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…
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…
Good morning, Netizens... January 02, 2013 Word of the Day heliacal \hih-LYE-uh-kul\ DEFINITION adjective : relating to or near the sun — used especially of the last setting of a star before and its first rising after invisibility due to conjunction with the sun's rising…
Good morning, Netizens... Well, I've turned 67 years of age yesterday, and although I have answered less than half of the congratulations, I feel I have done more than my fair share of being responsible to everyone. However, since I cannot sleep for all the…
Good morning, Netizens... January 01, 2013 Word of the Day hark back \HAHRK-BAK\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to turn back to an earlier topic or circumstance 2 : to go back to something as an origin or source EXAMPLES The restaurant's art deco interior harks…
Good morning, Netizens... December 30, 2012 Word of the Day promulgate \PRAH-mul-gayt\ DEFINITION verb 1 : to make (as a doctrine) known by open declaration : proclaim 2 a : to make known or public the terms of (a proposed law) b : to put…
Good morning, Netizens... December 29, 2012 Word of the Day vacuous \VAK-yuh-wus\ DEFINITION adjective 1 : emptied of or lacking content 2 : marked by lack of ideas or intelligence : stupid, inane 3 : devoid of serious occupation : idle EXAMPLES The student's vacuous…
Good morning, Netizens... Good evening, Netizens and friends... For decades of my life I have lived with an underground river of thought, of ever-changing and unspoken sound and fury that has kept me writing about life inside and outside my consciousness. Sometimes this unexpurgated prattling…
Good afternoon, Netizens,.. December 28, 2012 Word of the Day donnybrook \DAH-nee-brook\ DEFINITION noun 1 : free-for-all, brawl 2 : a usually public quarrel or dispute EXAMPLES The two antique collectors found themselves embroiled in a spirited donnybrook over the value of an unusual piece…
Good morning, Netizens... December 27, 2012 Word of the Day mise-en-scène \meez-ahn-SEN\ DEFINITION noun 1 a : the arrangement of actors and scenery on a stage for a theatrical production b : stage setting 2 a : the physical setting of an action (as of…
Good morning, Netizens... December 26, 2012 Word of the Day debilitate \dih-BIL-uh-tayt\ DEFINITION verb : to impair the strength of EXAMPLES The flu debilitated him and left him bedridden for several days. "Hard hits are part of the game. But vicious hits intended to debilitate…
Good evening, Netizens... December 22, 2012 Word of the Day farrier \FAIR-ee-er\ DEFINITION noun : a person who shoes horses EXAMPLES Since he spent so much of his childhood around horses, it was not a surprise when James decided to apprentice to learn to be…
Good evening, Netizens... December 21, 2012 Word of the Day solstice \SAHL-stiss\ DEFINITION noun : the time of year when the sun is farthest north of the equator or farthest south of the equator EXAMPLES People all over the world have observed celebrations linked to…
Good evening, Netizens... December 20, 2012 Word of the Day impolitic \im-PAH-luh-tik\ DEFINITION adjective : not politic : unwise EXAMPLES The talk show host's impolitic remarks were often the target of public outrage, but they also earned him legions of fans. "She'll say what's on…
Good morning, Netizens… Like other Christmas stories I have written over the years, this is an exerpt from what I call a living series I call Tales of the City and, in this case, the story is true. Although it hails from a different time,…
December 19, 2012 Word of the Day algid \AL-jid\ DEFINITION adjective : cold EXAMPLES "Lifting the taffeta hanging from the seat under the windows, he stroked the pipes of the radiator. He touched cold metal, metal algid as ice!" — From Carl Van Vechten's 1925…
Good afternoon, Netizens... Every year about this time, I have written or reposted my Tales of Christmas. Some are quite old, having been written clear back into the early 80's and 90's, while some others are more recent. These are gentle stories, expressing in my…
Spokesman-Review readers blog about news and issues in Spokane written by Dave Laird.
