Word of the Day
thewless
adjective
lacking in mental or moral vigor; weak, spiritless, or timid.
More about thewless
First recorded in 1300-50, thewless is from the Middle English word theweles.
how is thewless used?
For indeed they were but thewless creatures, pallid with the damp caves of the moors, and so starved that they seemed to have eaten grass like Nebuchadnezzar.
Here I stand amid my clan / Spoiled of my fame a thewless man.
bossdom
noun
the status, influence, or power of a boss, especially a political boss.
More about bossdom
Bossdom has a crude, graceless sound. It is originally an Americanism referring to the bosses of political machines at the municipal and state level. Bossdom first entered English in the late 19th century.
how is bossdom used?
Señor So-and-so is the most powerful boss in the province of Tarragona, and even at that there are those who dispute his bossdom.
This was Lepke’s first bid for bossdom. He was ready to try his theories.
glissade
noun
a skillful glide over snow or ice in descending a mountain, as on skis or a toboggan.
More about glissade
The English noun glissade shows its obviously French origin. The French noun means “glide, slide, slip, faux pas” and derives from the verb glisser ”to slip, slide.” The French verb comes from Old French glicier, an alteration of glier “to glide,” a verb of Germanic (Frankish) origin, related to Old English glīdan and Old High German glītan “to glide.” Glissade entered English in the 19th century.
how is glissade used?
A rapid scramble down the shattered ridge to the col, and a careful kicking of steps along the first two or three hundred feet of the glacier which led northwards to our picnic place, then a glissade … gradually easing off into a run down.
“Don’t worry,” she cheerily assured us over her shoulder. “In some places glissade is just about the only thing you can do. Plus, it’s fun.”