GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

scrimshaw

Pronunciation: /ˈskrimˌSHô/
verb
[with object]
adorn (whalebone, ivory, shells, or other materials) with carved or colored designs.

noun
scrimshawed ivory or shells.

Origin:
early 19th century: of unknown origin; perhaps influenced by the surname Scrimshaw


Photo Credit: Charlie Kellogg

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Sam shrugged, scratched scrimshaw, sold several, succeeded.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

scrimshaw

She sells scrimshawed seashells at the seashore,
and she shall surely shore up her share of shillings, pretty shoon soon ...

[Algot Runeman]

aspergillum

Pronunciation: /ˌaspərˈjiləm/
noun (plural aspergilla /-ˈjilə/ or aspergillums)
an implement for sprinkling holy water.

Origin:
mid 17th century: from Latin


Photo Credit: inazakira

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Alex was an acolyte with Asberger syndrome. It was all he could do when handing the aspergillum to the priest not to blurt out "Aspergilllus is moldy!"

[I acknowledge the thorough irreverence of this post.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

aspergillum

I wonder if an aspergillum is used to sprinkle the Penicillium on to blue cheese curd.

The Bell Inn at Stilton

[Algot Runeman]

aesthete

Pronunciation: /ˈesˌTHēt/
(also esthete)

noun
a person who has or affects to have a special appreciation of art and beauty.

Origin:
late 19th century: from Greek aisthētēs 'a person who perceives', or from aesthetic, on the pattern of the pair athlete, athletic

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Pete was an athlete who wasn't a tiny bit effete.
Pete wasn't neat. With sweat, he did overheat.
Muddy from the rugby pitch, he often appeared to live in a ditch.
He yearned to be an aesthete, with love of art, he was replete.

[Algot Runeman]

dysarthria

Pronunciation: /disˈärTHrēə/
noun
Medicine
difficult or unclear articulation of speech that is otherwise linguistically normal.

Origin:
late 19th century: from dys- 'difficult' + Greek arthron 'joint or articulation'



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"Wha' th' fuh' is dysarthria?" asked Tony. Nobody in the room spoke up right away. It was a big room, but not one person was medically trained.

Way over in the corner, Sally raised her hand and spoke softly so everyone else had to lean in her direction. "My aunt had a stroke last year. We couldn't understand what she was trying to say. We called emergency services right away. Her doctor told us my aunt couldn't properly control the muscles of her face and tongue because of the stroke. She's better now, but still slurs some words."

[voralfred]

shimschcraw... ashpergillus... eshtaethe..
evne wihtuot dyshartira, or lysdexia, yuo sure ddin't pick wodrs easy to speel or prounonce, recnetly!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

shimschcraw... ashpergillus... eshtaethe..
evne wihtuot dyshartira, or lysdexia, yuo sure ddin't pick wodrs easy to speel or prounonce, recnetly!

I agree.

Though it's not because Algot omitted to mention the "Happy Hour" as a cause of dysarthria, that you should indulge in copious apéritifs so early in the day.

Cheers!

[Algot Runeman]

codex

Pronunciation: /ˈkōˌdeks/
noun (plural codices /ˈkōdəˌsēz, ˈkäd-/ or codexes)
an ancient manuscript text in book form.
an official list of medicines, chemicals, etc..

Origin:
late 16th century (denoting a collection of statutes or set of rules): from Latin, literally 'block of wood', later denoting a block split into leaves or tablets for writing on, hence a book



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

The official documentation, the standards upon which our system is built, is the codex found at our website. It is a living document unlike many codices of ancient knowledge. As our product continues to advance, the codex will likewise change. The site will also maintain a version of the information for each version of the software released. [ We do recognize that you might expect a stack of bound paper or vellum sheets, but this is the digital age, after all. ]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

codex

Two codices had or still have influence on my life.

The Codex Napoleonis was the origin of the legal systems of many European countries.

Spoiler: show

The Studentencodex which is a commercium book used by students in Flanders and associated more or less (usually rather more) with beer.
No, I don't have my copy any more. After graduation I bequeathed it to a younger student just starting his/her academic education.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

salvific

Pronunciation: /salˈvifik/
adjective
Theology
leading to salvation.

Origin:
late 16th century: from Latin salvificus 'saving', from salvus 'safe'

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"Salve us, Louie. We need something soothing for this terrible sunburn."
Louie slathered the girls. They giggled as he worked.
He trusted that his good works would eventually be salvific.
They simply thought he was terrific.

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[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

salvific

Donations to the Salvation Army will be beneficial to the needy in the short term and, in the long term, procure additional salvific points on your judgement day ledger.

[Algot Runeman]

muktuk

Pronunciation: /ˈməkˌtək/
noun
the skin and blubber of a whale, typically the narwhal or the beluga, used as food by the Inuit.

Origin:
from Inuit maktak


Image Credit: Jim Forest
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Maktak wasn't good enough for us. We needed to change the spelling to muktuk and then, not even eat the product ourselves. That's probably a good thing. We commonly do not know when to stop.

[Algot Runeman]

noyade

Pronunciation: /nwäˈyäd/
noun
historical
an execution carried out by drowning.

Origin:
early 19th century (referring especially to a mass execution by drowning, carried out in France in 1794): from French, literally 'drowning', from the verb noyer, from Latin necare 'kill without use of a weapon', later 'drown'


Photo Credit: Mike Baird

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Lacroix unceremoniously swung his arm away from his body. The crew shoved the defeated officers overboard. Absorbing ordinary seamen into a crew frequently worked out, but leaving officers alive gave them leadership. Noyade was not kind, but it was bloodless execution, out of sight, out of mind.

[Algot Runeman]

digerati

Pronunciation: /dijəˈrätē/
noun
people with expertise or professional involvement in information technology.

Origin:
1990s: blend of digital and literati


Photo Credit: Becky Stern

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Bill fawned over Ada, queen of the digerati.
Kind to a fault, she never was snotty.
Her skills with coding couldn't be better.
She built a computer just to knit him a sweater.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

digerati

I've been wondering if maybe in Australia, didgerati are the people who play the didgeridoo ?

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

vexillology

Pronunciation: /ˌveksəˈläləjē/
noun
the study of flags.

Origin:
1950s: from Latin vexillum 'flag' + -logy

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It is especially vexing to trace the origins of some flags. The originals were not always the result of official state action. The adoption of a flag often happened after the fact. Vexillology is often left with just the stories which surround the early flag.

[Algot Runeman]

hypocoristic

Pronunciation: /ˌhīpəkəˈristik/
adjective
denoting, or of the nature of, a pet name or diminutive form of a name.
noun
a hypocoristic name or form.

Origin:
mid 19th century: from Greek hupokorisma, from hupokorizesthai 'play the child', from hupo 'under' + korē 'child'

"The Name Game" by Shirley Ellis and Lincoln Chase

Katie, Katie, bo-batie,
Banana-fana fo-fatie
Fee-Fi-mo-matie
Katie!

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Robert, Rob, Bob, Bobby.
Hypocoristic games were his hobby.
Longer, shorter, didn't matter.
Even if the nickname didn't flatter.

Richard, Ricky, Richy, Dicky,
Bob himself wasnt picky.
Call him any, loser/winner.
Just don't call him late for dinner.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

hypocoristic...
"The Name Game" by Shirley Ellis and Lincoln Chase

Katie, Katie, bo-batie,
Banana-fana fo-fatie
Fee-Fi-mo-matie
Katie!
...

Olleke, bolleke, Rubens' olleke,
Olleke, bolleke, KNOL.

[Algot Runeman]

laager

Pronunciation: /ˈlägər/
noun
1South African historical a camp or encampment formed by a circle of wagons.
2an entrenched position or viewpoint that is defended against opponents:an educational laager, isolated from the outside world

verb
[with object] South African historical
form (vehicles) into a laager.
[no object] make camp.

Origin:
South African Dutch, from Dutch leger, lager 'camp'. Compare with lager and lair1


Public Domain

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Lukas limped toward the laager.
Gone was his typical swagger.
He'd visited the latrine
After finishing his lager.

The wagons were close now.
Gotten lost, didn't know how.
A stumble, hand to the ground.
The lion's growl. His own final howl.

[Algot Runeman]

lurid

Pronunciation: /ˈlo͝orid/

adjective
very vivid in color, especially so as to create an unpleasantly harsh or unnatural effect:lurid food colorings a pair of lurid shorts
(of a description) presented in vividly shocking or sensational terms, especially giving explicit details of crimes or sexual matters:the more lurid details of the massacre were too frightening for the children

Origin:
mid 17th century (in the sense 'pale and dismal in color'): from Latin luridus; related to luror 'wan or yellow color'


Photo Credit: Andres Musta

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Sam practiced his makup, going intentionally for the lurid look. Halloween was coming up and he wanted to enhance his planned costume.

[Algot Runeman]

idiomatic

Pronunciation: /ˌidēəˈmatik/

adjective
1using, containing, or denoting expressions that are natural to a native speaker:distinctive idiomatic dialogue
2appropriate to the style of art or music associated with a particular period, individual, or group:a short Bach piece containing lots of idiomatic motifs

Origin:
early 18th century: from Greek idiōmatikos 'peculiar, characteristic', from idiōma (see idiom)

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"Y'all come back, heah!" was the idiomatic sentence from the waitress.

Joe and his family walked out of the restaurant, comfortablly full of an excellent lunch and full of wonder at the kindness of strangers.
They had run out of gas on the highway, and a pickup stopped to help them, only to rob them and steal their car after adding gas from a can.

After the sherrif found them walking along highway, and drove them to town. After a brief interview at the station, he them up in the cafe. The owner bought them lunch. Even when Joe promised to pay him back, the owner declined.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

idiomatic

In paintings, drawings, photographs and even plain text descriptions, my grandma was often pictured as covered (sometimes uncovered) by more or less lustrous furs. Even in the rare nude representations.

Nobody thought the trend extravagant. It had become an idiomatic practice, covertly encouraged by grandpa, in spite of BB and other French fur detractors jealous of grandma's sexy glamour.

Spoiler: show

[voralfred]

idiomatic

In paintings, drawings, photographs and even plain text descriptions, my grandma was often pictured as covered (sometimes uncovered) by more or less lustrous furs. Even in the rare nude representations.

Nobody thought the trend extravagant. It had become an idiomatic practice, covertly encouraged by grandpa, in spite of BB and other French fur detractors jealous of grandma's sexy glamour.

Spoiler: show

You told us often of your Grandma's furs. But you never told us before about the je-ne-sais-quoi in her look... Very alluring....

[Algot Runeman]

cacoethes

Pronunciation: /ˌkakōˈwēT͟Hēz/
noun
[in singular] rare
an irresistible urge to do something inadvisable.

Origin:
mid 16th century: via Latin from Greek kakoēthes 'ill-disposed', from kakos 'bad' + ēthos 'disposition'


Image Credit: Jennifer (jspatchwork)

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I want it. I need it. It's killing me to sit here and look at the plate. I'm hungry, dammit!
How do I resist the cacoethes to consume week-old, raw hamburger?
I've been tied to this chair for most of that week, and the meat has been changed from time to time, chicken, shellfish, ground beef, all raw.

I'm not thirsty. I've been given store-bought water any time I've asked, a new, sealed bottle each time.

The plates have all been on the table, never covered. The only change has been which was before me. My guard never speaks, he's dressed formally, as if a 19th century servant. I cannot tell if he waits standing behind me or goes to the kitchen and sits between plate changes. He never seems angry that I'm not eating. There isn't a change of shift. He's just "there."

All I need to do is lean forward. The plate is right where my face would go.
Still, I must resist. The police know I'm missing. Surely they will find me before I starve to death. I don't want food poisoning to kill me first.