by Dwane | Sep 4, 2014 | Education, English, Vocabulary
Acrimony: harsh, or biting sharpness; bitterness, ill will; severity From Latin acer, acris (bitter, pungent, sharp, sour) and the suffix monium (state, or condition). Acrimony, then, is the “condition of being sour.” Example: In his official letters he expressed,...
by Dwane | Sep 3, 2014 | Education, English, Greek, Vocabulary
Achillea millefolium: yarrow; the milfoil. From Greek Ἀχιλλεύς (Achilles) and Latin mille (1,000) and folium (leaf). Literal translation… the plant of one thousand leaves. According to legend, Achilles and his men used this plant to staunch the flow of blood...
by Dwane | Sep 3, 2014 | English, Vocabulary
Sconce: An ornamental bracket for holding candles or lights. A candlestick with a screen. From Latin abscondere (to hide; to conceal). Here’s a nice one:
by Dwane | Sep 2, 2014 | English, Greek, Vocabulary
Acedia: apathy; boredom; spiritual or mental sloth; not caring about one’s position in the world. From Greek ά (not, without) and κῆδος (care). Acedia, then, literally means: to not care.
by Dwane | Sep 2, 2014 | Education, English, Latin, Vocabulary
Abscond: to escape; leave hurriedly and secretly; run away; hide. From Latin abscondere (to hide; to conceal). Example: The marmot absconds in the winter. Another example, from a lousy chapter in my own life: He absconded with the funds.
