fas-TID-ee-us
(adjective) Very attentive to detail; hard to please.
He was fastidious about cleanliness and reorganized the desk every day.
Fun Fact
Fastidious once had a negative connotation, implying someone overly fussy or snobbish. Today, it’s often admired in chefs, designers, and editors who demand precision. It’s also a favorite word for describing perfectionists—both lovingly and critically.
KRAY-vin
(adjective) Contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly.
His craven refusal to stand up for his beliefs disappointed his supporters.
Middle English: from Old French “cravant” meaning “defeated or overcome,” past participle of “cravanter” meaning “to crush or overwhelm.”
Fun Fact
Craven goes beyond simple cowardice into contemptible territory—it’s cowardice that deserves scorn. Medieval knights accused of craven behavior faced public humiliation and loss of honor. The word originally described someone completely defeated or crushed in battle, and that sense of total collapse remains. In Shakespeare’s hands, craven became the ultimate insult for warriors who fled rather than fought. Modern usage preserves that moral judgment: calling someone craven suggests not just fear but shameful abdication of duty or principle when courage was required.
Today's Word Multitudinous mul-tih-TOO-dih-nus Definition (adjective) Very numerous; existing in...
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