Brak means 'salty' in Dutch, so brakish would be 'saltyish'. It is a rather stranded word with few relatives in Dutch. German has Brackwasser but no Brack that I can find.

I think I'll pass on this one but 'etiolate' is an old favorite of mine that I've scheduled for March.

• marshal • Pronunciation: mah(r)-sêl • Hear it! Part of Speech: Noun, Transitive Verb Meaning: 1. [Noun] A federal, state, or other law-enforcement officer. 2. [Noun] The highest military rank in the Armies of some countries, e.g. a field marshal. 3. [Noun] The person in charge of a ceremony, as a...

Stargzer's rule is excellent but one more little point ties it all up nicely:

When you effect something, you cause it.

"Eberntson's question effected an interesting series of replies that affected our understanding of the difference between 'affect' and 'effect'."

• pander • Pronunciation: pæn-dêr Part of Speech: Noun, Intransitive verb Meaning: 1. [Noun] The scientific term for pimp, a procurer of sexual favors. 2. [Noun] A person who complies with the base inclinations of others. 3. [Verb] To lower one's standards or morals for approval or wealth, as to pa...

• doozy • Pronunciation: du-zee Part of Speech: Noun Meaning: A pip, a beaut, a lulu, a humdinger, a lollapalooza, in other words, an epitome, prime example, something truly extraordinary in its class. Notes: Although I've equated lulu, beaut, humdinger, and lollapalooza in today's definition, this...

• lament • Pronunciation: lê-ment • Hear it! Part of Speech: Transitive verb, Noun Meaning: 1. [Verb] To express grief, mourning, sorrow. 2. [Verb] To regret, feel grief or sorrow. 3. [Noun] A written or oral expression of grief or mourning, such as a poem or song. Notes: Today's word has a rich if...

I did, indeed, Apo. Thanks for sharing it--even though it did leave me a bit envious.

• Valentine • Pronunciation: væ-lên-'tayn Part of Speech: Noun, Verb Meaning: 1. The name of St. Valentine. 2. A gift or card sent or given to a sweetheart of loved one on St. Valentine's Day, February 14, a day that celebrates love. 3. The sweetheart or loved one to whom a St. Valentine's Day card...

Tim,

I've bragged about this so many times, I'm not sure if you realized it, but I, too, am from Fayetteville, NC--grew up in the same household as Dr. Language of YDC, in fact. We always had words for each other growing up.

I try to find words that tell a story about us and where we come from, how we really think, what we are currently up to. Other WotDs aim at vocabulary building--and most of our words are chosen for that, too. However, the words of a language draw a map of the people who speak them and, to use your m...

• love • Pronunciation: lêv Part of Speech: Noun & Transitive verb Meaning : 1. A deep affection and respect for. 2. A sexual passion for someone or something. 3. Zero points in tennis scoring. Notes: We picked this Good Word for today to make sure you are ready for tomorrow, St. Valentine's Da...

It comes up only once in a Google search, a Canadian forum message that has been taken down. This suggests that it is idiolectic, i.e. part of the "dialect" of individuals and not widely known.

I never heard of it in North Carolina, Michigan, or Pennsylvania.

I think it came from here:

http://www.swapmeetdave.com/Humor/Cats/Kill.htm

I could be mistaken.

Well, it takes a while to build an Agora group but I'm happy to hear some familiar voices already. Feels good. I'm off on my third major language website in 10 years (Web of Online Dictionaries, yourDictionary, Alpha Dictionary). Business problems forced me out of yourDictionary. This site and the c...

• infantry • Pronunciation: in-fên-tri • Hear it! Part of Speech: Noun Meaning: The foot-soldiers in the military Notes: I thought we needed to look at this Good Word in honor of that branch of the military that is taking the brunt of the action in Iraq and to answer that age-old question: "Wh...