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Daily Word Quiz
UBERATE a) to make plentiful; to abound b) to feel dread or apprehension c) to make hideous or repulsive; to disfigure d) to wail or lament loudly Answer below. Today's Featured Word: LIMBERHAM NOUN 1. one who has 'limber hams', a supple-jointed person; fig. a servile flatterer; an obsequious person ...1689 obs. 2. an irresolute or vacillating person ...a1704 obs. ETYMOLOGY from limber (adj.) + ham FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1689 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...I profess I would bow and cringe as well as any Ecclesiastical Limber-ham of them all..." From: The Ceremony-Monger, His Character By: Edmund Hickeringill Daily Word Quiz Answer UBERATE a) to make plentiful; to abound ...1623 obs.
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Daily Word Quiz
HURKLE-DURKLE a) to smell unpleasantly; to stink b) to become lively, active, or cheerful c) to have sexual intercourse d) to lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up and about Answer below. Today's Featured Word: EMBLUSTRICATE VERB to bewilder, to confuse, to perplex ...a1693 obs. ETYMOLOGY whimsically formed to render the equally fantastic French word emburelucoquer to trouble, to blunder, or pester the mind with FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1693 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...all the autonomatic metagrobolism of the Romish church, when tottering and emblustricated with the Gibble Gabble Gibberish of this odious Error and heresy..." From: The Third Book of the Works of Mr. Francis Rabelais By: Thomas Urquhart, a1693 Daily Word Quiz Answer HURKLE-DURKLE d) to lie in bed or lounge about when one should be up and about ...19th-Cent. Sc. Daily Word Quiz
SOW DRAGON'S TEETH a) to cause contention; to stir up trouble, strife, or war b) to sow one's wild oats, to commit youthful excesses c) to woo a person d) to say something important and true Answer below. Today's Featured Word: VERBOSIOUS ADJ. verbose, long-winded ...1676 obs. ETYMOLOGY from verbose + -ocious FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1676 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...for among all the Verbosious Graecians there is not one compleat Tract upon this Subject only." From: King Solomon's Portraiture of Old Age By: John Smith, 1676 Daily Word Quiz Answer SOW DRAGON'S TEETH a) to cause contention; to stir up trouble, strife, or war ...1850 Daily Word Quiz
AMARICATE a) to teach, to tutor b) to leave, to get out c) to irritate, to embitter d) to get drunk Answer below. Today's Featured Word: FOPPERLY ADJ. silly, foolish ...1599 obs. ETYMOLOGY from fopper a foolish person + -ly FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1599 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...their fopperly god is not so good as a red herring." From: Nashes Lenten Stuffe By: Thomas Nashe, 1599 Daily Word Quiz Answer AMARICATE c) to irritate, to embitter ...1651 obs. rare Daily Word Quiz
TWIDDLEPOOP a) an incompetent fool; a stupid, blundering person b) a twinkle or sparkle c) an effeminate-looking fellow d) the posteriors, the buttock Answer below. Today's Featured Word: DROLLERICAL ADJ. comical, humorous ...1656 nonce word ETYMOLOGY from drollery + -ical, after comical FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1656 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...This Drollericall Poem mightily augmented our Champions mirth, who (as the fashion is for most great ones) was ever delighted with what his capacity most condemn'd" From: Don Zara del Fogo; A Mock-Romance 'Written originally in the Brittish tongue, and made English by a person of much honor, Basilius Musophilus; with a marginall comment, expounding the hard things of the history.' By: Samuel Holland, 1656 Daily Word Quiz Answer TWIDDLEPOOP c) an effeminate-looking fellow Daily Word Quiz
PELLICULATION a) an impression of the sole of the foot; a footprint b) a deceiving with fair words; deception c) dependence; reliance d) a fuss, much ado over nothing Answer below. Today's Featured Word: INCOGNITE ADJ. unknown, strange, unfamiliar ...1609 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin incognitus unknown, from in- + cognitus, pa. pple. of cognoscere to get to know FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1609 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...All which to me are problematique mines. Obsurde inigmaes, and to my studies Incognite Language" From: Everie Woman in Her Humor By: Anonymous Daily Word Quiz Answer PELLICULATION b) a deceiving with fair words; deception ...B1900 Daily Word Quiz
FLAPADOSHA a) loose, flapping b) conceited, arrogant c) slightly intoxicated d) showy, eccentric Answer below. Today's Featured Word: BOBADILIAN ADJ. blustering, boasting, swaggering ...1803 ETYMOLOGY from Bobadil, the name of a thrasonical character in Ben Jonson's Every Man in His Humour, used to designate a blustering braggart who pretends to prowess FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1803 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...The Bobadilian independence is often accompanied by Bobadilian terrors." From: The Critical Review: Or, Annals of Literature Art. XII - Leopold; or, the Bastard By: Tobias Smollett, 1803 Daily Word Quiz Answer FLAPADOSHA d) showy, eccentric ...19C Eng. dial. Daily Word Quiz
ECKLE-FECKLE a) apparent to the eye; evident, obvious b) cheerful, merry, gay c) astonishing, amazing d) deadly, fatal, ruinous, hurtful Answer below. Today's Featured Word: ROMANICAL ADJ. 1. Roman Catholic ...1663 obs. 2. characterized by romance, romantic ...1665 obs. ETYMOLOGY def. 1. from Roman (adj.) def. 2. from roman, romance FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1663 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...that if any part, much more if any parts, great substantial parts of Religion brought into the Land with the first news of Christianity be once rejected (as they are now amongst us) as Romish or Romanical, and that rejection or Reformation be permitted..." From: A Vindication of the Animadversions on Fiat Lux By: John Owen, 1663 Daily Word Quiz Answer ECKLE-FECKLE b) cheerful, merry, gay ...1825 Sc. NICKETY-NOCK ADVERB with a clicking and knocking sound ...1812 ETYMOLOGY imitative FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1812 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Nine centuries bounced he from cavern to rock, And his head, as he tumbled, went nickety-nock, Like a pebble in Carisbrook well." From: Rejected Addresses: Or, The New Theatrum Poetarum By: James & Horace Smith, 1812 Daily Word Quiz
NESCIENT a) ignorant, destitute of knowledge b) churlish, miserly c) neat, trim, well-dressed d) conceited, self-important Answer below. Today's Featured Word: TEATABELLICALLY ADVERB at the tea-table, in familiar conversation at tea ...1768 nonce word obs. ETYMOLOGY from tea-table FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1768 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...when I was a stripling the vast Pacific Ocean, commonly, yea, vulgarly, not to say, news-paperrically, nor yet, teatabellically, and moreover, among the speciallest species of ale-drinking..." From: The Light of Nature Pursued By: Abraham Tucker, 1768 Daily Word Quiz Answer NESCIENT a) ignorant, destitute of knowledge ...1626 Daily Word Quiz
DELITIGATE a) to treat with care and attention b) to soothe, to mollify, to appease c) to scold or chide vehemently d) to murmur, to mutter Answer below. Today's Featured Word: MEDICIAN NOUN a physician ...1597 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin medicus physician + -ian FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1597 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...scho is altogiddir conswmit away; and na mediciane nor phisitian that will tak on hand to cure, nor knawis the nature of hir diseace." From: The Miscellany of the Spalding Club (1841-52) Trials for Witchcraft Dittay Against Meriorie Mutche, 1597 Daily Word Quiz Answer DELITIGATE c) to scold or chide vehemently ...1623 obs. rare Daily Word Quiz
GAMALIAN a) a coward b) the leg of a horse c) a sprite that plays pranks at night d) a chameleon Answer below. Today's Featured Word: STUPROUS ADJ. unchaste, sexually compliant; given to adultery or whoredom, adulterous, whorish ...1603 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin stuprosus, from stuprum debauchery, lewdness, violation FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1603 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Who seeing himselfe engaged in so stuprous a necessitie, resolved vpon an haughtie enterprize." From: Michel de Montaigne's Essayes, or Morall, Politike and Millitarie Discourses Translated By: John Florio, 1603 Daily Word Quiz Answer GAMALIAN d) a chameleon ...c1440 obs. Daily Word Quiz
WAG-FEATHER a) one who agitates or stirs b) a silly swaggerer; a swaggering coxcomb c) a piece of mischievous jesting; a practical joke d) a cowardly person Answer below. Today's Featured Word: VERIDICAL ADJ. 1. speaking, telling, or relating the truth; truthful, veracious ...1653 2. of hallucinations, phantasms, etc.: coincident with, corresponding to, or representing real events or persons ...1884 ETYMOLOGY from Latin veridicus from verum truth + dic- stem of dicere to speak + -al FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1653 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...that I had now a Bottle of the best Wine that ever those drank who shall read this so veridical History!" From: The First Book of the Works of Mr. Francis Rabelais By: Thomas Urquhart, 1653 Daily Word Quiz Answer WAG-FEATHER b) a silly swaggerer; a swaggering coxcomb ...1611 obs. Daily Word Quiz
JUZZLED a) fatigued, jaded b) angry, annoyed c) satisfied, happy d) rotted away Answer below. Today's Featured Word: POLLENT ADJ. powerful, strong, mighty ...1869 rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin pollentem pr. pple. of pollere to be strong FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1869 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...An unimportant sword and blunderbuss, Against a foe, pollent in potency." From: The Ring and the Book By: Robert Browning, 1869 Daily Word Quiz Answer JUZZLED d) rotted away ...B1900 Eng. dial. Daily Word Quiz
MALLERAG a) to smash; to defeat b) to abuse, to scold c) to depart quickly d) to stun with a blow, to daze, to injure Answer below. Today's Featured Word: GILBERT NOUN a proper name, used as the appellation of a male cat; usually shortened to 'Gib' ...c1480 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from the proper name FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1480 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Scho clam sa hie, that Gilbert mycht not get hir." From: The Morall Fabillis of Esope The Taill of the Uponlandis Mous and the Burges Mous By: Robert Henryson, c1480 Daily Word Quiz Answer MALLERAG b) to abuse, to scold ...B1900 Eng. dial. Daily Word Quiz
CAPERATE a) to frown b) to claw or scratch with the hand or nails c) to defecate d) to castrate Answer below. Today's Featured Word: ORP NOUN a grouse, a complaint ...1957 Sc. VERB 1. to fret, to grumble, to murmur discontentedly, to complain in a peevish, nagging manner ...1725 Sc. 2. to complain from ill health, to be constantly ailing and sickly, not to thrive, to shrink, to shrivel ...1820 Sc. ETYMOLOGY of obscure origin FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1725 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Like dawted wean that tarries at its meat, That for some feckless whim will orp and greet" From: The Gentle Shepherd By: Allan Ramsay, 1725 Daily Word Quiz Answer CAPERATE a) to frown ...1623 obs. Daily Word Quiz
BLIKE a) to close the eyes in sleep b) to confound or stump someone c) to shine, to glisten, to glitter d) to ignore, to evade Answer below. Today's Featured Word: CONSIMILITY NOUN resemblance, mutual likeness, similarity ...1680 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin consimilis alike, very similar FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1680 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...their consimility of disposition, there was a very conjunct friendship between..." From: Letters Written by Eminent Persons in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries By: John Aubrey, 1680 Daily Word Quiz Answer BLIKE c) to shine, to glisten, to glitter ...a1000 obs. Daily Word Quiz
HELLUOUS a) gluttonous b) pompous, pretentious c) hot d) artful, cunning, sly Answer below. Today's Featured Word: METHEFUL ADJ. 1. restrained, moderate; gentle, mild ...c1000 obs. 2. weary, exhausted ...a1300 obs. ETYMOLOGY 1. Old English mæþfull showing respect to others, courteous, humane 2. from Old English méðe weary, exhausted + -ful FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1000 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...humanus mæþfull odde meniselic" From: Aelfrics Grammar, c1000 Daily Word Quiz Answer HELLUOUS a) gluttonous ...1641 obs. Daily Word Quiz
SITICULOUS a) of a look, glance, etc.: oblique, sidelong b) very thirsty, very dry c) swift, active d) vile; disgusting Answer below. Today's Featured Word: DULCORATE ADJ. endowed with sweetness; sweet; pleasant ...1501 obs. rare VERB to sweeten; to free from acridity ...1566 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Latin dulcoratus pa. pple. of dulcorare to sweeten FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1501 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...The ladyis song in voices dulcorait" From: The Palice of Honour By: Gawin Douglas, 1501 Daily Word Quiz Answer SITICULOUS b) very thirsty, very dry ...1620 obs. Daily Word Quiz
QUINKLE a) of a light: to go out b) to make a sound like that of boiling liquid c) to live as a tramp, travelling the country d) in snowboarding: to hit the snow hard Answer below. Today's Featured Phrase: WITH A WET FINGER ADVERB 1. easily, with little effort, without difficulty ...1542 obs. 2. readily, without hesitation, promptly ...1583 obs. 3. slightly, superficially ...1586 obs. ETYMOLOGY perhaps from the practice of wetting the first or second finger on one's tongue in order to facilitate turning over the pages of a book, or to rub out writing on a slate FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1542 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "... or to any good matier in the booke conteined, readie waye and recourse maye with a weat fynger easily bee found out." From: Apophthegmes, That is to Saie, Prompte, Quicke, Wittie and Sentencious Saiynges, of certain Emperours, Kynges, Capitaines, Philosophiers and Oratours Compiled in Latin by: Erasmus of Roterodame Translated into English by: Nicolas Udall Daily Word Quiz Answer QUINKLE a) of a light: to go out ...1513 Scot. obs. rare |
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