Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 10, 2009 is:
rectify • \REK-tuh-fye\ • verb

*1 : to set right : remedy

2 : to purify (as alcohol) especially by repeated or fractional distillation

3 : to correct by removing errors : adjust

Felix’s Example Sentence:

Appalled at her faux pas in front of the whole family, the tearful teenager went from family member to family member, apologizing at length, trying to rectify her error.

Did you know?

Which of the following words does not share its ancestry with “rectify”?

1) direct 2) regimen 3) obstruct 4) correct 5) resurrection

Like “rectify,” four of these words ultimately come from Latin “regere,” which can mean “to lead straight,” “to direct,” or “to rule.” “Correct” and “direct” come from “regere” via Latin “corrigere” and “dirigere,” respectively. “Resurrection” comes from Latin “resurgere,” whose stem “surgere,” meaning “to rise,” is a combination of “sub-” and “regere.” “Regimen” is from Latin “regimen” (“position of authority,” “direction,” “set of rules”), itself from “regere.” And “rectify” is from “regere” by way of Latin “rectus” (“right”). “Obstruct” is the only one of the set above that has no relation to “rectify.” It traces back to Latin “struere,” meaning “to build” or “to heap up.”

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 09, 2009 is:
docile • \DAH-sul\ • adjective

1 : easily taught

*2 : easily led or managed

Felix’s Example Sentence:

Psychiatric methodology has relied for some years on potent psychotropic drugs to keep disturbed patients docile.

Did you know?

Docile students can make teaching a lot easier. Nowadays, calling students "docile" indicates they aren’t trouble-makers. But there’s more than just good behavior connecting docility to teachability. The original meaning of "docile" is more to the point: "readily absorbing something taught." "The docile mind may soon thy precepts know," rendered Ben Jonson, for example, in a 17th-century translation of the Roman poet Horace. "Docile" comes from Latin "docēre," which means "to teach." Other descendants of "docēre" include "doctrine" (which can mean "something that is taught"), "document" (the earliest meaning of which was "instruction"), and "doctor" and "docent" (both of which can refer to college teachers).

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 08, 2009 is:
sacerdotal • \sass-er-DOH-tul\ • adjective

*1 : of or relating to priests or a priesthood : priestly

2 : of, relating to, or suggesting religious belief emphasizing the powers of priests as essential mediators between God and mankind

Felix’s Example Sentence:

I enjoyed this morning’s sermon, which commented on the Gospel reading appointed for today, regarding the excessive pride of the scribes in their sacerdotal position, and wryly commented on the vestments and electronic elements in our own church.

Did you know?

“Sacerdotal” is one of a host of English words derived from the Latin adjective “sacer,” meaning “sacred.” Other words derived from “sacer” include “desecrate,” “sacrifice,” “sacrilege,” “consecrate,” “sacrament,” and even “execrable” (developed from the Latin word “exsecrari,” meaning “to put under a curse”). One unlikely “sacer” descendant is “sacrum,” referring to the series of five vertebrae in the lower back connected to the pelvis. In Latin this bone was called the “os sacrum,” or “holy bone,” a translation of the Greek “hieron osteon.”

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 07, 2009 is:
bastion • \BAS-chun\ • noun

1 : a projecting part of a fortification

2 : a fortified area or position

3 a : a place of security or survival
* b : a place dominated by a particular group or marked by a particular characteristic

Felix’s Example Sentence:

In spite of political divisions, economic distress and foreign entanglements, the United States remains a bastion of the freedoms and ideals put forth two centuries and counting ago.

Did you know?

"Bastion" is constructed of etymological building blocks that are very similar to those of "bastille" (a word now used as a general term for a prison, but probably best known as the name of the Parisian fortress-turned-prison stormed by an angry mob at the start of the French Revolution). The history of "bastion" can be traced through Middle French to the Old Italian verb "bastire," which means "to build." "Bastille" descends from the Old Occitan verb "bastir," which also means "to build." "Bastir" and "bastire" are themselves of Germanic origin and akin to the Old High German word "besten," meaning "to patch."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 06, 2009 is:
nudnik • \NOOD-nik (the “OO” is as in “good”)\ • noun

: a person who is a bore or nuisance

Felix’s Example Sentence:

The internet provides excellent venues for exchanges of opinion and information, unfortunately accompanied by consant nattering from the nudnik fringe – trolls, attention whores and clueless perpetual adolescents.

Did you know?

The suffix “-nik” came to English through Yiddish (and ultimately from Polish and Ukrainian). It means “one connected with or characterized by being.” You might be familiar with “beatnik,” “computernik,” or “neatnik,” but what about “no-goodnik” or “allrightnik”? The suffix “-nik” is frequently used in English to create nonce words that are often jocular or slightly derogatory. Some theorize that the popularity of the suffix was enhanced by Russian “Sputnik,” as well as Al Capp’s frequent use of “-nik” words in his “L’il Abner” cartoons. The “nud-” of the Yiddish borrowing “nudnik” ultimately comes from the Polish word “nuda,” meaning “boredom.”

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 05, 2009 is:
maugre • \MAW-gur\ • preposition

archaic : in spite of

Example Sentence:

Full of overweening confidence, maugre all better counsel, the President ordered the invasion, setting in motion events he could not control.

Did you know?

“Maugre” is now quite rare, but having served the English language for more than 700 years, it’s due whatever rest it’s currently enjoying. Although it may not be a word worth incorporating into your expressive vocabulary, being familiar with it will be helpful in reading the works of such authors as Shakespeare, Scott, Milton, and, as in this quote from his Essays, First Series, Emerson: “By virtue of this inevitable nature, private will is overpowered, and, maugre our efforts or our imperfections, your genius will speak from you, and mine from me.” The word is Anglo-French in origin, coming from “mal” or “mau,” meaning “evil,” and “gré,” meaning “grace, favor.”

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 04, 2009 is:
invective • \in-VEK-tiv\ • noun

*1 : an abusive expression or speech

2 : insulting or abusive language : vituperation

Felix’s Example Sentence:

The growth of cable, internet and radio political invective has made enduring election campaigns more an ordeal than ever.

Did you know?

"Invective" began life in the 15th century as an adjective meaning "of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse." In 1523, it appeared in print as a noun meaning "an example of abusive speech." Eventually, the noun developed a second sense applying to abusive language as a whole. "Invective" comes to us from the Middle French word "invectif," which in turn derives from Latin "invectivus," meaning "reproachful, abusive." ("Invectivus" comes from Latin "invectus," past participle of the verb "invehere," one form of which means "to assail with words.") "Invective" is similar to "abuse," but it tends to suggest not only anger and vehemence, but also verbal and rhetorical skill. It sometimes implies public denunciation, as in "blistering political invective."

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 03, 2009 is:
regimen • \REJ-uh-mun\ • noun

*1 : a systematic course of treatment or training

2 : government, rule

3 : a government in power : regime

Felix’s Example Sentence:

The rigors of a yoga regimen come as a surprise to beginners, who tend to believe that yoga is a less athletic activity than conventional exercise.

Did you know?

We borrowed “regimen” straight from Latin, spelling and all — but in Latin, the word simply meant “rule” or “government.” In English, it usually refers to a system of rules or guidelines, often for living a healthy life or taking a regular dose of exercise. The Latin “regimen” derives from another Latin word, the verb “regere,” which means “to lead straight” or “to rule.” If you trace straight back from “regere,” you’ll find that “regimen” has plenty of lexical kin, including “correct,” “erect,” “region,” “rule,” and “surge.” If you are using the “training” sense of “regimen,” be careful not to confuse the word with “regiment,” another “regere” descendant, which is used for a military unit.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Word of the Day

… courtesy of Merriam Webster, with slight modifications by me:

The Word of the Day for November 02, 2009 is:
voluble • \VAHL-yuh-bul\ • adjective

1 : easily rolling or turning : rotating

*2 : characterized by ready or rapid speech : glib, fluent

Felix’s Example Sentence:

To a degree, being voluble is an asset for a sales person, but only if that person knows when to stop talking and take the order.

Did you know?

English has many terms for gabby types, but it’s important to choose the right word to get across what kind of chatterbox you mean. “Talkative” usually implies a readiness to engage in talk or a disposition to enjoy conversation. “Loquacious” generally suggests the power to express oneself fluently, articulately, or glibly, but it can also mean “talking excessively.” “Garrulous” is even stronger in its suggestion of excessive talkativeness; it is most often used for tedious, rambling talkers. “Voluble” describes an individual who speaks easily and often.

*Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.

Pagan Roots – Revelry and Reverence

My favorite month ended last night, Old October is gone, in a flurry of falling gold, red and browning leaves, a chill in the night air after several days of fog and rain. We went to two Halloween parties, adult parties, but visited often early in the evening by small mendicant persons escorted by flashlight-wielding adults. More than spirits walk the night of Halloween, young lives need protection. Paganism has many forms, some more benign than others.

This time of year, with falling leaves and the close of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, has given rise to an odd conflation of cultural and religious traditions. From the evening of October 31 to the night of November 2, Celtic paganism, Roman Catholic doctrine and mainline protestant Christian observations compete for attention. The most popularly observed of the traditions is Halloween, now associated mostly with children and trick or treat, but with roots much more grounded in earth-based myth and religion.

The day of latha na samna – Irish Gaelic term for November 1 – is summer’s end, marked by assemblies and festivals. Many Celtic traditions associated with Samhain, a derivative name for the day, form the basis for Halloween in modern times, including the wearing of masks, the motifs of harvest and celebratory fires. A time when the living and the dead were in close confluence.

November 1, All Saint’s Day in Christian tradition celebrates those departed in grace and virtue who can be called Saints, formally designated as such, or simply the faithful departed. The childhood hymn, “I sing a song of the Saints of God…,” often sung on this Sunday, ends with the hopeful lines,

You can meet them in school, on the street, in the store,
in church, by the sea, in the house next door;
they are saints of God, whether rich or poor,
and I mean to be one too.

Roman Catholic tradition adds the next day, November 2, as a day of observation, remembering those souls whose journey to blessedness is not complete. All Soul’s Day is the name of the day, and is widely observed around the world. Edith Wharton, the notable novelist, short story author and society figure wrote a ghost story titled “All Soul’s,” one of the better ghost stories I ever read.

In a familiar tactic, the Western Christian tradition moved the celebration of the departed Saints from Pentecost, when the Eastern Orthodox Rite continues to observe it, to November 1, hitching a ride on paganism, as done with Easter and Christmas as well.

All of which is interesting, but I grieve a bit for the departed October, as well as for my personal store of family saints, grandparents, uncles and aunts and parents. I  feel also considerable solidarity with the old Celts and pagans, firmly rooted in the seasons, growth and harvest, decay and renewal.

The Great Wheel turns in the heavens, as the Sun continues its southward retreat, fittingly realigned by modern timekeeping by a little hour surge overnight back into earlier dawn and dark – Daylight Savings Time retreats for a few months, and I am not sorry. The seasons and Samhain and Solstice and harvest have precedence, in my book.