GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S.!!!

I'm stunned, shocked, amazed...yawn. Oh heck. I can't pull it off.

Thinning hair with lots of space between the active follicles has made me resort to a bi-weekly regimen of buzzing an electric hair clipper around my skull. I need to be careful because the length-controlling comb keeps falling off. Once that happened when I was trimming my beard and I carved a stripe right through it. My family was shocked and appalled. My daughter screamed and my wife said, "Put it back!"

No brilliantine for me. On the other hand, it's a picnic to wash and dry my hair.

[Algot Runeman]

mountebank

Pronunciation: /ˈmountiˌbaNGk/
noun
a person who deceives others, especially in order to trick them out of their money; a charlatan.
historical a person who sold patent medicines in public places.

Origin:
late 16th century: from Italian montambanco, from the imperative phrase monta in banco! 'climb on the bench!' (with allusion to the raised platform used to attract an audience)

-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0-

George Rube jumped at the chance. Owning even one share of the Brooklyn Bridge had always been his goal. It had been difficult, but he had finally tracked down a reluctant mountebank from whom he was about to get his stock certificate. It was almost done. Restraining his joy was causing him to tremble in spite of all his efforts to control his glee.

[voralfred]

The city of Montauban is more famous for its rugby team than for its charlatans.
But as all southern French, its inhabitants are hot-blooded.
So since, in the name of city, the central "au" is really sounded "o", but a short "o" that is not heard too well, and the southern accent has a tendency to make the final "n" a bit like "-ng" in english, be very careful when using the word "mountebank" in a negative context, there, lest this causes a misunderstanding.

[Algot Runeman]

pule

Pronunciation: /pyo͞ol/
verb
[no object] (often as adjective puling) literary
cry querulously or weakly:she’s no puling infant

Origin:
late Middle English (originally referring to a bird's cry): probably imitative; compare with French piauler, in the same sense


Photo Credit: Eric Peacock

⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚀⚀ ⚁⚄

To pule, or perchance to mewl, that is the question.
Whether 'tis nobler to cry over one's fate, or by silence escape it.
It is better, then, friend, that you cast about for a different path and redefine success.
That milk is spilt, and were you to get it back in the glass, you probably wouldn't want to drink it.

[Algot Runeman]

be very careful when using the word "mountebank" in a negative context, there, lest this causes a misunderstanding.

Wisdom flows freely from your mind, voralfred. Thank you.

[Algot Runeman]

verglas

Pronunciation: /verˈglä/
noun
a thin coating of ice or frozen rain on an exposed surface.

Origin:
early 19th century: French, from verre 'glass' + glas (now glace) 'ice'


Photo of ice coating on blade of grass: Lukas A., CZE http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Ice_on_grass.jpg

___________________________________________________

Does it count as verglas if the thin coating of ice is on a stream?

[voralfred]

verglas

Pronunciation: /verˈglä/
noun
a thin coating of ice or frozen rain on an exposed surface.

Origin:
early 19th century: French, from verre 'glass' + glas (now glace) 'ice'

(....)

___________________________________________________

Does it count as verglas if the thin coating of ice is on a stream?

I don't think so. I'd only use "verglas" in a context where one might slip on it. Now if the coating of ice on water (a pond or a lake, more probably, rather than a stream) is thick enough that one can walk (or skate) on it and the upper surface is very slippery and one can easily fall, then one could argue that the ice is "verglassée". But if it is so thin than you'd go through it before you have a chance of slipping, then I personally won't use the word "verglas" for it.

[voralfred]

verglas

Pronunciation: /verˈglä/
noun
a thin coating of ice or frozen rain on an exposed surface.

Origin:
early 19th century: French, from verre 'glass' + glas (now glace) 'ice'

(....)

___________________________________________________

Does it count as verglas if the thin coating of ice is on a stream?

I don't think so. I'd only use "verglas" in a context where one might slip on it. Now if the coating of ice on water (a pond or a lake, more probably, rather than a stream) is thick enough that one can walk (or skate) on it and the upper surface is very slippery and one can easily fall, then one could argue that the ice is "verglassée". But if it is so thin than you'd go through it before you have a chance of slipping, then I personally won't use the word "verglas" for it.

[Algot Runeman]

gambado [definition 1]

Pronunciation: /gamˈbādō, -ˈbä-/
(also gambade /-ˈbād, -ˈbäd/)
noun (plural gambados or gambadoes)
a leap or bound, especially an exaggerated one.

Origin:
early 19th century: from Spanish gambada, from gamba 'leg'


Photo Credit: Rick Harrison

_/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\- _/^\-

Jocko jumped.
Nay, he leaped.
He soared with grand bravado.
His bound a fine gambado.

[Algot Runeman]

equivocate

Pronunciation: /iˈkwivəˌkāt/
verb
[no object]
use ambiguous language so as to conceal the truth or avoid committing oneself: [with direct speech]:“Not that we are aware of,” she equivocated

Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense 'use a word in more than one sense'): from late Latin aequivocat- 'called by the same name', from the verb aequivocare, from aequivocus (see equivocal)


Photo Credit: Wonderlane

--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--~~--

Well, hmm, let's see. I'd guess, unless I'm wrong, there's a chance I'll eat too much at Thanksgiving dinner this afternoon. But, I won't equivocate. I'm going to watch football afterward.

[Algot Runeman]

denigrate

Pronunciation: /ˈdeniˌgrāt/

verb
[with object]
criticize unfairly; disparage:there is a tendency to denigrate the poor

Origin:
late Middle English (in the sense 'blacken, make dark'): from Latin denigrat- 'blackened', from the verb denigrare, from de- 'away, completely' + nigrare (from niger 'black')



★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★$★

I am inclined to denigrate the foolishness of rushing out to shop on the day after Thanksgiving. Frankly, I try to buy Christmas presents as I see them all during the year. It also helps moderate the credit card bills.

[Algot Runeman]

querulous

Pronunciation: /ˈkwer(y)ələs/
adjective
complaining in a petulant or whining manner:she became querulous and demanding

Origin:
late 15th century: from late Latin querulosus, from Latin querulus, from queri 'complain'



====================================================================

It doesn't pay to whine and say,
"I don't like this dinner."
You should not be so querulous.
No food at all will make you thinner.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

denigrate

To me this term is very confusing.
I would logically deduce that "denigrate" means "remove the black paint".

Consider:
Often before a stage performance, Al Jolson would nigrate his face.
Afterwards, before going to bed, he would denigrate himself.

Now I do realise that this interpretation may be racistic, but that isn't my intention at all.
I only wish to point out that, linguistically, the terms "nigger"and "denigrate" seem to have a common root and that "denigrate" and "nigrate" are antonyms.

Am I wrong?

Either way, I don't want to give offence. Please don't feel querulous about this.

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S. I take no offence at your question. I am, however, on-fence about your interpretation.

[I recognize some might take offense at my spelling above, so I checked and justified it as a second option in the dictionary.]

[Algot Runeman]

hireling

Pronunciation: /ˈhīrliNG/
noun
chiefly derogatory
a person employed to undertake menial work.
a person who works purely for material reward:the government’s paid hirelings assure us that we’re on our way out of recession

Origin:
mid 16th century: from hire + -ling, on the pattern of Dutch huurling

(-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-) . (-)

If you hire Ling, he will not be your hireling. He's an efficient, tireless worker and will rapidly take over.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

hireling

She did very well in the high jump competition. The spectators went wild when, with a spectacular jump and succesful landing, she equalled the record.

But then she got very confused when the crowd began chanting: "Higher Ling! Higher Ling! Higher Ling!".

Though Bai Ling herself, and the jury too, loudly protested that she was no mercenary, her winning streak was over.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

rubicund

Pronunciation: /ˈro͞obəˌkənd/
adjective
(especially of someone’s face) having a ruddy complexion; high-colored.

Origin:
late Middle English (in the general sense 'red'): from Latin rubicundus, from rubere 'be red'


Photo Credit: Christiano Betta

---.......................................................................

Roscoe's nose was a blossoming rose.
It was boldly rubicund.
Choose ale or beer, yes one of those.
How soon will he be moribund?

[Algot Runeman]

craven

Pronunciation: /ˈkrāvən/
adjective
contemptibly lacking in courage; cowardly: a craven abdication of his moral duty

noun
archaic
a cowardly person.

Origin:

Middle English cravant 'defeated', perhaps via Anglo-Norman French from Old French cravante, past participle of cravanter 'crush, overwhelm', based on Latin crepare 'burst'. The change in the ending in the 17th century was due to association with past participles ending in -en (see -en3)

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- --

Wes was bold, never craven. He worked very hard and became a famous film director in spite of his last name.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

craven
Wes was bold, never craven. He worked very hard and became a famous film director in spite of his last name.

I assume you refer to Wes Craven.
Is he somehow related to Noël Coward?

[Algot Runeman]

"Is he somehow related to Noël Coward?"

Cousins, perhaps?

[Algot Runeman]

hirsute

Pronunciation: /ˈhərˌso͞ot, hərˈso͞ot, ˈhi(ə)rˌso͞ot/
adjective
hairy: their hirsute chests

Origin:
early 17th century: from Latin hirsutus


Photo Credit: Meg

////////////////////////////\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\\

Harry wanted to marry
His girlfriend, with stunning tresses, Carrie.
They hugged and they kissed and frequently cuddled.
Getting beyond first base, Harry routinely struggled.

Carrie wasn't shy. That wasn't it.
With her kisses, she held back not one little bit.
But she wasn't about to remove her suit.
To reveal that she was seriously hirsute.

Harry persisted. Carrie resisted.
Harry persevered. Carrie was cheered.
She agreed to be married. Over threshold she was carried.
Now their toddlers' heads are curly, and they've started shaving early.

[voralfred]

Quite some time ago, Darb, who unfortunately does not contribute to this forum anymore, wrote:

(sings)

Battle Hym of the Hirsute

Mine eyes have seen the glory of her hair, unbound, unshorn;
she is traipsing down the aisles where the racks of Nair are stored
she hath piled all the razors and their advertising torn
Her truth is marching on.

Glabre ! Glabre ! Condemnantion !
Glabre ! Glabre ! Condemnantion !
Glabre ! Glabre ! Condemnantion !
Her hair, unbound, unshorn !

{I'll stop here}

At that time, I already remarked:

Here is a woman according to my heart!

(I recognized the tune as "John Brown's Body"... but the lyrics did not match. Took me some time to find the original lyrics.... )

Turn away thine eyes from me, for they have overcome me: thy hair is as a flock of goats that appear from Gil'ead

[Algot Runeman]

wilco

Pronunciation: /ˈwilkō/
exclamation
expressing compliance or agreement, especially acceptance of instructions received by radio:roger, wilco

Origin:
1940s (originally in military use): abbreviation of will comply



-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-

"Wilco," said John. Nobody understood him. If he had said, "Roger, wilco," a larger group might have.
Does anybody named Roger, like that phrase?
"Roger, wilco, Roger." How banal.

[Algot Runeman]

mugwump

Pronunciation: /ˈməgˌwəmp/
noun
North American
a person who remains aloof or independent, especially from party politics.

Origin:
mid 19th century: from Algonquian mugquomp 'great chief'


Photo Credit: arbyreed

- . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . - . -

In the politics of the United States, there was once an uncomplementary description "mugwump" given to politicians who chose not to support the candidate of their own party and supported the other party's candidate. They were "on the fence", mug on one side and wump (rump) on the other.

[Algot Runeman]

piebald

Pronunciation: /ˈpīˌbôld/
adjective
(of a horse) having irregular patches of two colors, typically black and white.

noun
a piebald horse or other animal.

Origin:
late 16th century: from pie2 (because of the magpie's black-and-white plumage) + bald (in the obsolete sense 'streaked with white')


Photo Credit: luagh45

★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★ ☆ ★

Bob rode the piebald horse while his friends rode pintos, paints, mavericks, palominos, and one mule. They didn't aspire to conformity.
Sam had considered riding a holstein ox, striving to emulate his best friend, Bob, but nobody thought it a good idea. Too slow.

[This entry was finished before I checked and found piebald was the WotD back in August of 2006. Just couldn't face starting over. LAZY!]