WoD - Deracinate

de·rac·in·ate   [dih-ras-uh-neyt]
–verb (used with object), -nat·ed, -nat·ing.
1. to pull up by the roots; uproot; extirpate; eradicate.
2. to isolate or alienate (a person) from a native or customary culture or environment.

Origin:
1590–1600; < F déracin ( er ) (equiv. to dé- dis-1 + -raciner, v. deriv. of racine root < LL rādīcīna for L rādīc-, s. of rādīx ) + -ate1

On This Day...

The 20th or 21st of July 356BC is usually taken as the birthdate of Alexander III of Macedon, commonly known as Alexander the Great.
After succeeding his father Philip II to the throne, he earned the name 'The Great' by creating one of the largest ancient empires, and leading an 'undefeated' army.

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WoD - quiddity

quid·di·ty [kwid-i-tee]

–noun, plural -ties.
1. the quality that makes a thing what it is; the essential nature of a thing.
2. a trifling nicety of subtle distinction, as in argument.


Origin:
1530–40; < ML quidditās, equiv. to L quid what + -itās

Spartacus: Blood and Sand - the goriest, most red-blooded series the law and human decency will allow...

Bravo has started showing a series based on an unnamed Thracian soldier, and follows his ludicrously gory battles, not to mention numerous scenes of a somewhat sexual theme.
Being a fairly squeamish viewer with an aversion to anything where "roughly every 30 seconds someone gets an axe or sword in the face", I'm going to give it a miss.
Nonetheless, Phelim O'Neill's review and Charlie Brooker's Screen Burn in the Guardian are very entertaining.

WoD - desultory

des·ul·to·ry   /ˈdɛsəlˌtɔri, -ˌtoʊri/ Show Spelled[des-uhl-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee]

–adjective
1. lacking in consistency, constancy, or visible order, disconnected; fitful: desultory conversation.
2. digressing from or unconnected with the main subject; random: a desultory remark.

Origin:
1575–85; < L dēsultōrius pertaining to a dēsultor (a circus rider who jumps from one horse to another), equiv. to dēsul-, var. s. of dēsilīre to jump down ( dē- de- + -silīre, comb. form of salīre to leap) + -tōrius -tory1

Quarter of A-level students will scoop A* grade in advanced maths and Latin

An interesting piece of research based on last year's Alevel results which predict that the proportion of people achieving A*s this year will vary considerably from subject to subject. It is estimated that a quarter of further maths and Latin results will be A*s, compared to only 2% for English language and media studies.

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WoD - atavism

at·a·vism   /ˈætəˌvɪzəm/ Show Spelled[at-uh-viz-uhm]

–noun
1. Biology .
a. the reappearance in an individual of characteristics of some remote ancestor that have been absent in intervening generations.
b. an individual embodying such a reversion.
2. reversion to an earlier type; throwback.

Origin:
1825–35; < L atav ( us ) remote ancestor ( at-, akin to atta familiar name for a grandfather + avus grandfather, forefather) + -ism

WoD - attenuate

at·ten·u·ate   /v. əˈtɛnyuˌeɪt; adj. əˈtɛnyuɪt, -ˌeɪt/ Show Spelled [v. uh-ten-yoo-eyt; adj. uh-ten-yoo-it, -eyt]

–verb (used with object)
1. to weaken or reduce in force, intensity, effect, quantity, or value: to attenuate desire.
2. to make thin; make slender or fine.
3. Bacteriology, Immunology . to render less virulent, as a strain of pathogenic virus or bacterium.
4. Electronics . to decrease the amplitude of (an electronic signal).
–verb (used without object)
5. to become thin or fine; lessen.
–adjective
6. weakened; diminishing.
7. Botany . tapering gradually to a narrow extremity.

Origin:
1520–30; < L attenuātus (ptp. of attenuāre to thin, reduce).

WoD - acrimony

ac·ri·mo·ny   /ˈækrəˌmoʊni/ Show Spelled[ak-ruh-moh-nee]

–noun
sharpness, harshness, or bitterness of nature, speech, disposition, etc.: The speaker attacked him with great acrimony.

Origin:
1535–45; < L ācrimōnia, equiv. to ācri- (s. of ācer ) sharp, sour + -mōnia -mony

In Our Time

Melvin Bragg and guests discuss the history of ideas...

In Our Time is a long running Radio 4 programme, in which a myriad ideas are discussed. There are numerous classical themed episodes available in the archive; at the moment I'm listening to one about Virgil's Aeneid, with classics professors from UCL, Durham and Oxford.

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WoD - suspire

suspire\suh-SPAHY-uhr\ ,
verb;
1.To utter with long, sighing breaths.

Origin:
Suspire's origin is in the Latin suspirare, "to draw a long breath."

WoD - eristic

eristic\e-RIS-tik\ , adjective;
1.Pertaining to controversy or disputation; controversial.
2.Of argument for the sole purpose of winning, regardless of the reason.
noun:
1.Argument for the sole purpose of winning, regardless of the reason.
2.The art of disputation.
Origin:
Eristic relates both to Eris, the Greek goddess of strife, as well as what Plato called eristic dialogue, a type of discourse with no reasonable goal beyond winning the argument.

WoD - malapert

malapert\MAL-uh-purt\ , adjective;
1.Unbecomingly bold or saucy.
noun:
1.A malapert person.
Origin:
Malapert relates to the Old French mal apert, "ill-skilled," which means malapert and expert share a common ancestor.

WoD - valetudinarian

valetudinarian\val-uh-too-din-AIR-ee-un; -tyoo-\ , noun;
1.A weak or sickly person, especially one morbidly concerned with his or her health.adjective:
1.Sickly; weak; infirm.
2.Morbidly concerned with one's health.
Origin:
Valetudinarian derives from Latin valetudinarius, "sickly; an invalid," from valetudo, "state of health (good or ill)," from valere, "to be strong or well."

On this day...

In 65AD, Marcus Annaeus Lucanus died aged 25, forced to commit suicide by opening a vein, after he joined the treasonous conspiracy of Gaius Calpurnius Piso against Nero. Better known as Lucan, he is regarded as one of the outstanding figures of the Silver Latin period.

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WoD - pellucid

pellucid\puh-LOO-sid\ , adjective;
1.Transparent; clear; not opaque.
2.Easily understandable.

Origin:
Pellucid comes from Latin pellucidus, "shining, transparent," from pellucere, "to shine through," from per-, "through" + lucere, "to shine."

On this day...

The Floralia was a festival in ancient Rome dedicated to the goddess of flowers and vegetation, Flora. It was held on the IV Calends of May and symbolised the renewal of the cycle of life. Celebrated with dancing, drinking and flowers, the day was marked by colourful clothing and offerings of milk and honey.

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WoD - moil

moil\MOYL\ , verb;
1.To work with painful effort; to labor; to toil; to drudge.
2.To churn or swirl about continuously.
noun:
1.Toil; hard work; drudgery.
2.Confusion; turmoil.
Origin:
Moil comes from Middle English moillen, "to soak, to wet," hence "to soil, to soil one's hands, to work very hard," from Old French moillier, "to soften, especially by making wet," ultimately from Latin mollis, "soft."

WoD - tutelary

tutelary\TOO-tuh-lair-ee; TYOO-\ , adjective;
1.Having the guardianship or charge of protecting a person or a thing; guardian; protecting; as, "tutelary goddesses."

Origin:
Tutelary derives from Latin tutelaris, from tutela, protection, guardianship, from tutus, past participle of tueri, to look at, to regard, especially to look at with care or for the purpose of protection. It is related to tutor, to have the guardianship or care of; to teach; to instruct.

WoD - oneiric

oneiric\oh-NY-rik\ , noun;
1.Of, pertaining to, or suggestive of dreams; dreamy.
Origin:
Oneiric comes from Greek oneiros, "dream."