Gerhard Uhlenbruck(*1929), deutscher Immunbiologe und Aphoristiker

noun: A crisp cake made by baking batter in an appliance with a gridlike pattern. American English: verb intr.: To be indecisive or evasive; to waver. noun: Evasive speech or writing. British English: verb intr.: To talk or write idly or foolishly. noun: Pretentious or useless speech or writing.

Definition: (noun) Work, especially when arduous or involving painful effort. Synonyms: effort, exertion, labor, toil. Usage: She deserved to take a vacation after her long travail. Discuss

«Diceva qualcuno che in Italia non si può fare la rivoluzione perché ci conosciamo tutti: ma a Roma ancora di più.» (Fulvio Abbate)

«Per l'assunzione di incarichi che comportano una forte responsabilità anche individuale, le donne sono particolarmente idonee. Perché le donne hanno quasi per natura una propensione alla decisione senza tentennamenti e all'assunzione di responsabilità, anche quando ciò comporta dei rischi personali.» (Elisabetta Belloni)

“Howard Hughes was able to afford the luxury of madness, like a man who not only thinks he is Napoleon but hires an army to prove it.”

Günther Kraftschik(*1952), Berufsschuldirektor i. R., Dipl.-Päd.

adjective: Unfair, lacking propriety, illegal, etc.

Definition: (noun) A feeling of anger caused by being offended. Synonyms: offense. Usage: I had tried to phrase it politely, but he still took umbrage at my question. Discuss

Emmanuel Joseph Sieyès(1748 – 1836), auch: l’abbé Sieyès, französischer Pfarrer und Staatsmann, einer der Haupttheoretiker der Französischen Revolution

Definition: (noun) A feud between two families or clans that arises out of a slaying and is perpetuated by retaliatory acts of revenge. Synonyms: blood feud. Usage: No one remembers how the vendetta between the families began, but it will only end when the desire for revenge is not heeded. Discuss

«Non ci credevo più. Non credevo più a Berlusconi. Non credo più che possa essere utile all'Italia.» (Pier Ferdinando Casini)

Definition: (adjective) Devoid of intelligence. Synonyms: asinine, fatuous, inane, mindless. Usage: The interviewer could tell by the candidate's vacuous comments that he was not qualified for the position. Discuss

«Forse era ver, ma non però credibile, | a chi del senso suo fosse signore; | ma parve facilmente a lui possibile, | ch'era perduto in via più grave errore. | Quel che l'uom vede, Amor gli fa invisibile, | e l'invisibil fa vedere Amore. | Questo creduto fu; che 'l miser suole | dar…

noun: 1. A day of the week — usually a Fri, Sat, or Sun — observed as a day of rest. 2. A period of rest. 3. A meeting of witches and sorcerers (typically spelled as sabbat).

Definition: (adjective) Of, relating to, resembling, or having the nature of glass. Synonyms: glassy. Usage: The lake was so calm it looked vitreous in the pre-dawn light. Discuss

«Se dovessi spiegare cos'è un amico, questo direi. Un amico è quella persona per cui anche se è cambiato tutto non è cambiato nulla.»

noun: 1. Money; wealth; cash. 2. A monetary unit of Israel.

Definition: (adjective) Lean and wrinkled by shrinkage as from age or illness. Synonyms: shrunken, withered, shriveled. Usage: The wizened face of the man of law was twisted into a wrinkled smile. Discuss

André Gide(1869 – 1951), André Paul Guillaume Gide, franz. Schriftsteller, Nobelpreis für Literatur 1947

noun: Charitable giving or charity, especially when seen as a moral obligation.

Definition: (noun) A structural or behavioral characteristic peculiar to an individual or group. Synonyms: peculiarity. Usage: Of all her idiosyncrasies, I find her tendency to dance while cooking the most charming. Discuss

Ulvi Gündüz(*1969), Dichter und Autor

noun: A person, especially a child, with a sweet innocent appearance.

Definition: (noun) The final outcome. Synonyms: conclusion, result. Usage: The upshot of the disagreement was that they broke up the partnership. Discuss

«Quando hai un padre tanto conosciuto che si sente male durante un comizio ed entra in coma, sei costretta a rinunciare a una parte dell’intimità che ogni lutto esige. Fin da subito, entrò in azione la macchina organizzativa del Pci. E, per quanto bellissima, la grande emozione popolare che ha accompagnato la sua morte ha…

«Se ti sembra che il mondo sia troppo grigio e che strisci troppo in basso, non stare a lamentarti, non perdere temp0 prezioso nella ricerca di meschine evasioni. Piuttosto diventa tu una farfalla colorata, capace di suggerire il volo per le vie del cielo, capace di regalare festosa accoglienza al sole.» (Mario Delpini)

Ernst Reinhardt(*1932), Dr. phil., Schweizer Publizist und Aphoristiker

Definition: (adjective) Unwilling to spend money; stingy. Synonyms: parsimonious. Usage: When solicited for a donation, the penurious man began to extend a nickel, but, thinking twice, withdrew it. Discuss

«E se non hai niente in cui credere | Non avrai niente che puoi perdere, sì, tranne te» (Marracash)

«Quando la tua vita sarà finita, avrai imparato quel tanto che basta per iniziarla bene. »

Thomas Häntsch(*1958), Fotograf

Definition: (noun) One who embraces and assists in spreading the teachings of another. Synonyms: adherent. Usage: An avowed disciple of Jonson and his classicism and a greater poet than Fletcher is Robert Herrick, who, indeed, after Shakespeare and Milton, is the finest lyric poet of these two centuries. Discuss

«Opponi la bontà alla ferocia.» (Concita De Gregorio)

Markus M. Ronner(*1938), Schweizer Theologe, Autor und Aphoristiker

noun: The act or policy of refusing to face reality or unpleasant facts.

Definition: (noun) A formal expression of praise; a tribute. Synonyms: eulogy, paean, panegyric. Usage: We stand humbled by his heroics, and cannot help feeling that this encomium is inadequate to extol his virtue. Discuss

Rolf Mohr(*1947), Dipl.-Psych., Wissenschaftlicher Direktor a.D., Führungskräftetrainer

verb tr.: To criticize, nag, pester, etc. in a persistent manner.

Definition: (verb) To make weak; deprive of strength. Synonyms: debilitate, drain. Usage: Although his age enfeebled him, he could still walk long distances without tiring. Discuss

Joseph Joubert(1754 – 1824), französischer Moralist

noun: 1. An elected official soon going to be out of office due to losing a re-election bid, not running again, or being ineligible to run again. 2. Something or someone weak, unsuccessful, ineffectual, disabled, helpless, etc. 3. Someone who cannot fulfill their contracts, especially one who has lost a great deal of money in…

Definition: (verb) To cause to move in a smooth wavelike motion. Synonyms: roll. Usage: The singer undulated her hips to the rhythm of the song. Discuss

«I poveri non possono aspettare e non possiamo restare indifferenti rispetto alle persone in grave difficoltà che tutte le notti dormono all'aperto cercando riparo all'esterno del Parlamento. Basta una passeggiata la sera per rendersi conto di quante persone hanno bisogno di aiuto e assistenza. Penso che sarebbe un atto di grande umanità aprire di notte…

«L'Europa ci può aiutare a stare meglio al mondo.»

“Millions of words are written annually purporting to tell how to beat the races, whereas the best possible advice on the subject is found in the three monosyllables: ‘Do not try.’”

noun: 1. An unpredictable occurrence that has major consequences. 2. Something extremely rare.

Definition: (adjective) Of a size or splendor suggesting great expense; lavish. Synonyms: deluxe, opulent, princely, luxurious. Usage: The sumptuous homes of the wealthy were full of gilding and ornament. Discuss

Justus Vogt(*1958), denkender Lebender und lebender Denker

Definition: (adjective) Preferred above all others and treated with partiality. Synonyms: best-loved, pet, preferred, favorite. Usage: My sister is clearly the favored child—she has a later curfew and gets away with things I never could! Discuss

“The computing field is always in need of new cliches.”

Definition: (adjective) Of worldwide scope or applicability. Synonyms: universal. Usage: The movement against violence is intended to be an ecumenical one, applicable to all nations. Discuss

«Continuo a pensare che le nuove lampadine hanno anche deformato il discorso luminoso nelle case trasformandole in uno spazio con tanti punti di luce, che mi ricorda un pò le processioni, le madonne; tante luci diverse come se per ogni funzione ci debba essere la lampadina, mentre poi sappiamo che una stessa luce cambia a…

«L’amore comporta un’insondabile combinazione di comprensioni ed equivoci.» (Diane Arbus)

Heinrich IV., von Navarra(1553 – 1610), auch Henri IV, Henri le Grand, okzitanisch Enric Quate Lo Gran, ab 1572 als Heinrich III. König von Navarra, ab 1589 König von Frankreich

noun: A person displaying boldness or courage while drunk. adjective: Displaying bravado under the influence of alcohol.

Definition: (adjective) Containing little excess. Synonyms: lean. Usage: When the car repairs maxed out my already skimpy budget, I knew my shopping days were over. Discuss

D. H. Lawrence(1885 – 1930), David Herbert Lawrence; englischer Schriftsteller, der in der englischen Literatur des 20. Jahrhunderts als erster Schriftsteller von Rang aus einer Arbeiterfamilie stammte

noun: An idle, talkative person.

Definition: (noun) A quarrelsome, scolding woman. Synonyms: shrew. Usage: His aunt was such a termagant that he dreaded her annual visit. Discuss

«Lo scrittore, quando è anche un artista, è qualcuno che ammette ciò che altri non osano rivelare. » (Elia Kazan)

Ernst Reinhardt(*1932), Dr. phil., Schweizer Publizist und Aphoristiker

noun: A rash, hotheaded person. adjective: Having a rash, hotheaded temperament.

Definition: (noun) A corrupt or depraved or degenerate act or practice. Synonyms: depravity. Usage: Seeing the various turpitudes of modern society shook her faith in humanity. Discuss

«Lo scrittore, quando è anche un artista, è qualcuno che ammette ciò che altri non osano rivelare. »

“Seize opportunity by the beard, for it is bald behind.”

Friedrich Hebbel(1813 – 1863), Christian Friedrich Hebbel, deutscher Dramatiker und Lyriker