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Today's Words: Ulotrichous, Foozle and Theocracy

  Ulotrichous (yoo-lo-tri-kuhs) Adjective having woolly or crisply curly hair More about Ulotrichous First recorded in 1855–60. From New Latin Ulotrich(i), formerly a name for a division of humankind; from Greek oulótrichos, “curly-haired,” equivalent to oûlo(s), “thick, fleecy” + -trichos, “-haired” + -ous  Examples of Ulotrichous The stylist specialized in ulotrichous hair, knowing the best techniques to manage and style tight curls. Oh my, what thick, curly, and ulotrichous hair you have cascading down your shoulders! Foozle (foo-zuhl) Verb to bungle; play clumsily More about Foozle First recorded in 1825–35 Perhaps from dialectal German fuseln, “to work badly, clumsily, hurriedly.” Examples of Foozle During the golf game, Lina foozled her swing, sending the ball into the rough instead of the green. I was confident in my cooking skills but somehow foozled the recipe, leading to a burnt dish. Theocracy (thee-ok-ruh-see) Noun plural the·oc·ra·cies. a form of government in which priest
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Today's Words: Frabjous, Timbre and Churlish

Frabjous [ frab-juhs ] Adjective wonderful, elegant, superb More about Frabjous Coined by Lewis Carroll in the poem “Jabberwocky” from the novel Through the Looking-Glass (1871): “And hast thou slain the Jabberwock? Come to my arms, my beamish boy! O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!” He chortled in his joy. Perhaps meant to suggest fabulous or joyous.  Examples of Frabjous The children had a frabjous time at the amusement park. The frabjous celebration lasted well into the night. Timbre (tim-ber) Noun characteristic tone of expression More about Timbre First recorded between 1325–75. Middle English tymbre, from Middle French “clapperless bell, a bell is rung by a hammer.” Ultimately from Greek týmpanon, “timbrel, kettledrum, drum.” Examples of Timbre  Her voice had a warm timbre that was comforting to hear. I admired the timbre of the actor’s voice, finding it captivating. Churlish (chur-lish) Adjective boorish; rude More about Churlish In use since before 1000. From Middle E

Channappa Uttangi's Bust, At Last, Gets A Place!

Bengaluru: Reverend Channappa Uttangi is a well-known name and personality to all those interested in Kannada literature and more so with Sarvajna, renowned for his popular triplets in chaste Kannada. Interestingly, after much dilly-dallying for multiple years, his bust has at last found a venue to be unveiled. In a missionary school: According to Sudheendra S K, Head Master of the Sarvajna Sahiti Rev Channappa Uttangi Kannada Higher Primary School at Nirmalanagar in Dharwad, the bust will be most likely unveiled in the third or fourth week of coming August in the school premises. Bust sculpted by R Venkatachalapathy: The bust of Reverend Channappa Uttangi has been sculpted by the well-known sculptor R Venkatachalapathy based out of Bengaluru. He has also been the sculptor of the busts of Reverend Ferdinand Kittel, renowned for his Kannada to English Kittel Dictionary. Sudheendra S K informs-'R Venkatachalapathy is a very senior sculptor of the state and is an accomplished artist

Today's Words: Nebulize, Sibylline and Hobnob

Nebulize (neb-yuh-lahyz) Verb to become vague, indistinct, or nebulous  More about Nebulize First recorded in 1870–75. From Latin nebula(a) ("mist, cloud") + ize, verb-forming suffix  Examples of Nebulize The details of the contract slowly nebulized in my mind, making it difficult to remember specific terms. The once-clear skyline began to nebulize, obscured by layers of smog and mist. Sibylline (sib-uh-leen) Adjective mysterious; cryptic More abbout Sibylline First recorded in 1570–80. From Latin Sibyllīnus, “pertaining to a sibyl.” See origin at sibyl, -ine1.  Examples of Sibylline His sibylline smile suggested he knew more than he was letting on. The letter contained a sibylline message that only she could decipher. Hobnob (hob-nob) Verb to associate on very friendly terms More about Hobnob First recorded in the 1700s. The sense of “socialize” was first used around the 1860s. From Old English habban, “to have” + nabbn, “not to have” and from the phrase hab or nab meaning “

Hebbal Sir Bids Adieu; His Memoirs Continue to Cherish

Bengaluru: It was Sunday 14 July and by afternoon our childhood 1977 Batch SSLC classmate's WhatsApp group suddenly became active as condolences started pouring following the sad demise of our alma mater teacher SM Hebbal Sir. He was 97 and had recently celebrated his 97th birthday. No doubt well-lived innings and to the fullest extent, one could ever imagine these days. Hebbal Sir was known for daily parables: A tall and reasonably well-built gentleman, Hebbal Sir was known for his daily parables during the mass prayers of Basel Mission High School at Dharwad. He was too simple, straight and to the point in presenting the interesting sermons. Many a time he used to connect them with the daily ongoings making them fast to connect with the young minds of the time. A Teacher turned able Administrator: Ashok Shiramgond, recalls-"Hebbal Sir used to teach English and Mathematics very well. However, once he was appointed the Principal of Basel Mission High School his acumen for h

Dr S A Patil: A Revered Farmers' God

Bengaluru: Dr S A Patil, a distinguished Plant Breeder, and an able administrator cum taskmaster with a series of accomplishments to his credit left the mortal world on Monday at his residence in Kalaburagi. He was 78 years old. Here is a glance at his achievements all along his wonderful journey:   Born in a farmer's family: SA Patil was born on 5th August 1946 in a farmer's family to Ayyan Gowda and Mrs. Lakshmibai Patil in Hirebirala village of Jewargi taluk of Kalaburagi district. He grew up in a family full of two brothers, aunts, brothers and sisters in a typical joint family set-up of the yesteryears. He completed his primary, secondary and high school in Shahapur town. He completed PUC in Kalaburagi and B. Sc (Agri), M.Sc  (Agri) and PhD degrees from Dharwad Agricultural University with first-class scholarship. Varalakshmi and DCH-32 cotton varieties: Because of his great interest in research, with his perseverance, thinking and planning power, he discovered the wor

Today's Words: Incontrovertible, Estival and Joie de vivre

Incontrovertible (in-kon-truh-vur-tuh-buhl) Adjective not open to question; indisputable More about Incontrovertible First recorded in 1640–50. Formed from in-3 + controvert ("argue against" ) + -ible  Examples of Incontrovertible The lawyer’s argument was backed by incontrovertible facts, leaving no room for doubt. The scientist presented incontrovertible evidence that supported her groundbreaking theory. Estival (es-tuh-vuhl) Adjective pertaining or appropriate to summer More about Estival First recorded in Middle English between 1350–1400. From Late Latin aestīvālis, equivalent to Latin aestīv(us), “of or relating to summer” + -ālis, -all.  Also spelt as aestival. Examples of Estival They enjoyed the estival breeze while having a picnic by the lake. The estival heat radiated off the asphalt, making the city feel like an oven. Joie de vivre (zhwaduh-vee-vruh) Noun a delight in being alive; keen, carefree enjoyment of living More about Joie de vivre Apparently in English use

Renowned Cartoonist Ashwath Remembered by Kith and Kin

Bengaluru: Glowing tributes were paid to yesteryear veteran cartoonist late Ashwathnarayan popularly known as Ashwath by his family members and close relatives at an austere function here. The family also used the opportunity to display his cartoons apart from releasing a booklet containing a collection of his published pocket cartoons. Ashwath chose his style: BG Gujjarappa, a sexagenerian cartoonist ranking one among the top 100 cartoonists of the world, speaking on the occasion showered praises on the contribution of Ashwath. He opined-"When other senior cartoonists like R Murthy of Deccan Herald and Prajavani among others were impressed and influenced by legendary Sir David Alexander Cecil Low, Ashwath chose his inimitable style to draw cartoons". It may be recalled here that David Low remained an ideal model for cartoonists worldwide for decades. A New Zealand political cartoonist and caricaturist, David Low lived and worked in the United Kingdom and was a self-taught

Today's Words: Hermitage, Marmoreal and Elevenses

Hermitage (hur-mi-tij) Noun any secluded place of residence or habitation; retreat; hideaway  More about Hermitage First recorded between 1250–1300. The sense of “any secluded place of residence” first came into usage during the 1640s. From the same spelling as Old French; from Medieval Latin hermitorium, “a hermit’s dwelling place.” Examples of Hermitage After years in the public eye, the artist found peace in a hermitage deep in the forest. My hermitage — a small cabin surrounded by trees — was the perfect place for writing a novel. Marmoreal (mahr-mawr-ee-uhl ] Adjective characteristic of or like marble  More about Marmoreal First recorded between 1790–1800. From Latin marmore(us), “made of marble,” (see marble, -eous) + all  Examples of Marmoreal The ancient ruins included a marmoreal floor, still shining brightly despite the passage of centuries. Your complexion is so smooth and pale that it looks marmoreal under the soft lighting. Elevenses (ih-lev-uhn-ziz) Noun a midmorning brea

Today's Words: Redondilla, Heliolatry and Noetic

Redondilla (re-dawn-dee-lyah) Noun A Spanish verse form in which each stanza consists of four lines, each with eight syllables, and a rhyme scheme abba More about Redondilla First used in 1830–40. Directly from Spanish, equivalent to redond(o), “round” (<Latin rotundus) + –illa, diminutive suffix. Examples of Redondilla The poet skillfully composed a redondilla, adhering to its ABBA rhyme scheme. The collection featured several redondillas, showcasing the versatility and expressiveness of this poetic form. Heliolatry (hee-lee-ol-uh-tree) Noun worship of the sun More about Heliolatry First recorded in 1820–30. Formed from helio-, "sun" + -latry, a combing form occurring in loanwords from Greek (cf. idolatry).   Examples of Heliolatry The ancient Egyptians practised heliolatry, honouring the sun god Ra as a deity of great power. The Inca practised heliolatry by venerating Inti, the sun god, as the source of life and fertility. Noetic (noh-et-ik) Adjective of or relating to t

'The Language of Unhealed Wounds' by Bhumika Rajan Released

Bengaluru: A collection of poems 'The Language of Unhealed Wounds', a debutant collection by Bhumika Rajan, with robust illustrations by Mithila Baindur published by Red River, New Delhi was released here on Saturday in an informal way devoid of fanfare but amidst a close enlightened circle of friends and well-wishers curious and enthusiastic about literary happenings. Short story: In an interaction with the audience Bhumika Rajan, the young author who has been penning poems, and short stories in English and translating Kannada literary pieces into English and vice versa had a glance at her works so far and felt short stories to be the best medium to communicate. A former English Teacher: Bhumika Rajan is a former English Teacher. She has taught English language and literature at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels for three years. However, it was in August 2022, she decided to shift her priorities towards writing and translation. She writes poetry and short fiction in

Five Principles Pathway to a Powerful, Peaceful, Moral Society: Sri Sri Swayamprakash Sachhidananda Saraswati Swamiji

Bengaluru: His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Swayamprakash Sachhidananda Saraswati Mahaswamiji of Divyakshetra Hariharapura has called upon people to religiously adhere to the five principles of Pancha Prana to accomplish the dream of a powerful, peaceful and moral society for universal peace and harmony. Located in a mesmerizing picturesque spot: He took time in an exhaustive interview to discuss in detail the five principles he has been emphasising to a great extent these days. The Divyakshetra Hariharapura is located at the foothills of the mesmerizing Sahyadri mountain range in Hariharapura village of Koppa Taluk in Chikkamagaluru district, Karnataka. According to the legend, Agastya Maharshi did penance and obtained a pratyakshadarshanam of Sri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy in Hariharapura. Make utmost utility of the human life: His Holiness Jagadguru Shankaracharya Sri Sri Swayamprakash Sachhidananda Saraswati Mahaswamiji says, our forefathers have always been pleading