Tuesday 31 May 2016

Atonement

ATONEMENT

-noun
1. satisfaction, reparation, or expiation given for an injury or wrong
2, (often capital) (Christian theology)
a. the reconciliation of man with God through the life, sufferings, and sacrificial death of Christ
b. the sufferings and death of Christ
3. (Christian Science) the state in which the attributes of God are exemplified in man
4. (obsolete) reconciliation or agreement


























Such are born rumours
Of children drowned
Liquid sacrifices
In exchange for atonement

Monday 30 May 2016

Remit

REMIT

-verb
1. (also intr.) to send (money, payment, etc.), as for goods or service, especially by post
2. (law) (especially of an appeal court) to send back (a case or proceeding) to an inferior court for further consideration or action
3. to cancel or refrain from exacting (a penalty or punishment)
4. (also intr.) to relax (pace, intensity, etc.) or (of pace or the like) to slacken or abate
5. to postpone; defer
6. (archaic) to pardon or forgive (crime, sins, etc.)
-noun
7. the area of authority or responsibility of an individual or a
8. (law) the transfer of a case from one court or jurisdiction to another, especially from an appeal court to an inferior tribunal
9. the act of remitting
10. something remitted
11. (New Zealand) a proposal from a branch of an organization put forward for discussion at the annual general meeting

























Here we appreciate
Remit from the bustle

Below the fortress’ walls

Sunday 29 May 2016

Cucumber

CUCUMBER

-noun
1. a creeping cucurbitaceous plant, Cucumis sativus, cultivated in many forms for its edible fruit
2. the cylindrical fruit of this plant, which has hard thin green rind and white crisp flesh
3. any of various similar or related plants or their fruits


























Cold soup
Lobster and cucumber
Rain goes on

Saturday 28 May 2016

Tremendous

TREMENDOUS

-adj.
1. vast; huge
2. (informal) very exciting or unusual
3. (informal) (intensifier)
4. (archaic) terrible or dreadful

























Over the years
Grown tremendous

Also in character

Friday 27 May 2016

Indefensible

INDEFENSIBLE

-adj.
1. not justifiable or excusable
2. capable of being disagreed with; untenable
3. incapable of defence against attack

























They hold their heads high
Against adversity though
The position is indefensible

Spring marches on and leaves

Thursday 26 May 2016

Morose

MOROSE

-adj.
ill-tempered or gloomy



















Her books read
A morose lady

Faces eternity

Wednesday 25 May 2016

Barb

BARB

-noun
1. a subsidiary point facing in the opposite direction to the main point of a fish-hook, harpoon, arrow, etc., intended to make extraction difficult
2. any of various pointed parts, as on barbed wire
3. a cutting remark; gibe
4. any of the numerous hair-like filaments that form the vane of a feather
5. a beardlike growth in certain animals
6. a hooked hair or projection on certain fruits
7. any small cyprinid fish of the genus Barbus (or Puntius) and related genera, such as B. conchonius (rosy barb)
8. (usually plural) any of the small fleshy protuberances beneath the tongue in horses and cattle
9. a white linen cloth forming part of a headdress extending from the chin to the upper chest, originally worn by women in the Middle Ages, now worn by nuns of some orders
10. (obsolete) a beard
-verb
11. (trans.) to provide with a barb or barbs

-noun
1. (often capital) a breed of horse of North African origin, similar to the Arab but less spirited

-noun
1. (Australian) a black kelpie
























Barbed memories
Glorious revolution

And dignified death 

Tuesday 24 May 2016

Formidable

FORMIDABLE

-adj.
1. arousing or likely to inspire fear or dread
2. extremely difficult to defeat, overcome, manage, etc.
3. tending to inspire awe or admiration because of great size, strength, excellence, etc.

























Looking for treasures
Thames works
Creating a formidable sight
At low tide

Where is all the water gone?

Monday 23 May 2016

Monumental

MONUMENTAL

-adj.
1. like a monument, especially in large size, endurance, or importance
2. of, relating to, or being a monument
3. (informal) (intensifier)  

























Radio
Monumental invention
As art
Sinuous waves
Songs
Flashing lights


Sunday 22 May 2016

Cube

CUBE

-noun
1. a solid having six plane square faces in which the angle between two adjacent sides is a right angle
2. the product of three equal factors: the cube of 2 is 2 × 2 × 2 (usually written 23)
3. something in the form of a cube
-verb
4. to raise (a number or quantity) to the third power
5. (trans.) to measure the cubic contents of
6. (trans.) to make, shape, or cut (something, especially food) into cubes
7. (trans.) (US & Canadian) to tenderize (meat) by scoring into squares or by pounding with a device which has a surface of metal cubes
  
-noun
1. any of various tropical American plants, especially any of the leguminous genus Lonchocarpus,the roots of which yield rotenone
2. an extract from the roots of these plants: a fish poison and insecticide





















Cubing attempt

Totally fudged

Saturday 21 May 2016

Baleful

BALEFUL

-adj.
1. harmful, menacing, or vindictive
2. (archaic) dejected




















Going to the veterinarian 
Poor baleful kitty

Hates the entire world

Friday 20 May 2016

Spike

SPIKE

-noun
1. a sharp point
2. any sharp-pointed object, especially one made of metal
3, a long metal nail
4. (physics)
a. a transient variation in voltage or current in an electric circuit
b. a graphical recording of this, such as one of the peaks on an electroencephalogram
5. (informal) a sudden increase
6. (plural) shoes with metal projections on the sole and heel for greater traction, as used by athletes
7. the straight un-branched antler of a young deer
8. (British, slang) another word for dosshouse
-verb (mainly trans.)
9. to secure or supply with or as with spikes
10. to render ineffective or block the intentions of; thwart
11. to impale on a spike
12. to add alcohol to (a drink)
13. (journalism) to reject (a news story)
14. (volleyball) to hit (a ball) sharply downwards with an overarm motion from the front of one's own court into the opposing court
15. (formerly) to render (a cannon) ineffective by blocking its vent with a spike
16. (intr.) (informal) to increase suddenly

-noun
 (botany)
1. an inflorescence consisting of a raceme of sessile flowers, as in the gladiolus and sedges
2. an ear of wheat, barley, or any other grass that has sessile spikelets

























A glowing spike
In the night

Showing the way home

Thursday 19 May 2016

Blush

BLUSH

-verb
1. (intr.) to become suddenly red in the face from embarrassment, shame, modesty, or guilt; redden
2. to make or become reddish or rosy
-noun
3. a sudden reddening of the face from embarrassment, shame, modesty, or guilt
4. a rosy glow 
5. a reddish or pinkish tinge
6. a cloudy area on the surface of freshly applied gloss paint
7. a cosmetic applied to the face to give a usually pink colour or to accent the cheekbones















Petals unfold
In a sudden blush

Morning light

Wednesday 18 May 2016

Flush

FLUSH

-verb
1. to blush or cause to blush
2. to flow or flood or cause to flow or flood with or as if with water
3. to glow or shine or cause to glow or shine with a rosy colour
4. to send a volume of water quickly through (a pipe, channel, etc.) or into (a toilet) for the purpose of cleansing, emptying, etc.
5. to cause (soluble substances in the soil) to be washed towards the surface, as by the action of underground springs, or (of such substances) to be washed towards the soil surface
6. (trans.; usually passive) to excite or elate
-noun
7. a rosy colour, especially in the cheeks; blush
8. a sudden flow or gush, as of water
9. a feeling of excitement or elation
10. early bloom; freshness
11. redness of the skin, especially of the face, as from the effects of a fever, alcohol, etc.
12. (ecology) an area of boggy land fed by ground water
-adj.
13. having a ruddy or heightened colour

-adj. (usually postpositive)
1. level or even with another surface
2. directly adjacent; continuous
3. (informal) having plenty of money
4. (informal) abundant or plentiful, as money
5. full of vigour
6. full to the brim or to the point of overflowing
7. (printing) having an even margin, right or left, with no indentations
8. (of a blow) accurately delivered
9. (of a vessel) having no superstructure built above the flat level of the deck
-adv.
10. so as to be level or even
11. directly or squarely
-verb (trans.)
12. to cause (surfaces) to be on the same level or in the same plane
13. to enrich the diet of (an ewe) during the breeding season
-noun
14. a period of fresh growth of leaves, shoots, etc.

-verb
15. (trans.) to rouse (game, wild creatures, etc.) and put to flight

-noun
16. (in poker and similar games) a hand containing only one suit

























Hot house
Permanent flush

Tuesday 17 May 2016

Red

RED

-noun
1. any of a group of colours, such as that of a ripe tomato or fresh blood, that lie at one end of the visible spectrum, next to orange, and are perceived by the eye when light in the approximate wavelength range 740–620 nanometres falls on the retina. Red is the complementary colour of cyan and forms a set of primary colours with cyan and yellow 
2. a pigment or dye of or producing these colours
3. red cloth or clothing 
4. a red ball in snooker, billiards, etc.
5. (in roulette and other gambling games) one of two colours on which players may place even bets, the other being black
6. Also called: inner (archery) a red ring on a target, between the blue and the gold, scoring seven points
-adj.
7. of the colour red
8. reddish in colour or having parts or marks that are reddish
9. having the face temporarily suffused with blood, being a sign of anger, shame, etc.
10. (of the complexion) rosy; florid
11. (of the eyes) bloodshot
12. (of the hands) stained with blood, as after committing murder
13. bloody or violent
14. (of wine) made from black grapes and coloured by their skins
15. denoting the highest degree of urgency in an emergency; used by the police and the army and informally
16. (US) relating to, supporting, or representing the Republican Party



















Sea side house
Strawberry red

Ice cream shade

Monday 16 May 2016

Catachresis

CATACHRESIS
[ˌkætəˈkriːsɪs]

-noun
the incorrect use of words, as luxuriant for luxurious

























She talks with her hands
Thus contradicting her soothing words

An unconscious catachresis

Sunday 15 May 2016

Fudge

FUDGE

-noun
1. a soft variously flavoured sweet made from sugar, butter, cream, etc.

-noun
1. foolishness; nonsense
-exclamation
2. a mild exclamation of annoyance
-verb
3. (intr.) to talk foolishly or emptily

-noun
1. a small section of type matter in a box in a newspaper allowing late news to be included without the whole page having to be remade
2. the box in which such type matter is placed
3. the late news so inserted
4. a machine attached to a newspaper press for printing this
5. an unsatisfactory compromise reached to evade a difficult problem or controversial issue
-verb
6. (trans.) to make or adjust in a false or clumsy way
7. (trans.) to misrepresent; falsify
8. to evade (a problem, issue, etc.); dodge; avoid




















Fudging fudge:
There is salt in there

For a kick surprise

Saturday 14 May 2016

Gnarl

GNARL

-noun
1. any knotty protuberance or swelling on a tree
-verb
2. (trans.) to knot or cause to knot

-verb
1. (intr.) (obsolete) to growl or snarl. Also: gna

























Her prey in mouth
She gnarls at its saviour
Her victim’s limpness

Makes my heart gnarl

Friday 13 May 2016

Urchin

URCHIN

-noun
1. a mischievous roguish child, especially one who is young, small, or raggedly dressed
2. short for sea urchin, heart urchin
3. an archaic or dialect name for a hedgehog
4. either of the two cylinders in a carding machine that are covered with carding cloth
5. (obsolete) an elf or sprite




















Defiant in the sun
Calcified urchins
Face the new day

All teeth and claws out

Thursday 12 May 2016

Kerning

KERNING

-noun
(printing) the adjustment of space between the letters of words to improve the appearance of printed text

























Destroyed by time
And too many hands

No kerning would ever help

Wednesday 11 May 2016

Polity

POLITY

-noun
1. a form of government or organization of a state, church, society, etc.; constitution
2. a politically organized society, state, city, etc.
3. the management of public or civil affairs
4. political organization

























It was the coldest war

Snow buried our polities

Tuesday 10 May 2016

Relatum

RELATUM

-noun
(logic) one of the objects between which a relation is said to hold

























Of the sea and sun
Relatum as a wave
Sings song of beaches

Monday 9 May 2016

Punk

PUNK

-noun
1. a youth movement of the late 1970s, characterized by anti-Establishment slogans and outrageous clothes and hairstyles
2. an adherent of punk
3. an inferior, rotten, or worthless person or thing
4. worthless articles collectively
5. a petty criminal or hoodlum
6. (obsolete) a young male homosexual; catamite
7. (obsolete) a prostitute
-adj.
8. inferior, rotten, or worthless

-noun
1. dried decayed wood that smoulders when ignited: used as tinder
2. any of various other substances that smoulder when ignited, especially one used to light fireworks

















She played punk
In the eighties
Then grew up
Still looks at blue
Lipstick pushing
A pram carrying

Her grandchildren

Sunday 8 May 2016

Sea urchin

SEA URCHIN

-noun
any echinoderm of the class Echinoidea, such as Echinus esculentus (edible sea urchin), typically having a globular body enclosed in a rigid spiny test and occurring in shallow marine waters



















A twist on a Roman favourite
[sharp sheep cheese and pepper]
Upgraded with sea urchins

To dream of the sea

Saturday 7 May 2016

Tranquil

TRANQUIL

-adj.
calm, peaceful or quiet



















Basking in the sun
Tranquil at ease
Refusing to budge
Even for a cuddle
Tourists come and go

The warmth stays

Friday 6 May 2016

Smoulder

SMOULDER

-verb (intr.)
1. to burn slowly without flame, usually emitting smoke
2. (especially of anger, etc.) to exist in a suppressed or half-suppressed state
3. to have strong repressed or half repressed feelings, especially anger
-noun
4. dense smoke, as from a smouldering fire
5. a smouldering fire

























After smouldering
In the hands of the inefficient
Fire burst into life
With minimal care

Logs of love

Thursday 5 May 2016

Converse

CONVERSE

- verb (intr.) often followed by “with”
1. to engage in conversation (with)
2. to commune spiritually (with)
3. (obsolete)
a. to associate; consort
b. to have sexual intercourse
-noun
4. conversation
5. (obsolete)
a. fellowship or acquaintance
b. sexual intercourse

-adj.
1. (prenominal) reversed; opposite; contrary
-noun
2. something that is opposite or contrary
3. (logic)
a. a categorical proposition obtained from another by the transposition of subject and predicate
a. a proposition so derived, possibly by weakening a universal proposition to the corresponding particular
4. (logic, mathematics) a relation that holds between two relata only when a given relation holds between them in reverse order

























Waiting in vain
For someone to come
With whom to converse
But fate is converse
And there I remain
On my own


Wednesday 4 May 2016

Rant

RANT

-verb
1. (intr.) to talk in a noisy, excited, or declamatory manner
2.  (intr.) to scold vehemently
3. (trans.) to utter in a bombastic declamatory fashion
-noun
4. a long complaint fuelled by anger often loud and exaggerated




















After a quick rant
He ran off to hide tears

He had not been planned

Tuesday 3 May 2016

Caustic

CAUSTIC

-adj.
1. capable of burning or corroding by chemical .
2. sarcastic; cutting  
3. of, relating to, or denoting light that is reflected or refracted by a curved surface
-noun
4. Also called: caustic surface . a surface that envelops the light rays reflected or refracted by a curved surface
5. Also called: caustic curve . a curve formed by the intersection of a caustic surface with a plane
6. (chemistry) a caustic substance, especially an alkali

























Everything topsy turvy
In the caustic picture

Which world is real?

Monday 2 May 2016

Quest

QUEST

-noun
1. the act or an instance of looking for or seeking; search 
2. (in medieval romance) an expedition by a knight or company of knights to accomplish some prescribed task, such as finding the Holy Grail
3. the object of a search; goal or target 
4. (rare) a collection of alms
-verb (mainly intr.)
5. followed by “for” or “after”.  to go in search (of)
6. to go on a quest
7. (of gun dogs or hounds)
a. to search for game
b. to bay when in pursuit of game
8. (rare) to collect alms
9. (also trans.) (archaic) to go in search of (a thing); seek or pursue





















Our kisses
Will burn through my nights and days
No snow will cool my armour
And so with laughter, fever, walls, or snow
My quest will have a house in your skin
For a faithful dog
To secretly live in
Because you are the question of all questions
Unstoppable
And my armour, in your scent, in your fever 
Will finally becomes one with shadows






Sunday 1 May 2016

Chia

CHIA

-noun
a plant of the genus Salvia, indigenous to Mexico, with purple or blue flowers and edible seeds

























An exercise in textures
Smooth savoury flan
Swollen chia seeds

Crunch and gelatine