W o W - Week of Words - December

This section covers the certain words related to Christmas. The “W o W” word Christmas Tree (Noun): An evergreen tree decorated at Christmas with ornaments and lights. Origin of Christmas Tree The Christmas tree comes to us from Germany. Martin Luther a German monk, is credited with being inspired by the starry heavens one night, and expressing his feelings to his family by bringing a fir tree into his home, and attaching lighted candles to its branches. Fir meant fire, and fire is an ancient symbol for spirit. The tree also pointed toward the heavens. Evergreens were thought to represent the ever-burning fire of life. The color green signified the life force through the year. Eventually decorative balls represented the planets, while the star that radiates from the top reminds us of Bethlehem. The entire tree and decorations teach us that the universe is witness to the Incarnation. Red at Christmas reminds us of the fire of the Spirit. Green affirms nature, and the ongoing life. And in the Incarnation, Spirit unites with nature.

The “W o W” word Santa Claus (Noun): The personification of the spirit of Christmas, usually represented as a jolly fat old man with a white beard and a red suit supposed to bring gifts to children on Christmas Eve. Legend of Santa Claus The American version of St. Nicholas, or Santa Claus originally came from the Dutch version called Sinter Klaas. The Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam (New York) brought this fun and lively tradition (some even say cult) to America. This version of Santa has given the current myth its visual form and the most curious tradition: A merry old man with red and white clothes. He arrives on a sledge rode by eight flying reindeers from his home located near the North Pole. With the habit of filling socks or stockings with presents on the night of December 24th, he is popular for entering houses through the chimney.

The “W o W” word Crèche (kresh) (noun): Christmas manger scene. A day-care center for small children The Baby in a Manger A crèche or Christmas crib, is a replica of the Nativity scene; the stable where Jesus was born in Bethlehem. It usually includes a manger, with figures of Jesus, Mary, Joseph, the Magi, shepherds, sheep, and other animals. The custom was popularized by St. Francis of Assisi on Christmas Eve in 1224 outside his church in Greccio, Italy. He used real people and animals to re-create the manger scene. This practice soon spread all over Europe, being adapted differently by each culture. Some countries developed a fine art of wood carving to create beautiful scenes. Some cities to this day create large spectacles, dramatizing that holy time and place in Bethlehem. The custom of the crèche was brought to the United States by Moravian settlers. It is found mainly in Catho1ic countries (the Pope has his own in Rome), but has spread to more Protestant countries.

The “W o W” word Hogmanay (Scottish) (noun): New Year's Eve; Silvester New Year’s Eve in Ecuador New Year's Eve is on December 31, the final day of the Gregorian year, and the day before New Year's Day. Ecuador celebrates a unique tradition on the last day of the year. Elaborate effigies are created to represent people and events from the past year. Often these include political characters or leaders that the creator of the effigy may have disagreed with. The dummies are made of straw, newspaper, and old clothes, with papier-mâché masks. Often they are also stuffed with fire crackers. At midnight the effigies are lit on fire to symbolize burning away of the past year and welcoming of the new year. In Ecuador, other rituals are performed for the health, wealth, prosperity and protection of each member. These rituals are the following: v Twelve grapes: Each person eats twelve grapes before midnight, making a wish with each grape. v Yellow underwear: One of the most popular traditions, yellow underwear are said to attract positive energies for the New Year. v Suitcase: Walking around the block with the suitcase will bring the person the journey of their dreams.

The T&T word Spaceflight (speys flIt ) (noun): A voyage outside the Earth's atmosphere. Spaceflight is the use of space technology to fly a spacecraft into and through outer space. Space Tourism Ready... Virgin Galactic is a company within Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group which plans to provide sub-orbital spaceflights to the paying public. Further in the future Virgin Galactic plans to offer orbital spaceflights as well. Virgin Galactic’s mission is to fly passengers who are not professional astronauts to an altitude slightly over 100 kilometers (62 mi) and allow them to experience weightlessness for up to 6 minutes. Although seats on the first flights have been sold at a premium (starting at US$200,000 for the first 100,) after the first 500 passengers, seats will be booked with a deposit of US $20,000. According to Virgin Galactic president Will Whitehorn, the company had sold nearly 200 seats as of November 2007. The first passenger flight is planned for 2010. Virgin Galactic is aiming to be the first space tourism company specializing in the provision of sub-orbital flights to the public. [More Info] : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spaceflight / http://www.virgingalactic.com/ / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_Galactic

Wednesday WordPlay - December

This section covers certain roots which, by their use as prefixes, suffixes and syllables, make up the majority of English language words. Remembering these words will help you in figuring out the meanings of words including new ones you come across every day.

| hypo-|

Meaning: under

Origin: hypo (Latin) meaning "under"

Example Words:

hypo·thesis: hypo + thesis ("a placing, proposition")

- base, basis of an argument

hypo·dermic: hypo + derma ("skin")

- under the skin

hypo·thermia: hypo + therme (Greek - "heat")

- Abnormally low body temperature

More Words with same origin: hypothalamus, hypoglycemia, hypotenuse, hyphen

| hyper-|

Meaning: over

Origin: hyper (Latin) meaning "over" or “beyond”

Example Words:

hyper·baton: hyper "over" + bainein "to step"

- (literal meaning) overstepping

hyper·bole: hyper- "beyond" + bol ( form ballein) "to throw"

More Words with same origin: hype, hyperactive, hyperdrive, hypermania, hyperlearning, hyperacidity, hypercritical

[Word Powers] Daily Words - December

Gusto (gus′tō) (noun): keen enjoyment; enthusiastic appreciation; zest; relish They sing their praises to God with great gusto - or in a quieter meditative manner.
Gusty (gŭs'tē)(Adjective): 1. Blowing in or marked by gusts: a gusty storm. 2. Characterized by sudden outbursts. In many areas there were gusty winds for much of the day.
Hypochondria (hahy-puh-KON-dree-uh) (noun): A state in which a person continually worries about their health without having any reason to do so She's a terrible hypochondriac - she's always at the doctor's. Recently, she read about an illness, which kills its victim within one month, and claimed to have its symptoms for last one year.
Hypocrisy (hi-POK-ruh-see) (noun): 1. insincerity by virtue of pretending to have qualities or beliefs that you do not really have 2. a pretense of having some desirable or publicly approved attitude. He's a hypocrite - he's always lecturing other people on the environment but never switches off the air conditioner.
Indict (in-dahyt) (Verb): (Of a grand jury) to bring a formal accusation against, as a means of bringing to trial: The grand jury indicted him for murder. To charge with an offense or crime; accuse of wrongdoing; castigate; criticize. One of the most important developments in international criminal law has been the indictment of leaders of states or armed groups for war crimes during the course of the conflict.
Indigenous (in-dij-uh-nuhs) (Adj): Originating in and characteristic of a particular region or country. Inherent; natural. India is now on the verge of testing a new indigenous rocket the GSLV-3, which has the capability to transfer up to 8000 Kg into a Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO).
Junket (ˈjəŋ-kət) (Noun): 1. A cheese cake; a sweetmeat; any delicate food. 2. A trip made by an official at public expense; A promotional trip made at another's expense Though she maintained she had gone abroad to collect firsthand data on the common market, the opposition claimed that her trip was merely a political Junket
Junta (ˈhu̇n-tə) (Noun): A council or committee for political or governmental purposes ; especially : a group of persons controlling a government especially after a revolutionary seizure of power As soon as he learned of its existence, the dictator ordered the execution of all of the members of the Junta
PDCA – Plan Do Check Act PDCA is an iterative four-step problem-solving process typically used in quality control. It is also known as the Deming Cycle, Shewhart cycle, Deming Wheel, or Plan-Do-Study-Act. ü PLAN Establish the objectives and processes necessary to deliver results in accordance with the specifications. ü DO Implement the processes. ü CHECK Monitor and evaluate the processes and results against objectives and Specifications and report the outcome. ü ACT Apply actions to the outcome for necessary improvement. Review all steps (Plan, Do, Check, Act) and modify the process to improve it before its next implementation. “If you don't know where you are a map won't help”
TQM – Total Quality Management As defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO): "TQM is a management approach for an organization, centered on quality, based on the participation of all its members and aiming at long-term success through customer satisfaction, and benefits to all members of the organization and to society." ISO 8402:1994 TQM is composed of three paradigms: v Total: Involving the entire organization v Quality: High degree of excellence v Management: System of managing with steps like Plan, Organize, Control, Lead, Staff, provisioning and organizing. TQM requires that the company maintain this quality standard in all aspects of its business. This requires ensuring that: “Things are done right the first time and that defects and waste are eliminated from operations” “Q_AL_TY is incomplete without U and I”
Hyperbaton (hahy-PUR-buh-ton) (noun): Figure of speech in which the natural order of words or phrases is inverted, especially for the sake of emphasis "Cheese I love" is a hyperbaton. More hyperbatons: "Whom God wishes to destroy, he first makes mad." - Euripides, Greek tragedian "Sorry I be but go you must." - Yoda (picture) in the movie Star Wars
Hyperbole (hahy-PUR-buh-lee) (noun): A way of speaking or writing that makes someone or something sound bigger, better, more, etc. than they actually are. The blurb on the back of the book was full of the usual hyperbole - 'enthralling', 'fascinating' and so on.
Travel (travul) (verb / noun): Change location; move or proceed; Undertake a journey or trip; the act of going from one place to another. * The word “travel” comes from the old French word “travail” which means to work. When ‘travel’ was first introduced into the English language it meant something that was hard and difficult. It was work, one never travelled for pleasure! * Usage: traveler (US) or traveller (UK) * Travel 2.0 is a term that represents the extension and customization of the concept of Web 2.0 into a form that applies to the world’s largest industry: travel and tourism. [More Info] : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel / http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Travel_2.0 / http://www.askoxford.com/worldofwords/oed/surgeon/travel/?view=
Transportation (‘transpor’teyshun) (noun): A facility consisting of the means and equipment necessary for the movement of passengers or goods; the act of moving something from one location to another; the commercial enterprise of moving goods and materials * Transportation is performed by various modes, such as air, rail, road and water. Other uncommon modes of transportation are Pipeline transport, Cable transport and Space transport. * Transportation was a form of punishment devised in England to exile convicted criminals to the American colonies from c. 1650 and after the War of Independence to Australia between 1788 and 1868, when it was abolished. The system arose out of England's lack of state-organized prisons and the overcrowding of what few prisons there were, including converted warships (hulks) anchored in the river Thames. [More Info] : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transport / http://www.answers.com/topic/transportation
Carol (kar-uhl) (Noun): 1. A song of praise or joy, especially for Christmas. 2. An old round dance often accompanied by singing. All the family hold hands to form a ring around the tree, and walk around the tree singing carols.
Egg-nog (eg′näg′) (Noun): Traditional Christmas drink made of alcohol with beaten eggs and milk They listen to Christmas music, have eggnog and hot cider, eat nuts and spend time with family and friends in the evening.
Tinsel (tin-suhl) (Noun): 1. a glittering metallic substance, as copper or brass, in thin sheets, used in pieces, strips, threads, etc., to produce a sparkling effect 2. anything showy or attractive with little or no real worth; showy pretense The decorations come out, the tinsel gets hung and houses get lit up with a multitude of tiny colored lights on Christmas day.
Scrooge (skrooj) (Noun): A mean-spirited miserly person; a skinflint. A selfish person who is unwilling to give or spend is called a scrooge, after Ebenezer Scrooge, the miserly protagonist of A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens.
Yuletide (YOOL-tahyd): 1. (noun) the Christmas season. Period extending from Dec. 24 to Jan. 6. 2. (adj) of or pertaining to the Christmas season. Yule or Yuletide was a Germanic midwinter festival involving a sacrificial feast that was absorbed into Christmas. The pagan Germanic peoples celebrated Yule from late December to early January on a date determined by the lunar Germanic calendar. In picture, Juletræslys, a Danish Yule Tree Candle.
Tidings (TAHY-dingz) (Noun): A piece of news, information, or intelligence. ¯...Good tidings to you wherever you go, Good tidings for Christmas and a Happy New Year... ¯
Epiphany (i'pifunee) (Noun): Twelve days after Christmas; celebrates the visit of the three wise men to the infant Jesus; Twelfth day; January 6 For Western Christians’ Epiphany primarily commemorates the coming of the Magi (sages), while in the East the feast celebrates the Baptism of Christ in the Jordan. However, in both cases the essence of the feast is the same: the manifestation of Christ to the world, and the Mystery of the Incarnation.
Wassail (wósul) (Noun): 1. A punch made of sweetened ale or wine heated with spices and roasted apples; especially at Christmas 2. Good wishes, Make merry ¯.. Wassail! wassail! all over the town, Our toast it is white and our ale it is brown; Our bowl it is made of the white maple tree; With the wassailing bowl, we'll drink to thee. ..¯
Wreath (rēth) (Noun): A ring or circlet of flowers, boughs, or leaves worn on the head, placed on a memorial, or hung as a decoration. A representation of this ring or circlet, as in woodwork. People hang wreaths on their front door around Christmas time
Windfall (wĭnd'fôl') (Noun): A sudden, unexpected piece of good fortune or personal gain. Something, such as a ripened fruit, that has been blown down by the wind. There had been an unexpected windfall of half a million pounds more in License Fee income than expected.
Inter (in'tur) (verb): Bury, Put in the ground, Put to rest Joseph Stalin’s embalmed corpse was put into a coffin and interred behind the Kremlin wall.
Intern (inturn) (noun): 1. A junior doctor undergoing training in a hospital 2. Trainee or assistant at a job in order to gain practical experience; 'houseman' British term Interns at the city hospital were warned by senior doctor for not taking care of the old man.
Doyen (doy'en) (noun): A man who is the senior member of a group; Dean; Krishna Kumar Birla, doyen of Indian industry, popularly known as K K Babu, was a builder of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in Pilani Rajasthan, his birthplace.
Don (dón) (noun): 1. The head of an organized crime family 2. Teacher at a university of college (British) Amitabh Bachchan acted as Don in “Don” movie was first remade in Telugu as Yugandhar, starring N.T. Rama Rao. Another remake was made in Tamil titled Billa, starring Super star Rajnikanth. Also the movie was remade in Malayalam as Sobharaj, starring Mohanlal.