Word of the Day

verb

The children scamper and gambol about the playground with seemingly endless energy.

"Strong binoculars … allow patrons to spy on the sea otters, pelicans, cormorants and other creatures that gambol among the bay kelp." -- From an article by Peter Magnani in the San Jose Mercury News, October 10, 2011

In Middle French, the noun "gambade" referred to the frisky spring of a jumping horse. In the early 1500s, the English word "gambol" romped into print as both a verb and a noun. (The noun means "a skipping or leaping about in play.") The English word is not restricted to horses, but rather can be used of any frolicsome creature. It is a word that suggests levity and spontaneity, and it tends to be used especially of the lively activity of children or animals engaged in active play.

Test Your Memory: What word completes this sentence from a recent Word of the Day piece: "The ___________ reason for the meeting was to review the budget, but the whole thing was really just a ruse to get him to the surprise party"? The answer is ...

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