Category Archives: word

Pronounced: SHOW-boat, verb/noun Notes: This was a borderline word. I was pretty close to the meaning Yesterday’s word The word wuther means “the manner of wind blowing fiercely” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments I got this word confused with “druther” or “druthers”. Our word is more commonlyContinue reading “showboat”

Pronounced: WUHTH-er, verb Notes: I confused this word with another word Yesterday’s word The word gaslight means “to manipulate psychologically” First usage This word came into use in the 1960s Background / Comments I assume most people know this word, and may be surprised that I didn’t know it. I know that the word comesContinue reading “wuther”

Pronounced: GAS-light, verb Notes: I’ve run across this word in reading, and had a sense of the word, but wasn’t quite right (you probably know this word) Yesterday’s phrase The phrase de profundis means “out of the depths of sorrow or despair” First usage I could not find information about when this phrase started beingContinue reading “gaslight”

Pronounced: day pro-FOON-dis, adv Notes: I didn’t know this phrase, but I tried to work it out, and didn’t get it right Yesterday’s word The word masstige, as a noun, means “products that have the perception of luxury, but are relatively affordable and marketed to masses”. As an adjective, it means “relating to such aContinue reading “de profundis”

Pronounced: mass-TEEZH (alt: mass-TEEJ), noun/adj Notes: My guess was way off one this word Yesterday’s word The word lunker means “something very large compared to others of its kind; a very large fish” First usage The word showed up in the mid-1800s Background / Comments This word showed up in America, so it is thoughtContinue reading “masstige”

Pronounced: LUNG-ker, noun Notes: Another word that I don’t recall Yesterday’s word The word dripple means “to flow in a small stream or to fall in drops” First usage This word came into English in the early 1800s Background / Comments This word is a blending of drip and dribble. I guess one would useContinue reading “lunker”

Pronounced: DRIP-uhl, verb Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this — you may know the word Yesterday’s word The word hadal means “found at extreme ocean depth, the abyss (over 20,000 feet or 6.5 km)” First usage The word comes from the 1950s Background / Comments Our word comes from the word Hades withContinue reading “dripple”

Pronounced: HAYD-l, adj Notes: Another new word for me Yesterday’s word The word judder, as a verb, means “to shake or vibrate violently”. As a noun it means “an intense shaking or vibration” First usage This word came into English in the 1920s. Background / Comments You may have correctly guessed that this is anotherContinue reading “hadal”

Pronounced: JUD-uhr, verb/noun Notes: I didn’t know this was a word, but you may be able to guess the meaning Yesterday’s word The word trachle means “an exhausting effort such as from a long walk or lengthy work” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1500s Background / Comments Our word comes fromContinue reading “judder”

Pronounced: TRAH-khuhl, noun Notes: I don’t think I’ve run across this word Yesterday’s word The word solunar means “relating to the sun and the moon” (as you might think) First usage This word came into usage in the 1930s Background / Comments This word is the words “solar” and “lunar” run together to make theContinue reading “trachle”