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Daily Word Quiz
NIBSOME a) squeamish, precise b) like a gentleman, gentlemanly c) very well; in good health d) affectedly proper, prissy Answer below. Today's Featured Word NICEBICE NOUN a dainty, fine, or fashionable girl or woman ...1595 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY origin obscure; perhaps a fanciful formation from 'nice' (adj.) FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1595 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...No, by my troth, mistresse nicebice. How fine you can nickname me." From: The Lamentable Tragedie of Locrine By: authorship has been assigned to several dramatists of the era - George Peele and Robert Greene being the two most common candidates Daily Word Quiz Answer NIBSOME b) like a gentleman, gentlemanly ...1839 beggars' sl.
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Daily Word Quiz CHIROPONAL a) involving manual labour b) skilled in handwriting c) fighting with the fists d) pert. to palmistry Answer below. Today's Featured Word HUFF-SNUFF ADJ. arrogant, hectoring, blustering ...a1693 obs. NOUN a conceited fellow who gives himself airs and is quick to take offense; a braggart, a hector, a blustering person ...1583 obs. ETYMOLOGY from 'huff' (vb.) + 'snuff' in the sense offense, resentment FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1583 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Linckt was in wedlock a loftye Thrasonical huf snuffe: In gate al on typstau's stalcking in phisnomye daring." From: Thee First Foure Bookes of Virgil his Æneis Translated by: Richard Stanyhurst, 1583 Daily Word Quiz Answer CHIROPONAL a) involving manual labour ...1651 obs.   Daily Word Quiz
TIDDLYWINKY a) tipsy, fuddled by drink b) flighty, giddy c) tiny, insignificant d) satisfactory, first-class, excellent Answer below. Today's Featured Word EMINOUSLY ADVERB remotely, distantly ...1657 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin eminus at a distance + -ous + -ly FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1657 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...which rolling up and down the fields, eminously represents a running hare..." From: A Medicinal Dispensatory: Containing the Whole Body of Physick Composed by the Illustrious Renodæus, Chief Physician to the Monarch of France, and now Englished and Revised, By: Richard Tomlinson of London, Apothecary, 1657 Daily Word Quiz Answer TIDDLYWINKY c) tiny, insignificant ...1901 Eng. dial. Daily Word Quiz
A PAD IN THE STRAW a) something amiss or wrong; a danger concealed b) a needle in a haystack, something impossible or difficult to find c) much ado about nothing, a fuss over something trivial. d) a diamond in the rough Answer below. Today's Featured Word SQUIRK NOUN 1. a half-suppressed laugh; a sniggering ...1882 2. a sharp squeaking sound ...1902 ETYMOLOGY imitative FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1882 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...which expressed itself in subdued whispers, varied by little gurgles and "squirks" of laughter..." From: Vice Versa By: F. Anstey, 1882 Daily Word Quiz Answer A PAD IN THE STRAW a) something amiss or wrong; a danger concealed ...1530 obs. Daily Word Quiz FLAVERS a) breeches; trousers b) the fingernails c) dried flowers d) drops from the tongue of a dog Answer below. Today's Featured Word KILL-POT NOUN one who drinks to excess, a hard drinker, a toper ...1616 ETYMOLOGY from kill (vb.) + pot FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1616 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...This Carol plays, and has been in his days A chirping boy, and a kill-pot: Kit Cobler it is, I'm a father of his, And he dwells in a lane called Fill-pot." From: The Masque of Christmas By: Ben Jonson, 1616 Daily Word Quiz Answer FLAVERS d) drops from the tongue of a dog ...19th-century Eng. dial.   Daily Word Quiz
DWEEDLE a) to defeat comprehensively b) to leave quickly, to run off c) to cajole, to wheedle d) to reject, to snub Answer below. Today's Featured Word REMORDENCY NOUN compunction, remorse ...1717 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from pres. pple. of Latin remordere to vex, to disturb from re- + mordere to bite, sting, attack, etc. FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1717 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...that remordency of Conscience, that extremity of grief, they feel within themselves." From: Eighteen Sermons on Practical Subjects By: John Killingbeck, 1717 Daily Word Quiz Answer DWEEDLE c) to cajole, to wheedle ...1688 obs. exc. Eng. dial. Daily Word Quiz MEAZY a) excellent, first-rate b) giddy, empty-headed c) meddlesome, interfering d) lacking energy, ailing Answer below. Today's Featured Word CLITTER VERB 1. to talk excessively, to chatter ...a1528 obs. 2. to make a thin vibratory rattle; to cause to vibrate and rattle lightly ...1530 3. to emit the sound of a grasshopper or cicada ...1844 ETYMOLOGY a parallel form of clatter, expressing a more attenuated action of the same kind FIRST DOCUMENTED USE a1528 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...He prates and he patters, He clytters and he clatters, He medles and he smatters..." From: Colyn Cloute By: John Skelton, a1528 Daily Word Quiz Answer MEAZY b) giddy, empty-headed ...1854 Eng. dial.   Daily Word Quiz
DESIDIOUS a) spiteful, malevolent, malicious, cruel b) idle, lazy, slothful, negligent c) destructive, prone to destroy d) excellent; first-rate Answer below. Today's Featured Word PARASCEUASTIC ADJ. preparatory, preliminary ...1672 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Greek προκαταρκτικός paraskeuastikos, preparatory FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1672 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...touching the Latine and Greek and those other Learned Languages ... they are the Parasceuastick part of Learning." From: Hieragonisticon, Or, Corah's Doom By: D.T., 1672 Daily Word Quiz Answer DESIDIOUS b) idle, lazy, slothful, negligent ...a1540 obs. Daily Word Quiz
WAPPERED a) fatigued, wearied, restless b) crooked, askew, lopsided c) imprisoned d) informed, cognizant Answer below. Today's Featured Word ORNATIVE ADJ. tending or serving to adorn, decorative, ornamental ...1660 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from ppl. stem of Latin ornare to adorn FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1660 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...as an ornative and exemplary reason, according to which the Maker of the Universe caused all things ..." From: The History of Philosophy By: Thomas Stanley, 1660 Daily Word Quiz Answer WAPPERED a) fatigued, wearied, restless ...1868 Eng. dial. Daily Word Quiz LET THE MULES OUT a) to reveal the facts after withholding them for some time b) to celebrate wildly c) to make an embarrassing mistake d) to regard the course of events with unconcern Answer below. Today's Featured Word DEFAMOUS ADJ. 1. infamous, disgraceful, dishonourable ...1426 obs. 2. of speech or writing: defamatory, slanderous, calumnious ...1557 obs. ETYMOLOGY from Anglo-French deffamous, Old French type deffameux from diffame defame FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1426 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...ther is no sinne so fowl, so defamowse, that is put ther inne..." From: The Pilgrimage of the Lyfe of the Manhode Translated by: John Lydgate, 1426 Daily Word Quiz Answer LET THE MULES OUT c) to make an embarrassing mistake ...1954 Amer. dial.   Daily Word Quiz
BLICKEN a) to expel snot from the nose b) to bribe, to give or take bribes c) to sulk, to mope, to be sullen d) to shine Answer below. Today's Featured Word ALTERATE ADJ. altered, changed ...c1450 obs. VERB to alter, to change ...c1475 obs. ETYMOLOGY from late Latin alteratus pa. pple. of alterare to alter FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1450 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Under smiling she was dissimulate, Provocative with blinkes amorous, And sodainly chaunged and alterate..." From: The Testament of Cresseid By: Robert Henryson, c1450 Daily Word Quiz Answer BLICKEN d) to shine ...19C Eng. dial. Daily Word Quiz SUBITANEOUS a) exalted, excited b) inferior, subordinate to c) sudden, hasty, unexpected d) of the voice: low, uttered in an undertone Answer below. Today's Featured Word VICINATE VERB to lie near to, to be next to, to adjoin ...1638 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin vicinat- ppl. stem of vicinari from vicinus neighbouring, near FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1638 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...seated so advantagiously for traffique with all the world, both the Indies possible to be awed by her; and vicinating those golden countries of Mozambiq'... From: Some Yeares Travels Into Divers Parts of Asia and Afrique By: Sir Thomas Herbert, 1638 Daily Word Quiz Answer SUBITANEOUS c) sudden, hasty, unexpected ...1651 rare   Daily Word Quiz
PEG-PUFF a) a young woman with the manners of an old one b) a thick, muscular leg c) a pregnant horse d) a small, furry dog Answer below. Today's Featured Word BRANLING ADJ. wavering, vacillating, irresolute ...c1645 obs. NOUN a wavering; an instance of irresolution or vacillation ...1646 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from branle (vb.) to agitate, toss about, bandy + -ing FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1645 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Whosoever was found pendulous, or branling in his Religion..." From: Epistolae Ho-Elianae: Familiar Letters, Domestick and Foreign By: James Howell, c1645 Daily Word Quiz Answer PEG-PUFF a) a young woman with the manners of an old one ...1824 Sc. Daily Word Quiz
MALAPERT a) a presumptuous, impudent or saucy person b) insincere or exaggerated talk intended to flatter or deceive c) an evil speaker, a slanderer d) a caterpillar that devours cabbages Answer below. Today's Featured Word TRABOCCANT ADJ. superabundant; excessive, superfluous ...1651 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Italian traboccante pres. pple. of traboccare to overflow, superabound FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1651 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...that the power of one might not so out-poize and be trabocant that the rest should be in danger to be blown up." From: A Survay of the Signorie of Venice By: James Howell, 1651 Daily Word Quiz Answer MALAPERT a) a presumptuous, impudent, or saucy person ...1622 obs. exc. arch. Daily Word Quiz DASIBERD a) insincere compliments; flattery b) a stupid fellow, a fool c) spirit, enthusiasm d) an old lean cow or horse Answer below. Today's Featured Word LINGE also: LINDGE, LINCH, LINSE ADJ. pliable, as new leather ...Bk1902 Eng. dial. VERB 1. to beat severely, to thrash, to flog ...1600 obs. exc. Eng. dial. 2. to lounge...1892 Eng. dial. 3. to work so violently as to cause exhaustion ...Bk1902 Eng. dial. 4. to lunge ...Bk1902 Northern Ireland 5. to stick out the tongue ...Bk1902 Eng. dial. ETYMOLOGY of obscure origin FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1600 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...Met he with a soldior out of his ranke and file? If he were a Roman, up he went and he was well lindged and swaddled with vine-wands by the centurion." From: Livy's Romane Historie Translated By: Philemon Holland, 1600 Daily Word Quiz Answer DASIBERD b) a stupid fellow, a fool ...c1400 obs   Daily Word Quiz
RUSH THE CAN a) to drink freely at a bar b) to make a hasty departure c) to assault violently d) to urinate Answer below. Today's Featured Word FORTUNATION NOUN the act of making fortunate; the being favoured by fortune; luckiness ...c1470 obs. ETYMOLOGY from fortunate FIRST DOCUMENTED USE c1470 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...He was full glad and made greate exultacion, Reioysed highly of his fortunacion..." From: The Chronice of John Harding By: John Harding, c1470 Daily Word Quiz Answer RUSH THE CAN a) to drink freely at a bar ...1919 sl. Daily Word Quiz LIBENTIOUSLY a) with great speed, quickly b) extremely, completely c) foolishly, like an idiot d) willingly Answer below. Today's Featured Word PROPINQUANT ADJ. near, neighbouring, adjacent ...1633 rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin propinquantem, pres. pple. of propinquare to bring near, approach FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1633 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...That cannot be called closely propinquant, nearly future, which is actually present, yea, which hath been before." From: An Exposition Upon the Second Epistle General of St. Peter By: Thomas Adams, 1633 Daily Word Quiz Answer LIBENTIOUSLY d) willingly ...1606 obs. rare   Daily Word Quiz
KUMBIX a) an illness, a complaint b) a miser, a niggard c) an old, dilapidated house d) the head Answer below. Today's Featured Word HEREDITARIOUS ADJ. hereditary ...1527 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from Latin hereditarius, from hereditas heredity FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1527 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...I reason, that as some sicknesses are hereditarious and come from the father to the sonne..." From: The Booke Made By the Right Worshipful Master Robert Thorne (1527) in Divers Voyages Touching the Discouerie of America and the Islands Adjacent By: Richard Hakluyt, 1582 Daily Word Quiz Answer KUMBIX b) a miser, a niggard ...1857 obs. Daily Word Quiz
SPAGGERS a) an unpleasant, stupid person b) a curl of wax on a burning candle c) spaghetti d) money Answer below. Today's Featured Word MEDIOCRITURE NOUN moderation; moderateness of quantity, amount, degree ...1574 obs. ETYMOLOGY irregular from Latin mediocris mediocre + -ture FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1574 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "... all the cause of prosperous health vnto temperate moderature of meate and drinke, and an expedient Mediocriture of seasonable exercise." From: Direction for the Health of Magistrates and Students By: Guglielmo Gratarolo Translated By: Thomas Newton, 1574 Daily Word Quiz Answer SPAGGERS c) spaghetti ...1960 sl. Daily Word Quiz AMPLEX a) to cut off, to amputate b) to wash, to cleanse c) to embrace, to clasp d) to heed, to care for Answer below. Today's Featured Word INASPERATE VERB 1. to provoke to cruelty or bitterness; to exasperate, to embitter ...1599 obs. rare 2. to exacerbate suffering ...a1639 obs. rare ETYMOLOGY from in- + Latin asperare to make rough or fierce, after exasperate FIRST DOCUMENTED USE 1599 - see EXAMPLE below EXAMPLE "...As on the other side their doubt of farther inasperating the Turk in his Crueltie against them..." From: Europae Speculum Or, A View or Survey of the State of Religion in the Western Parts of the World By: Edwin Sandys, 1599 Daily Word Quiz Answer AMPLEX c) to embrace, to clasp ...1543 obs.   |