Bill W

The word "irritate" comes from the Latin irritare, meaning to excite, provoke, or annoy. The Latin word itself is likely derived from a Proto-Italic root rito-, related to being "stirred". It entered English in the 1530s with the meaning of "to rouse to action," with the sense of "to annoy" or "make impatient" emerging in the 1590s. The related noun irritation came into English even earlier, in the mid-15th century, from Old French and Latin. The verb irritate first appeared in English in the 1530s (e.g., Thomas Elyot, 1531), however, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the the earliest recorded use was in 1605, in a work called Answ. Supposed Discov. Rom. Doctr. The verb irrite (from French) was used from around 1450, during the Middle English period. The meaning shifted from "stimulate" (1530s) to "annoy" (1590s). The noun irritation was recorded in the late 1500s (around 1589), and the adjective irritated around the late 1500s (1595). Examples of "irritate" used in English: "Harsh soaps can irritate the skin." "The other passengers were irritated by the child's rudeness." "It's his arrogance that really irritates me." "I'm not a psychic healer, I just said that to irritate my mother." "I hereby resolve not to let the faults of others irritate me." "To Neil's surprise, all this had begun to irritate Dr Barbara." "An interesting, sometimes alarming, sometimes irritating, sometimes frustrating book - just the thing for seminar discussion texts." "People are irritated with the woman for seemingly ' having given up ' and she is discussed disparagingly within the family."

@wildone, on your questionaire, don't forget to ask if they have alligator skin or doe skin. It makes a huge difference when you want to cuddle tight.

Bellicose comes from the Latin adjectiv4 bellicosus ("of war", "warlike", or "fond of war"), and was derived from bellum ("war") and the suffix -osus ("full of" or "abounding in"), meaning "full of war" or "abounding in war" (eager to fight). It entered English in the 15th century, describing someone aggressive, inclined to fight, or hostile, and shares roots with words like "belligerent" (an aggressive nation or person engaged in war or conflict) and "antebellum" (before the war). According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective bellicose first appeared in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest recorded use around 1432–50 in Higden's "Polychronicon". Examples of "bellicose" used in a sentence: "I've known many fighters, and most of them tend to be rather bellicose." "And people in charge of both governments have become more bellicose by the day." "Kholodov is a bear of a man, both friendly and bellicose, so their actions toward him have been comparatively cautious." "Never in peacetime, perhaps, have the statements of our government officials been more relentlessly bellicose." "In public he wasn't boisterous or bellicose – who did he need to impress with hard-guy posturing?" "These fervent and brutal but impractical dreamers were followed by hard-headed but less bellicose traders."

It's a penguine missile. Wait until you see what happens when it hits its target!

The word "warped" comes from the verb "warp", rooted in Old English (weorpan "to throw" / wearp "the foundation threads of a loom") and Proto-German (warpo) and ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root (werb- "to turn, bend, or twist"). It initially referred to the lengthwise threads (warp) in weaving, but evolved to describe anything bent, twisted, or distorted (like wood) and metaphorically, a mental or moral deviation, with its modern "-ed" form appearing in Middle English around the 1460s. Warp also has a nautical meaning "a towline for moving a ship) and warping (pulling a ship). Warp also has a Sci-Fi meaning a "time warp" or faster-than-light travel (the bending of spacetime). According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "warped" first appeared in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest known evidence found around 1460 in the text Promptorium Parvulorum. Examples of "warped" used in a sentence: "The window was warped by the dampness and it wouldn't shut." "It seems they have a strangely warped sense of what they think is funny as well." "It was a state of mind where reason appeared to turn in on itself; became warped." "I suppose I shouldn't be laughing about death - perhaps I've got a warped mind/sense of humor!" "His obituary pointed out that he used his position to enrich himself through a web of smuggling and warped business deals." "This is more usually caused by discs that are not sitting correctly on the hub or that have been warped by excessive heat." "Thankfully the fashion gurus have stopped short of the tightly laced stays that warped the ribs of our great grandmothers." "Rotors get warped due to several reasons most common being overtorquing or unevenly torquing the lug nuts with an impact wrench."

And as long as @drpaladin mentioned withers: The term withers derives from Old English wither ("against'), because the withers are the part of a draft animal that pushes against a load.

The word "withering" comes from the verb "wither", which evolved from Middle English widderen ("to dry up, shrivel"), possibly an alteration of wederen ("to expose to weather"), linking it to the word "weather". It ultimately stems from Old English wiþerian, meaning "to resist" or "struggle against," and Proto-Germanic roots meaning "against" or "separate," suggesting a core sense of drying out or being worn down by conditions. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "withering" was first used in English in the late 1500s, with the earliest evidence found in the writings of E.K. in 1579. The word is formed within English from the verb "wither" and the "-ing" suffix. "Withered" (adjective) appeared earlier (1488), while the adverb "witheringly" appeared later (1815). Examples of "withering" first used in English: "She is a patient one, and dismissed me with a withering glance." "Grandmother’s withering hands were once strong but have now shriveled up to almost nothing." "The scorching summer sun caused the withering grass to become brown and limp." "His head tender with such thoughts, he trod through the withering blossoms to the Mission." "The daily firings produced by the withering economy offered loopholes of opportunity for a young man who kept his eyes open." "The ideology of inclusion is withering away, to be replaced by a revival of survival-of-the-fittest capitalism."

The word "overhaul" comes from the nautical term for slackening a rope by pulling in the opposite direction. This action allowed sailors to pull the rigging apart for thorough inspection and repair. Over time, the term evolved to mean a thorough examination and repair of anything, not just ropes. Today, it means to examine thoroughly and repair, renovate, or revise something completely, such as an engine or a system. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "overhaul" was first used in English in the early 1600s, with slightly different dates for the verb and the noun forms. The earliest known use of the noun overhaul is from 1611, in the writing of R. Finch. The earliest known use of the verb overhaul is from 1626, used by Captain John Smith in a nautical context, meaning to slacken ropes or dismantle rigging for inspection. By the 1700s, the meaning extended to examining and repairing various equipment. By the 1900s, it settled into its modern use for a "significant repair" or "revision," as seen in phrases like "overhauling an engine". Examples of "overhaul" used in a sentence: ""Now the courts are forcing a thorough overhaul of that old order." "They had to overhaul their original plans due to the weather." "Lawmakers are overhauling the welfare program and instituting new regulations." "The county tore down the dilapidated factory a year ago to overhaul the space for updated commercial use." "The government said it wanted to overhaul the employment training scheme." "The study says there must be a complete overhaul of air traffic control systems."

The word "sagacity" comes from the Latin word "𝑠𝑎𝑔ā𝑐𝑖𝑡ā𝑠", meaning "keenness of perception" or "wisdom". It is derived from "𝑠𝑎𝑔ā𝑥", meaning "of quick perception," which is also the root of the Latin verb "𝑠𝑎𝑔𝑖𝑟𝑒", meaning "to perceive keenly". This Latin root is ultimately related to the Proto-Indo-European root *sag-, meaning "to track down, trace, or seek," and is also the origin of the English word "seek". The word sagacity entered English via French, from its form "𝑠𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑐𝑖𝑡é". Sagacity is defined as the quality of being sagacious, which in turn means having or showing a keen mental discernment and good judgment; shrewd. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of "sagacity" in English is from 1548, found in Hall's Vnion. This is also supported by other etymology resources like the Online Etymology Dictionary, which notes a first use in the mid-1500s. Dictionary,com states the word was first recorded in 1540-1550. Examples of "sagacity" used in a sentence: "Her poems attest to her political sagacity and her lyrical mysticism." "He has shown great sagacity and great skill in endeavoring to raise the scale for officers." "We appealed to the sagacity, common sense, and self-respect of the working people of this country, and we have not appealed in vain. "This experiment does not tell us, but instead leaves it to our sagacity the burden of guessing." "The dog showed great sagacity in retrieving both lots, which the judges and the crowd applauded." "While many people believed he was stupid, the politician’s sagacity allowed him to realize he would not be elected again."

The word "charity" originates from the Latin word caritas, which means "love", "affection", or "esteem", and ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root kāro-, meaning "dear" or "beloved," which is also the source of the Proto-Indo-European suffix -tas (quality) and the word "care". The Latin caritas was used to translate the Greek word agape, which refers to a selfless, divine, or Christian love. The word charity came into English through the Old French word charité and Middle English charite, initially referring to "Christian love" and "benevolence". By the time of the King James Bible in 1611, the word "charity" was used in translations of agape, but the sense of "almsgiving" or "kindness", before evolving to include the modern sense of giving to the poor or needy. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun "charity" was first used in English in the Middle English period, with the earliest evidence dating to 1154. Examples of "charity" used in a sentence: "The dinner was held to raise funds for several charities." "She runs a local charity that gives books to children." "All the money will go to charity and help those recovering from the recent fires." "She was working as a volunteer at a homeless charity in Cambridge." "Her husband is unemployed, but the family also depends on help from the local charity. "The family didn't have much, but they refused to accept charity and offered to do chores for anyone willing to give them food or clothing."

The word "bereaved" comes from the Old English verb "reafian" (to plunder or rob) and the prefix "be-" to create the verb "bereafian" (to deprive of or to seize by force). Therefore, to be bereaved literally means to have something—like a person, hope, or possession— "robbed" from one's life. The related past participle form, "bereft," has a similar origin and is also used as an adjective to describe a state of being deprived or stripped of something important. The sense of being "robbed" is still present in the modern meaning of bereavement, which is the deep sadness and sorrow caused by the death of a loved one. Over time, the word expanded to include other, less tangible losses, such as the loss of hope or love, a usage that has been present since the mid-17th century. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "bereaved" was first used in English during the Middle English period, with the earliest evidence dating to before 1200. It is first found in the "Notes to Layamon's Brut" and is derived from the verb "bereave". The noun form, "bereavement," was first used in 1731, and the adjective "bereft" also emerged around the 14th century as a variation of the past participle. Examples of "bereaved" used in a sentence: "Then came the Angel of death before the due date and left his wife and sons bereaved." "My thoughts are with the bereaved families and prayers with the injured." "More appalling than the scale of death was the spectacle of the bereaved survivors." "All across the world, people felt bereaved and shocked by the death of Princess Diana." "Many bereaved parents may not be avid scrapbookers and just the word alone may be intimidating." "Medical experts have claimed that bereaved parents who have recently lost a child are at a greater risk of suicide." Examples of "bereavement" used in a sentence: In the context of a death: "The company's policy includes paid leave for employees who experience a bereavement". "The family is coping with a recent bereavement." "Staff in his office said he was dealing with 'a family bereavement'." In a broader sense of loss: "For many, the loss of their home was a profound bereavement". "Losing his business felt like a personal bereavement". "I actually feel as though I have suffered another bereavement." Referring to support: "She found comfort in the bereavement support group". "She's a needy woman who would benefit from bereavement counselling to come to terms with her loss."

And not the United Federation of Teachers? 😜

The word "federation" comes from the Latin words foedus ("covenant", "pact", or "treaty") and the Late Latin word Foederatio ("a league or treaty"). It was borrowed from French (fédération) and entered English in the early 18th century, originally meaning "a union by agreement". This etymology highlights the core concept of a federation as a union of states or groups that have entered into a treaty or covenant with each other. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the noun federation in English is from 1652 when the word was used in the Racovian Catechisme. Examples of "federation" used in a sentence: "The United States is a federation; the states all fall under the same federal government." "He had been a member of the Social Democratic Federation since 1883." "In 1889 an important step towards federation was taken by Sir Henry Parkes." "Confalonieri, who was in favor of an Italian federation composed lEngelsm of northern Italy under the house of Savoy, central bardy." "Since federation no chartered bank has been compelled to liquidate without paying its note-holders in full." "Out of this grew the Free Church Federation, which secures a measure of co-operation between the Protestant Evangelical churches throughout England."

Must be @Myr is freezing this morning and hiding under the blankets on his bed, since he hasn't posted today's Word of the Day!

There's enough of us here on GA that have reached that age where we could form our own GA Antique Writers Club!

And they're doing a fine job of taking care of my bug problem!

And kids today have battery operated cars to propel themselves, where I had to pedal like hell when I was younger just to keep my kiddie car moving, and then I had to pedal like hell on my bike to get anywhere until I got my drivers license.

Do we ever get caught up with all of the things that need to get done? Or do we just carry them over to the next day, month, or year? And here in Georgia, I've been dealing with sub-freezing or near freezing nights on top of everything else my utility bills have been skyrocketing due to that. It's putting another strain on my already tight budget and making me consider what else I can eliminate from my already tight budget to offset for the increase. Due to that, I spent no money on Black Friday and do not intend to spend anything on Cyber Monday either.

The word "vouch" originates from Anglo-Saxon and Old French word "voucher", meaning "to summon" or "to call", which in turn comes from the Latin "vocare", meaning "to call". It is related to the Latin word for "voice" and comes from a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to speak". The original meaning referred to calling someone to court to prove a title, and it evolved to mean "to declare or assert" and later "to support with proof or evidence". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb "vouch" has been used in English since the Middle English period (around the 14th century), with the earliest evidence found from 1303 in the writing of Robert Mannyng. The noun form "vouch" appeared later, with the earliest evidence in the early 1600s (1610). Examples of "vouch" used in a sentence: "They will vouch for the fact that it is not an easy place to go." "I can honestly vouch for the fact that what they're saying about ij is not true." "She walks three miles a day and can vouch for her own product." "Often, the family and friends who could vouch for them are dead." "Often, the family and friends who could vouch for them are dead." "I've read the text of his post and can vouch for its scientific accuracy." "Those we contacted vouch for the borrower and agree to help pay back the company if the borrower can't." " BuzzFeed published his comments in full while acknowledging that it could not vouch for its veracity."

The word "initiative" comes from the Latin word initium, meaning "beginning", and has roots in the Latin verb ineo ("to go in, to enter"). The term evolved through Late Latin initiare ("to begin" or "to initiate"), to the Medieval Latin initiativus ("serving to initiate"), and passed to the French as initiative before being adopted into English in the late 16th century with the original meaning "beginning" or "entrance," reflecting the act of starting something new. By 1793 it also meant the "disposition to take the lead", "the ability to act first", or "on one's own". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first use of the noun "initiative" was in 1793, in a text by William Godwin. The adjective form of the word was in use earlier, with the earliest evidence from 1642 in the writing of T. Lechford. Examples of "initiative" used in a sentence: "There's talk of a new peace initiative." "We have the initiative and we intend to keep it." "He paused enough to consider the options but never so long as to lose the initiative. "it is hoped that the government's initiative will bring the strike to an end." "Meanwhile, the two groups have rejected an Egyptian initiative to hold peace talks." "Every state constitution has been amended far more often by the legislature than by initiative." "To be a hacker you need motivation and initiative and the ability to educate yourself." "Government initiatives to help young people have been inadequate."

Yes, I suppose the hotel could have given them more of a reward for what they did, but in trying to remain as anonymous as possible, they left before that could happen. I'm sure the server had been acting upon the orders of his immediate supervisor, whom he probably called to tell him or her what had happened. At that time, I'm sure all of the higher up in the hotel's chain of command were still busy celebrating with their wife or family, so such offers as what you were talking about wouldn't have been forthcoming right away. And since the group didn't want to share their names, it probably would have been difficult to pin down which guests had foiled the robbers. I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter and thank you for the well wishes for the day.

Happy Thanksgiving to all of our GA members and visitors in the US, and a wonderful and relaxing weekend to every member or visitor in this great community! May the stories be with you!

The word "captious" originates from Latin and comes through Middle French to English. Ultimately, the word "captious" derives from the Latin captiosus, meaning "deceptive" or "fallacious", which itself comes from captio ("a seizing," "deception"). The root verb is capere, meaning "to seize" or "to catch", and connects to the English words "caption" and "capture". The word captious was borrowed into Middle English through the Middle French word captieux. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the word "captious" in English was around 1380 in the English Wycliffite Sermons. Examples of "captious" in a sentence: "I do not want to be captious, but desire the public to understand the facts." "He had a captious attitude that annoyed his friends." "The teacher disliked captious students who always questioned small details." "His captious tendencies prevented him from appreciating the artwork's beauty." "The captious professor constantly found minor mistakes in students' essays." "His captious review of the play focused solely on minor script flaws rather than the stellar performances." "I wish you'd learn to put the caps back on things properly when you're finished using them,” she said in a tone she fully meant to sound captious.

The word "tutorial" comes from the Latin tūtōrius, meaning "of a guardian" or "of a watcher", combined with the English suffix "-al" that forms adjectives. This adjective was first used in the mid-1700s to describe things related to a legal guardian or tutor. The noun form, referring to a period of instruction or a how-to guide, developed later in the 19th and 20th centuries. The word "tutorial" was first used in English around the mid-1700s, with the earliest evidence in the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) from 1766, according to the OED. The evolution of the meaning of tutorial is as follows: 1700s (adjective): "of, pertaining to, or done by a legal guardian", 1820s (adjective): "of, pertaining to, or done by a teacher or instructor", 1923 (noun): "a period of instruction to pupils", 1978 (noun): "a printed account or explanation of something for purposes of instruction," especially in reference to computers. Examples of "tutorial" used in a sentence: "I've got a French tutorial at 11 o'clock" "On YouTube you can find several tutorials on how to cut hair at home" "During the tutorial session, she was given the list of words to read." "An online tutorial gives basic instructions for using the software." "The professor was offering a tutorial in her office a week before the exam." "We offer tutorial instruction for students preparing for the examination."

Bartenders have the same motto.