Word to the Wise: Fulminate

To "fulminate" (FUL-muh-nate) - from the Latin for "to strike with lightning" - is to verbally abuse or censure in an authoritative or menacing manner.

Example (as used by Richard Sandomir in The New York Times ): "He lets others fulminate on his behalf while he maintains his gentlemanly demeanor."

Similar Articles:

• Word to the Wise: Abominate - To "abominate" (uh-BOM-uh-nate) is to hate intensely. The word is derived from the Latin f…
• It’s Good to Know: Man-Made Thunderbolts - A group of French and German engineers are one step closer to creating lightning on command. Th…
• Word to the Wise: Equivocation - "Equivocation" (ih-kwiv-uh-KAY-shun) - from the Latin for "of identical sound" -…
• Word to the Wise: Ruminate - To "ruminate" (ROO-mih-nate) - from the Latin for "meditate" - means "to po…
• Living Rich the Wrong Way: Nate’s Dream House on Oprah - I recently watched a disturbingly warm and fuzzy Oprah show. One of Oprah’s cohorts, Nate Berkus, ha…
• Word to the Wise: Mephitic - Something that’s “mephitic” (muh-FIT-ik) - from the Latin for “stench” - is noxious, offensive to th…
• Word to the Wise: Colloquial - "Colloquial" (kuh-LOH-kwee-ul) - from the Latin for "conversation" - refers to i…