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Post by Felix on Sept 23, 2007 13:25:44 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 23, 2007 is: acerbic • \uh-SER-bik\ • adjective : acid in temper, mood, or tone Marvell's Example Sentence: Conversations may involve acerbic comments, and still be civil, but that's a long shot . Did you know? English speakers created "acerbic" in the 19th century by adding "-ic" to the adjective "acerb." "Acerb" had been around since the 17th century, but for most of that time it had been used with only a literal "sour-tasting" sense. (The word "acerb" is still around today, but it is now simply a less common synonym of "acerbic.") "Acerbic" and "acerb" ultimately come from the Latin adjective "acerbus," which can mean "harsh," "bitter," or "unpleasant." Another English word that comes from "acerbus" is "exacerbate," which means "to make more violent, bitter, or severe." Cutting Words
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Post by Felix on Sept 24, 2007 7:49:06 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 24, 2007 is: exculpatory • \ek-SKUL-puh-tor-ee\ • adjective : tending or serving to clear from alleged fault or guilt Marvell's Example Sentence: The evidence being most exculpatory, the defendant was proved non-participatory. Did you know? No one will blame you for having questions about the origins of "exculpatory." The adjective comes from a combination of the prefix "ex-," meaning "out of" or "away from," and the Latin noun "culpa," which means "blame" or "guilt." Something exculpatory, then, frees one from accusations. "Culpa" has given English a number of other words, including the verb "exculpate" ("to clear from alleged fault or guilt"). The related but lesser-known terms "inculpate" ("to incriminate") and "inculpatory" ("incriminating") are antonyms of "exculpate" and "exculpatory." "Culpable" is a synonym of "blameworthy," and "mea culpa" refers to a formal acknowledgment of personal fault or error. Words of Absolution
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Post by Felix on Sept 25, 2007 9:21:21 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 25, 2007 is: commensurate • \kuh-MEN-suh-rut\ • adjective 1 : equal in measure or extent : coextensive *2 : corresponding in size, extent, amount, or degree : proportionate Marvell's Example Sentence: My enjoyment of a book is commensurate with the quality of the writing, more so than with the particular content. Did you know? "Commensurate" is a word that really measures up. And no wonder -- it's a descendant of the Latin noun "mensura," meaning "measure," from "mensus," past participle of "metiri" ("to measure"). In the first recorded use of "commensurate," which comes from 1641, the adjective was used as a synonym of "coextensive." It didn't take long for "commensurate" to be used to mean "proportionate" as well. Henry James used this sense in The American when he wrote, "The stakes were high and the risk was great; the prize therefore must have been commensurate." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Matched Words
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Post by Felix on Sept 26, 2007 10:27:23 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 26, 2007 is: bodacious • \boh-DAY-shuss\ • adjective 1 Southern & Midland : outright, unmistakable *2 : remarkable, noteworthy 3 : sexy, voluptuous Marvell's Example Sentence: A bodacious quantity of baking powder biscuits, southern style, can result in Biscuit Poisoning, examples best observed in convenience stores and school cafeterias. Did you know? Some of our readers may know "bodacious" as a word that figured prominently in the lingo of the 1989 film Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Others may recall the term's frequent use in the long-running "Snuffy Smith" comic strip. Neither the creators of the comic strip nor the movie can claim to have coined "bodacious," which actually first appeared in print in 1832, but both likely contributed to its popularity. The exact origin of the word is uncertain, but it was most likely influenced by "bold" and "audacious," and it may be linked to "boldacious," a term from British dialect. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Yee-Haw Words
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Post by Felix on Sept 30, 2007 15:19:28 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 27, 2007 is: fugitive • \FYOO-juh-tiv\ • noun *1 : a person who flees or tries to escape; especially : refugee 2 : something elusive or hard to find Marvell's Example Sentence: Removing the government of Saddam Hussein in Iraq set the stage for making fugitives within their own country out of many within each segment of the population. Did you know? "Fugitive" was adopted into English as both a noun and an adjective in the 14th century. Both forms came to Middle English by way of Middle French from the Latin adjective "fugitivus." "Fugitivus," in turn, comes from "fugitus," the past participle of the verb "fugere," meaning "to flee." Since its adoption, the noun "fugitive" has been used to identify a motley group of individuals: runaway slaves and soldiers, on-the-run criminals, exiles, refugees, and vagabonds. Eventually, it also developed a less commonly used extended sense for things which are difficult to find or pin down. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Words on the Run
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Post by Felix on Sept 30, 2007 15:20:38 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 28, 2007 is: syncategorematic • \sin-kat-uh-gor-uh-MAT-ik\ • adjective : forming a meaningful expression only in conjunction with a denotative expression (as a content word) Marvell's Example Sentence: In poetry, the color and meaning of the images is strung together with a syncategorematic network of prepositions and articles. Did you know? In ancient Greek logic, "katēgorēma" referred to something that was affirmed or denied about the subject in a proposition. For instance, in "the paper is white," "whiteness" would be the "katēgorēma." Seventeenth-century logicians extended this concept, which they called "categorem," to cover the subject of the proposition as well. So, in the proposition "All men are mortal," "mortality" is a categorem and so is "man." But what about "all"? Words like "all" that signify quantity (as well as words that function as adverbs, prepositions, or conjunctions) are syncategoremata -- that is, they are words that have meaning in propositions only when used in conjunction "with" other words. ("Syn-" means "with.") Framework Words
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Post by Felix on Sept 30, 2007 15:22:09 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 29, 2007 is: infrangible • \in-FRAN-juh-bul\ • adjective 1 : not capable of being broken or separated into parts *2 : not to be infringed or violated Marvell's Example Sentence: For the grandchild blessed with grandparents such as mine, the bonds formed are infrangible, to be treasured even beyond their deaths. Did you know? "Infrangible" comes to us via Middle French from the Late Latin "infrangibilis" and is ultimately derived from the prefix "in-" and the Latin verb "frangere," meaning "to break." (Believe it or not, our "break" is ultimately derived from the same ancient word that gave rise to "frangere.") "Infrangible" first appeared in print in English in the 16th century with the literal meaning "impossible to break"; it was later extended metaphorically to things that cannot or should not be broken. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Impenetrable Words
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Post by Felix on Sept 30, 2007 15:26:37 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for September 30, 2007 is: restive • \RES-tiv\ • adjective 1 : stubbornly resisting control : balky *2 : marked by impatience or uneasiness : fidgety Marvell's Example Sentence: Having heard one rambling sermon already, the congregation was increasingly restive during a lengthy address during the announcements. Did you know? "Restive" ultimately comes from the Anglo-French word "rester," meaning "to stop, resist, or remain." In its earliest use, "restive" meant "sluggish" or "inactive," though this sense is no longer in use. Another early sense was "stubborn, obstinate." Specifically, "restive" often referred to horses that refused to do as commanded. This general application to unruly horses may have influenced the development of the "fidgety, impatient" sense of "restive." Some usage commentators have objected to this newer sense, but it has been in use for well over a century, and is now the more common of the uses. *Indicates the sense illustrated by the example sentence. Twitchy Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 1, 2007 6:49:00 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 01, 2007 is: lodestone • \LOAD-stoan\ • noun 1 : magnetite possessing polarity *2 : something that strongly attracts Marvell's Example Sentence: Money is the lodestone of every politician. Did you know? "Lodestone" is made up of distinctly English components, ones that have been part of our language since before the 12th century. "Lode" comes from the Old English "lād," which means "way, journey, course." The word "stone" derives from the Old English "stān," which had the same meaning as the modern term "stone." When the two ancient words were combined to form "lodestone" around 1515, the new term referred to magnetite, an oxide of iron that forms a natural magnet. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Attractive Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 2, 2007 9:24:25 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 02, 2007 is: morganatic • \mor-guh-NAT-ik\ • adjective : of, relating to, or being a marriage between a member of a royal or noble family and a person of inferior rank in which the rank of the inferior partner remains unchanged and the children of the marriage do not succeed to the titles, fiefs, or entailed property of the parent of higher rank Marvell's Example Sentence: When King Edward VIII of England opted to become Duke of Windsor rather than give up divorcée Wallis Simpson, he also rejected the compromise of declaring their marriage morganatic, which would have given his wife no royal status, and made any children commoners. Did you know? Although the deprivations imposed on the lower-ranking spouse by a morganatic marriage may seem like a royal pain in the neck, the word "morganatic" actually comes from a word for a marriage benefit. The New Latin term "morganatica" means "morning gift" and refers to a gift that a new husband traditionally gave to his bride on the morning after the marriage. So why was the New Latin phrase "matrimonium ad morganaticam," which means literally "marriage with morning gift," the term for a morganatic marriage? Because it was just that -- the wife got the morning gift, but that's all she was entitled to of her husband's possessions. Words of Rank
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Post by Felix on Oct 3, 2007 6:25:56 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 03, 2007 is: sutler • \SUT-ler\ • noun : a civilian provisioner to an army post often with a shop on the post Marvell's Example Sentence: The sutler in the Civil War became part of a staggeringly corrupt procurement and supply system which made fortunes for the less principled suppliers. Did you know? "For I shall sutler be / Unto the camp, and profits will accrue," Pistol declares in Shakespeare's Henry V. In 1599, the year the play was first performed, "sutler" was quite new to English. It was adapted from the Dutch word "soeteler," which meant about the same thing as our modern term. Even then, sutlers weren't usually the most popular fellows in a military camp, as a further look at the word's history reveals. The Dutch adopted "soeteler" from a Low German word meaning "sloppy worker," which itself traces to an even older verb that meant "to do sloppy work" or "to dirty." Perhaps the snide designation was inspired by the fact that the traditional sutler followed troops and sold them supplies at hugely inflated prices. Peddler Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 4, 2007 9:43:42 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 04, 2007 is: astute • \uh-STOOT\ • adjective *1 : having or showing shrewdness and perspicacity 2 : crafty, wily Marvell's Example Sentence: However astute your evaluations of the values of stocks and their prospects for increasing those values, without capital to invest, such judgment is of little use. Did you know? "Astute" is similar in meaning to "shrewd" and "sagacious," but there are subtle differences in connotation among them. All three suggest sharp thinking and sound judgment, but "shrewd" stresses practical, hardheaded cleverness and judgment ("a shrewd judge of character"), whereas "sagacious" implies wisdom and foresight combined with good judgment ("sagacious investors"). "Astute," which derives from the Latin noun "astus," meaning "craft," suggests cleverness, mental sharpness, and diplomatic skill ("an astute player of party politics"). *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Canny Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 5, 2007 5:39:50 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 05, 2007 is: umbra • \UM-bruh\ • noun 1 : a shaded area *2 a : a conical shadow excluding all light from a given source; specifically : the conical part of the shadow of a celestial body excluding all light from the primary source b : the central dark part of a sunspot Marvell's Example Sentence: The agitated cloud of speculation, complaint and innuendo on the message board produced an umbra impenetrable to the light of reason. Did you know? The Latin word "umbra" ("shade, shadow") has given English a range of words in addition to "umbra" itself. An umbrella can provide us with shade from the sun. So can an umbrageous tree. (In this case, "umbrageous" means "affording shade.") The connection to shade or shadow in other "umbra" words is less obvious. When we say someone takes "umbrage," we mean they take offense, but in times past people used the word as a synonym of "shade" or "shadow." The two senses of "umbrage" influenced "umbrageous," which can mean "inclined to take offense easily" as well as "affording shade." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Eclipsing Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 6, 2007 7:39:33 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 06, 2007 is: cocoon • \kuh-KOON\ • verb : to wrap or envelop in or as if in a cocoon Marvell's Example Sentence: Politicians rely on the tendency of the voting public to remain cocooned in their own immediate concerns, making easier the passage of legislation not necessarily in the best interests of all constituents. Did you know? Since at least 1679, English speakers have been using the noun "cocoon" for the silky covering that surrounds a caterpillar or other insect larva in the pupa stage of metamorphosis. The word came into English from French, which in turn borrowed it from an Occitan term for "eggshell." Linguists believe the Occitan term was probably born of the Latin "coccum," a noun that has been translated as "kermes," the dried bodies of some insects that can be found on certain trees. The verb "cocoon" has been with us since at least 1881. Wrapped Up in Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 7, 2007 9:55:36 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 07, 2007 is: orgulous • \OR-gyuh-lus\ • adjective : proud Marvell's Example Sentence: A gorgeous woman is often orgulous about her looks, never passing a mirror without admiring her superiority in the beauty stakes. Did you know? "In Troy, there lies the scene. From Isles of Greece / The princes orgulous, their high blood chaf'd, / Have to the port of Athens sent their ships." Thus Shakespeare began the Trojan War tale Troilus and Cressida, employing "orgulous," a colorful word first adopted in the 13th century from Anglo-French "orguillus." After the Bard's day, "orgulous" dropped from sight for 200 years; there is no record of its use until it was rejuvenated by the pens of Robert Southey and Sir Walter Scott in the early 1800s. Twentieth-century writers (including James Joyce and W.H. Auden) continued its renaissance, and today "orgulous" is an elegant choice for proud writers everywhere. Peacock Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 8, 2007 7:38:32 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 08, 2007 is: jactitation • \jak-tuh-TAY-shun\ • noun : a tossing to and fro or jerking and twitching of the body Marvell's Example Sentence: Joe Cocker's singing style involved a bewildering variety of jactitations, some of which appeared to be "air guitar" moves. Did you know? In the 17th century, lawyers began tossing around the word "jactitation," which can be traced back to the Latin verb "jactare," meaning "to throw." Originally, "jactitation" was used as a word for a false claim or assertion being publicly thrown about to the detriment of another person. Run-of-the-mill slander and false claims of being married to someone were two common types of jactitation brought to court. Before long, "jactitation" had jumped over to the medical profession, where it continues to serve as a word for restless, jerky, or twitchy body movements. In 1761, British writer Laurence Sterne threw "jactitation" into his novel Tristram Shandy as a substitute for "discussion," but that meaning never caught on. Spasmodic Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 9, 2007 8:39:10 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 09, 2007 is: terrestrial • \tuh-RESS-tree-ul\ • adjective 1 a : of or relating to the earth or its inhabitants b : mundane in scope or character : prosaic 2 a : of or relating to land as distinct from air or water *b : living on or in or growing from land Marvell's Example Sentence: The ant in the fable did things quite terrestrial, The grasshopper soared up to heights so celestial, One stored up grain, The other dodged pain, 'Til winter chill ended the warm aestival. Did you know? "Terrestrial" might be a pretty down-to-earth word, but some of its relatives are out of this world. "Terrestrial" first appeared in English in the 15th century and derives from the Latin root "terra," which means "earth." In the mid-1800s "extra-" was added to "terrestrial," giving us "extraterrestrial," an adjective that can be used to describe things (including science fiction creatures) that come from space. "Terrestrial" shares the "-al" suffix with "celestial," which was first used in the 14th century. Not surprisingly, "celestial" ("of or relating to the sky or visible heavens") traces back to the Latin for sky, "caelum." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Well-grounded Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 10, 2007 16:08:32 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 10, 2007 is: betwixt • \bih-TWIKST\ • adverb or preposition : between Marvell's Example Sentence: Finding choices equally depressing at this stage of of the presidential campaign, I am betwixt apathy and despair for the Republic. Did you know? "Jack Sprat could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean; and so betwixt the two of them, they licked the platter clean." Perhaps you've always said "and so between the two of them" when reciting the tale of Jack Sprat and his wife. That's fine. "Betwixt" and "between" have similar origins: they both come from a combination of "be-" and related Old English roots. Both words appeared before the 12th century, but use of "betwixt" dropped off considerably toward the end of the 1600s. It survived in the phrase "betwixt and between" ("neither one thing nor the other"), which took on a life of its own in the 18th century. Nowadays "betwixt" is uncommon, but it isn't archaic; it's simply used more consciously than "between." Median Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 11, 2007 6:23:00 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 11, 2007 is: langue • \LAHNG (the vowel is pronounced in a nasal manner)\ • noun : language viewed abstractly as a system of forms and conventions used for communication in a community; also : the knowledge that enables a person to speak and understand a language Marvell's Example Sentence: Langue studies allow a deeper knowledge of how individual languages emerge and change over time. Did you know? In lectures delivered at the University of Geneva from 1907 to 1913, Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure set forth his groundbreaking distinction between "langue" -- the systematic, structured language existing at a given time within a given society -- and "parole," the individual use of that language by a person. In French, "langue" literally means "language." It was adopted into Middle English with that same general meaning but fell into disuse. "Parole" is also a French word; it means "speech" and is related to Late Latin "parabola," the base of our English word "parable." Acquiring Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 12, 2007 7:33:32 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 12, 2007 is: retrospective • \reh-truh-SPEK-tiv\ • adjective 1 a : contemplative of or relative to past events *b : being a generally comprehensive exhibition, compilation, or performance of the work of an artist over a span of years 2 : affecting things past : retroactive Marvell's Example Sentence: In his review of a new novel by Ann Patchett in the New Yorker magazine, John Updike used part of the review for a brief retrospective of Patchett's previous novels, illustrating his view that her newest book did not measure up to earlier efforts. Did you know? "Look not mournfully into the past. It comes not back again," wrote Henry Wadsworth Longfellow in his 1839 novel Hyperion. But these days the past is trendy, old-fashioned is hip, and "flea-market vogue" is not an oxymoron. And of course, "retrospective" is as retro as it gets. A glance at the history of "retrospective" reveals that it traces back to the Latin "retro-" (meaning "back," "behind," or "backward") and "specere" (meaning "to look at"). Once you have "retrospective" behind you, you can also add its kin "retrospect" (which is used as a noun, an adjective, and a verb) and "retrospection" to your vocabulary, too. "Retrospective" can also be used as a noun, referring to an exhibition that "looks back" at artistic work created over a span of years. *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Survey Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 13, 2007 10:18:00 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 13, 2007 is: paradox • \PAIR-uh-dahks\ • noun 1 a : a statement that is seemingly contradictory or opposed to common sense and yet is perhaps true b : a self-contradictory statement that at first seems true *2 : one (as a person, situation, or action) having seemingly contradictory qualities or phases Marvell's Example Sentence: It is a paradox of politics that the very talents that make a candidate successful in gaining election usually unfit him for the office he seeks. Did you know? The ancient Greeks were well aware that a paradox can take us outside our usual way of thinking. They combined the prefix "para-" ("beyond" or "outside of") with the verb "dokein" ("to think"), forming "paradoxos," an adjective meaning "contrary to expectation." Latin speakers picked up the word and used it to create their noun "paradoxum," which English speakers borrowed during the 1500s to create "paradox." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Oxymoronic Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 14, 2007 7:53:19 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 14, 2007 is: malign • \muh-LYNE\ • verb : to utter injuriously misleading or false reports about : speak evil of Marvell's Example Sentence: The news media are much maligned by those for whom seeing or hearing the truth about themselves is intolerable. Did you know? When a word's got "mal-" in it, it's no good. That prefix traces to the Latin word "malus" (which means "bad"), and it puts the negative vibes in "malign" and a host of other English words. You can see it in "malpractice" (bad medical practice) and "malady" (a bad condition, such as a disease or illness, of the body or mind). A "malefactor" is someone guilty of bad deeds, and "malice" is a desire to cause injury, pain, or distress to another person. Other "mal-" formed words include "malaise," "malcontent," "maladroit," "malodorous," and "malnourished." Words of Condemnation
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Post by victoriasuzette on Oct 14, 2007 21:31:57 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 14, 2007 is: malign • \muh-LYNE\ • verb : to utter injuriously misleading or false reports about : speak evil of Marvell's Example Sentence: The news media are much maligned by those for whom seeing or hearing the truth about themselves is intolerable. Did you know? When a word's got "mal-" in it, it's no good. That prefix traces to the Latin word "malus" (which means "bad"), and it puts the negative vibes in "malign" and a host of other English words. You can see it in "malpractice" (bad medical practice) and "malady" (a bad condition, such as a disease or illness, of the body or mind). A "malefactor" is someone guilty of bad deeds, and "malice" is a desire to cause injury, pain, or distress to another person. Other "mal-" formed words include "malaise," "malcontent," "maladroit," "malodorous," and "malnourished." Words of Condemnation Sort of causes you to feel sorry for that word, doesn't it? Don't mind me ... I'm just a smartass.
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Post by Felix on Oct 15, 2007 7:19:12 GMT -5
Yeah, malformed, malaprop, malicious and the list goes on. Says something about life and humanity that there are so many words for malignant things. Heh.
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Post by Felix on Oct 15, 2007 7:21:07 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 15, 2007 is: erne • \ERN\ • noun : eagle; especially : a long-winged sea eagle (Haliäetus albicilla) with a short white wedge-shaped tail Marvell's Example Sentence: The composition of crossword puzzles puts a premium on short words, especially on those not in general use—" erne," a sea eagle, for instance—to fill in awkward squares and increase the difficulty of the puzzle. Did you know? What do ernes, crows, finches, wrens, owls, and sparrows have in common (besides feathers and beaks and other avian traits)? Wing your way through one thousand years of ornithological and etymological history, and you will alight on an Old English lexicon wherein these birds had basically the same names as they have now. Their names were spelled a little differently back then: "earn," "crāwe," "finc," "wrenna," "ūle," and "spearwa." All those avian names are also birds of a feather in that their ancestors are akin to Old High German words: "arn," "krāwa," "fincho," "rentilo," "uwila," and "sparo," respectively. Words to Make You Cross
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Post by victoriasuzette on Oct 15, 2007 8:15:47 GMT -5
That reminds me, Mr. Marvell ~ I've often wondered about a bird called the Gannet, mentioned in a Monty Python's Flying Circus sketch ... John Cleese's customer mentions that he doesn't like the Gannet, as 'they wet their nests.' As a bird aficionado, do you know anything about this bird (and why they 'wet their nests,' if, in fact, they actually do)?
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Post by Felix on Oct 16, 2007 8:07:35 GMT -5
"Bird aficionado" somewhat overstates my knowledge about feathered flying critters; Bob is the bird guru hereabouts.
Considering that the whole premise of every Monty Python skit is absurdity and exaggeration, I doubt there is anything kinky about gannets. Of course, they are sea birds, so their nests might well get soggy.
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Post by Felix on Oct 16, 2007 8:09:10 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 16, 2007 is: fervid • \FER-vid\ • adjective 1 : very hot : burning *2 : marked by often extreme intensity of feeling Marvell's Example Sentence: The fervid pennant and World Series hopes of Chicago Cubs fans have once again not survived the post-season divisional playoffs. Did you know? The Latin verb "fervēre" can mean "to boil" or "to glow," as well as, by extension, "to seethe" or "to be roused." In English, this root gives us three words that can mean "impassioned" by varying degrees: "fervid," "fervent," and "perfervid." "Fervid" and "fervent" are practically synonymous, but while "fervid" usually suggests warm emotion that is expressed in a spontaneous or feverish manner (as in "fervid basketball fans"), "fervent" is reserved for a kind of emotional warmth that is steady and sincere (as in "a fervent belief in human kindness"). "Perfervid" combines "fervid" with the Latin prefix "per-" ("thoroughly") to create a word meaning "marked by overwrought or exaggerated emotion," as in "a perfervid display of patriotism." *Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence. Febrile Words
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Post by Felix on Oct 17, 2007 3:38:23 GMT -5
The Word of the Day for October 17, 2007 is: enmity • \EN-muh-tee\ • noun : positive, active, and typically mutual hatred or ill will Marvell's Example Sentence: The politics of attack and innuendo sow the seeds of deep enmity between candidates and their respective supporters. Did you know? "Enmity" and its synonyms "hostility," "animosity," and "animus" all indicate deep-seated dislike or ill will. "Enmity" (which derives from an Anglo-French word meaning "enemy") suggests true hatred, either overt or concealed. "Hostility" implies strong, open enmity that shows itself in attacks or aggression. "Animosity" carries the sense of anger, vindictiveness, and sometimes the desire to destroy what one hates. "Animus" is generally less violent than "animosity," but definitely conveys active prejudice or ill will. Words of Division
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Post by victoriasuzette on Oct 17, 2007 11:39:04 GMT -5
"Bird aficionado" somewhat overstates my knowledge about feathered flying critters; Bob is the bird guru hereabouts. Considering that the whole premise of every Monty Python skit is absurdity and exaggeration, I doubt there is anything kinky about gannets. Of course, they are sea birds, so their nests might well get soggy. Sorry to 'interrupt' your word board again, but just wanted to ~ 1) Thank you for the recommendation (Bob), and 2) say that of course I realize Monty Python's basic premise to any skit/movie was absurdity and exaggeration, but they are normally based in some fact(s) ... therefore, as a person who is interested in life and the world in general, I was just curious as to where that reference originated. VS
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