Word of the Day-chaste0 评论
Chaste (adjective)
Pronunciation: ['cheyst] Definition: Morally pure, decent and modest; celibate, virginal; pure or austere in design. Usage: Chaste has a verb form, as well: "to chasten." We often use the verb "chasten" to simply mean "punish." However, remember that it shares the last definition of today's word: in order to make a pure or simply designed work, one must chasten it, or refine excess from it. "Chastely" is the adverb and "chastity," the noun, a popular feminine name back in the days when the idea was popular. A chastener is someone who or something that chastens. Suggested Usage: Although feminine chastity still plays an important role in some societies, the chastity of women is less remarkable today in the industrialized West. The new twist on today's word is "pure and simple in design," which we might use in: "Hector's chaste leadership model caused consternation among his subordinates for the security of their sinecures (for which see the Archives)." Purification is also a sense that has survived in today's word: "Hillbourne strove to chasten his mind with scotch and classical music when he sat down to work on his novel." Word of the Day-pinchbeck0 评论
pinchbeck \PINCH-bek\, noun, adjective:
1. an alloy of zinc and copper used to imitate gold in jewelry-making; by extension, something counterfeit; an imitation 2. not genuine; fake Watch out for the pinchbeck on the auction site. We laughed at the pinchbeck heroism in the movie. Word of the Day-myopia0 评论
myopia \mahy-OH-pee-uh\, noun:
1. an abnormal eye condition in which only closeup objects are seen clearly; nearsightedness 2. shortsightedness; lack of foresight She wears contact lenses for myopia. His myopia left him without supplies after the storm. by 1727, medical Latin, from Late Greek myopia, from myops "near-sighted," from myein "to shut" + ops "eye" myopia=my+opia(我的眼睛阿) Word of the Day-expurgate0 评论
expurgate \EK-sper-geyt\, verb:
to remove objectionable words or passages from a document Grimms(格林)' fairy tales have been expurgated for children. Word of the Day-queasy0 评论
Definition: (adjective) Having the feeling that one is about to vomit.
Synonyms: nauseated, nauseous, sick Usage: Just the thought of being on a cruise ship makes me queasy. Word of the Day-asunder0 评论
Definition: (adverb) Into separate parts or pieces.
Synonyms: apart Usage: The powerful wind tore the sails asunder, and the ship was nearly lost at sea. Word of the Day-umpire0 评论
Definition: (noun) A person appointed to settle a dispute that mediators have been unable to resolve.
Synonyms: arbiter, arbitrator Usage: Who shall settle the terms of peace, and in case of disputes what umpire shall decide between them and compel acquiescence? Word of the Day-obdurate0 评论
Obdurate (adjective)
Pronunciation: ['ahb-dyu-rêt] Definition: Stubbornly wicked (impenitent) or wickedly stubborn (intractable). (带贬义) Usage: Shelley wrote in 'Revolt of Islam' (iv.9) "Custom maketh blind and obdurate The loftiest hearts." The adverb is "obdurately" and the noun, "obduracy." They all come from the transitive and intransitive verb obdure "to harden." Suggested Usage: The neutral sense can be used where you might otherwise use "dyed-in-the-wool," e.g. "His father was a union leader and he has been an obdurate Labourite since childhood." Of course, Tories might think this the pejorative usage. Here is a clearer example of that first meaning, "I. D. Nye was born to politics; his father was an obdurate card sharp until his death." Word of the Day-sonsy0 评论
Sonsy (adjective)
Pronunciation: ['sahn-si or 'son-si] Definition: Fortunate, lucky, having sonse (= good fortune); sensible, shrewd; (of girls) zaftig (zaftig definition) - (previous Word of the Day) (full-figured) and comely. Usage: The noun is "sonse." There is no verb and it wouldn't be sensible—or sonsy—to say "sonsible." A rhyming antonym, donsy ['dahn-si] "unfortunate, unlucky" from Gaelic donas "bad luck," is available for lexical mischief if you are up to it. This latter adjective has no noun, though nothing prevents inventing "donsiness" if you wish to use it. Suggested Usage: The first meaning of today's word is "lucky," "Fielding placed a sonsy bet at the track and won enough to pay for three-months of gamblers rehabilitation." It also means plump and pretty, "Matilda is a sonsy lass with a golden voice that brightens up evenings at the pub." Now for some mischief with the antonym: "I've had a sonsy-donsy day," would mean a day with ups and downs, with some good luck and some bad. senescence 衰老 Word of the Day-saturnine0 评论
Saturnine (adjective)
Pronunciation: ['sæt-ê(r)-nIn] Definition: Pertaining to the planet Saturn (archaic); born under the influence of Saturn, hence gloomy, grumpy, sour, and with a sarcastic attitude. Usage: Although today's word comes from the name of the planet Saturn, we rarely use it in reference to the planet these days. To say, "The Mercurial day is twenty-four hours long but the Saturnine, only ten," would sound as though we were speaking of quick versus slow and sulky time periods. The adverb is "saturninely" and, yes, someone has succeeded in publishing the noun "saturninity," so you may use it, too. Suggested Usage: Here are both our recent planetary adjectives used in their contemporary senses: "You would expect General Newsance to be less saturnine after such a mercurial rise to the top rank," implying he enjoyed rapid promotion which left him, for some odd reason, rather grumpy. Today's adjective brings the agent noun "curmudgeon" to mind, "That saturnine old curmudgeon wouldn't give his grandmother the time of day."
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