light year – Not a length of time but a distance, the distance a pulse of light travels in one year (about 5.88 trillion miles). More…
pea – Comes from Greek pison, “pulse, pease.” More…
asphyxia – Its original meaning was stoppage of the pulse. More…
ictus – The beat of the pulse, based on the Latin word for “stroke.” More…
To be the only remaining thing or person that may help one or be of any use after all other options have been exhausted. Watch the video
As wandering religious devotees who embrace poverty and asceticism, Muslim fakirs are similar to the mendicant friars of the Christian tradition. They belong to brotherhoods of Sufi mystics. New disciples are typically bound to an individual teacher and follow an extensive initiation regimen that might include seclusion, sleep deprivation, and fasting. Often regarded as holy men with miraculous powers, fakirs subsist on alms. Whom did Winston Churchill once accuse of posing as a fakir? Discuss
extenuate – Comes from the Latin verb extenuare, “make thin or lean,” and originally meant “to treat as of small importance, make light of.” More…
macilent – Means “lean, thin” or “shriveled,” i.e. lacking in substance. More…
recubation, recumb – Recubation is reclining in a near-horizontal position; to recumb is to “lean, recline, rest.” More…
streaky – Describes bacon with alternating strips of fat and lean. More…
The last or final person(s) or thing(s) in a given group or list. Watch the video
Also known as spud guns, potato cannons are inexpensive and often homemade devices that use air pressure or combustion to launch potatoes—or other projectiles—at high speed. Typically built and used by hobbyists, potato cannons are usually made of plastic piping, which is readily available at hardware stores. They are inherently dangerous but are generally not illegal. Similar devices include hail cannons, bird-scarers, and chicken cannons, which are used for what specific, practical purposes? Discuss
Definition: (noun) The property of being extremely abundant.
Synonyms: profuseness, richness.
Usage: The cornucopia of job opportunities overwhelmed the immigrants, who had come from a town with only one employer.
Discuss
Cook’s tour – A very fast tour of a location, from Thomas Cook, the famous travel agent. More…
stamping ground, stomping ground – Stamping ground or stomping ground originally referred to a location frequented by animals. More…
map reference – The numbers and letters you use to find a location on a map. More…
urheimat – The location where a people or language originated. More…
On February 19, 1942, Japanese bomber and fighter planes conducted a devastating air raid on the town of Darwin, the capital city of Australia’s Northern Territory. As a tribute to honor the dead and those who defended Darwin, an annual commemoration is held in Bicentennial Park by the Cenotaph, a monument to those slain in World War I. At 9:58, the exact time the attack began, a World War II air raid siren sounds. During some observances, Australian regiments will reenact the attack: ground units fire their guns, and fighter planes perform fly-bys over the memorial site. Discuss