Ibid is an abbreviation of ibidem, a Latin word that means, literally, in the same place. Ibid is used mainly in footnotes or references to note a source that was previously mentioned, saving time and space by not repeating the same thing over and over again. Note here that it is the exact …
An anachronism is something or someone that is out of place with history, either something that was misplaced in a timeline, or a person that does not fit well with his or her time period. This is often used to describe items or events in movies and books, where perhaps the author …
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If you’ve never heard of Christmas Adam, you aren’t alone. After all, what is it? Is it a day, a thing, a person – perhaps Santa’s favorite sidekick, Adam? Or a new action figure who saves Christmas Day? To help clear up the confusion you may be feeling and give …
To maximise something is to use it to its fullest or to get the most out of it, whether it be a job, a computer, or a bar of soap. If you maximise something, you could also be increasing it to its fullest. One can be a maximiser, and you …
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Idioms are excellent ways to add figurative language to your speech and writing through various analogies and innuendos. Many popular idioms today have older origins that may seem unrelated to their modern counterparts. Said the actress to the bishop is the perfect example of this, providing the history of the …
Oases is the plural of oasis, and it is pronounced \ō-ˈā-ˌsēz\ (oh a ceez). An oasis is a location with water in a desert, or figuratively can be a happy place surrounded by sadness. This can also be used for a period of time when things were good. It makes the adjective oasitic pronounced (oh uh sit …
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A collectible is something of value either in a collection or to a collector. It can also describe something that is being collected on (i.e., due for payment). The spelling collectable is recognized as correct by the dictionary, though the i spelling occurs twice as often. This spelling variation extends to the derivative collectibility and collectability. In that form …
Now archaic, yester was an adjective to describe a time period in the past. Today it has been absorbed into the word yesterday, and is seen sometimes in the word yesteryear. Its other forms (yester-week, yester-hour, yester-month) have become so antiquated they are not listed in the dictionary. However, now and then they do …
Lambaste is a verb meaning to attack severely, either physically or verbally. It can be spelled with or without the ‘e’. Lambaste is more common, though the dictionary will list lambast. It may be pronounced /lamˈbāst/(lam bayst) or /lamˈbast/ (lam baast). The noun form is lambasting. The term ‘land blasted’ is incorrect and …
Both monied and moneyed are adjectives which mean having or coming from money. Either spelling is correct and each has had a period of popularity, though it was early in the eighteenth century. Both words have fallen out of use. Currently moneyed is the more preferred spelling. A moneyer is a person who creates money or mints …