Word of the Day
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Why Dictionary.com chose askance
More about askance
- First recorded in 1520–30.
- Of obscure origin; possibly from the Middle English ascaunces, meaning “as if to say,” or the Old French *as cans, meaning “along the corners.”
EXAMPLES OF ASKANCE
- The crowd listened askance to the salesman’s pitch, skeptical of his promises.
- The customers glanced askance at the shop’s sudden sale prices, wondering if there was a catch.
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Why Dictionary.com chose hardihood
More about hardihood
- First recorded in 1625–35.
- Combines hardy¹, meaning “courageous, resolute,” + the suffix -hood⁵.
- Replaced earlier form hardihead.
EXAMPLES OF HARDIHOOD
- He had the hardihood to question the authority of the king.
- Her hardihood in confronting the raging storm to save the stranded hikers earned her widespread admiration.
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Why Dictionary.com chose augury
More about augury
- First recorded between 1325–75.
- From the Latin augurium, meaning “divination through the behavior of animals.”
EXAMPLES OF AUGURY
- She couldn’t shake the feeling that her dream was an augury for important things to come.
- The raven’s sudden appearance was an augury that unsettled the whole village.
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