sliver
Pronunciation: 'sli-v&r, 2 is usually 'slI-
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English slivere, from sliven to slice off, from Old English -slIfan; akin to Old English -sl[AE]fan to cut
1 a : a long slender piece cut or torn off : SPLINTER
b : a small and narrow portion
c : PARTICLE, SCRAP {not a sliver of evidence}

insurgent
Pronunciation: -j&nt
Function: nounEtymology: Latin insurgent-, insurgens, present participle of insurgere to rise up, from in- + surgere to rise -- more at SURGE
1 : a person who revolts against civil authority or an established government; especially : a rebel not recognized as a belligerent
2 : one who acts contrary to the policies and decisions of one's own political party

daiquiri
Pronunciation: 'da-k&-rE, 'dI-
Function: noun
Etymology: Daiquirí, Cuba
: a cocktail made of rum, lime juice, and sugar

once-over
Pronunciation: "w&n(t)s-'O-v&r, 'w&n(t)s-"
Function: noun
: a swift examination or survey; especially
: a swift comprehensive appraising glance

gerontology
Pronunciation: "jer-&n-'tä-l&-jE
Function: noun
Etymology: International Scientific Vocabulary
: the comprehensive study of aging and the problems of the aged

shenanigan
Pronunciation: sh&-'na-ni-g&n
Function: noun
Etymology: origin unknown
1 : a devious trick used especially for an underhand purpose
2 a : tricky or questionable practices or conduct -- usually used in plural
b : high-spirited or mischievous activity -- usually used in plural

regatta
Pronunciation: ri-'gä-t&, -'ga-
Function: noun
Etymology: Italian regata
: a rowing, speedboat, or sailing race or a series of such races

presbyopia
Pronunciation: "prez-bE-'O-pE-&, "pres-
Function: noun
Etymology: New Latin
: a visual condition which becomes apparent especially in middle age and in which loss of elasticity of the lens of the eye causes defective accommodation and inability to focus sharply for near vision
- presbyopic /-'O-pik, -'ä-/ adjective or noun

moxie
Pronunciation: 'mäk-sE
Function: noun
Etymology: from Moxie, a trademark for a soft drink
1 : ENERGY, PEP
2 : COURAGE, DETERMINATION
3 : KNOW-HOW, EXPERTISE

smorgasbord
Pronunciation: 'smor-g&s-"bOrd, -"bord
Function: noun
Etymology: Swedish smörgåsbord, from smörgås open sandwich + bord table
1 : a luncheon or supper buffet offering a variety of foods and dishes (as hors d'oeuvres, hot and cold meats, smoked and pickled fish, cheeses, salads, and relishes)
2 : a heterogeneous mixture : Mélange

mélange
Pronunciation: mA-'länzh, -'länj
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from Middle French, from mesler, meler to mix -- more at MEDDLE
: a mixture often of incongruous elements

sycophant
Pronunciation: -f&nt also -"fant
Function: noun
Etymology: Latin sycophanta slanderer, swindler, from Greek sykophantEs slanderer, from sykon fig + phainein to show -- more at FANCY
: a servile self-seeking flatterer
synonym see PARASITE
- sycophant adjective

"We can live without religion and meditation, but we cannot survive without human affection." ~ Dalai Lama (Head of the Dge-lugs-pa order of Tibetan Buddhists, 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, b.1935)

loquacious
Pronunciation: lO-'kwA-sh&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin loquac-, loquax, from loqui to speak
1 : full of excessive talk : WORDY
2 : given to fluent or excessive talk : GARRULOUS
synonym see TALKATIVE
- loquaciously adverb
- loquaciousness noun

"Life's challenges are not supposed to paralyze you, they're supposed to help you discover who you are." ~ Bernice Johnson Reagon (American Historian and Musician. b.1942)

bastion
Pronunciation: 'bas-ch&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, from Old Italian bastione, augmentative of bastia fortress, derivative from dialect form of bastire to build, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German besten to patch
1 : a projecting part of a fortification
2 : a fortified area or position3 : something that is considered a stronghold : BULWARK
- bastioned /-ch&nd/ adjective

"Success is a lousy teacher. It seduces smart people into thinking they can't lose." ~ Bill Gates (American Entrepreneur and Founder of Microsoft Co., b.1955)

linchpin (or lynchpin)
Pronunciation: 'linch-"pin
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English lynspin, from lyns linchpin (from Old English lynis) + pin; akin to Middle High German luns linchpin
1 : a locking pin inserted crosswise (as through the end of an axle or shaft)
2 : one that serves to hold together the elements of a complex

"Life is never easy for those who dream." ~ Robert James Waller

impasse
Pronunciation: 'im-"pas, im-'
Function: noun
Etymology: French, from in- + passer to pass
1 a : a predicament affording no obvious escape
b : DEADLOCK
2 : an impassable road or way : CUL-DE-SAC

cul-de-sac
Pronunciation: 'k&l-di-"sak, 'kul-; "k&l-di-', "kul-
Function: noun
Etymology: French, literally, bottom of the bag
1 : a blind diverticulum or pouch
2 : a street or passage closed at one end
3 : BLIND ALLEY

religiose
Pronunciation: ri-'li-jE-"Os
Function: adjective
Etymology: religion + 1-ose
: RELIGIOUS; especially : excessively, obtrusively, or sentimentally religious
- religiosity /-"li-jE-'ä-s&-tE/ noun

enfant terrible
Pronunciation: än-fän-te-rEbl&
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural enfants terribles /same/
Etymology: French, literally, terrifying child
1 a : a child whose inopportune remarks cause embarrassment
b : a person known for shocking remarks or outrageous behavior
2 : a usually young and successful person who is strikingly unorthodox, innovative, or avant-garde

"If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things." ~
Albert Einstein quotes (German born American Physicist who developed the special and general theories of relativity. Nobel Prize for Physics in 1921. 1879-1955)

apostasy
Pronunciation: &-'päs-t&-sE
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural -siesEtymology: Middle English apostasie, from Late Latin apostasia, from Greek, literally, revolt, from aphistasthai to revolt, from apo- + histasthai to stand -- more at STAND
1 : renunciation of a religious faith
2 : abandonment of a previous loyalty : DEFECTION

"Many people take no care of their money till they come nearly to the end of it, and others do just the same with their time." ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (German Playwright, Poet, Novelist and Dramatist. 1749-1832)

ululate
Pronunciation: -"lAt
Function: intransitive verb
Inflected Form(s): -lat·ed; -lat·ing
Etymology: Latin ululatus, past participle of ululare, of imitative origin: HOWL, WAIL- ululation /"&l-y&-'lA-sh&n/ noun

palatial
Pronunciation: p&-'lA-sh&l
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin palatium palace
1 : of, relating to, or being a palace
2 : suitable to a palace : MAGNIFICENT-
palatially /-sh&-lE/ adverb
- palatialness noun

"Watch your thoughts; they become your words. Watch your words; they become your actions. Watch your actions; they become your habits. Watch your habits; they become your character. Watch your character for it will become your destiny." ~ Frank Outlaw

anachronism
Pronunciation: &-'na-kr&-"ni-z&m
Function: noun
Etymology: probably from Middle Greek anachronismos, from anachronizesthai to be an anachronism, from Late Greek anachronizein to be late, from Greek ana- + chronos time
1 : an error in chronology; especially : a chronological misplacing of persons, events, objects, or customs in regard to each other
2 : a person or a thing that is chronologically out of place; especially : one from a former age that is incongruous in the present
- anachronistic /&-"na-kr&-'nis-tik/
also anachronic /"a-n&-'krä-nik/ adjective
- anachronistically /&-"na-kr&-'nis-ti-k(&-)lE/ adverb
- anachronous /&-'na-kr&-n&s/ adjective
- anachronously adverb

"Plenty of people miss their share of happiness, not because they never found it, but because they didn't stop to enjoy it." ~ William Feather

eyetooth
Pronunciation: 'I-'tüth
Function: noun
: a canine tooth of the upper jaw

"Happiness lies for those who cry, those who hurt, those who have searched, and those who have tried for only they can appreciate the importance of people who have touched their lives." ~ Anonymous

superannuated
Function: adjective
Etymology: Medieval Latin superannuatus, past participle of superannuari to be too old, from Latin super- + annus year -- more at ANNUAL
: incapacitated or disqualified for active duty by advanced age

"It is not easy to find happiness in ourselves, and it is not possible to find it elsewhere." ~ Agnes Repplier (American Essayist and Writer, She is known for her collections of scholarly essays in Compromises (1904). 1858-1950)

in situ
Pronunciation: (")in-'sI-(")tü, -'si-, -(")tyü also -'sE-, -(")chü
Function: adverb or adjective
Etymology: Latin, in position
: in the natural or original position or place

"People who say they don't care what people think are usually desperate to have people think they don't care what people think" ~ George Carlin (American stand-up Comedian, Actor and Author. b.1937)

whippoorwill
Pronunciation: 'hwi-p&r-"wil, "hwi-p&r-', 'wi-, "wi
-Function: noun
Etymology: imitative
: a nocturnal nightjar (Caprimulgus vociferus) of eastern No. America with a loud repeated call suggestive of its name

"I've never been married, but I tell people I'm divorced so they won't think something's wrong with me." ~ Elayne Boosler (American Comedian and Activist. b.1952)

hermaprodite
Pronunciation: (")h&r-'ma-fr&-"dIt
Function: nounEtymology: Middle English hermofrodite, from Latin hermaphroditus, from Greek hermaphroditos, from Hermaphroditos
1 : an animal or plant having both male and female reproductive organs
2 : something that is a combination of diverse elements
- hermaphrodite adjective
- hermaphroditic /(")h&r-"ma-fr&-'di-tik/ adjective
- hermaphroditism /-'ma-fr&-"dI-"ti-z&m/ noun


trainspotting
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: the hobby of watching trains and noting their serial numbers, usu. for long periods of time; by extension, any hobby or obsession with a trivial pursuit; also written train-spotting
Usage: trainspotter is person doing this, trainspot is verb

"If you could kick the person in the pants responsible for most of your trouble, you wouldn't sit for a month." ~ Theodore Roosevelt (American 26th US President (1901-09), 1858-1919)

hypochondriasis
Pronunciation: -'drI-&-s&sFunction: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural hypochondriases /-"sEz/
Etymology: New Latin
: morbid concern about one's health especially when accompanied by delusions of physical disease

"I have flabby thighs, but fortunately my stomach covers them." ~ Joan Rivers (American humorist, b.1935)

vouchsafe
Pronunciation: vauch-'sAf, 'vauch-"
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): vouchsafed; vouchsafing
1 a : to grant or furnish often in a gracious or condescending manner
b : to give by way of reply
2 : to grant as a privilege or special favor
- vouchsafement /vauch-'sAf-m&nt/ noun

white-knuckle
Pronunciation: 'hwIt-'n&-k&l, 'wIt-
Variant(s): also white-knuckled /-k&ld/
Function: adjective
: showing or causing tense nervousness

anon
Pronunciation: &-'nän
Function: adverb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English on An, from on in + An one -- more at ON, ONE
1 archaic : at once : IMMEDIATELY
2 : SOON, PRESENTLY
3 : after a while : LATER

"I don't excercise. If God had wanted me to bend over, he would have put diamonds on the floor." ~ Joan Rivers (American humorist, b.1935)

connoisseur
Pronunciation: "kä-n&-'s&r also -'sur
Function: noun
Etymology: obsolete French (now connaisseur), from Old French connoisseor, from connoistre to know, from Latin cognoscere -- more at COGNITION
1 : EXPERT; especially : one who understands the details, technique, or principles of an art and is competent to act as a critical judge
2 : one who enjoys with discrimination and appreciation of subtleties
- connoisseurship /-"ship/ noun

"When I look back on all these worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had had a lot of trouble in his life, most of which had never happened" ~ Winston Churchill (British Orator, Author and Prime Minister during World War II. 1874-1965)

dovetail
Function: verb
a : to fit skillfully to form a whole
b : to fit together with

androgynous
Pronunciation: an-'drä-j&-n&s
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin androgynus hermaphrodite, from Greek androgynos, from andr- + gynE woman -- more at QUEEN
1 : having the characteristics or nature of both male and female
2 a : neither specifically feminine nor masculine
b : suitable to or for either sex
3 : having traditional male and female roles obscured or reversed
- androgyny /-nE/ noun

"The pessimist complains about the wind; the optimist expects it to change; the realist adjusts the sails." ~ William Arthur Ward (American dedicated scholar, author, editor, pastor and teacher)

fruition
Pronunciation: frü-'i-sh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English fruicioun, from Middle French or Late Latin; Middle French fruition, from Late Latin fruition-, fruitio, from Latin frui
1 : pleasurable use or possession : ENJOYMENT
2 a : the state of bearing fruit
b : REALIZATION

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful." ~ Herman Cain (American business man, author and speaker)

nondescript
Pronunciation: "nän-di-'skript
Function: adjective
Etymology: non- + Latin descriptus, past participle of describere to describe
1 : belonging or appearing to belong to no particular class or kind : not easily described
2 : lacking distinctive or interesting qualities : DULL, DRAB
- nondescript noun