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Post by Felix on Mar 30, 2007 15:53:46 GMT -5
Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for March 30, 2007: ersatz • \AIR-sahts\ • adjective : being a usually artificial and inferior substitute or imitation Marvell's Example Sentence:Finding that appeals to fundamentalist religious beliefs were profitable in garnering votes, Republicans in the last quarter of the twentieth century projected some times flimsy, or outright ersatz relgious feeling into their political rhetoric Did you know?"Ersatz" can be traced back in English to 1875, but it really came into prominence during World War I. Borrowed from German, where "Ersatz" is a noun meaning "substitute," the word was frequently applied as an adjective in English to items like "coffee" (from acorns) and "flour" (from potatoes) -- ersatz products resulting from the privations of war. By the time World War II came around, bringing with it a resurgence of the word along with more substitute products, "ersatz" was wholly entrenched in the language. Today, "ersatz" can be applied to almost anything that seems like an artificial imitation: "Even when those marketplaces did succeed, the fun always felt a little ersatz." (Malcolm Jones Jr., Newsweek, April 22, 1996) Faux Words
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Post by Gary on Mar 30, 2007 20:03:10 GMT -5
Yay! It's back!
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Post by Felix on Mar 31, 2007 18:18:45 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for March 31, 2007 is: interstice • \in-TER-stus\ • noun *1 : space that intervenes between things; especially : one between closely spaced things 2 : short space of time between events Example Sentence:The Inca builders in South America quarried and hewed stones to such smooth and matching surfaces that a piece of paper cannot be slipped into the interstices between the stones. Did you know?You don't need to read between the lines to understand the history of "interstice"; its etymology is plain to see. "Interstice" derives from the Latin "interstitium," which is itself formed from the prefix "inter-," meaning "between," and "-stes," meaning "standing." Interstices are the cracks and crevices of life, and the word is often used for both the literal and figurative gaps of the world. In modern uses, "interstice" can even refer to gaps in time or to special niches in the larger expanse of something else. Evolutionary biologist Stephen Jay Gould used it, for example, to comment, "Dinosaurs held sway for 100 million years while mammals, all the while, lived as small animals in the interstices of their world." *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Gap Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 1, 2007 4:37:34 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 01, 2007 is: whammy • \WAM-ee\ • noun 1 a : a supernatural power bringing bad luck b : a magic curse or spell : jinx, hex *2 : a potent force or attack; specifically : a paralyzing or lethal blow Marvell's Example Sentence:Attempts by various trolls to put the whammy on a message board are best dealt with by massive indifference. Did you know?The origin of "whammy" is not entirely certain, but it is assumed to have been created by combining "wham" ("a solid blow") with the whimsical "-y" ending. The first example of "whammy" in print occured in 1940, but the word was popularized in the 1950s by the cartoonist Al Capp in the comic strip "Li'l Abner." The character Evil-Eye Fleegle could paralyze someone with the sheer power of his gaze. The "single whammy" was a look with one eye, and the fearsome "double whammy" used both eyes. As you may know, "double whammy" has also found a place in English as a general term. It means "a combination of two adverse forces, circumstances, or effects" -- in other words, a one-two punch. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. The Impact of Words
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Post by Babs on Apr 1, 2007 7:46:10 GMT -5
Thanks, Marvell!
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Post by Felix on Apr 2, 2007 6:41:51 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 02, 2007 is: rebarbative • \rih-BAR-buh-tiv\ • adjective : repellent, irritating Marvell's Example Sentence:Political commentary without rebarbative exchanges would be like a stew without pepper. Did you know?You may be surprised to learn that today's word traces back to the Latin word for "beard" -- "barba" -- making it a very distant relative of the English word "beard." But there is some sense to the connection. After all, beards may not be repellent, but they can be prickly and scratchy! Another descendant of Latin "barba" is the English word "barb," which can refer to a sharp projection (as found on barbed wire) or a biting critical remark, both of which can discourage others from getting too close. Penetrating Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 3, 2007 7:44:14 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 03, 2007 is: clepsydra • \KLEP-suh-druh\ • noun : water clock Marvell’s Example Sentence:The reason Greek civilization lost its preeminence is their insistence on using a wristwatch based on the clepsydra; whenever they tried to look at their wristwatch, the water spilled out. Did you know?In ancient times the sun was used to measure time during the day, but sundials weren’t much help after dark, so peoples around the world invented clocks that used dripping water to mark the hours. In one kind of water clock, possibly invented by the Chaldeans, a vessel was filled with water that was allowed to escape through a hole. The vessel’s inside was marked with graduated lines, and the time was read by measuring the level of the remaining water. The ancient Greeks called their water clocks “klepsydra” (”water thief”), which comes from “kleptein” (”to steal”) and “hydōr” (”water”). English speakers stole “clepsydra” from the Greeks in the 16th century, but actual water clocks have become increasingly rare. Ebbing Time Words
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Post by Gary on Apr 3, 2007 9:47:01 GMT -5
Nice example sentence, Marvell.
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Post by Felix on Apr 4, 2007 8:30:49 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 04, 2007 is: ingenuous • \in-JEN-yuh-wus\ • adjective *1 : showing innocent or childlike simplicity and candidness 2 : lacking craft or subtlety Marvell's Example Sentence:Allthough knowledgable about many survival skills, Huck Finn was ingenuous when confronted by the con men "the Duke" and "the Dauphin." Did you know?Today, the words "ingenuous" and "ingenious" have distinct meanings and are not used interchangeably, but that wasn't always the case. For many years, the two words were used as synonyms. "Ingenious" has always had the fundamental meaning of "clever," and "ingenuous" has been most often used to suggest frankness and openness (owing either to good character or, now more often, innocence), but there was a time when "ingenious" could also mean "frank" and "ingenuous" could mean "clever." The publication in 1755 of Samuel Johnson's Dictionary of the English Language, in which these synonymous uses are not recognized, may have had something to do with establishing "ingenious" and "ingenuous" as distinct words. In any case, they appear to have ceased being used as synonyms by about 1800. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Naïve Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 5, 2007 7:45:52 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 05, 2007 is: ex parte • \eks-PAR-tee\ • adverb or adjective 1 : on or from one side or party only -- used of legal proceedings *2 : from a one-sided or partisan point of view Marvell's Example Sentence:Finding a political commentary that is other than ex parte is quite difficult in today's partisan atmosphere. Did you know?"Latin has not been over-used in a procedural context ('ex parte' being a rare exception)," wrote a correspondent to the London Times in May 1999. Indeed, "ex parte" (which literally meant "on behalf [of]" in Medieval Latin) pops up quite often in legal settings. An ex parte proceeding, for example, is one that occurs at the request of and for the benefit of one party, usually without the knowledge and participation of any other party. Even when "ex parte" steps outside of the courtroom -- to be used of an ex parte meeting, interview, chat, conversation, investigation, discussion, or contact, for example -- the "one-sided" sense often has some sort of legal or legislative slant, referring to involvement of just one party or side in a case or dispute. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Exclusionary Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 6, 2007 7:26:57 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 06, 2007 is: quip • \KWIP\ • noun 1 a : a clever usually taunting remark : gibe *b : a witty or funny observation or response usually made on the spur of the moment 2 : quibble, equivocation 3 : something strange, droll, curious, or eccentric : oddity Marvell's Example Sentence:Attempting to score points with witty quips, BC08 proved to be poorly equipped for the job Did you know?"Quip" is an abbreviation of "quippy," a noun that is no longer in use. Etymologists believe that "quippy" derived from the Latin "quippe," a word meaning "indeed" or "to be sure" that was often used ironically. The earliest sense of "quip," referring to a cutting or sarcastic remark, was common for approximately a century after it first appeared in print in 1532. It then fell out of use until the beginning of the 19th century, when it underwent a revival that continues to the present day. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Word Bite
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Post by Felix on Apr 7, 2007 10:01:57 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 07, 2007 is: hypothecate • \hy-PAH-thuh-kayt\ • verb : hypothesize Marvell's Example Sentence:Faced with mounting evidence of a century-long warming trend, especially in the Northern Hemisphere, many scientists have hypothecated the role of greatly increased man-made carbon emissions as an important contributing factor in the warming. Did you know?"Hypothecate" is a controversial word. It has existed as a synonym of "hypothesize" since 1906, showing up primarily in scientific and linguistic sources, but usage commentators have long criticized it, from Henry Fowler in 1926 to Harry Shaw in 1987. It is sometimes perceived as a mistaken use of another "hypothecate," one meaning "to pledge as security without title or possession." Both "hypothecate" homographs -- and "hypothesize" too -- derive ultimately from the Greek "hypotithenai" ("to put under," "to suppose," or "to deposit as a pledge"), but each entered English by a different route. The hypothesizing "hypothecate" is a legitimate (albeit uncommon) word in its own right, not a misuse of its homograph. If you want to avoid the controversy altogether, however, you can stick with the more common "hypothesize." Provisional Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 8, 2007 9:00:52 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 08, 2007 is: longanimity • \long-guh-NIM-uh-tee\ • noun : a disposition to bear injuries patiently : forbearance Marvell's Example Sentence:In The Sound and the Fury, Dilsey demonstrates longanimity equalling that of Job, and preserves her sense of caring and love for characters who many would say deserve neither. Did you know?"Longanimity" is a word with a long history. It came to English in the 15th century from the Late Latin adjective "longanimis," meaning "patient" or "long-suffering." "Longanimis," in turn, derives from the Latin combination of "longus" ("long") and "animus" ("soul"). "Longus" is related to the ancestors of our word "long" and is itself an ancestor to several other English words, including "longevity" ("long life"), "elongate" ("to make longer"), and "prolong" ("to lengthen in time"). Enduring Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 9, 2007 6:30:14 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 09, 2007 is: pluvial • \PLOO-vee-ul\ • adjective 1 a : of or relating to rain *b : characterized by abundant rain 2 of a geologic change : resulting from the action of rain Marvell's Example Sentence:In the Chattanooga area so far this year, the rainfall has been anything but pluvial, brush and forest fires keep erupting in the long stretches of rainless days. Did you know?In the early 17th century, clerics began wearing long cloaks known as "pluvials" for protection against the rain during processions. The name of the cloak is based on the Latin word for "rain": "pluvia." By the mid-17th century, "pluvial" was also being used as an adjective meaning "of or relating to rain," as in "pluvial water." Later, in the 19th century, it made a splash in the geologic field as a word describing epochs having relatively high average rainfall and things caused or formed by rain, like "pluvial erosion" or "pluvial lakes." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Soggy Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 10, 2007 2:59:43 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 10, 2007 is: nonage • \NAH-nij\ • noun *1 : minority 2 a : a period of youth b : lack of maturity Marvell's Example Sentence:All people spend time in their nonage, some grow past it, and some never leave it. Did you know?Minority, majority; infancy, adulthood; nonage, full age -- here you have the three contrasting pairs that constitute the vocabulary of legal age. "Minority," "infancy," and "nonage" are synonyms that mean "the state or time of being under legal age." "Majority," "adulthood," and "full age" mean "the state or time of being of legal age." (All these words, particularly "infancy" and "adulthood," have other meanings as well, of course.) "Nonage" came to us by way of Middle English from an Anglo-French union of "non-" and "age," which combine to mean "not of age." *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Minor Word
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Post by Felix on Apr 11, 2007 6:38:09 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 11, 2007 is: akimbo • \uh-KIM-boh\ • adjective or adverb *1 : having the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward 2 : set in a bent position Felix's Example Sentence:In the movie, A Man for All Seasons, the late Robert Shaw played Henry VII, and in one scene set the tone for his portrayal, standing atop a rise on Sir Thomas More's lawn, arms akimbo as the sun lit up Henry from behind, underscoring the king's glory and arrogance. Did you know?It's "akimbo" nowadays, but in Middle English, the spelling "in kenebowe" was used for the bent, hand-on-hip arm (or later, for any bent position). Originally, the term was fairly neutral, but now saying that a person is standing with "arms akimbo" implies a posture that communicates defiance, confidence, aggressiveness, or arrogance. In her novel Little Women, Louisa May Alcott took the word one step further, extending it into the figurative realm when she explained that tomboyish Jo had not been invited to participate in an elegant event with the other young ladies of the neighborhood because "her elbows were decidedly akimbo at this period of her life." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Swagger Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 12, 2007 7:49:15 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 12, 2007 is: churlish • \CHUR-lish\ • adjective 1 : of, resembling, or characteristic of a churl : vulgar *2 : marked by a lack of civility or graciousness : surly 3 : difficult to work with or deal with : intractable Marvell’s Example Sentence:The churlish behavior and unbridled tongue of Don Imus finally caught up with him when remarks about a mostly black women’s basketball team incensed black activists, forcing the ouster from TV of the aging shock jock. Did you know?It is easy to understand how “churlish” has come to mean “vulgar,” “surly,” and “intractable” if you know your English history. In Anglo-Saxon England a churl, or ceorl, was a freeman of the lowest rank who owned and cultivated a small farm. He had certain rights and had the upward mobility to rise to the rank of thane. After the Norman Conquest, however, many churls became serfs, and the word “churl” eventually came to be used as a pejorative for a rude, ill-bred person. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Splenetic Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 13, 2007 7:12:40 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 13, 2007 is: grog • \GRAHG\ • noun : alcoholic liquor; especially : liquor (as rum) cut with water and now often served hot with lemon juice and sugar sometimes added Marvell's Example Sentence:An excessive intake of grog can make for a morning after of resplendent dullness of mind and sharpness of pain, mildly described as a state of grogginess. Did you know?Eighteenth-century English admiral Edward Vernon reputedly earned the nickname "Old Grog" because he often wore a cloak made from grogram (a coarse, loosely woven fabric made of silk or silk blended with mohair or wool). In Old Grog's day, sailors in the Royal Navy were customarily given a daily ration of rum, but in 1740 the admiral, concerned about the health of his men, ordered that the rum should be diluted with water. The decision wasn't very popular with the sailors, who supposedly dubbed the mixture "grog" after Vernon. Today, "grog" can be used as a general term for any liquor, even undiluted, and someone who acts drunk or shaky can be called "groggy." Spiritous Words
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Post by gridbug on Apr 13, 2007 20:33:14 GMT -5
Hooray!! My drink of choice made the word of the day!!
I think I'll go mix me another grog
Why is the rum always gone?
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Post by Felix on Apr 14, 2007 6:07:56 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 14, 2007 is: overweening • \oh-ver-WEE-ning\ • adjective 1 : arrogant, presumptuous *2 : immoderate, exaggerated Marvell's Example Sentence:The overweening pride in his own powers and station in life doom Shakespeare's tragic hero Coriolanus, who is too proud to display his battle scars to the 'mob' and, as he put it, 'begge their stinking Breaths' for the election to Consul. Did you know?"The overweening conceit which the greater part of men have of their own abilities is an ancient evil remarked by the philosophers and moralists of all ages." So wrote Adam Smith in his The Wealth of Nations. But while overweening conceit might be an age-old evil, the word "overweening" has only been part of English since the 14th century. It developed from the Middle English "overwening," the present participle of the verb "overwenen," which meant "to be arrogant." That term derived in turn from "wenen," which meant "to think" or "to imagine." Today, the adjective "overweening" is the most widely used of the "wenen" descendants, but historical texts also occasionally include "overween," a term for thinking too highly of your own opinion. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Words of Hubris
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Post by Felix on Apr 14, 2007 7:02:52 GMT -5
Gridbug exclaimed: Hooray!! My drink of choice made the word of the day!!
I think I'll go mix me another grog
Why is the rum always gone? Heh. Somehow that reminded me of this: Away With Rum
We're coming, we're coming, our brave little band, On the right side of temperance we do take our stand. We don't use tobacco because we do think That the people who use it are likely to drink.
cho: Away, away with rum by gum, With rum by gum, with rum by gum! Away, away with rum by gum! The song of the Temperance Union! (Salvation Army)
We never touch honey, it turns into mead, And stealing from insects is the worst sort of greed Oh can you imagine a man with DTs Pursued by a swarm of mad, pink bumblebees?
We never use lotion when we shave our chins Cause osmosis lets all the alcohol in Can you imagine what people will say When you're under the basin, osmosed for the day?
We never eat chocolate because it has nuts And the least little bite turns a girl to a slut Oh can you imagine a sorrier mess Than a girl eating chocolate and trying to undress? There are many, many more verses, but enough is sufficent.
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Post by Felix on Apr 15, 2007 5:50:52 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 15, 2007 is: temerity • \tuh-MAIR-uh-tee\ • noun : unreasonable or foolhardy contempt of danger or opposition : rashness, recklessness Marvell's Example Sentence: Temerity in the resistance of arrogant power is not for the timorous, but does credit to the one summoning up courage. Did you know? When it comes to flagrant boldness, "temerity," "audacity," "hardihood," and "effrontery" have the cheek to get your meaning across. Of those synonyms, "temerity" (from the Latin "temere," meaning "blindly" or "recklessly") suggests boldness arising from contempt of danger, while "audacity" implies a disregard of the restraints commonly imposed by convention or prudence. "Hardihood" implies firmness in daring and defiance, and "effrontery" suggests a shameless disregard of propriety and courtesy. If you're looking for a more informal term for a brash attitude, you might consider "nerve," "cheek," "gall," or "chutzpah." Bold Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 16, 2007 6:49:04 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 16, 2007 is: vilify • \VIL-uh-fye\ • verb 1 : to lower in estimation or importance *2 : to utter slanderous and abusive statements against : defame Marvell's Example Sentence: The more militant of spokespersons for both feminism and persons of color were quick to say that aging shock jock Don Imus's comments on the Rutgers women's basketball team did in fact vilify, not simply satirize, the targets. Did you know? "Vilify" came to English by way of the Middle English "vilifien" and the Late Latin "vilificare" from the Latin adjective "vilis," meaning "cheap" or "vile." It first appeared in English in the 15th century. Also debuting during that time was another verb that derives from "vilis" and has a similar meaning: "vilipend." When they were first used in English, both "vilify" and "vilipend" meant to regard someone or something as being of little worth or importance. "Vilipend" now carries an additional meaning of "to express a low opinion of somebody," while "vilify" means, more specifically, to express such an opinion publicly in a way that intends to embarrass a person or ruin his or her reputation. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Envenomed Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 17, 2007 6:31:47 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 17, 2007 is: rutilant • \ROO-tuh-lunt\ • adjective : having a reddish glow Marvell's Example Sentence: Nature is not always benign, as many a scene of predatory slaughter can demonstrate, bloody carcasses being devoured in rutiliant glory. Did you know? "Rutilant," which first appeared in English late in the 15th century, is used in English today to describe anything with a reddish or fiery glow, such as a sunset or flushed skin. It derives from the Latin "rutilus," meaning "ruddy," which is probably related to the Latin "ruber," meaning "red." "Ruber" itself is a direct ancestor of our word "rubella" (a disease named for the reddish color one's skin turns when afflicted with the condition) and "rubric" (which, among other things, can refer to a book or manuscript heading that is done or underlined in red). "Ruber" is also a distant relative of several English words for things that bear a reddish tone (including "russet," "rouge," and "ruby") and even of the word "red" itself. Ruddy Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 18, 2007 7:57:17 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 18, 2007 is: deus ex machina • \DAY-us-eks-MAH-kih-nuh\ • noun : a person or thing (as in fiction or drama) that appears or is introduced suddenly and unexpectedly and provides a contrived solution to an apparently insoluble difficulty Marvell's Example Sentence: Faced with the complexity and horror of a mass shooting, it is tempting to yearn for a deus ex machina that could resolve the tangled elements of a twisted mind, and prevent such tragedies. Did you know? The New Latin term "deus ex machina" is a translation of a Greek phrase and means literally "a god from a machine." "Machine," in this case, refers to the crane that held a god over the stage in ancient Greek and Roman drama. The practice of introducing a god at the end of a play to unravel and resolve the plot dates from at least the 5th century B.C.; Euripides (circa 484-406 B.C.) was one playwright who made frequent use of the device. Since the late 1600s, "deus ex machina" has been applied in English to unlikely saviors and improbable events that bring order out of chaos in sudden and surprising ways. Intercessory Words
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Post by Felix on Apr 19, 2007 8:18:53 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 19, 2007 is: absolve • \ub-ZALV\ • verb *1 : to set free from an obligation or the consequences of guilt 2 : to remit (a sin) by absolution Example Sentence:The last day before Lent, the church season of penitence, is called Shrove Tuesday, a form of the verb shrive, meaning in one sense to absolve. Did you know? The act of absolving can be seen as releasing someone from blame or sin, or "loosening" the hold that responsibility has on a person, which provides a hint about the word's origins. "Absolve" was adopted into Middle English in the 15th century from the Latin verb "absolvere," formed by combining the prefix "ab-" ("from, away, off") with "solvere," meaning "to loosen." ("Absolve" also once had additional senses of "finish, accomplish" and "to resolve or explain," but these are now obsolete.) "Solvere" is also the ancestor of the English words "solve," "dissolve," "resolve," "solvent," and "solution." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Words to Shrive by
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Post by Felix on Apr 20, 2007 8:18:50 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 20, 2007 is: John Barleycorn • \JAHN-BAR-lee-korn\ • noun : alcoholic liquor personified Marvell's Example Sentence: "Sweet, sweet brown liquor" mostly, at least on certain message boards, refers to old John Barleycorn, a.k.a. uisquebaugh, as the celts called it, distilled spirits made from various grains, spelled in modern form either whiskey or whisky. Did you know? "Inspiring bold John Barleycorn! / What dangers thou canst make us scorn!" Robert Burns wasn't the first to use "John Barleycorn" as a personification of liquor when he penned those lines in his poem Tam O'Shanter in the late 1700s. The term had been part of English vernacular for more than 150 years before Burns's heyday, but the poet played a key role in popularizing it by carrying it into literature. "Barleycorn" undoubtedly became part of that euphemism for alcohol because barleycorns (that is, grains of barley) are a key ingredient in malt liquor. And "John" has long been used as a generic name or personifier in English. Malted Words
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Post by daworm on Apr 20, 2007 8:28:28 GMT -5
There were three men, came out of the west, Their fortunes for to try And these three men made a solemn vow: John barleycorn must die! Well, theyve ploughed, theyve sown, theve harrowed him in. Threw clouds upon his head. Till these three men were satisfied. John barleycorn was dead. Theyve let him lie for a long long time, Till the rains from heaven did fall.
And little sir john sprang up his head And so amazed them all. They let him fly till the midsummers day, Till he looked both pale and wan, oh, Then little sir john has grown a long long beard And so became a man.
They have hired men with the scythes so sharp. To cut him off at the knee, They rolled and they tied him around the waist, Serving him most him barbarously. They hired men with the sharp pitchforks To prick him to the heart. And the loader he has served him worse than that, For hes bound him to the cart.
Well, theyve wheeled him round and round the field, Till they came onto a barn. And there they made their solemn oath, Concerning a barleycorn. They hired men with the crab tree sticks To split him skin from bone, yeah, But the miller he has served him worst and bad For he ground him between two stones.
Well theres beer all in the barrel And brandy in the glass, But little old sir john with his nut-brown bowl Proved the strongest man at last. John barleycorn, throw him up, throw him up!
Now the huntsman, he cant hunt the fox, Nor loudly blow his horn And the tinker he cant mend his pots Without john barleycorn, John barleycorn, john barleycorn, Barleycorn, barleycorn John barleycorn, john barleycorn.
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Post by Felix on Apr 21, 2007 6:05:37 GMT -5
Never heard that one, Worm.
I like it.
Many years ago I had a book about the history of whiskey, titled, I believe, The History of John Barleycorn. Lost in one of my several domestic disruptions.
One of my paternal ancestors was reputedly involved in the Whiskey Rebellion in western Pennsylvania in 1794. It was following the crushing of this rebellion that old Isaac Miller found it prudent to move south down the Appalachians, not stopping for good until he reached the wilds of Tennessee.
Sweet, sweet brown liquor, indeed.
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Felix
Global Moderator
Tepid One
Happy Morning
Posts: 4,137
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Post by Felix on Apr 21, 2007 6:09:26 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for April 21, 2007 is: riparian • \ruh-PAIR-ee-un\ • adjective : relating to or living or located on the bank of a natural watercourse (as a river) or sometimes of a lake or a tidewater Marvell's Example Sentence: From Moccasin Bend to the site of the bulldozed Citico mound, Chattanooga has many archaeology sites showing the preference of American Indians for riparian settlements. Did you know? "Riparian" came to English from the same source that gave us "river" -- the Latin "riparius," a noun deriving from "ripa," meaning "bank" or "shore." First appearing in English in the 19th century, "riparian" refers to things that exist alongside a river (such as riparian wetlands, habitats, trees, etc.). Some river communities have laws called "riparian rights," referring to the rights of those owning land along a river to have access to the waterway. Note the distinction of this word from "littoral," which usually refers to things that occur along the shore of a sea or ocean. Flowing Words
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