GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

respond

noun
re·​spond | \ ri-ˈspänd \
an engaged pillar supporting an arch or closing a colonnade or arcade
verb
responded; responding; responds
intransitive verb
1 to say something in return : make an answer
2a to react in response
2b to show favorable reaction
3 to be answerable transitive verb
reply

-==0==-

When she was forced to respond
The witch languidly waved her wand.
The result was just too pretty
Her foe was turned to a cuddly kitty.

[Algot Runeman]

trivial

adjective
triv·​i·​al | \ ˈtri-vē-əl \
1a of little worth or importance
1b relating to or being the mathematically simplest case specifically : characterized by having all variables equal to zero linear equation
2 commonplace, ordinary

-==0==-

Each day we, here, attempt
Somehow to present,
A word for you to know,
Which just might make you grow.

While sometimes it may seem trivial,
We do it to be convivial,
So it's wash, rinse, repeat
Because we think it's neat.

[Algot Runeman]

dispute

verb
dis·​pute | \ di-ˈspyüt \
disputed; disputing
intransitive verb
to engage in argument : debate especially : to argue irritably or with irritating persistence
transitive verb
1a to make the subject of verbal controversy or disputation
1b to call into question or cast doubt upon
2a to struggle against : oppose
2b to contend over
noun
dis·​pute | \ di-ˈspyüt, ˈdi-ˌspyüt \
1a verbal controversy : debate
1b quarrel
2 obsolete : physical combat

-==/0\==-

Bob disputed the contention
That he should never mention
How much or little attention
Was given to the convention.

One solitary word each day
With which we are allowed to play
"Why not two or more," he'll say.
And will present a probing survey.

He would like to write and share
A lot of words, with little care.
He thinks it much more fair
To ramble on with words to spare.



[This post is actually a day late, though not a dollar short. You are getting full measure, nothing held back. It is just delayed by some hours. It was actually ready to post on it's due date. I'd guess you have to enjoy two words today.]

[Algot Runeman]

melancholy

noun
mel·​an·​choly | \ ˈme-lən-ˌkä-lē \
plural melancholies
1a depression of spirits : dejection
1b a pensive mood
2a melancholia sense 1
2b archaic : an abnormal state attributed to an excess of black bile and characterized by irascibility or depression
2c archaic : black bile
adjective
1a suggestive or expressive of sadness or depression of mind or spirit
1b causing or tending to cause sadness or depression of mind or spirit : dismal a melancholy thought
2a depressed in spirits : dejected, sad
2b pensive

-==/0\==-

And a result of excess folly,
Ben, though formerly seen as jolly,
Now saw his life as a complete mess,
And wallowed alone in melancholy.



[As expected, here is the second word of this Friday's posting. Hah! The week is DONE!...well, unless you consider that there is another word TBD for tomorrow and then the next day, and the next after that...]

[Algot Runeman]

carceral

adjective
car·​cer·​al | \ ˈkär-sə-rəl \
of, relating to, or suggesting a jail or prison

-==0==-

Teens often see parental restrictions as carceral. Parents often work very hard to find effective growth options for their children, room to stretch and explore. It is challenging for both.

[Algot Runeman]

shard

noun
\ ˈshärd \
1a a piece or fragment of a brittle substance, broadly : a small piece or part : scrap
1b shell, scale especially : elytron
2 or sherd \ ˈshərd \ : a fragment of a pottery vessel found on sites and in refuse deposits where pottery-making peoples have lived
3 highly angular curved glass fragments of tuffaceous sediments

-==0==-

Fractured fragments, shards of recalled times,
Frozen vistas mixed randomly with balmy climes,
No clarity of story, coherence just a pretense,
When our memories get twisted out of sequence.

[Algot Runeman]

stoic

noun
sto·​ic | \ ˈstō-ik \
1 capitalized : a member of a school of philosophy founded by Zeno of Citium about 300 b.c. holding that the wise man should be free from passion, unmoved by joy or grief, and submissive to natural law
2 one apparently or professedly indifferent to pleasure or pain
sto·​ic | \ ˈstō-ik \
variants: or stoical \ ˈstō-​i-​kəl \
1 capitalized : of, relating to, or resembling the Stoics or their doctrines
2 not affected by or showing passion or feeling especially : firmly restraining response to pain or distress

-==0==-

Ben was indifferent
About the date he got the rent.
Fortunately for him, he was both landlord
And his very own stoic tenant.

[Algot Runeman]

litany

noun
lit·​a·​ny | \ ˈli-tə-nē, ˈlit-nē \
plural litanies
1 a prayer consisting of a series of invocations and supplications by the leader with alternate responses by the congregation
2a a resonant or repetitive chant a litany of cheering phrases— Herman Wouk
2b a usually lengthy recitation or enumeration a familiar litany of complaints
2c a sizable series or set a litany of problems The drug has a litany of possible side effects.

-==0==-

When the litany of rules was done
The campers went outside for some fun.
The group stayed shaded from the sun
Until the heat of the day was done.
And cooked up unlimited s'mores
Before falling asleep with sugar stun!

[Algot Runeman]

elated

adjective
elat·​ed | \ i-ˈlā-təd \
marked by high spirits : exultant

-==0==-

After completing a successful consult,
The company head approved the result.
Everyone else involved was elated,
But Sam bemoaned the job's flaws. It grated.

He was, and would never be, a shirker,
But he'd learned as a Gig worker,
Document the steps of what you could do,
And enable the maintainers to carry it through.

[Algot Runeman]

immutable

adjective
im·​mu·​ta·​ble | \ (ˌ)i(m)-ˈmyü-tə-bəl \
not capable of or susceptible to change

-==0==-

"Immutable and Un-mutable"

Jody's radio went on the blink.
She could not make the volume shrink.
Her mother said, "IT'S WAY TOO LOUD!"
Jody's control fail didn't make her proud.

She turned the knob both up and down.
When it did nothing, it made her frown.
So she pulled the plug out from the wall,
The sound went up. It did not stall.

"This radio is cursed!" she cried.
"I suspect that there's a ghost inside."
They buried the thing out in the yard.
And ultimately moved, though it was hard.

The property remains unsold,
Though it's a pretty spot, I'm told.
And should you happen to drive by,
You might just hear the radio's cry.

[Algot Runeman]

charisma

noun
cha·​ris·​ma | \ kə-ˈriz-mə \
1 a personal magic of leadership arousing special popular loyalty or enthusiasm for a public figure (such as a political leader)
2 a special magnetic charm or appeal

-==0==-

His smile and charisma were highly visible
Though his policies were mostly risible.
He thought it was enough to be charismatic
With little sense of what was in his attic.

He gathered around him sycophants
Who cheered at his bizarre rants.
He pranced around the speaker's stage
Building the audience into a rage.

He spoke ill of his opponents
Calling them out as rodents
Or other sorts of icky creatures
With really no redeeming features.

When we vote to see who gets elected
I really hope that he's rejected.
I'm not a fan of all those voters
Who just want to be gun toters.

[Algot Runeman]

unabashed

adjective
un·​abashed | \ ˌən-ə-ˈbasht \
not abashed : undisguised, unapologetic

-==0==-

His glee was unabashed
Though his dorm room had been trashed.
Ben was unashamed
But he knew he would be blamed.

He swore he would replace
Any broken stuff with grace.
He'd managed to finally graduate,
Though it was over six years late.

[Algot Runeman]

apprehensive

adjective
ap·​pre·​hen·​sive | \ ˌa-pri-ˈhen(t)-siv \
1 viewing the future with anxiety or alarm : feeling or showing fear or apprehension about the future
2 capable of understanding or quick to do so : discerning
3 having awareness or knowledge of something : cognizant

-==0==-

Edgar was appropriately apprehensive,
Though his efforts had been intensive,
His exams had been really difficult,
And he was far from sure of the result.

[Algot Runeman]

ungainly

adjective
un·​gain·​ly | \ ˌən-ˈgān-lē\
1a lacking in smoothness or dexterity : clumsy
1b hard to handle : unwieldy
2 having an awkward appearance

-==0==-

He worked overtime, insanely.
In thick dirt and grime, mainly.
He was known as careful and precise,
In spite of being generally ungainly.

Some viewed him as a slob
And a few called him "Dumb Bob",
But they also knew that he was nice,
And were glad to have him on their job.

[Algot Runeman]

glitch

noun
\ ˈglich \
1a a usually minor malfunction also : bug
1b a minor problem that causes a temporary setback : snag
2 a false or spurious electronic signal

-==0==-

There was a momentary power glitch, one which went unnoticed by the observatory staff. Years later, that moment came to haunt the facility. It takes time for ectoplasm to mature into a significant ghost in the machine.

[Algot Runeman]

whelm

verb
\ ˈ(h)welm \
whelmed; whelming; whelms
transitive verb
1 to turn (something, such as a dish or vessel) upside down usually to cover something : cover or engulf completely with usually disastrous effect
2 to overcome in thought or feeling : overwhelm

intransitive verb
to pass or go over something so as to bury or submerge it

-==0==-

Frank whelmed the clean glass bowl over a spider on his counter. With slow, care he slid the bowl over a stiff piece of paper, being sure that the spider shifted away from the advancing edge of the bowl. Moments later, Frank gently released the spider into the back yard, wishing it well. Frank was overwhelmed with pride.

[Algot Runeman]

polish

noun
1a a smooth glossy surface : luster
1b freedom from rudeness or coarseness : culture
1c a state of high development or refinement
2 the action or process of polishing
3 a preparation that is used to produce a gloss and often a color for the protection and decoration of a surface

-==0==-

They said Alex lacked polish, so he went to the local shoe store and bought a kit. He shined every shoe he had, including all ten pairs of sneakers, but it did not burnish his reputation. Then he went to the market and got the stuff that made his pots and pans all shine. It worked surprisingly well.

[Algot Runeman]

sensibility

noun
sen·​si·​bil·​i·​ty | \ ˌsen(t)-sə-ˈbi-lə-tē \
plural sensibilities
1 ability to receive sensations : sensitiveness
2 peculiar susceptibility to a pleasurable or painful impression (as from praise or a slight) —often used in plural
3 awareness of and responsiveness toward something (such as emotion in another)
4 refined or excessive sensitiveness in emotion and taste with especial responsiveness to the pathetic

-==0==-

Jenny had a mouthful of cheese,
And she began to wheeze
Then loosed an explosive sneeze.
Her friends, with gentle sensibilities
Patted her back and said,
"Don't do that again, please!"

[Algot Runeman]

devolve

verb
de·​volve | \ di-ˈvälv, -ˈvȯlv, dē- \
devolved; devolving
transitive verb
to pass on (something, such as responsibility, rights, or powers) from one person or entity to another
intransitive verb
1a to pass by transmission or succession the estate
1b to fall or be passed usually as a responsibility or obligation
2 to come by or as if by flowing down streams devolving from the mountains
3 to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution

-==0==-

They had a problem they wanted to solve,
But they didn't know what it would involve.
In the end they decided to just sell the place,
And, to others, the issue devolve.

[Algot Runeman]

biannual

adjective
bi·​an·​nu·​al | \ (ˌ)bī-ˈan-yə(-wə)l \
1 occurring twice a year
2 biennial sense 1 : occurring every two years

-==0==-

"Biannual"

A word that's in conflict,
With a meaning not strict:
"I'll see you twice this year or only once in two!",
Said Ben with his hair slicked.
One could easily be tricked.

This is why I prefer when someone says, "We publish semi-annually." instead of "Ours is a biannual magazine."
I always feel that I should check the dictionary and then give the publisher a call.

[Algot Runeman]

splendor

noun
splen·​dor | \ ˈsplen-dər \
1a great brightness or luster : brilliancy
1b magnificence, pomp
2 something splendid

-==0==-

John sat quietly at the shore
Until the sun was not there any more.
He'd do it again when he got the chance.
Because every sunset splendor deserves more than just a glance.

[Algot Runeman]

brandish

verb
bran·​dish | \ ˈbran-dish \
brandished; brandishing; brandishes
transitive verb
1 to shake or wave (something, such as a weapon) menacingly brandished a knife at them
2 to exhibit in an ostentatious or aggressive manner brandishing her intellect
noun
an act or instance of waving something menacingly or exhibiting something ostentatiously or aggressively : an act or instance of brandishing

-==0==-

Betsy and Ben, each holding one end, brandished their homemade banner as the riders went by. "GO, BOB!" it said.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

brandish

I think Greg Lemond would have scorned such a bannered brandish.

[Algot Runeman]

adjacent

adjective
ad·​ja·​cent | \ ə-ˈjā-sᵊnt \
1a not distant
1b having a common endpoint or border
1c immediately preceding or following
2 of two angles : having the vertex and one side in common

-==0==-

I don't think I live adjacent
To the landlord to whom I pay my rent.
I do not really know where they live.
There's a PO box to which the check gets sent.

[The rhyme nearly makes sense. It is close to being sensible. This comment almost explains the effort.]

[Algot Runeman]

grandiose

adjective
gran·​di·​ose | \ ˈgran-dē-ˌōs, ˌgran-dē-ˈōs \
1 characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by absurd exaggeration
2 impressive because of uncommon largeness, scope, effect, or grandeur

-==0==-

His plans were grandiose,
But he wisely kept them close.
He knew from past experience
They didn't always make much sense.
Keeping them on the down low
So that others would not know,
Lou ran the plans through many a test
To find the parts that worked the best.
In the end he gave them up.
Judging them a tempest in a teacup.



"Tempest in a teapot" is the US version. "Storm in a teacup" is British. According to the Wikipedia article, I'm on semi-stable ground. Then again, maybe it's just an attempt at grandiose misuse of my forum topic *powers*.