Category Archives: word

Pronounced: Really? (just as it looks) Notes: I assume that you know this phrase; I know it also, but I did not know the origin, which was interesting enough that I included this word. Interestingly enough, the background of this word reveals the background of another word (kind of a 2-for-1) Yesterday’s Word The wordContinue reading “parting shot”

Pronounced: ih-VEN-chuh-wate, verb Notes: Another word that I didn’t recognize, but should have figured out Yesterday’s word The word oscar means “cash”. Background / Comments As noted yesterday, this is rhyming slang named for Oscar Ashe, who was an Australian actor, directory, and writer. I had never heard of Oscar Ashe, so I couldn’t “unwind”Continue reading “eventuate”

Pronounced: OS-kuhr, noun Notes: More rhyming slang… I didn’t know this one; do you, reader? Yesterday’s word The word preterit means “past tense” Background / Comments This form of the word is the original form; it can also be spelled preterite. The word comes from Latin praeter (beyond, past, by). I think that back whenContinue reading “oscar”

Pronounced: PREH-tuh-ruht, noun Notes: I should have known this word Yesterday’s word The word roister-doister, as a noun, means “a swaggering buffoon or reveler”. The adjective form is similar – “engaged in swaggering buffoonery”. Background / Comments This word comes from Ralph Roister Doister, the main character in a play written by Nicolas Udall inContinue reading “preterit”

Pronounced: ROY-stir doy-stir, noun/adj Notes: I didn’t know this word Yesterday’s word The word deflagrate means “to burn rapidly with intense heat and sparks being given off; to cause to burn in such a manner” Background / Comments This word has Latin roots; the main word comes from flagrare (to burn) with the prefix de-,Continue reading “roister-doister”

Pronounced: DEF-luh-grate, verb Notes: I thought this might be putting out a fire (I was wrong) Yesterday’s word The word scaramouch means “a boastful coward, buffoon, or rascal” Background / Comments This is another word from the Italian commedia dell’arte (Italian comic theater popular in the 1500s to 1700s). The character is Scaramouche – heContinue reading “deflagrate”

Pronounced: SCAR-uh-moosh, SCAR-uh-mooch, SKER-uh-moosh, SKER-uh-mooch, noun Notes: Also spelled “scaramouche” Yesterday’s word The word antipode means the parts of the earth diametrically opposite the exact opposite or contrary Background / Comments The word is Greek; anti- (opposite) and the root pod (foot). The place from which I got this word claims that this word wasContinue reading “scaramouch”

Pronounced: AN-tuh-PODE, noun Notes: I’m pretty sure that I could figure out the meaning of this word in context, but I was at a loss when running across it standalone. Yesterday’s word The word cockade refers to “an ornament, such as a rosette or knot of ribbons, worn as a badge on a hat, lapel,Continue reading “antipode”

Pronounced: kah-KADE, noun Notes: I’m pretty sure I’ve run across this word, but I only had a vague sense of the meaning Yesterday’s word The word auctorial means “of or relating to an author” Background / Comments This word has an interesting background… in ancient Rome, auctioneers, grantors, and vendors were called auctors, from theContinue reading “cockade”

Pronounced: awk-TORE-ee-uhl, adj Notes: I’m surprised that I haven’t run across this word, but there is another word that is in more common use Yesterday’s word The word crunt means “a blow on the head with a club” Background The background is unknown, but thought to be an imitative word. First usage This word cameContinue reading “auctorial”