abrogate

MEANING:
verb tr. To put aside or treat as nonexistent, especially by an authoritative act.


ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin abrogatus (repealed), past participle of abrogare (to repeal a law), from ab- (away from) + rogare (to ask, propose a law). Ultimately from the Indo-European reg- (to move in a straight line, to lead or rule) that is also the source of regent, regime, direct, rectangle, erect, rectum, alert, source, and surge.


USAGE:
"I am proud to be sponsoring this amendment with the senior senator from West Virginia [Robert Byrd]. He's absolutely right that Congress has abrogated its oversight responsibilities."
Remarks of Senator Barack Obama on the Military Commission Legislation; Sep 28, 2006.

vir·ga

Wisps of precipitation streaming from a cloud but evaporating before reaching the ground.
from Latin: streak]

plu·vi·al

adj.
1. Of or relating to rain; rainy.
2. Geology Marked or formed by abundant rainfall: pluvial periods; a pluvial lake.
n. Geology
An extended period of abundant rainfall, especially such a period of the Pleistocene Epoch.

hy·per·bo·le

A figure of speech in which exaggeration is used for emphasis or effect, as in I could sleep for a year or This book weighs a ton.

therewithal

adverb: Together with; besides.

ex gratia

adverb, adjective: As a favor or gesture of goodwill, rather than from any legal requirement.

in situ

adverb: In the original place

stilted

•stiff and artificially formal; Supported by stilts

euphemism

collateral damage for civilian casualties
second-hand for used
pre-owned for second-hand
pre-loved for pre-owned
budget for cheap
pass (away) for die
sanitation worker for garbage collector/janitor
convivial for drunken
The opposite of euphemism is dysphemism.

gloaming

noun: Twilight; dusk

roots

pluto- (wealth), biblio- (book), epi- (upon), anemo- (wind), steno- (small)
and
-cracy (rule), -latry (worship), -graph (writing), and -meter (measure). eu-Good; well; true: caco-bad, unpleasant, or incorrect -phony sound