assuage (verb)

• A Word to the Wise

  denizen

  July 22, 2022 · 1 min read

  A denizen – from the Late Latin for “from within” – is an inhabitant or occupant of a particular place. As I used it today: “Apartment denizens that use coin-operated washing machines have noticed a ‘shortage’…

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• A Word to the Wise

  convivial (adjective)

  December 27, 2019 · 1 min read

  This is a joyful, exuberant, sociable time of year – made festive with the pleasures of good food, good drink, and good company. In other words, it’s the most “convivial” (kun-VIV-ee-ul) of all holidays.

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  eschew (verb)

  May 18, 2020 · 1 min read

  To eschew (es-CHEW) is to deliberately avoid using; to abstain from. As I used it today: “I learned the lesson above in the mid to late 1980s. After that, I eschewed freebie campaigns and even highly…

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• A Word to the Wise

  wherefore

  April 8, 2022 · 1 min read

  When Juliet famously says “O Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo…” it sounds like she’s asking “Where are you?” But wherefore actually means “why,” the reason behind something. So, she’s not wondering…

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  exponential (adjective)

  September 25, 2020 · 1 min read

  Exponential (eks-puh-NEN-shul) refers to an increase that becomes more and more rapid. As I used it today: “Compounding is slow and boring at first. But as time passes, the dividends get exponentially larger.”

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