The political use of terror is intended to win, as its name suggests, by terrorising its target. Fundamentally, terrorism aims to create disorder and demoralise a society, weakening its resistance. When inflicted by powerful groups, the purpose of terrorism is to enforce obedience and frighten populations into submission. It’s
The word for today is… divagate (verb) – 1. To wander or drift about. 2. To ramble; digress. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Divagate hasn’t wandered far in meaning from its Latin ancestors. It descends from the verb divagari, which comes from dis-, meaning “apart,” and vagari, meaning “to wander.
The word for today is… compunction (noun) – 1. A strong uneasiness caused by a sense of guilt. 2. A sting of conscience or a pang of doubt aroused by wrongdoing or the prospect of wrongdoing. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : An old proverb says “a guilty conscience needs no accuser,
The word for today is… cavalier (noun) – 1. A gallant or chivalrous man, especially one serving as escort to a woman of high social position; a gentleman. 2. A mounted soldier; a knight. 3. A supporter of Charles I of England in his struggles against Parliament. Also called Royalist. (adj)
When a white woman pulls a gun on a black woman, it is viewed twelve million times on twitter with the usual outrage of ranting racial indignation. There were conflicting accounts of the event but never-the-less “white woman is a racist”. It was only a couple weeks ago
The word for today is… capricious (adj) – Characterised by, arising from, or subject to caprice; impulsive or unpredictable: Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : The noun caprice, which first appeared in English in the mid-17th century, is a synonym of whim. Evidence shows that the adjective capricious debuted before caprice;
The word for today is… bunker (noun) – 1. (a) A bin or tank especially for fuel storage, as on a ship. (b) (often bunkers) Fuel, such as coal or fuel oil, used especially in ships. 2. An underground fortification, often with a concrete projection above ground level for observation or
The word for today is… assail (verb) – 1. To attack violently, as with blows or military force; assault. 2. To attack verbally, as with ridicule or censure. 3. To trouble or beset, as with questions or doubts. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Assail comes from an Anglo-French verb, assaillir,
The word for today is… antebellum (adj) – Belonging to the period before a war, especially the American Civil War. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : ante-bellum also antebellum, from Latin phrase ante bellum, literally “before the war;” see ante- + bellicose. In U.S., usually in reference to the American Civil
The word for today is… advocate (verb) – To speak, plead, or argue in favor of. (noun) – 1. One that argues for a cause; a supporter or defender. 2. One that pleads in another’s behalf; an intercessor. 3. A lawyer. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : (verb) “Plead in favor of,
The word for today is… truckle (verb) – To be servile or submissive. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : When truckle was first used in English in the 15th century, it meant “small wheel” or “pulley.” Such small wheels were often attached to the underside of low beds to allow them to
The word for today is… stymie (verb) – To be an obstacle to; prevent the advancement or success of; thwart or stump. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Golf was being played in Scotland as early as the 15th century, but it wasn’t until the 19th century that the sport really
The word for today is… refulgence (noun) – Shining radiantly; resplendent. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : “The full bow of the crescent moon peeps above the plain and shoots its gleaming arrows far and wide, filling the earth with a faint refulgence, as the glow of a good man’s deeds
Since we started on the journey to beat The Spinoff with the number of paid members we have starting learning a little more about our audience. There is some fascinating data out there for us, and also for our competitors. Today I will just focus on two metrics, Audience Geographic
The word for today is… quintessence (noun) – 1. The pure, highly concentrated essence of a thing. 2. The purest or most typical instance: the quintessence of evil. 3. In ancient and medieval philosophy, the fifth and highest essence after the four elements of earth, air, fire, and water, thought to
The word for today is… pelagic (adj) – Of, relating to, or living in open oceans or seas rather than waters adjacent to land or inland waters. Source : The Free Dictionary Etymology : Pelagic comes to us from Greek, via Latin. The Greek word pelagikos became pelagicus in Latin and then pelagic
