perambulate -- Kristin

per·am·bu·late (p-rmby-lt) v. per·am·bu·lat·ed, per·am·bu·lat·ing, per·am·bu·lates v.tr. 1. To walk through. 2. To inspect (an area) on foot. v.intr. To walk about; roam or stroll. [Latin perambulre, perambult- : per-, per- + ambulre, to walk; see ambhi in Indo-European roots.] per·ambu·lation n. per·ambu·la·tory (-l-tôr, -tr) adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved

 

Kristin perambulates through her favorite art museums, preparing to take visitors with her.

abstruse -- Isabella and Ann

ab·struse (b-strs, b-)

adj.

Difficult to understand; recondite. See Synonyms at ambiguous.

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[Latin abstrsus, past participle of abstrdere, to hide : abs-, ab-, away; see ab-¹ + trdere, to push; see treud- in Indo-European roots.]

 

Because directions for the graphing calculator were abstruse, Aunt Ann--who is clear-- taught Isabella what she needed to know.

rictus -- Jack

ric·tus (rkts) n. pl. rictus or ric·tus·es 1. The expanse of an open mouth, a bird's beak, or similar structure. 2. A gaping grimace: "his mouth gaping in a kind of rictus of startled alarm" (Richard Adams). [Latin, from past participle of ring, to gape.] rictal adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

 

Jack is difficult to fool or to startle, so you'll seldom see on him the rictus of shock.

hegemony -- Sam

he·gem·o·ny (h-jm-n, hj-mn) n. pl. he·gem·o·nies The predominant influence, as of a state, region, or group, over another or others. [Greek hgemoni, from hgemn, leader; see hegemon.] hege·monic (hj-mnk) adj. he·gemo·nism n. he·gemo·nist adj. & n. Usage Note: Hegemony may be stressed on either the first or second syllable, though the pronunciation with stress on the second syllable may be winning out. Seventy-two percent of the Usage Panel prefers it.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

 

Sam's part of New England's hegemony in youth tennis.

avatar -- Willie

av·a·tar (v-tär) n. 1. The incarnation of a Hindu deity, especially Vishnu, in human or animal form. 2. An embodiment, as of a quality or concept; an archetype: the very avatar of cunning. 3. A temporary manifestation or aspect of a continuing entity: occultism in its present avatar. [Sanskrit avatra, descent (of a deity from heaven), avatar : ava, down + tarati, he crosses; see ter-2 in Indo-European roots.]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved

 

Willie is the very avatar of cheerfulness: if he were a Greek god, he would be the god of good cheer.

canard -- Hayden

ca·nard (k-närd)

n.

1. An unfounded or false, deliberately misleading story.

2.

a. A short winglike control surface projecting from the fuselage of an aircraft, such as a space shuttle, mounted forward of the main wing and serving as a horizontal stabilizer.

b. An aircraft whose horizontal stabilizing surfaces are forward of the main wing.

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[French, duck, canard, probably from the phrase vendre un canard à moitié, to sell half a duck, to swindle, from Old French quanart, duck, from caner, to cackle, of imitative origin.]

 

Hayden recognizes political canards on both sides of the aisle, especially in the election season.

Finifugal -- Gretchen and Lucie

Finifugal means shunning the end of anything

Gretchen and Lucie's finifugal at my cousin Jeff's wedding reception impressed her Grandpa.

Thanks for the word and the definition to Sue Parman in her poem "Finifugal."