Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Dogged


Dogged ~ Determined to continue without giving up in spite of difficulties.

Fleer


Fleer ~ (German in origin) To smile or laugh with contempt

Flic


Flic ~ Slang, a member of the French police.

Balata

Balata ~ Material simular to rubber; a gum made from tree sap.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Courage

Courage ~ That quality of mind which enables one to meet danger or difficulties with firmness and valor.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Necessitarian


Necessitarian ~ Somebody denying free will who believe that all events are determined by previous causes.

Bashaw

Bashaw ~ A pompous person, somebody considered to be haughty, thinking great self importance.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

Aposematic

Aposematic ~ Colored as a warning. Describes natural colors and bright markings on an animal that warn predators that it is poisonous. (some humans where T-shirts with such warnings)

Clinker

Clinker ~ A failure or something of very poor quality (perhaps this is more of a 'clunker')

Thursday, April 23, 2009

Doleful

Doleful ~ Mournful, filled with evoking sadness and grief.

Woebegone

Woebegone ~ (13th Century Old English) Feeling of distress or sorrow.

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Thwart

Thwart ~ (13th century) To frustrate something. Preventing somebody or somebodies plans from being successful.

Nadir

Nadir ~ (14th century French) Lowest point possible.

Waldo

Waldo ~ A remote controlled device for manipulating objects (oops wrong Waldo)

Friday, April 3, 2009

Impetus

Impetus ~ To push, the energy or motivation to accomplish or undertake something. (Latin, 'impetere', meaning to force)

Naff

Naff ~ Unstylish, lacking fashionable style, and appearing boring, tasteless or unattractive. (Dude!)

Implausible

Implausible ~ Hard to believe, hardly likely to be true. (oh sure)

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Sluice

Sluice ~ (old French) a flow of water that is controlled by a gate.

Slipshod

Slipshod ~ (late 16th century) Careless; done in a sloppy way without attention to detail.

Citadel

Citadel ~ ( Latin, 'city') a fortress or strongly fortified building in or near a city, used as a place of refuge. A defending body, an organization or institution that strongly defends a particular way of life or principle.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Curt

Curt ~ (Latin, 'curtus' cut short) Rudely brief, abrupt. Terse, using few words.

Mondial

Mondial ~ (French, 'monde') Relating to or involving the entire world.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Patter Song

Patter Song ~ Comical song sung rapidly that consists of words sung together in rapid succession.

Equaimity

Equanimity ~ (Latin, 'equal mind') A calm temperament, eveness of temper even when under stress.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Obstreperous

Obstreperous ~ (Latin, literally 'rattling against') Noisily and agressively boisterous, strongly objecting to something or refusing to be controlled.

Swot

Swot ~ (Scottish) A period of hard study, intense study especially for an examination.

Monday, February 9, 2009

Operuse

Operuse ~ (Latin) Taxing, requiring alot of effort, busy, active or hard working.

Macadam

Macadam ~ (Scottish) A smooth hard road surface made from small broken pieces of stone usually mixed with tar or asphalt in compressed layers (so goes the heart)

Pristine

Pristine ~ (Latin) Immaculate, so clean and neat as to look as good as new. Unspoiled, not yet ruined by human encroachment.

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Algophobia

Algophobia ~ An usually intense fear of pain.