Definition: (verb) Censure severely.
Synonyms: castigate, chasten, objurgate, correct.
Usage: She chastised him for his insensitive remarks about her weight until he was the one crying.
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Month: April 2021
papyrus
volume – Originally the name of a scroll or roll of papyrus, from Latin volvere, “to roll up.” More…
bible – Derived from biblios, the name for the papyrus produced in the ancient Phoenician city of Byblos. More…
schedule – Goes back to Greek skhede, for “leaf of papyrus”; it started out meaning a ticket or a brief note. More…
tome – Comes from Greek tomos, “roll of papyrus,” and was originally a word for one volume of a larger work. More…
Jackie Robinson Day
Jackie Robinson Day is celebrated throughout Major League Baseball (MLB) in honor of Jackie Robinson, the first African American to play professional baseball in the MLB. On April 15, 1947, Robinson played his first professional game for the Brooklyn Dodgers. To commemorate Robinson’s achievements, activities are planned each year at all MLB stadiums on April 15th. Home teams coordinate activities for the tribute, which may include pre-game award presentations, special guests throwing the first pitch, prizes for fans, and appearances by other legendary baseball stars. Discuss
hothead
A person with an excitable, fiery, or impetuous temper or disposition; one who is quick to get angry or act rashly. Watch the video
TV Dinners
A TV dinner is a frozen prepared meal, usually packaged in a disposable serving tray, that needs only to be heated before serving. Perhaps more commonly called frozen dinners or microwave meals today, TV dinners became wildly popular in the mid-1950s when they were marketed by the American food company Swanson. Though generations of Americans associate TV dinners with their titular activity—eating while watching television—they were actually given their name for a different reason. What was it? Discuss
statecraft
Definition: (noun) The art of conducting public affairs.
Synonyms: statesmanship, diplomacy.
Usage: Only through superior statecraft was he able to avoid a war while simultaneously achieving favorable trade conditions.
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hasty
hasting, hasty – An early-ripening fruit or vegetable is a hasting and such a food that ripens early is termed “hasty.” More…
hasty pudding – An ancient dish of flour boiled in water to thick consistency, with milk or beer added afterwards. More…
festinate, festination – If something is hasty or hurried, it is festinate, and to festinate is to walk fast, make haste; festination is “haste, speed.” More…
precipitous, precipitate – Precipitous, “hasty, sudden and dramatic,” is used in relation to physical or natural objects; precipitate, “done with great haste,” relates to human actions or processes. More…
live and kicking
Alive, healthy, and alert. (A truncated version of “alive and kicking.”) Watch the video
Han Chinese Clothing
The traditional clothing of the Han Chinese people, also known as hanfu, is no longer used as everyday garb in China, but it is worn at festivals, special occasions, and cultural events. There is also a movement to revive hanfu for daily wear, in replacement of Western styles. Hanfu outfits typically consist of diagonally wrapped robes and may include several layers. How did formal hanfu garments differ for ordinary citizens, government officials, and royalty? Discuss