Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: suh-TORE-ee, noun Notes: I thought this might be related with how one dresses, but no… you may get it if you have the right background Yesterday’s word The word klatsch is “a casual gathering of people, especially for refreshments and informal conversation” First usage Our word came into English in the 1950s Background /Continue reading “satori”

Pronounced: klahch (alt: klach) Notes: I find those pronunciations to be very close; the second would be latch with a ‘k’ in front. Yesterday’s word The word cunctation means “delay; procrastination; tardiness” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments I can just image the phrase “he has aContinue reading “klatsch”

Pronounced: kungk-TAY-shun, noun Notes: This is a good word to know, as it is useful and will make people wonder Yesterday’s word The word aglet is “a metal tag or sheath at the end of a lace used for tying (such as a shoelace)” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s. BackgroundContinue reading “cunctation”

Pronounced: AG-lit, noun Notes: This word is one you either know, or else you say “I didn’t know there was a word for that!” Yesterday’s word The word pricket is First usage Our word goes back a ways; it came into English in the mid-1300s Background / Comments I don’t think that our word wouldContinue reading “aglet”

Pronounced: PRIK-it, noun Notes: Looks like a misspelling of “picket” (as in “picket fence”) – a new word to me Yesterday’s word The word tautology is “the needless repetition of an idea, especially in words” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Apparently, the common example of aContinue reading “pricket”

Pronounced: taw-TAHL-uh-jee, noun Notes: I’ve seen this word used, but wasn’t sure of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word pinchgut means, as a noun, “a miserly person”; as an adjective, it means “miserly” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments Our word has a nautical origin: it originallyContinue reading “tautology”

Pronounced: PINCH-gut, noun/adj Notes: This word is new to me Yesterday’s word The word hypocorism is First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments Instead of “pet name”, I’ve seen the word defined as a “nickname”. The third definition is new to me; I don’t remember it from before. OurContinue reading “pinchgut”

Pronounced: high-POCK-uh-riz-uhm (alt: hih-POCK-uh-riz-uhm), noun Notes: I think I posted this word at work some years ago, but not here Yesterday’s word The word bludge, as a noun, means “an easy task”. As a verb it means First usage Our word came into English in the 1910s Background / Comments Yesterday, I thought our wordContinue reading “hypocorism”

Pronounced: bluhj, verb/noun Notes: I thought this might have have something to do with hitting another person (nope!) Yesterday’s word The word previse means “to forsee” or “to forewarn” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments I thought that most might get this meaning, seeing pre- (before) and viseContinue reading “bludge”

Pronounced: prih-VIZE, verb Notes: I didn’t know this word, but you may be able to correctly guess it Yesterday’s word The word codswallop means “nonsense” First usage This word came into English in the 1950s Background / Comments I knew this word, but there is a story behind this word that I didn’t know. InContinue reading “previse”