by Dwane | Dec 1, 2022 | Education, English, Vocabulary
If you are throwing things out of your window today, consider first shouting “Gardyloo!” Gardyloo is a warning shout. Back in the old days, when pots were emptied into the streets, the one pouring whatever they were pouring into the streets would warn...
by Dwane | Nov 28, 2022 | Education, Vocabulary
Perfervid: intense emotion, full of intense emotion; ardent; zealous Perfervid comes from the Latin word perfervidus, meaning very hot. In Latin, fervidus means glowing hot, or ardent. Adding per to the word only intensifies it. The letters don’t need to be...
by Dwane | Nov 26, 2022 | Vocabulary
Berserk: violently or frenetically destructive; wildly destructive To go berserk is to have a fit of destructive rage. Berserk came into English from Old Norse. In Old Norse, a berserkr was a raging warrior. The Norse word is likely a combination of ber (bear) and...
by Dwane | Nov 21, 2022 | Education, Vocabulary
Capricious: impulsive; fickle; whimsical; changeable; erratic The ancient gods were capricious. They were happy one moment, and irate the next. Source: Capricious came to English via the French word capricieux meaning capricious, or whimsical. In French, a whim...
by Dwane | Nov 18, 2022 | Education, Vocabulary
Sanguine: Hopeful, confident, cheerful; having an optimistic outlook. Sanguine comes from the Latin word sanguineus, meaning blood red. Doctors once thought patients with excess blood were more cheerful, hopeful, and confident. But, sanguine can also mean...
by Dwane | Nov 16, 2022 | English, Vocabulary
Frenetic: Frenzied, frantic, feverishly excited; excessively agitated After missing his deadline, the author wrote at a frenetic pace in order to have something to show his publisher. Greek phrenetic, “frenzy, disease of the mind, inflammation of the brain.”...
