Word Smart

Thursday, June 30, 2016

noun. 1) the rear curtain of astage setting 2) the setting or background

"In today's NFL, defenses are no longer stars, they're backdrops. Quarterbacks and passing offenses are the real stars."

"The real economic effect of Brexit remains to be seen, but persistent uncertainty is not a healthy backdrop for consumers."

"The core of the story is set against the backdrop of the Iraq invasion."

gleeful [Glee-fuh l]

adjective. full of exultant joy; delighted

"Surfers and weathermen are probably the only people who gleefully run to the beach when they hear a hurricane is coming."

"The actor gleefully signed autographs and posed for pictures."

"The kid gleefully trotted into the backyard, touching his chest and pointing skyward."

trump [truhmp]

noun. a playing card of a winning suit verb. out-perform, out-rank, defeat

"Taste trumps most if not all other factors when consumers choose food products."

"In this election, it would seem issues of national security trumped economic issues."

"This company operated on the assumption that money trumped everything."

nihilism [Nahy-uh-liz-uh m]

noun. complete denial of all established authority and institutions; the belief that life is meaningless

"Brexit is the result of a deep nihilism among the British public. This nihilism has not just emerged recently."

"The voter nihilism that Trump both reflects and stimulates is a symptom of political decay."

"I’m against cynicism and nihilism and corruption and dishonesty."

chisel [Chiz-uh l]

noun. a metal tool with a flat, sharp end that is used to cut and shape a solid material (such as stone, wood, or metal)

El Capitan [el kap-i-Tan]

El Capitan (Spanish for The Captain, The Chief) is a vertical rock formation in Yosemite National Park.

El Capitan is the name of the last major release of OS X, Apple's operating system for Macintosh computers.

hankering [Hang-ker-ing]

noun. a strong desire

"By the middle of the last winter, they were hankering for a warm day. Now they are hankering for a cooler day in Southern California."

"He is a millionaire with a hankering for the White House."

"I'm hankering for some sushi."