Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: As it sounds: GOHL-den HAN(D)-cuffs, noun Notes: I’ve not run across this word; have you? Yesterday’s word The word heimisch means “homely; unpretentious” First usage Our word came into English in the 1960s Background / Comments Our word came from the Yiddish word heymish (domestic), which came from the Old High German word heimContinue reading “golden handcuffs”

Pronounced: HAY-mish (alt: HI-mish), adj Notes: Also spelled heimish or haimish Yesterday’s word The word lamster is “a fugitive; especially one from the law” First usage Our word came into English in the 1900s (1900-1910) Background / Comments I should have figured out our word, as I’m familiar with the phrase “on the lam” forContinue reading “heimisch”

Pronounced: LAM(P)-stir, noun Notes: This is not a special kind of hamster… Yesterday’s word The word acerbate means “to irritate; to aggravate” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments There are three similar words in English: acerbate (our word), exacerbate, and exasperate. Do you know the difference? Our wordContinue reading “lamster”

Pronounced: AS-uhr-bate, verb Notes: You may know this word Yesterday’s word The word bootless does NOT mean “not wearing a boot”, but “useless; unprofitable” (but see the comments below) First usage Our word came into English before 1000 Background / Comments Okay, our word has been used to mean “not wearing boots”, but our meaningContinue reading “acerbate”

Pronounced: It’s obvious — “BOOT” and “less”, adj Notes: Not what I guessed Yesterday’s word The word shicker, as a noun, means “a drunkard; alcoholic liquor”. As an adjective, it means “drunk”, and as a verb, it means “to drink; to get drunk”. First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s BackgroundContinue reading “bootless”

Pronounced: SHICK-uhr, noun/adj/verb Notes: I don’t think I’ve heard this word Yesterday’s word The word lucubration is “laborious or intensive study” (it can also mean, especially when used in plural, the product of such study). First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments When I glanced at our word,Continue reading “shicker”

Pronounced: loo-kyuh-BRAY-shun, noun Notes: Not at all what I thought (especially at a quick glance) Yesterday’s word The word tummler is a comedian, social director, or entertainer who encourages and audience or guests to participate in entertainment activities one who incites others to action a lively, mischievous man First usage Our word came into EnglishContinue reading “lucubration”

Pronounced: TOOM-luhr, noun Notes: A new word to me, and not pronounced how I thought (I though “tuhm-luhr”) Yesterday’s word The word obnubilate means “to make cloudy or obscure” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments Our word tends to be found in political circles (hmmm… I wonderContinue reading “tummler”

Pronounced: ahb-NEW-buh-late, verb Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I like it – it’s fun to say and can be used Yesterday’s word The word gunsel is a gun-carrying criminal a tramp’s young intimate companion First usage Our word came into English in the 1910s Background / Comments Every time I hear our word,Continue reading “obnubilate”

Pronounced: GUN-suhl, noun Notes: You may think you know this word, but… (see tomorrow) Yesterday’s word The word insuperable means “incapable of begin surmounted, overcome, passed over, or solved” First usage Our word came into English in the early to mid-1300s Background / Comments I have heard or read this word, but I think itContinue reading “gunsel”