The word for today is… caustic (adjective, noun): adjective 1: capable of destroying or eating away by chemical action : corrosive 2: marked by incisive sarcasm 3: relating to or being the surface or curve of a caustic noun 1: a caustic agent: such as a: a substance that burns or
The word for today is… assay (verb, noun): verb 1a: to analyze (something, such as an ore) for one or more specific components b: to judge the worth of : estimate 2: try, attempt noun 1: examination and determination as to characteristics (such as weight, measure, or quality) 2: analysis (as
National and Act will need the support of NZ First to form the next government, based on the final election results released today. The final results see National losing two seats compared to election night on October 14 – and with it the slim one-seat majority it held with Act. In
The word for today is… myriad (noun, adjective): noun 1: ten thousand 2: a great number adjective 1: innumerable 2: having innumerable aspects or element Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Recent criticism of the use of myriad as a noun, both in the plural form myriads and in the phrase a
Daniil Medvedev dropped out of contention for the year-end No. 1 ranking by losing to Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 6-7 (4), 7-6 (2) in the second round of the Paris Masters today, and then was booed off the court after remonstrating with the crowd during the match. The crowd got under
The word for today is… suffrage (noun): 1: a short intercessory prayer usually in a series 2: a vote given in deciding a controverted question or electing a person for an office or trust 3: the right of voting : franchise Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Why would a 17th-century writer warn
Boohoo! A mass murderer who killed his three young sons during a rampage fuelled by a relationship breakdown has taken the New Zealand Parole Board to court, raising the possibility of bias after being denied release from prison 14 times. Raymond Wahia Ratima, 55, was jailed for life in 1992
The word for today is… retribution (noun): 1: recompense, reward 2: the dispensing or receiving of reward or punishment especially in the hereafter 3: something given or exacted in recompense, especially punishment Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : With its prefix re-, meaning “back”, retribution means literally “payback”. And indeed we usually
The Dinner Club in Napier, run by Jane Morgan, has been providing meals for displaced families in Hawke’s Bay since Cyclone Gabrielle in February. Read more here. Discuss it on The BFD. If you would like to access exclusive Member content or just remove the ads to make your
The word for today is… empirical (adjective): 1: originating in or based on observation or experience 2: relying on experience or observation alone often without due regard for system and theory 3: capable of being verified or disproved by observation or experiment 4: of or relating to empiricism Source : Merriam
Matthew Perry, who starred as Chandler Bing in the hit series Friends, has died. He was 54. The Emmy-nominated actor was found dead of an apparent drowning in the hot tub at his Los Angeles home Saturday (local time), according to the Los Angeles Times and celebrity website TMZ, which
he word for today is… lacklustre (adjective): : lacking in sheen, brilliance, or vitality : dull, mediocre Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Lacklustre may describe things that are dull, but the word itself is no yawn. In its earliest uses in the early 17th century, lacklustre usually described eyes that were dull or
The word for today is… frisson (noun): : a brief moment of emotional excitement : shudder, thrill Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : A chill down one’s spine isn’t always a sensation of fear or suspense. As Daniel Marenco writes, “What is most exciting about literature is how much it surprises us
The toddler at the centre of a homicide died without an official name. Despite being known by whanau as Ruthless-Empire Souljah-Reign Rhind Shepherd Wall, Stuff understands the Department of Internal Affairs (DIA) rejected the name and was working with the family to find a suitable alternative when he was killed.
The word for today is… balmy (adjective): 1a: having the qualities of balm : soothing b: mild, temperate Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Aromatic ointments and fragrances are literally, balms: healing substances and soothing scents with the power to ease both mind and body. The original balm, what Latin-speakers referred to as
It’s a dead horse, no one cares: Diggers have moved onto the site of Auckland’s Alexandra Park raceway where champion racehorse Cardigan Bay is buried – in what some trotting supporters have called a “desecration”. The grave site and surrounding land is being turned into a car park. The
