Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: shtourm-unt-DRANG, noun Notes: People who know German may know this word Yesterday’s word The word mew can mean, as a noun a cage for hawks, especially when molting a place for retiring or hiding (UK) [pluralized] stables with living quarters, or a row of apartments converted from stables the high-pitched sound of a catContinue reading “Sturm und Drang”

Pronounced: myoo, noun/verb Notes: I was sure I knew this word, but it had eight definitions; I knew three of them Yesterday’s word The word bandbox is a usually cylindrical box for holding light articles of attire a structure (such as a baseball park) having relatively small interior dimensions First usage Our word came intoContinue reading “mew”

Pronounced: BAN(d)-box, noun Notes: I think I’ve run across the word, but I didn’t know what it is Yesterday’s word The word quiff means a tuft of hair brushed up above the forehead a woman considered to be promiscuous First usage The first definition came into English in the late 1800s; the second definition cameContinue reading “bandbox”

Pronounced: kwif, noun Notes: I didn’t know either of the definitions of this word Yesterday’s word The word cathexis is “investment of mental or emotional energy in a person, object, or idea” First usage Our word came into English in the 1920s Background / Comments I confused our word with “catharsis”, which is a purgingContinue reading “quiff”

Pronounced: kuh-THEK-suhs, noun Notes: I confused this word with another word Yesterday’s word The word Hamlet means an apprehensive, indecisive person (lowercase) a small villiage (but see the Comments below) First usage The first definition came into English in the 1900s (1900-1910); the second definition came into English in the mid-1300s Background / Comments IContinue reading “cathexis”

Pronounced: HAM-lit, noun Notes: There are a couple of meanings; one is pretty well known, but the other one is surely related to the Shakespeare play Yesterday’s word The word consigliere is “counselor; advisor” First usage Our word came into English in the 1600s (but see Comments below) Background / Comments Our word came fromContinue reading “Hamlet”

Pronounced: cone-sill-YEH-reh, noun Notes: The word looks Italian to me, but I didn’t know the definition Yesterday’s word The word Bardolphian means “have a red complexion, especially a red nose” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments I was way off on my guess at the meaning of ourContinue reading “consigliere”

Pronounced: bar-DOL-fee-uhn, adj Notes: I’ve not run across this word Yesterday’s phrase The phrase warp speed is “the highest possible speed” First usage Our phrase came into English in the 1960s (possibly the 1970s) Background / Comments If you thought that warp speed was related to the speed of light, you probably enjoy science fiction.Continue reading “Bardolphian”

Pronounced: warp speed, noun Notes: How one defines this depends upon how much of a science fiction aficionado one is Yesterday’s word The word benedict is “a newly married man; especially one who was previously thought to be a confirmed bachelor” First usage Our word came into English in the early 1800s Background / CommentsContinue reading “warp speed”

Pronounced: BEN-ih-dict, noun Notes: I know “benediction”, but not this word Yesterday’s word The word epenthesis is “the insertion or development of a sound or letter in the body of a word” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments There are lots of examples of this – one ofContinue reading “benedict”