Word of the Day

To lapidify is to turn into stone or cause something else to become stone. The word is as comfortable in geology as it is in ancient legends — think of lava cooling into rock, or statues forming from mythic curses. There's no turning back when something lapidifies.

Whether it's a rant at a town hall or a tirade in a drama, a harangue tends to leave its audience more annoyed than enlightened. The word was used for centuries to describe any public address, but over time, it picked up a sharper edge. Today, if someone launches into a harangue, you're probably in for a lecture, not a dialogue.

Puckish describes a kind of mischief that isn't mean-spirited; it's clever, sly, and maybe even a little bit charming. The word draws its name from the prank-loving fairy Puck in A Midsummer Night's Dream, and it still carries a sense of playful troublemaking.

An antiquarian is someone interested in studying or collecting old books, objects, or artifacts. They might be more concerned with age and rarity than with sentimental or historical meaning. To an antiquarian, nothing is more alluring than the treasures of years gone by.

To expiscate is to uncover information through deep, careful inquiry. The word shares a conceptual link with "fishing," suggesting you are "fishing out" information from a sea of secrets. A curious mind will always find a way to expiscate the facts.