Author Archives: bethoffreshair

\ PER-i-gruh-neyt \  , verb; 1.To travel or journey, especially to walk on foot. 2.To travel or walk over; traverse. I used to think stories about grandparents walking to work or school “uphill both ways” was an impossibility.  That’s because I grew up in FL.  My last job paid 4 extra dollars a day to those who walked to work.  So this supported my latte-a-day addiction.  But one day in frigid January,Continue reading “peregrinate.”

\ in-kuh-MOH-dee-uhs \  , adjective; 1.Inconvenient, as not affording sufficient space or room; uncomfortable. Classes and exams are over and dorms are closed except to graduating seniors.  So tonight I went on a walk to enjoy the beauty of Spring and the silence of a calm campus.  I walked out of my building on the quad, and heard a tuba and trombone player.  I thought dearContinue reading “incommodious.”

\ DAN-dl \  , verb; 1.To move (a baby, child, etc.) lightly up and down, as on one’s knee or in one’s arms. 2.To pet; pamper. “My remote control is not sticky and the back is still in tact, which means I do not have kids,” said Ellen Degeneres.  That comment makes me think that I, too, want an unsticky remote.  But then I babysit and sit lil waddler down to read a book, and he scoots ontoContinue reading “dandle.”

\BAWL-der-dash\ , noun; 1.Senseless, stupid, or exaggerated talk or writing; nonsense. 2.(Archaic:) A muddled mixture of liquors. I’ve developed a pretty nonsensical game with the three-year-old dreamer I watch.  We pretend we are stirring up cake batter or some other sort of recipe…and she has me try it…then she squeals, “there’s a worm in that!!!” and IContinue reading “balderdash.”

\KIZ-met; -mit\ , noun; 1.Destiny; fate. I remember trying to memorize this word for AP English.  “They kissed when they met…it was kismet.”  This is unrealistic, unless it is on Jersey Shore, then it is not fate, but a display of having a dysfunctional relationship with parents at a young age and searching for “love” in allContinue reading “kismet.”

\ CHOR-tl \  , transitive and intransitive verb; 1.To utter, or express with, a snorting, exultant laugh or chuckle. noun: 1.A snorting, exultant laugh or chuckle. A simple chortle can help one fall in love or stay out of love for a while.  Some chortles are so endearingly contagious, you long to be around them.  Others may make you realize you could not spend the rest of your life paying a mortgage with a chortle like that. Continue reading “chortle.”

\ BAY-luh-wik \  , noun; 1.A person’s specific area of knowledge, authority, interest, skill, or work. 2.The office or district of a bailiff. My bailiwicks: Font Chooser French Presser Children’s Book Critiquer Commercial Analyzer Peanut Butter Spreader Hula Hooper Not sure where these will get me in life.

\ INK-horn \  , adjective; 1.Affectedly or ostentatiously learned; pedantic. noun: 1.A small bottle of horn or other material formerly used for holding ink. My buddy, Dirk, and I had a long running competition on who could use the Word of the Day in conversation the most.  “Inkhorn” was the word years back.  That evening, I was schmoozing with folks at the Refuge, and I heard Dirk from across the room, “well the other dayContinue reading “inkhorn.”

\ loo-kyoo-BRAY-shun; loo-kuh- \  , noun; 1. The act of studying by candlelight; nocturnal study; meditation. 2. That which is composed by night; that which is produced by meditation in retirement; hence (loosely) any literary composition. I spent the weekend with two dear friends from college.  Now that I’m working on my college campus, I reminisce often, but being with them makes the memories come back in large doses.  I have a handful of lucubration memories.  But most are of avoiding the lucubration.  They’re about blowing out theContinue reading “lucubration.”

\ in-VAY-guhl; -VEE- \  , transitive verb; 1.To persuade by ingenuity or flattery; to entice. 2.To obtain by ingenuity or flattery. I was blinded by your beauty so I’m going to need your name and number for insurance reasons. If I received a nickel for every time I saw someone as beautiful as you, I’d only have five cents. If I could rearrange the alphabet, I would put ‘U’ and ‘I’ together. Let’sContinue reading “inveigle.”