Be careful not to conflate [kənˈfleɪt] gossip with real news.conflate [kənˈfleɪt]
verb
Two closely related meanings of the verb conflate are “to confuse,” i.e. “to fail to differentiate,” and “to blend or bring together.”
from conflatus, a form of the Latin verb conflare (“to blow together, to fuse”), which was formed by combining the prefix com-, meaning “with” or “together,” with the Latin verb flare, meaning “to blow.” English Jan 21, 2024, 8:52 AM cowpoke
I believe she and I are kindred [ˈkɪn.drɪd] spirits.kindred [ˈkɪn.drɪd]
adj
To say that two people or things are kindred is to say that they are of a similar nature or character, or that they have the same ancestry.
Family—both ancestral and in spirit—is what puts the “kin” in kindred. This word comes from the Old English noun for “kinship,” cynrǣden, which combines cynn (meaning “kin”) and ræden, meaning “condition.”
Other words akin to kin include kinfolk (and kinsfolk), kinship, kinsman, and kinswoman. English Jan 20, 2024, 9:32 AM cowpoke
“‘You’re better off’ is a hard pill when you’re grieving a breakup. But it’s axiomatic [ˌæk.siˈəˈmæt.ɪk]: Someone who doesn’t want you as-is isn’t the person you want.” — Carolyn Hax, The Washington Post, 24 Feb. 2023axiomatic [ˌæk.siˈəˈmæt.ɪk]
adj
Formal adj - describes something—usually a statement—that is understood as obviously true, such that it is or should be taken for granted.
An axiom is a principle widely accepted for its intrinsic merit, or one regarded as self-evidently true.
Axiomatic from the New Latin word axiōmaticus, and like axiom, it comes ultimately from the Greek word axíōma, meaning (among other things) “that which is reasonable (though not demonstrated to be true). English Jan 18, 2024, 7:30 AM cowpoke
Everyone at the pub was whinging [wɪndʒ] about the television not working.whinge [wɪndʒ]
verb
Whinge is a verb used especially in British English to mean "to complain fretfully [ˈfrɛtfəli - feeling or expressing distress or irritation]."
Whinge, on the other hand, comes from a different Old English verb, hwinsian, meaning "to wail or moan discontentedly."
English language is the nuance it exhibits when called upon to supply words for every possible kind of whining and complaining. We English users vent, we lament, we fuss and grouse and... English Jan 17, 2024, 7:07 AM cowpoke
As usual, the politician let out a load of bunkum [ˈbʌŋkəm] during his speech.bunkum [ˈbʌŋkəm]
noun
Bunkum is an old-fashioned and informal word that refers to foolish or insincere talk or ideas.
From s story: Back in 1820, Felix Walker, who represented North Carolina's Buncombe County in the U.S. House of Representatives English Jan 16, 2024, 7:00 AM cowpoke
"The poem operates by a kind of fairy logic: mesmerizing, oneiric [oˈnɪərɪk], enchanted, with language that surprises and clauses that seem to magnetically adhere." — Verity Spott, The New York Times, 13 Apr. 2023oneiric [oˈnɪərɪk]
adj
an adj meaning "of or relating to dreams."
The notion of using the Greek noun oneiros (meaning "dream") to form the English adjective oneiric wasn't dreamed up until the mid-19th century.
In the 17th century, English speakers also melded Greek oneiros with the combining form -mancy ("divination") to create oneiromancy, meaning "divination by means of dreams." English Jan 15, 2024, 8:03 AM cowpoke
Some of the exchange students were creeped out by all the gargoyles [ˈɡɑrˌɡɔɪl] they passed during their walking tour of the old European town.gargoyle [ˈɡɑrˌɡɔɪl]
noun
A gargoyle is a strange or grotesque human or animal figure that sticks out from the roof of a building (such as a church) and is used to cause rainwater to flow away from the building's sides.
came to Middle English from the Old French word gargoule English Jan 13, 2024, 10:02 AM cowpoke
"The secret to its longevity, then and now, is a steadfast commitment to the idea of dolce far niente ([ˈdɔl.tʃe far njen.te] in Italian - pleasant relaxation in carefree idleness), the elysian [ɪˈlɪʒən] pleasantness of doing absolutely nothing except enjoying yourself." — Spencer Bailey, Town & Country, 28 Mar. 2021Elysian [ɪˈlɪʒən]
adj
Something described as elysian is blissful or delightful in a way that evokes something otherworldly. Elysian is also used to mean "of or relating to Elysium"—that is, an eternal paradise for the souls of the heroic and pure in classical mythology.
In classical mythology, Elysium, also known as the Elysian Fields, was the paradise reserved for the heroes immortalized by the gods. English Jan 12, 2024, 9:20 AM cowpoke
Half-remembering a joke from her favorite sitcom, Ally mangled [ˈmæŋɡəl] the punch line, but honestly this made it even funnier.mangle [ˈmæŋɡəl]
verb
To mangle something is to ruin it due to carelessness or a lack of skill. Mangle can also mean “to injure or damage something or someone severely by cutting, tearing, or crushing.
This meaning comes from Anglo-French.
This other meaning: noun mangle (“a machine for ironing laundry by passing it between heated rollers”) or its related verb (“to press or smooth with a mangle”) English Jan 11, 2024, 7:59 AM cowpoke
On her first day at the fashion institute, Marta learned the basic tenets [ˈtɛnɪt] of the fashion industry.tenet [ˈtɛnɪt]
noun
A tenet is a principle, belief, or doctrine that is held to be true by members of an organization, movement, or profession.
Tenet holds a centuries-long tenure in the English language, but its hometown is Latin. In that language, tenet is a form of the verb tenēre ("to hold") and means "s/he holds." Tenet was borrowed into English around 1600... English Jan 10, 2024, 7:38 AM cowpoke
We love having her in our study group because she's good at ferreting [ˈfɛrɪt] out the answers to the study guide.ferret [ˈfɛrɪt]
verb
To ferret means to find something, such as information, by careful searching. It is usually followed by the word out.
The word came to us by way of Anglo-French and can be traced back to the Latin word fur, meaning "thief." English Jan 8, 2024, 7:07 AM cowpoke
They are circumspect [ˈsɜːrkəmˌspɛkt] in all their business dealings.circumspect [ˈsɜːrkəmˌspɛkt]
adj
Someone described as circumspect is careful to consider all circumstances and risks before doing or saying something.
it combines two major players in the Latin branch of the English language's pedigree: circum-, meaning "around," and specere, meaning "to look." English Jan 6, 2024, 8:23 AM cowpoke
The cat often skulks [skʌlk] around the entryway, waiting for someone to open the front door so it can sneak out.skulk [skʌlk]
verb
To skulk is to move around or hide in a stealthy or secretive way.
A person or animal that is said to be skulking is often assumed or considered to be up to some form of wrongdoing or mischief.
Scandinavian origin. As for skulk specifically, its closest known Scandinavian relative is the Norwegian dialect word skulka, which means “to lie in wait” or “to lurk.” English Jan 4, 2024, 6:58 AM cowpoke
He and his posse [ˈpɒsi] met after school to catch the newly released sequel to their favorite movie.posse [ˈpɒsi]
noun
A posse is a group of friends, or a group of people who are gathered together for a particular purpose.
Posse also refers to a group of people who were gathered together by a sheriff in the past to help search for a criminal.
Posse started out in English as part of a term from common law, posse comitatus, which in Medieval Latin translates as “power or authority of the county.” Posse comitatus referred to a group of citizens summoned by a reeve (a medieval official) English Jan 2, 2024, 9:30 AM cowpoke
The study clearly needs to be extended because the most recent data suggest incipient [ɪnˈsɪpiənt] changes in the trends identified.incipient [ɪnˈsɪpiənt]
adj
describe things
which are - beginning to come into being
or which are - to become apparent.
The motivational speaker exhorted us to change the way we live today, rather than looking always toward some vague distant futurity [fjʊˈtjʊərəti].futurity [fjʊˈtjʊərəti]
noun
Formal, literary synonym of future meaning “time to come.” The plural form, futurities, can also refer to future events or prospects.
first known use comes from Act III of Shakespeare’s tragedy Othello. Centuries later the Scottish writer Walter Scott... Though still in use and very much useful, futurity tends to lend one’s speech or writing a lofty tone, so if the situation calls for something more down-to-earth, you may want to go back to [the] future. English Dec 31, 2023, 9:32 AM cowpoke
The gorgeous waterfall at the top of the mountain was worth the arduous [ˈɑrdʒuəs] hike.arduous [ˈɑrdʒuəs]
adj
Arduous is an adjective used to describe something that is very difficult or strenuous.
figurative nature of arduous, which comes from the Latin adjective arduus, meaning “high,” “steep,” or “difficult.” English Dec 30, 2023, 8:17 AM cowpoke
As their laughter echoed down the hallway, stern faces glowered [ˈɡlaʊ.ər] from old black-and-white portraits in gilded frames.glower
verb
To glower is to look or stare with sullen (dismal, gloomy) annoyance or anger.
We send this word, glower, out to the glaring grumps, the scowling scoundrels, and the pouting pessimists of the world. Its gloomy roots grow in Scotland. English Dec 29, 2023, 8:53 AM cowpoke
He displayed remarkable sangfroid [sɑ̃ˈfwɑːd] when everyone else was panicking during the crisis.sangfroid [sɑ̃ˈfwɑːd]
noun
Sangfroid refers to the ability to stay calm in difficult or dangerous situations.
Sangfroid comes from the French term sang-froid, which literally translates as “cold blood.” English Dec 27, 2023, 8:54 AM cowpoke
The disappointment and grief of the party's base transformed quickly—from chapfallen [ˈtʃæpˌfɔlən] into broad smiles.chapfallen [ˈtʃæpˌfɔlən]
adj
Chapfallen (less commonly spelled chopfallen) is a synonym of depressed that means "cast down in spirit."
It can also mean "having the lower jaw hanging loosely."
The chap in chapfallen is a word that dates back to at least the 16th century. It refers to the fleshy covering of the jaw or to the jaw itself and is often used in the plural, as in "the wolf licked its chaps." English Dec 26, 2023, 7:52 AM cowpoke
