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Today's Words: Strafe, Impermeable and Ergatocracy

Strafe (streyf) Verb (slang) to reprimand viciously More about Strafe First recorded in 1910–15. From the German strafen, meaning “to punish.” Examples of Strafe The teacher was unhappy with the test results and strafed for several minutes. When our team missed the deadline, our manager strafed in an email. Impermeable (im-pur-mee-uh-buhl) Adjective impassable More about Impermeable First recorded in 1690–1700; formed from im-2 + permeable.  Ultimately from the Late Latin impermeābilis, meaning “inscrutable or impenetrable.” Examples of Impermeable The raincoat was made from an impermeable material that kept me completely dry in the storm. The mountain’s cliffs appeared impermeable, deterring any attempt to climb them. Ergatocracy (ur-guh-tok-ruh-see) Noun government by the workers More about Ergatocracy First recorded in the 1920s. From the Greek ergatēs, meaning “a workman,” + -cracy.  Examples of Ergatocracy Under an ergatocracy, decisions are made by the collective workfor...