laissez-faire \les-ey FAIR\, adjective ( Read more... )

kinetic \ki-NET-ik\, adjective:
of or having to do with motion; caused by motion

by 1864, from Greek kinetikos "moving, putting in motion," from kinetos "moved," verbal adjective of kinein "to move."

jettison \JET-uh-suhn, JET-uh-zuhn\, verb ( Read more... )

iconoclast \ahy-KON-uh-klast\, noun ( Read more... )

hapless \HAP-lis\, adjective:
unlucky; unfortunate

by 1568, meaning "destitute of hap"

gargantuan \gahr-GAN-choo-uhn\, adjective:
enormous; gigantic; huge

by 1571, from Gargantua, large-mouthed giant in Rabelais' novels, supposedly from Spanish/Portuguese garganta "gullet, throat," which is from the same imitative root as gargle.

eclectic \i-KLEK-tik\, adjective ( Read more... )

daunt \dawnt, dahnt\, verb:
1. to frighten; overcome with fear
2. to discourage; lessen the courage of

c1300, from Old French danter, variant of donter, from Latin domare "to tame." Originally meant "to vanquish;" sense of "to intimidate" is from c 1475.

candor \KAN-der\, noun:
1. honesty in giving one's view or opinion; frankness and sincerity
2. fairness; impartiality

c.1637 from earlier senses c. 1398, from Latin candor "purity, openness," originally "whiteness," from Latin candere "to shine."

beleaguer \bi-LEE-ger\, verb:
1. to surround with troops; besiege
2. to surround or beset

by 1589, from Dutch belegeren "to besiege," from be- "around" + legeren "to camp."