How Our Greatest Strengths Become Weaknesses
Here are the best good-and-evil duos that we all struggle to keep balanced, you may even learn an antonym or two along the way.
Archives
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The Oldest Abbreviations In English
In the age of LOL, WTF, and OMG, abbreviations are often looked at as a sign of the coming apocalypse. (Spoiler: LOL, WTF, and OMG are not the oldest abbreviations in English—you’re shocked, we know.) So-called textspeak is viewed as a lesser form of English, and many people worry that pretty soon we’ll all be communicating solely in emoji. But, abbreviations aren’t exactly a new invention. …
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There’s Nothing Pawky About This Word Of The Day Quiz
Tired from terraforming all weekend? Heal thyself with this week’s salvific Word of the Day Quiz. If the quiz doesn’t display, please try opening in the Chrome browser. Tell us your favorite word from this week below (and share it with your friends on Facebook and Twitter)!
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bakuchiol
Calling all skincare aficionados! Bakuchiol is a plant-based alternative to retinoids used in skincare products for mild exfoliation and anti-aging. -
Why Can’t Women Swear?
by Ashley Austrew It’s not every day you hear the F-word at a congressional event … But in January 2019, at an event celebrating progressive women in congress, that’s exactly what happened. Rashida Tlaib, the country’s first Palestinian-American congresswoman, told a story about what her congressional win meant to her son. She told the crowd, “…when your son looks at you and says: ‘Momma, look, …
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Humanitarian, Sublimate, And Other Trending Words On Dictionary.com
From Glenn Close at the Golden Globes to Cyntoia Brown in Tennessee, here’s who (and what) had folks searching for meaning on Dictionary.com the week of January 4–11, 2019. Humanitarian President Donald Trump made his first-ever address to the nation from the Oval Office this week, so it’s no surprise that folks tuned in to see what he had to say, or that plenty stuck …
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What Is An Ally?
It used to be that when we spoke of allies, it was most likely in a military sense, referring to countries formally banded together, usually by treaty, to fight against their enemies. Today, though, the word is used more broadly. What does ally mean today? An ally, ultimately from a Latin verb meaning “to bind to,” is used to describe “someone who supports disenfranchised and underrepresented groups …
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Before X Was X: The Dark Horse Story of the 24th Letter
With its long, ambiguous history and multiple phonemes, the letter X is quite a dark horse. It can mean Christ, like the X in Xmas, stand for a chromosome, and even show up in friendly and amorous correspondence (XOXO). But, how did X end up in the alphabet to begin with? The origin of X Since its inception, the letter X has struggled to establish …
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aggy
Aggy is a slang term that means "aggravated" or "aggravating" ... like "irritated" or "irritating." You know that feeling when your ex won't stop texting you? Yeah, that's aggy. -
ratchet
Ratchet is a slang term that can mean "exciting" or "excellent," often used as a term of empowerment among women. Some may also use ratchet for when they are feeling "bad" in some way. The… -
bi erasure
Bi erasure, a short form of bisexual erasure, is the act of ignoring, explaining away, or otherwise dismissing bisexuality in culture, media, or history. -
goin’ brazy
Goin' brazy is hip-hop slang way of saying going crazy, as popularized by members or affiliates of the Los Angeles-based gang the Bloods.
