Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: pree-HEN(t)-shun, noun Notes: I didn’t know this word, but I do know a related word Yesterday’s word The word white-livered means “cowardly” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments I didn’t plan to have two words in a row that both means “cowardly”; it’s just how the wordsContinue reading “prehension”

Pronounced: white-LIVE-uhrd, adj Notes: You may know this word; I found the origin interesting Yesterday’s word The word pusillanimous means “lacking courage and resolution; marked by contemptible timidity” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1500s Background / Comments I must have been thinking of ‘pugilism’ when I though of boxing. OurContinue reading “white-livered”

Pronounced: pyou-suh-LAH-nuh-muss, adj Notes: I thought this word had to do with boxing, but I was wrong Yesterday’s word The word plutonian means First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments All of the definitions make sense, but I couldn’t list all of them. Our word came from Latin,Continue reading “pusillanimous”

Pronounced: ploo-TOE-nee-uhn, adj Notes: I didn’t know all of the meanings of this word, but each was logical Yesterday’s word The word mansuetude is “the quality of state of being gentle; meekness; tameness” First usage Our word came into English in the middle to late 1300s Background / Comments Of the definitions above, I findContinue reading “plutonian”

Pronounced: MAN(T)-swih-tood, noun Notes: This word sounds familiar, but I don’t remember running across it Yesterday’s word The word double-dome means “an intellectual” First usage Our word came into English in the 1930s Background / Comments It’s nice to have an alternative word for “intellectual”. Our word was merely a combination of double (two) andContinue reading “mansuetude”

Pronounced: (duh) double-dome, noun Notes: I have not heard this term – have you? Yesterday’s word The word schadenfreude is “enjoyment obtained from the troubles of others” First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments Our word came (as you probably guessed) from the German word Schadenfreude, which isContinue reading “double-dome”

Pronounced: SHAW-d(uh)n-froy-duh, noun Notes: The word is familiar, but I was not sure of the definition Yesterday’s word The word blackleg means First usage Our word came into English in the early 1700s Background / Comments I was a bit curious about the first definition; I thought such a person was called a “scan”; itContinue reading “schadenfreude”

Pronounced: BLACK-leg, noun Notes: I have no memory of this word Yesterday’s word The word meed is “a fitting return or recompense” First usage Our word goes back a long way; it was in use before 900 Background / Comments People aren’t sure how old our word is; an Old English form appeared in Beowulf.Continue reading “blackleg”

Pronounced: meed, noun Notes: Such a short word, yet I did not know it Yesterday’s word The word longhair is First usage Our word came into English in the late 1800s Background / Comments The second definition is the only one I really knew; I have heard classical music referred to as “longhair” music, butContinue reading “meed”