Word of the Day
abscond
[ ab-skond ]
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verb (used without object)
to depart in a sudden and secret manner.
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Why Dictionary.com chose abscond
More about abscond
- The first records of the word聽abscond聽come from around the 1600s.
- Abscond comes from the Latin verb聽abscondere,聽meaning 鈥渢o hide or聽stow away.鈥�
- The word typically implies that someone has left because they have done something wrong and want to avoid any consequences.
- Abscond is often followed by the word with and the thing that the person has absconded with, such as the things they鈥檝e stolen.
- A person who absconds can be called an absconder or an abscondee.
EXAMPLES OF ABSCOND
- After embezzling a large sum of money, the accountant decided to abscond in the middle of the night, leaving no trace behind.
- In a daring heist, the thief successfully absconded with the priceless diamond necklace, eluding both security and surveillance cameras.
SYNONYM OF THE DAY
Double your word knowledge with the Synonym of the Day!
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Why Dictionary.com chose plaudit
More about plaudit
- An earlier version of plaudit 飞补蝉听plaudite, which was pronounced as three syllables.
- Plaudite came from Latin plaudere, meaning聽鈥渢o applaud.鈥�
- Plaudit can also refer to a round of applause; in fact, Roman actors would shout 笔濒补耻诲颈迟别!听to encourage their audiences to clap after a play.
- It’s often used in the plural form plaudits聽and was first recorded in 1615-25.
EXAMPLES OF PLAUDIT
- The novel received numerous plaudits from critics, praising the author’s unique writing style.
- Despite having stage fright, the speaker gained confidence over time as she received plaudits for her inspiring speeches.
palsy-walsy
[ pal-zee-wal-zee ]
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adjective
friendly or appearing to be friendly in a very intimate or hearty way.
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Why Dictionary.com chose palsy-walsy
More about palsy-walsy
- Palsy-walsy is a slang term that was first recorded in 1930-35.
- It is a rhyming compound based on the adjective palsy, which was first recorded in 1925-30 and comes from pal.
- Pal was first recorded in 1675-85 and comes from a variant of the continental Romani word phral,聽鈥渂rother, mate,鈥� ultimately from Sanskrit 产丑谤腻迟峁� 鈥渂谤辞迟丑别谤.鈥�
EXAMPLES OF PALSY-WALSY
- The salesperson’s overly palsy-walsy attitude made the customer feel uncomfortable.
- I don’t like how she acts all palsy-walsy with me when she needs something.
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