an
The word for today is… undertaker (noun) – 1. Funeral director. 2. One who undertakes a task or job. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : You may wonder how the word undertaker made the transition from “one who undertakes” to “one who makes a living in the funeral business.” The latter meaning
The word for today is… strenuous (adj) – 1. Requiring great effort, energy, or exertion. 2. Vigorously active; energetic or zealous. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : “Characterised by great effort,” mid-15th c (implied in strenuously), from Latin strenuus “active, brisk, quick, nimble, prompt, vigorous, keen.” Probably cognate with Greek str?nes,
The word for today is… skullduggery (also skulduggery) (noun) – Crafty deception or trickery or an instance of it. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : also sculduddery, “fornication,” 1713 1856, apparently an alteration of Scottish sculdudrie “adultery” (1713), sculduddery “bawdry, obscenity” (1821), a euphemism of uncertain origin. If you enjoyed this BFD
The word for today is… Sisyphean (adj) – 1. Of or relating to Sisyphus. 2. Endlessly laborious or futile. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : In Greek mythology, Sisyphus was a king who annoyed the gods with his trickery. As a consequence, he was condemned for eternity to roll a huge rock
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… ruddy (adj) – 1. a. Having a healthy, reddish colour. b. Reddish; rosy. 2. (Chiefly British Slang) Used as an intensive: “You ruddy liar!” (John Galsworthy). Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : In Old English, there were two related words referring to red colouring: read and rudu.
