Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 23, 2024 is: catastrophe • \kuh-TASS-truh-fee\ • noun A catastrophe is never a good thing. Catastrophe can refer to a momentous tragic event, an utter failure, a violent and sudden change in a feature of the earth, or a violent usually destructive natural
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 22, 2024 is: extenuate • \ik-STEN-yuh-wayt\ • verb Extenuate is a formal word that is most often used to mean “to lessen the strength or effect of something, such as a risk.” In legal use, to extenuate a crime, offense, etc., is to
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 21, 2024 is: visage • \VIZ-ij\ • noun Visage is a formal word that refers to someone’s face or facial expression, or to the general appearance of something. // Manny was surprised to see the smiling visage of his childhood friend, now running
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 20, 2024 is: amiable • \AY-mee-uh-bul\ • adjective Someone or something described as amiable is friendly and agreeable. // Both children have amiable dispositions, which makes them easy to travel with. See the entry > Examples: "An amiable, Honda Civic–driving, bird-watching Everyman
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 19, 2024 is: nonplus • \nahn-PLUS\ • verb To nonplus someone is to perplex them, or in other words, to cause them to be at a loss as to what to say, think, or do. // The stranger's odd question about the
Michelle Aitken Michelle is interested in the relationships between science, culture, and policy. She has a background in performing arts and hospitality, and is a MEAA member. Sitting Sitting is the opposite of standing Sitting is the opposite of running around Sitting is a wonderful thing to do As Particle’
Chris Lynch Chris Lynch is a journalist, videographer and content producer, broadcasting from his independent news and production company in Christchurch, New Zealand. The New Zealand Police has announced changes to its eligibility criteria, allowing individuals with a restricted driver’s licence to apply to become police officers. Assistant Commissioner
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 18, 2024 is: tomfoolery • \tahm-FOO-luh-ree\ • noun Tomfoolery is a word with an old-fashioned sound to it that refers to playful or silly behavior. // The antics in the play itself apparently inspired tomfoolery behind the scenes as well, as cast members constantly
The word for today is… melee (noun): : a confused struggle especially a hand-to-hand fight among several people Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : English has no shortage of words for confused and noisy fights, some (fray, brawl, scrap) more common than others (donnybrook, fracas). Melee tends to be encountered more often in
Florence Sperring Research Officer, Faculty of Science, School of Biological Sciences, Clarke Lab, Monash University Rohan Clarke Senior Lecturer, School of Biological Sciences When pest rats and mice decimate populations of native species, pest control is a no-brainer. But what if baiting rats protects threatened songbirds, while poisoning critically endangered
Hollywood star Jack Black has announced the cancellation of his comedy rock band Tenacious D’s Australian and New Zealand tour and put “all future creative plans” on hold after his bandmate’s comment about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump sparked outrage. At the duo’s concert in Sydney
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 17, 2024 is: otiose • \OH-shee-ohss\ • adjective Otiose is a formal word typically used to describe either something that serves no useful purpose, or something that has no use or effect. // I enjoyed the storyline, but was bothered by the otiose punctuation.
The word for today is… forfend (verb): 1a archaic : forbid b: to ward off : prevent 2: protect, preserve Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Forfend is an unusual word in that its most commonly used sense is considered archaic, meaning it survives in English chiefly in specialized uses. When forfend was first
Former All Blacks hooker and Dancing with the Stars winner Norm Hewitt has passed away. He was 55. It is understood he died last night after a battle with motor neurone disease. Growing up in Porangahau, southern Hawke’s Bay, Hewitt played 296 representative matches during a memorable first-class rugby
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for July 16, 2024 is: harry • \HAIR-ee\ • verb To harry someone or something is to harass or torment them by or as if by constant attack. // The visiting team harried the home team relentlessly during the first quarter. See the entry > Examples:
