| main | ongoing | archive | private |
- carotid (adj/n): adj: of, relating to, or denoting the two main arteries that carry blood to the head and neck, and their two main branches; n: each of the two main arteries that carry blood to the head and neck --- from French "carotide" or modern Latin "carotides," from Greek "karōtides," plural of "karōtis" - ‘drowsiness,’ from "karoun" - ‘stupefy’ (because compression of these arteries was thought to cause stupor)
- terracotta (n): unglazed, typically brownish-red earthenware, used chiefly as an ornamental building material and in modeling; a statuette or other object made of terracotta; a strong brownish-red or brownish-orange color --- from Italian "terra cotta" - ‘baked earth,’ from Latin "terra cocta"
- talus (n): the large bone in the ankle that articulates with the tibia of the leg and the calcaneum and navicular bone of the foot --- from Latin, literally ‘ankle, heel’; a sloping mass of rock fragments at the foot of a cliff; a slope formed especially by an accumulation of rock debris/rock debris at the base of a cliff
- mote (n): a tiny piece of a substance; speck; particle ("the tiniest mote of dust") ("do you know how it feels to have not even a mote of hope?") --- related to Dutch "mot" - ‘dust, sawdust’
- scree (n): a mass of small loose stones that form or cover a slope on a mountain; a slope covered with small loose stones --- from Old Norse "skritha" - ‘landslide’; related to "skrítha" - ‘glide’
- plume (n/v): n: a long, soft feather or arrangement of feathers used by a bird for display or worn by a person for ornament; feather, quill ("a hat with a jaunty ostrich plume"); a long cloud of smoke or vapor resembling a feather as it spreads from its point of origin ("as he spoke, the word was accompanied by a white plume of breath"); a mass of material, typically a pollutant, spreading from a source ("a radioactive plume"); (geology) a localized column of hot magma rising by convection in the mantle, believed to cause volcanic activity in hot spots, such as the Hawaiian Islands, away from plate margins; v: to spread out in a shape resembling a feather ("smoke plumed from the chimneys"); to decorate with or as if with feathers ("a plumed cap") --- from Old French, from Latin "pluma" - ‘down’
- winch (n/v): n: a hauling or lifting device consisting of a rope, cable, or chain winding around a horizontal rotating drum, turned by a crank or by motor or other power source; a windlass; the crank of a wheel or axle; v: to hoist or haul with a winch --- late Old English "wince" - ‘reel, pulley,’ of Germanic origin; related to the verb "wink"
- caldera (n): a large volcanic crater, typically one formed by a major eruption leading to the collapse of the mouth of the volcano --- from Spanish, from late Latin "caldaria" - ‘boiling pot’
- bajada (n): a broad slope of alluvial material at the foot of an escarpment or mountain --- from Spanish, ‘descent, slope’
- truss (v): to tie up the wings and legs of (a chicken or other bird) before cooking; to tie up (someone) with their arms at their sides ("I found him trussed up in his closet"); to dress (someone) in elaborate or uncomfortable clothing ("he was trussed up in a heavily padded suit, complete with face mask and protective gloves"); to support (a roof, bridge, or other structure) with a truss or trusses --- from Old French "trusse" (noun), "trusser" - ‘pack up, bind in,’ based on late Latin "tors-" ‘twisted’
- guttural (adj/n): adj: (of a speech sound) produced in the throat; harsh-sounding; throaty; husky; (of a manner of speech) characterized by the use of guttural sounds ("his parents' guttural central European accent"); n: a guttural consonant (e.g., k, g ) or other speech sound; from French, or from medieval Latin "gutturalis," from Latin "guttur" - ‘throat’
- carrizo (n): tall North American reed having relative wide leaves and large plumelike panicles; widely distributed in moist areas; used for mats, screens, etc.
- bluff (n): a steep cliff, bank, or promontory ("an impregnable high bluff"); (canadian) a grove or clump of trees
- rincon (n): (southwest): a small secluded valley; an alcove or angular recess in a cliff
- wadcutter (n): (US) a bullet designed to cut a neat hole in a paper range target; a special-purpose flat-fronted bullet specially designed for shooting paper targets, usually at close range and at subsonic velocities typically under approximately 900 ft/s (274 m/s); commonly used in revolvers
- lapis lazuli (n): a bright blue metamorphic rock consisting largely of lazurite, used for decoration and in jewelry; a bright blue pigment formerly made by crushing this, being the original ultramarine; the color ultramarine --- from Latin "lapis" - ‘stone’ and medieval Latin "lazuli"; compare with "azure"
- mesquite (n): a spiny tree or shrub of the pea family, native to arid regions of southwestern US and Mexico; it yields useful timber, tanbark, medicinal products, and edible pods... the timber is used for fencing and flooring, and burned in barbecues as flavoring --- from Mexican Spanish "mezquite"
- pommel (n): a rounded knob on the end of the handle of a sword, dagger, or old-fashioned gun; the upward curving or projecting part of a saddle in front of the rider
- yoke (v): to put a yoke on (a pair of animals); couple or attach with or to a yoke; harness; hitch; tether ("a plow drawn by a camel and donkey yoked together"); to cause (two people or things) to be joined in a close relationship ("Hong Kong's dollar has been yoked to America's"); (informal) to rob or mug ("two drug addicts yoked this girl")
- annex (v/n): v: to append or add as an extra or subordinate part, especially to a document ("the first ten amendments were annexed to the Constitution in 1791"); to add (territory) to one's own territory by appropriation; appropriate, seize, conquer ("the left bank of the Rhine was annexed by France in 1797"); n: a building joined to or associated with a main building, providing additional space or accommodations; an addition to a document ("an annex to the report")
- asbestos (n): a heat-resistant fibrous silicate mineral that can be woven into fabrics, and is used in fire-resistant and insulating materials such as brake linings ("asbestos was used for pipe insulation") --- early 17th century: via Latin from Greek "asbestos" - ‘unquenchable’
- chenille (n): a tufted velvety cord or yarn, used for trimming furniture and making carpets and clothing --- French, literally ‘hairy caterpillar’
- alameda (n): (in Spain and Spanish-speaking regions) a public walkway or promenade shaded with trees --- Spanish, from "álamo" - ‘cottonwood’ + -eda ‘grove’ from Latin "-etum"
- grackle (n): a songbird of the American blackbird family, the male of which has shiny black plumage with a blue-green sheen; another term for an Asian mynah or starling, with mainly black plumage
- osprey (n): a large fish-eating bird of prey with long narrow wings and a white underside and crown, found throughout the world
- mercantile (n/adj): n: a general store; adj: of or relating to trade or commerce; commercial ("the shift of wealth to the mercantile classes")
- wainscot (n/v): an area of wooden paneling on the lower part of the walls of a room; (British) imported oak of fine quality, used mainly to make paneling; v: to line (a room or wall) with wooden paneling
- zocalo (n): (in Mexico) a public square or plaza, especially in the center of a city or town
- gazebo (n): a roofed structure that offers an open view of the surrounding area, typically used for relaxation or entertainment; pavilion
- balustrade (n): a railing supported by balusters, especially an ornamental parapet on a balcony, bridge, or terrace
- tang (n): a strong taste, flavor, or smell ("the clean salty tang of the sea"); a characteristic quality ("the tang of finality hovers throughout Tolstoy's story"); the projection on the blade of a tool such as a knife, by which the blade is held firmly in the handle
- extricate (v): to free (someone or something) from a constraint or difficulty ("he was trying to extricate himself from official duties")
- __
may 29 2015 ∞
mar 29 2024 +
mar 29 2024 +