Words for the day

Get / Put the wind up somebody: To make someone feel anxious about their situation. You'll take him to court if he doesn't pay up - that should put the wind up him.

Tenet(N): A religious doctrine that is proclaimed as true without proof

Theocracy(N): 1. A political unit governed by a deity (or by officials thought to be divinely guided)

2. The belief in government by divine guidance

Valorise/Valor(Valour)(N): The qualities of a hero or heroine; exceptional or heroic courage when facing danger (especially in battle) "he received a medal for valor"

Pedagogies(N): 1. The principles and methods of instruction

2. The profession of a teacher "pedagogy is recognized as an important profession"

3. The activities of educating or instructing; activities that impart knowledge or skill

Cavort(N): Play boisterously "They alleged that he cavorts with young models." "He has accused him of cavorting with minor girls "

Peccadilloes(N): A petty misdeed "The outrage over the Italian prime minister's sexual peccadilloes is understandable."

Shenanigans(N): 1. Reckless or malicious behaviour that causes discomfort or annoyance in others"One leader's personal shenanigans should not be allowed to hijack international dialogue"

2. The use of tricks to deceive someone (usually to extract money from them)

Casanova(N): Any man noted for his amorous adventures "Casanovas make poor leaders"

Behove(V): Be appropriate or necessary "his social behaviour simply does not behove a public figure of this stature"

Detritus(N): The remains of something that has been destroyed or broken up"the detritus of the empire was dumped"

Collage(N): 1. A paste-up made by sticking together pieces of paper or photographs to form an artistic image"he used his computer to make a collage of pictures superimposed on a map"

2. Any collection of diverse things "a collage of memories"

Fervent(Adj): 1. Characterized by intense emotion "a fervent desire to change society"; "a fervent admirer"

2. Extremely hot "the fervent heat...merely communicated a genial warmth to their half-torpid systems"

Smirk(V): Smile affectedly or derisively "When the Croats and the Serbs brought their war to Australia and occasionally fought each other on the streets, the Indians smirked."

(N): A smile expressing smugness or scorn instead of pleasure

Succor(N): Assistance in time of difficulty

(V): Help in a difficult situation"Putting women in positions of authority will bring succour to members of their gender"

Bequest(N): (law) a gift of personal property by will

Cloistered(Adj): Providing privacy or seclusion "the cloistered academic world of books"

(V): Seclude from the world in or as if in a cloister, Surround with a cloister"She cloistered herself in the office"

Slumber(V): Be asleep

(N): A natural and periodic state of rest during which consciousness of the world is suspended"calm as a child in dreamless slumber"A dormant or quiescent state

Teensy(Adj): (used informally) very small "Isn't that just a teensy bit selfish?"

Words for the day

Emaciated(Adj) : Very thin especially from disease or hunger or cold "emaciated bony hands"

(V): 1. Cause to grow thin or weak "The treatment emaciated him"

2. Grow weak and thin or waste away physically "She emaciated during the chemotherapy"

Arcane(Adj): Requiring secret or mysterious knowledge "the arcane science of dowsing"

Vacuous(Adj): Devoid of intelligence, devoid of significance or point "vacuous comments".

Devoid of matter "a vacuous space"

Void of expression

Phenotype(N): What an organism looks like as a consequence of the interaction of its genotype and the environment

Dredge(N): A power shovel to remove material from a channel or riverbed

(V): 1. Cover before cooking"dredge the chicken in flour before frying it"

2. Search (as the bottom of a body of water) for something valuable or lost

3. Remove with a power shovel, usually from a bottom of a body of water

Ensconced(V): Fix firmly "He ensconced himself in the chair"

Eccentric(Adj): Conspicuously or grossly unconventional or unusual"famed for his eccentric spelling"

(N): A person with an unusual or odd personality

A person of a specified kind (usually with many eccentricities) "a friendly eccentric"

Eccentricity(N): Strange and unconventional behaviour

Acquiesce(V): To agree or express agreement