belatedly, John, I am extremely relieved that you are not censoring this list.
on my first or second day as a member I saw a comment belittling another person's list because some of the words were too mundane for that commenter's taste. it disturbed me. it was petty and pointless. and now we have this list, where 'crap' and 'disgusting' are being applied, and that disturbs me too.
what if someone made a list of common epithets, and included nigger, kike, and faggot? I imagine (hope!) that those words would offend all of us, but I would argue that they have a right to be listed. "words you hate" is in the mission statement, after all.
perhaps an option of making a list private could be worked in? you once agreed with me that part of the beauty of this project was authorial intent. perhaps gmb means this list in a way none of us will ever understand, and that is all right with me.
I always heard it as catawampus, and despite googlings which define it as being similar to "kitty corner", as a child I was told it was a swamp monster.
"--to tune in.Wireless Teleg., to adjust the frequency of (a wireless receiving apparatus) to that of a particular sending station fr. which messages are to be received."
"One who avoids or neglects a duty or responsibility; specif., a person who shirks a duty or obligation to his country, esp. in time of war, as by attempting to evade military service."
"An artificial language devised by Rev. Edward P. Foster, fo Marietta, Ohio, about 1906. Ro rejects all existing word roots and is based entirely 'on the analysis and classification of ideas.'"
"1.Music. To play or compose (a piece, melody, etc.) in syncopated time. Colloq. 2. To dance to ragtime music;--often used with an implication of indecorum. Colloq. or Slang."
"from F., lit., a gust, a squall. Mil. A burst of artillery fire consisting of several rounds, discharged as rapidly as possible, from each gun of a battery."
"A telephonic apparatus with an attached microphone transmitter, used esp. for listening secretly to private conversation, as in order to secure evidence for use in court."
"In the Great War, a place for piling up supplies, as of shells or other ammunition, for distribution; also, the supplies themselves when so deposited."
"Aëronautics: the straight line subtending the arc of an aërocurve; hence the dimension of any aërofoil between the leading edge and the trailing edge. Cf. SPAN."
elizacole: despite the list title, it's more for words relating to theft of some kind, embezzlement, swindling, that sort of thing. but I thank you! :)
mentioned in the poem "Ode to Gaea" - from the Greek meaning, roughly, "horse milkers" - they are named in the Iliad as allies of Troy. probably a Scythian tribe.
I frankly would not want anyone else to be able to add to my lists - they are personal collections, and therefore their content is limited by my preferences. There is a significant element of authorial intent at work. If I don't have a color on my list that you think I ought, or a piece of furniture... so? Start your own list! I think that most of these lists aren't meant to be authoritative, we aren't assembling a lexicon à la Wiktionary. As the front page information says, "whatever." Wordie is relative, subjective, personal, that's a big part of what makes it fun.
If group lists were an option I'm sure some people would use it, but I would not want that to be the default.
John, this is the coolest thing I've ever found on the web.
what I think would be awesome is a way to add a word from someone else's list or from the recent words page. if that is possible, it would be great. beyond that, I have absolutely no complaints. I love this. :)
Comments by colleen
Show previous 200 comments...
colleen commented on the word tranny
And the GMCs and the Straight 8 Fords
were coughing and wheezing and they
percolated as they tossed the gravel
underneath the fenders to weave home
a wet slick anaconda of a two lane
with tire irons and crowbars a rattlin'
with a tool box and a pony saddle
you're grinding gears, shifting into first
yeah and that goddamn tranny's just getting worse
(Tom Waits, Putnam County)
January 17, 2007
colleen commented on the list the-worshipful-company-of-haberdashers
slantrhyme, I didn't see your suggestions until just today, thank you for all of them! some I did have already, but most I did not. :)
January 15, 2007
colleen commented on the word margaritomancy
not, in fact, divination with tequila and lime.
December 27, 2006
colleen commented on the list erotica
belatedly, John, I am extremely relieved that you are not censoring this list.
on my first or second day as a member I saw a comment belittling another person's list because some of the words were too mundane for that commenter's taste. it disturbed me. it was petty and pointless. and now we have this list, where 'crap' and 'disgusting' are being applied, and that disturbs me too.
what if someone made a list of common epithets, and included nigger, kike, and faggot? I imagine (hope!) that those words would offend all of us, but I would argue that they have a right to be listed. "words you hate" is in the mission statement, after all.
perhaps an option of making a list private could be worked in? you once agreed with me that part of the beauty of this project was authorial intent. perhaps gmb means this list in a way none of us will ever understand, and that is all right with me.
December 24, 2006
colleen commented on the user minervacat
my dear. ♥
December 22, 2006
colleen commented on the list verbed-nouns
In the immortal words of Calvin, "verbing weirds language." :)
December 20, 2006
colleen commented on the list dies-irae
thanks, as I say, I managed to confuse myself. I'd have known it if I heard it. :)
December 20, 2006
colleen commented on the list dies-irae
wait, never mind. I thought it was familiar, but my terrible translation confused me.
December 19, 2006
colleen commented on the list dies-irae
inkhorn, my Latin is, well. not. would you care to enlighten me?
December 19, 2006
colleen commented on the list there-is-no-x-in-espresso-words-butchered-by-americans
there was that great bit on the Simpsons when Lisa flipped on Marge for insisting on saying "foilage" for "foliage."
December 19, 2006
colleen commented on the list the-worshipful-company-of-haberdashers
thanks, bilby!
December 18, 2006
colleen commented on the word cwm
esh, have you ever played hangman with a Welshman? :)
December 18, 2006
colleen commented on the word johnny-jump-up
also a pretty wildflower, and a derogatory term for a solider with a field commission.
December 18, 2006
colleen commented on the list place-names-that-are-fun-to-say
you could be here all day with all the Indian names from New England. my other favorite is "Namskaket" (NAM-skay-ket).
December 18, 2006
colleen commented on the word cattywampus
well, andrew, my father was a quirky man.
December 18, 2006
colleen commented on the list place-names-that-are-fun-to-say
Woonsocket, RI ?
December 17, 2006
colleen commented on the word catawampus
var. cattywampus, probably regional.
December 17, 2006
colleen commented on the word cattywampus
I always heard it as catawampus, and despite googlings which define it as being similar to "kitty corner", as a child I was told it was a swamp monster.
December 17, 2006
colleen commented on the list where-the-streets-have-a-name
the one in Nola is Esplanade Avenue, but nobody says the avenue part, it's just "Esplanade." and there it's pronounced es-pluh-NAYD.
I don't know if this helps its case for inclusion or not. :)
December 17, 2006
colleen commented on the word cuntificate
hee, well. peacoat and danny are in the same online collective as I am, so they beat me to putting here after I said it. :)
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word cuntificate
coined by myself on 8 December 2006.
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word wireless
"To send or communicate by wireless telegraphy; also, to send a wireless message to (a person). Colloq."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word tune
"--to tune in. Wireless Teleg., to adjust the frequency of (a wireless receiving apparatus) to that of a particular sending station fr. which messages are to be received."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word slacker
"One who avoids or neglects a duty or responsibility; specif., a person who shirks a duty or obligation to his country, esp. in time of war, as by attempting to evade military service."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word ro
"An artificial language devised by Rev. Edward P. Foster, fo Marietta, Ohio, about 1906. Ro rejects all existing word roots and is based entirely 'on the analysis and classification of ideas.'"
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word rag
"1.Music. To play or compose (a piece, melody, etc.) in syncopated time. Colloq. 2. To dance to ragtime music;--often used with an implication of indecorum. Colloq. or Slang."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word rafale
"from F., lit., a gust, a squall. Mil. A burst of artillery fire consisting of several rounds, discharged as rapidly as possible, from each gun of a battery."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word detectaphone
"Detectaphone is a trade-mark name."
Brand of detectagraph.
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word detectagraph
"A telephonic apparatus with an attached microphone transmitter, used esp. for listening secretly to private conversation, as in order to secure evidence for use in court."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word punch
"Power or ability to produce a striking effect; energy; effectiveness. Slang."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word photoplaywright
"A person who composes photoplays."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word photoplayer
"A moving picture actor or actress."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word napoleon
"An oblong portion of rich iced cake consisting of several layers of puff paste with a cream filling."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word jam
"Wireless Teleg. To render (wireless signals) unintelligible by sending out from another instrument other (meaningless) signals or wave impulses."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word groceteria
"A grocery store in which the customers help themselves to goods and pay the cashier as they leave;-- sometimes spelt grocerteria."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word flight
"In the (British) Royal Flying Corps, a division of the air fleet equivalent to one third of a squadron."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word dump
"In the Great War, a place for piling up supplies, as of shells or other ammunition, for distribution; also, the supplies themselves when so deposited."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word combination
"A one-piece undergarment combining the corset cover with drawers or petticoat, or, as in the union suit, consisting of undervest and drawers."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word chord
"Aëronautics: the straight line subtending the arc of an aërocurve; hence the dimension of any aërofoil between the leading edge and the trailing edge. Cf. SPAN."
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the word bomb
"bomb" as verb did not enter common use until WWI.
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the list addenda-to-the-1923-printing-of-webster-s-collegiate-dictionary-third-edition-of-the-merriam-series
I hope to finish adding the definitions in the next few days.
December 14, 2006
colleen commented on the user stpeter
I chose it because it is the highest compliment I can give a person; it is my favorite word because of what it means to me. why do you not like it?
December 11, 2006
colleen commented on the user stpeter
thanks for the comment! it gave me a much needed laugh today. :)
December 10, 2006
colleen commented on the list sleight-of-hand
elizacole: despite the list title, it's more for words relating to theft of some kind, embezzlement, swindling, that sort of thing. but I thank you! :)
December 6, 2006
colleen commented on the word spatulamancy
Not, in fact, divination with kitchen utensils.
December 6, 2006
colleen commented on the list sleight-of-hand
selfishcrab, thank you. I can't believe I forgot that one.
December 6, 2006
colleen commented on the user colleen
Mrs Thatcher.
December 6, 2006
colleen commented on the user imogen
your worshipfulness!
December 5, 2006
colleen commented on the list sleight-of-hand
that is excellent! I have been looking for more!
December 5, 2006
colleen commented on the word hippemolgoi
mentioned in the poem "Ode to Gaea" - from the Greek meaning, roughly, "horse milkers" - they are named in the Iliad as allies of Troy. probably a Scythian tribe.
December 5, 2006
colleen commented on the user john
John, thank you for that reassurance. You are doing a smashing job with this project.
December 4, 2006
colleen commented on the user john
RE keenanpepper's comment:
I frankly would not want anyone else to be able to add to my lists - they are personal collections, and therefore their content is limited by my preferences. There is a significant element of authorial intent at work. If I don't have a color on my list that you think I ought, or a piece of furniture... so? Start your own list! I think that most of these lists aren't meant to be authoritative, we aren't assembling a lexicon à la Wiktionary. As the front page information says, "whatever." Wordie is relative, subjective, personal, that's a big part of what makes it fun.
If group lists were an option I'm sure some people would use it, but I would not want that to be the default.
December 4, 2006
colleen commented on the list decemberists-words
this is a brilliant list.
December 4, 2006
colleen commented on the list decemberists-words
may I suggest "tamarack," mentioned in "Eli the Barrowboy"? it's a kind of tree. :)
December 4, 2006
colleen commented on the word bergamot
the stuff that makes Earl Grey yummy!
December 4, 2006
colleen commented on the list the-worshipful-company-of-haberdashers
thank you! :)
December 3, 2006
colleen commented on the list whitmanian
Whitman as in Walt? may I suggest "calamus" and "Mannahatta," my two favorites from his poems? :)
December 3, 2006
colleen commented on the word kinnickinnick
see also bearberry
December 3, 2006
colleen commented on the user danny
my favorite word is your mom.
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the user super-heather
it's so much nicer than "counter-clockwise," no? :)
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the word olivite
proper name for peridot
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the word epipsychidion
my favorite poem by Shelley...
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the user colleen
thank you! most of the words themselves are pretty innocuous, so I had to fancy it up somehow. :D
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the user john
John, you're a king among men. :)
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the user colleen
Gosh. I didn't think Wordie was a competitive sport!
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the list ogham
I like trees.
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the list clef
Items relating to music.
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the word masala
I posted it thinking of garam masala, and of masala chai. Although I might mention that I make a pretty mean Chicken Tikka.
December 2, 2006
colleen commented on the user john
John, this is the coolest thing I've ever found on the web.
what I think would be awesome is a way to add a word from someone else's list or from the recent words page. if that is possible, it would be great. beyond that, I have absolutely no complaints. I love this. :)
December 1, 2006