Word of the Day From Dictionary:

frondescence \fron-DES-uhns\, noun:

1. Leafage; foliage. 2. The process or period of putting forth leaves, as a tree, plant, or the like.

collop \KOL-uhp\, noun:

1. A small slice of meat. 2. A small slice, portion, or piece of anything. 3. A fold or roll of flesh on the body.

operose \OP-uh-rohs\, adjective:

1. Done with or involving much labor. 2. Industrious, as a person.

bobbery \BOB-uh-ree\, noun:

A disturbance or a brawl.

altruistic \al-troo-IS-tik\, adjective:

1. Unselfishly concerned for or devoted to the welfare of others. 2. Animal Behavior. Of or pertaining to behavior by an animal that may be to its disadvantage but that benefits others of its kind, often its close relatives.

churlish \CHUR-lish\, adjective:

1. Boorish or rude. 2. Of a churl; peasantlike. 3. Stingy; mean. 4. Difficult to work or deal with, as soil.

serry \SER-ee\, verb:

To crowd closely together.

panegyrize \PAN-i-juh-rahyz\, verb:

1. To eulogize; to deliver or write a panegyric about. 2. To indulge in panegyric; bestow praises.

stertor \STUR-ter\, noun:

A heavy snoring sound.

procrustean \proh-KRUHS-tee-uhn\, adjective:

1. Tending to produce conformity by violent or arbitrary means. 2. Pertaining to or suggestive of Procrustes.

dipsomania \dip-suh-MEY-nee-uh\, noun:

An irresistible, typically periodic craving for alcoholic drink.

appetence \AP-i-tuhns\, noun:

1. Intense desire; strong natural craving; appetite. 2. Instinctive inclination or natural tendency. 3. Material or chemical attraction or affinity.

crepitate \KREP-i-teyt\, verb:

To make a crackling sound; crackle.

poltroon \pol-TROON\, noun:

1. A wretched coward; craven.

adjective: 1. Marked by utter cowardice.

salvo \SAL-voh\, noun:

1. Something to save a person's reputation or soothe a person's feelings. 2. An excuse or quibbling evasion. 3. A simultaneous or successive discharge of artillery, bombs, etc. 4. A round of fire given as a salute. 5. A round of cheers or applause.

mitigate \MIT-i-geyt\, verb:

1. To lessen in force or intensity, as wrath, grief, harshness, or pain; moderate.
2. To make less severe: to mitigate a punishment.
3. To make (a person, one's state of mind, disposition, etc.) milder or more gentle; mollify; appease.
4. To become milder; lessen in severity.