Definition: (noun) An arrogant or conceited person of importance.
Synonyms: high-muck-a-muck.
Usage: The self-appointed pooh-bah of our little society, Shirley oversees every one of our projects and, naturally, nothing ever gets done.
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Month: January 2021
sloping
pitched – Describing a “steeply downward sloping” roof built at an angle. More…
fastigiate – Means “sloping up to a point.” More…
slalom – From Norwegian sla, “sloping,” and lam, “track.” More…
squint – Short for the obsolete asquint, which may have come from Dutch schuin, “sideways, sloping.” More…
Ratification Day
Though most people associate the end of the American Revolution with the surrender of Lord Cornwallis at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781, the war was not officially ended until the Treaty of Paris was ratified on January 14, 1784. The Old Senate Chamber in the Maryland State House at Annapolis has been preserved exactly as it was when the ratification took place. On Ratification Day, the ceremony that takes place inside varies from year to year, but it often revolves around a particular aspect of the original event. Discuss
jump at the chance (to do something)
To accept or seize with alacrity an opportunity (to do something). Watch the video
The Holman Projector
The Holman Projector was introduced by the British military in 1940. Mounted on ships, it used compressed air or steam to launch hand grenades at enemy aircraft. Though it rarely hit them, the grenades it launched produced deceptively large clouds of smoke that gave enemies the impression that a much more deadly weapon was firing upon them. A demonstration of the gun for Winston Churchill was once nearly scrapped for want of grenades but was saved when what unusual ordinance was supplied? Discuss
cutaneous
stimulate
aperitif, appetizer – An aperitif is a drink to stimulate the appetite and an appetizer is a food that does this before a meal. More…
condiment – From Latin condimentum, from condire, “to pickle, preserve”; condiments are food substances used to heighten the natural flavor of foods, to stimulate the appetite, to aid digestion, or preserve certain foods. More…
innervate, enervate – Innervate means “to stimulate or give nervous energy,” the opposite of enervate. More…
stimulate – From Latin stimulus, “pointed stick for goading animals.” More…
St. Knut's Day
The feast day of King Canute (or Knut), who ruled Denmark, England, and Norway in the 11th century, marks the end of the Yuletide season in Sweden. Rather than letting the holidays fade quietly, Swedish families throughout the country hold parties to celebrate the final lighting (and subsequent dismantling) of the Christmas tree. After letting the children eat the cookies and candies used to decorate the tree, and after packing the ornaments away in their boxes, it is customary to hurl the tree through an open window. Discuss
a juggling act
A difficult and/or precarious situation in which several things are being attempted or must be maintained at the same time. Watch the video
Cannibal Holocaust
Released in 1980, the film Cannibal Holocaust was immediately successful—and controversial. The extremely graphic Italian exploitation film landed director Ruggero Deodato in the unusual position of having to prove in court that the murders shown were not real, but merely created by special effects. The film’s supporters claim that it is not only one of the greatest horror movies ever filmed but also a serious social commentary. Though acquitted of murder, Deodato was sentenced for what? Discuss