Author Archives: Richard

Pronounced: FRUHK-choo-us (alt: FROOK-choo-us), adj Notes: It’s been multiple years since I ran across this word, but I remembered it Yesterday’s word The word epigram is a terse, sage, or witty and often paradoxical saying expression in the manner of such a saying First usage Our word has a couple of entrances into English; oneContinue reading “fructuous”

Pronounced: EH-puh-gram, noun Notes: This was a borderline case for me (more tomorrow) Yesterday’s word The word prolegomenon is “a critical, introductory discussion, especially an introduction to a text”. First usage Our word came into English around 1600 Background / Comments I don’t know if I have ever read a prolegomenon. It seems a bitContinue reading “epigram”

Pronounced: proh-lih-GOM-uh-non (alt: proh-lih-GOM-uh-nuhn), noun Notes: Quite a mouthful of a word! Yesterday’s word The word deke means “to fake an opponent out of position (as in ice hockey)” First usage Our word came into English in the 1950s Background / Comments Our word is a shortened form of decoy. It was used as aContinue reading “prolegomenon”

Pronounced: DEEK, verb Notes: Not a word I’ve heard of Yesterday’s word The word livelong means “whole” or “entire” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments One might think the word refers to someone who lives a long time. However, as a child, I heard the song I’ve BeenContinue reading “deke”

Pronounced: LIHV-long, adj Notes: This is one of those words that you either know or don’t know Yesterday’s word The word brachiate means “to progress by swinging from hold to hold by the arms” First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I am not sure if Tarzan, swinging fromContinue reading “livelong”

Pronounced: BRAY-key-ate, verb Notes: I didn’t know this word, but after seeing the definition, I can understand it Yesterday’s word The word bespoke means custom-made relating to custom-made products First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1700s Background / Comments I didn’t know our word when I first saw it, but then IContinue reading “brachiate”

Pronounced: bih-SPOKE, adj Notes: When I first ran across this word, I didn’t know it, but now I know it Yesterday’s word The word petard means a case containing an explosive to break down a door or gate or breach a wall a firework that explodes with a loud report First usage Our word cameContinue reading “bespoke”

Pronounced: puh-TAR(d), noun Notes: I don’t think this word is well known; I happen to know it Yesterday’s word The word accidence means the fundamentals of any subject the branch of grammar dealing with inflections of words a book of fundamentals of a subject First usage Our word came into English in the mid-1400s BackgroundContinue reading “petard”

Pronounced: ACK-sih-dense, noun Notes: Not at all what I thought it was Yesterday’s word The word revanche means “revenge; especially a policy (usually political) designed to recover lost territory or status” First usage Our word appeared in English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I have never heard this word for revenge. It came fromContinue reading “accidence”

Pronounced: ruh-VAH(n)sh, noun Notes: A new word to me Yesterday’s word The word maunder means to talk aimlessly to walk aimlessly First usage Our word came into English in the early 1600s Background / Comments I try to guess the meaning of a word when I see it. When I saw our word, I firstContinue reading “revanche”