Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: HURL-ee-BURR-lee, noun/adj Notes: This is one of those words I see and think I sort of know (and I’m close to the real meaning) Yesterday’s word The word kef means “a state of drowsy contentment” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments This is one of theContinue reading “hurly-burly”

Pronounced: kafe (alt: kef), noun Notes: A great word; I hope all of you have experienced it! Yesterday’s word The word probative means “serving to test something or providing a proof” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments Our word comes from the Latin word probare (to test orContinue reading “kef”

Pronounced: PRO-buh-tiv (alt: PRAHB-uh-tiv), adj Notes: This word might be what you think it is Yesterday’s word The word obscurantism means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our word makes me think of obfuscation (making things hard to understand). There is, or has been an “obfuscated C codeContinue reading “probative”

Pronounced: uhb-SKYOOR-uhn-tiz-uhm (alt: ob-skyoo-RAN-tiz-uhm), noun Notes: I was kind of close to the meaning, but not quite right Yesterday’s word The word jobbery means “the use of a public office for private gain” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments I knew that “jobber” (from which our word comes)Continue reading “obscurantism”

Pronounced: JOB-uh-ree, noun Notes: I thought it was something about working Yesterday’s word The word polimathy means “learning in many fields; encyclopedic knowledge” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments I know the word polymath, which refers to a person who has learning in many fields. Our word wasContinue reading “jobbery”

Pronounced: pul-LIM-uh-thee Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I do know a similar word Yesterday’s word The word wrick, as a verb, means “to sprain or wrench”. As a noun, it is “a sprain” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1300s Background / Comments I have used this word toContinue reading “polymathy”

Pronounced: rick, verb/noun Notes: I’ve used this word without knowing I was using it Yesterday’s word The word solipsistic means “of, or characterized by, solipsism (the theory that only the self exists, or can be proved to exist)”. First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word comesContinue reading “wrick”

Pronounced: sol-ip-SIS-tick, adj Notes: I have a faint idea that I have run across this word, but I didn’t know the word Yesterday’s word The word gnar is “a knot on a tree or in wood” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1200s Background / Comments I’ve always called these things “knots”;Continue reading “solipsistic”

Pronounced: narr, noun Notes: I have never heard of this word, but I know a related word Yesterday’s word The word cabotage means First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments When I saw our word, I remembered history classes of long ago and remembered one called Cabot; I thoughtContinue reading “knar”

Pronounced: CAB-uh-tij (alt: cab-uh-TAHZH), noun Notes: This word is so similar to “sabotage” that is stops me from making a good guess Yesterday’s word The word sepia, as a noun, means As an adjective, it merely means “of a reddish-brown color” First usage Our word goes back to the mid-1500s Background / Comments From theContinue reading “cabotage”