Category Archives: word

Pronounced: SEK-till, adj Notes: Another useful word, but I was unaware of it Yesterday’s word The word parergon means an accessory, embellishment, or byproduct of a main work subsidiary work undertaken in addition to one’s main employment First usage Our word goes back a long way to the early 1600s Background / Comments In theContinue reading “sectile”

Notes: I didn’t know this word, but it is useful Pronounced: pa-RUHR-gahn, noun Yesterday’s word The word boondoggle means work of little or no value done to keep or look busy a “make work” project, often based on favoritism First usage This word came into English in the 1930s Background / Comments It is knownContinue reading “parergon”

Pronounced: BOON-dog-uhl (alt: BOON-daw-guhl), noun Notes: While I’ve heard this word used, I wasn’t sure of the precise definition Yesterday’s word The word spread-eagle means, as a noun, “an emblematic representation of an eagle with outspread wings”. As a verb, it means to position someone with arms and legs stretched out to assume the formContinue reading “boondoggle”

Pronounced: [like it looks], noun/verb/adj Notes: I knew some of the definitions, but not all of them, so it’s here Yesterday’s word The word Parnassian means of, or related to, poetry related to Mount Parnassus First usage This word came into English in the mid-1600s Background / Comments Parnassus (Mount Parnassus) is a mountains rangeContinue reading “spread-eagle”

Pronounced: par-NAS-ee-uhn, adj Notes: This word has an interesting meaning Yesterday’s word The word blackbird, besides the noun meaning a bird with black plumage, means (as a noun) “an indentured laborer or slave kidnapped from the South Pacific”. As a verb, it means “to engage in slave trade” or “to kidnap a person to workContinue reading “Parnassian”

Pronounced: just like it looks, noun/verb Notes: I think most of us know the bird called a blackbird, but there is another definition as a noun. In addition, did you know that this word was a verb? Yesterday’s word The word tumescent means “pompous and pretentious, especially in one’s speech; filled with ideas; teeming” FirstContinue reading “blackbird”

Pronounced: too-MESS-uhnt (alt: tyoo-MESS-uhnt), adj Notes: An interesting, useful word Yesterday’s phrase The phrase chicken hawk not only refers to various hawks that are believed to prey upon chickens, but also is “a person who favors military action, yet has avoided military service” First usage Our phrase came into being the the mid-1800s Background /Continue reading “tumescent”

Pronounced: CHIK-en hawk, noun Notes: There is a second meaning of which I was unaware, so I added this word Yesterday’s word The word oneiric means “of, or related to, dreams” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1800s Background / Comments There is a similar word that has to do with wine,Continue reading “chicken hawk”

Pronounced: oh-NIGH-rik, adj Notes: I thought this was perhaps about wine, but no Yesterday’s word The word dastard is “a malicious, sneaking coward” First usage This word came into English in the mid-1400s Background / Comments Like me, you are probably more familiar with the adjective “dastardly”; I don’t think I’ve ever run across theContinue reading “oneiric”

Pronounced: DAS-tuhrd, noun Notes: Today’s entry may be easy; I’m adding it because I didn’t know this word existed Yesterday’s word The word dithyramb means wildly enthusiastic speech or writing, often irregular or unconventional in form an ancient choral chant or song that is excited and wild First usage This word came into English inContinue reading “dastard”