Definition

1. Recent in origin: modern.

(Ref: Merriam-Webster Online, Word of the day, 20 May 2020)

Use it in a sentence

The new curator thought to herself, ‘This little museum is a sad and pathetic abomination. It’s a fusty, decrepit collection of crap that nobody cares about.’ There was no context, no connection. The exhibits were all static – there was nothing interactive. Those who wandered in looked as if they had done so entirely by accident, as though they’d taken a wrong turn and were not at all pleased about it. She watched them, saw them screw up their noses and look at each other in consternation. They shuffled up to each object reluctantly, peered at the information card and frowned. Some laughed out loud at the absurdity of it all, elbowing each other and then racing for the exit. No one bought the magnets or the novelty pencil toppers. The museum was in desperate need of a wholistic and neoteric overhaul, a totally new approach. She nodded thoughtfully, ‘I’ve got this. I’ve got ideas. I’m going to make this the best damn toilet museum South of the Equator.’ And she rolled up her sleeves and got to work.   

Definition

1. Forbidden; especially: prohibited by dictate

(Ref: Merriam-Webster Online, Word of the day, 8 May 2020)

Use it in a sentence

Her family had gathered outside the window of the nursing home en masse, maintaining, as best they could, the required social distancing. Some great niece or other held up a big bunch of flowers, smiling and waving madly. No doubt someone would soon collect them, fumigate them somehow and duly deliver them. Another child with his two front teeth missing held up a giant handmade card with ‘We love you Nanna! Happy 100th!’ (capital ‘N’) scrawled across the front. One of her own children was wiping away tears, blowing kisses. Someone else had a large cake –she hoped that would make it inside unscathed.

They were all gathered to mark the occasion, along with a television camera and junior reporter, safely outside because nursing home visits were verboten.

Some tapped on the glass, as though she were some kind of animal at the zoo, others just smiled benignly and stood around, not knowing what to do. All the residents inside were clapping and ‘ooohing’ and ‘ahhhing’, and one of the nurses bobbed down beside her wheelchair.

‘Well, Mavis! What do you think about that!’ Bless her, the nurse was beaming, her eyes were red and she gave Mavis a pat on the hand. Without wanting to appear rude, Mavis quietly withdrew her hand. She smiled and waved but then she turned to the nurse, ‘I’ve always hated celebrating my birthday – I’ve never had a party in my life. That lot,’ she nodded to the crowd, ‘bloody know that. I don’t even like half of them. All the good ones are already dead.’ Then she nodded and smiled again, giving the camera a cheeky wink, as the nurse got up and with a tight smile started pouring very modest plastic glasses of champagne.

‘Hip bloody hurrah’, said Mavis, skulling hers.

Definition

1. floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo; broadly: floating debris

2a. floating population (as of emigrants or castaways)

b. miscellaneous or unimportant material

c. debris, remains

(Ref: Merriam-Webster Online, Word of the day, 12 May 2020)

Use it in a sentence

‘Shall we see if there’s any flotsam on the beach after last night’s storm?’

She raised her eyebrows. ‘That’s sounds like a very Boy Scout thing to do.’

He laughed and shucked his head. Things were starting to get back to normal between them, but they were somewhat still reserved with each other, at pains to be polite. ‘We don’t have to.’

‘Actually, I think “flotsam” sounds like a 19th century maid’s name. Like Daisy or Bessy. I can just hear it – “Flotsam, tend to my muddy boots at once, there’s a girl. But first, fetch the tea”’.

He snorted. ‘And that sounds like a very romantic school girl thing to say’. He glanced sideways quickly, to check if he’d offended her. It happened to both of them so easily these days. But he caught a small, wry smile on her lips.

‘Well, what shall we do then? Look for flotsam or have tea?’ She sounded playful in a way that she hadn’t for a long time.

‘Maybe both?’

She turned to look at him then. Eye contact was still fraught, but she looked at him and nodded. ‘Let’s do both then’. They held the eye contact for a long moment and smiled at one another.