HAVEY-CAVEY

The bail-out package makes me wonder if there is some kind of havey-cavey business going on.

DEF: suspicious goings-on (19th century slang)

ANOSMIC

After entering the putrid alley Allison once again wished she were anosmic.

DEF: anosmia n. Loss of the sense of smell. anosmic adj. (American Heritage)

VITUPERATION

Much vituperation has been aimed at the Provost's office since its sneak sweep of state personnel funds that "accidentally" took non-state funds as well.

DEF:

1. The act or an instance of vituperating; abusive censure.
2. Sustained, harshly abusive language; invective.

(American Heritage)

PANJANDRUM

Thanks to Tom Miller, I am now able to use today's word.

I was unsure how I would recognize a panjandrum until I attended yesterday's meeting; as the meeting progressed it quickly became clear that there was one panjandrum in attendance.

DEF: a self-important or pretentious official.(dictionary.com)

Etymology of panjandrum: mock name for a pompous personage, 1755, invented by Samuel Foote (1720-77) to test the memory of actor old Macklin (who said he could repeat anything after hearing it once) in a long passage full of nonsense.

OBVIATE

In these times of "Transformation," there is no way to obviate the treachery of the Hatchetwoman and her Henchmen.

DEF: To anticipate and dispose of effectively; render unnecessary.

FATWA

After posting his support for Obama on his blog, Christopher Buckley said that he had been effectively fatwa'd by the conservative movement into resigning from "The National Review."

DEF: A legal opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic scholar. (American Heritage)

note: non-traditional usage of fatwa

BALAKANIZE

Our resident Iraqi oracle prophesied the balkanization of Iraq.

DEF:To divide (a region or territory) into small, often hostile units.
(American Heritage)

RECALCITRANT

In trying to prepare the report, I have been aggravated by the recalcitrance of the data.

DEF:1. resisting authority or control; not obedient or compliant; refractory.
2. hard to deal with, manage, or operate.
(dictionary.com)

FULMINATE

Many have been overheard fulminating against "our" chaotic Transformation.

DEF: 1. To issue a thunderous verbal attack or denunciation: fulminated
against political chicanery.
2. To explode or detonate.
(American Heritage)

DISSIMULATE

Thursday's town hall meeting was the epitome of how to dissimulate without imparting any real information whatsoever.

DEF: to disguise or conceal under a false appearance

Onomatopoeia

The other day I wondered "Why is there not the systematic teaching of onomatopoeia in English as there is in Japanese?"

definition: the formation of a word, as cuckoo or boom, by imitation of a sound
made by or associated with its referent

SPLENDIFEROUS

After the Transformation, we will soon -- no doubt -- have a splendiferous new University.

Word of the Day - 30 September, 2008

STYMIE

I was stymied by that missing penny for several hours.

The first official word of the day posting -- 29 September, 2008

PRURIENT

Prurient incongruities almost prevented "Red Heroine" from vanquishing the Generalissimo!