Word Power

[TW]

July 23, 2007

trenchant \TREN-chunt\, adjective:
1. Characterized by or full of force and vigor; as, "a trenchant analysis."
2. Caustic; biting; severe; as, "trenchant criticism."
3. Distinct; clear-cut; clearly or sharply defined.

[TW]

July 24, 2007

confabulation \kon-FAB-yuh-lay-shuhn\, noun:
1. Familiar talk; easy, unrestrained, unceremonious conversation.
2. (Psychology) A plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is remembered.

[TW]

July 25, 2007

riposte \rih-POST\, noun:
1. A quick thrust given after parrying an opponent's lunge in fencing.
2. A quick and effective reply by word or act.

[TW]

July 26, 2007

serendipity \ser-uhn-DIP-uh-tee\, noun:
The faculty or phenomenon of making fortunate accidental discoveries.

[TW]

July 27, 2007

coruscate \KOR-uh-skayt\, intransitive verb:
1. To give off or reflect bright beams or flashes of light; to sparkle.
2. To exhibit brilliant, sparkling technique or style.

[TW]

July 28, 2007

matutinal \muh-TOOT-n-uhl\, adjective:
Relating to or occurring in the morning; early.

[TW]

July 29, 2007

ambuscade \AM-buh-skayd; am-buh-SKAYD\, noun:
1. An ambush.

transitive verb:
1. To attack by surprise from a concealed place; to ambush.

[TW]

July 30,2007

punctilious \puhnk-TIL-ee-uhs\, adjective:
Strictly attentive to the details of form in action or conduct; precise; exact in the smallest particulars.

[TW]

July 31, 2007

stasis \STAY-sis; STAS-is\, noun;
plural stases \STAY-seez; STAS-eez\:
1. A state of balance, equilibrium, or stagnation.
2. Stoppage of the normal flow of a bodily fluid or semifluid.

[TW]

August 1, 2007

wayworn \WAY-worn\, adjective:
Wearied by traveling.

[TW]

August 2, 2007

brackish \BRAK-ish\, adjective:
1. Somewhat salty.
2. Distasteful; unpalatable.

[TW]

August 3, 2007

parse \PAHRS\, transitive verb:
1. To resolve (as a sentence) into its component parts of speech with an explanation of the form, function, and syntactical relationship of each part.
2. To describe grammatically by stating its part of speech, form, and syntactical relationships in a sentence.
3. To examine closely or analyze critically, especially by breaking up into components.
4. To make sense of; to comprehend.
5. (Computer Science) To analyze or separate (input, for example) into more easily processed components.

intransitive verb:
1. To admit of being parsed.

[TW]

August 4, 2007

jeremiad \jair-uh-MY-uhd\, noun:
A tale of sorrow, disappointment, or complaint; a doleful story; also, a dolorous or angry tirade.

[TW]

August 5, 2007

nuptial \NUHP-shuhl; -chuhl\, adjective:
1. Of or pertaining to marriage; done or used at a wedding; as, "nuptial rites and ceremonies."
2. Of, pertaining to, or occurring in the mating season.

noun:
1. Marriage; wedding; nuptial ceremony; -- usually used in the plural.

[TW]

August 6, 2007

quixotic \kwik-SOT-ik\, adjective:
1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals.
2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable.