Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: PA-shuh (alt 1: PASH-uh; alt 2: puh-SHAH), noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this word Yesterday’s word The word falcate means “narrow and curved in shape like a scythe or sickle” First usage This word came into English in the early or mid-1800s Background / Comments A synonym is falciform. Our wordContinue reading “pasha”

Pronounced: FAL-kate, adj Notes: I got this word from a vocabulary calendar, and this entry happened to have an error; they printed the pronunciation of some other word instead of our word Yesterday’s word The word repugn means to oppose, resist, or right First usage This word came into English in the late 1300s BackgroundContinue reading “falcate”

Pronounced: rih-PYOON, verb Notes: I parsed the word incorrectly and thus had the meaning wrong Yesterday’s word The word layette is “garments, clothing, or bedding for a newborn baby” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I think I have run across this word, and get about 50-75% ofContinue reading “repugn”

Pronounced: lay-ET, noun Notes: I’ve run across this word in reading, but couldn’t properly define it, but I’m sure some readers will know it Yesterday’s phrase The phrase pro se means “on one’s own behalf”; it tends to be used in law when referring to someone who represents himself in court First usage The phraseContinue reading “layette”

Pronounced: pro say Notes: I don’t know this phrase, but if I were better at languages, I could probably work it out Yesterday’s word The word boniface is “an innkeeper or landlord, usually of a kind nature” First usage The word goes back to the mid-1700s Background / Comments Despite the actual year it cameContinue reading “pro se”

Pronounced: BON-uh-face (alt: BON-uh-fiss), noun Notes: Maybe you know this word; I did not (depends on what you read, I think) Yesterday’s word The word depose means to remove from a high office or throne suddenly and forcefully to examine under oath to give testimony First usage The word goes back to around 1300 BackgroundContinue reading “boniface”

Pronounced: dih-POZE, verb Notes: You may know a meaning, but this word has a meaning that didn’t spring to my mind Yesterday’s word The word glom means “take hold or possession of; to steal, catch, or grab” – but see my comments below. First usage This word came into English in the late 1800s BackgroundContinue reading “depose”

Pronounced: glom, verb Notes: I was surprised when I looked at the definition; it wasn’t what I thought. I’ve run across this word and I thought I knew it… more in the comments tomorrow. Yesterday’s word The word surrebuttal is “the response to a rebuttal” First usage This word came into English in the lateContinue reading “glom”

Pronounced: suhr-rih-BUT-l, noun Note: This is a word I should have come across, but haven’t Yesterday’s word The word accrete means “to become fused together; to grow or merge together” First usage Our word goes back to the late 1700s Background / Comments I like this word. In my mind’s eye, I can see spotsContinue reading “surrebuttal”

Pronounced: uh-KREET, verb Notes: I didn’t know this word, but maybe you do (or can figure it out) Yesterday’s word The word ana means, as a noun “a collection of items, such as quotations, anecdotes, etc related to a person, place, etc”. As an adverb, it means “in equal quantities” (The adverbial usage can beContinue reading “accrete”