English: what does refactor mean?
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor mentions refactor. refactor: to alter a program’s presentation to make it more human-consumable without changing its function. Source: yourdictionary.com
Category: vocabulary
English: recalcitrant
Self-tutoring about vocabulary: the tutor mentions recalcitrant. recalcitrant (adj): defiant of authority or duty. Hilariously, as a kid, I was called recalcitrant by someone who truly was. Perhaps it “takes one to know one:)” I hear recalcitrant rarely nowadays. Source: …
Vocabulary: surveil
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor “unveils” a word that’s indeed real: surveil. surveil: verb form of noun surveillance. To surveil is to carry out surveillance. Source: merriam-webster.com
English: scofflaw
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor mentions a word he’s never known. scofflaw: a habitual, unrepentant law breaker. Source: Mish, Frederick C. Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004. Barber, Katherine et al. Oxford Canadian Dictionary of Current English. Don Mills: Oxford University …
English: vocabulary: “self-effacing”
Tutoring English, new words are new discoveries. The tutor mentions one. I don’t know if I recall hearing “self-effacing.” However, I encountered it today. It means “tending to avoid attention.” Source: Mish, Frederick C. The Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Springfield: Merriam-Webster, 2004.
English: non-words: “irrecognizable”
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor relates a story. For years I’ve used “irrecognizable.” I guess I just didn’t type it. When I did yesterday, the spell-checker complained. (I think the spell checker and I have been ready to divorce numerous …
English: what is a “missive?”
Tutoring English, vocabulary is always interesting. The tutor mentions “missive”. A missive is a written message: a letter. It may be more formal than casual, perhaps urgent rather than entertaining. Source: Barber, Katherine et at. Oxford Canadian Dictionary of Current …
English: morass
Tutoring English, words can return. The tutor recalls the word morass. morass: an impairment to motion or mental clarity, akin to a swamp one would try to traverse. I first heard morass decades ago, and hear it rarely now. Source: …
English: spurn: the physical verb
Tutoring English, vocabulary can surprise. The tutor mentions an aspect of the verb spurn. I’m familiar that spurn means reject, but it can be a less emotional term. Spurn can also mean to kick aside or step over while walking. …
English: ideologue
Self-tutoring about English: the tutor mentions the word ideologue. An ideologue is someone who lives their code of beliefs. It’s the first ‘o’ I find interesting here: ideologue, yet idealist. Source: Barber, Katherine et al. Oxford Canadian Dictionary of Current …