Merriam-Webster's Daily Buzzword

behave

Thu, 03 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 07/03/2008 is:

behave (verb)

\bih-HAYV\

What does it mean?

1 : to conduct oneself

2 : to conduct oneself properly

3 : to act, function, or react in a particular way

How do you use it?

"Two little children had pulled away from their mothers and were running about, screaming to each other. It was all Jess could do not to grab them and tell them how to behave in so obviously a sacred place." (Katherine Paterson, Bridge to Terabithia)

Are you a word wiz?

Which word do you think is a synonym of "behave"?

A. exhort

B. comport

C. distort

D. cavort

Check your answer on Word Central.

conjure

Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 07/02/2008 is:

conjure (verb)

\KAHN-jer\

What does it mean?

1 : to beg earnestly or solemnly : beseech

2 a : to call forth (as a spirit or a devil) as if by magic b : to produce as if by magic

3 : to practice magic or magic tricks

How do you use it?

No one could quite figure out how Erin's mom was able to conjure up a delicious dinner on such short notice.

Are you a word wiz?

Let's see if you can conjure up the right answer to today's quiz. What do you think the root of "conjure" means?

A. to imagine

B. to swear

C. to entertain

D. to contribute

Check your answer on Word Central.

passel

Tue, 01 Jul 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 07/01/2008 is:

passel (noun)

\PASS-ul\

What does it mean?

: a large number : group

How do you use it?

A passel of children waited in line for the amusement park to open that morning.

Are you a word wiz?

Only one of the following is the true story behind the word "passel." Which do you think it is?

A. "Passel" is a combination of the words "pack" and "tassel."

B. "Passel" is the name of an ancient very large city.

C. "Passel" is an alteration of the word "parcel."

D. "Passel" is the name of a fictional many-headed monster.

Check your answer on Word Central.

humdrum

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/30/2008 is:

humdrum (adjective)

\HUM-drum\

What does it mean?

: monotonous, dull

How do you use it?

With camp ahead of me, I knew the summer would be anything but humdrum.

Are you a word wiz?

Which of the words below was coined using the same technique as the one that gave us "humdrum"?

A. whoosh

B. fiddle-faddle

C. flab

D. boo-boo

Check your answer on Word Central.

goulash

Sun, 29 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/29/2008 is:

goulash (noun)

\GOO-lahsh\

What does it mean?

: a beef stew with onion, paprika, and caraway

How do you use it?

Dad said that the onions and beef needed to simmer in the broth for another quarter of an hour or so, and then the goulash would be ready.

Are you a word wiz?

From what language do you think English borrowed the word "goulash"?

A. Polish, spoken in the European nation of Poland

B. Gaulish, spoken by Celts in the ancient country of Gaul

C. Gullah, spoken by inhabitants of islands off the coast of the southern U.S.

D. Hungarian, spoken in the European nation of Hungary

Check your answer on Word Central.

dispute

Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/28/2008 is:

dispute (verb)

\dih-SPYOOT\

What does it mean?

1 : to engage in an argument : debate

2 : to quarrel angrily : wrangle

3 : to question the truth or rightness of

4 : to fight over : contest

How do you use it?

"'I believe,' said Mr. Murdstone, with an inclination of his head, 'that Clara would have disputed nothing which myself and my sister Jane Murdstone were agreed was for the best.'" (Charles Dickens, David Copperfield)

Are you a word wiz?

Only one of the following statements about "dispute" is true. Which one do you think it is?

A. It is synonymous with the word "consent."

B. It first came into use in the late 1900s.

C. It comes from a Latin verb meaning "to think."

D. It was coined by Shakespeare.

Check your answer on Word Central.

example

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/27/2008 is:

example (noun)

\ig-ZAM-pul\

What does it mean?

1 : one that serves as a pattern to be followed or not followed

2 a : punishment given to someone as a warning to others b : the person so punished

3 : one of a group or collection that shows what the whole is like : sample

4 : a problem to be solved to show how a rule works

How do you use it?

"Our teacher, Miss Hazel Marks, used to hold Myrna up to the rest of us as an example. Apparently, the ideal pupil in Miss Hazel's eyes was one who wrote neatly and never smiled." (Katherine Paterson, Jacob Have I Loved)

Are you a word wiz?

Which of the following do you think is the ancestor of our word "example"?

A. a Latin root meaning "to take"

B. a Greek root meaning "to offer"

C. a French root meaning "to conform"

D. a German root meaning "to be able"

Check your answer on Word Central.

authority

Thu, 26 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/26/2008 is:

authority (noun)

\uh-THOR-uh-tee\

What does it mean?

1 a : a fact or statement that is used to support a position or decision b : a person looked to as an expert

2 : the right to give commands : the power to influence the behavior of others

3 : persons having powers of government

4 : the quality of being convincing

How do you use it?

Only the team coach has the authority to change the practice schedule.

Are you a word wiz?

Which word do you think is a synonym of "authority"?

A. candidness

B. control

C. charisma

D. courage

Check your answer on Word Central.

pompous

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/25/2008 is:

pompous (adjective)

\PAHM-puss\

What does it mean?

1 : making a show of importance or dignity

2 : having an overly high opinion of one's importance

How do you use it?

The new mayor was friendly and down-to-earth during the campaign, but turned pompous and smug soon after the election.

Are you a word wiz?

Which of one of these sentences do you think shows the correct use of "pompous?"

A. Although he is a millionaire now, Mr. Lopez came from a pompous background filled with hardship.

B. Fred adds a splash of pompous juice to his favorite fruit drinks to produce a pleasingly tart flavor.

C. Macie is proud of her skills as captain, but is not so pompous as to assume that her team is unbeatable.

D. Logan built a bookcase for his room, but then found that it was too pompous to fit through the door.

Check your answer on Word Central.

waver

Tue, 24 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/24/2008 is:

waver (verb)

\WAY-ver\

What does it mean?

1 : to go back and forth between choices

2 : to weave or sway to and fro

3 : to move unsteadily

How do you use it?

Rita wasn't sure if she wanted to go on the trip or not, and she wavered over the decision for a long time.

Are you a word wiz?

Which of the following words do you think is a synonym of "waver"?

A. hesitate

B. purloin

C. regulate

D. confine

Check your answer on Word Central.

bonanza

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 00:00:00 EDT

The Buzzword of the Day for 06/23/2008 is:

bonanza (noun)

\buh-NAN-zuh\

What does it mean?

1 : a large and rich mineral deposit

2 : something that brings a rich return

How do you use it?

The action movie was a box-office bonanza, netting close to 0 million on its opening weekend.

Are you a word wiz?

We borrowed "bonanza" straight from Spanish. What do you think the meaning of the Spanish word is?

A. iron

B. cowboy

C. gold

D. calm seas

Check your answer on Word Central.