Podcasts about Webster

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 27, 2025 is: oblige • uh-BLYJE • verb To oblige a person or entity to do something is to require or force them to do it, either because of a law or rule, or because it is necessary. To simply oblige someone is to do them a favor. // The law obliges the government to release certain documents to the public. // When my friend said he needed someone to taste test his new recipe for the cooking competition, I was happy to oblige. See the entry > Examples: “I was irked 30 years ago when our neighbor said she intended to install a free-standing fence between our driveways. … It seemed unneighborly to humans and wildlife alike. We were a family who spent more time outdoors than in, always nearby when our neighbor pulled into her driveway. Once the fence was up, she was no longer obliged to speak to us.” — Margaret Renkl, New York Times, 2 June 2025 Did you know? If you are obliged by a rule or law you are metaphorically bound by it—that is, you are required to obey it. The idea of binding links the word to its Latin source, ligāre, meaning “to fasten, bind.” But in other common uses, the idea of binding is somewhat masked: it is applied when someone is bound by a debt for some favor or service, as in “We're much obliged to you for the help,” but in the phrase “happy to oblige” it simply expresses a willingness to do someone a favor, as in “They needed a ride and we were happy to oblige.”

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 26, 2025 is: sumptuous • SUMP-shuh-wus • adjective Sumptuous is used to describe things that are very expensive, rich, luxurious, or magnificent. // The celebratory meal was a sumptuous feast of dishes from our host's homeland. See the entry > Examples: “With comfy living areas with bistro tables, sumptuous marble bathrooms, and large private lanais with sweeping views of the ocean, mountain, or gardens, guests have ample room to spread out, relax, and really make themselves at home.” — Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 Did you know? Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may be a few of your favorite things, but are they sumptuous? Alas, though the best things in life are often free, sumptuous is a child of the Latin word sumptus, meaning “expense,” and it typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense. A sumptuous lifestyle, for example, is more likely to involve silver-white bling than a silver-white winter that melts into spring. Sumptus has another English relation, this one tied even more closely to conspicuous consumption: sumptuary laws are largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds. (The sump is consumption is coincidental; that word comes from consume, which has its roots in Latin sumere meaning “to take up, take.”)

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 26, 2025 is: sumptuous • SUMP-shuh-wus • adjective Sumptuous is used to describe things that are very expensive, rich, luxurious, or magnificent. // The celebratory meal was a sumptuous feast of dishes from our host's homeland. See the entry > Examples: “With comfy living areas with bistro tables, sumptuous marble bathrooms, and large private lanais with sweeping views of the ocean, mountain, or gardens, guests have ample room to spread out, relax, and really make themselves at home.” — Elizabeth Brownfield, Forbes, 20 Mar. 2025 Did you know? Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens may be a few of your favorite things, but are they sumptuous? Alas, though the best things in life are often free, sumptuous is a child of the Latin word sumptus, meaning “expense,” and it typically describes things that can only be had at some significant expense. A sumptuous lifestyle, for example, is more likely to involve silver-white bling than a silver-white winter that melts into spring. Sumptus has another English relation, this one tied even more closely to conspicuous consumption: sumptuary laws are largely historical regulations limiting extravagant expenditures and habits, especially on moral or religious grounds. (The sump in consumption is coincidental; that word comes from consume, which has its roots in Latin sumere meaning “to take up, take.”)

Kenny Webster interviews author Corey DeAngelis.

Episode 404? Isn't 404 a website error? Well part 2 of the Lake Ontario adventure corrects for the very serious 404 we had with the ebike. Still a mystery, but we're recovering and adventuring by bike in amazing towns like Sodus Point and Oswego, exploring apple orchard memories and historic nuclear power plants in between.  Lake Ontario 2025 - Part 2 Abandoning the E-Bike Dream (For Now) The electric bike project is benched due to reliability issues Reflections on bike trust, touring logistics, and rethinking the approach New trip plan: use the RAV4 Prime to support bike day rides   Pre-Booked Lodging Dilemma All lodging was pre-booked and non-refundable How that shifted priorities to maximize the trip by driving to each spot The “acoustic” bike becomes the tour hero    Day One Route & Destination Base: North of Webster, NY Original plan scrapped; new mission: mini bike adventures in each locale Exploring route options en route to Oswego, NY    Riding Past a Nuclear Legacy Passing the Ginna Nuclear Power Plant on Lake Road A personal memory and historical reflection on the 1982 radioactive steam release Commentary on U.S. nuclear energy anxiety vs. European acceptance    Beechwood State Park to Sodus Point Ride Decides to ride directly from Sodus Point due to better parking and facilities Observations of the ride: comfortable unloaded, with scenic lake views Reflections on Sodus Point, tiki bars, and surprisingly modern homes   A Sentimental Apple Orchard Memory Flashback to camping with dad in a lakeside orchard Emotional moment recalling powdered milk, childhood camping trips, and family history Reflection on development replacing orchards with McMansions   Lunch, Tiki Bars, and Town Vibes Tiki bar surprise: Jack's Good Time Tavern! Bike parking logistics and electric vehicle charging frustrations Exploring local businesses   Bonus Ride to Sodus Point Beach Park Beautiful weather, sandy beach, and kite-filled skies Soaking in the views with the acoustic bike and good mic in tow   Ferry Fiasco Averted Critical discovery: the expected ferry from Oswego isn't operating Realization: the whole trip could've collapsed if not for the car-based pivot Learning: Always confirm ferry schedules   Oswego River + Downtown Bike Loop Late-day ride along Oswego's waterfront and Cahill Pier Thoughts on Oswego's economic history, SUNY Oswego, and bike-friendly waterfront Scenic photo ops with a sailboat and lighthouse   Infrastructure Observations Comments on visible power plants, nuclear and traditional Reflections on energy production, environment, and how the infrastructure shapes the town   Memory-Making in Motion How a disappointing start turned into a meaningful, flexible, and scenic experience New appreciation for blending car support with bike touring Looking ahead: next stop, Canada – via car, not ferry   Statistics Miles biked 10 Nuclear power plants 2 Tiki bars in Sodus Point 2 Kite flying festivals attended 1 Misidentified rivers 1 Flats 0

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 25, 2025 is: flotsam • FLAHT-sum • noun Flotsam refers to the floating pieces that remain after a shipwreck, or more broadly to any floating debris or wreckage. It is also used figuratively to refer to miscellaneous or unimportant material, often in the phrase "flotsam and jetsam." // Driftwood and other flotsam washed onto the beach. // Their apartment was adorned with the flotsam and jetsam of thrift stores and yard sales. See the entry > Examples: "The Vancouver multidisciplinary artist and educator [Alex Tedlie-Stursberg] works in various mediums, using found objects and natural materials scavenged from the ocean's edge and the landscape of the city. Detritus and flotsam become parts of beautiful sculptures, tableaus and assemblages in this artist's hands." — Dana Gee, The Vancouver (British Columbia) Sun, 23 Nov. 2024 Did you know? English speakers started using flotsam, jetsam, and lagan as legal terms in the 16th and 17th centuries, with flotsam itself dating to the first years of the 17th. The three words were used to establish claims of ownership of the three types of seaborne, vessel-originated goods they named. Flotsam was anything from a shipwreck (the word comes from Anglo-French floter, meaning "to float"), and jetsam and lagan were items thrown overboard to reduce the cargo weight of a ship. Lagan was distinguished from jetsam by having a buoy attached so the goods could be found if they sank. In the 19th century, when flotsam and jetsam took on extended meanings, they developed synonymous applications and are today often paired, lagan having mostly been left at sea.

Kenny Webster interviews comedian Jesse Peyton.

Full audio segment with Free Jacks' fullback Brock Webster on Episode 234 of TJRSThis Episode of TJRS is brought to you by The Rowdy Rangers Club on Patreon. The Rowdy Rangers Club offers all access to TJRS content including this episode - club members get the YouTube video, podcast audio and memes before its released to the general public. Additionally, club members get Patreon exclusives such as first priority interview questions to ask guests, and MLR rumors from time to time as well! Head on over to patreon.com/jacksrangers to join today!TJRS has new video content often so make sure you're subscribed: https://tinyurl.com/jackstubeSubscribe to TJRS, the best Free Jack's podcast on the internet: https://tinyurl.com/jacksspotX: / jacksrangersInstagram: / jacksrangersFacebook: / jacksrangersPodcast: https://tinyurl.com/jacksspotSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/jacksrangers/donations

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 24, 2025 is: noisome • NOY-sum • adjective Noisome is a formal and literary word used to describe things that are very unpleasant or disgusting; it is used especially to describe offensive smells. Noisome can also mean “highly obnoxious or objectionable” as in “we were put off by their noisome habits.” // The noisome odor of a trash can in the alley was so strong that even diners seated inside the adjacent restaurant complained to staff. See the entry > Examples: “During the fourteenth century, the bubonic plague outbreak that came to be known as the Black Death claimed thousands of victims, condemning them to a rapid and painful end. As the sufferers deteriorated, the disease tainted them with a tell-tale, repellent stench, which seemed to confirm smell as the root cause of the illness. ... Noisome dwellings were set right by fumigation, while rooms were doused with strong-smelling substances like vinegar and turpentine—anything to keep at bay the dreaded miasma.” — Ashley Ward, Where We Meet the World: The Story of the Senses, 2023 Did you know? Noisome looks and sounds like a close relation of noisy, but it's not. While noisy describes what is excessively loud, noisome typically describes what is excessively stinky. (It is also used to describe things offensive to the senses generally, as well as things that are highly obnoxious, objectionable, or simply harmful.) Noisome comes from the synonymous Middle English noysome, which combines the suffix -some, meaning “characterized by a specified thing,” and the noun noy, meaning “annoyance.” Noisy, incidentally, comes ultimately from Latin nausea, meaning “nausea.”

Kenny Webster interviews Democrat politician Sara McGee.

It's always good catching up with Cole Webster! We covered a lot of ground - owning a business - the mother of all hail storms - water bills - and MUCH MUCH MORE! ===== THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Vascular Institute of Chattanooga: https://www.vascularinstituteofchattanooga.com/ The Barn Nursery: https://www.barnnursery.com/ Optimize U Chattanooga: https://optimizeunow.com/chattanooga/ Guardian Investment Advisors: https://giaplantoday.com/ Alchemy Medspa and Wellness Center: http://www.alchemychattanooga.com/ Our House Studio: https://ourhousestudiosinc.com/ ALL THINGS JEFF STYLES: www.thejeffstyles.com PART OF THE NOOGA PODCAST NETWORK: www.noogapodcasts.com Please consider leaving us a review on Apple and giving us a share to your friends! This podcast is powered by ZenCast.fm

Pride Month Bonus Episode: When Webster Ate Through the Candy CastleJoin us for an extra special LGBTQ+ Pride Month Bonus Episode featuring a story written and narrated by Storypillar listener, Izzie, and her dad, Josh…When Webster Ate Through the Candy Castle.Because at Storypillar, no matter who you are or who you love, we love YOU! ♥️HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 23, 2025 is: wherewithal • WAIR-wih-thawl • noun Wherewithal refers to the means, skills, resources, or money that is needed to get or do something. // The company does not have the financial wherewithal to expand into other markets at this time. See the entry > Examples: "... it is heartening to know that there are people of real influence who have the will and wherewithal to help lift the city out of the doldrums." — Scott Wright, The Herald (Scotland), 15 May 2025 Did you know? If wherewithal sounds like three words smashed together, that's because it is—sort of. Wherewithal combines where and withal, an adverb from Middle English that is itself a combination of with and all. In the past, wherewithal was used as a conjunction meaning "with or by means of which" and as a pronoun meaning "that with or by which." Today, however, it is almost always used as a noun to refer to the means or resources a person or entity has at their disposal. It refers especially to financial resources, but other means such as social influence, ability, and emotional capacity may also be termed as "wherewithal."

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 22, 2025 is: bemuse • bih-MYOOZ • verb If you are bemused by something, you are confused or bewildered by it, and often also somewhat amused. // The contestant seemed somewhat bemused by the question, but gave the correct answer. See the entry > Examples: “The duck touched down on the surface of Raymond James Stadium just minutes before the Bucs scored their own touchdown. ... Many of the staff not assigned to work on the field were bemused by the sight of Anchor carrying a duck out of the stadium. They held cellphones and took pictures.” — Rick Stroud, The Tampa Bay (Florida) Times, 1 Jan. 2025 Did you know? In 1735, British poet Alexander Pope lamented, in rhyme, being besieged by “a parson much bemus'd in beer.” The cleric in question was apparently one of a horde of would-be poets who pestered Pope with requests that he read their verses. Pope meant that the parson had found his muse—his inspiration—in beer. That use of bemused harks back to a 1705 letter in which Pope wrote of “Poets … irrecoverably Be-mus'd.” In both letter and poem, Pope used bemused to allude to being inspired by or devoted to one of the Muses, the Greek sister goddesses of art, music, and literature. The lexicographers who followed him, however, interpreted “bemus'd in beer” as meaning “left confused by beer,” and their confusion gave rise to the “bewilder” sense of bemuse. The newer (and very common) use of bemuse to mean “to cause to have feelings of wry or tolerant amusement” is a topic of some dispute, as discussed here.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 21, 2025 is: litmus test • LIT-mus-TEST • noun A litmus test is something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that is used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable. // At our family's Thanksgiving dinner, the litmus test for good mac and cheese is whether or not it is baked. See the entry > Examples: “The audience in a Broadway show can be intoxicating, and it's like a litmus test. If a joke doesn't land one night, you tell it differently the next night. It's terrifying, on set, to have no idea if something is working.” — Erika Henningsen, quoted in The Hollywood Reporter, 1 May 2025 Did you know? It was in the 14th century that scientists discovered that litmus, a mixture of colored organic compounds obtained from lichen, turns red in acid solutions and blue in alkaline solutions and, thus, can be used as an acid-base indicator. Six centuries later, people began using litmus test figuratively. It can now refer to any single factor that establishes the true character of something or causes something to be assigned to one category or another. Often it refers to something (such as an opinion about a political or moral issue) that can be used to make a judgment about whether someone or something is acceptable or not.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 20, 2025 is: convivial • kun-VIV-ee-ul • adjective Convivial means "relating to, occupied with, or fond of feasting, drinking, and good company." // A convivial atmosphere filled the gallery, with good food in abundance, and wine and conversation both flowing freely. // The guests' convivial chatter filled the hall. See the entry > Examples: "For Chrissy Metz, whose childhood upbringing was modest, she says, this house signifies more than just its aesthetic beauty. 'To have a home that I can invite people to and entertain is so important to me,' the actor confides, adding that she always invites people over when she's in town. ... The front sitting room, for example, which doubles as a game room, is the scene of many convivial game nights." — Ariel Foxman, Architectural Digest, 9 Sept. 2024 Did you know? Convivial is a cheerful word that typically suggests a mood of full-bellied delight in good food, good drink, and good company, which Charles Dickens aptly captures in his novel David Copperfield: "We had a beautiful little dinner. Quite an elegant dish of fish; the kidney-end of a loin of veal, roasted; fried sausage-meat; a partridge, and a pudding. There was wine, and there was strong ale. ... Mr. Micawber was uncommonly convivial. I never saw him such good company. He made his face shine with the punch, so that it looked as if it had been varnished all over. He got cheerfully sentimental about the town, and proposed success to it." Convivial traces back to the Latin word convivium, meaning "banquet," which in turn comes from the verb vivere, meaning "to live." The word is in good company, as vivere has breathed plenty of life into the English language; other common descendants include survive, revive, vivid, and vivacious.

Today on the Walton and Johnson Show, the boys bring in the 1st day of summer with some rapid fire stories, like drag queen story time for Palestine, and if Iran tried to assassinate Trump last year.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 19, 2025 is: emancipation • ih-man-suh-PAY-shun • noun Emancipation refers to the act of freeing someone from the restraint, control, or power of another. It is used especially for the act of freeing someone from slavery. // Jomo Kenyatta played a key role in the emancipation of Kenya from European rule in the 1960s and became the first president of the newly independent nation. See the entry > Examples: “Rappahannock County's calming beauty and rolling hills hold stories from the Civil War era waiting to be told. Howard Lambert, a Culpeper native and the first African American president of the Brandy Station Foundation, has worked tirelessly to bring these stories to life, especially those of Black Civil War soldiers. ... He also has a personal connection to the Civil War. His great-great-uncle, Fielding Turner, served in the 20th United States Colored Troops (USCT) Infantry Regiment, fighting in pivotal battles and helping to announce emancipation in Texas now commemorated as Juneteenth.” — Ayana SummerlinRosa, The Culpeper (Virginia) Star-Exponent, 11 Mar. 2025 Did you know? To emancipate someone (including oneself) is to free them from restraint, control, or the power of another, and especially to free them from bondage or enslavement. It follows that the noun emancipation refers to the act or practice of emancipating. The Emancipation Proclamation issued by Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863, for example, ordered that enslaved people living in the Confederate states be released from the bonds of ownership and made free people. It took more than two years for news of the proclamation to reach the enslaved communities in the distant state of Texas. The arrival of the news on June 19 (of 1865) is now celebrated as a national holiday—Juneteenth or Emancipation Day.

Today on the Walton and Johnson Show, the boys talk about the current progress of Elon Musk's SpaceX, and how lobbyists are paying Dan Patrick off to suddenly care about low grade THC products.

Today on the Walton and Johnson Show, the boys talk about some Juneteenth history, and how Biden tried to kill the 4th of July.

Today on the Walton and Johnson Show, the boys talk the threat of war, the MOP weapon, and Kenny confesses the one thing he loves about Iran.

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for June 18, 2025 is: jeopardize • JEP-er-dyze • verb To jeopardize something or someone is to put them at risk or in danger. // The wrong decision could seriously jeopardize the success of the project. See the entry > Examples: “To keep the cub from forming bonds with people that could jeopardize his return to the wild, staff members charged with his care are dressing up in bear costumes, including a mask, fur coat and leather gloves.” — Summer Lin, The Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2025 Did you know? Imagine you're a contestant on a game show, and your task is to provide a question as a response to this statement from the host: “This word was once controversial, and in 1870 a grammarian called it ‘a foolish and intolerable word,' a view shared by many 19th-century critics.” If you answered, “What is jeopardize?,” you might be going home with some money! The preferred word back then was jeopard, which first appeared in print in the 14th century. The upstart jeopardize didn't arrive until the late 16th century, and took a while to catch on. In 1828, Noah Webster himself declared jeopardize to be “a modern word, used by respectable writers in America, but synonymous with jeopard, and therefore useless.” Unfortunately for the champions of jeopard, increased usage of jeopardize ultimately put the former word in jeopardy. Jeopard is now only rarely heard.