Newswordy

Embroiled

Fri, 18 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

1. Involve (someone) deeply in an argument, conflict, or difficult situation; 2. Bring into a state of confusion or disorder.

Despite being a gay icon she found herself embroiled in controversy in the mid 1980s when it was alleged that she said that Aids, then a relatively new disease, was a punishment from God for the immoral lifestyles led by homosexuals.

—Mark Hughes, The Telegraph

Bolster

Thu, 17 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Support or strengthen; prop up.

George Zimmerman's head wounds after Trayvon Martin shooting likely bolster self-defense claims.

—CBS News

Eviscerated

Wed, 16 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

1. Disembowel (a person or animal); 2. Deprive (something) of its essential content.

Negative ads work. Romney should know, since he eviscerated (Republican rivals) Newt Gingrich and Rick Santorum with withering attack ads in the primaries.

—Greg Valliere, Potomac Research group

Filibuster

Tue, 15 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

An action such as a prolonged speech that obstructs progress in a legislative assembly while not technically contravening the required procedures

Common Cause, a Washington-based watchdog organization, is asking a federal court to overturn the Senate filibuster, which Republicans have used more since Democrats captured the chamber in 2007.

The group, in a lawsuit filed today in U.S. District Court in Washington, cited the Senate’s inability to muster 60 votes to clear legislation allowing children of undocumented immigrants to become legal U.S. residents if they go to college or join the U.S. armed forces, and to pass legislation requiring nonprofit groups that run political ads to disclose their donors. Both bills passed the House and received a majority of votes in the Senate.

—Jonathan D. Salant, Bloomberg Businessweek

Cartels

Mon, 14 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

1. An association of manufacturers or suppliers that maintains prices at a high level and restricts competition; 2. A coalition or cooperative arrangement between political parties to promote a mutual interest.

Forty-nine bodies with their heads, hands and feet hacked off were found Sunday dumped on a northern Mexico highway leading to the Texas border in what appeared to be the latest carnage in an escalating war between Mexico's two dominant drug cartels.

—Olga R. Rodgriguez, Associated Press

Sensational

Fri, 11 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

1. (of an event, a person, or a piece of information) Causing great public interest and excitement; 2. (of an account or a publication) Presenting information in a way that is intended to provoke public interest and excitement, at the expense of accuracy; 3. Very good indeed; very impressive or attractive.

Time cover shows mom breastfeeding 3-year-old

‘Morning Joe,’ suggested on the air that the cover was needlessly sensational: ‘I'll tell you why it bothers me—because it's a profile of Bill Sears!’

—Beth J. Harpaz, Associated Press

Affirm

Thu, 10 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

1. State as a fact; assert strongly and publicly; 2. Declare one's support for; uphold or defend.

I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or Marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage, at a certain point I’ve just concluded that for me, personally, it is important for me to go ahead and affirm that I think same-sex couples should be able to get married.

—Barack Obama, U.S. President

Disconcerting

Wed, 09 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Causing one to feel unsettled.

The device investigators were studying is more sophisticated than were previous ones and represents a disconcerting advance in al Qaeda bomb-making techniques, officials said Tuesday.

—CNN Wire Staff

Thwarts

Tue, 08 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Prevent (someone) from accomplishing something.

CIA thwarts Al Qaeda underwear bomb plot near anniversary of bin Laden's death.

—Catherine Herridge, Chad Pergram, John Brandt, The Associated Press & Fox News

Ignominious

Mon, 07 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Deserving or causing public disgrace or shame.

In losing to the Socialist leader François Hollande, Sarkozy narrowly avoided an ignominious new record—that of being the shortest-serving French president in the history of the Fifth Republic.

—Don Murray, CBC

Jihad

Fri, 04 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

1. (among Muslims) A war or struggle against unbelievers; 2. The spiritual struggle within oneself against sin.

Letters from Osama bin Laden’s last hideaway, released by U.S. officials intent on discrediting his terror organization, portray a network weak, inept and under siege—and its leader seemingly near wit’s end about the passing of his global jihad’s glory days.

—Associated Press

Detained

Thu, 03 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Keep (someone) in official custody, typically for questioning about a crime or in politically sensitive situations.

The Drug Enforcement Administration has apologized to a San Diego college student who said he drank his own urine to survive after being left in a holding cell for five days without food, water or access to a toilet.

The man, identified by news outlets as 23-year-old UC San Diego engineering student Daniel Chong, was “accidentally” left in the holding cell after he and eight other people were detained for questioning following an April 21 raid in which agents found guns, ammunition and an array of drugs, including 18,000 ecstasy pills, the DEA said.

—Kim Christensen & Tony Perry, Los Angeles Times

Burnished

Wed, 02 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

1. Polish (something, esp. metal) by rubbing; 2. Enhance or perfect.

Before joining Romney, Grenell also burnished his conservative cred as a spokesman for Newt Gingrich. But his snarky comments on Twitter about Democratic women, the media and even his former boss’ wife, Callista Gingrich, ignited a political firestorm. He reportedly deleted more than 800 tweets and took down his personal website.

—Erik Ortiz, New York Daily News

Dissident

Tue, 01 May 2012 04:00:00 GMT

A person who opposes official policy, esp. that of an authoritarian state.

Hours before she was scheduled to leave for China on Monday, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton avoided giving details about how the U.S. would address the plight of a blind Chinese dissident who escaped from house arrest.

—Emily Alpert, Los Angeles Times

Reprising

Mon, 30 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Repeat (a piece of music or a performance).

Reprising his role as the comic in chief, President Obama skewered Mitt Romney—and his dog—Saturday night at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington.

—Frank Digiacomo & Rich Schapiro, New York Daily News

Obfuscating

Fri, 27 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Render obscure, unclear, or unintelligible.

Mr. Murdoch said that as the newspaper’s proprietor, he bore ultimate responsibility for the hacking scandal that spurred him to shut The News of the World down last summer. But he said he had been “shielded” from the truth by his obfuscating employees.

—Sarah Lyall, The New York Times

Undergo

Thu, 26 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Experience or be subjected to (something, typically something unpleasant, painful, or arduous).

The grandmother of a 4-year-old girl who became hysterical during a security screening at a Kansas airport said Wednesday that the child was forced to undergo a pat-down after hugging her, with security agents yelling and calling the crying girl an uncooperative suspect.

—Roxana Hegeman, Associated Press

Condemnation

Wed, 25 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

The expression of very strong disapproval; censure.

North Korea has almost completed preparations for a third nuclear test, a senior source with close ties to Pyongyang and Beijing said, an act that would draw further international condemnation following a failed rocket launch.

—Benjamin Kang Lim, Reuters

Dalliances

Tue, 24 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

Casual romantic or sexual relationships.

John Edwards crashing from the heights of promise to infamy, from presidential candidate to defendant in a trial after a secret affair; Secret Service agents ending their careers in disgrace over dalliances with prostitutes in Colombia, all join that long procession of men who managed to self-destruct, pulling a pin on the grenade of their careers and perhaps their personal lives for the sake of a little fun.

—Frida Ghitis, CNN

Pact

Mon, 23 Apr 2012 04:00:00 GMT

A formal agreement between individuals or parties.

The United States and Afghanistan appeared close to signing a vital diplomatic deal Sunday, a pact that would continue cooperation between the two countries after the planned departure of NATO troops in 2014.

—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN