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Showing posts with the label “to sweeten” with ‑ficāre

Today's Words: Dulcify, Abrogate and Mistral

Dulcify (duhl-suh-fahy) Verb to sweeten More about Dulcify First used between 1590–1600. Derived from the Late Latin dulcificāre, “to sweeten” with ‑ficāre, “to do” + ify, a verbal suffix meaning “to make, to cause to do, render.” Examples of Dulcify She added honey to the tea to dulcify it, making it more enjoyable. They used syrup to dulcify the bitter medicine for the children. Abrogate (ab-ruh-geyt) Verb to put aside; put an end to. More about Abrogate First used in English between 1520–30. From the Latin abrogātus, “repealed” (See ab-rogation, -ate 1) The meaning has expanded from officially repealing a law (doing away with it) to delaying or avoiding doing something, like a chore or another responsibility. Examples of Abrogate By neglecting to attend the meetings, he was seen as trying to abrogate his duties. The committee tried to abrogate its responsibility by postponing the decision until after the holidays. Mistral (mis-truhl) Noun a cold, dry, wind common in southern Fra...