quell quell / kwĕl verb 1. to calm; to quiet It is a happy thing that time quells the longings of vengeance and hushes the promptings of rage and aversion. From “Jane Eyre” by Charlotte Brontë, 1816 – 1855 2. to suppress; to bring under control forcibly No tempest or conflagration, however great, is harder to quell than mob carried away by the novelty of power. Marcus... Read More

fetid (also foetid) fet-id / fĕt-ĭd, fē-tĭd adjective 1.  having a terrible, offensive smell; stinking; foul One wondered about this, as also about the swarms of flies which hung about the scene, literally blackening the air, and the strange, fetid odor which assailed one’s nostrils, a ghastly odor, of all the dead things of the universe. From “The Jungle” by Upton Sinclair, 1878 – 1968

frank frank / frăngk adjective 1. candid, honest, forthright, direct and straightforward in speech and expression If everyone were clothed with integrity, if every heart were just, frank, kindly, the other virtues would be well-nigh useless. Moliere, 1622 – 1673 2. evident; readily perceived; unmistakable Often, the first presentation of allergy is discovered during the comprehensive exam’s case history, rather than the patient showing up with frank symptoms. John... Read More

frivolous friv-o-lous / frĭv-ə-ləs adjective 1. not serious; silly; foolish One who is serious all day will never have a good time, while one who is frivolous all day will never establish a household. Ptahhotpe, c. 25th – 24th century B.C. 2. of little weight or importance; trivial It is an endless and frivolous pursuit to act by any other rule than the care of satisfying... Read More

fated fat-ed / fā-tĭd adjective 1. destined; bound to happen; predetermined Delusions, errors and lies are like huge, gaudy vessels, the rafters of which are rotten and worm-eaten, and those who embark in them are fated to be shipwrecked. Gautama Buddha, 567 BC – 484 BC 2. marked for death or ruin; doomed If the British Empire is fated to pass from life into history, we must hope it will not be... Read More

folly fol-ly / fŏl-ē noun (plural follies) 1. lack of good sense, thought or understanding; foolishness Nobody so wise but has a little folly to spare. German Proverb 2. an instance of foolishness There is no folly equal to that of throwing away friendship in a world where friendship is so rare. Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1803 – 1873 3. a costly or foolish venture It is best to learn wisdom from the follies of others. Latin... Read More

courtesy cour-te-sy / kûr-tĭ-sē adjective 1. performed out of politeness As the heir to an earldom, Stephen was obliged to pay a courtesy call on the British ambassador, and the ambassador, in his turn, was expected to invite Stephen to parties and introduce him around. From “The Man from St. Petersburg” by Ken Follett, 1949 – 2. provided without cost; free; complimentary Those who attend events with... Read More

envision en-vi-sion / ĕn-vĭzh-ən verb 1. to imagine possible outcomes or future occurrences If you could envision the type of person God intended you to be, you would rise up and never be the same again. From “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” by Sean Covey, 1964 –

optimist op-ti-mist / ŏp-tə-mĭst noun 1. one who looks on the bright side of things A pessimist is a well-informed optimist. Russian Proverb 2. Optimist, a member of Optimist International, a volunteer organization made up of more than 2,900 local Optimist Clubs throughout the world that is dedicated to “Bringing Out the Best in Kids” By providing hope and positive vision, Optimists bring out the best in youth, our... Read More

hike hike / hīk noun 1. a lengthy walk, a trek If I can get a hike in on a regular basis I know I will feel better and I will be stronger. Tara Moss, 1973 – 2. an abrupt increase (in prices, wages, etc.) The president has little chance of enacting the proposed tax hikes given Republican control of the House but they serve as a... Read More