Word of the Day for Wednesday October 19, 2005 pelf \PELF\, noun: Money; riches; gain; -- generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten. . .. a master manipulator who will twist and dodge around the clock to keep the privileges of power and pelf. --Nick Cohen, "Without prejudice," [1]The Observer, February 20, 2000 She writes about those she might have known first-hand: teenage girls cowering in bunkers ... friends making promises they can never keep... rich folk fattened on wartime pelf, poor folk surviving by wit alone. --Harriet P. Gross, "Author roots her stories in Vietnam War," [2]Dallas Morning News, July 20, 1997 As so often happens, pelf is talking louder than principle at the Colorado legislature. --"Legislature Goes Belly Up," [3]Denver Rocky Mountain News, April 27, 1997 In advertising, show business, and journalism, people work themselves to the nub for glitz and glory more than for pelf. --Ford S. Worthy, "You're Probably Working Too Hard," [4]Fortune, April 27, 1987 Some of the rich classmates were keeping their pelf to themselves. --Nicholas von Hoffman, "The Class of '43 Is Puzzled," [5]The Atlantic, October 1968 _________________________________________________________ Pelf comes from Old French pelfre, "booty, stolen goods." It is related to pilfer. References 1. http://www.observer.co.uk/ 2. http://www.dallasnews.com/ 3. http://www.rockymountainnews.com/ 4. http://www.fortune.com/ 5. http://www.theatlantic.com/ Dictionary.com Entry and Pronunciation http://dictionary.reference.com/search?r=9&q=pelf