Lexicon: attendant – auctioneer

a | b | c | d | e | f | g | h | i | j | k | l | m | n | o | p | q | r | s | t | u | v | w | x | y | z |

1234567891011121314151617181920
2122232425262728293031323334353637383940
4142434445464748495051525354555657585960
616263646566

attendant (-s), n. [see attend, v.] (webplay: death, delay, service).

Escort for royalty; [fig.] mourner; funeral participant.

attention (-'s), n. [see attend, v.] (webplay: attending, dying, mind, stranger).

  1. Heed; notice; regard; respect; deference; act of obedience.
  2. Sight; vision; [fig.] consciousness; awareness; perception.
  3. Affection; interest; attraction.

attest (-ed, -s), v. [Fr. < L. ad + testā-re, to bear witness < testis.] (webplay: conscious, words).

Affirm; prove; testify of; verify to be true or real; bear witness of.

attire (-d, -th), v. [OFr 'arrange, put in order, array, equip, dress, deck' < a + tieira, into row or order; see tier, n.; Webster 1844 says < Fr. atourner, to dress a bride.]

  1. Dress; clothe; [fig.] cover with layers of bright feathers.
  2. Accompany; enhance; amplify; elaborate; embellish; add to.

attitude (-s), n. [Fr. < It. attitudine, fitness, adaptation, disposition, posture < L. aptus, fit; see aptitude, n.] (webplay: posture, time).

  1. Disposition; outlook; frame of mind; [word play] stature; prominence; altitude.
  2. Intention; aim; objective; purpose; attempt; plan.
  3. Location; stance; physical position; [fig.] mental state.
  4. Appearance; aspect; demeanor; image; look; [fig.] opinion; habit of thought.

attract (-ed, -s), v. [L. ad + trahěre, to drag, draw.] (webplay: gravity, stone).

Bring; invite; allure; entice; pull near to by irresistible force.

auburn, adj. [Ofr , L. alburnus, whitish, nearly white; later, metathesis of r and n led to a folk etymology of aubrun < brennan, burn, brown.]

Mahogany; golden brown; brownish-red; nut-colored.

Auburn, proper n. [OFr < L. alburnus, nearly white; see auburn, adj.]

Autumn; Fall; season when leaves change color and fall off; [word play; see auburn, adj.] red, brown, or gold-colored leaves; [fig.] death; grave site; [word play] Mount Auburn cemetery in Cambridge, Massachusetts (see ED letters); allusion to a 1770 poem “Deserted Village” by Oliver Goldsmith: “Sweet Auburn, loveliest village of the plain.”

auction, n. [L. augēre, increase; sell by increase of bids.] (webplay: sale).

Hawking; bargaining; public trade; transfer of property to the highest bidder; [fig.] degradation; cheapening.

auctioneer, n. [L. auctionarius.] (webplay: sale).

Dealer; peddler; merchant; salesman; one who conducts sales by seeking the highest bid; [kenning phrase “Auctioneer of Parting”] death.