Useful Word of the Day 2021

wind up  
v. come to be in a particular situation or condition, especially a bad one
hope against hope  
v. hope very strongly that something will happen, although you know it is not likely
Leon winds up hiding in one of the secret rooms, surviving along with other children, waiting, hoping against hope that his mother will be released from prison.

strain  
n. a severe or excessive demand on the strength, resources, or abilities of someone or something
vaccinate  
v. treat with a vaccine to produce immunity against a disease
The NHS is under severe strain and we must take action to protect it, both so doctors can continue to save lives and so they can vaccinate as many people as possible.

in a bid  
ad. in an attempt
stem  
v. prevent, stop, or deter
With a highly transmissible new variant of the virus surging across Britain, Johnson is rushing out vaccines faster than the country’s neighbors in a bid to stem the pandemic.

meticulously  
ad. in a way that shows great attention to detail; very thoroughly
fertility  
n. a woman’s ability to have babies
The U.S. is on track for a 0.13 drop in the total fertility rate, the biggest one-year decline since the 1970s, according to the latest estimates from an agency that meticulously studies this sort of thing.

baby bust  
n. a temporary marked decrease in the birth rate
work out  
v. solve a problem by doing a calculation
It all works out to fewer New Year’s babies; the baby bust could mean some 320,000 children who statistically would have likely been born in 2021 but won't because of the pandemic.

tome  
n. a book, especially a large, heavy, scholarly one
rallying cry  
n. people join together to support an idea, cause, etc.
Part scientific tome, part rallying cry against humans’ impulse to interfere with the natural world, that's the Yellowstone Wolves.

aspen  
n. a poplar tree with rounded, long-stalked, and typically coarsely toothed leaves
unfettered  
a. unrestrained or uninhibited
Yellowstone’s aspens and other vegetation have rebounded; beavers, who rely on the willows the unfettered elk once ate, are flourishing.

morsel  
n. a small piece or amount of food; a small piece or amount
domination  
n. the exercise of control or influence over someone or something
The complaints filed Wednesday are full of anecdotal morsels assembled to show that Facebook has systematically marched toward domination.

enforcer  
n. a person or group that compels observance of or compliance with a law
uncharted  
a. not mapped or surveyed
After years of inaction from enforcers that left so much legal territory uncharted, there’s a chance to start drawing a map.

smirk  
v. smile in an irritatingly conceited or silly way
smugly  
ad. in a way that shows excessive satisfaction or pride in oneself
only to  
ad. to highlight an upsetting, disappointing, or unpleasant action that occurred after something else
"Wolf, Wolf! Stay home! Stay safe!" They've repeatedly shouted, only to smirk smugly as they go about their daily lives.

behest  
n. a person's orders or command
on the line  
ad. at serious risk
on hold  
ad. in going to be done or dealt with at a later date rather than now
We have put our livelihoods on the line and our lives on hold at the behest of our leaders who have told us the wolf is real.

abound  
v. exist in large numbers or amounts
mire  
v. cause to become stuck in the mud
Cultural distractions abound and church attendance is dropping, and faith leaders mired in the scandal are struggling to figure out how to connect with the next generations.

pew  
n. a long bench with a back, placed in rows in the main part of some churches
play out  
v. become spent, unfold
It’s playing out in the pews, where church attendance is down, where those of faith say they feel increasingly marginalized.

cozy up  
v. attain or try to attain familiarity, friendship, or intimacy
low-yield  
a. used to describe investments that do not pay much income