#181 brouhaha

brouhaha- a loud confused noise; commotion; uproar

- French, of imitative origin

What's clear from this brouhaha is that the foreign policy has zero support from the states and cultures involved.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#180 brisance

brisance- the shattering effect or power of an explosion or explosive

- C20 from French, from briser to break, ultimately of Celtic origin; Old Irish brissim

This explosive is supposed to be 30% more powerful than dynamite containing 60% nitroglycerin, and has 30% more brisance.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#179 brio

brio- liveliness or vigour; spirit

- C19 from Italian, Celtic origin

His Richard III had a hypnotic power, an evil elegance and wit the like of which I had never seen before and have not seen since, and in certain comic parts his imaginative brio is quite superlative.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#178 brigand

brigand- a bandit, plunderer, especially a member of a gang operating in mountainous areas

- C14 from Old French, from Old Italian brigante fighter, from brigare to fight from briga strife of Celtic origin

But "a pistol in the hand of a brigand is also power," but do you think that I should be morally obliged to give him my purse?

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#177 bric-a-brac

bric-a-brac- miscellaneous small objects, especially furniture and curios, kept because they are ornamnetal or rare

- C19 from French; phrase based on bric piece

She wandered round, picking up delicate silver, bric-a-brac and china, smelling at the bowl of flowers, fingering the books which someone had thoughtfully placed at the bedside, examining the window hangings and the bedspread on the bed with its important carved head-board.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#176 bravado

bravado- vaunted display of courage or self-confidence; swagger

- C16 from Spanish bravada, from Old Italian bravare- to challenge , provoke, from bravo- wild

Their bravado is a cover up for a desperate fear they will be exposed as ordinary humans.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes

#175 bramble

bramble- any of various prickly herbaceous plants or shrubs of the blackberry family, or dog rose

- Old English braembel; Old Saxon bramal, Old High German bramo

It doesn't amuse me scrambling over rocks and scratching my legs in bramble bushes.

Companion site: quoteflections- a regular, eclectic mind fix

Tags: word of the day, best words, etymology, spelling, vital, useful, expressive, emotional, strategic, onomatopoeic, connotation, how to, English usage, language, learning, mnemonic devices, vocabulary, quoteflections, quotation, quotes