word of the week: apricity
n.
def: the warmth of the sun in winter
ex: On one of the shortest days of the year, he could appreciate the simple pleasure of standing on the front stoop, coffee mug in hand, feeling the morning’s apricity for just a moment.
word of the week: attenuate
v.
def: to make (something) weaker or less in amount, effect, or force
ex: Donald Trump blithely makes statements that horrify, insult, and exasperate his would-be constituents; here’s hoping for America’s sake that the crowded GOP field attenuates his chances of securing the nomination.
laconic
luh-KA-nik
adj.
definition: using or involving the use of a minimum of words : concise to the point of seeming rude or mysterious
example: Uncle Bill was a man who listened when others were speaking and when they weren’t. When he added to the conversation, his laconic remarks communicated his point, but it was understood that no further questions were to be asked. Sometimes, a sigh would stand in for even those few words.
word of the week: inimitable
i-NI-mi-ta-ble
adj.
definition: impossible to copy or imitate, not capable of being imitated
example: Sitting on stage, dressed in black from shirt to socks and wearing a pair of silver Birkenstocks, the inimitable Ursula K. Le Guin spoke carefully to her rapt literary audience. “Don’t get me wrong. I love my Macbook, but I keep it in service of an ancient craft: storytelling.”
word of the week: beaucoup
BO-koo
adj.
definition: [slang] great in quantity or amount : many, much
example: James looked up from counting his tips as Alex rounded the corner to clock out. James gave Alex a friendly punch on the shoulder, grinning. “We made beaucoup bucks tonight, dude! Let’s go to Shorty’s! Drinks on me!”
word of the week: eldritch
EL-drich
adj.
defintion: weird and sinister or ghostly
example: An eldritch moaning filled the theater, and Joanna knew even before an image appeared on the screen that she didn’t want to watch this movie trailer. She willed herself to keep her eyes on the dark, sticky floor. Joanna hated Halloween season.