Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: fuh-RAH-go, noun Notes: I did not pronounce this word right, but I was close to the meaning Yesterday’s word The word nescience means “lack of knowledge or awareness; ignorance” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments I did not properly parse this word; for some reason, IContinue reading “farrago”

Pronounced: NEH-shuns (alt: NEH-shunts; alt-2: NEH-she-uns; alt-3: NEH-she-unts), noun Notes: I believe I’ve run across this word, but I didn’t know the meaning of it Yesterday’s word The word rechauffe means warmed leftover food rehash; old reworked material First usage Our word came into English in the late 1700s Background / Comments I love theContinue reading “nescience”

Pronounced: ray-show-FAY, noun Notes: A fun word to slip into conversation Yesterday’s word The word raddled means being in a state of confusion; lacking composure broken-down; worn First usage Our word came into English in the late 1600s Background / Comments As you can see from the definitions above, the first one is about theContinue reading “rechauffe”

Pronounced: RAH-duhld, adj Notes: Very interesting word; do you know it? Yesterday’s word The word gratulate means to congratulate to express joy at the sight of something or someone First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments So, which is older – gratulate or congratulate? It turns out that congratulateContinue reading “raddled”

Pronounced: GRACH-uh-late, verb Notes: This word may look nearly familiar Yesterday’s word The word mélange is “a mixture often of incongruous elements” First usage Our word came into English in the 1600s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Middle French word mesler (to mix).

Pronounced: may-LAHNZH, noun Notes: I think I’ve seen this word in writing, but I didn’t know the meaning Yesterday’s word The word suage means “to make something unpleasant less severe; to assuage” First usage Our word came into English in the very early 1400s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Latin word suavisContinue reading “mélange”

Pronounced: swaz, verb Notes: I just see the word “usage” scrambled a bit, but that’s not helpful Yesterday’s word The word farrier is “a person who shoes horses” First usage Our word came into English around 1400 (late 1300s to the early 1400s) Background / Comments When I think of shoeing horses, I think ofContinue reading “suage”

Pronounced: FAIR-ee-uhr, noun Notes: Many people may know this word; I’ve run across it, but was not certain Yesterday’s word The word plaint means “complaint” or “protest” or “lamentation”. First usage Our word came into English in the early 1200s (quite an old word!) Background / Comments Like you, I am familiar with the synonymContinue reading “farrier”

Pronounced: plaint, noun Notes: I know some other forms of this word, but not this word Yesterday’s word The word feckless means weak; ineffective worthless; irresponsible First usage Our word came into English in the very late 1500s Background / Comments My memory was correct; I associated our word with the first Doctor Who showContinue reading “plaint”

Pronounced: FEK-luss, adj Notes: I have read or heard this word, but I wasn’t sure of the definition and (alas!) I didn’t look it up Yesterday’s word The word cognize means “to perceive; to understand; to know” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments We are far more familiarContinue reading “feckless”