Welcome, slumry

slumry commented on the word coma

doggone it, what's that word that means one spelling of two different words, usually with different etymologies. . .that's what coma seems to be.

June 10, 2015

slumry commented on the word gerontosaur

owie. . .

June 10, 2015

slumry commented on the word Perchance

Perhaps (archaic)

June 5, 2015

slumry commented on the word penchance

Perchance an eggcorn of penchant?

June 5, 2015

slumry commented on the word stepped on a little frog

Oh, dear...taking a moment to remember Ajax the little green tree frog who took a ride on the rollers of a wringer washer. Once.

June 3, 2015

slumry commented on the word back-handed

see backhanded

June 2, 2015

slumry commented on the list cod

Oh my Cod! Today we have the word gubbings.

June 2, 2015

slumry commented on the word gubbing

Ah, a heavy defeat! And it rhymes with drubbing.

June 2, 2015

slumry commented on the word grass widow

Anatoly Liberman argues persuasively that "grace widow" should be dismissed as folk etymology. He has a interesting discussion of the history of the term grass widow at http://blog.oup.com/2009/02/grasswidows/

June 2, 2015

slumry commented on the word spyhop

foxes and wolves apparently spyhop also: aavvhttp://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spyhop

June 1, 2015

slumry commented on the list both-and-both

A fun list. Lloyd habitually said forth and back, without irony or intent to provoke. Carolyn, nevertheless, was annoyed on the grounds that it was not idiomatic. Lloyd countered that it was more logical. One could hardly go back before first going forth. Carolyn ultimately attributed it to Lloyd's status as the son of Swedish immigrants. So riddle me this: is there a Swedish idiom equivalent to forth and back?

May 31, 2015

slumry commented on the word dumbbell tenement

A tenement building that is (was, I suppose) designed in the shape of a dumbbell. One example of the adjectival use of dumbbell.

May 31, 2015

slumry commented on the word winkle-hawk

For one account of this term, see http://dictionary.babylon.com/winkle-hawk/, which says winkle-hawk derives from a word for a carpenter's square. Thus, perhaps, suggests a three-corned tear.

May 31, 2015

slumry commented on the word hiberdating

Ah!

May 31, 2015

slumry commented on the word hiberdating

oxymoron?

May 30, 2015

slumry commented on the word two bit piece

a quarter see two bits

May 30, 2015

slumry commented on the word bull cooking

This is what some "manly men" call it when they do small chores around home.

May 30, 2015

slumry commented on the word begunk

I can't resist thinking something like: "I hiked a muddy trail and now my shoes are all begunked." Folk etymology.

May 30, 2015

slumry commented on the word potlicker

And I am always disappointed when I recall what potlicker is. I always feel the word should refer to something so delicious that the pot was licked clean.

May 30, 2015

slumry commented on the word askew

cattywampus

May 30, 2015

slumry commented on the word adoxography

See: http://www.worldwidewords.org/weirdwords/ww-ado1.htm for a discussion of the historical rhetorical-training practice that later came to be called adoxography. Put's me in mind of a book I am reading, "How to Talk About Books You Haven't Read," by Pierre Bayard. The tongue-in-cheek thesis is that you are better equipped to discuss a book if you have not read it.

May 29, 2015

slumry commented on the list gleanings1

Used as a verb: "We could short-sight this." Meaning, apparently, that we could implement a short-sighted remedy.

May 29, 2015

slumry commented on the word potlicker

from pot liquor

May 29, 2015

slumry commented on the word googleself

a person who constantly monitors his online reputation

May 28, 2015

slumry commented on the word chewcud

a person who ruminates endlessly

May 28, 2015

slumry commented on the word my left hind foot

See my foot.

May 21, 2015

slumry commented on the list jack--1

May 21, 2015

slumry commented on the word Jack tales

Appalachian folk tales, an oral tradition.

May 20, 2015

slumry commented on the list jack--1

This is a fun one, fbharjo! What about Jack Sprat, Jack tales, jack tar and the beloved Jack in the Beanstalk

May 20, 2015

slumry commented on the list triads

Don't know where this old one belongs: "Gotta getta gocart if you're gonna getta girl."

May 19, 2015

slumry commented on the word necronym taboo

In some societies, a taboo against using the name of someone who recently died.

May 19, 2015

slumry commented on the word rough diamond

Carolyn says, "Lloyd says he is a rough diamond, but I say he is just rough."

May 19, 2015

slumry commented on the word resurrection men

graverobbers,body snatchers

May 19, 2015

slumry commented on the list triads

the halt, the lame, and the blind

May 19, 2015

slumry commented on the list triads

see one, do one, teach one

May 19, 2015

slumry commented on the word a lick and a promise

For example, when you have to clean up quickly before unexpected company, you may give the house a lick and a promise.

May 19, 2015

slumry commented on the list erythronium

Thanks,ruzuzu. I had fun recalling all of those delicate wild lilies,

May 18, 2015

slumry commented on the word shellhead

Bicyclists with helmets, according to some wags.

May 16, 2015

slumry commented on the word share rows

A new term to me. Apparently it is a row of bicycles for sharing. Seattle has such a program

May 16, 2015

slumry commented on the word filibuster

So a filibusterer is akin to a freebooter (pirate). It makes sense, actually.

May 15, 2015

slumry commented on the user msmith

You have come to the right place, msmith. Do you fancy any particular sort of words?

May 15, 2015

slumry commented on the word guesstymologist

See etymologist

May 15, 2015

slumry commented on the word sinceriously

a portmanteau word

May 14, 2015

slumry commented on the word skookum

The Chinook dictionary that I rely on most is:

Chinook: A History and Dictionary by Edward Harper Thomas, first published in 1935. The author defines skookum as follows:

"Strong, powerful, potent. Originally a ghost, evil spirit, or demon.

This is one of the best known, most widely used and significant words in the Jargon. Its adoption by people of the Northwest has made it a regional English word...In fact, it is so common on the Pacific Coast as to have almost lost its Indian significance."

May 14, 2015

slumry commented on the list sturdy

If you are from the northwestern US, or from British Columbia, you might say skookum.

May 14, 2015

slumry commented on the list eccentric-girls-names

Those eccentric girls have some very peculiar names.

May 13, 2015

slumry commented on the word enate

A fine Mothers' day word!

May 10, 2015

slumry commented on the word syncopy

syncope

May 10, 2015

slumry commented on the word neutotypical

typo for neurotypical?

May 9, 2015

slumry commented on the word Finite State Grammar

In contradistinction to transformational grammar

May 9, 2015

slumry commented on the word for all intensive purposes

eggcorn. See for all intents and purposes

May 9, 2015

slumry commented on the word shelf-sitter

That book has got to go...but wait, I might read it some day.

May 9, 2015

slumry commented on the word swinge-breech

A noun? If so, I guess it would be a thrashing of buttocks.

May 9, 2015

slumry commented on the list abominations

Also "undergraduate degree." If an undergraduate is a student who has not yet earned a degree, what is an undergraduate degree?

May 9, 2015

slumry commented on the word backdoor burp

my mother's term for flatulence, God rest her barely post-Victorian soul.

May 8, 2015

slumry commented on the list abominations

I agree, TankHughes--that unutterable phrase is truly an amomination.

May 8, 2015

slumry commented on the list thorn

Oh no, not sticker! My precocious niece, when she was very small, naïve to country living, and a brand new talker corrected me when I told her she would get stickers in her feet if she went outside barefoot. She said, "Do you mean thorns?"

May 8, 2015

slumry commented on the word portmanteau word

not to be confused with a compound word.

May 8, 2015

slumry commented on the list abominations

I nominate commentate.

May 8, 2015

slumry commented on the list a-hive-for-the-honey-bee

As you live alone in the bee-loud glade, you may while away your hours deflecting the dread honeyguide

May 8, 2015

slumry commented on the list the-porn-birds

What about the honeyguide? That bird sounds to me like a procurer.

May 8, 2015

slumry commented on the word bogoho

An instance of nerdview, I think.

May 7, 2015

slumry commented on the word nerdview

A coinage of the linguists at languagelog The state of mind of people who use jargon of their trade, oblivious to the fact that the people to whom they speak do not share that jargon. It seems to be a failure of Theory of Mind.

May 7, 2015

slumry commented on the word cassation

That is wonderful, qms!

May 7, 2015

slumry commented on the word toward and froward

going to and fro.

May 7, 2015

slumry commented on the word subjunctive

Oh, what has become of the subjunctive?

May 7, 2015

slumry commented on the word anti-macassar

See antimacassar

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word niggardly

It is so odd that all of the examples shown refer to the word as misconstrued. Does this misconstruction constitute an eggcorn?

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the list made-up-words--5

Hm...after a full 5 minutes thought, I am of the opinion that a Camaydian, if there is such a person, would be a Caymanian expat living in Canada. It is a matter of emphasis. Caymadian emphasizes the Cayman element; Camaydian would highlight Canada.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word habakkuk

Should be capitalized. Habakkuk is a book in the compilation variously called the Old Testament or the Hebrew Bible, if you are speaking from a Christian POV, or simply the Bible if you are Jewish. Habakkuk was one of the twelve minor prophets.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word out potlatch

To out potlatch someone is to create an imbalance in a relationship by giving gifts that are more extravagant or more numerous than the gifts you receive.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word covered dish

Ha! Usually no gift giving is involved.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word covered dish

A communal meal where everyone contributes a dish. See also potluck and carry-in.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word carry-in

Communal meals that are usually called potlucks in this region are, I am told, called carry-ins in Indiana.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the list made-up-words--5

A Canadian expat living in the Cayman Islands. Seen on a T shirt.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the list british-columbian-terms

Several of these are not BC specific. "Skookum," for example, was in locally common parlance where I grew up in the Chehalis river valley. It comes from the Chehalis people. There is a Skookumchuck River that flows the Chehalis.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word mowich

Right. It seems to have come into English as "mowich." Google that and you will find several west coast place names--notably Mowich Lake in Mt. Rainier national park.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word frogged coatee

Well...a coatee is a certain style of jacket; a frog is an ornamental sort of fastener for the front of a coat...

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the word mowich

Thanks, Wordnik, for providing examples if no definition. Mowich is from the Chinook Jargon and means deer, or venison.

May 6, 2015

slumry commented on the list words-we-dont-really-need

megayachts owned by the superrich?

May 5, 2015

slumry commented on the word pediculous

Or silly feet--ped=feet+ridiculous

August 13, 2007

slumry commented on the word privy

I have always heard both pronounced the same way, with a short i, rhyming with chivvy.

August 12, 2007

slumry commented on the word carbon copy

Apparently you can still buy carbon paper; if I rummaged enough, I probably would find some at home.

August 12, 2007

slumry commented on the word time is money

I am also a long time fan of Lakoff.

August 12, 2007

slumry commented on the word idiopathic juxtafoveal telangiectasia

You sound as if you have more intimate knowledge of this than you would like.

August 12, 2007

slumry commented on the user john

Welcome, Infostyx! I also became an instant addict--I am enjoying your list. Oroboros is right--that delete function seems to be broken.

August 12, 2007

slumry commented on the word grandmother

Teach your grandmother to suck eggs.

August 12, 2007

slumry commented on the word carbon copy

What? Never made a carbon copy? What?

August 12, 2007

slumry commented on the word time is money

Looks like you have been reading George Lakoff, O.

August 11, 2007

slumry commented on the word dyslogistic

In contrast to eulogistic.

August 11, 2007

slumry commented on the word phylactery

I think I first read about phylacteries in Chaim Potok's novels. So many books, so little time!

August 10, 2007

slumry commented on the word antioxidant

He said he did not need to eat blueberries because he wears his seatbelt. That is what he said. *groan here*

August 10, 2007

slumry commented on the word solipsism

Oh, Reesetee, you mean I really do have voices in my head, too? In that case, I also wonder why I can't get them all to agree with each other.

I think I will opt to simply enjoy the illusion.

August 10, 2007

slumry commented on the word solipsism

It was a memorable conversation, U.

And R--I feel sure you will fill your suitcase with plenty of Canadianisms!

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word solipsism

*Green with envy*

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word empurple

It happens. Old abandoned cameras, that sort of thing. :)

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word conbobberation

I like it!

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word empurple

I like this word! When very old Kodak film is developed, the pictures are all purplish--a phenomenon I saw demonstrated this week. Our 20 year old selves all all empurpled.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word favorited

I agree, with you, U (amazing, I know). These idiosyncratic lists are fun. I also like to frustrate myself by looking at the inscrutable lists where it is hard to see what the lister was getting at.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word solipsism

Okay, I am getting separation anxiety now. I will miss you two voices in my head next week. (Dear S calls all of you my imaginary friends). U, give your regards to Granny Smith. R, do you to care to give us any hint of your vacation plans?

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word cathexis

Any particular writing's of Wilber's that you can cite on that subject?

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word solipsism

Are you sure? It may be very lonely!

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word solipsism

Well, he should care--if you are a part of him, he would be diminished by your absence. Says Judge Slumry. So there.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word save

And just wait until I start in on the word fancy!

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word save

Oooh, I hadn't thought of that!

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word save

Invective and spleen and treason too? Wow! Am I a Wordie heretic? Will I be burned on a pyre?

I will join with my conbrethren and found the Save save sect.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the list a-bazillion-imaginary-numbers

This is a great list, and enlightening. I am going to add umpty-umpth to my words, because I particulary like it as an ordinal.

I like infinity minus one a lot too, U. It reminds me of the old joke about the natural history museum docent. Asked how old a particular fossil was, he said "Two million and twenty one years." As explanation for such a precise number, he explained that when he started working there 21 years ago, it was two million years old.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word stuff and nonsense

It always amuses me--it was a favorite of my mother's, usually used semi-humorously.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word cathexis

That is interesting. As I recall, one of Freud's translators more or less coined this word as a translation of a German word that means someting like "to occupy" If a person cathects something, he or she invests emotional energy in it and makes it his own. Bruno Bettelheim wrote a book about what he regarded as the mis-translation of Freud's writing.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word save

Stuff and nonsense! Eyewash! Save is a perfectly fine preposition, having evolved in parallel with the other sense of save. It does mean except.

As for having cofusingly contranymic meanings, that is just balderdash. It may be a near-contranym, but in practice it would take a real dunderhead to fail to understand the two meanings.

August 9, 2007

slumry commented on the word rugose

Rosa rugosa has wringkly leaves

August 8, 2007

slumry commented on the word eyewash

Used as an expression of disbelief; poppycock

August 8, 2007

slumry commented on the word carbuncle

"We sailed for America, and there made certain preparations. This took but little time. Two members of my family elected to go with me. Also a carbuncle. The dictionary says a carbuncle is a kind of jewel. Humor is out of place in a dictionary."

Mark Twain, Following the Equator, Chapter 1, page 1

August 8, 2007

slumry commented on the list poetrie-the-emperor-of-ice-cream

Thank you for this Poetrie, Reesettee!

August 7, 2007

slumry commented on the word celestial

As a noun, celestial refers to a heavenly being, a god or angel.

August 7, 2007

slumry commented on the word metempsychosis

the doctrine of transmigration of souls into another body

August 7, 2007

slumry commented on the word hand-handled

That's what the sign on the peaches at the grocery store said.

August 6, 2007

slumry commented on the word furibund

deranged

August 6, 2007

slumry commented on the word badminton

Bad mitten! Bad mitten! Go to your room, mitten!

August 4, 2007

slumry commented on the word edulcorate

There are some words I just can't pass up; this is one.

August 4, 2007

slumry commented on the word postprandial

This word makes me blush--then I remember: food--it is food they are talking about.

August 4, 2007

slumry commented on the list poetrie-the-owl-and-the-pussycat

Aw gee. . .I am glad you did that. I love Edward Lear. I was trying to recall if it was the honey or the money that was wrapped up in the five pound note. It sounds like it was both!

August 3, 2007

slumry commented on the word mercurochrome

Oh, I must add mercurochrome to my evocative smells list! And speaking of stains, this made me think of gentian violet.

August 3, 2007

slumry commented on the list stuffie-see-the-light

a bit of a stretch, maybe, but what about under a bushel?

August 3, 2007

slumry commented on the list the-jumblies

Thanks--that was fun to do--and I had to do it, because you had planted an earworm! :)

August 3, 2007

slumry commented on the list out-to-sea

sieve? And I just learned that a pink is a small sailing vessel

August 3, 2007

slumry commented on the list the-jumblies

Poetrie: The Jumblies

Inspired by Reesetee's Out to Sea list

August 3, 2007

slumry commented on the list out-to-sea

I second that--nice list; I like the Lyle Lovett quote. In fact, I think I will stop listening to this disturbing news about the nation's infrastructure and listen to some Lyle Lovett.

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word axunge

Why, to make mercurial ointment, of course: "In the old formula for making mercurial ointment, the quicksilver is merely directed to be rubbed with the axunge and suet until it be killed, which is nearly impossible. . ."

from The Edinborugh Medical and Surgical Journal, 1805

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word whimmy

full of whims; whimsical

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word shibori

a Japanese textile art

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word kumihimo

Japanese braid making

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word bump

Probably an echoic for hitting

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word bumper

a cup or glass filled to the brim

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word passing

surpassingly

August 2, 2007

slumry commented on the word pud

Formed by apocope from pudding. Used to refer to dessert in general. "What's for pud?

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word mastadon

The extinct animal was a mastodon, not a mastadon.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word slickenside

Sounds like if you tried to walk on it, it would be a slip 'n slide!

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word staghorn moss

a club moss

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word reverb

reverberation

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word anent

a preposition that means in regard to or concerning

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word shake

Cedar shakes look similar to cedar shingles; however, the shakes are split rather than sawn.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word done

Alas, I have offended. I am undone!

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word faineant

a sluggard

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word do-all

a factotum

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word weirdo

Wordie, scrambled

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word vendor

Or we could go the other directions and call ourselves Wordors.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word daubery

Yup, less-than-skillful painting at that.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word hooverville

After the eponymous President Hoover--a collection of shacks and huts at the edge of the city where unemployed people lived in the 1930s

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word apatheism

Just a step removed--summed up flippantly by "I don't know and I don't care."

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word hoover

verb: to clean with a vacuum cleaner

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word crumb bum

Ah yes, glad to remember this one.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word caymadian

A Canadian expat who lives in the Cayman Islands. (in jest, of course) Seen on a T shirt worn by an American who would like to pass for Caymadian.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word vendition

It is real--from OED--funny, huh?

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word vender

OED says: "One who sells; a seller; sometimes in restricted sense, a street-seller."

I have seen it used only in the restricted sense, such as the "food venders" at fairs.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word vendor

OED says: "late Anglo-French; earlier vendour from the French vendeur. One who disposes of a thing by sale; a seller." Cf. vender

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word vendition

the act of vending; sale

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word dwarfling

a diminutive dwarf

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word fixings

accompaniments or ingredients for food

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word lower

intransitive verb: to be dark and threatening; also lour. noun: an angry or threatening look

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word henbane

Hyoscyamus niger

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word daftberries

Atropa belladonna

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word pappus

It is what allows a dandelion or thistle seed to sail through the air.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word pumpkin positive

Results of a medical test where, "a penlight shone in the mouth reveals a brain so small that the whole head lights up." Doctor humor, or so I hear. ;-) Some days I feel pumpkin positive.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word toreador

bullfighter; also toreadors, a style of pants worn by women in the 1950s

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word vie en rose

life as seen through rose-tinted glasses

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word vielle

hurdy gurdy

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word stramonium

dried leaves of jimson weed

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word stinkweed

a name for jimson weed and other plants

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word jimson weed

datura stramonium

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word atropine

also daturine

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word daturine

a poisonous alkaloid, also called atropine

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word crataegus

a genus of small trees in the rose family

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word hawthorn

several species of crataegus are called hawthorn

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word thorn apple

datura stramonium; also the fruit of the hawthorn

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word datura stramonium

datura, jimson weed, stinkweed or thorn apple; a poisonous tropical plant

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word dwayberry

atropa belladonna, most commonly known as belladonna or deadly nightshade

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word dory

a small fishing boat; also walleye

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word wallydacker

walleye

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word walleye

walleyed pike, dory

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word creme broulee

custard

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word flan

custard

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word custard

Mmm...custard. Dang, I should make some custard.

August 1, 2007

slumry commented on the word donaught

a donothing; a slacker

July 31, 2007

slumry commented on the list to-marji

Thanks--you are right, these words represent wonderful memories.

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the word whyever

Maybe I could gut most of the rooms in my house and install bookshelves and reading nooks--oh wait, my SO would have an opinion, too. Rats!

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the word whyever

You are so right, R. I am trying to figure out where to put all my books as it is--but dictionaries, and especially OED, are sacred, aren't they? :)

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the list to-marji

Jen and Reesettee, thank you--you are right. Marji was a good friend whopassed away last March from melanoma. I was felt moved to list some Marji words last week; the word compote triggered the list! Funny, the power of words. :)

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the word whyever

I agree, gerwitz--it is so much easier to use the on-line sources. My OED is the two volume set with magnifying glass; it is a major productionfor me to use it. I would love to be able to use the on-line OED but there is no way I could justify the expense for my current purposes.

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the word whyever

Actually, whyever is in the OED. And whyever shouldn't it be?

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the word grouk

Scottish--slowly enlivening after waking. A word I need!

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the word multivious

obsolete--having many paths

July 30, 2007

slumry commented on the word transubstantiation

Funny, I had the opposite reaction: "Aha, makes sense to me."

July 29, 2007

slumry commented on the word charivari

also shivaree, which is phonetic

July 29, 2007

slumry commented on the word etymological fallacy

Beware the etymological fallacy.

July 28, 2007

slumry commented on the list last-words-before-death

This was a very disturbing bit of information in today's news, wasn't it?

July 27, 2007

slumry commented on the list player-roster

Sigh. Yes, an unavoidable bit of reality, isn't it:)

July 27, 2007

slumry commented on the list player-roster

I would imagine that we will need to figure out a time that is good for all of us, since we all have commitments and are in different time zones.

July 27, 2007

slumry commented on the word snigger

Then they would need to take a second look, wouldn't they? I remember a perhaps-apocryphal story aout a crusade against the word niggardly. There is enough genuinely racist speech to object to; we don't need to imagine it where it does not exist.

July 27, 2007

slumry commented on the list player-roster

As the newcomer, I defer to the rest of you.

July 27, 2007

slumry commented on the list player-roster

Hey, U--good to see you.

July 27, 2007

slumry commented on the word agape

unselfish love or mouth wide open

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word hoofing

walking

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word censer

I can empathize!

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word highgrade

To select the best portion; cherry pick

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word confab

an informal conversation, especially for the purpose of problem solving; short for confabulation. Let's have a confab!

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the list player-roster

Me too!

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word carbos

carbohydrates

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word snigger

snicker

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word npr

National Public Radio, of course

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word censer

Ah yes, that phenomenon, she blushed, recalling the upwelling of giggles at her own wedding, which was fortunately a tiny wedding.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word salmon

Thanks, R.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word oikonomia

I wondered about what pigs had to to with it too! Of course that was what attracted me to the word. The truth turned out to be interesting also.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word oikonomia

often contrasted with chrematistics. For example: http://books.google.com/books?id=nNU3Kjg4rhgC&pg=PA67&dq=chrematistics&sig=bf6DOSb-qSn6o_gcTauXag8iaJw

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word oikonomia

household management Greek root of economics

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word echolocation

I have decided maybe I like tonocation; now what is the liguistics term for dropping a middle syllable, in this case lo?

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word salmon

I know a Swedish woman who pronounces it that way. It is actually charming. :)

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word spawn

As in salmon's imperative

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word echolocation

Thanks, palooka, this is a word well worth pilfering.

Now, I wonder what word this could spawn to describe the process of looking for a cell phone by dialing its number.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word sadsome

I like the word too. I think I will tuck it away in a drawer--it might make a good Christmas present. I hope I don't forget where I put it!

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word censer

Yes, my mother always warned me to avoid sacrilege. Chastened.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word sadsome

I wonder if the job requires stagged pants.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word censer

A funny image, R. . .I wonder what the priest's motivation in swinging censors would be. . .would such swinging punish the censor or the congregants? "Church was grim today. I was censor-whipped."

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word crestfallen

Indeed. But don't tell him I told you so! :)

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word crestfallen

I've seen many references to individual words and reflected on how common the phenomenon is. I will have to dig to find the lists. However, as always, reality intrudes. ;-)

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word crestfallen

Dear S always says chestfallen. We need a list of words that are comically mispronounced, whether accidentally or on purpose.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word fieldfare

Nice. So it's a bird, not a farmer's lunch. I devoutly hope it is not a farmer's lunch. :(

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word mithridatism

R, you inspire me to give this link to the full poem: http://poetry.poetryx.com/poems/5194

I often think of lines from the poem, especially

"Ale man, ale's the stuff to drink

For fellows whom it hurts to think."

Victuals is a classic case of a word that a reader would be likely to mispronounce!

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word mithridatism

Last stanza of "Terrence, this is Stupid Stuff" by A. E. Housman

There was a king reigned in the East:

There, when kings will sit to feast,

They get their fill before they think

With poisoned meat and poisoned drink.

He gathered all that sprang to birth

From the many-venomed earth;

First a little, thence to more,

He sampled all her killing store;

And easy, smiling, seasoned sound,

Sate the king when healths went round.

They put arsenic in his meat

And stared aghast to watch him eat;

They poured strychnine in his cup

And shook to see him drink it up:

They shook, they stared as white’s their shirt:

Them it was their poison hurt.

—I tell the tale that I heard told.

Mithridates, he died old.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word hypocorism

Fortunately for me I don't expect to be asked to pronounce it anytime soon!

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word hypocoristic

Not at all! I changed to hypocorism, but forgot to eliminate all traces of my presence here. Somehow pet name loses something in this deal.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word diphthongization

Funny word, no? "She had to go to the dressing room to complete her diphthongization. Fortunately she emerged wearing a towel."

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word hypocorism

a pet name

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word folk etymology

altering an unfamiliar word to make it more familiar

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word conjunct

An adverb with a chiefly connecting function; a conjunctive adverb

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word underextension

use of a word to refer to only part of its normal meaning

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word diphthongization

To add a diphthongal quality to what was formerly a pure vowel

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word censer

I swear, every time I read about cencers, they are being swung by the priest.

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word bones

Fried chicken was served at a large family gathering. Little Georgie was offered a piece of chicken: breast or drumstick? He would only reply, "Must have been a mamma chicken." Repeatedly. Insistently. Louder each time. Never lived that down!

July 26, 2007

slumry commented on the word fud

an acronymn coined by whathisniame; also a fuddy-duddy (bacformation)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word crummy

Something that produces crumbs or something that is covered with crumbs; something that is of poor quality; a bus used to transfer workers to a job site. Wish I knew how the last meaning evolved (I could speculate, but would like to find some actual evidence. ;-)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word typeractive

Thanks! I know sometimes I get a bit carried away, and I am mindful of that *reality* thing. I love chatting with you Wordies!

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word keeper

What one is to one's brother?

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word china

Cute comment about VIers, R. I almost missed it. Somehow I am doubtful . . .

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word china

U, U are a silly billy! (and I don't care what your name is, I will call you Silly Billy Smith.

Listen up: Uniters is not a good idea.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word typeractive

Me too, R. This word is a keeper! Thanks, Muamor.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word moggy

Cat (or kitty) A word I learned from and Eric Bogle song

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word doohickey

wotsit

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word thingamajig

doohickey

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word whatchamacallit

thingamajig

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word whatsit

whatchamacallit

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word wotsit

Is it like a whatsit?

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the list johnny-appleseed

I'll see what I can do!

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word china

I wondered about douban also. Turns out two of the people who recently listed douban also listed China. description of douban here: http://www.sinosplice.com/life/archives/2005/12/13/douban

Now I understand why the appearance of these words surprised me--they are outside of my usual frame of reference.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word déjà vu

That's funny, Cranewang. ;-)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the list laochenstudent-s-words

Welcome! I hope you enjoy it here.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word multi

a pattern of several colors

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word hail-fellow well met

Noun. A very sociable, agreeable person--a friend to everyone.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word eskimo pie

Speaking of mythical, my second grade teacher regaled us with stories about Abe the Caveman. I assumed he was a historical figure, like Abraham Lincoln. (Now I don't believe in Abrahan Lincoln. ;-)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word granny smith

Please tell Granny Smith hello for me. :)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word bivouac

You mean three syllables like: "I don't biv uh wack!" (that was a joke, by the way--could not resist a little word play)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word bivy sack

a cover for a sleeping bag that is sometimes used by backpackers and hikers instead of a tent, or for emergencies. (short for bivouac, of course)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word preantepenultimate

This word makes me laugh.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word eskimo sky

Have to think about that--my idea of the south is mostly as told in southern literature, which is of course full of riches. I have had very little reason to spend time in the south, so the region is still a little *unreal* to me.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the list johnny-appleseed

Happily! Do you have a fax number?

Really, I like to make apple pie (except when the crust will not hold together)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word irenic

conciliatory

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word laminitis

Poor horse!

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word meretricious

Quite different than meritorious

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word contrabulous fabtraption

Or this wonderful song:

http://www.etni.org.il/music/marveloustoy.htm

(and an appropriate website for usall.)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word contrabulous fabtraption

Makes me think of the Wonderful One Horse Shay

http://www.legallanguage.com/poems/onehossshay.htm

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the list shouldn-t-be-a-word

Well, it is an informal word, useful in some spoken contexts, but not in formal writing. Context is everything!

And then there was Shakespeare, but what did he know? ;-)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word french-braid

Probably if I had asked to have the sandwiches cut on the diagonal, my wish would have been granted, barring memory lapses! ;-)

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word jenny

Not exactly opposite--I think joey refers to babyhood rather than gender. I wonder if a baby female kangaroo is a joey too.

July 25, 2007

slumry commented on the word jenny

The female of some animals--Jenny Wren insisted on coming in our house one winter, no matter how many times she was put out. Honest. (Also my grandmother's name--my grandfather-to-be dipped her red braids in the inkwell, I am told)

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word french-braid

I never learned to do french braids. Nor did my mother. In second grade, my idea of a perfect life was french braids, sandwiches cut diagonally rather than straight across, and snowball cakes in my lunch. Alas, these things were cruelly withheld from me. Sob.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word sitting duck

Or seated duffs. Better get off mine soon!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word marzipan

Uh oh!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word wealthy

So right you are. . .in this case wealthy is an old apple variety (which is in the dictionary.) That is, it is an apple variety until someone points out one of the other meanings of the word! It amazes me, too, that we have not even come close to naming all the lexemes used in the English language

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word marzipan

If I buy any marzipan, I will have to hide it with the Eskimo Pies. ;-)

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list is-it-morning-yet

Well, words do come to me in the middle of the night and at all other times (think houseful of sticky notes). However, I am naming my stash lists in some sort of rough sequence. Since I called the last one as soon as I finish this chapter, I decided to call this one is it morning yet?.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word pappenheimer

Nice word. Like some other weapons, it sounds deceptively ridiculous. To wit, blunderbuss.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word marzipan

I remember bit o'honey bars (once you bit into one, you could not move your teeth) Do not know bit o'heaven. Just as well, I am sure.

But I do have a weakness for marzipan anything.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

I say he should watch where he puts his dang mailbox.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

So, so sad! :(

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word crabapple

It is sad when trees go. . .I just visited the Sequoia tree in what was once my mother's yard. It was a tiny thing when my brother gave it to her oh those many years ago. They are not native here, nor do people commonly plant them for ornamentals.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word chinook

How funny!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word olallie

Chinook jargon for berries

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word olallieberry

Oh, yes; must add olallie to my Chinook Jargon list! Thanks.

so that must make olallieberry beri-beri. ;-) Really, I am very impressed with your list!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

Rude mailboxes! Why didn't they get out of the way?

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word eskimo sky

Cute, jen.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word crabapple

I love crabapple trees, beautiful pink crabapples, and crabapple jelly (crabapple and quince is a nice combination, too). Thanks!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list hybrid-fruits-and-a-few-beasties-too

Good list idea! For his own amusement, my father grafted a tomato onto a potato and told his nephew that it was a new hybrid. Mean daddy. ;-)

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word yellow transparent

The earliest apple to bear in these parts. Green ones were good for lobbing at siblings, as was the fruit of old man in the ground. According to my memory, I was the lobee, but I know how unreliable that kind of memory is!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word granny smith

A close relative of Wordie-famous Useful/less/ness, and, secondarily, an apple variety.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list johnny-appleseed

Yup, yup, those are all good ones.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word pip

also a small seed (short for pippin, I believe). Or a bit of rootstock from which a new plant can be grown.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word cox orange

one of the pippins

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list johnny-appleseed

yes!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word uniter

U, think of the scorn that would be heaped upon us if we were to call ourselves that. Leave bad enough alone!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word eskimo pie

Speaking of childhood misunderstandings. . .

I grew up in the Chehalis Valley in western Washington. To the north were the black hills (no not THE black hills). My brother pointed to the hills and told me Alaska was beyond those hills. I always assumed that if I could walk over the hills, I would be in Alaska. I did not get out a lot in those days!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word eskimo pie

Not shameful, you were just missing the good stuff!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

Funny R (well, not really haha funny). I must have been about 10 when I read something about "a girl with scabs on her knees." It was the first time I considered that there was anything unusual about scabs on the knees. Of course it didn't help that the only time we were allowed to wear pants to school was if it was really, really cold (here that means under 25 degrees F!) Even when we did wear pants, we wore dresses over them. How quaint that seems now!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word fuji

Currently my favorite winter apple for eating out-of-hand. It seems to store very well.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list johnny-appleseed

Thanks, Trivet. Those are good. I should get back to this list! I think you have prompted me to do so. This is a topic that is very dear to my heart for sentimental as well as culinary reasons.

And U, I love the great old-fashiond McIntosh apple. However, I am a PC user (which reminds me, U, I responded to the other thread we had going, but lost it when the system went kerflooey. I will redo it.)

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word escamotage

Ooh, let's see deep under the frozen blueberries slumry stashes Eskimo Pies so that the other slumry does not know they are there. Would it be wrong? Would it be too much sleight of hand or trickery?

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word yuzen

Good--maybe I should have left it for comic effect! Let's see, what does this picture look like?

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word laughing gull

I love to hear both the laughing gulls and the red-winged blackbirds. One says beach to me, the other spring.

And there is chickadee-dee-dee whose presence says winter, even though they are here other times.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word stagged

Thanks trivet! You remind me of another job--rigging slinger

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word stagged

stagged-off pants have the hems cut off, usually for safety. This allows the pants to rip rather than trapping the wearer in a dangerous situation.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word widowmaker

Yes, I think you are right. To make a fine, but important, distinction, though: This sort of language has a different connotation when used for a drink than when used for an unchosen risk. People in dangerous occupations tend to have a healthy respect for risks of the job. That is why they avoid creating widowmakers, wear stagged pants, and do not wear wrist watches.

Risk taking for sport or purely to demonstrate macho is gratuitous. I would reserve tough-guy culture for those sorts of things. I used to scuba dive. There is an unhealthy strand of tough-guy culture in that sport.

As for PC, what a howler that logger should be considered more PC than lumberjack. It is a regional difference, of course. The irony is that a logger would regard the latter term as too prettied-up; effete; citified. In their own region, of course, lumberjacks would have quite a different opinion.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word widowmaker

In loggers' jargon, a tree positioned so that it might fall on a man. I cringe to think of this.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

Oh, I am so glad you remember that one! I was thinking the same thing about the teacher's motivation! I did have second thoughts because it is not a playground game, but in our wet climate, we spent a lot of recesses in the classroom.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word uniter

Ah, high school. . .it is fortunate that we mature, isn't it? These are the kinds of memories that tend to make us blush in retrospect.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word charism

Theology: a divinely conferred gift or power

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word uniter

I did mean to say also I agree with you than American is a misleading description, although it seems to be deeply rooted now!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list stuffie-the-castle-keep

one's own counsel i.e., keep one's thoughts to oneself.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word sitting duck

an easy target

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word uniter

Only if we want to make ourselves sitting ducks. ;-)

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

cat's cradle?

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

Did you play seven up? It was another inside game that involved closing your eyes and putting your head on the desk. I seem to remember that the player who was "it" went around the room and tagged seven people. . .beyond that, it is a little fuzzy.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

You are right--I am sure there are variations according to region and era, although it is amazing how enduring some of them are--Red Rover, for instance. It would be fun to know where that name came from, but I think it has been around a long time. Thanks again for doing this list.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list stuffie-the-castle-keep

to the right or to the left, depending on where you are

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list recess

Good list--I love it. When it rained, we sometimes played dodgeball in the multipurpose room. And one form of jump rope was red hot pepper.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list stuffie-the-castle-keep

company, a distance, going, trying, frozen (frequent instruction on food packages), ahold or a grip,

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list the-sensuous-mystique-of-gourmet-cuisine

Makes you kind of want to give up food, isn't it. I think I must counterbalance this by starting the food list I have been thinking about!

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word cognitive dissonance

Your experience is a good example, u.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word cognitive dissonance

And in practice, the term is used to denote a certain kind of inner conflict: If I feel that a situation compels me to do a thing, and that thing is contrary to my self image, I will experience cognitive dissonance.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word cognitive dissonance

Thant's funny, u. The experience is so common.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word spindle whorl

I am glad you like this one--I was quite enchanted after seeing some related contemporary art at the University of Washington's Natural History Museum. I was fascinated to read about spindle whorls in early cultures also.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word involucre

Thanks for highlighting this word, R. I must put it on my key it out list (which I need to work on--it is far from complete). But I have been having too much fun! ;-)

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word cognitive dissonance

I have always found this a useful concept, too, although I almost never say it out loud (perhaps that is because it is usually an internal event.) One of the phrases I retained from an long ago ed psych class, I believe.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word yuzen

Thanks R. I should be more careful! :)

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word zabuton

in Japan, a cushion for sitting or kneeling on the floor

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word yuzen

A Japanese dyeing technique

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word fashionable

stylish

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word modish

fashionable

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word washi

A kind of paper made in Japan

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word tempura

Japanese deepfried fish and vegetables

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word tempera

also called poster paint

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word tempra

an analgesic for mild pain, but not for inflammation

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word urticate

To sting with, or as if with, nettles.

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word spindle whorl

An example and definition here: http://www.civilization.ca/tresors/treasure/228eng.html

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word sizing

a material applied to the surfact of porous material such as cloth or paper to fill the pores

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the word bang-up

excellent

July 24, 2007

slumry commented on the list words-i-always-think-i-understand-and-discover-i-don-t

Nice to *see* you, Meeralee. I learned tenebrous from you today. When I saw the word, I immediately thought of Christian Holy Week Tenebrae services. I had never known where the wordTenebrae came from. Reading the definition of tenebrous, it now makes sense.

I keep meaning to make a list for the words that I just don't seem to "get," no matter how many times I look them up.

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word pika

Indeed! One opinion is that their name came from a Russian word meaning "to squeak!"

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word watch night

Oh, people must have been keeping watch for Jen that night! :)

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word catachresis

From American Heritage Dictionary:

1. The misapplication of a word or phrase, as the use of blatant to mean "flagrant."

2. The use of a strained figure of speech, such as a mixed metaphor.

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word watch night

New Year's eve

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word apetalous

A flower without petals is apetalous.

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word boot-sucking

A descriptor of mud: We walked through boot-sucking mud all the way to Shi-Shi beach. Really.

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the list around-bend-words

Clever! I like it.

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word maskette

A smaller than life-size ceremonial mask.

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word jocose

given to joking

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the list birdsong

I like this!

July 23, 2007

slumry commented on the word scandahoovian

It is a humorous term for Scandinavian; it is probably just as well that the dictionaries don't dignify it by defining it. ;-) I rarely use the word, and when I do it is in the spirit of self-mockery

July 22, 2007

slumry commented on the word husbandry

agriculture; farming

July 22, 2007

slumry commented on the word grange

a farm (also Patrons of Husbandry, an organization of farmers)

July 22, 2007

slumry commented on the word tiresome

causing fatigue or boredom

July 22, 2007

slumry commented on the word drily

also dryly

July 22, 2007

slumry commented on the word homely

I like this word in the sense of unpretentious, but it is easily misunderstood.

July 22, 2007

slumry commented on the word cellophane

A paperlike product, impervious to moisture, made of viscose; originally a trademark. Also cellophane tape.

(makes me think of tinfoil) ;-) Tinfoil just sounds homier than the correct aluminum foil.

July 22, 2007

slumry commented on the word draconian

That softens it! ;-)

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word shag

In the 1970s or 80s it was a certain kind of haircut; one I never liked because it was too . . .shaggy. ;-)

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the user knitandpurl

Hi K&P,

I have been enjoying your list, and particulaly like your username. Good to see you around!

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word debenture

c.1455, from L. debentur "there are due," said to have been the first word in formal certificates of indebtedness.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word blockhead

Frequently, a term for a Scandahoovian.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word betcha

Usage: "Ya, you betcha!" (Scandahoovian), of which I am half.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word appellation

Among other things:

A protected name under which a wine may be sold, indicating that the grapes used are of a specific kind from a specific district.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word forms

Thinking of Plato's World of Forms See:

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

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word hopper

That which hops, or:

5. a funnel-shaped chamber or bin in which loose material, as grain or coal, is stored temporarily, being filled through the top and dispensed through the bottom.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word hoppered

See description of hopper crystals here:

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

I just like the image. . .the crystals resemble a hopper

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word bail

Bail? Bail!

Nice

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word pawky

adjective

cunning and sly; "the pawky rich old lady who incessantly scores off her parasitical descendants"- Punch

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word windhover

kestrel

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word bail

Handle of a kettle or pail. You could make a blackberry bucket by attacting a wire bail to a three pound coffee can. But these days you probably wouldn't.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word hem and haw

to avoid giving a direct answer

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word matrilineage

Line of descent as traced through women on the maternal side of the family.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word mitochondrial dna

useful for tracking matrilineage

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the list blond

No, No, No. All blonds may apply--I was just checking. Actually, teasing. I plan to do my blonde v. blond comment soon. Stay tuned. ;-)

But at least you are not in the toupee pitch league! I know men who would kill for hair of any color.

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the word chaordic

having properties of both chaos and order (I had to dig for a definition) :)

July 21, 2007

slumry commented on the list blond

You too? On your head? Or in your cupboard?

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word stolid

a word that looks like its meaning, in my opinion

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word too clever by half

"to be too confident of your own intelligence in a way that annoys other people," is the definition I found. I think it carries the further connotation of undermining oneself by trying too hard to be clever or smart.

"Too clever for your own good" is better.

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word galleass

You are right, this one is more fun as an ink blot test!

Gotta get my galleass moving!

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word linguistical deafblindness

No batting skills required--it was a great consolation for those of us who could neither throw nor hit a ball accurately.

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word spadassin

Websters also mentions bully. I like that, because to my ear, this word sounds like an insult, or term of ridicule, especially if the second syllable is emphasized.

Oh, that lilylivered spaDASsin.

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word skybald

I love the book search feature too. In fact, I have been meaning to thank John for separating it out for us. Thanks John!!

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word skybald

More about skybald here: http://books.google.com/books?id=FckRAAAAIAAJ&pg=PA196&dq=skybald

Thanks for another fine word, R.

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word skybald

With piebald, pieintheskybyeandbyebald? "Someday I will have hair again, I just know it." Plays toupee pitch baseball.

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word linguistical deafblindness

Probably it was Mrs. Hall's invention. As I recall, the desks were bases and players moved around the bases as they spelled words correctly. Pretty simple. We were pretty simple! ;-)

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the list external-descriptions

Hello and welcome!

Five good adjectives to redeem one *bad* noun. Not bad. You should have fun here!

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word linguistical deafblindness

Well, it is true: I have visited a few golf courses, and even *hit* some balls once.

In third grade, we played spelling-bee baseball when it rained. It was the only time I ever was chosen first for any sports team!

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word beech predicament

Children might be listening! ;-)

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word linguistical deafblindness

Golf links are green, but I do not golf. Perplexing.

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word preposition

The Naughty Preposition

--Morris Bishop

I lately lost a preposition:

It hid, I thought, beneath my chair.

And angrily I cried: "Perdition!

Up from out of in under there!

Correctness is my vade mecum,

And straggling phrases I abhor;

And yet I wondered: "What should he come

Up from out of in under for?"

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word putter

to occupy oneself in a liesurely or inneffective manner

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word potter

Variant of putter. Also one who makes pots. And presumably one who pots plants. And. . .

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word linguistical deafblindness

Green. . .am I the only one who sees the green ones?

July 20, 2007

slumry commented on the word linguistical deafblindness

Jen, I suspect that was a definition, not a personal statement. Perhaps it needed quotation marks. I thought it was a neat summation of the term. ;-) It sort of alludes to "Like flickr, but without the photos," which makes me laugh every time.

July 20, 2007

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