Currently browsing Words That Aren’t Heard in Committee Enough Archives
Esurient
Adjective: “Hungry or Greedy.”
Used in a Sentence: “It seems a tad esurient of my learned colleague to favor 17 highway projects in his own district and a combined total of two in the districts of the remaining 10 members of this committee.” Read more »
Arrogate
Verb: “To claim or seize without justification. Claim on behalf of another, ascribe.”
Used in a Sentence: “My client would argue that the administration has improperly arrogated time-honored legislative prerogative, Madam Chair.”
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Plectrum
Noun: “A small thin piece of metal, plastic, bone or similar material, used to pluck the strings of certain instruments, such as the guitar or lute.”
Used in a Sentence: “In fairness, Mr. Secretary, I will say that my indsutry’s treatment at the hands of your agency’s gibbering, pus-brained regulators has only caused me within the last several weeks to want to gouge out my eyes with a blunt plectrum.” Read more »
Valetudinarian
Noun: “A sickly or weak person, especially someone morbidly concerned with their own health.”
Adjective: “Chronically ailing; sickly.”
Used in a Sentence: “Are you deaf? The senator from Pasadena isn’t Armenian. He’s valetudinarian.”
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Apodeictic
Adjective: “True as proved by demonstration. Incontestable because it has been shown to be true or proved that it can be shown to be true.”
Used in a Sentence: “That the worst offenders are kept behind bars where they belong as a result of these sentencing guidelines is apodeictic.”
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Skirling
Verb: “To create a high, shrill, wailing tone like a bagpipe.” (An apt description for the vocal stylings of a number of lawmakers.)
Used in a Sentence: “Elimination of this important program would inevitably lead to widespread hardship and painful skirling.”
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Spung
Noun: Something so appalling or terrible words cannot describe it, according to the Urban Dictionary.
Used in a Sentence: “With due respect to the author, allowing this measure to become law is nothing but pure, unadulterated spung.” Read more »
Flinders
Noun: “Bits, fragments or splinters.”
Used in a Sentence: “This is slightly more than budget dust, Madam Chair, it’s more like budget flinders.”
(Sir Matthew Flinders mapped the Australian coast in 1802.)
Misprision
Noun: “The deliberate concealment of one’s knowledge of a treasonable act or a felony.” “Neglect or wrong performance of official duty.” “Seditious Conduct.” Or: “Erroneous judgment particuarly of the value or identity of something.”
Used in a Sentence: “Perhaps misprision is too strong a word, Assemblyman, but one hopes there’s a day job you can fall back on.” Read more »
Anosmic
Adjective: Impaired or lost sense of smell
Used in a Sentence: “As an inspector of CAFOs, Madam Chair, I’m very grateful to be anosmic.”
(As defined by the US Environmental Protection Agency, a CAFO is a “Confined Animal Feeding Operation.” That means a congregation of “animals, feed, manure and urine, dead animals and production operations on a small land area. Read more »
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