To remain unseen, as by hiding or evasion. Watch the video
Month: January 2021
Llullaillaco
Perpetually snow-capped and dormant since 1877, Llullaillaco is one of the tallest volcanoes in the world. Towering above the border of Chile and Argentina, it is also one of the highest peaks in the Western Hemisphere and was once the site of human sacrifices. The mummified, well-preserved bodies of three Inca children were found on Llullaillaco in 1999. They are believed to have been drugged and abandoned at the summit more than 500 years ago. What force of nature damaged one of the mummies? Discuss
entwine
Alexandre Dumas
Infatuated, half through conceit, half through love of my art, I achieve the impossible working as no one else ever works. Discuss
occupation
aptronym – A name that fits a person’s nature or occupation, like Jane House for a real estate agent. More…
mechanical – Predates “machine” in English and has long had certain separate senses, such as “an art, trade, or occupation: concerned with manual work” and “practical as opposed to theoretical.” More…
specialization, specialty – Specialization refers to the process of becoming specialized; specialty refers to a special pursuit, occupation, or product. More…
study – Based on Latin studium, “painstaking application, zeal” (from studere, “to be zealous”), study’s earliest uses are surprising: “affection, friendliness,” an “occupation or pursuit,” and “a state of reverie or abstraction; state of perplexity.” More…
keep mum
To remain silent; to not say anything (e.g., about a secret). Watch the video
Reincarnation
A belief in reincarnation—the rebirth of the soul in a new body after death—is held by many religions, including Hinduism and Buddhism. Intertwined is the doctrine of karma, the idea that actions in one life affect the next. Beliefs vary as to whether the soul takes a new body immediately or must wait and whether the soul is always reborn in a human body. A 2009 survey found that even though Christian doctrine does not accept reincarnation, approximately what percent of American Christians do? Discuss
tellurian
spotted
cheetah – Taken from Sanskrit citraka, “leopard,” related to citra, “spotted, speckled, variegated.” More…
fleck – Of Scandinavian origin, it came from the adjective flecked, “spotted.” More…
piebald, skewbald – Piebald is being spotted with irregular patches of different colors, especially black and white; skewbald is spotted white and a color other than black. More…
pinto – As in horse and beans, it is Spanish for “painted, mottled, spotted.” More…
Burns Night
Burns Night is the anniversary of the birthday of Scottish poet Robert Burns. The day is celebrated not only in Scotland but also in Newfoundland, and wherever there are devotees of this lusty poet. The celebrations generally take the form of recitations of Burns’s poetry, the imbibing of quantities of single-malt Scotch whiskey, and the serving of haggis, a Scottish dish made of a sheep’s or calf’s innards (liver, heart, etc.) boiled in its stomach. At the point of the carving of the haggis, it is traditional to recite “To a Haggis,” with its line, “Great chieftain o’ the pudding race!” Discuss