A.Word.A.Day--macerate

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The Magic of Words

Aug 26, 2010

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Random words

This week's words
fluvial
sidereal
orison
macerate

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A.Word.A.Day

with Anu Garg

macerate

PRONUNCIATION:

(MAS-uh-rayt)

MEANING:

verb tr., intr.:
1. To soften by soaking or steeping in a liquid.
2. To separate into parts by soaking.
3. To weaken or to become thin; to emaciate.

ETYMOLOGY:

From Latin macerare (to make soft, weaken). Ultimately from the Indo-European root mag-/mak- (to knead, to fit) that is also the source of make, mason, mass, match, among, mongrel, mingle, and maquillage.

USAGE:

"The plastic rubbish has been macerated by marine forces and is composed of small particles that float just below the surface, killing fish that mistake it for food."
John Maxwell; Boojum Hunting in the Caribbean; Jamaica Observer (Kingston); Jan 24, 2010.

Explore "macerate" in the Visual Thesaurus.

A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:

Although a democracy must often fight with one hand tied behind its back, it nonetheless has the upper hand. -Aharon Barak, law professor, former President of the Supreme Court of Israel (b.1936)

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