Word Of The Day

Procrastinate

To procrastinate is to be slow or late about doing something that should be done, or about doing or attending to things in general.

// Tickets to the event are selling swiftly, so don't procrastinate—buy yours today.

// Not one to procrastinate, Harry set to work on the project immediately.



Antic

Antic refers to an attention-drawing, often wildly playful or funny act or action. It is usually used in its plural form, and is often used disapprovingly.

// It wasn't clear which students were ultimately responsible for the antics that unfolded in the cafeteria that day.



Cantankerous

A cantankerous person is often angry and annoyed, and a cantankerous animal or thing is difficult or irritating to deal with.

// Although the former postman was regarded by some townspeople as a scowling, cantankerous old coot, he was beloved by neighborhood children, to whom he would regularly hand out butterscotch candies from his front stoop with a twinkle in his eye.



Yankee

Yankee can refer broadly to anyone born or living in the U.S., more narrowly to only those in the northern U.S., or even more narrowly to only those in the states of New England.

The broadest use is especially common outside the U.S.

// It took the children some time to adjust to being the only Southerners in a classroom full of Yankees.

// After years of international travel, he'd grown accustomed to living as a Yankee abroad.



Desultory

Desultory is a formal word used to describe something that lacks a plan or purpose, or that occurs without regularity. It can also describe something unconnected to a main subject, or something that is disappointing in progress, performance, or quality.

// After graduation, I moved from job to job in a more or less desultory manner before finding work I liked.

// The team failed to cohere over the course of the season, stumbling to a desultory fifth place finish.



Verbose

Someone described as verbose tends to use many words to convey their point. Verbose can also describe something, such as a speech, that contains more words than necessary.

// The article documenting their meeting presented an odd exchange between a verbose questioner and a laconic interviewee.



Expunge

To expunge something is to remove it completely, whether by obliterating it, striking it out, or marking it for deletion. Expunge is most commonly applied in cases in which documentation of something is removed from an official record.

// Due to an error, the charges were expunged from their record.



Expunge

To expunge something is to remove it completely, whether by obliterating it, striking it out, or marking it for deletion. Expunge is most commonly applied in cases in which documentation of something is removed from an official record.

// Due to an error, the charges were expunged from their record.



Restive

Restive can describe a person or group feeling impatience or uneasiness, or it can describe someone who is stubbornly resistant to control.

// The audience grew increasingly restive as the speaker droned on and on.

// The school's focus on artistic expression helps restive youths stay engaged in their learning.



Sumptuous

Sumptuous is used to describe things that are very expensive, rich, luxurious, or magnificent.

// The celebratory meal was a sumptuous feast of dishes from our host’s homeland.