WELL-ter
(noun) A confused mass or jumble; a state of turmoil.
The newsroom was a welter of papers, phones, and last-minute edits.
Fun Fact
Welter originally meant to roll or toss—used for waves or bodies. Today, it’s a favorite in political and economic reporting, often used to describe systems in disarray: a welter of ideas, regulations, or conflicting emotions. It’s chaos with a vocabulary upgrade.
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...
Read More