mettlesome

****************************************************************
Finding your life to be indescribable? Get help
with Merriam-Webster's Dictionary of Synonyms! 
http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-bin/book.pl?synonym.htm&2
****************************************************************

The Word of the Day for May 30 is: 

mettlesome   \MET-ul-sum\   adjective
     : full of vigor and stamina : spirited

Example sentence:
     The mettlesome bronco kicked and bucked, but the rider kept his balance 
and rode him out.

Did you know?
     The 17th-century adjective "mettlesome" (popularly used of spirited 
horses) sometimes appeared as the variant "metalsome." That's not surprising. 
In the 16th century and for some time after, "mettle" was a variant spelling of 
"metal" -- that is, the word for substances such as gold, copper, and iron. 
("Metal" itself dates from the 14th century and descends from a Greek term 
meaning "mine" or "metal.") The 16th century was also when "metal" -- or 
"mettle" -- acquired the figurative sense of "spirit," "courage," or "stamina." 
However, by the early 18th century, dictionaries were noting the distinction 
between "metal," used for the substance, and "mettle," used for "spirit," so 
that nowadays the words "mettle" and "mettlesome" are rarely associated with 
"metal."





You Are Subscribed As: GCLW-MW-WOD7@xxxxxxxxx
To unsubscribe, change your e-mail address or to subscribe to the html
version of Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day, featuring audio
pronunciations, please visit:

http://www.startsampling.com/sm/wod/changeofaddress.iphtml

(c) 2006 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated

Merriam-Webster, Inc.
47 Federal Street
P.O. Box 281
Springfield, MA 01102

*mf mwt 053006 GCLW-MW-WOD7@xxxxxxxxx mf*

---
You are currently subscribed to mw-text as: GCLW-MW-WOD7@xxxxxxxxx
To unsubscribe send a blank email to 
leave-mw-text-979910Y@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx