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The word "sagacity" comes from the Latin word "๐ ๐๐ฤ๐๐๐กฤ๐ ", meaning "keenness of perception" or "wisdom". It is derived from "๐ ๐๐ฤ๐ฅ", meaning "of quick perception," which is also the root of the Latin verb "๐ ๐๐๐๐๐", 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 "๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐กรฉ". 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 politicianโs sagacity allowed him to realize he would not be elected again."
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The word "charity" originates from the Latin word caritas, which means "love", "affection", or "esteem", and ultimately derives from the Proto-Indo-European root kฤro-, 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 charitรฉ 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."
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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 somethingโlike a person, hope, or possessionโ "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."
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federation - Word of the Day - Sun Nov 30, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
And not the United Federation of Teachers? ๐ -
federation - Word of the Day - Sun Nov 30, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
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 (fรฉdรฉration) 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!
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There's enough of us here on GA that have reached that age where we could form our own GA Antique Writers Club!
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And they're doing a fine job of taking care of my bug problem!
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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.
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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.
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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."
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initiative - Word of the Day - Fri Nov 28, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
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.
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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!
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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,โ she said in a tone she fully meant to sound captious.
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The word "tutorial" comes from the Latin tลซtลrius, 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."
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It did seem to end well, but are you sure they didn't have a getaway driver? He may have been waiting for them, unknown to us, and fled when he saw the cop cars arriving. We may never know for sure. Yes, Clint needs a boyfriend and the boys are working on a plan, but one thing at a time.
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Thank you, @Lee Wilson for your New Ye... um Thanksgiving well wishes. I'm glad you approve of the way this was handle, and it's possible one of the four criminals had managed to snip the landline before they appeared in the ballroom, either that or they were caught so offguard by what happened that it slipped their mind. It seems the crooks had planned out much of what took place, so it would amaze me if they hadn't considered the possibility of a landline in the kitchen.
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Thank you, @weinerdog and I'm glad you enjoyed this two chaper sequence. I think the members of the family involved in this have extracted themselves from the duty of testifying, since there are so many other witnesses as to what transpired, including the former Police Chief. And thank you for your Thanksgiving well wishes to those of us living in the U.S.
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The word "propel" comes from the Middle English word propellen "to drive away, expel," which is borrowed from the Latin propellere, meaning "to push forward", which combines the prefix pro- (forward) and the verb pellere ("to push" or "to drive"). This etymology is reflected in its meaning of "to drive or According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the verb propel in English is from around 1440. The word was used in that period in Palladius' De Re Rustica. The original Middle English meaning was "to drive away, expel". The modern meaning of "to drive onward, cause to move forward" is attested from the 1650s. Examples of "propel" used in a sentence: "Use your arms to help propel you upward and to control the movement." "I use the last amount of my remaining strength to propel myself upward." "We need purpose to propel us forward." "Horses were threaded through improbable gaps, propelled forward to deeds of which they considered themselves incapable." "Aim to jump as far as possible, using your arms to propel you forward." "Floor the accelerator pedal and you are propelled forward in a wave of power." "It was a shooting star that propelled me into astronomy in the first place." "He is propelled by both guilt and the need to avenge his father."
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Chapter 26 โ Unwanted Guests After I pointed out the armed men to Devin, we turned to look over at Gramps and Pops and noticed they were crouching down as they made their way over to our table to avoid attracting attention. It appears that they must have spotted the intruders about the same time I did, and now they were about to alert Pa and Dad about the situation as Devin and I listened in on what they were about to say. "Mike, I'm not sure if you and Aaron have noticed that there
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machination - Word of the Day - Mon Nov 24, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "machination" comes from the Latin "machinatio" or the noun "mฤchinฤtiลnem", meaning "a device, contrivance", and the verb "machinari", which means "to invent, contrive, or devise artfully. It entered English around the 15th century first appearing in Middle Englishas "machynacion, machyncyon", from Latin and French (machination), describing "a plotting or intrigue". The word is related to the modern word "machine", which comes from the Latin "machina", and suggests a complex, often hidden, scheme with many parts working together. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), was first use of "machination" in English was between 1375 and 14725, but the first known use of the word was around 1473, in a translation by William Caxton. This was during the Middle English period, which the OED defines as being from 1150 to 1500. Examples of "machination" in a sentence: "Such Cold War machinations might seem like the stuff of a bygone era." "This places him at the center of the regime's highest-risk machination." "After a while this starts to feel like dithering, or the machinations of soap opera." "Due to some unforeseen plot machination, your character is washed up on the beach of a tropical desert island." "Popular and familiar love songs underscore every bumbling error or ill-conceived machination of the lovers' various courtships." "In yet another egregious political machination, however, fugimori supporters in congress unconstitutionally thwarted this popular initiative on a dubious technicality." -
Yes, I think most people either call it a dresser of a chest-of-drawers.
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The word "bureau" comes from the French "bureau", meaning "desk" or "office", which itself comf from the Old French "buret", meaning a course woolen cloth. This cloth was used to cover writing desks, and the name of the covering eventually transferred to the desk itself. The term ultimately traces its roots back to the Latin "bura," referring to a shaggy cloth or a type of coarse wool, and the Greek "pyrros," meaning "flame-colored". In North American English, a bureau is a chest of drawers. In British English, bureau is a writing desk with drawers and typically an angled top opening downward to form a writing surface. A bureau can also be an office or department for transacting particular business. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first known use of the word "bureau" in English was in the mid-1600s, with the earliest evidence from 1664. Other sources cite slightly different dates, such as 1698 or the 1690s. A possible evolution of the meaning of the word "bureau" is as follows: 1690s: "Desk with drawers for papers" or "writing desk". Around 1720: "Office or place where business is transacted". 1796: "Division of a government". 1770: In American English, it also came to mean a "chest of drawers for clothes". Examples of "bureau" (as a piece of furniture) in a sentence: "Cynthia was standing at her bureau for a last minute comb of her hair." "He placed the bone atop Cynthia's jewelry box on their bureau and climbed into bed." "Dean crossed to the bureau picked up his hairbrush." Examples of "bureau" (as a division of government) in a sentence: "That's the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, the State cops." "He represented the United States Bureau of Education at the International Congress of Educators at Brussels in 1880." In 1868 the International Bureau of Telegraphic Administrations was constituted at Berne, and a convention was formulated by which a central office was appointed to collect and publish information and generally to promote the interests of international telegraphy."
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My choices are turkey for Thanksgiving and ham for Christmas and Easter..
