Word of the Day — February 22, 2013

Example: "Critic Anthony Lane comments sarcastically on the Bruce Willis character in his latest 'Die Hard' film: 'In Russia, he still seems wary of detante in any guise: when the owner of a black Mercedes remonstrates in Russian, our hero fells him with a punch, then shouts, "Do you think I understand a word you're saying?" Ah, preemptive strikes. Those were the days.'"