Nic Rawlence University of Otago Nic Rawlence has an undergraduate degree and Master of Science from Victoria University of Wellington in New Zealand, and a PhD from the University of Adelaide (Australia). The past can inform the present in more ways than one. Take the case of the 23-million-year-old whale
The word for today is… mawkish (adjective): 1 : lacking flavor or having an unpleasant taste 2 : exaggeratedly or childishly emotional Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Mawkish really opens up a can of worms—or maggots, as it were: the word wriggled out from Middle English mawke, meaning “maggot.” Its earliest sense,
HR Information Opinion Disclaimer This article is for general information only. It should not be taken as professional advice. There are a lot of articles across the mainstream media at the moment about the housing market. Notably, they focus on how negative equity and mortgagee sales are becoming commonplace. Well,
The word for today is… conciliate (verb): 1 : appease 2 : to gain (something, such as goodwill) by pleasing acts 3 : to make compatible : reconcile Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :The immediate source of conciliate is a form of the Latin verb conciliare, meaning “to assemble, unite, win over,” and when conciliate
The word for today is… panache (noun): 1 : an ornamental tuft (as of feathers) especially on a helmet 2 : dash or flamboyance in style and action Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Few literary characters can match the panache of French poet and soldier Cyrano de Bergerac, from Edmond Rostand’s 1897
The word for today is.. assiduous (adjective): : showing great care, attention, and effort : marked by careful unremitting attention or persistent application Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Assiduous came to English directly from the Latin assiduus, an adjective derived from the verb assidere “to sit beside.” To the ancient Romans, assiduus carried
The word for today is… demeanour (noun): : behaviour toward others Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :The history of demeanour begins with a threat: the word has its roots in Latin minari “to threaten.” A form of that word was used in contexts having to do with driving animals—that is, impelling
The word for today is… adjure (verb): 1 : to command solemnly under or as if under oath or penalty of a curse 2 : to urge or advise earnestly Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Adjure comes, by way of Anglo-French, from the Latin verb adjurure, which means “to affirm with an oath”
The word for today is… umbrage (noun): 1 : a feeling of pique or resentment at some often fancied slight or insult 2 : shady branches : foliage 3 : shade, shadow 4a : an indistinct indication : vague suggestion : hint b : a reason for doubt : suspicion Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Umbrage is a word born
If you ever needed proof we live in a topsy-turvy, upside-down world, look no further than this story in the NZ Herald where a self-absorbed ‘dog mum’ wants the same rights as parents of…you know…children. Clearly, this sheila is barking mad. I am a dog mum, and I
The word for today is… firework (noun): 1 : a device for producing a striking display by the combustion of explosive or flammable compositions 2 fireworks plural : a display of fireworks 3 fireworks plural a : a display of temper or intense conflict b : strong feelings of usually romantic or sexual attraction
The word for today is… brandish (verb): 1 : to shake or wave (something, such as a weapon) 2 : to exhibit in an ostentatious or aggressive manner Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Often when we encounter the word brandish in print, it is followed by a word for a weapon, such as
The word for today is… effulgence (noun): : radiant splendor : brilliance Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Effulgence is not a shiny “new” word, having made its English language debut in the 17th century, but it does come from the Latin verb fulgere, meaning “to shine.” Effulgence isn’t used for bog-standard brightness,
The word for today is… jaunty (adjective): 1 : sprightly in manner or appearance 2 archaic : stylish or genteel Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :Does throwing on a jaunty hat make someone appear more genteel? Maybe, but something more definitive links the words: both jaunty and genteel come from the French word
The word for today is… devolve (verb): 1: : to pass on (something, such as responsibility, rights, or powers) from one person or entity to another 2a : to pass by transmission or succession b : to fall or be passed usually as a responsibility or obligation 3 : to come by or as
The word for today is… affidavit (noun): : a sworn statement in writing made especially under oath or on affirmation Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology :In Latin, affidavit means “he (she) has sworn an oath”, and an affidavit is always a sworn written document. If it contains a lie, the person making
