>Truculent \TRUCK-yuh-lunt\ (adjective)
MSWORD’s definition:
Aggressively or sullenly refusing to accept something to do what is asked
Hostile, fractious
M-W’s Word Central:
ready and willing to fight or quarrel
Sentences:
Because there were several truculent boys in her classroom, Mrs. Baumgartner left the arduous homework announcement until the last possible moment.
Billy’s truculent attitude killed any sympathy Officer Barlow initially felt for the boy.
>Hoary /\HOR-ee\/ (adjective)
MSWORD’s definition:
1. Overused: old and stale from overuse
2. white with age
3. covered with pale, gray, or white hairs
M-W.com:
1 : gray or white with or as if with age
2 : extremely old : ancient
The way I’ve seen hoary used most often is thus:
Millicent awoke to find a hoary frost covering the tender shoots in her garden.
Using it in that way doesn’t seem to fit the definition very well because of the age factor associated with the word. Let’s try again.
The dog’s hoary coat and gentle eyes illustrated his long, loyal service to the old man.
The strange creatures who entered the space bar that evening were gaunt to the point of being emaciated, their thick, wrinkled hide hoary, though some of them were obviously quite young.
By her fourth book, the author’s unimaginative descriptions had become quite hoary.
>In honor of all the heroes who have fallen for our freedom, I offer these quotes:
For love of country they accepted death… ~James A. Garfield
The patriot’s blood is the seed of Freedom’s tree. ~Thomas Campbell
A hero is someone who has given his or her life to something bigger than oneself. ~Joseph Campbell
Cover them over with beautiful flowers,
Deck them with garlands, those brothers of ours,
Lying so silent by night and by day
Sleeping the years of their manhood away.
Give them the meed they have won in the past;
Give them the honors their future forcast;
Give them the chaplets they won in the strife;
Give them the laurels they lost with their life.
~Will Carleton
We come, not to mourn our dead soldiers, but to praise them. ~Francis A. Walker
How important it is for us to recognize and celebrate our heroes and she-roes! ~Maya Angelou
Rest in peace.
CAROL BURNSIDE / ANNIE RAYBURN 