BAWK
She balked at the idea of skydiving, despite weeks of encouragement from her friends.
Fun Fact
“Balk” originally referred to an unplowed ridge of land in Old English. In baseball, a “balk” is an illegal move by the pitcher that stops play. Whether in sports or daily life, to balk is to hesitate—sometimes wisely, sometimes frustratingly!
RAIR-uh-fyd
(adjective) Distant from the ordinary; elevated, refined, or thin (as in air at high altitudes).
The scientist’s rarefied theories fascinated her peers but left the public scratching their heads.
From Latin rarefacere, meaning “to make thin.”
Fun Fact
Originally used in physics to describe air thinned at high altitudes, rarefied later took on a metaphorical sense—ideas, lifestyles, or circles of influence that exist far above everyday experience. A rarefied discussion might deal with abstract philosophy, while a rarefied atmosphere could describe both mountaintops and elite social circles. The word captures the tension between refinement and isolation—how elevation, whether intellectual or physical, can be both exhilarating and lonely.
Today's Word Salubrious suh-LOO-bree-us Definition (adjective) Health-giving; promoting well-being. Example...
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