Good evening, Netizens... At age 67, after more than 40 years of packing around a pack or more of cigarettes in my shirt pocket, today is the third (going on the fourth) day since I had my last cigarette. The ashtrays are all emptied, and…
Good evening, Netizens... January 24, 2013 Words of the Day engagé \ahn-gah-ZHAY\ DEFINITION adjective : committed to or supportive of a cause EXAMPLES Our next-door neighbor Michael, an engagé environmental activist, uses solar power to heat his home and drives a hybrid automobile. "George MacDonald…
Good morning, Netizens... It just goes to show you where everyone's priorities are. According to the talking heads of the local news organizations, Gonzaga students who were temporarily staying in the “tent city” in front of the Kennel in preparation for the big game with…
Good morning, Netizens... January 23, 2013 Words of the Day fanfaronade \fan-fair-uh-NAYD\ DEFINITION noun : empty boasting : bluster EXAMPLES Having grown weary of the former governor's fanfaronade and lack of concrete action, voters sent a clear message at the polls and elected his opponent…
Good morning, Netizens... January 22, 2013 Words of the Day euchre \YOO-ker\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to prevent from winning three tricks in the card game euchre 2 : to cheat or trick EXAMPLES "'You fooled us good,' Frank confessed. 'After Northfield, Jesse knew we'd…
Good morning, Netizens... January 21, 2013 Words of the Day zarzuela \zahr-ZWAY-luh\ DEFINITION noun : a usually comic Spanish operetta EXAMPLES "The first major trip was leaving Spain, with my sister and our aunt, to travel by ship to Mexico, where my parents had set…
Good morning, Netizens... January 20, 2013 Words of the Day preen \PREEN\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to groom with the bill 2 : to dress or smooth up : primp 3 : to pride or congratulate (oneself) on an achievement : to behave or speak…
January 19, 2013 Words of the Day mentor \MEN-tor\ DEFINITION noun 1 : a trusted counselor or guide 2 : tutor, coach EXAMPLES The young man regarded the professor not only as a mentor, but as a good friend as well. "Every time a Strong…
Good morning, Netizens... January 18, 2013 Word of the Day traduce \truh-DOOSS\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to expose to shame or blame by means of falsehood and misrepresentation 2 : violate, betray EXAMPLES At the apex of the journalist's career, a jealous rival attempted to…
January 17, 2013 Words of the Day vernissage \vair-nih-SAHZH\ DEFINITION noun : a private showing or preview of an art exhibition EXAMPLES Before the art auction, there will be a vernissage during which people can mingle with the artists and preview their work. "Art Basel…
Good afternoon, Netizens... There is a fair hue and cry about town over the former Acting Police Chief Scott Stephens being demoted from sitting atop the throne of the Spokane Police Department, to losing that position to banishing him entirely from the upper ranks of…
Good morning, Netizens,.., January 16, 2013 Words of the Day inchmeal \INCH-meel\ DEFINITION adverb : little-by-little, gradually EXAMPLES The fog that had been concentrated over the valley dissipated inchmeal, revealing a quiet busyness in the small village below. "I glanced at my Luminox wristwatch. The…
Good morning, Netizens... January 14, 2013 Word of the Day taradiddle \tair-uh-DID-ul\ DEFINITION noun 1 : a trivial or childish lie : fib 2 : pretentious nonsense EXAMPLES "Even parents with the very best of intentions find themselves telling taradiddles to their offspring." — From…
I love names. I give names to everything – my car, my cat, my kids, spiders, clothes, and oven mitts. Actually, it’s my Mom’s doing. She started it. When we were growing up, Mom acquired an oven mitt in the shape of an alligator (or…
Good morning, Netizens... January 11, 2013 Word of the Day realia \ree-AL-ee-uh\ DEFINITION noun plural : objects or activities used to relate classroom teaching to the real life especially of peoples studied EXAMPLES Among the realia used for the class's lesson on World War II…
Good morning, Netizens... January 10, 2013 Word of the Day Apollonian \ap-uh-LOH-nee-un\ DEFINITION adjective 1 : of, relating to, or resembling the god Apollo 2 : harmonious, measured, ordered, or balanced in character EXAMPLES His paintings exhibit a stately and Apollonian elegance, but too often…
Good morning, Netizens... January 09, 2013 Words of the Day buttonhole \BUT-un-hohl\ DEFINITION verb : to detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the outer garments of EXAMPLES I'm sorry I'm late. I was buttonholed by a coworker just as I…
Good evening, Netizens... January 08, 2013 Word of the Day ramify \RAM-uh-fye\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to split up into branches or constituent parts 2 : to send forth branches or extensions 3 : to cause to branch EXAMPLES "The people of Rafadh had decisions…
January 07, 2013 Word of the Day pedagogical \ped-uh-GAH-jih-kul\ DEFINITION adjective : of, relating to, or befitting a teacher or education EXAMPLES New teachers will be evaluated on pedagogical skills such as lesson planning and classroom management. "The report suggests that the exam be multidimensional…
January 06, 2013 Word of the Day quintessence \kwin-TESS-unss\ DEFINITION noun 1 : the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form 2 : the most typical example or representative EXAMPLES Roasting marshmallows over an open fire is the quintessence of the…
Good morning, Netizens... Good morning, Netizens... Well, between Jeanie and I, we have been collectively wracking up our frequent flier miles with the health care system during the last six months, and to be honest about it, I am certain neither of us are having…
Good morning Netizens... January 05, 2013 Word of the Day imperturbable \im-per-TER-buh-bul\ DEFINITION adjective : marked by extreme calm, impassivity, and steadiness : serene EXAMPLES The imperturbable pilot did not panic when her plane flew into an electrical storm. "But ZZ Top has always excelled…
Recently, Yahoo reported on nurses being fired at an Indiana hospital for refusing to get vaccinated. (http://news.yahoo.com/nurses-fired-refusing-flu-shot-224637902--abc-news-health.html) I am in a position where I depend on my care givers to get vaccinated for the flu. I think that all care givers in hospitals and doctors'…
Good morning, Netizens... January 04, 2013 Word of the Day doctrine of signatures \DAHK-trun-uv-SIG-nuh-cherz\ DEFINITION noun : a theory in old natural philosophy: the outward appearance of a body signals its special properties (as of magic or healing virtue) and there is a relationship between…
Good morning Netizens... January 03, 2013 Word of the Day festoon \fess-TOON\ DEFINITION noun 1 : a decorative chain or strip hanging between two points 2 : a carved, molded, or painted ornament representing a decorative chain EXAMPLES Festoons of colored paper were draped along…
Spokesman-Review readers blog about news and issues in Spokane written by Dave Laird.
