Carlos' Words

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

refulgent - Shining radiantly; resplendent.

Synonyms: effulgent, radiant, beaming

Usage: Standing by the edge of the sea, they witnessed a refulgent sunset.

December 30, 2012

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

pinguid - Fat; oily.

Synonyms: oily

Usage: His car was splattered with some sort of pinguid substance, and washing it only seemed to spread the mess.

December 30, 2012

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/calque+formation

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. calque formation - an expression introduced into one language by translating it from another language; "`superman' is a calque for the German `Ubermensch'"

calque, loan translation

locution, saying, expression - a word or phrase that particular people use in particular situations; "pardon the expression"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

December 30, 2012

soba4u commented on the list carlos-words--1

rosesoba@yahoo.com

Mitt namn är miss rose.i såg din profil idag och blev intresserad av dig, kommer jag också vilja veta mer om dig, och jag vill att du ska skicka ett mail till min e-postadress så att jag kan ge er min bild för dig att vet vem jag am.Here är min e-postadress (rosesoba@yahoo.com) jag tror att vi kan gå från här.Jag väntar på ditt mail till min e-postadress above.Remember avståndet eller färg spelar ingen roll men älskar frågor mycket i livet) skicka mig e-post till min e-post adress.

Svara mig med min e-postadress här

(rosesoba@yahoo.com)

rosesoba@yahoo.com

My name is miss rose.i saw your profile today and became interested in you,i will also like to know more about you,and i want you to send a mail to my email address so that i can give you my picture for you to know whom l am.Here is my email address(rosesoba@yahoo.com)I believe we can move from here.I am waiting for your mail to my email address above.Remember the distance or color does not matter but love matters a lot in life)please send me mail to my e mail address.

Please reply me with my email address here

(rosesoba@yahoo.com)

December 30, 2012

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Seanchaí

A seanchaí (ˈʃan̪ˠəxiː or ʃan̪ˠəˈxiː - plural: seanchaithe ˈʃan̪ˠəxɪhɪ) is a traditional Irish storyteller. A commonly encountered English spelling of the Irish word is shanachie.

The word seanchaí, which was spelled seanchaidhe (plural seanchaidhthe) before the Irish-language spelling reform of 1948, means a bearer of "old lore" (seanchas). In the ancient Celtic culture, the history and laws of the people were not written down but memorized in long lyric poems which were recited by bards (filí), in a tradition echoed by the seanchaithe.

The traditional art

Seanchaithe used to be servants to chiefs of their tribe and kept track of important information for their clan.They were very well respected in their Clan. The seanchaithe made use of a range of storytelling conventions, styles of speech and gestures that were peculiar to the Irish folk tradition and characterized them as practitioners of their art. Although tales from literary sources found their way into the repertoires of the seanchaithe, a traditional characteristic of their art was the way in which a large corpus of tales was passed from one practitioner to another without ever being written down.

Because of their role as custodians of an indigenous non-literary tradition, the seanchaithe are widely acknowledged to have inherited – although informally – the function of the filí of pre-Christian Ireland.

Some seanchaithe however were not part of a clan , some were itinerants, traveling from one community to another offering their skills in exchange for food and temporary shelter. Others, however, were members of a settled community and might be termed "village storytellers" who told their marvelous stories and tales at ceremonies and community events, simialar to the servant Seanchaithe. The distinctive role and craft of the seanchaí is particularly associated with the Gaeltacht (the Irish-speaking areas of Ireland), although storytellers recognizable as seanchaithe were also to be found in rural areas throughout English-speaking Ireland. In their storytelling, some displayed archaic Hiberno-English idiom and vocabulary distinct from the style of ordinary conversation.

Modern times

Members of the Celtic Revival such as Padraic Colum took a great interest in the art of the seanchaí, and through them the stories that they told were written down, published, and distributed to a global audience.

At events such as mummers' festival in New Inn, County Galway, and the All-Ireland Fleadh Ceoil storytellers who preserve the stories and oratory style of the seanchaithe continue to display their art and compete for awards. Eddie Lenihan is one notable modern-day seanchaí, based in County Clare, Ireland.

Podcast

Since 1 January 2005, Patrick E. McLean has written and produced a podcast under the title The Seanachaí.

Other uses of the term

The term is also found within Scottish Gaelic where it is spelt seanchaidh Scottish Gaelic pronunciation: ˈʃɛnaxɪ. All uses ultimately have their roots in the traditional poets attached to the households of ancient Gaelic nobility. In Scotland, it is commonly anglicised as shen(n)achie1.

Notes

^ Robinson, M (1985) The Concise Scots Dictionary Chambers, Oxford ISBN 0-08-028491-4

References

Padraig Colum, editor, A Treasury of Irish Folklore.

Frank DeLaney, Ireland.

Patricia A. Lynch, Joachim Fischer, and Brian Coates, Back to the Present: Forward to the Past—Irish Writing and History since 1798.

The Seanachai Homepage

Video of a Seanchai: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BzP4FM3WqwY&feature=related

See also

Batt Burns, from County Kerry, is a living seanchaí.

January 3, 2013

bilby commented on the list carlos-words--1

You can leave comments on words. See triffid, etc. and scroll down to the Comments section or click the Discuss tab at the top right of the page to take you there.

January 3, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

triffid

Definitions

Wiktionary

n. A fictional plant that is able to move around and kill people with a poisonous stinger.

‘Triffid’ was coined by science fiction writer John Wyndham in his novel, The Day of the Triffids. The word probably comes from ‘trifid,’ divided into three parts, says the Oxford English Dictionary, since ‘the plant was supported on ‘three bluntly-tapered projections extending from the lower part’ of the body.’

Examples

“Many of the plants have seeded and given way to a new regiment of sunflowers. Their huge yellow discs have risen triffid-like above everything else and they have all turned in a single direction.” Mark Cocker, ‘Country Diary: Claxton, Norfolk,’ The Guardian, October 3, 2010

“Monstrous architecture is being allowed to spread across the Capital like ‘triffids’, according to one of the country’s leading design experts.” ‘City’s triffid invasion of bad designs,’ The Scotsman, May 6, 2002

“Stunned Sadie Yates has seen her Agave shoot up like 'a Triffid' after waiting patiently for years for it to burst into life.” John Coles, ‘Sadie’s ‘Triffid’ Has Its Day,’ The Sun, July 15, 2o10

http://www.wordnik.com/word-of-the-day 3 Jan 2013

January 3, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

bilby, had been adding comments to each and every word, but due to my slow learning curve start, many of them 'went away'. I did have a comment on triffid (today's Word of the Day) and it seems to have evaporated. Going to have to go back and reapply where necessary. Think a URL would also be helpful - keep a permanent tab for thefreedictionary.com next to Wordnik, which is much richer in total words.

Thanks for the help.

January 3, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/absquatulate

ab·squat·u·late (b-skwch-lt)

intr.v. ab·squat·u·lat·ed, ab·squat·u·lat·ing, ab·squat·u·lates Midwestern & Western U.S.

1.

a. To depart in a hurry; abscond: "Your horse has absquatulated!" (Robert M. Bird).

b. To die.

2. To argue.

Mock-Latinate formation, purporting to mean "to go off and squat elsewhere".

Regional Note: In the 19th century, the vibrant energy of American English appeared in the use of Latin affixes to create jocular pseudo-Latin "learned" words. There is a precedent for this in the language of Shakespeare, whose plays contain scores of made-up Latinate words. Midwestern and Western U.S. absquatulate has a prefix ab-, "away from," and a suffix -ate, "to act upon in a specified manner," affixed to a nonexistent base form -squatul-, probably suggested by squat. Hence the whimsical absquatulate, "to squat away from." Another such coinage is Northern busticate, which joins bust with -icate by analogy with verbs like medicate. Southern argufy joins argue to a redundant -fy, "to make; cause to become." Today, these creations have an old-fashioned and rustic flavor curiously at odds with their elegance. They are kept alive in regions of the United States where change is slow. For example, Appalachian speech is characterized by the frequent use of words such as recollect, aggravate, and oblige.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

absquatulate æbˈskwɒtjʊˌleɪt

vb

(intr) to leave; decamp

humorous formation as if from Latin

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb 1. absquatulate - run away; usually includes taking something or somebody along; "The thief made off with our silver"; "the accountant absconded with the cash from the safe"

abscond, go off, make off, run off, decamp, bolt

levant - run off without paying a debt

flee, take flight, fly - run away quickly; "He threw down his gun and fled"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 3, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

monstropolous

New word for me, coined by a writer in a novel to describe the 1928 Florida Hurricane, second only the 1900 Galveston one in loss of life; at least 2500.

January 3, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Apologies to all the perfectionists out there; due to my unfamiliarity with use of the lists, I lost several words and comments. The comments are going to be out of sequence.

Have a directory in Gmail titled "language" to which have been adding quotes, definitions of words encountered in reading &c. for a couple of years, including Word of the Day from Wordnik, and unfamiliar terms encountered on Wikipedia Main page.

January 3, 2013

bilby commented on the list carlos-words--1

As far as I can see all your comments have been made right here. At least those that remain...Wordnik is not exactly glitchware but there are certainly issues from time to time. Please note I am not employed by Wordnik and do not speak on their behalf, I'm just a garden variety word addict.

There used to be a link to TFD, Urban Dictionary, Wikipedia, etc. on every word page but these were removed, as I understand it, at the request of those sites. The databases that allow Wordnik access have their entries displayed under Definitions.

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

clinquant

Definitions

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

n. Yellow copper; a showy, cheap alloy.

n. Tinsel; false glitter.

Decked with garish finery; glittering; flashy.

‘Clinquant’ comes from French a word meaning ‘glistening, tinkling.’

Examples

“I liked Jack, but not clinquant in crimson and gold, with spurs and sword clanking on the hard, frost-bitten road.” George Gough, The Yeoman Adventurer

“The General and the generals went in and crowded the hall of audience, very clinquant with its black and white floor, glass chandeliers, long mirrors and single gilded center table.” Frank Norris, The Surrender of Santiago An Account of the Historic Surrender of Santiago to General Shafter

“Lely supplied the want of taste with clinquant; his nymphs trail fringes, and embroidery, through meadows and purling streams.” The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851

Wordnick.com/wordoftheday/

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Chryselephantine Sculpture

Developed by the Greeks in the 6th century BCE, chryselephantine is a form of sculpture in which an inner core of wood is overlaid with ivory to simulate flesh. It is then trimmed with gold to simulate clothing and other adornments. The technique was used to make colossal religious statues for temples, but because the materials were so valuable, few examples remain intact today.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

peavey - A stout lever with a sharp spike; used for handling logs.

Synonyms: cant dog, peavy

Usage: The lumberjack rammed the peavey's spike into the log and rolled it toward the pile.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

milium - A small, white or yellowish cystlike mass just below the surface of the skin, caused by retention of the secretion of a sebaceous gland.

Synonyms: whitehead

Usage: The soap promised to eradicate milia by thoroughly cleansing the skin and unclogging pores.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Like, I'm Just Sayin' It's Annoying, You Know?

Does hearing "whatever" or "like" make your blood boil? How about "you know" or "just sayin"? A recent Marist poll found that American adults find these to be some of the most annoying conversational words or phrases in the English language. While the disdain for "whatever" may not be surprising—this is its fourth consecutive year at the top of the list—there were some notable changes from last year's poll. "Twitterverse" and "gotcha" earned mentions in 2012, but "seriously" failed to make the cut. More... Discuss

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

swage:

A tool, used by blacksmiths and other metalworkers, for cold shaping of

a metal item.

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Burtillon, Burtillonage measurements;

Read in a novel about Canada ca 1895; Police use the (so far opaque) method of body measurements as a means to identify a corpse, in this case.

Maureen Jennings "Except the Dying" c1997

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Chatter broth; Tea

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

char4

n

(Cookery) Brit a slang word for tea

from Chinese ch'a

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

dykes; slang for electricians wire cutting tool.

Note; many other usages in engineering, etc.

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Online Science News With User Comments Fraught With Unintended Consequences, Study Suggests

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130103143203.htm

January 4, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Trappers pursued sea otters off the coast of California in one- to three-person, skin-covered kayaks called baidarkas, which were twelve to twenty-one feet long, and less than two feet wide. In this highly maneuverable, shallow-draft watercraft...

Found in;

When America First Met China: An Exotic History of Tea, Drugs, and Money in the Age of Sail

by Eric Jay Dolin by Liveright

January 7, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

em·bran·gle (m-brnggl)

tr.v. em·bran·gled, em·bran·gling, em·bran·gles

To entangle; embroil.

en- + dialectal brangle, to shake, waver, confuse (variant of branle, brandle, from French branler, from Old French brandeler, perhaps from brand, sword; see brandish).

em·brangle·ment n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

embrangle ɪmˈbræŋgəl

vb

(tr) Rare to confuse or entangle

from em- + obsolete brangle to wrangle, perhaps a blend of brawl1 + wrangle

embranglement n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb 1. embrangle - make more complicated or confused through entanglements

snarl up, snarl

complicate, perplex - make more complicated; "There was a new development that complicated the matter"

snafu - cause to be in a state of complete confusion

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

sat·su·ma (st-sm, sä-tsmä, säts-mä)

n.

1. A seedless mandarin orange native to Japan and the hardiest commercial citrus fruit.

2. Satsuma A Japanese porcelain. Also called Satsuma ware.

After Satsuma, a peninsula of southwest Kyushu, Japan.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

satsuma sætˈsuːmə

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) a small citrus tree, Citrus nobilis var. unshiu, cultivated, esp in Japan, for its edible fruit

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) the fruit of this tree, which has a loose rind and easily separable segments

originally from the province of Satsuma, Japan

Satsuma ˈsætsʊˌmɑː

n

(Placename) a former province of SW Japan, on S Kyushu: famous for its porcelain

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. satsuma - a variety of mandarin orange

satsuma tree

satsuma - medium-sized largely seedless mandarin orange with thin smooth skin

Citrus reticulata, mandarin, mandarin orange, mandarin orange tree - shrub or small tree having flattened globose fruit with very sweet aromatic pulp and thin yellow-orange to flame-orange rind that is loose and easily removed; native to southeastern Asia

2. satsuma - medium-sized largely seedless mandarin orange with thin smooth skin

mandarin orange, mandarin - a somewhat flat reddish-orange loose skinned citrus of China

satsuma, satsuma tree - a variety of mandarin orange

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

drench cult (slang); Read in English NF book. In context meant to become a drunkard.

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

toad·eat·er (tdtr)

n.

A toady.

Originally, a charlatan's helper who ate (or pretended to eat) poisonous toads so that his employer could display his prowess in expelling the poison.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

toadeater ˈtəʊdˌiːtə

n

a rare word for toady 1

originally a mountebank's assistant who would pretend to eat toads (believed to be poisonous), hence a servile flatterer, toady

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

git (gt)

v. Chiefly New England, Midland U.S., & Southern U.S.

Variant of get.

n. Chiefly British Slang

Variant of get.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

git gɪt

n Brit slang

1. a contemptible person, often a fool

2. a bastard

from get (in the sense: to beget, hence a bastard, fool)

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. git - a person who is deemed to be despicable or contemptible; "only a rotter would do that"; "kill the rat"; "throw the bum out"; "you cowardly little pukes!"; "the British call a contemptible person a `git'"

dirty dog, lowlife, puke, rotter, scum bag, skunk, so-and-so, stinker, stinkpot, bum, crumb, rat

disagreeable person, unpleasant person - a person who is not pleasant or agreeable

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

che·nille (sh-nl)

n.

1. A soft tufted cord of silk, cotton, or worsted used in embroidery or for fringing.

2. Fabric made of this cord, commonly used for bedspreads or rugs.

French chenille, caterpillar, chenille, from Latin cancula, diminutive of canis, dog; see kwon- in Indo-European roots.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

chenille ʃəˈniːl

n

1. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Textiles) a thick soft tufty silk or worsted velvet cord or yarn used in embroidery and for trimmings, etc.

2. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Textiles) a fabric of such yarn

3. (Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Furniture) a rich and hard-wearing carpet of such fabric

from French, literally: hairy caterpillar, from Latin canicula, diminutive of canis dog

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. chenille - a soft tufted cord used in embroidery

chenille cord

chenille - a heavy fabric woven with chenille cord; used in rugs and bedspreads

cord - a line made of twisted fibers or threads; "the bundle was tied with a cord"

2. chenille - a heavy fabric woven with chenille cord; used in rugs and bedspreads

chenille, chenille cord - a soft tufted cord used in embroidery

cloth, fabric, textile, material - artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers; "the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent"; "woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC"; "she measured off enough material for a dress"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Miss Mollys (slang); Read in Canadian book depicting 1890's Toronto.

In context, a homosexual.

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

shank's mare Also found in: Idioms, Wikipedia

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. shank's mare - you own legs; "I traveled on shank's mare"

shank's pony, shanks' mare, shanks' pony

leg - a human limb; commonly used to refer to a whole limb but technically only the part of the limb between the knee and ankle

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

unc·tu·ous (ngkch-s)

adj.

1. Characterized by affected, exaggerated, or insincere earnestness: "the unctuous, complacent court composer who is consumed with envy and self-loathing" (Rhoda Koenig).

2. Having the quality or characteristics of oil or ointment; slippery.

3. Containing or composed of oil or fat.

4. Abundant in organic materials; soft and rich: unctuous soil.

Middle English, from Old French unctueus, from Medieval Latin nctusus, from Latin nctum, ointment, from neuter past participle of unguere, to anoint.

unctu·ous·ly adv.

unctu·ous·ness, unctu·osi·ty (-s-t) n.

Synonyms: unctuous, fulsome, oily, oleaginous, smarmy

These adjectives mean insincerely, self-servingly, or smugly agreeable or earnest: an unctuous toady; gave the dictator a fulsome introduction; oily praise; oleaginous hypocrisy; smarmy self-importance.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

unctuous ˈʌŋktjʊəs

adj

1. slippery or greasy

2. affecting an oily charm

from Medieval Latin unctuōsus, from Latin unctum ointment, from ungere to anoint

unctuosity ˌʌŋktjʊˈɒsɪtɪ, unctuousness n

unctuously adv

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj. 1. unctuous - unpleasantly and excessively suave or ingratiating in manner or speech; "buttery praise"; "gave him a fulsome introduction"; "an oily sycophantic press agent"; "oleaginous hypocrisy"; "smarmy self-importance"; "the unctuous Uriah Heep"; "soapy compliments"

buttery, fulsome, oleaginous, smarmy, soapy, oily

insincere - lacking sincerity; "a charming but thoroughly insincere woman"; "their praise was extravagant and insincere"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

unctuous

adjective

1. obsequious, smooth, slick, plausible, oily, gushing, fawning, suave, glib, ingratiating, insincere, sycophantic, smarmy (Brit. informal) the kind of unctuous tone that I've heard at diplomatic parties

2. oily, creamy, greasy, oleaginous Goose fat gives the most unctuous flavour.

Collins Thesaurus of the English Language – Complete and Unabridged 2nd Edition. 2002 © HarperCollins Publishers 1995, 2002

January 8, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

o·da·lisque also o·da·lisk (d-lsk)

n.

A woman slave in a harem.

French, from Turkish dalik, chambermaid : dah, room + -lik, suff. expressing function.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

odalisque, odalisk ˈəʊdəlɪsk

n

a female slave or concubine

via French, changed from Turkish ōdalik, from ōdah room + -lik n suffix

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. odalisque - a woman slave in a harem

concubine, courtesan, doxy, paramour - a woman who cohabits with an important man

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Or·ange·man (ôrnj-mn, r-)

n.

1. A member of a secret society founded in Northern Ireland in 1795 to maintain the political and religious ascendancy of Protestantism.

2. A Protestant Irishman.

After William, Prince of Orange, later King William III of England, Scotland, and Ireland.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

Orangeman ˈɒrɪndʒmən

n pl -men

(Government, Politics & Diplomacy) a member of a society founded in Ireland (1795) to uphold the Protestant religion, the Protestant dynasty, and the Protestant constitution. Orange Lodges have since spread to many parts of the former British Empire

after William, prince of Orange (king of England as William III)

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. Orangeman - a member of a society founded in Ireland in 1795 to uphold Protestantism and the British sovereign

Association of Orangemen, Orange Order - a Protestant political organization in Northern Ireland

Protestant - an adherent of Protestantism

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

grout (grout)

n.

1.

a. A thin mortar used to fill cracks and crevices in masonry.

b. A thin plaster for finishing walls and ceilings.

2. Chiefly British Sediment; lees. Often used in the plural.

tr.v. grout·ed, grout·ing, grouts

To fill or finish with a thin mortar or plaster.

Middle English, grain used for making malt, mud, from Old English grt, coarse meal.

grouter n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

grouts graʊts

pl n

1. Chiefly Brit sediment or grounds, as from making coffee

2. (Cookery) a variant of groats

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ca·chou (k-sh, ksh)

n.

A pastille used to sweeten the breath.

French, from Portuguese cachu, from Malayalam kccu, from Tamil kyccu.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

cachou ˈkæʃuː kæˈʃuː

n

1. a lozenge eaten to sweeten the breath

2. (Chemistry / Elements & Compounds) another name for catechu

via French from Portuguese, from Malay kāchu

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. cachou - a scented lozenge used to sweeten the breath (e.g. to conceal the odor of tobacco)

lozenge - a small aromatic or medicated candy

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ruche (rsh)

n.

A ruffle or pleat of lace, muslin, or other fine fabric used for trimming women's garments.

French, from Old French rusche, beehive, from Medieval Latin rsca, bark of a tree (used for making beehives), of Celtic origin.

ruched (rsht) adj.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

nob·by (nb)

adj. nob·bi·er, nob·bi·est

Fashionable; stylish.

From nob.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

cul·ly (kl) Archaic

n. pl. cul·lies

A fool or dupe.

tr.v. cul·lied, cul·ly·ing, cul·lies

To fool; cheat.

Perhaps from cullion.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

cully ˈkʌlɪ

n pl -lies

Slang pal; mate

of unknown origin

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

four-in-hand (fôrn-hnd, fr-)

n.

1. A team of four horses controlled by one driver.

2. A vehicle drawn by four horses.

3. A necktie tied in a slipknot with long ends left hanging one in front of the other.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

four-in-hand

n

1. (Engineering / Automotive Engineering) Also called tally-ho a road vehicle drawn by four horses and driven by one driver

2. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Horse Training, Riding & Manège) a four-horse team in a coach or carriage

3. (Clothing & Fashion) a long narrow tie formerly worn tied in a flat slipknot with the ends dangling

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. four-in-hand - a long necktie that is tied in a slipknot with one end hanging in front of the other

necktie, tie - neckwear consisting of a long narrow piece of material worn (mostly by men) under a collar and tied in knot at the front; "he stood in front of the mirror tightening his necktie"; "he wore a vest and tie"

2. four-in-hand - a carriage pulled by four horses with one driver

coach-and-four, coach

box seat, box - the driver's seat on a coach; "an armed guard sat in the box with the driver"

carriage, equipage, rig - a vehicle with wheels drawn by one or more horses

stagecoach, stage - a large coach-and-four formerly used to carry passengers and mail on regular routes between towns; "we went out of town together by stage about ten or twelve miles"

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ca·ber (kbr)

n.

A long heavy wooden pole tossed end over end as a demonstration of strength in Scottish highland games.

Scottish Gaelic cabar, pole, beam, rafter, from Vulgar Latin *capri, from Latin capra, she-goat; see chevron.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2009. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.

caber ˈkeɪbə (Scot) ˈkebər

n

(Individual Sports, other than specified) Scot a heavy section of trimmed tree trunk thrown in competition at Highland games (tossing the caber)

from Gaelic cabar pole

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. caber - a heavy wooden pole (such as the trunk of a young fir) that is tossed as a test of strength (in the Highlands of northern Scotland)

pole - a long (usually round) rod of wood or metal or plastic

Based on WordNet 3.0, Farlex clipart collection. © 2003-2012 Princeton University, Farlex Inc.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Bi`ba´cious

a. 1. Addicted to drinking.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, published 1913 by C. & G. Merriam Co.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

shisey - perhaps slang; read in book, find no definition. Unable to determine meaning in context.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Wiktionary's word of the day:

factitious:

1. Created by humans; artificial.

2. Counterfeit, fabricated.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Just read this in a tech newsletter - used spruiking for selling.

spruik ˈspruːɪk

vb

(intr) Austral archaic slang to speak in public (used esp of a showman or salesman)

of unknown origin

spruiker n

Collins English Dictionary – Complete and Unabridged © HarperCollins Publishers 1991, 1994, 1998, 2000, 2003

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Quite an interesting article; remember reading in `50s of a Masters thesis the subject of which was a word count of all words in the works of Shakespeare. Pre-computer.

http://norvig.com/mayzner.html?wpisrc=nl_wonk

English Letter Frequency Counts:

Mayzner Revisited

or

ETAOIN SRHLDCU

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Short word, really long definition as word has many usages:

Slough alternate sp. slue, slou

A borough of southeast England, a residential and industrial suburb of London. Population: 126,000.

slough 1 (sl, slou) also slew (sl)

n.

1. A depression or hollow, usually filled with deep mud or mire.

2. also slue A stagnant swamp, marsh, bog, or pond, especially as part of a bayou, inlet, or backwater.

3. A state of deep despair or moral degradation.

Middle English, from Old English slh.

sloughy adj.

slough 2 (slf)

n.

1. The dead outer skin shed by a reptile or amphibian.

2. Medicine A layer or mass of dead tissue separated from surrounding living tissue, as in a wound, sore, or inflammation.

3. An outer layer or covering that is shed.

v. sloughed, slough·ing, sloughs

v.intr.

1. To be cast off or shed; come off: The snake's skin sloughs off.

2. To shed a slough.

3. Medicine To separate from surrounding living tissue. Used of dead tissue.

v.tr.

To discard as undesirable or unfavorable; get rid of: slough off former associates.

Middle English slughe.

Slough slaʊ

n

1. (Placename) an industrial town in SE central England, in Slough unitary authority, Berkshire; food products, high-tech industries. Pop.: 118 008 (1998 est.)

2. (Placename) a unitary authority in SE central England, in Berkshire. Pop.: 119 070 (2001). Area: 28 sq. km (11 sq. miles)

slough1

n

1. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) a hollow filled with mud; bog

2. (Earth Sciences / Physical Geography) US and Canadian

a. (in the prairies) a large hole where water collects or the water in such a hole

b. (in the northwest) a sluggish side channel of a river

c. (on the Pacific coast) a marshy saltwater inlet

3. despair or degradation

Old English slōh; related to Middle High German sluoche ditch, Swedish slaga swamp

sloughy adj

slough2

n

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) any outer covering that is shed, such as the dead outer layer of the skin of a snake, the cellular debris in a wound, etc.

2. (Group Games / Bridge) Also sluff Bridge a discarded card

vb

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Biology) (often foll by off) to shed (a skin, etc.) or (of a skin, etc.) to be shed

2. (Group Games / Bridge) Also sluff Bridge to discard (a card or cards)

of Germanic origin; compare Middle Low German slū husk, German Schlauch hose, Norwegian slō fleshy part of a horn

sloughy adj

slough (slf)

Noun

The dead outer skin shed by a reptile or an amphibian.

Verb

To shed an outer layer of skin.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. slough - necrotic tissue; a mortified or gangrenous part or mass

gangrene, sphacelus

pathology - any deviation from a healthy or normal condition

cold gangrene, dry gangrene, mumification necrosis, mummification - (pathology) gangrene that develops in the presence of arterial obstruction and is characterized by dryness of the dead tissue and a dark brown color

clostridial myonecrosis, emphysematous gangrene, emphysematous phlegmon, gangrenous emphysema, gas gangrene, gas phlegmon, progressive emphysematous necrosis - (pathology) a deadly form of gangrene usually caused by clostridium bacteria that produce toxins that cause tissue death; can be used as a bioweapon

2. slough - a hollow filled with mud

bog, peat bog - wet spongy ground of decomposing vegetation; has poorer drainage than a swamp; soil is unfit for cultivation but can be cut and dried and used for fuel

3. slough - a stagnant swamp (especially as part of a bayou)

swamp, swampland - low land that is seasonally flooded; has more woody plants than a marsh and better drainage than a bog

4. slough - any outer covering that can be shed or cast off (such as the cast-off skin of a snake)

covering, natural covering, cover - a natural object that covers or envelops; "under a covering of dust"; "the fox was flushed from its cover"

Verb 1. slough - cast off hair, skin, horn, or feathers; "our dog sheds every Spring"

exuviate, molt, moult, shed

desquamate, peel off - peel off in scales; "dry skin desquamates"

cast off, shed, throw off, throw away, shake off, throw, cast, drop - get rid of; "he shed his image as a pushy boss"; "shed your clothes"

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Anatolia ˌænəˈtəʊlɪə

n

(Placename) the Asian part of Turkey, occupying the peninsula between the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean: consists of a plateau, largely mountainous, with salt lakes in the interior Historical name Asia Minor.

(skipped the thesaurus)

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Anatolia ˌænəˈtəʊlɪə

n

(Placename) the Asian part of Turkey, occupying the peninsula between the Black Sea, the Mediterranean, and the Aegean: consists of a plateau, largely mountainous, with salt lakes in the interior Historical name Asia Minor

Wikipedia:

Anatolia (from Greek Ἀνατολή, Anatolē — "east" or "(sun)rise"; also Asia Minor, from Greek: Μικρὰ Ἀσία Mikrá Asía "small Asia"; in modern Turkish: Anadolu) is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey.1 The region is bounded by the Black Sea to the north, the Mediterranean Sea to the south and the Aegean Sea to the west. The Sea of Marmara forms a connection between the Black and Aegean Seas through the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, and separates Anatolia from Thrace on the European mainland. Traditionally, Anatolia is considered to extend in the east to a line between the Gulf of Iskenderun and the Black Sea, approximately corresponding to the western two-thirds of the Asian part of Turkey. However, since Anatolia is now often considered to be synonymous with Asian Turkey, its eastern and southeastern borders are widely taken to be the Turkish borders with the neighboring countries, which are Georgia, Armenia, Iran, Iraq and Syria, in clockwise direction.

Anatolia has been inhabited by many peoples throughout history, such as the Hattians, Hurrians, Hittites, Luwians, Phrygians, Lydians, Persians, Greeks, Assyrians, Mitanni, Scythians, Cimmerians, Urartians, Carians, Commagene, Cilicians, Arameans, Kaskians, Mushki, Palaic, Corduene, Armenians, Romans, Colchians, Iberians, Georgians, Kurds, Seljuk Turks, and Ottomans. Each culture left behind unique artifacts, still being uncovered by archeologists.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

cytizenship

A slang term used to describe the feeling of belonging in cyberspace. For example, this could be owning real estate in cyberspace, such as a domain name. It is also used to describe interactions of people in cyberspace through blogs, chat rooms, instant messaging, discussion forums and other places where people can communicate online.

Source: Webopedia Daily newsletters@itbusinessedge.com

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Grig;

A cricket of the family Field crickets (Orthoptera, Gryllidae, Gryllinae) .

http://academic.macewan.ca/judgek3/research/

Kevin A Judge discusses the carnivorous habits of female crickets while mating. Followed links from a CBS article containing a video of female eating her mate (.http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-205_162-57562728/watch-small-insects-engage-in-cannibal-sex/

to http://www.newscientist.com/blogs/nstv/2013/01/cannibal-grig-sex.html

to aforementioned http://academic.macewan.ca/judgek3/research/

A word new to me, though I am an amateur entomologist (specializing in a few families of beetles; some I discovered that were new to science have been named after me.

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Americanisms: 50 of your most noted examples

COMMENTS (1295)

Continue reading the main story

In today's Magazine

The girls stolen from the streets of India

Mystery writers seek science accuracy

Could America get a $1tn coin?

How do Armenians feel about Kim Kardashian's fame?

The Magazine's recent piece on Americanisms entering the language in the UK prompted thousands of you to e-mail examples.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14201796

January 9, 2013

alexz commented on the list carlos-words--1

Debunking 'Americanisms'

'wait on' goes back to the Rolling Stones 'Waiting on a friend' .. where are they from? Or, it goes back to London c. 1800's... http://goo.gl/Nfkem

deplane, was used by the FAA, http://goo.gl/6SXdL also seen back in 1926 http://goo.gl/N2z1V

so, yeah, that's an Americanism.

'it is what it is' goes back to 1626. http://goo.gl/wGU9N

Gotten? they complain about 'gotten'? Google's got gotten goin back to 1492 's library of congress, but it really wan't 'America' as in the USA so that date is suspect. I got Gotten being used by the house of lords http://goo.gl/XuEo2

Bangs for hair? UK again. http://goo.gl/cSeGT Sylvia's Book of the Toilet 1881

"you do the math" seems to show up in the 20th century. likely an Americanism..

"that'll learn you" .. well, the English have been using Learn for Teach since forever, or 1765 . http://goo.gl/Fykm8 The English Theatre, 8 Volumes

"Where it's at" first seen in .. The Spectator, Volume 8 http://goo.gl/7OtuR yes, that's a London piece of paper.

"winningest" first seen on the east side of the pond "The Winningest Orators" http://goo.gl/FcTKt

"issue as a problem", well, there were major issues back in the day. http://goo.gl/WvkMo but minor issues go back to 1739, in that London rag... The Spectator http://goo.gl/HbhcN

I could care less http://goo.gl/NfaVA 1875, London - Pretty Miss Bellew

January 9, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

alexz, you pretty well nailed them. Am in awe. Been hanging on to that article for over a year and now know why. Pretty awesome performance. thanks.

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

fibissedah:

some notes: could find this in none of the usual places; Google

offered to check Google books, and Ta da! it found the above quoted

twice in the book

. It is now shown as a result when searched. Also,

the book used proportional font, and though followed the book sentence

structure, it doesn't look the same. Cannot be copied in any way

no cut -paste, or CTR-C so had to write the thing out).

http://books.google.com/books?id=EUbXtBV8ko8C&pg=PA50&lpg=

PA50&dq=Fibissedah&source=bl&ots=uDnuSqwInk&sig=v1_sqL1p2TN-

UCz374N8_xgyoQ0&hl=en&sa=X&ei=VxoTT6vPEMLX0QGUyfyqAw&ved

=0CCgQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=Fibissedah&f=false

Quote from the book;

"An old friend, Jonathon, had once called me fibissedah - face.

Yiddish. Meaning all my feelings paraded across my mug,

clearly to be read. I remember his comment and adopted a

purposeful neutrality."

Shortcut Man: A Novel

By P. G. Sturges

http://books.google.com/books?id=EUbXtBV8ko8C&dq=Fibissedah&source=gbs

_navlinks_s

Shortcut Man: A Novel (Google eBook)

P. G. Sturges

19 Reviews

Simon and Schuster, Feb 1, 2011 -

Fiction - 224 pages

Note: This was in a Gmail letter had saved, written to my brother and when tried copy/paste

found to my dismay that half the text was lopped off. Measured the

length of this screen on a piece of paper; held it over a new instance of

the message copy/pasted from original, and went through the text, putting in "enter" when close to page length. Copied that and finally

posted here. A pain equal to the first described.

Personal note:

Fibissedah is a condition from which I "suffer" in the sense that my

wives have looked to my face when making a "request" to see my

first reaction. If anything but wholesale joy is seen, anger and

resentment result. Instantly. Mind you, am _processing_, and if I

get that far, my response is either to negotiate (let me finish this

chapter) or outright delight (and what else can I get you?). The key

in quote below is "paraded", but does it get that far?

Not. For. A. Fuckin. Second. An instantaneous reaction is invoked.

I feel this to be terribly unfair - or to be more truthful, outraged

(of course); but then who knows us best?

As they say in the rooms with bad coffee, "We don't have relation-

ships, we take hostages."

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

theic

Definitions

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

n. One who is addicted to the immoderate use of tea; a tea-drunkard.

This word comes from the Latin ‘the-a,’ tea.

Examples

“It is customary to speak of acute, subacute, and chronic 'theism' - a form that has no connection with theological matters. It is possible to be a ‘theic’ by profession or a ‘theic’ by passion.” ‘Tea Drinkers’ Diseases,’ Star, October 20, 1886

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ter·giv·er·sate (tr-jvr-st, tûrj-vr-)

intr.v. ter·giv·er·sat·ed, ter·giv·er·sat·ing, ter·giv·er·sates

1. To use evasions or ambiguities; equivocate.

2. To change sides; apostatize.

Latin tergiversr, tergiverst- : tergum, the back + versre, to turn; see wer-2 in Indo-European roots.

tergi·ver·sation n.

tergi·ver·sator (-str) n.

tergiversate ˈtɜːdʒɪvəˌseɪt

vb (intr)

1. to change sides or loyalties; apostatize

2. to be evasive or ambiguous; equivocate

from Latin tergiversārī to turn one's back, from tergum back + vertere to turn

tergiversation n

tergiversator , tergiversant ˈtɜːdʒɪˌvɜːsənt n

tergiversatory adj

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb 1. tergiversate - be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

beat around the bush, equivocate, palter, prevaricate

misinform, mislead - give false or misleading information to

2. tergiversate - abandon one's beliefs or allegiances

apostatise, apostatize

repudiate, disown, renounce - cast off; "She renounced her husband"; "The parents repudiated their son"

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ter·giv·er·sate (tr-jvr-st, tûrj-vr-)

intr.v. ter·giv·er·sat·ed, ter·giv·er·sat·ing, ter·giv·er·sates

1. To use evasions or ambiguities; equivocate.

2. To change sides; apostatize.

Latin tergiversr, tergiverst- : tergum, the back + versre, to turn; see wer-2 in Indo-European roots.

tergi·ver·sation n.

tergi·ver·sator (-str) n.

tergiversate ˈtɜːdʒɪvəˌseɪt

vb (intr)

1. to change sides or loyalties; apostatize

2. to be evasive or ambiguous; equivocate

from Latin tergiversārī to turn one's back, from tergum back + vertere to turn

tergiversation n

tergiversator , tergiversant ˈtɜːdʒɪˌvɜːsənt n

tergiversatory adj

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb 1. tergiversate - be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

beat around the bush, equivocate, palter, prevaricate

misinform, mislead - give false or misleading information to

2. tergiversate - abandon one's beliefs or allegiances

apostatise, apostatize

repudiate, disown, renounce - cast off; "She renounced her husband"; "The parents repudiated their son"

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ter·giv·er·sate (tr-jvr-st, tûrj-vr-)

intr.v. ter·giv·er·sat·ed, ter·giv·er·sat·ing, ter·giv·er·sates

1. To use evasions or ambiguities; equivocate.

2. To change sides; apostatize.

Latin tergiversr, tergiverst- : tergum, the back + versre, to turn; see wer-2 in Indo-European roots.

tergi·ver·sation n.

tergi·ver·sator (-str) n.

tergiversate ˈtɜːdʒɪvəˌseɪt

vb (intr)

1. to change sides or loyalties; apostatize

2. to be evasive or ambiguous; equivocate

from Latin tergiversārī to turn one's back, from tergum back + vertere to turn

tergiversation n

tergiversator , tergiversant ˈtɜːdʒɪˌvɜːsənt n

tergiversatory adj

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb 1. tergiversate - be deliberately ambiguous or unclear in order to mislead or withhold information

beat around the bush, equivocate, palter, prevaricate

misinform, mislead - give false or misleading information to

2. tergiversate - abandon one's beliefs or allegiances

apostatise, apostatize

repudiate, disown, renounce - cast off; "She renounced her husband"; "The parents repudiated their son"

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

amanuensis

a·man·u·en·sis (-mny-nss)

n. pl. a·man·u·en·ses (-sz)

One who is employed to take dictation or to copy manuscript.

amanuensis əˌmænjʊˈɛnsɪs

n pl -ses -siːz

a person employed to take dictation or to copy manuscripts

from Latin āmanuensis, from the phrase servus ā manū slave at hand (that is, handwriting)

amanuensis

Formal. 1. a secretary.

2. a scribe or copyist.

amanuensis - Literally "slave at hand"—for a literary assistant, especially one who takes dictation or copies manuscripts.

World English Dictionary

amanuensis (əˌmænjʊˈɛnsɪs)

— n , pl -ses

a person employed to take dictation or to copy manuscripts

C17: from Latin āmanuensis, from the phrase servus ā manū slave at hand (that is, handwriting)

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

amanuensis

"one who takes dictation," 1610s, from L. amanuensis, from servus a manu "secretary," lit. "servant from the hand," from a "from" + manu, ablative of manus "hand" (see manual).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Hurdy gurdy

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Hurdy-gurdy)

This article is about the musical instrument. For the video game with a similar name, see Herdy Gerdy. For the 1968 song, see Hurdy Gurdy Man.

The hurdy gurdy or hurdy-gurdy is a stringed musical instrument that produces sound by a crank-turned rosined wheel rubbing against the strings. The wheel functions much like a violin bow, and single notes played on the instrument sound similar to a violin. Melodies are played on a keyboard that presses tangents (small wedges, typically made of wood) against one or more of the strings to change their pitch. Like most other acoustic stringed instruments, it has a sound board to make the vibration of the strings audible.

Most hurdy gurdies have multiple drone strings, which give a constant pitch accompaniment to the melody, resulting in a sound similar to that of bagpipes. For this reason, the hurdy gurdy is often used interchangeably or along with bagpipes, particularly in French and contemporary Hungarian and Galician folk music.

Many folk music festivals in Europe feature music groups with hurdy gurdy players, with the most famous annual festival occurring at Saint-Chartier, in the Indre département, in central France, during the week nearest July 14 (Bastille Day).

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurdy-gurdy

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

fleer

fleer (flîr)

intr.v. fleered, fleer·ing, fleers

To smirk or laugh in contempt or derision.

n.

A taunting, scoffing, or derisive look or gibe.

Middle English flerien, of Scandinavian origin.

fleering·ly adv.

fleer flɪə Archaic

vb

to grin or laugh at; scoff; sneer

n

a derisory glance or grin

of Scandinavian origin; compare Norwegian flire to snigger

fleeringly adv

fleer - To laugh in a disrespectful or jeering way.

See also related terms for laugh.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. fleer - someone who flees from an uncongenial situation; "fugitives from the sweatshops"

fugitive, runaway

individual, mortal, person, somebody, someone, soul - a human being; "there was too much for one person to do"

2. fleer - contempt expressed by mockery in looks or words

scorn, contempt - open disrespect for a person or thing

Verb 1. fleer - to smirk contemptuously

simper, smirk - smile affectedly or derisively

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fleer

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

passional

pas·sion·al (psh-nl)

adj.

Of, relating to, or filled with passion.

n.

A book of the sufferings of saints and martyrs.

passional ˈpæʃənəl

adj

of, relating to, or due to passion or the passions

n

(Christian Religious Writings / Theology) a book recounting the sufferings of Christian martyrs or saints

References in classic literature

But this two-legged god-devil did not rage blindly and was incapable of passional heat.

Michael, Brother of Jerry by London, Jack View in context

It went through Saxon until she was as this instrument, swept with passional strains.

The Valley of the Moon by London, Jack

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/passional

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

bollard

bol·lard (blrd)

n.

1. Nautical A thick post on a ship or wharf, used for securing ropes and hawsers.

2. One of a series of posts preventing vehicles from entering an area.

Middle English, probably from bole, tree trunk; see bole1.

bollard ˈbɒlɑːd ˈbɒləd

n

1. (Transport / Nautical Terms) a strong wooden or metal post mounted on a wharf, quay, etc., used for securing mooring lines

2. (Engineering / Civil Engineering) Brit a small post or marker placed on a kerb or traffic island to make it conspicuous to motorists

3. (Individual Sports & Recreations / Mountaineering) Mountaineering an outcrop of rock or pillar of ice that may be used to belay a rope

perhaps from bole1 + -ard

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. bollard - a strong post (as on a wharf or quay or ship for attaching mooring lines); "the road was closed to vehicular traffic with bollards"

bitt

bitthead - the upper end of a bitt

pier, wharf, wharfage, dock - a platform built out from the shore into the water and supported by piles; provides access to ships and boats

post - an upright consisting of a piece of timber or metal fixed firmly in an upright position; "he set a row of posts in the ground and strung barbwire between them"

riding bitt - one of the large bitts used to secure the cable of a dropped anchor

ship - a vessel that carries passengers or freight

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/bollard

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

hawser

haw·ser (hôzr)

n.

A cable or rope used in mooring or towing a ship.

Middle English, from Anglo-Norman haucer, from Old French haucier, to hoist, from Vulgar Latin *altire, alteration of Late Latin altre, from Latin altus, high; see al-2 in Indo-European roots.

hawser ˈhɔːzə

n

(Transport / Nautical Terms) Nautical a large heavy rope

from Anglo-French hauceour, from Old French haucier to hoist, ultimately from Latin altus high

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. hawser - large heavy rope for nautical use

rope - a strong line

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hawser

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

jacquard

Jac·quard (jkärd, j-kärd, zhä-kär), Joseph Marie 1752-1834.

French inventor of the jacquard loom (1801), the first automatic loom able to weave complex patterns.

jac·quard also Jac·quard (jkärd, j-kärd)

n.

1. A fabric with an intricately woven pattern.

2. A special loom or the method employed in the weaving of a figured fabric.

After Joseph Marie Jacquard.

jacquard adj.

Jacquard ˈdʒækɑːd dʒəˈkɑːd (French) ʒakar

n

1. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Knitting & Sewing) Also called Jacquard weave a fabric in which the design is incorporated into the weave instead of being printed or dyed on

2. (Clothing, Personal Arts & Crafts / Knitting & Sewing) Also called Jacquard loom the loom that produces this fabric

named after Joseph M. Jacquard (1752-1834), French inventor

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. Jacquard - French inventor of the Jacquard loom that could automatically weave complicated patterns (1752-1834)

Joseph M. Jacquard, Joseph Marie Jacquard

2. jacquard - a highly figured fabric woven on a Jacquard loom

cloth, fabric, textile, material - artifact made by weaving or felting or knitting or crocheting natural or synthetic fibers; "the fabric in the curtains was light and semitransparent"; "woven cloth originated in Mesopotamia around 5000 BC"; "she measured off enough material for a dress"

3. Jacquard - a loom with an attachment for forming openings for the passage of the shuttle between the warp threads; used in weaving figured fabrics

Jacquard loom

loom - a textile machine for weaving yarn into a textile

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/jacquard

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

kill

kill 2 (kl)

n. New York State

See creek. See Regional Notes at stoop2, run.

Dutch kil, from Middle Dutch kille.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/kill

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

egad

e·gad (-gd) or e·gads (-gdz)

interj.

Used as a mild exclamation.

Alteration of oh God.

egad ɪˈgæd iːˈgæd

interj

Archaic a mild oath or expression of surprise

probably variant of Ah God!

References in classic literature

The thing was hushed up, but, egad, Kelso ate his chop alone at the club for some time afterwards.

The Picture Of Dorian Gray by Wilde, Oscar

When Sancho saw the bride, he exclaimed, "By my faith, she is not dressed like a country girl, but like some fine court lady; egad, as well as I can make out, the patena she wears rich coral, and her green Cuenca stuff is thirty-pile velvet; and then the white linen trimming- by my oath, but it's satin

Don Quixote by Cervantes, Miguel

Egad, Samuel, if you've any drug in your travelling-chest that will set me on my feet again, bring it without delay.

Five Weeks in a Balloon by Verne, Jules

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Egad

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

gadzooks

gad·zooks (gdzks)

interj.

Used as a mild or ironic oath: "Gadzooks! Is there a panic detector, akin to a smoke detector, that sniffs anxiety in the air?" (George F. Will).

Perhaps alteration of God's hooks, the nails of the crucifixion of Christ.

gadzooks gædˈzuːks

interj

Archaic a mild oath

perhaps from God's hooks (the nails of the cross); see Gad1

gadzooks - An abridgment of God's hooks, "nails of the cross."

See also related terms for nails.

References in periodicals archive

Gadzooks - Shakespeare wrote those words in Macbeth.

CRINGE AT THE FRINGE; Dannii's latest bid for fame is as Lady Macbeth ... by Adams, Billy / Sunday Mail (Glasgow, Scotland)

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/gadzooks

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

facticity

fac·tic·i·ty (fk-ts-t)

n.

The quality or condition of being a fact: historical facticity.

References in periodicals archive

Confronting the viewer with the medium's facticity, Soltau paradoxically mitigates the importance of in-frame illusion(s) even as she constructs her works from them.

String theories: Annegret Soltau's transitional, fetishistic ... by Afterimage

Both then and now, Taylor argues, exotic bodies are presented in museums as a "truth" factor, to "prove" the material facticity of an "Other" (ibid.

Playing to the gallery: masks, masquerade, and museums by Savage, Polly / African Arts

John Butler describes facticity as follows, "Facticity is the way things are .

Aliens and existential elevators: absurdity and its shadows in ... by van der Colff, M.A. / Literator: Journal of Literary Criticism, comparative linguistics and literary studies

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/facticity

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

demotic

de·mot·ic (d-mtk)

adj.

1. Of or relating to the common people; popular: demotic speech; demotic entertainments.

2. Of, relating to, or written in the simplified form of ancient Egyptian hieratic writing.

3. Demotic Of or relating to a form of modern Greek based on colloquial use.

n.

Demotic Greek.

Greek dmotikos, from dmots, a commoner, from dmos, people; see d- in Indo-European roots.

demotic dɪˈmɒtɪk

adj

1. (Sociology) of or relating to the common people; popular

2. (Linguistics / Languages) of or relating to a simplified form of hieroglyphics used in ancient Egypt by the ordinary literate class outside the priesthood Compare hieratic

n

(Linguistics / Languages) the demotic script of ancient Egypt

from Greek dēmotikos of the people, from dēmotēs a man of the people, commoner; see demos

demotist n

Demotic dɪˈmɒtɪk

n

(Linguistics / Languages) the spoken form of Modern Greek, now increasingly used in literature Compare Katharevusa

adj

(Linguistics / Languages) denoting or relating to this

demotic

1. of or relating to the common people; popular.

2. of, pertaining to, or noting the simplified form of hieratic writing used in ancient Egypt.

3. (cap.) of, belonging to, or connected with modern colloquial Greek. Also called Romaic.

See also: Language

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. Demotic - a simplified cursive form of the ancient hieratic script; "Demotic script was eventually replaced by Greek"

Demotic script

hieratic, hieratic script - a cursive form of Egyptian hieroglyphics; used especially by the priests

2. Demotic - the modern Greek vernacular

Romaic

Modern Greek, New Greek - the Greek language as spoken and written today

Adj. 1. Demotic - of or written in or belonging to the form of modern Greek based on colloquial use

2. demotic - of or for the common people; "demotic entertainments"; "demotic speech"; "a poet with a keen ear for demotic rhythms"

common - having no special distinction or quality; widely known or commonly encountered; average or ordinary or usual; "the common man"; "a common sailor"; "the common cold"; "a common nuisance"; "followed common procedure"; "it is common knowledge that she lives alone"; "the common housefly"; "a common brand of soap"

demotic

adjective

1. colloquial, familiar, informal, everyday, vernacular, conversational, idiomatic his command of demotic American speech

2. common, ordinary, working-class, humble, vulgar, grass-roots, lower-class, proletarian, common or garden, plebeian, lowbrow, lowborn a populist, demotic politician

common elite, noble, upper-class, aristocratic, patrician, blue-blooded, highborn

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/demotic

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

zeptomole:

(chemistry, physics) A small amount of a substance, especially a

countable number of atoms or molecules.

Wiktionary's word of the day:

January 10, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

palmette

pal·mette pal-met Show IPA

noun

a conventionalized shape in the form of palmately spread leaves or sections, used as ornamentation. Compare anthemion, lotus ( def 5 ) .

Origin:

1835–45; < French; see palm2 , -ette

World English Dictionarypalmette (pælˈmɛt)

— n

archaeol an ornament or design resembling the palm leaf

C19: from French: a little palm ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

Example sentences

Flanking each side of the decorative band are two semicircular columns of varying height capped by palmette ornamentation.

In addition, the west side is capped by a gabled roof with a palmette in relief at its peak.

Anthemion and palmette motifs dominate the tablets and corner blocks made for the house.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/palmette?s=t

January 11, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

elve(s);

elve elv Show IPA

noun

an extremely dim, flattened, expanding, reddish glow briefly seen over a thunderstorm, due to electromagnetic pulses from intense lightning.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Science Dictionary

elve (ělv) Pronunciation Key

An extremely dim, short-lived, expanding disk of reddish light above thunderstorms, believed to be caused by electromagnetic pulses from intense lightning in the lower ionosphere. Elves last less than a second and can be as wide as 500 km (310 mi) in diameter.

The American Heritage® Science Dictionary

Copyright © 2002. Published by Houghton Mifflin. All rights reserved.

Example sentences

Perhaps because the mesosphere is so little understood, it is home to two meteorological mysteries: sprites and elves.

But lightning flickers above thunderstorms too, where the ghostly flashes have such fanciful names as elves and sprites.

Scientists believe elves result when an energetic electromagnetic pulse extends up into the ionosphere.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/elves?s=t

January 12, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

cinquecentist

cin·que·cen·tist ching-kwi-chen-tist Show IPA

noun

an Italian writer or artist of the 16th century.

Origin:

1870–75; < Italian cinquecentista, equivalent to cinquecent ( o ) (see cinquecento) + -ista -ist

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

World English Dictionary

cinquecento (ˌtʃɪŋkwɪˈtʃɛntəʊ)

— n

the 16th century, esp in reference to Italian art, architecture, or literature

C18: Italian, shortened from milcinquecento 1500

cinque'centist

— n

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cinquecentist?s=t

January 12, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

stylite

sty·lite stahy-lahyt Show IPA

noun, Ecclesiastical History .

one of a class of solitary ascetics who lived on the top of high pillars or columns.

Origin:

1630–40; < Late Greek stȳlī́tēs, equivalent to stŷl ( os ) pillar + -itēs -ite1

Related forms

sty·lit·ic stahy-lit-ik Show IPA , adjective.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Word Origin & History

stylite

ascetic living on the top of a pillar, c.1638, from Eccles. Gk. stylites, from stylos "pillar" (see stet).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Word Origin & History

stylite

ascetic living on the top of a pillar, c.1638, from Eccles. Gk. stylites, from stylos "pillar" (see stet).

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/stylites+?s=t

Stylites (from Greek stylos, "pillar", Classical Syriac: ܐܣܛܘܢܐ‎ ʼasṯonáyé) or Pillar-Saints are a type of Christian ascetic who in the early days of the Byzantine Empire stood on pillars preaching, fasting and praying. They believed that the mortification of their bodies would help ensure the salvation of their souls. The first stylite was probably Simeon Stylites the Elder who climbed on a pillar in Syria in 423 and remained there until his death 37 years later. (more)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stylites

January 12, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

proscenium;

pro·sce·ni·um proh-see-nee-uh m, pruh- Show IPA

noun, plural pro·sce·ni·a -nee-uh Show IPA . Theater .

1.

Also called proscenium arch. the arch that separates a stage from the auditorium. Abbreviation: pros.

2.

(formerly) the apron or, especially in ancient theater, the stage itself.

Origin:

1600–10; < Latin proscēnium, proscaenium < Greek proskḗnion entrance to a tent, porch, stage ( Late Greek: stage curtain), equivalent to pro- pro-2 + skēn ( ḗ ) (see scene) + -ion neuter noun suffix

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

World English Dictionary

proscenium (prəˈsiːnɪəm)

— n , pl -nia , -niums

1. the arch or opening separating the stage from the auditorium together with the area immediately in front of the arch

2. (in ancient theatres) the stage itself

C17: via Latin from Greek proskēnion, from pro- before + skēnē scene

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

Word Origin & History

proscenium

1606, "stage of an ancient theater," from L. proscaenium, from Gk. proskenion "the space in front of the scenery," also "entrance of a tent," from pro "in front" + skene "stage, tent, booth." Modern sense of "space between the curtain and the orchestra" is attested from 1807.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Example sentences

The main auditorium has a balcony with a proscenium stage opposite the lobby.

Significant interior features include stamped tin ceilings, the stage and proscenium.

In addition, the stage will undergo a complete renovation, adding a proscenium and footlights.

Diagonal view of orchestra, proscenium and stage, curtains open.

Hose connections on stages are to be on the audience side of the proscenium curtain.

The low, wide format with its strongly angled walls is the proscenium for this cast of historical actors.

Its track record in proscenium theaters remains mixed.

Incorporated into the gymnasium is also a proscenium arch and stage.

Also, if one day soon it no longer makes sense to continue to do performances on a proscenium stage, we'll stop.

The proscenium arch is pro vided and the needed stage directions given.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/proscenium%3B?s=t

January 12, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

pizzle;

piz·zle piz-uh l Show IPA

noun

1.

the penis of an animal, especially a bull.

2.

a whip made from a bull's pizzle.

Origin:

1515–25; probably < dialectal Dutch pezel or Low German pēsel, equivalent to Middle Dutch, Middle Low German pēs ( e ) ( Dutch pees ) tendon, sinew + -el diminutive suffix; see -le

World English Dictionary

pizzle (ˈpɪz ə l)

— n

archaic , dialect or the penis of an animal, esp a bull

C16: of Germanic origin; compare Low German pēsel, Flemish pēzel, Middle Dutch pēze sinew

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

pizzle

"penis of a bull used as a flogging instrument," 1523, from L.Ger. pesel or Flem. pezel, dim. of root of Du. pees "sinew," from O.L.G. root *pisa.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper

Cite This Source

Slang Dictionary

pizzle definition

P

a wild card word for words beginning with , such as piss,pee. (Streets. Also for other words with initial P.) : I gotta pizzle.

Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.

Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bull pizzle cut into small pieces for dogs to chew.

Pizzle is an old English word for penis, derived from Low German pesel or Flemish Dutch pezel, diminutive of pees, meaning 'sinew'.1 The word is used today to signify the penis of an animal,2 chiefly in Australia and New Zealand.3

(snip)

Knew a guy had a 3.5 foot walking stick made from a dried pizzle from a bull's penis, allegedly presented to him by A Mexican Matador.

January 13, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

also-ran \AWL-soh-ran\, noun:

1. Informal. A person who loses a contest, election, or other competition.

2. Sports. A. (In a race) a contestant who fails to win or to place among the first three finishers. B. An athlete or team whose performance in competition is rarely, if ever, a winning or near-winning one.

3. Informal. A person who attains little or no success: For every great artist there are a thousand also-rans.

Nah! They wouldn't want an also-ran, and Edsel will always be an also-ran. They want a contender, and that's you.

-- Emily Carmichael, A New Leash on Life

The Republicans’ allowing Clint Eastwood to improvise like an also-ran at a talent show, on their Convention’s most important night, only heightened the contrast.

-- Steve Coll, "Conventional Wisdom," The New Yorker, Sept. 17, 2012

Also-ran was first used in the late 1800s to refer to the losing horse in a horse race. The term was applied more broadly to the loser of any contest shortly thereafter.

dictionary.com/wordoftheday

January 14, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

floccinaucinihilipilificate:

(colloquial) To describe or regard something as worthless.

Wiktionary's word of the day:

January 15, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Walkaway

Definition: (noun) An easy victory.

Synonyms: blowout, romp, runaway, shoo-in, laugher

Usage: Stanley has a gift for science and has won first prize at his past four science fairs, so this year's fair is almost a guaranteed walkaway for him.

word.of.the.day@farlex.com

January 15, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

vertex \VUR-teks\, noun:

1. The highest point of something; apex; summit; top: the vertex of a mountain.

2. Anatomy, Zoology. The crown or top of the head.

3. Craniometry. The highest point on the midsagittal plane of the skull or head viewed from the left side when the skull or head is in the Frankfurt horizontal.

4. Astronomy. A point in the celestial sphere toward which or from which the common motion of a group of stars is directed.

5. Geometry. A. The point farthest from the base: the vertex of a cone or of a pyramid. B. A point in a geometrical solid common to three or more sides. C. The intersection of two sides of a plane figure.

When the six-pointed star was laid perfectly over the Great Seal of the United States, the star's top vertex fit perfectly over the Masonic all-seeing eye…

-- Dan Brown, The Lost Symbol

Some way off from its near vertex (which happened to be between terrible Dino and Pemphredo the stinger), I hid behind a shrub of briar to reconnoiter…

-- John Barth, Chimera

Vertex stems from the Latin word of the same spelling which meant "a whirl" or "top (of the head)." It comes from the same stem as the word vortex, vert meaning "to turn." The sense of "the highest point" arose in the 1640s.

vertex: Dictionary.com Word of the Day

January 15, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

pendragon

Definitions

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

n. A chief leader; a generalissimo; a chief king. The title was conferred of old on British chiefs in times of great danger, when they were invested with dictatorial power.

This word comes from the Welsh ‘pen,’ head, and the Latin ‘dracon- ,’ snake, the standard of a cohort.

Examples

“He would have gratefully given all his patrimonial domains to one who should inform him what pendragon or druid it was who set up the first stone on Salisbury plain.” Memoirs of Carwin, the Biloquist, by Charles Brockden Brown

“In seasons of emergency, indeed, the confederated princes elected a dictator, who bore the title of Pendragon (head of all Britain), and among such are to be found the Arthurs and the Alfreds of their heroic times.” Wanderings and Excursions in North Wales, by Thomas Roscoe

“From that day forward he was called Uther-Pendragon, for formerly his name was only Uther, and Pendragon, which means in the Breton language, ‘dragon's head,’ was added, and he received this appellation because Merlin had prophesied that he should be king in semblance of a dragon.” A collection of the chronicles and ancient histories of Great Britain, by Jehan de Wavrin

http://www.wordnik.com/word-of-the-day

January 16, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Word of the Day for Wednesday, January 16, 2013

preconcert \pree-kuhn-SURT\, verb:

1. To arrange in advance or beforehand, as by a previous agreement.

adjective:

1. Preceding a concert: a preconcert reception for sponsors.

Indeed she did not really suspect the visitor, who was one too ingenuous in his nature to preconcert so subtle and so wicked a scheme.

-- Anthony Trollope, Dr. Wortle's School

If personal accidents, and accidents so trivial, could, to any serious extent, be amongst the causes of war, then it would become a hopeful duty to preconcert personal combinations that should take an opposite direction.

-- Thomas De Quincey, The Works of Thomas De Quincey

Though today concert is most often a noun, it was usually used as a verb in the 1700s typically in the sense of "to bring together" or "to arrange." Preconcert thus meant "to arrange beforehand."

preconcert: Dictionary.com Word of the Day

January 16, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Boo! Hiss!

San Antonio to open first bookless public library

A new library to be opened in Bexar County, Texas, will provide visitors with a bank of e-Readers for borrowing e-books ... but books of the traditional paper variety will be glaringly absent. The project marks the first public library to be built as an all-digital service and just to make sure library-goers are in no doubt that it's the 21st century, the interior will feature a design influenced by Apple retail stores.

Read on Desktop or Read on Mobile

January 16, 2013

bilby commented on the list carlos-words--1

Someone find that Antonio and box him about the ears.

January 16, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Bilby,

Missed that "S" in the cut/paste but went back and added it back in.

Wondering why the edit didn't `take'?

One of many things I wonder about on this site...

Later - when should be wondering about self. Obvious execution error.

January 17, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

hypnopompic \hip-nuh-POM-pik\, adjective:

Of or pertaining to the semiconscious state prior to complete wakefulness.

He shudders, snaps himself out of it; as one can, with effort, do, to escape from a bad dream, working one's way in stages, toward hypnopompic state until finally, fully awake.

-- Mary Caponegro, The Star Cafe

He woke fitfully, from a dream where his work had gone terribly wrong. He was still hypnopompic.

-- Richard Powers, The Echo Maker

Hypnopompic literally means "sending away sleep" in Greek. It was coined in English in the early 1900s from the roots hypno- meaning "sleep" and pomp meaning "sending away."

Dictionary com/word/of the/day

January 17, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

virtualization

In computing, virtualization means to create a virtual version of a device or resource, such as a server, storage device, network or even an operating system where the framework divides the resource into one or more execution environments. Even something as simple as partitioning a hard drive is considered virtualization because you take one drive and partition it to create two separate hard drives. Devices, applications and human users are able to interact with the virtual resource as if it were a real single logical resource. The term virtualization has become somewhat of a buzzword, and as a result the term is now associated with a number of computing technologies including the following:

storage virtualization: the amalgamation of multiple network storage devices into what appears to be a single storage unit.

server virtualization: the partitioning a physical server into smaller virtual servers.

operating system-level virtualization: a type of server virtualization technology which works at the operating system (kernel) layer.

network virtualization: using network resources through a logical segmentation of a single physical network.

application virtualization

See also virtual.

Contrast with physical.

Compare virtualization with emulation.

http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/V/virtualization.html

January 17, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

14 Great Words the English Language Lacks

http://www.newser.com/story/161020/14-great-words-with-no-english-equivalent.html?utm_source=part&utm_medium=slate&utm_campaign=greatfinds_rss

January 17, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

"Superomniphobic" nanoscale coating repels almost any liquid

http://www.gizmag.com/superomniphobic-liquid-repelling-coating/25836/?utm_source=Gizmag+Subscribers&utm_campaign=6771290508-UA-2235360-4&utm_medium=email

January 17, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

hypnopompic

\ hip-nuh-POM-pik \ , adjective;

1.

Of or pertaining to the semiconscious state prior to complete wakefulness.

Definition of hypnopompic| See synonyms| Comment on today's word| Suggest tomorrow's word

Quotes:

He shudders, snaps himself out of it; as one can, with effort, do, to escape from a bad dream, working one's way in stages, toward hypnopompic state until finally, fully awake.

-- Mary Caponegro, The Star Cafe

He woke fitfully, from a dream where his work had gone terribly wrong. He was still hypnopompic .

-- Richard Powers, The Echo Maker

Origin:

Hypnopompic literally means "sending away sleep" in Greek. It was coined in English in the early 1900s from the roots hypno- meaning "sleep" and pomp meaning "sending away."

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday

January 17, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Spoiler alert: Word enthusiasts want to ban "fiscal cliff"

By Colleen Jenkins

Mon Dec 31, 2012 12:09pm EST

(Reuters) - Whether or not the U.S. Congress acts to avoid the "fiscal cliff," the much-used phrase tops the list of words language aficionados want banned from everyday speech, according to a Michigan university's yearly roundup released on Monday.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/12/31/us-usa-words-banished-idUSBRE8BU09T20121231

January 18, 2013

bilby commented on the list carlos-words--1

See fiscal cliff.

January 18, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

shindy \SHIN-dee\, noun:

1. A row; rumpus.

2. A shindig.

"If the thing goes wrong," said a man by my side, "we shall see a shindy."

-- Maurice Leblanc, The Three Eyes

"Say," he said, "there's an awful shindy in the house. The dressmaker is pitching into papa for all she is worth, and there are some other folks, but she's goin' it loudest; but they are all going it! Cracky! Hear 'em!"

-- Mary Eleanor Wilkins Freeman, The Debtor

Shindy is a peculiar Americanism that arose in the 1810s. It referred originally to shinny, a now-obsolete game resembling field hockey. The word came to be applied not just to sport but also to raucous events.

January 19, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

jubilarian \joo-buh-LAIR-ee-uhn\, noun:

A person who celebrates or has celebrated a jubilee, as a nun observing 25 or more years of religious life.

To enable the school to open in 1916, Sisters Agnes Geraghty and Corona Hargrafen, golden jubilarians, had come out of retirement, and Sister Juliana Kritenbrink, another golden jubilarian, joined them the next year.

-- O. P. Dolores Enderle, Suzanne Noffke, The Dominicans of Racine, Wisconsin

The crowd was so great that when the doors were closed at a late hour to relieve the strain on the seventy-two-year-old jubilarian, a line of people still reached around the south and west sides of the Square.

-- Patrick Ryan, Archbishop Patrick John Ryan His Life and Times

In Biblical tradition, the jubilee is a yearlong celebration which occurs every 50 years. All debts are forgiven and lands returned to their original owners. Today jubilees are often celebrations of significant anniversaries, particularly every 25, 50, 60 or 75 years. Jubliarian refers to anyone who has or is celebrating a significant 25-year milestone.

dictionary.com

January 20, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

auspicate

Definitions

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

v. To initiate or inaugurate with ceremonies calculated to insure good luck. This meaning of the word was borrowed from the Roman practice of taking the auspices before undertaking any important business.

v. To begin or introduce in a favorable or auspicious manner.

v. To be an augury of; foreshow.

This word comes from the Latin 'auspex,' interpreter of omens given by birds.

Examples

“Why the W.C.T.U. should object to the use of champagne to auspicate the career of a new ship at her launching is more than we have ever been able to make out.” ‘A Baptism of Oil,’ The New York Times, March 25, 1905

“The next day King John, to auspicate his temporal affairs with spiritual devotions (and yet to shew what he thought of some superstitious follies of those times), went undauntedly into the Cathedral Church of that city, being much persuaded by many (for monkish impostures persuaded many it was very ominous for a King to enter that and certain other places), and there offered a golden challice on Saint John's altar, which no King before him ever durst do.” Beauties of English and Scottish History

http://www.wordnik.com/word-of-the-day

January 21, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Superfluid

With the lowest melting and boiling points of any known substance, helium—alone among the elements—will not solidify even as its temperature approaches absolute zero. Instead, it takes on extremely unusual physical properties, as physicists discovered in 1937. It becomes a superfluid. With zero entropy, zero viscosity, and extremely high thermal conductivity

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Superfluid

January 21, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

fugacious - Passing away quickly; evanescent.

Synonyms: ephemeral, passing, short-lived, transitory, transient

Usage: Restless, shifting, fugacious as time itself is a certain vast bulk of the population of the red brick district of the lower West Side.

freedictionary.com

January 21, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

palinspastic

WOTD - 21 January 2013

editEtymology

From Ancient Greek πάλιν (pálin, “again”) + σπαστικός (spastikós, “drawing”).

editPronunciation

IPA: /pælɪnˈspæstɪk/

Rhymes: -æstɪk

editAdjective

palinspastic (not comparable)

(geology, of a map) Showing the previous location of geological features, correcting for any intervening crustal movements.  quotations ▼

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/palinspastic

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

allocution \al-uh-KYOO-shuhn\, noun:

1. A formal speech, especially one of an incontrovertible or hortatory nature.

2. A pronouncement delivered by the pope to a secret consistory, especially on a matter of policy or of general importance.

The little crowd, with some ironical cheers and hootings, nevertheless felt the force of Madame Fribsby's vigorous allocution, and retreated before her…

-- William Makepeace Thackeray, The History of Pendennis

Towards midday, the abbé Pirard took leave of his pupils, not without first delivering a severe allocution.

-- Stendhal, The Red and the Black

Allocution stems from the Latin root alloquī which meant to "to speak, address." The suffix -ion forms nouns from stems, as in the words communion and opinion.

Dictionary.com Word of the day 21 January 2013

January 22, 2013

bilby commented on the list carlos-words--1

That wasn't the meaning of palinspastic that came to mind.

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Better definition, courtesy Jan;

palinspastic

Wiktionary

adj. geology, of a map Showing the previous location of geological features, correcting for any intervening crustal movements.

Thanks, Jan. Note to self; check more than one source.

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Wiktionary's word of the day:

enthesis:

(anatomy) The point at which a tendon, ligament, or muscle inserts into

a bone.

enthesis /en·the·sis/ (en-the´sis) the site of attachment of a muscle or ligament to bone.

en·the·sis (nth-ss)

n. pl. en·the·ses (-sz)

The surgical insertion of synthetic or other inorganic material to replace lost tissue.

enthesis en´thĕ-sis

the site of attachment of a muscle or ligament to bone.

enthesis

1. the use of artificial material in the repair of a defect or deformity of the body.

2. the site of attachment of a muscle or ligament to bone.

http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/enthesis

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Pando (tree)

Pando (Latin for "I spread"), also known as The Trembling Giant,12 is a clonal colony of a single male Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) determined to be a single living organism by identical genetic markers3 and one massive underground root system. The plant is estimated to weigh collectively 6,000,000 kg (6,600 short tons),4 making it the heaviest known organism.5 The root system of Pando, at an estimated 80,000 years old, is among the oldest known living organisms.6

Pando is located in the Fishlake National Forest, near Fish Lake at the western edge of the Colorado Plateau in South-central Utah.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pando_(tree)

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Arachnodactyly (“spider fingers”) or achromachia, is a condition in which the fingers are abnormally long and slender in comparison to the palm of the hand. It can be present at birth or develop in later life.

This feature can occur on its own, with no underlying health problems. However, it can also be associated with certain medical conditions which include Marfan syndrome, Ehlers Danlos Syndrome, and homocystinuria.

http://www.facebook.com/grotesqMB

Arachnodactyly ("spider fingers") or achromachia, is a condition in which the fingers are abnormally long and slender in comparison to the palm of the hand. It can be present at birth or develop in later life.

It is also seen in some cases that all or a few fingers can be bent backwards of 180 degrees.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arachnodactyly

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

hebetude

Etymology

From Late Latin hebetūdō.

editPronunciation

(UK) IPA: /ˈhɛb.ə.tjuːd/

(US) IPA: /ˈhɛb.ə.tuːd/, /ˈhɛb.ə.tjuːd/

editNoun

hebetude (uncountable)

Mental lethargy or dullness.  quotations ▼

editDerived terms

hebetudinous

editRelated terms

hebetate

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/hebetude

heb·e·tude (hb-td, -tyd)

n.

Dullness of mind; mental lethargy.

Late Latin hebetd, from Latin hebes, hebet-, dull.

hebe·tudi·nous (-tdn-s, -tyd-) adj.

hebetude ˈhɛbɪˌtjuːd

n

Rare mental dullness or lethargy

from Late Latin hebetūdō, from Latin hebes blunt

hebetudinous adj

hebetude

the state, condition, or quality of being dull, enervated, or lethargie. — hebetudinous, adj.

See also: Fatigue

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. hebetude - mental lethargy or dullness

lassitude, lethargy, sluggishness - a state of comatose torpor (as found in sleeping sickness)

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/hebetude

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

fritillary

Definitions

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

n. The popular name of several species of British butterflies.

n. The popular name of plants of the genus Fritillaria.

This word comes from the Latin ‘fritillus,’ dice-box, which comes from ‘fritinnire,’ to twitter, imitative of the rattle of dice. The butterfly may be named for its resemblance of its markings to those of dice.

Examples

“It was a silver-washed fritillary, the largest and most impressive of all the British fritillaries and one that has bucked the dismal trend and expanded its range after years of contraction.” Country diary: Cosford Hall, Suffolk

“This is the small fritillary, a beautiful little creature that may be seen flitting from blossom to blossom, or careering in the early summer air in the manner almost of a tumbler pigeon, before any other of its kind has left its winter's cradle.” Laura Secord, the heroine of 1812. A Drama. and Other Poems.

“The pearl-bordered fritillary was known as 'the woodman's friend' because it would faithfully follow foresters around broadleaved woods as they coppiced or cut down patches of trees, attracted to the flowers that blossomed in the freshly cut glades in subsequent years.” Patrick Barkham, ‘Once There Were Swarms of Butterflies in Our Skies,’ The Guardian, April 26, 2009

http://www.wordnik.com/word-of-the-day

frit·il·lar·y (frtl-r)

n. pl. frit·il·lar·ies

1. Any of various bulbous plants of the genus Fritillaria, having nodding, variously colored, often spotted or checkered flowers.

2. Any of various butterflies of the family Nymphalidae, especially of the genera Speyeria and Boloria, having brownish wings marked with black or silvery spots on the underside.

New Latin Fritillria, genus name, from Latin fritillus, dice-box.

fritillary frɪˈtɪlərɪ

n pl -laries

1. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Plants) any N temperate liliaceous plant of the genus Fritillaria, having purple or white drooping bell-shaped flowers, typically marked in a chequered pattern See also snake's head

2. (Life Sciences & Allied Applications / Animals) any of various nymphalid butterflies of the genera Argynnis, Boloria, etc., having brownish wings chequered with black and silver

from New Latin fritillāria, from Latin fritillus dice box; probably with reference to the spotted markings

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. fritillary - any liliaceous plant of the genus Fritillaria having nodding variously colored flowers

checkered lily

Fritillaria, genus Fritillaria - fritillary

Fritillaria affinis, Fritillaria lanceolata, Fritillaria mutica, rice-grain fritillary, mission bells - herb of northwestern America having green-and-purple bell-shaped flowers

black fritillary, Fritillaria biflora, mission bells - herb of southwestern United States having dark purple bell-shaped flowers mottled with green

Fritillaria agrestis, stink bell - a malodorous California herb with bell-shaped flowers; a common weed in grainfields

crown imperial, Fritillaria imperialis - Eurasian herb with a cluster of leaves and orange-red bell-shaped flowers at the top of the stem

Fritillaria liliaceae, white fritillary - California herb with white conic or bell-shaped flowers usually tinged with green

checkered daffodil, Fritillaria meleagris, guinea-hen flower, leper lily, snake's head fritillary - Eurasian checkered lily with pendant flowers usually veined and checkered with purple or maroon on a pale ground and shaped like the bells carried by lepers in medieval times; widely grown as an ornamental

brown bells, Fritillaria micrantha, Fritillaria parviflora - California herb with brownish-purple or greenish bell-shaped flowers

adobe lily, Fritillaria pluriflora, pink fritillary - California herb with pinkish purple flowers

Fritillaria recurva, scarlet fritillary - western United States herb with scarlet and yellow narrow bell-shaped flowers

bulbous plant - plant growing from a bulb

2. fritillary - butterfly with brownish wings marked with black and silver

brush-footed butterfly, four-footed butterfly, nymphalid, nymphalid butterfly - medium to large butterflies found worldwide typically having brightly colored wings and much-reduced nonfunctional forelegs carried folded on the breast

silverspot - butterfly with silver spots on the underside of the hind wings

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fritillary

January 22, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

mimsy

Definitions

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

adj. Miserable and flimsy: a blend-word.

This word was coined by Lewis Carroll in 1855. In 1880, ‘mimsy’ also came to mean, in British English, prim; careful; affected; feeble, weak, lightweight. ‘Mim’ is a much older word meaning ‘primly silent,’ either imitative of the pursing up of the mouth, or coming from the Scottish Gaelic ‘min,’ delicate, meek.

Examples

“Twas brillig, and the slithy toves / Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; / All mimsy were the borogoves, / And the mome raths outgrabe.” Through the Looking Glass, by Lewis Carroll

“Last year, he even collaborated on an operetta like – as Tucker would have put it – a mimsy, bleating public schoolboy who lives with cats and an Aga.” Armando Iannucci: 'Now is not the time for a crap opposition'

“Like the author himself, Pam’s fond of pilfering the imaginations of other writers ('mimsy borogoves' is her appellation for her eyes, a phrase that comes courtesy of Lewis Carroll).” Jason Anderson, ‘Daisy Buchanan's little girl takes centre-stage,’ The Globe and Mail, July 31, 2011

www.wordnick.com/word-of-the-day

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

zounds

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

interj. Used to express anger, surprise, or indignation.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

An exclamation formerly used as an oath or as an expression of anger or wonder.

Wiktionary

interj. Expressing anger, surprise, assertion etc.

GNU Webster's 1913

interj. An exclamation formerly used as an oath, and an expression of anger or wonder.

Etymologies

Shortening and alteration of God's wounds!.

Examples

“When you go home tonight, roll some twenty siders with friends, use the word "zounds" in a sentence, then leaf through the 1E Dungeon Master's Guide and marvel at the breadth of the man's imagination.” Archive 2008-03-01

“Who that utters the word "zounds," imagines that he is speaking of such awful and inconceivable things as "God's wounds," though literally he is doing so?” The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851

“Yet time was, when the innocent word "zounds" was written with the same culpatory dashes and hyphens as the "damns that have had their day;" and "pigs," we suppose, were exenterated in like manner: suggested only by their heads and tails, -- the first letter and the last.” The International Monthly, Volume 3, No. 1, April, 1851

“Natalie Angier weighs in on the human proclivity for cursing in a lengthy essay in the NYT: "The Jacobean dramatist Ben Jonson peppered his plays with fackings and "peremptorie Asses," and Shakespeare could hardly quill a stanza without inserting profanities of the day like "zounds" or "sblood” Science Project

“BTW, did you know that zounds! is a foreshortening of God's Wounds?” Zounds!

“Labels: comics comments: annie said ... zounds! where did you meet this amazing scoundrel of graphic wonder!” Noah Farlee's Giskard the Genius

“June 3, 2009 at 7:35 am uh ohes… parrothead starting to zounds like Igor….” Da dusts bunnies quit - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?

“He was in deep awshucks mode, even admitting twice -- zounds!” Newsweek: Off To The Culture War

“February 7, 2008 at 10:45 am fear… is zounds liek… Boing boing boing…” Did you heer dat? - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?

“Hmmm…zounds liek ai hab tew draw up an action plan outline fur Nov 2.” Player Cat - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger?

www.wordnik.com/zounds

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

gadzooks;

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

interj. Used as a mild or ironic oath: "Gadzooks! Is there a panic detector, akin to a smoke detector, that sniffs anxiety in the air?” ( George F. Will).

Wiktionary

interj. archaic An expression of surprise, shock etc.

Etymologies

Perhaps alteration of God's hooks, the nails of the crucifixion of Christ.

Examples

“In addition, they considered the surprising success of Mr. Marmaduke Fennel's eighteenth-century story, For Love of a Lady, as compared with the more moderate sales of Miss Elspeth Lancaster's In Scarlet Sidon, that candid romance of the brothel; deducing therefrom that the "gadzooks" and "by'r lady" type of reading-matter was ready to revive in vogue.” The Cream of the Jest: A Comedy of Evasions

“Isn't the lady writing, not in her original Bangla (red lines again!) or Bengali (better!) but – gadzooks – in English?” A Bangladeshi Bluestocking

“This afternoon, two local Union 76/Conoco Phillips (gadzooks, these mergers make for long names) gas stations in my Los Angeles neighborhood posted the number I recently anticipated would be the price this summer: full serve 91-Octane (premium) gasoline: $4.99/gallon.” Grain Market Manipulation = Petrofraud Redux

“The Mail On Sunday might be a sewer of sleaze and disreputable journalism, but gadzooks, it does have its uses sometimes..” Mark Clarke: Womaniser and general bastard?

“The TZs are pronounced like the terminal ds in the word dads or like the dz in gadzooks.” World's Best Tzatziki Sauce Recipe - Greek Yogurt and Cucumber Sauce

“Hopefully by now you will be aware of my colleague Travis - gadzooks, he is Timothy Claypole, and he seems to have inherited some of his magical powers.” Archive 2005-10-01

“And thy chiefest accomplishment is taking snuff with a bel air, patching, painting, powdering like a woman, and squeaking like an eunuch, gadzooks.” The Beau Defeated: or, The Lucky Younger Brother

“Have you, good master gramercies, gadzooks, etc., according to taste, a couple of sugar figures in Spanish dress, each draped in a cloak?” From a Terrace in Prague

“A meal at the club, and gadzooks but his stomach was in arms!” A Thousand and One Afternoons in Chicago

“My engaging friend here has -- an I mistake not -- a passport ready for me in the pocket of his sable-hued coat, and as we are hoping effectually to spit one another over there ... gadzooks! but there's the specific purpose ....” The Elusive Pimpernel

Show 10 more examples...

www.wordnik.com/gadzooks

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

egad:

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

interj. Used as a mild exclamation.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

An exclamation expressing exultation or surprise.

Wiktionary

interj. UK a mild exclamation of surprise, contempt, outrage, disgust, boredom, frustration.

GNU Webster's 1913

interj. An exclamation expressing exultation or surprise, etc.

Etymologies

Alteration of oh God.

Examples

“I never heard any one not in a book say "egad" before, so I saw something really out of the way was indeed up.” The Wouldbegoods

“The "egad" did the whole business: Mrs. Cat was as much in love with him now as ever she had been; and, gathering up all her energies, she said, "It is dreadful hot too, I think;" and with this she made a curtsey.” Catherine: a Story

“egad' before, so I saw something really out of the way was indeed up.” The Wouldbegoods

“Yeah, because if some high school drop-out, chronic alcoholic, or (egad) conservative-values espousing candidate ran, we'd all ignore those "personality traits" and pretend none of them have to do with the job of running a huge city.” Big buzz (Jack Bog's Blog)

“Fregosi batted .233 in 1½ seasons at Shea Stadium, while Ryan, egad, is one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history.” The Wall Street Journal: The Mets' Greatest Gaffes

“I'd been wanting to read it for years, and when I mentioned this on ontdcreepy, I was told it could be read online - so of course I sit down and read half the whole thing (me: "egad! manga can be read online for free? what a brave new world we live in!").” intertribal: Lucy in the Sky with Spirals

“And yet, 76 million pounds of pesticides are applied residentially (not counting our schools and ... egad, hospitals) each year.” The Huffington Post: Waylon Lewis: Is Your Lawn "Green"?

“Wasn't one trigger happy cowboy enough for this country ... egad. matt in austin” Clinton touts commander-in-chief credentials

“Sarah Palin a person who talks about herself in the third person ... egad.” Sarah Palin: Don’t Blame Me - Swampland - TIME.com

“If she is not reigned soon in at some point she might even sugest we are endowed by our "Creator" with rights. egad” 14 Important Science Questions

Show 10 more examples...

www.wordnik.com/words/egad

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

en règle \ahn RE-gluh\, adjective:

In order; according to the rules; correct.

This was all done en règle, and in our work we shall be en règle too. We shall not go so early that the policemen who have then little to think of, shall deem it strange.

-- Bram Stoker, Dracula

I told her it was not quite en règle to bring one so far out of our own set; but she said, 'Genius itself is not en règle; it comes into the world to make new rules.'

-- George Eliot, Daniel Deronda

En règle snuck into the English language in the 1810s. It came directly from the French phrase of the same spelling which meant literally "in rule.

January 24, 2013

ruzuzu commented on the list carlos-words--1

Welcome to Wordnik, CarlosG! I'm another garden variety word addict, and I love all of the material you're adding.

Is there any chance we could convince you to try again with this business of adding information in the comments on each individual word page? It should be the same procedure you've been successful with on this list--just type in your comment, then hit the big orange Add Comment button. If that doesn't work, we can all put our minds together and try to help. And if *that* doesn't work, we can go to the fancy feedback feature and let our friendly Wordnik professionals know there's a problem.

Obviously there's no reason you can't keep adding things here in the comments on this list (the site is what we collectively make it), but I just wish anyone looking up egad or gadzooks in the future could have a chance to see what you've contributed. :-)

Thank you!

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

http://www.treehugger.com/corporate-responsibility/beijing-smog-crisis-revealed-documentary.html

In the news lately has been the extraordinarily bad conditions of Beijing's air, or as some are calling it, "airpocalypse". The city recently went way, way, way off the charts -- hitting 755 on a scale of 0-500 -- for air pollution and officials are now looking at how to reign in the causes of such incredible pollution.

(snip)

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ruzuzu;

Thank you for your Email.

Are you referring to my lazy addition of those last words? If so, my apologies. Got a day behind on reading Email - provider (Earthlink.net),

it turned out, screwed up my account (once again) and after 2.5 hours speaking to service (in India) it was so late, just went to bed instead of getting online. They are sending my 4th modem in 15 years, 2nd day air.

I will sin no more. Had already decided to provide more than one source of definitions (certainly not from within Wordnik.com.

Have a long list of words (most gleaned from books read) to add, and am making little forward progress.

Thanks again.

(airpocalypse)? Egad!

January 24, 2013

ruzuzu commented on the list carlos-words--1

You haven't been sinning at all! (And I just wrote my comment here a few minutes ago--no worries.) It's more that I enjoy the things you've added, and I want even more people to enjoy them, too. :-)

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

ruzuzu,

Thank you for your kind words.

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

alicorn

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Etymology 1

1.1.1 Noun

1.2 Etymology 2

1.2.1 Noun

1.2.1.1 Synonyms

1.3 Anagrams

1.4 References

editEnglish

WOTD - 24 January 2013

Wikipedia has an article on:

Alicorn

editEtymology 1

From Italian alicorno.

editNoun

alicorn (plural alicorns)

(now historical) The horn of a unicorn considered as a medical or pharmacological ingredient.  quotations ▼

editEtymology 2

Term already associated with unicorns and reinterpreted, popularized by Bearing an Hourglass (1984) and other fantasy novels by Piers Anthony.1

editNoun

alicorn (plural alicorns)

(nonstandard) A winged horse with a single horn on its head; a winged unicorn.  quotations ▼

editSynonyms

(winged horse): pegacorn, unipeg, unisus (all informal)

editAnagrams

clairon, clarion, Locrian

editReferences

^ According to Nathan2000, when asked how he came up with the term, he answered, “I saw fantasy statuettes in an ad, and one was of a winged unicorn, titled an alicorn, so I figured that was the name and used it. I have not been able to verify it elsewhere.”

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/alicorn

Alicorn

Main article: Unicorn horn

The horn itself and the substance it was made of was called alicorn, and it was believed that the horn holds magical and medicinal properties. The Danish physician Ole Worm determined in 1638 that the alleged alicorns were the tusks of narwhals.17 Such beliefs were examined wittily and at length in 1646 by Sir Thomas Browne in his Pseudodoxia Epidemica.18

False alicorn powder, made from the tusks of narwhals or horns of various animals, has been sold in Europe for medicinal purposes as late as 1741.19 The alicorn was thought to cure many diseases and have the ability to detect poisons, and many physicians would make "cures" and sell them. Cups were made from alicorn for kings and given as a gift; these were usually made of ivory or walrus ivory. Entire horns were very precious in the Middle Ages and were often really the tusks of narwhals.20

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unicorn#Alicorn which is an outake from Unicorn page.

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

skeuomorphic  

skeu·o·morph skyoo-uh-mawrf Show IPA

noun

an ornament or design on an object copied from a form of the object when made from another material or by other techniques, as an imitation metal rivet mark found on handles of prehistoric pottery.

Origin:

1889; < Greek skeû ( os ) vessel, implement + -o- + -morph (cf. zoomorphic)

Related forms

skeu·o·mor·phic, adjective

What is a skeuomorph?

In: Language & Lookup › Definitions

Rate This Answer

Skeuomorph is defined as a design feature copied from a similar artifact in another material, even when not functionally necessary

http://www.chacha.com/question/what-is-a-skeuomorph

skeuomorph

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Etymology

1.2 Pronunciation

1.3 Noun

1.3.1 Usage notes

1.3.2 Derived terms

1.3.3 Synonyms

1.4 See also

editEnglish

editEtymology

From Ancient Greek σκεῦος (skeuos, “vessel, implement”) + μορφή (morphē, “form”).

editPronunciation

SKYOO-uh-morf

editNoun

skeuomorph (plural skeuomorphs)

A design feature copied from a similar artifact in another material, even when not functionally necessary. From 1889.  quotations ▼

editUsage notes

A skeuomorph can be employed for various purposes. Since people are used to the click sound of a camera as feedback that the picture has been taken, it is now artificially produced in digital cameras. Other examples are copper cladding on a zinc penny (for familiarity) and wood finish on a plastic product (for a more expensive look).

editDerived terms

skeuomorphic

skeuomorphism

editSynonyms

skiamorph

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/skeuomorph

Skeuomorph

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fake wood grain paneling in cars is a skeuomorph, as examples such as this station wagon use no wood in their construction

A skeuomorph is a physical ornament or design on an object copied from a form of the object when made from another material or by other techniques. Examples include pottery embellished with imitation rivets reminiscent of similar pots made of metal,1 or a software calendar application which displays the days organised on animated month pages in imitation of a paper desk calendar.2

Contents hide

1 Pronunciation and etymology

2 Definition and purpose

3 Physical skeuomorphs

4 Digital skeuomorphs

4.1 Arguments for skeuomorphism in digital design

4.2 Arguments against skeuomorphism in digital design

5 See also

6 References

editPronunciation and etymology

Skeuomorph is pronounced /ˈskjuːəmɔrf/ or skyoo-uh-mawrf. It is compounded from the Greek: skeuos, σκεῦος (container or tool), and morphê, μορφή (shape). The term has been applied to material objects since 1890,3 and is now used to describe computer interfaces.4

editDefinition and purpose

A similar alternative definition of skeuomorph is "an element of design or structure that serves little or no purpose in the artifact fashioned from the new material but was essential to the object made from the original material".5 This definition is narrower in scope and ties skeuomorphs to changes in materials, as it focuses on the cultural history behind the physical object and how that influences the evolution of the object's design.6

Skeuomorphs are deliberately employed to make the new look comfortably old and familiar, or are simply habits too deeply ingrained to wash away.4 Donald Norman, an academic in the fields of design, usability, and cognitive science describes cultural constraints, interactions with the system in question that are learned only through culture, which give rise to skeuomorphism. Norman also popularized perceived affordances, where the user can tell what an object affords, or will do, based on its appearance, which skeuomorphism can make easy.6

The concept of skeuomorphism overlaps other design concepts as well. Mimesis is an imitation, coming directly from the Greek.7 Another, archetype, is the original idea or model that is emulated, where the emulations can be skeuomorphic. 8 Skeuomorphism is parallel to, but different from, path dependence in technology, where functional behavior is maintained when the reasons for its design no longer exist.

editPhysical skeuomorphs

Historically, high-status items such as the Minoans' very elaborate and rare silver cups were often recreated for the mass market using ceramics, a cheaper material, allowing the common man to have the appearance of elite status.9 In certain cases, efforts were made to recreate the rivets in the metal originals by adding pellets of clay to the pottery version. There is also evidence of skeuomorphism in material transitions. Leather and clay pottery often carry over traits from the wooden counterparts of previous generations. Clay pottery has also been found bearing rope shaped protrusions, pointing to craftsmen seeking familiar shapes and processes while working with new materials. 10 In this context, skeuomorphs exist as trails sought in other objects, either for their social desirability or psychological comforts.4

In the modern era, cheaper plastic items often attempt to mimic more expensive wooden and metal products though they are only skeuomorphic if new ornamentation references original functionality,11 such as molded screw heads in molded plastic items.

editDigital skeuomorphs

The note-taking application Evernote employs a skeuomorph of physical notebooks to represent digital collections defined by the user.

Many computer programs have a skeuomorphic graphical user interface that emulates objects in the physical world. An example of this trend was the 1998 RealThings package.12 A more extreme example is that many music synthesis and audio processing software packages closely emulate physical musical instruments and audio equipment. Functional input controls like knobs, buttons, switches and sliders are often careful duplicates of the ones on the original physical device being emulated. Some software even includes graphical elements of the original design that serve no user interface function: handles, screws and ventilation holes for example.

Even systems that do not employ literal images of some physical object frequently contain skeuomorphic elements such as slider bars that emulate linear potentiometers and tabs that behave like tabbed file folders. Skeuomorphs need not be visual. The shutter-click sound emitted by most camera phones when taking a picture is an auditory skeuomorph - it does not come from a mechanical shutter, which camera phones lack, but from a sound file in the phone's operating system. Another example is the swiping hand gesture for turning the "pages" or screens of a tablet.

editArguments for skeuomorphism in digital design

The arguments in favor of skeuomorphic design are that it makes it easier for those familiar with the original device to use the digital emulation, and that it is visually appealing. Interactions with computer devices are purely cultural and learned, so once a process is learned in society, it is difficult to remove. Norman describes this process as a form of cultural heritage.6

editArguments against skeuomorphism in digital design

The arguments against skeuomorphic design are that skeuomorphic interface elements use metaphors that are more difficult to operate and take up more screen space than standard interface elements; that this breaks operating system interface design standards; that it causes an inconsistent look and feel between applications;13 that skeuomorphic interface elements rarely incorporate numeric input or feedback for accurately setting a value; that many users may have no experience with the original device being emulated; and that skeuomorphic design limits creativity by grounding the experience to physical counterparts.14

Apple, while under the direction of Steve Jobs, was known for its wide usage of skeuomorphic designs in various applications. The debate over the merits of Apple's extensive use of skeuomorphism became the subject of substantial media attention in October 2012, a year after Jobs' death, largely as the result of the reported resignation of Scott Forstall, described as "the most vocal and high-ranking proponent of the visual design style favored by Mr. Jobs". Apple designer Jonathan Ive, who took over some of Forstall's responsibilities and had "made his distaste for the visual ornamentation in Apple’s mobile software known within the company", was expected to move the company toward a less skeuomorphic aesthetic.15

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skeuomorph

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Public Acceptance of Climate Change Affected by Word Usage

Jan. 22, 2013 — Public acceptance of climate change's reality may have been influenced by the rate at which words moved from scientific journals into the mainstream, according to anthropologist Michael O'Brien, dean of the College of Arts and Science at the University of Missouri. A recent study of word usage in popular literature by O'Brien and his colleagues documented how the usage of certain words related to climate change has risen and fallen over the past two centuries. Understanding how word usage affects public acceptance of science could lead to better science communication and a more informed public.

"Scientists can learn from this study that the general public shouldn't be expected to understand technical terms or be convinced by journal papers written in technical jargon," O'Brien said. "Journalists must explain scientific terms in ways people can understand and thereby ease the movement of those terms into general speech. That can be a slow process. Several words related to climate change diffused into the popular vocabulary over a 30-50 year timeline."

O'Brien's study found that, by 2008, several important terms in the discussion of climate change had entered popular literature from technical obscurity in the early 1900s.

These terms included:

Biodiversity -- the degree of variation in life forms within a given area

Holocene -- the current era of Earth's history, which started at the end of the last ice age

Paleoclimate -the prehistoric climate, often deduced from ice cores, tree rings and pollen trapped in sediments

Phenology -- the study of how climate and other environmental factors influence the timing of events in organisms' life cycles

Not every term was adopted at the same rate or achieved the same degree of popularity. Biodiversity, for example, came into popular use quickly in only a few years in the late 80s and early 90s. Other terms, like Holocene or phenology, have taken decades and are still relatively uncommon.

"The adoption of words into the popular vocabulary is like the evolution of species," O'Brien said. "A complex process governs why certain terms are successful and adopted into everyday speech, while others fail. For example, the term 'meme' has entered the vernacular, as opposed to the term 'culturgen,' although both refer to a discrete unit of culture, such as a saying transferred from person to person."

To observe the movement of words into popular literature, O'Brien and his colleagues searched the database of 7 million books created by Google. They used the "Ngram" feature of the database to track the number of appearances of climate change keywords in literature since 1800. The usage rate of those climate change terms was compared to the usage of "the," which is the most common word in the English language. Statistical analysis of usage rates was calculated in part by co-author William Brock, a new member of MU's Department of Economics and member of the National Academy of Sciences.

Note: A portion of O'Brien's experiment can be repeated using any computer with internet access.

1. Go to http://books.google.com/ngrams

2. Enter terms such as "climate change," "global warming," or "anthropogenic" and note how they have changed in usage over the past century.

Story Source:

The above story is reprinted from materials provided by University of Missouri-Columbia.

Journal Reference:

R. Alexander Bentley, Philip Garnett, Michael J. O'Brien, William A. Brock. Word Diffusion and Climate Science. PLoS ONE, 2012; 7 (11): e47966 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0047966

Accessed at: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/01/130122122438.htm

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Word of the Day at www.dictionary.com

kibitzer \KIB-it-ser\, noun:

1. A giver of uninvited or unwanted advice.

2. A spectator at a card game who looks at the players' cards over their shoulders, especially one who gives unsolicited advice.

3. A person who jokes, chitchats, or makes wisecracks, especially while others are trying to work or to discuss something seriously.

Your mother's heart, dear, will mend with the advent of children, and her father's father, a wobbly kibitzer pointing to Kat's mom and muttering, A beautiful strawberry girl, why all the fuss, why all the disunion over a strawberry girl?

-- Peter Orner, Love and Shame and Love

Bronzini looked on, sitting in when someone left but otherwise a kibitzer, unmeddlesome, content to savor the company and try the wine, sometimes good, sometimes overfermented, better used to spike a salad.

-- Richard Russo, Underworld

Kibitzer entered English first in America in the 1920s. It comes from the Yiddish word kibetsn (equivalent to German kiebitzen) meaning "to look on at cards."

kib·itz·er kib-it-ser Show IPA

noun Informal.

1.

a spectator at a card game who looks at the players' cards over their shoulders, especially one who gives unsolicited advice.

2.

a giver of uninvited or unwanted advice.

3.

a person who jokes, chitchats, or makes wisecracks, especially while others are trying to work or to discuss something seriously.

Origin:

1925–30; < Yiddish; see kibitz, -er1

Synonyms

2. meddler, busybody, snoop.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Cite This Source | Link To kibitzer

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/kibitzer

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

In Praise of the Language Police

http://www.nybooks.com/blogs/nyrblog/2013/jan/23/praise-language-police/

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

An amazing look at the most commonly used words in inauguration speeches

President Obama’s second inaugural speech was delivered only two days ago but is already being compared — in ways positive and ways negative — to past addresses given by chief executives.

Thanks to the Guardian newspaper and developer Santiago Ortiz, we have a very cool infographic that allows some of those comparisons. Below you can look at the words used in every inaugural speech since Richard Nixon’s in 1969 and, even better, compare how often particular words came up in each of the adresses over the past four decades.

It’s an amazing tool. And, yes, we’ve already spent far too much time noodling around with it this morning. Enjoy!

(Contains word cloud).

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/wp/2013/01/23/an-amazing-look-at-the-most-commonly-used-words-in-inauguration-speeches/?wprss=rss_politics&wpisrc=nl_wonk

January 24, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

brabble

\ BRAB-uhl \ , verb;

1.

To argue stubbornly about trifles; wrangle.

noun:

1.

Noisy, quarrelsome chatter.

Definition of brabble|

Quotes:

But even in the monkish idleness of Cambridge where there was more time to brabble in than ever I knew before or since, for we were fed by others, and taught by others, and kept as safe as the ancient monks from the perils of the world's hunger and homelessness and pain, we saw ourselves as the swords of change.

-- Mary Lee Settle, I, Roger Williams

Braver hearts never beat in English breasts, yet do but mark how they brabble and clamour like clowns on a Saturday night.

-- Arthur Conan Doyle, Micah Clarke

Origin:

Brabble comes from the Dutch word brabbelen which meant "to quarrel,

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday

Argument

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Brabble)

This article is about the subject as it is studied in logic and philosophy. For other uses, see Argument (disambiguation).

In logic and philosophy, an argument is an attempt to persuade someone of something, by giving reasons for accepting a particular conclusion as evident.12 The general structure of an argument in a natural language is that of premises (typically in the form of propositions, statements or sentences) in support of a claim: the conclusion.345 The structure of some arguments can also be set out in a formal language, and formally-defined "arguments" can be made independently of natural language arguments, as in math, logic and computer science.

In a typical deductive argument, the premises are meant to provide a guarantee of the truth of the conclusion, while in an inductive argument, they are thought to provide reasons supporting the conclusion's probable truth.6 The standards for evaluating non-deductive arguments may rest on different or additional criteria than truth, for example, the persuasiveness of so-called "indispensability claims" in transcendental arguments,7 the quality of hypotheses in retroduction, or even the disclosure of new possibilities for thinking and acting.8

The standards and criteria used in evaluating arguments and their forms of reasoning are studied in logic.9 Ways of formulating arguments effectively are studied in rhetoric (see also: argumentation theory). An argument in a formal language shows the logical form of the symbolically-represented or natural language arguments obtained by its interpretations.

(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brabble

January 25, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

logrolling:

Logrolling is the trading of favors, or quid pro quo, such as vote trading by legislative members to obtain passage of actions of interest to each legislative member.1 In an academic context, the Nuttall Encyclopedia describes log-rolling as "mutual praise by authors of each other's work."

(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Logrolling

logrolling  

log·roll·ing lawg-roh-ling, log- Show IPA

noun

1.

U.S. politics. the exchange of support or favors, especially by legislators for mutual political gain as by voting for each other's bills.

2.

cronyism or mutual favoritism among writers, editors, or critics, as in the form of reciprocal flattering reviews; back scratching.

3.

the action of rolling, logs to a particular place.

4.

the action of rotating a log rapidly in the water by treading upon it, especially as a competitive sport; birling.

Origin:

1785–95, Americanism; log1 + rolling

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/logrolling?s=t

log·roll·ing (lôgrlng, lg-)

n.

1. The exchanging of political favors, especially the trading of influence or votes among legislators to achieve passage of projects that are of interest to one another.

2. The exchanging of favors or praise, as among artists, critics, or academics.

3. See birling.

From the early American practice of neighbors gathering to help clear land by rolling off and burning felled timber.

logrolling ˈlɒgˌrəʊlɪŋ

n

1. (Government, Politics & Diplomacy) US the practice of undemocratic agreements between politicians involving mutual favours, the trading of votes, etc.

2. (Group Games / Games, other than specified) another name for birling See birl1

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. logrolling - act of exchanging favors for mutual gain; especially trading of influence or votes among legislators to gain passage of certain projects

exchange - the act of giving something in return for something received; "deductible losses on sales or exchanges of property are allowable"

2. logrolling - rotating a log rapidly in the water (as a competitive sport)

birling

spin, twirl, twisting, whirl, twist - the act of rotating rapidly; "he gave the crank a spin"; "it broke off after much twisting"

athletics, sport - an active diversion requiring physical exertion and competition

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/logrolling

January 25, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

monoousian

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Etymology

1.2 Adjective

1.2.1 Synonyms

1.2.2 Translations

1.3 See also

editEnglish

WOTD - 26 January 2013

editEtymology

From Ancient Greek μονοούσιος ("of one substance"), from μόνος (monos, "alone, only, sole, single") + οὐσία (ousia, "being, substance, essence") +‎ -ian.

editAdjective

monoousian (not comparable)

(theology) Having one and the same nature or essence, especially with regard to the persons of the Trinity.  quotations ▼

editSynonyms

monoousious

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/monoousian

monoousian

Monoousian

Mon`o*ou"si*an\, Monoousious \Mon`o*ou"si*ous\, a. Mono- + Gr. ? being, substance, essence. (Theil.) Having but one and the same nature or essence.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/monoousian?s=t

Mon`o`ou´si`an

a. 1. (Theil.) Having but one and the same nature or essence.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/monoousian

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

antipathetic  

an·ti·pa·thet·ic an-ti-puh-thet-ik, an-tip-uh- Show IPA

adjective

1.

opposed, averse, or contrary; having or showing antipathy: They were antipathetic to many of the proposed changes

2.

causing or likely to cause antipathy: The new management was antipathetic to all of us.

Also, an·ti·pa·thet·i·cal.

Origin:

1630–40; < Greek antipathḗs opposed in feeling ( anti- + -pathēs, adj. derivative of páthos pathos), with -etic by analogy with pathetic

Related forms

an·ti·pa·thet·i·cal·ly, adverb

an·ti·pa·thet·i·cal·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/antipathetic

antipathetic

Also found in: Legal 0.01 sec.

an·tip·a·thet·ic (n-tp-thtk) also an·tip·a·thet·i·cal (--kl)

adj.

1.

a. Having or showing a strong aversion or repugnance: antipathetic to new ideas.

b. Opposed in nature or character; antagonistic: antipathetic factions within the party.

2. Causing a feeling of antipathy; repugnant: "The whole place and everything about it was antipathetic to her" (Anthony Trollope).

an·tipa·theti·cal·ly adv.

antipathetic ænˌtɪpəˈθɛtɪk ˌæntɪpə-, antipathetical

adj

(often foll by to) having or arousing a strong aversion

antipathetically adv

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj. 1. antipathetic - (usually followed by `to') strongly opposed; "antipathetic to new ideas"; "averse to taking risks"; "loath to go on such short notice"; "clearly indisposed to grant their request"

antipathetical, averse, indisposed, loath, loth

disinclined - unwilling because of mild dislike or disapproval; "disinclined to say anything to anybody"

2. antipathetic - characterized by antagonism or antipathy; "slaves antagonistic to their masters"; "antipathetic factions within the party"

antagonistic, antipathetical

hostile - characterized by enmity or ill will; "a hostile nation"; "a hostile remark"; "hostile actions"

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/antipathetic

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Cenotaph

A cenotaph is an "empty tomb" or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been interred elsewhere. The word derives from the Greek: κενοτάφιον = kenotaphion (kenos, one meaning being "empty", and taphos, "tomb"). Although the vast majority of cenotaphs are erected in honour of individuals, many noted cenotaphs are instead dedicated to the memories of groups of individuals, such as the lost soldiers of one country or empire.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cenotaph

cenotaph  

cen·o·taph sen-uh-taf, -tahf Show IPA

noun

a sepulchral monument erected in memory of a deceased person whose body is buried elsewhere.

Origin:

1595–1605; < Latin cenotaphium < Greek kenotáphion, equivalent to kenó ( s ) empty + -taphion ( táph ( os ) tomb + -ion diminutive suffix)

Related forms

cen·o·taph·ic sen-uh-taf-ik Show IPA , adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cenotaph?s=t

cenotaph

Also found in: Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia 0.01 sec.

cen·o·taph (sn-tf)

n.

A monument erected in honor of a dead person whose remains lie elsewhere.

French cénotaphe, from Old French, from Latin cenotaphium, from Greek kenotaphion : kenos, empty + taphos, tomb.

ceno·taphic adj.

cenotaph ˈsɛnəˌtɑːf

n

(Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Architecture) a monument honouring a dead person or persons buried elsewhere

from Latin cenotaphium, from Greek kenotaphion, from kenos empty + taphos tomb

cenotaphic adj

Cenotaph ˈsɛnəˌtɑːf

n

(Placenames / Named Buildings) the. the monument in Whitehall, London, honouring the dead of both World Wars: designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens: erected in 1920

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. cenotaph - a monument built to honor people whose remains are interred elsewhere or whose remains cannot be recovered

empty tomb

monument, memorial - a structure erected to commemorate persons or events

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cenotaph

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Fulguration

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

(Redirected from Fulgurating)

Fulguration, also called electrofulguration, is a procedure to destroy tissue (such as a malignant tumor) using a high-frequency electric current applied with a needlelike electrode.

Fulguration, also called electrofulguration, is a procedure in which lesions are destroyed by the use of high frequency current and is essentially similar to Cauterization. Fulgration is used to ablate tumors and other lesions such as hemangiomas and warts. It is either performed in an operation theater by a surgeon or an out-patient basis by a surgeon or dermatologist.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fulgurating

fulgurating

Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia 0.02 sec.

ful·gu·rate (flgy-rt, -g-, fl-)

v. ful·gu·rat·ed, ful·gu·rat·ing, ful·gu·rates

v.intr.

To emit flashes of lightning.

v.tr.

1. To emit (light) in flashes.

2. Medicine To destroy (abnormal tissue, for example) by electric current.

Latin fulgurre, fulgurt-, from fulgur, lightning; see bhel-1 in Indo-European roots.

fulgu·ration n.

fulgurating ˈfʌlgjʊˌreɪtɪŋ

adj

1. (Medicine / Pathology) Pathol (of pain) sudden and sharp; piercing

2. (Medicine / Surgery) Surgery of or relating to fulguration

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj. 1. fulgurating - sharp and piercing

medical specialty, medicine - the branches of medical science that deal with nonsurgical techniques

sharp - keenly and painfully felt; as if caused by a sharp edge or point; "a sharp pain"; "sharp winds"

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/fulgurating

fulgurating  

ful·gu·rat·ing fuhl-gyuh-rey-ting Show IPA

adjective Medicine/Medical .

(of pains) sharp and piercing.

Origin:

1670–80; fulgurate + -ing2

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fulgurating?s=t

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

in·tem·er·ate in-tem-er-it Show IPA

adjective

inviolate; undefiled; unsullied; pure.

Origin:

1485–95; < Latin intemerātus, equivalent to in- in-3 + temerā ( re ) to violate, desecrate + -tus past participle suffix

Related forms

in·tem·er·ate·ly, adverb

in·tem·er·ate·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/intemerate

Quotes:

The rain smelled cool and earthy, and with her eyes closed it sounded louder and nearer; it seemed to be in the room, falling small and touchless upon her; it was clear, intemerate as the sky.

-- Fred Chappell, The Inkling

Did you know, sir, that I can trace my intemerate ancestry to Adam through the paternal line, and to Eve through the maternal line?

-- Andrew Drummond, Handbook of Volapük

Origin:

Intemerate comes from the Latin root emerā which meant "to violate, desecrate." The prefix in- means "not" as in the words indefensible and inexpensive .

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

whale1

n pl whales, whale

3. (Group Games / Gambling, except Cards) Slang a gambler who has the capacity to win and lose large sums of money in a casino

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/whale

High roller

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the gambling term. For other uses, see High roller (disambiguation).

A high roller, also referred to as a whale in the casino industry, is a gambler who wagers large amounts of money. High rollers often receive lavish "comps" from casinos to lure them onto the gambling floors, such as free private jet transfers, limousine use and use of the casinos' best suites. Casinos may also extend credit to a player to continue betting,1 offer rebates on betting turnover or losses,2 and salaries of employees may also contain incentive arrangements to bring in high rollers.3

The definition of a high roller varies. At Crown Casino in Australia it involves bringing between A$50,000 and $75,000 to the table.4 High roller players often have very high table limits allowing the high roller exclusive use. Casinos compete on bet limits, in Australia limits of A$300,000 are common, in Las Vegas they are between US$150,000 and $300,000, and in Macau they are up to US$500,000. Only casinos with "substantial financial firepower" can accommodate high-stakes gambling due to the "volatility" of results.2

High rollers may also be subject to exceptions from various rules and regulations, for example the high roller rooms at Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia are the only licensed venue in the state not subject to a ban on smoking.5

High rollers are said to provide only a small fraction of casino "action." John Eidsmoe, in his book Legalized Gambling: America's Bad Bet, claims that it is actually gamblers from the lower and lower-middle classes in the United States that provide much of the gambling money. "The occasional wealthy 'high roller' does indeed exist, but he is the exception, not the standard. The fact that more than 50% of Nevada's gambling income comes from slot machines as opposed to the card tables should be an indication high rollers are not the main source of revenue."6

One example of a high roller is an Australian man who turned over more than A$1.5 billion in a 14 month period from 2005, becoming "one of Crown's largest Australian players but not in the same league as our top international players".3 There have been many cases around the world where high rollers have committed fraud to provide funds for gambling beyond their means, after becoming seduced by the lifestyle.178

While high rollers may not provide a significant portion of the revenues in the casino industry as a whole, they can have a major effect on the net income of casinos that cater to them. There are significant costs associated with attracting the highest stakes gamblers, so if a casino takes this chance and the whale wins, its expenses can be extraordinarily large. But if the casino's investment pays off and the high roller loses, the casino's gain can far exceed its expenses for his or her visit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_roller

Me: To a con man, a wealthy mark.

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Fungible Definition

Dictionary.com

fun·gi·ble fuhn-juh-buhl Show IPA

adjective Law.

(especially of goods) being of such nature or kind as to be freely exchangeable or replaceable, in whole or in part, for another of like nature or kind.

Origin:

1755–65; < Medieval Latin fungibilis, equivalent to Latin fung ( ī ) to perform the office of + -ibilis -ible

Related forms

fun·gi·bil·i·ty, noun

non·fun·gi·ble, adjective

un·fun·gi·ble, adjective

Can be confused: frangible, fungible.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/fungible?s=t

Fungibility is the property of a good or a commodity whose individual units are capable of mutual substitution, such as crude oil, shares in a company, bonds, precious metals, or currencies.

It refers only to the equivalence of each unit of a commodity with other units of the same commodity. Fungibility does not describe or relate to any exchange of one commodity for some other, different commodity.

As an example: if Alice lends Bob a $10 bill, she does not care if she is repaid with the same $10 bill, two $5 bills, a $5 bill and five $1 bills or bunch of coins that total $10 as currency is fungible. However, if Bob borrows Alice's car she will most likely be upset if Bob returns a different vehicle--even a vehicle that is the same make and model--as automobiles are not fungible with respect to ownership. However, gasoline is fungible and though Alice may have a preference for a particular brand and grade of gasoline, her primary concern may be that the level of fuel be the same (or more) as it was when she lent the vehicle to Bob.

(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fungible

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Casbah:

UNESCO World Heritage Site

Kasbah of Algiers

Name as inscribed on the World Heritage List

Country Algeria

Type Cultural

Criteria ii, v

Reference 565

UNESCO region Arab States

Coordinates 36°47′0″N 3°3′37″ECoordinates: 36°47′0″N 3°3′37″E

Inscription history

Inscription 1992 (16th Session)

Location of Casbah in Algeria.

The Casbah (Arabic: قصبة‎, qaṣba, meaning citadel (fortress)) is specifically the citadel of Algiers in Algeria and the traditional quarter clustered around it. More generally, a kasbah is the walled citadel of many North African cities and towns. The name made its way into English from French in the late 19th century (the Oxford English Dictionary states 1895), and continues to be spelled as acquired from that language.

(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casbah_(disambiguation)

Cas·bah kaz-buh, -bah, kahz- Show IPA

noun

Kasbah.

Relevant Questions

What Is the Original Cas...

What Is A Casbah?

What Does the Song Rock ...

Where Is The Casbah?

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

Related Words for : Casbah

kasbah

Collins

World English Dictionary

casbah (ˈkæzbɑː)

— n

( sometimes capital ) a variant spelling of kasbah

kasbah or casbah (ˈkæzbɑː)

— n

1. the citadel of any of various North African cities

2. Compare medina the quarter in which a kasbah is located

from Arabic qaṣba citadel

casbah or casbah

— n

from Arabic qaṣba citadel

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Casbah?s=t

Casbah

Also found in: Acronyms, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia

Cas·bah also Kas·bah (kzbä, käz-)

n.

1. A castle or palace in northern Africa.

2. often casbah The older section of a city in northern Africa or the Middle East.

French, from Arabic dialectal qaba, from Arabic qaaba, to cut up; see qb in Semitic roots.

casbah ˈkæzbɑː

n

(Fine Arts & Visual Arts / Architecture) (sometimes capital) a variant spelling of kasbah

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. casbah - an older or native quarter of many cities in northern Africa; the quarter in which the citadel is located

kasbah

quarter - a district of a city having some distinguishing character; "the Latin Quarter"

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Casbah

January 27, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Thermobaric weapon

A thermobaric weapon, which includes the type known as a "fuel-air bomb", is an explosive weapon that produces a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than those produced by condensed explosives. This is useful in military applications where its longer duration increases the numbers of casualties and causes more damage to structures.

Thermobaric explosives rely on oxygen from the surrounding air, whereas most conventional explosives consist of a fuel-oxygen premix (for instance, gunpowder contains 15% fuel and 75% oxidizer). Thus, on a weight-for-weight basis they are significantly more energetic than normal condensed explosives. Their reliance on atmospheric oxygen makes them unsuitable for use underwater, at high altitude or in adverse weather. However, they have significant advantages when deployed inside confined environments such as tunnels, caves, and bunkers.

Terminology

The term thermobaric is derived from the Greek words for "heat" and "pressure": thermobarikos (θερμοβαρικός), from thermos (θερμός), hot + baros (βάρος), weight, pressure + suffix -ikos (-ικός), suffix -ic.

Other terms used for this family of weapons are high-impulse thermobaric weapons (HITs), heat and pressure weapons, vacuum bombs, or fuel-air explosives (FAE or FAX).

(snip)

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/Thermobaric+weapon

Thermobaric weapon

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Blast from a US Navy fuel air explosive used against a decommissioned ship, 1972.

A thermobaric weapon, which includes the type known as a "fuel-air bomb", is an explosive weapon that produces a blast wave of a significantly longer duration than those produced by condensed explosives. This is useful in military applications where its longer duration increases the numbers of casualties and causes more damage to structures. There are many different variants of thermobaric weapons rounds that can be fitted to hand held launchers such as rocket-propelled grenades and anti-tank weapons.1

Thermobaric explosives rely on oxygen from the surrounding air, whereas most conventional explosives consist of a fuel-oxidizer premix (for instance, gunpowder contains 25% fuel and 75% oxidizer). Thus, on a weight-for-weight basis they are significantly more energetic than normal condensed explosives. Their reliance on atmospheric oxygen makes them unsuitable for use underwater, at high altitude or in adverse weather. However, they have significant advantages when deployed inside confined environments such as tunnels, caves, and bunkers.

Contents hide

1 Terminology

2 Mechanism

2.1 Fuel-air explosive

3 Effect

4 Development history

4.1 Soviet and Russian developments

4.2 US developments

5 History

5.1 Military use

5.2 Non-military use

5.3 Fiction

6 See also

7 Footnotes

8 External links

editTerminology

The term thermobaric is derived from the Greek words for "heat" and "pressure": thermobarikos (θερμοβαρικός), from thermos (θερμός), hot + baros (βάρος), weight, pressure + suffix -ikos (-ικός), suffix -ic.

Other terms used for this family of weapons are high-impulse thermobaric weapons (HITs), heat and pressure weapons, vacuum bombs, or fuel-air explosives (FAE or FAX).

(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thermobaric_weapon

Thermobaric weapon

Thermobaric weapons distinguish themselves from conventional explosive weapons by using atmospheric oxygen, instead of carrying an oxidizer in their explosives. They are also called high-impulse thermobaric weapons (HITs), fuel-air explosives (FAE or FAX) or sometimes fuel-air munitions , heat and pressure weapons, or vacuum bombs . They produce more explosive energy for a given size than do other conventional explosives, but have the disadvantage of being less predictable in their effect (influenced by weather).

Terminology

The term thermobaric is derived from the Greek words for “ heat” and “ pressure”: thermobarikos (θερμοβαρικός), from thermos (θερμός), hot + baros (βάρος), weight, pressure + suffix -ikos (-ικός), suffix -ic .

A thermobaric weapon (or solid fuel-air explosive) uses the gaseous products ( H2, H2O, CO and CO2) of an initial explosion for an afterburning of reactive solids. Because their reaction with atmospheric oxygen only produces solid oxides the blast wave is primarily generated by heat of combustion ("thermobaric") instead of expanding explosion gases. This makes thermobaric explosives more effective in oxygen deficient environments such as tunnels, caves or underground bunkers. Rather than providing protection as they would from conventional explosive ammunition, structure interior walls, particularly cement or other hard surfaces, magnify and channel the shockwaves created by a thermobaric detonation. The stronger the walls, the higher the pressure’s reflective effect.

(snip)

http://www.reference.com/browse/Thermobaric_weapon

January 29, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

obviate

ob·vi·ate (bv-t)

tr.v. ob·vi·at·ed, ob·vi·at·ing, ob·vi·ates

To anticipate and dispose of effectively; render unnecessary. See Synonyms at prevent.

Latin obvire, obvit-, to hinder, from obvius, in the way; see obvious.

obvi·ation n.

obvi·ator n.

obviate ˈɒbvɪˌeɪt

vb

(tr) to do away with or counter

from Late Latin obviātus prevented, past participle of obviāre; see obvious

obviation n

Usage: Only things which have not yet occurred can be obviated. For example, one can obviate a possible future difficulty, but not one which already exists

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Verb 1. obviate - do away with

rid of, eliminate

close out, rule out, preclude - make impossible, especially beforehand

necessitate, need, require, call for, demand, postulate, involve, ask, take - require as useful, just, or proper; "It takes nerve to do what she did"; "success usually requires hard work"; "This job asks a lot of patience and skill"; "This position demands a lot of personal sacrifice"; "This dinner calls for a spectacular dessert"; "This intervention does not postulate a patient's consent"

2. obviate - prevent the occurrence of; prevent from happening; "Let's avoid a confrontation"; "head off a confrontation"; "avert a strike"

deflect, fend off, forefend, forfend, head off, stave off, ward off, avert, avoid, debar

foreclose, forestall, preclude, prevent, forbid - keep from happening or arising; make impossible; "My sense of tact forbids an honest answer"; "Your role in the projects precludes your involvement in the competitive project"

obviate

verb (Formal) avert, avoid, remove, prevent, counter, do away with, preclude, counteract, ward off, stave off, forestall, render unnecessary This would obviate the need for a surgical operation.

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/obviate

obviate  

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Obviate

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Obviate

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ob·vi·ate ob-vee-eyt Show IPA

verb (used with object), ob·vi·at·ed, ob·vi·at·ing.

to anticipate and prevent or eliminate (difficulties, disadvantages, etc.) by effective measures; render unnecessary: to obviate the risk of serious injury.

Origin:

1590–1600; < Latin obviātus, past participle of obviāre to act contrary to, derivative of obvius; see obvious, -ate1

Related forms

ob·vi·a·ble ob-vee-uh-buhl Show IPA , adjective

ob·vi·a·tion, noun

ob·vi·a·tor, noun

pre·ob·vi·ate, verb (used with object), pre·ob·vi·at·ed, pre·ob·vi·at·ing.

un·ob·vi·a·ble, adjective

Can be confused: ameliorate, obviate, vitiate.

Synonyms

preclude, avert, anticipate.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/obviate?s=t

Obviate (abbreviated obv) third person person is a grammatical person marking that distinguishes a non-salient (obviative) third person referent from a more salient (proximate) third person referent in a given discourse context. The obviative is sometimes referred to as the "fourth person".1

Contents hide

1 Geography

1.1 North America

1.2 Africa

1.3 Elsewhere

2 Cross-linguistic patterns

3 Notable language-specific examples

3.1 Ojibwe

3.2 Potawatomi

3.3 Ingush

4 References

(snip)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Obviative

obviate

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Etymology

1.2 Pronunciation

1.3 Verb

1.3.1 Translations

2 Latin

2.1 Verb

editEnglish

WOTD - 29 January 2013

editEtymology

From Latin obviāre ("to block, to hinder").

editPronunciation

(UK) IPA: /ˈɒbviˌeɪt/

(US) IPA: /ˈɑbviˌeɪt/

editVerb

obviate (third-person singular simple present obviates, present participle obviating, simple past and past participle obviated)

(transitive) To bypass a requirement or make it unnecessary; to avoid a future problem or difficult situation.

They saved enough money for their purchase and obviated the need to borrow.

The internet has largely obviated printed phone books.

 quotations ▼

editTranslations

show ▼to bypass a requirement

editLatin

editVerb

obviāte

second-person plural present active imperative of obviō

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/obviate

January 29, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

List of English words of Yiddish origin

(redirected from Plotz)

(snip)

plotz: to burst, as from strong emotion (from Yiddish פּלאַצן platsn 'crack', cf. German platzen) (OED)

http://encyclopedia.thefreedictionary.com/plotz

plotz plots Show IPA

verb (used without object) Slang.

to collapse or faint, as from surprise, excitement, or exhaustion.

Origin:

1940–45, Americanism; < Yiddish platsn literally, to crack, split, burst < Middle High German blatzen, platzen

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/plotz?s=t

plotz \plots\, verb:

To collapse or faint, as from surprise, excitement, or exhaustion.

And there would be no way to hide the official tail on her parents' manicured, sweeping drive. “God, Mother would plotz.”

-- Elizabeth Lowell, Die in Plain Sight

I mean, the consul would have plotzed, since it would have made him directly involved.

-- Avner Mandelman, Talking to the Enemy

Plotz is an Americanism that first arose in the 1940s. It comes from the Yiddish word platsn which meant "to crack, split, burst." That word in turn originated in the German word blatzen or platzen.

dictionary.com/word-of-the-day

plotz

Pronunciation: /plɒts/

Definition of plotz

verb

no object North American informal

collapse or be beside oneself with frustration, annoyance, or other strong emotion:

lots of directors plotz while making their films

Origin:

1960s: from Yiddish platsen, literally 'to burst', from Middle High German platzen

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/plotz?q=plotz

January 29, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

word-hoard \WURD-hawrd\, noun:

A person's vocabulary.

It held what our Saxon forebears would have called his word-hoard. Prisk dipped into his invisible bag, drew out a word apparently at random, fingered it jealously for some minutes, returned it, and brought out another word.

-- Michael Innes, The Weight Of The Evidence

This audience, more than anything, perhaps, gave William the energy to once again unload his word hoard. And what a word hoard it was.

-- Victor Bockris, With William Burroughs

When Inman spoke to them they neither answered nor flickered an eye in his direction to even acknowledge the sound of his voice, and he began to assume that what the boy had spoken at the fire comprised their collective word hoard.

-- Charles Frazier, Cold Mountain

We need a well stocked word-hoard and should be avid to add to it.

-- Paul Edwards, The Practical Preacher

Word-hoard first occurred in modern English in the 1890s. It was a literal translation of the Old English word wordhord which meant "a store of words.

dictionary.com/word-of-the-day

word-hoard wurd-hawrd, -hohrd Show IPA

noun

a person's vocabulary.

Origin:

1890–95; literal modern rendering of Old English wordhord

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/word-hoard

word-hoard

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Alternative forms

1.2 Etymology

1.3 Noun

1.3.1 Synonyms

1.4 References

editEnglish

editAlternative forms

wordhoard

editEtymology

A modern revival of Old English wordhord ("treasury of words"), equivalent to word +‎ hoard.

editNoun

word-hoard (plural word-hoards)

One's vocabulary; the words one uses or understands; one's lexicon.

(Can we verify(+) this sense?) (paganism) The language and terminology used by followers of Heathenry.

editSynonyms

vocabulary, lexicon

editReferences

1983 The Way of Wyrd, Brian Bates, Century Publishing Co Ltd, ISBN 0 7126 0277 1, page 74.

You are labelling pieces of the world with words, then confusing your word-hoard for the totality of life.

1997 Thunder issue 4 (Heathen Journal), The Holy, Math Jones.

My own sense of what is holy springs from the roots of our word-hoard.

2003 The Runes of Elfland, Brian Froud & Ari Berk, Pavillion Books, ISBN 1 86205 647 1, page 67.

If you can guess one, he may unlock the word-hoard and offer you a letter.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/word-hoard

January 29, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

wellaway

\ WEL-uh-WEY \ , interjection;

1.

(Used to express sorrow.)

Quotes:

She entered under the dome weeping and wailing, “ Wellaway !"

-- edited by Leonard Charles Smither, The Book of the Thousand Nights and a Night

" Wellaway . My little son so dear!" So sad he was that no one could cheer up at all…

-- Marijane Osborn, Romancing the Goddess

Origin:

Wellaway is related to the contemporary word woe . It came from the Old English phrase wā lā wā meaning "woe! lo! woe!"

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday

well·a·way (wl-w) Archaic

interj.

Used to express woe or distress.

n. pl. well·a·ways

A lamentation.

Middle English, alteration (influenced by well, well and awai, away) of Old English weilwei, alteration (influenced by Old Scandinavian *wei, woe) of w l w : w, woe; see woe + l, lo; see lo.

wellaway ˈwɛləˈweɪ

interj

Archaic woe! alas!

Old English, from wei lā wei, variant of wā lā wā, literally: woe! lo woe

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/wellaway

wellaway

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Etymology

1.2 Pronunciation

1.3 Interjection

1.3.1 Synonyms

1.3.2 Quotations

1.3.3 Related terms

editEnglish

editEtymology

Old English weġ lā weġ, alteration of wā lā wā, with substitution of Old Norse vei for Old English wā. Compare wellawo, weila.

editPronunciation

(UK) IPA: /wɛləˈweɪ/

editInterjection

wellaway

(archaic) Expressing sadness, regret etc.  quotations ▼

editSynonyms

welladay

editQuotations

For more examples of usage of this term, see the citations page.

editRelated terms

alas

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/wellaway

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

mignon

See also Mignon

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Etymology

1.2 Pronunciation

1.3 Adjective

1.4 Noun

2 French

2.1 Etymology

2.2 Pronunciation

2.3 Adjective

2.3.1 Synonyms

2.3.2 See also

2.4 Noun

3 Italian

3.1 Etymology

3.2 Adjective

editEnglish

WOTD - 30 January 2013

editEtymology

From French mignon, from Middle French mignon ("lover, darling, favourite"), from Old French mignot ("dainty, pleasing, gentle, kind"), from Frankish *minnjo ("love, friendship, affection, memory"), from Proto-Germanic *minþijō, *mindijō (“affectionate thought, care”), from Proto-Indo-European *men-, *mnā- (“to think”). Cognate with Old High German minnja ("love, care, affection, desire, memory"), Old Saxon minnea ("love"). More at mind. Compare also minion and Dutch minnen ("to love").

editPronunciation

(UK) IPA: /ˈmɪnjɒn/, /ˈmɪnjɑ̃/

(US) IPA: /mɪnˈjɑn/

editAdjective

mignon (comparative more mignon, superlative most mignon)

Small and cute; pretty in a delicate way; dainty.  quotations ▼

editNoun

mignon (plural mignons)

(French history) One of the court favourites of Henry III.  quotations ▼

(rare) A cute person; a pretty child.

editFrench

editEtymology

From Middle French, from Old French mignot ("dainty, pleasing, gentle, kind"), from Frankish *minnjo ("love, friendship, affection, memory"), from Proto-Germanic *minþijō, *mindijō (“affectionate thought, care”), from Proto-Indo-European *men-, *mnā- (“to think”). Cognate with Old High German minnja ("love, care, affection, desire, memory"), Old Saxon minnea ("love"). More at mind.

editPronunciation

audio

MENU0:00

IPA: /miɲɔ̃/, X-SAMPA: /mi.JO~/

editAdjective

mignon m (f mignonne, m plural mignons, f plural mignonnes)

cute

editSynonyms

joli

editSee also

filet mignon

editNoun

mignon m (plural mignons)

a small pastry

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/mignon

mignon (-onne)

Pronunciation: /miɲɔ̃; ɔn/

English translation of mignon

adj

1 cute

Definition of cute in the dictionary British & World English

Definition of cute in the dictionary US English

Translate cute | into Italian | into Spanish

2 sweet, kind

http://oxforddictionaries.com/translate/french-english/mignon?q=mignon

mi·gnon min-yon; French mee-nyawn Show IPA

adjective

small and pretty; delicately pretty.

Origin:

1550–60; < French; see minion

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Mi·gnon mee-nyawn Show IPA

noun

an opera (1866) by Ambroise Thomas.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/mignon?s=t

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

(article)

Sprinkle your vocabulary with 'happicles'

The best way to launch a new word is to pretend that it isn’t new and just start using it, says Mikhail Epstein, an Emory professor of cultural theory and Russian literature.

(snip)

http://esciencecommons.blogspot.com/2012/04/sprinkle-your-vocabulary-with-happicles.html

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

osmotic

Also found in: Medical, Legal, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia

os·mo·sis (z-mss, s-)

n. pl. os·mo·ses (-sz)

1.

a. Diffusion of fluid through a semipermeable membrane from a solution with a low solute concentration to a solution with a higher solute concentration until there is an equal concentration of fluid on both sides of the membrane.

b. The tendency of fluids to diffuse in such a manner.

Paris for 15 years.

2: A gradual, almost unconscious assimilation or absorption:learned French by osmosis while residing in Paris for 15 years.

From obsolete osmose, from earlier endosmose, from French : Greek endo-, endo- + Greek smos, thrust, push (from thein, to push).

os·motic (-mtk) adj.

os·moti·cal·ly adv.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj. 1. osmotic - of or relating to osmosis; "osmotic pressure"

Translations

osmotic ɒzˈmɒtɪk ADJ → osmótico

osmotic

adj → osmotisch

osmotic ɒzˈmɒtɪk adj → osmotico/a

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Osmotic

os·mo·sis   oz-moh-sis, os- Show IPA

noun

1.

Physical Chemistry, Cell Biology .

a.

the tendency of a fluid, usually water, to pass through a semipermeable membrane into a solution where the solvent concentration is higher, thus equalizing the concentrations of materials on either side of the membrane.

b.

the diffusion of fluids through membranes or porous partitions. Compare endosmosis, exosmosis.

2.

a subtle or gradual absorption or mingling: He never studies but seems to learn by osmosis.

Origin:

1865–70; Latinized form of now obsolete osmose osmosis, extracted from endosmose endosmosis, exosmose exosmosis < French, equivalent to end- end-, ex- ex-2 + Greek ōsm ( ós ) push, thrust + French -ose -osis

Related forms

os·mot·ic  oz-mot-ik, os- Show IPA, adjective

os·mot·i·cal·ly, adverb

non·os·mot·ic, adjective

non·os·mot·i·cal·ly, adverb

un·os·mot·ic, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/osmotic?s=t

osmotic

Pronunciation: /-ˈmɒtɪk/

adjective

osmotically

Pronunciation: /-ˈmɒtɪk(ə)li/

adverb

Origin:

mid 19th century: Latinized form of earlier osmose, from Greek ōsmos 'a push'

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/osmosis?q=osmotic#osmosis__5

Osmotics Best for Constipation in Elderly

By Charles Bankhead, Staff Writer, MedPage Today

Published: January 29, 2013

Reviewed by Zalman S. Agus, MD; Emeritus Professor, Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and Dorothy Caputo, MA, BSN, RN, Nurse Planner

Action Points

The prevalence of constipation with age, with some estimates ranging between 40% and 60%.

This review indicates that randomized trials support the use of osmotic agents (polyethylene glycol and lactulose) to treat symptoms of constipation in older people; however, evidence supporting the use of bulk agents, stool softeners, stimulants and other agents is limited, inconsistent or absent.

Osmotic laxatives have the strongest supporting data for treatment of constipation in older patients, authors of a literature review concluded.

http://www.medpagetoday.com/Gastroenterology/GeneralGastroenterology/37073?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DailyHeadlines&utm_source=WC&xid=NL_DHE_2013-01-30&eun=g631168d0r&userid=631168&email=carlosg@gmail.com&mu_id=5752193

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

Language article

http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2013/jan/27/users-guide-international-art-english?wpisrc=nl_wonk

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

cineast

See also Cineast

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Alternative forms

1.2 Noun

1.2.1 Translations

1.3 Anagrams

2 Swedish

2.1 Etymology

2.2 Pronunciation

2.3 Noun

2.3.1 Declension

editEnglish

editAlternative forms

cineaste

editNoun

cineast (plural cineasts)

An enthusiast of film and the cinema

A person in the filmmaking industry

editTranslations

show ▼enthusiast of film and the cinema

show ▼person in the filmmaking industry

editAnagrams

ascient, Insecta

editSwedish

editEtymology

Since 1962 from French cinéaste, "filmmaker". From cinéma "cinema" and enthousiaste "enthusiast".

editPronunciation

IPA: /sɪneˈast/

editNoun

cineast c

someone with great interest in film and film-related subjects; cineast, movie buff

Hon har varit en hängiven cineast sen yngre tonåren.

"She has been an avid cineast since her early teens."

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/cineast

cin·e·aste also cin·e·ast (sn-st) or cin·é·aste (sn-äst)

n.

1. A film or movie enthusiast.

2. A person involved in filmmaking.

French cinéaste, from ciné, cinema, short for cinéma; see cinema.

cineaste ˈsɪnɪˌæst

n

(Performing Arts) an enthusiast for films

French, from cinema + -aste, as -ast in enthusiast

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cineast

cin·e·aste   sin-ee-ast, sin-ey- Show IPA

noun

1.

any person, especially a director or producer, associated professionally with filmmaking.

2.

an aficionado of filmmaking.

Also, cin·e·ast, cin·é·aste .

Origin:

1925–30; < French cinéaste, equivalent to ciné- cine- + -aste, as in ecclésiaste, gymnaste, etc.

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cineast?s=t

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

duckboard

editEnglish

editNoun

duckboard (plural duckboards)

One of a long series of boards laid as a path across wet or muddy ground; normally used in plural.

In an attempt to alleviate the problem, wooden planking, known as duckboards, were placed at the bottom of trenches and across other areas of muddy or waterlogged ground.

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/duckboard#English

duck·board (dkbôrd, -brd)

n.

A board or boardwalk laid across wet or muddy ground or flooring.

duckboard ˈdʌkˌbɔːd

n

(Miscellaneous Technologies / Building) a board or boards laid so as to form a floor or path over wet or muddy ground

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Noun 1. duckboard - a boardwalk laid across muddy ground

boardwalk - a walkway made of wooden boards; usually at seaside

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/duckboard

duck·board duhk-bawrd, -bohrd Show IPA

noun

a board or boards laid as a track or floor over wet or muddy ground.

Origin:

1915–20; duck1 + board

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

World English Dictionary

duckboard (ˈdʌkˌbɔːd)

— n

a board or boards laid so as to form a floor or path over wet or muddy ground

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition

2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins

Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/duckboard?s=t

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

heliocentric  

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he·li·o·cen·tric hee-lee-oh-sen-trik Show IPA

adjective Astronomy .

1.

measured or considered as being seen from the center of the sun.

2.

having or representing the sun as a center: the heliocentric concept of the universe.

Origin:

1660–70; helio- + -centric

Related forms

he·li·o·cen·tri·cal·ly, adverb

he·li·o·cen·tric·i·ty hee-lee-oh-sen-tris-i-tee Show IPA , he·li·o·cen·tri·cism hee-lee-oh-sen-truh-siz-uhm Show IPA , noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/heliocentric?s=ts

he·li·o·cen·tric (hl--sntrk) also he·li·o·cen·tri·cal (-tr-kl)

adj.

1. Of or relating to a reference system based at the center of the sun.

2. Having the sun as the center.

heli·o·cen·trici·ty (-sn-trs-t) n.

heliocentric ˌhiːlɪəʊˈsɛntrɪk

adj

1. (Astronomy) having the sun at its centre

2. (Astronomy) measured from or in relation to the centre of the sun

heliocentrically adv

heliocentricity ˌhiːlɪəʊsɛnˈtrɪsɪtɪ, heliocentricism ˌhiːlɪəʊˈsɛntrɪˌsɪzəm n

heliocentric (hl--sntrk)

1. Relating to or measured from the center of the Sun.

2. Relating to a model of the solar system or universe having the Sun as the center. Compare geocentric. See Note at Copernicus Nicolaus.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj. 1. heliocentric - having the sun as the center

geocentric - having the earth as the center

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/heliocentric?s=ts

Contents hide

1 English

1.1 Alternative forms

1.2 Pronunciation

1.3 Etymology

1.4 Adjective

1.4.1 Translations

1.4.2 Antonyms

1.5 Anagrams

editEnglish

Wikipedia has an article on:

Heliocentric

editAlternative forms

heliocentrick (obsolete)

editPronunciation

(UK) IPA: /ˌhiːliəʊˈsɛntrɪk/, X-SAMPA: /%hi:li@U"sEntrIk/

(US) enPR: hē'lē-ō-sĕnʹtrĭk, IPA: /ˌhiːlioʊˈsɛntrɪk/, X-SAMPA: /%hi:lioU"sEntrIk/

editEtymology

From helio- +‎ centric.

editAdjective

heliocentric (not comparable)

(astronomy) having the sun at the center/centre; usually in reference to a solar system or orbit

editTranslations

show ▼having the sun at the center

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/heliocentric

January 31, 2013

CarlosG commented on the list carlos-words--1

geocentric

Contents show

editEnglish

editAlternative forms

geocentrick (obsolete)

editEtymology

From geo- +‎ centric.

editAdjective

geocentric (not comparable)

Having the Earth at the center. Usually in reference to the Solar System.

editTranslations

show ▼having Earth at center

https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/geocentric

ge·o·cen·tric jee-oh-sen-trik Show IPA

adjective

1.

having or representing the earth as a center: a geocentric theory of the universe.

2.

using the earth or earthly life as the only basis of evaluation.

3.

viewed or measured as from the center of the earth: the geocentric position of the moon.

Origin:

1680–90; geo- + -centric

Related forms

ge·o·cen·tri·cal·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged

Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2013.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/geocentric?s=t

ge·o·cen·tric (j-sntrk)

adj.

1. Relating to, measured from, or with respect to the center of the earth.

2. Having the earth as a center.

geo·centri·cal·ly adv.

geocentric ˌdʒiːəʊˈsɛntrɪk

adj

1. (Astronomy) having the earth at its centre the Ptolemaic system postulated a geocentric universe

2. (Astronomy) measured from or relating to the centre of the earth

geocentrically adv

geocentric (j-sntrk)

1. Relating to or measured from the Earth's center.

2. Relating to a model of the solar system or universe having the Earth as the center. Compare heliocentric.

ThesaurusLegend: Synonyms Related Words Antonyms

Adj. 1. geocentric - having the earth as the center

heliocentric - having the sun as the center

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/geocentric

January 31, 2013