Words of the day
5/9(Fri.)
1. grunt[v.]/ɡrʌnt /
Definition: to make a low rough noise
Origin: Old English grunnettan "to grunt," frequentative of grunian "to grunt."
Sentence: The pigs were grunting contentedly as they ate their food.
Part of speech: grunter [n.]
2. majestic[adj.]/ məˋdʒɛstɪk /
Definition: beautiful, powerful or causing great admiration and respect
Origin: c.1600, from majesty + -ic.
Sentence: The majestic Montana scenery will leave you breathless.
Part of speech: majesty [n.]
3. menacing[adj.]/ ˋmɛnɪsɪŋ /
Definition: making you think that someone is going to do something bad
Origin: 1540s, present participle adjective from menace (v.).
Sentence: She had a slightly menacing manner.
Part of speech: menace [n.][v.]
4. nostril[n.]/ ˋnɑstrɪl /
Definition: either of the two openings in the nose through which air moves when you breathe
Origin: Old English nosþyrl, nosðirl, literally "the hole of the nose," from nosu "nose" (see nose (n.)) + þyrel "hole" (see thrill (v.)).
Sentence: The horses came to a halt, steam streaming from their nostrils.
Part of speech: none
5. retreat[v.]/rɪˋtrit /
Definition: to go away from a place or person in order to escape from fighting or danger
Origin: early 15c., "to draw in, draw back, leave the extremities," from retreat (n.) and in part from Old French retret, past participle of retrere.
Sentence: Attacks by enemy aircraft forced the tanks to retreat (from the city).
Part of speech: none
5/12(Mon.)
1. sideways[adj.][adv.]/ˋsaɪd͵wez /
Definition: in a direction to the left or right, not forwards or backwards
Origin: 1570s, from side (n.) + way (n.), with adverbial genitive.
Sentence: The fence is leaning sideways.
Part of speech: sideway [n.]
2. snarl[v.]/ snɑr! /
Definition: to make a deep rough sound while showing the teeth, usually in anger or (of people) to speak or say something angrily and forcefully
Origin: "to tangle, to catch in a snare or noose" (trans.), late 14c., from a noun snarl "a snare, a noose" (late 14c.), probably a diminutive of snare (n.1).
Sentence: The dogs started to snarl at each other so I had to separate them.
Part of speech: snarly [adj.]
3. spine-chilling[adj.]/ˋspaɪn͵tʃɪlɪŋ /
Definition: very frightening
Origin: (spine-chiller) (n.)"mystery film," 1940, from spine + agent noun from chill (v.).
Sentence: He told them a spine-chilling ghost story.
Part of speech: none
4. despair[n.]/ dɪˋspɛr /
Definition: the feeling that there is no hope and that you can do nothing to improve a difficult or worrying situation
Origin: early 14c., from stem of Old French desperer "be dismayed, lose hope, despair".
Sentence: They're in (the depths of) despair over/about the money they've lost.
Part of speech: despairing [adj.]
5. fury[n.]/ˋfjʊrɪ /
Definition: extreme anger
Origin: late 14c., "fierce passion," from Old French furie (14c.), from Latin furia "violent passion, rage, madness," related to furere "to rage, be mad."
Sentence: He could hardly contain his fury.
Part of speech: furious [adj.]
5/13(Tue.)
1. intent[adj.]/ ɪnˋtɛnt /
Definition: giving all your attention to something
Origin: "very attentive," late 14c., from Latin intentus "attentive, eager, waiting, strained," past participle of intendere "to strain, stretch" (see intend).
Sentence: She had an intent look on her face.
Part of speech: intention [n.]
2. outlast[v.]/ ˋaʊtˋlæst /
Definition: to live or exist, or to stay energetic and determined, longer than another person or thing
Origin: "to last longer than," 1570s, from out (adv.) + last (v.).
Sentence: The queen outlasted all her children.
Part of speech: none
3. petrify[v.]/ ˋpɛtrə͵faɪ /
Definition: to frighten someone a lot, especially so that they are unable to move or speak
Origin: 1590s, from Middle French pétrifier "to make or become stone" (16c.), from Latin petra "rock, crag" (see petrous) + -ficare, from facere "to make, do" (see factitious).
Sentence: I think you petrified poor Jeremy - he never said a word the whole time you were here.
Part of speech: petrifactive [adj.]
4. prick[v.]/prɪk /
Definition: to make a very small hole or holes in the surface of something, sometimes in a way which causes pain
Origin: Old English prician "to prick, pierce, prick out, sting," from West Germanic *prikojan (cognates: Low German pricken, Dutch prikken "to prick"), of uncertain origin.
Sentence: Prick the skin of the potatoes with a fork before baking them.
Part of speech: prickle [n.]
5. rusty[adj.]/ˋrʌstɪ /
Definition: covered with rust
Origin: Old English rustig; see rust (n.) + -y (2).
Sentence: We are surprised to find50sets of the medical instrument terribly rusty.
Part of speech: rust [n.], rustless [adj.]
5/14(Wed.)
1. tame[adj.]/tem /
Definition: not wild or dangerous, either naturally or because of training or long involvement with humans
Origin: early Middle English tame "in a state of subjection, physically subdued, restrained in behavior" (c.1200)
Sentence: After a few months' contact the monkeys become very tame.
Part of speech: tameless [adj.]
2. twitch[v.]/ twɪtʃ /
Definition: to make a sudden small movement with a part of the body, usually without intending to
Origin: late 12c., to-twic-chen "pull apart with a quick jerk."
Sentence: He tried to suppress a smile but felt the corner of his mouth twitch.
Part of speech: none
3. abuse[v.]/ əˋbjus /
Definition: to use or treat someone or something wrongly or badly, especially in a way that is to your own advantage
Origin: early 15c., "to misuse, misapply," from Middle French abuser, from Vulgar Latin *abusare, from Latin abusus "an abusing, using up," past participle of abuti "use up".
Sentence: She is continually abusing her position/authority by getting other people to do things for her.
Part of speech: abusive [adj.]
4. collapse[v.]/kəˋlæps /
Definition: to fall down suddenly because of pressure or having no strength or support
Origin: 1732, from Latin collapsus, past participle of collabi "fall together," from com- "together" (see com-) + labi "to fall, slip".
Sentence: The chair collapsed under her weight.
Part of speech: collapsible [adj.]
5. drought[n.]/ draʊt /
Definition: a long period when there is little or no rain
Origin: Old English drugað, drugoð "drought, dryness, desert".
Sentence: This year (a) severe drought has ruined the crops.
Part of speech: droughty [adj.]
5/15(Thu.)
1. harsh[adj.]/ hɑrʃ /
Definition: unpleasant, unkind, cruel or unnecessarily severe
Origin: originally of texture, "hairy," 1530s, probably from harske "rough, coarse, sour" (c.1300).
Sentence: The children had had a harsh upbringing.
Part of speech: harshness [n.]
2. settlement[n.]/ ˋsɛt!mənt /
Definition: an official agreement that finishes an argument
Origin: 1620s, "act of fixing or steadying;" from settle (v.) + -ment.
Sentence: It now seems unlikely that it will be possible to negotiate/reach a peaceful settlement of the conflict.
Part of speech: settle [v.], settling [n.]
3. spray[n.]/ spre /
Definition: a mass of very small drops of liquid carried in the air
Origin: "small branch," mid-13c., of uncertain origin. Perhaps related to Old English spræc "shoot, twig" (see sprig), and compare Danish sprag in same sense.
Sentence: Can you feel the spray from the sea/waterfall?
Part of speech: none
4. starvation[n.]/ stɑrˋveʃən /
Definition: the state of having no food for a long period, often causing death
Origin: 1778, hybrid noun of action from starve. Famously (but not certainly) introduced in English by Henry Dundas during debate in the House of Commons in 1775 on American affairs.
Sentence: The animals had died of starvation.
Part of speech: starve [v], starveling [adj.]
5. humid[adj.]/ ˋhjumɪd /
Definition: containing extremely small drops of water in the air
Origin: early 15c., from Old French humide or directly from Latin humidus "moist, wet," variant (probably by influence of humus "earth") of umidus, from umere "be moist," from PIE *wegw- "wet."
Sentence: New York is very hot and humid in the summer.
Part of speech: humidity [n.], humidify [v.]
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