Top words-of-the-month
contretemps \KAHN-truh-tahn\, noun;
plural contretemps \-tahnz\:
An inopportune or embarrassing situation or event; a hitch.
prink PRINGK, transitive verb:
1. To dress up; to deck for show.
intransitive verb:
To dress or arrange oneself for show; to primp.
cormorant KOR-mur-unt; -muh-rant, noun:
1. Any species of Phalacrocorax, a genus of sea birds having a sac under the beak; the shag. Cormorants devour fish voraciously, and have become the emblem of gluttony. They are generally black, and hence are called sea ravens, and coalgeese.
2. A gluttonous, greedy, or rapacious person.
pastiche pas-TEESH; pahs-, noun:
1. A work of art that imitates the style of some previous work.
2. A musical, literary, or artistic composition consisting of selections from various works.
3. A hodgepodge; an incongruous combination of different styles and ingredients.
tattoo ta-TOO, noun:
1. A rapid, rhythmic drumming or rapping.
2. A beat of a drum, or sound of a trumpet or bugle, giving notice to soldiers to go to their quarters at night.
3. A display of military exercises given as evening entertainment.