regi-, reg-, rec-, rex-
(Latin: to direct, to rule, to lead straight, to keep straight; to guide, to govern)
Although it does not appear to be correct, all of the words in this unit etymologically come from this family group. Some words; such as, surge and its related formats, may be presented as separate units; however, they originally evolved from this family unit.
1. An organized opposition or rebellion against an authority: One kind of insurrection is a mutiny on a ship when the crew revolts against the captain.
2. A rebellion against the government or rulers of a country that often involves armed conflict: The Boston Tea Party, which was a political uprising against the rule of England, is certainly an excellent example of an insurrection which took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1773.
2. A rebellion against the government or rulers of a country that often involves armed conflict: The Boston Tea Party, which was a political uprising against the rule of England, is certainly an excellent example of an insurrection which took place in Boston, Massachusetts in 1773.
1. A person who takes part in an insurrection; a rebel; an insurgent who revolts against a civil authority or a constituted government: The insurrectionary, or insurgent, was the protagonist of the story Mary was reading, and was one of the others involved in the mutiny on the ship.
2. A case of an open uprising against a civil authority: A famous insurrectionary was the Boston Tea Party that occurred in Boston in 1773.
2. A case of an open uprising against a civil authority: A famous insurrectionary was the Boston Tea Party that occurred in Boston in 1773.
An individual who provokes or takes part in an armed revolution against an established government, especially in the hope of improving the political situation: In the United States, Nat Turner, who was an insurrectionist in 1831, was the head of a rebellion of slaves in Virginia, and he was later found and executed.
1. The time between the end of one reign and the beginning of the next one: In the adventure story, the rebel tried to gain power in the country's interregnum.
2. A period of time during which there is no government, control, or authority: There was an interregnum, or a time of temporary suspension of government control, when the citizens enjoyed the life of being free to do whatever they wanted to do!
3. A gap in an ongoing activity; interval: An interregnum is the interruption or a pause in any kind of continuous pursuit.
2. A period of time during which there is no government, control, or authority: There was an interregnum, or a time of temporary suspension of government control, when the citizens enjoyed the life of being free to do whatever they wanted to do!
3. A gap in an ongoing activity; interval: An interregnum is the interruption or a pause in any kind of continuous pursuit.
irregular (adjective), more irregular, most irregular
1. Referring to something taking place at inconsistent times: Since Jane's health wasn't good and she suffered from irregular heartbeats, she had to go to hospital for treatment.
2. Pertaining to something that is not smooth or straight, and lacks a regular pattern: The blue paint on the walls of the bedroom seemed to dry in irregular blotches.
3. Regarding a person's conduct that is not in agreement with accepted rules or norms: The former senator was accused of irregular and illegal financial transactions.
4. Descriptive of troops that are not part of an authorised army: Jim read in the newspaper article that there were 30 irregular armed units that were participating in the battle.
2. Pertaining to something that is not smooth or straight, and lacks a regular pattern: The blue paint on the walls of the bedroom seemed to dry in irregular blotches.
3. Regarding a person's conduct that is not in agreement with accepted rules or norms: The former senator was accused of irregular and illegal financial transactions.
4. Descriptive of troops that are not part of an authorised army: Jim read in the newspaper article that there were 30 irregular armed units that were participating in the battle.
1. The condition of something that is uneven or asymmetrical; roughness: When the cabinet maker checked his assistent's work, he noticed many irregularities on the table top that needed more sanding to make it smooth.
2. The state of inconsistency: The irregularity of Nancy's working hour caused her to have problems sleeping, so she went to the doctor to see how this issue could be solved.
3. Behavior that is not in agreement with accepted rules or norms; inappropriateness: Jack's irregularities when doing business with other companies was noticed by his colleagues.
2. The state of inconsistency: The irregularity of Nancy's working hour caused her to have problems sleeping, so she went to the doctor to see how this issue could be solved.
3. Behavior that is not in agreement with accepted rules or norms; inappropriateness: Jack's irregularities when doing business with other companies was noticed by his colleagues.
irregularly (adverb), more irregularly, most irregularly
Pertaining to how someone or something takes place or occurs without method, rule, or order: Alex's emails arrived irregularly from his grandmother because her eyes couldn't see to write very much.
When June was in hospital, the doctors noticed that she breathed irregularly.
The little bowl that Lynn made in first grade was irregularly shaped.
An uncoordinated person; a bungler: As a new ice skater, Bruce's maladroits resulted in several bruises and a broken wrist.
When her brother said Rebecca was a maladroit, he was referring to her use of a computer for the first time.
maladroit (adjective), more maladroit, most maladroit
1. A reference to the condition of being awkward and not skillful: The maladroit helper of the mechanic caused things to become worse instead of finding solutions to the problems that were presented.
© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.
© ALL rights are reserved.
Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
The presidential candidate has been criticized for what is considered to be his maladroit remarks about the Olympics in London and for suggesting that Jerusalem was once the capital of Israel among other things.
2. Relating to the instance of being tackless and insensitive in one’s behavior or speech: Ralph's neighbor has a son who is a maladroit teenager in that he is neither socially, physically, nor mentally skilled, and so he is unaware of what appropriate behavior is.Go to this Word A Day Revisited Index
so you can see more of Mickey Bach's cartoons.
maladroitly (adverb), more maladroitly, most maladroitly
A reference to how someone is uncoordinated or is lacking sufficient knowledge: The governor handled the state budget so maladroitly that it resulted in his being severely criticized by many of his citizens.
The condition of tactlessness, of being unskilled, or the insensitiveness in behavior or speech: Jeremy's maladroitness in his sport was a result of his not having enough training or experiences, so he was awkward in his movements.
The politician was often undiplomatic, or bungling, which became the maladroitness that caused him to lose the election because people could not tolerate his incompetent comments.
multidirectional (adjective), more multidirectional, most multidirectional
1. Regarding a movement in different directions: The new lawn mower that Mr. Smith had was multidirectional and covered the whole lawn moving this way and that way and all by itself!
2. Pertaining to the capability of progressing in several ways, or covering several aspects of a situation: A multidirectional learning experience can take place as a student exchange in a new country and the experience not only pertains to improving a foreign language, but also in learning about the culture, foods, and history of the country.
2. Pertaining to the capability of progressing in several ways, or covering several aspects of a situation: A multidirectional learning experience can take place as a student exchange in a new country and the experience not only pertains to improving a foreign language, but also in learning about the culture, foods, and history of the country.
omnidirectional (adjective) (not comparable)
Regarding something that sends signals in various directions: The reception and the sending of radio waves is an example of omnidirectional processes.
Control of the volume and composition of body fluids: Osmoregulation relates to the adjustment of osmotic pressure particularly in a body of a living being.
1. A cell that can utilize energy to control the concentration of salts in the intracellular fluid: An osmoregulator can maintain the osmotic pressure independent of the environment.
2. An organism that maintains the osmotic concentration of its body fluid: Fish and mammals, for example, are osmoregulators that have specific organs that keep the intake and elimination of salt active in order to sustain consistent osmolarity.
2. An organism that maintains the osmotic concentration of its body fluid: Fish and mammals, for example, are osmoregulators that have specific organs that keep the intake and elimination of salt active in order to sustain consistent osmolarity.
