Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: HUG-uhr MUG-uhr, noun/adj/verb/adv Notes: I own a game called “hugger-mugger”, but I did not know the meaning of the word Yesterday’s word The word rejectamenta means “things or matter rejected as useless or worthless” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments Our word reminds me of aContinue reading “hugger-mugger”

Pronounced: rih-jek-tuh-MEN-tuh, noun Notes: This word is a plural noun; you may know the word Yesterday’s word The word officious means excessively eager in offering unwanted or unneeded advice or help acting in pompous or domineering manner, especially in trivial matters First usage Our word came into English in the late 1400s Background / CommentsContinue reading “rejectamenta”

Pronounced: oh-FISH-us, adj Notes: You probably know this word, as I did, but I was unaware of the background Yesterday’s word The word serein means “a fine rain falling after sunset from a sky in which no clouds are visible” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Our wordContinue reading “officious”

Pronounced: suh-RAN, noun Notes: Neat word (but I didn’t know it) Yesterday’s word The word purblind means partially blind lacking in understanding, insight, or vision First usage Our word came into English in the early 1300s Background / Comments I find the background to our word interesting: it is a combination of pure and blindContinue reading “serein”

Pronounced: PURR-blind, adj Notes: You may know this word; I found the background interesting Yesterday’s word The word anatine means “resembling a duck, swan, or goose; a member of this family of birds, the Anatidae First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments It it walks like a duck andContinue reading “purblind”

Pronounced: AN-uh-tine (alt: AN-uh-tin), noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve every run across this word Yesterday’s word The word condign means “well-deserved; appropriate” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1400s Background / Comments Our word is another useful word to use in conversation; it helps the one using to remember theContinue reading “anatine”

Pronounced: kuhn-DINE, adj Notes: My pronunciation of this word was wrong; I had the accent on the first syllable Yesterday’s word The word rident means “laughing; smiling; cheerful” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments What a nice word to drop into conversation! It comes from the LatinContinue reading “condign”

Pronounced: RIDE-nt, adj Notes: A nice, useful word, but I didn’t know it Yesterday’s word The word blag, as a verb, means “to obtain something by guile; to cheat, rob, snatch, steal, scam, or beg”. As a noun, it means “a robbery, con, or theft” First usage Our word came into English in the 1930sContinue reading “rident”

Pronounced: blag Notes: I’ve never run across this word Yesterday’s word The word bugbear means any source, real or imaginary, of needless fright or fear a persistent problem or source of annoyance a goblin that eat up naught children [folklore] First usage Our word came into English in the mid- to late 1500s Background /Continue reading “blag”