neg-, ne-
(Latin: no, not; to refuse, to nullify; to deny)
neuter (verb), neuters; neutered; neutering
1. To take away or withdraw the power or effectiveness of something: The discussion on disarmament between the two countries will neuter the military power on both sides.
2. To remove the testicles or ovaries of an animal: Susan's cat was spayed or neutered so it couldn't have kittens anymore.
2. To remove the testicles or ovaries of an animal: Susan's cat was spayed or neutered so it couldn't have kittens anymore.
The verb "to neuter" is from about 1903, from the adjective, originally in reference to pet cats.
neuterize (verb), neuterizes; neuterized; neuterizing
To eliminate both the male and female gender usages in an attempt to create an "androgynous utopian society" that has both male and female characteristics or qualities: When a writer or speaker neuterizes words, he or she strives to remove so-called "sexist words", such as "man" and "woman" or "his" and "her" when writing or speaking, as the following examples show: "they", "adults", "people", "persons", "public", "population", "children", "citizens", etc.
never (adverb) (not comparable)
Not ever, not at any time, at no time, whether in the past or in the future: When Mark saw the auto accident, he thought that he had never seen such a terrible accident before.
Quod natura negat, reddere nemo potest. (Latin proverb)
What nature vetoes, no one can accomplish.
From Gaius Cornelius Gallus, in his Elegies. May we say that this is equivalent to "One who cannot pick up an ant and wants to pick up an elephant will some day see his folly"? -From George Herzog, in his Jabo Proverbs.
1. Someone who rejects his or her religion, a cause, an allegiance, or a group for another one: The politician was considered to be a renegade when he switched political parties.
2. A person or something that causes trouble and cannot be controlled: The teacher had to send a student to the principal because he was behaving like a renegade.
3. Etymology: from Latin renegatus, "renounced"; from renegare, "to deny"; from re-, "again" + negare, "to deny."
© ALL rights are reserved.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
2. A person or something that causes trouble and cannot be controlled: The teacher had to send a student to the principal because he was behaving like a renegade.
3. Etymology: from Latin renegatus, "renounced"; from renegare, "to deny"; from re-, "again" + negare, "to deny."
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
renege (ruh-NEG, ruh NIG) (verb), reneges; reneged; reneging
1. To fail to carry out a promise or a commitment: Karen's aunt and uncle assured Karen to pay her tuition to the university, however they reneged on their pledge because they didn't realize how expensive it would be!
2. To back out on one's word word to do something: Jim's dad would never renege in accomplishing what he has said he would carry out.
3. Etymology: from Latin renegare, "to say no" from re- "again, expressing intensive force" + negare, "to deny."
© ALL rights are reserved.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
2. To back out on one's word word to do something: Jim's dad would never renege in accomplishing what he has said he would carry out.
3. Etymology: from Latin renegare, "to say no" from re- "again, expressing intensive force" + negare, "to deny."
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
An individual who has refused to do something that was promised or agreed on before: Harry was a reneger when it was time for him to go for a long walk in the woods with his neighbor.
1. A fugitive or a runaway; a deserter: Little Timmy wanted to be like the runagate in the story he was reading, and so he fled from his room and hid in the bushes behind the house.
3. Etymology or origin: from Latin renegatus, "renounced" from re-, "again" + negare, "deny."
© ALL rights are reserved.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
Jack and his friend abandoned their duty in the military and drifted home again as runagates.
2. A person who wanders or drifts about; a vagabond: Tom took his walking stick, put his few belongings into a small bag, and hit the road thinking that he'd like to spend his vacation as a runagate without any special plan as to where he would be going!3. Etymology or origin: from Latin renegatus, "renounced" from re-, "again" + negare, "deny."
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
Testmoignes ne poent testifier le negative, mes l'affirmative
Translation: Witnesses cannot testify to a negative; they must testify to an affirmative.
undeniable (adjective), more undeniable, most undeniable
1. Relating to something which is impossible to disagree with: The band that Carl saw on TV that night had the most undeniable popularity of any of the others he had ever seen before!
2. Etymology: from Latin denegare from de-, "away" + negare, "to refuse, to say no."
2. Etymology: from Latin denegare from de-, "away" + negare, "to refuse, to say no."
undeniably (adverb), more undeniably, most undeniably
Descriptive of how something is admitted to be clearly true; indisputably: Sharon is undeniably considered to be the best piano player of her time.