What does it take to invent a word that takes root in the American English language–at least for a while? Ralph Keyes suggests that necessity (new things demand new names) and, on…
Word of the Day: maven
maven meI vihn noun a person with specialized knowledge, often in practical or everyday matters; expert or connoisseur. example: Her housewares brand and a successful cable show have made her a lifestyle…
reticent
re tih sənt adjective reluctant to speak; not given to frequent speech; restrained; shy. example: She was talkative, even glib, as a young woman, but she’d become more reticent as she got…
apposite
ae pə ziht or ə pa ziht adjective fitting; pertinent; appropriate. example: While I struggled for words, my companion’s remarks to the grieving woman could not have been more apposite.
lifeline
laIf laIn noun 1. an anchored line or rope thrown to support a person in danger of drowning or falling. 2. a safety line strung along the deck of a ship as…