inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 31

dram • \DRAM\ • noun

1 : a unit of avoirdupois weight equal to 1/16 ounce

2 : a unit of apothecaries' weight equal to 1/8 ounce

3 : a unit of liquid capacity equal to 1/8 fluid ounce

4 a : a small portion of something to drink

b : a small amount

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 30

flat-hat • \FLAT-hat\ • verb

: to fly low in an airplane in a reckless manner : hedgehop

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 29

quorum • /KWOR-um/ • noun

*1 : a select group

2 : the number (as a majority) of officers or members of a body that when duly assembled is legally competent to transact business

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 28

veridical • \vuh-RID-ih-kul\ • adjective

1 : truthful, veracious

2 : not illusory : genuine

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 27

regale • \rih-GAIL/ • verb

1 : to entertain sumptuously : to feast with delicacies

2 : to give pleasure or amusement to

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 26

milquetoast • \MILK-tohst\ • noun

: a timid, meek, or unassertive person

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 25

carceral • \KAHR-suh-rul\ • adjective

: of, relating to, or suggesting a jail or prison

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 24

jeremiad • \jair-uh-MYE-ud\ • noun

: a prolonged lamentation or complaint; also : a cautionary or angry harangue

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 23

squinny • \SKWIN-ee\• verb

: to look or peer with eyes partially closed : squint

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 22

minuscule • \MIN-uh-skyool\ • adjective

1 : written in or in the size or style of lowercase letters

*2 : very small

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 21

grimalkin • \grih-MAWL-kin\ • noun

: a domestic cat; especially : an old female cat

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 20

jovial • \JOH-vee-ul\ • adjective

1 : of or relating to Jove

*2 : markedly good-humored especially as evidenced by jollity and conviviality

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 19

embellish • \im-BELL-ish\ • verb

1 : to make beautiful with ornamentation : decorate

*2 : to heighten the attractiveness of by adding decorative or fanciful details : enhance

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 18

insouciance • \in-SOO-see-unss\ • noun

: lighthearted unconcern : nonchalance

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 17

ponzu • \PAHN-zoo\ • noun

: a tangy sauce made with citrus juice, rice wine vinegar, and soy sauce and used especially on seafood

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 16

liminal • \LIM-uh-nul\ • adjective

1 : of or relating to a sensory threshold

2 : barely perceptible

*3 : of, relating to, or being an intermediate state, phase, or condition : in-between, transitional

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 15

moil • \MOYL\ • verb

*1 : to work hard : drudge

2 : to be in continuous agitation : churn, swirl

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 14

predilection • \pred-uh-LEK-shun\ • noun

: an established preference for something

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 13

advise • \ud-VYZE\ • verb

*1 : to give advice to : counsel

2 : inform, notify

3 : consult, confer

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 12

dog days • \DAWG-DAYZ\ • noun

*1 : the period between early July and early September when the hot sultry weather of summer usually occurs in the northern hemisphere

2 : a period of stagnation or inactivity

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 11

stolid • \STAH-lid\ • adjective

: having or expressing little or no sensibility : unemotional

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 10

wildcatter • \WYLDE-katt-er\ • noun

1 : one that drills wells in the hope of finding oil in territory not known to be an oil field

*2 : one that promotes unsafe and unreliable enterprises; especially : one that sells stocks in such enterprises

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 9

flotilla • \floh-TILL-uh\• noun

*1 : a fleet of ships or boats; especially : a navy organizational unit consisting of tow or more squadrons of small warships

2 : an indefinite large number

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 8

eminently • \EM-uh-nunt-lee\ • adverb

: to a high degree : very

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 7

twee • \TWEE\ • adjective

: affectedly or excessively dainty, delicate, cute or quaint

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 6

eighty-six \ ay-tee-SIKS\ verb, slang

: to refuse to serve (a customer); also : to get rid of : throw out

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 5

colloquy • \KAH-luh-kwee\ • noun

1 : conversation, dialogue

*2 : a high-level serious discussion : conference

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 4

zwieback • \SWEE-back\ • noun

: a usually sweetened bread enriched with eggs that is baked and then sliced and toasted until dry and crisp

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 4

fester • \FESS-ter\ • verb

1 : to generate pus

2 : putrefy, rot

3 *a : to cause increasing poisoning, irritation, or bitterness : rankle b : to undergo or exist in a state of progressive deterioration

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 2

vicarious • \vye-KAIR-ee-us\ • adjective

1 : done or suffered for the benefit of someone else

*2 : sharing in someone else's experience through the use of the imagination or sympathetic feelings

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

August 1

eisteddford • \eye-STETH-vawd\ • noun

: a usually Welsh competitive festival of the arts especially in poetry and singing

inspired by Merriam-Webster's "Word of the Day"

July 31

sirenian • \sye-EE-nee-un\ • noun

: any of an order (Sirenia) of aquatic herbivorous mammals (as a manatee, dugong, or Steller's sea cow) that have large forelimbs resembling paddles, no hind limbs, and a flattened tail resembling a fin