Tuesday, December 28, 2010

moss |môs|

noun
a small flowerless green plant that lacks true roots, growing in lowcarpets or rounded cushions in damp habitats and reproducing by means of spores released from stalked capsules the trees are overgrown with vines and moss the bog is home to rare mosses. • Class Musci, divisionBryophyta.
• used in names of algae, lichens, and higher plants resembling moss, e.g., reindeer moss, Ceylon moss, Spanish moss.
Scottish N. English a bog, esp. a peat bog.
verb [usu. as adj. ( mossed)
cover with moss.







Tuesday, December 7, 2010

aqualung |ˈäkwəˌlə ng; ˈak-| noun

portable breathing apparatus for diversconsisting of cylinders ofcompressed air strapped on the diver's back, feeding air automatically through a mask or mouthpieceverb [ intrans. dated swim underwater using such an apparatus. ORIGIN 1950s (originally a proprietary name in the U.S.): from Latinaqua ‘water’ lung .






Friday, December 3, 2010

benevolent |bəˈnevələnt| adjective

well meaning and kindly a benevolent smile.• (of an organization) serving a charitable rather than a profit-making purpose a benevolent fund. DERIVATIVES benevolence noun benevolently adverb. ORIGIN late Middle English : from Old French benivolent, from Latinbene volent- ‘well wishing,’ from bene ‘well’ velle to wish.’





Thursday, December 2, 2010

thrice |θrīs| adverb

adverb chiefly formal poetic/literary. Three times a dose of 25 mg thrice daily• [as submodifier extremely; very I was thrice blessed. ORIGIN Middle English thries, from earlier thrie (from Old English thrīga, related to three ) + -s (later respelled -ce to denote the unvoiced sound); compare with once .





                  

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

solace |ˈsälis| noun

verb trans. ]give solace toORIGIN Middle English from Old French solas (noun),solacier (verb),based on Latin solari to console.’ they found solace in each othercomfortconsolationcheersupportrelief.





Tuesday, November 30, 2010

acquaint |əˈkwānt| verb [ trans. ]

( acquaint someone with ) make someone aware of or familiar with. ORIGIN  Middle English from Old French acointier make known,’ from late Latin accognitare, from Latin accognoscere, from ad- ‘to’ +cognoscere come to know.’