Word of the Day

Definition: (verb) Form intrigues (for) in an underhand manner. Synonyms: scheme, intrigue. Usage: We had to send that perfectly innocent man to penal servitude for a crime we know he never committed, and it was only afterward that we could connive in a sneakish way at his escape. Discuss

Definition: (noun) A debater who refutes or disproves by offering contrary evidence or argument. Synonyms: confuter. Usage: Although our opponent's speech was well-received by the crowd, our rebutter was confident that she could disprove most of his claims. Discuss

Definition: (adjective) Denoting a faulty posture characterized by drooping shoulders and a slight forward bending of the back. Synonyms: hunched, stooped, crooked. Usage: I remember those girls merely as faces in the schoolroom,…cut off below the shoulders…by the ink-smeared tops of the high desks that were surely put there to make us round-shouldered and hollow-chested. […]

Definition: (noun) A benign epithelial tumor forming a rounded mass. Synonyms: villoma. Usage: Though your papilloma is not cancerous, it is still prudent to have it examined by a medical professional. Discuss

Definition: (noun) A four-sided polygon. Synonyms: tetragon. Usage: Our geometry teacher drew several shapes on the chalkboard, including triangles, circles, and quadrilaterals. Discuss

Definition: (adjective) Abusing vocally; expressing contempt or ridicule. Synonyms: gibelike, jeering, mocking, taunting. Usage: Dirk Stroeve was one of those persons whom…you cannot think of without derisive laughter or an embarrassed shrug of the shoulders. Discuss

Definition: (adjective) Characterized by or showing the suppression of impulses or emotions. Synonyms: repressed. Usage: A fierce fighter, he releases much of his pent-up anger in the boxing ring and has been known to knock out opponents with a single punch. Discuss

Definition: (verb) Hide under a false appearance. Synonyms: cloak, mask. Usage: So artfully can this people dissemble their sentiments that we had not been able hitherto to distinguish our real from our pretended favorers. Discuss

Definition: (noun) Someone who is not a clergyman or a professional person. Synonyms: secular. Usage: Many religious doctrines bar the average layperson from conducting certain rites and rituals that are reserved for ordained clergy. Discuss

Definition: (adjective) Fraught with danger. Synonyms: perilous, touch-and-go, precarious. Usage: Our economy is in a parlous state and has been for some time. Discuss