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December 6 & 7, 2003 minute (MAI newt) The adjective minute means to be extremely small. Transport Minister John Anderson said new measures would include metal detectors at some regional airports and equipment that detects minute traces of explosives on baggage at other sites. The process is aided by minute ice crystals. The animals died after ingesting minute quantities of a fast-killing poison. The study should provide information about how minute variations in the sun affect weather on Earth. December 5, 2003 bankroll (BANK roll) The verb bankroll means to supply the money or financial resources needed by a person or organisation. Ferguson believes Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich will bankroll another big transfer to keep the Blues on top of the Premiership. The commercial centres are still being bankrolled by NASA. Washington heavily bankrolled Islamic insurgents in the 1980s. John Doerr, who helped bankroll Compaq in the early days of the PC, points out that the first machines cost between $3,000 and $5,000. December 4, 2003 unsubstantiated (un sub STAN shi ey tid) The adjective unsubstantiated refers to a claim, accusation or story that has not been proven to be true or valid. Many people at odds with the police wound up on the blacklists because of unsubstantiated accusations. The defense secretary said claims that prisoners were killed were "unsubstantiated and sensational". The veteran politician was nicknamed by the press as the "shepherd boy who cried wolf" because of his habit of making unsubstantiated claims. The FBI files even contained unsubstantiated gossip. December 3, 2003 on a roll The idiomatic expression on a roll means to experience a period of success. Chelsea are on a roll after last Wednesday's 0-0 draw with Sparta Prague booked them into the knockout stage of the Champions League and Sunday's 1-0 win over champions Manchester United sent them to the top of the Premiership. Human Genome Sciences is clearly on a roll, announcing a dizzying string of scientific findings. Even his enemies concede he's on a roll. We had a good night and we are definitely on a roll. December 2, 2003 bland The adjective bland means to have little flavour or to be rather dull and unexciting. Thai troops at Lima camp in Karbala, Iraq, have sent out an urgent call for Thai seasonings and other ingredients to spice up a bland diet of pre-packed western meals. From start to finish the meal was bland, boring and dull. The panel issued its final report - a bland document calling for little more than improved supervision. Milosevic rose to power in the 1980s, transforming himself from a bland communist official to a national leader. December 1, 2003 clinch The verb clinch means to obtain something you are trying to achieve. Manchester United and Chelsea clinched qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League on Wednesday. The coalition achieved its goal of clinching a two-thirds majority in parliament. The three-year agreement was clinched yesterday with the PTT. The hometown hero clinched the victory with a time of 49.09. Click here to see our words in the news for the previous week. Return to our home page | Comments to Terry F. at terryfrd@ksc15.th.com | |© The Post Publishing Public Co., Ltd. All rights reserved 2003 | Last modified: December 8, 2003