The Internet Book Database of Fiction

bulrush

Pronunciation: /ˈbʊlrʌʃ/
(also bullrush)
noun
1 A tall reed-like water plant with strap-like leaves and a dark brown velvety cylindrical head of numerous tiny flowers. Also called reed mace.
Genus Typha, family Typhaceae: several species, in particular T. latifolia.
2 another term for clubrush.
3 (In biblical use) a papyrus plant.

Origin
Late Middle English: probably from bull1 in the sense 'large or coarse', as in words such as bullfrog.

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

Bulrush, as I understand from the perspective of a US native, is the British/European term used for a widespread wetlands plant. Though also used that way in the US, the more common term is "cattail" and there's an entirely different grassy plant relative, Scirpus which I've seen called bulrush, too. (All of this is NOT to be confused with a "bull rush" which is a technique used by defensive players in American football, pushing the offensive lineman backwards. (Oh, and these plants have absolutely nothing to do with a bull in a hurry, so what's he doing in the image?)




[No matter how you look at it, that's a lot of bull.]

Algot Runeman wrote:bulrush
...
No matter how you look at it, that's a lot of bull.

Still, one can always use the word bullrush in any polite conversation, as opposed to the other word starting with bull-, which, dependant upon context, is often considered vulgar or NSFW.

During the 1980 U.S. presidential campaign, the Citizens Party candidate Barry Commoner ran a radio advertisement that began with an actor exclaiming:
"Bull.... ! Carter, Reagan and Anderson, it's all bull.... !" NBC refused to run the advertisement because of its use of the expletive, but Commoner's campaign successfully appealed to the Federal Communications Commission to allow the advertisement to run unedited. [Wikipedia]

Hidden image, indeed! Like, maybe, turning over the Victorian leaf?

feline

Pronunciation: /ˈfiːlʌɪn/
adjective
1 Relating to or affecting cats or other members of the cat family: feline leukaemia
1.1 Resembling or suggestive of a cat: he moved with feline grace
noun
A cat or other member of the cat family.

Origin
Late 17th century: from Latin felinus, from feles 'cat'.

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

While all felines exhibit a certain grace, but they are not all equal in their regal nature.

sociolect

Pronunciation: /ˈsəʊʃɪə(ʊ)lɛkt/ Pronunciation: /ˈsəʊsɪə(ʊ)lɛkt/
noun
The dialect of a particular social class.

Origin
1970s: from socio- + -lect as in dialect.

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

Meeting on the street, they spoke. Though they understood what the other had said, it was clear from the different sociolects that they had not come from the same background. (It probably didn't help that neither one knew how to spell very well.)

fracas

Pronunciation: /ˈfrakɑː/
noun (plural same /ˈfrakɑːz/ or US fracases)
A noisy disturbance or quarrel: the fracas was broken up by stewards

Origin
Early 18th century: French, from fracasser, from Italian fracassare 'make an uproar'.

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

For some, especially those overflowing with testosterone, any excuse is good enough to start a fracas.

Algot Runeman wrote:fracas

It was meignly quiet and restful on the aircraft in Speign.

Because there was so much reign, nobody deigned to frack ass there.
Anybody wanting to in those conditions soon cheigned their mind.

sousaphone
Pronunciation: /ˈsuːzəfəʊn/
noun
An American form of tuba with a wide bell pointing forward above the player’s head, used in marching bands.

Origin
1920s: named after J. P. Sousa (see Sousa, John Philip), on the pattern of saxophone.

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

Tony toted his sousaphone proudly as Terry plodded placidly before him with the smaller, traditional tuba. Neither one particularly envied Louis with his trombone who had his own bassless fears to endure.

Algot Runeman wrote:sousaphone

Grandma used to implore grandpa:
"Look honey, this afternoon we're welcoming our grandson's girlfriend and her parents for a garden tea party.
So, even though we'll be in open air, please put a sourdine on your rear end sousaphone!
You wouldn't want to put a damper on the wedding willingness of your potential granddaughter-in-law, would you?"

pimpernel

Pronunciation: /ˈpɪmpənɛl/
noun
A small European plant of the primrose family, with creeping stems and flat five-petalled flowers.
Genera Anagallis and Lysimachia, family Primulaceae: several species, in particular the scarlet pimpernel.

Origin
Late Middle English (denoting the great burnet and the salad burnet): from Old French pimpernelle, based on Latin piper 'pepper' (because of the resemblance of the burnet's fruit to a peppercorn).

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

I'm not sure i have seen the plant called a pimpernel, I think I read the book The Scarlet Pimpernel by Emma Orczy when I was young. There is no doubt I have seen the movie.

Algot Runeman wrote:pimpernel

I haven't read the book, but I distinctly remember having seen the movie, though I can't recall whether it was the colourised 1934 or the 1982 version.

Anyway, ever since then, every time I heard or read "Scarlet Pimpernel", it made me think of an aroused d*ckhead.

An illustration? Sorry, not this time!

I note that Youtube has the 1934 version of The Scarlet Pimpernel available: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0K9xA0MDjvU I plan to watch during my next available hour and a half.

tumbril

Pronunciation: /ˈtʌmbr(ə)l/
Pronunciation: /ˈtʌmbrɪl/
(also tumbrel)
noun
historical
1 An open cart that tilted backwards to empty out its load, in particular one used to convey condemned prisoners to the guillotine during the French Revolution.
1.1 A two-wheeled covered cart which carried tools or ammunition for an army.

Origin
Middle English (originally denoting a type of cucking-stool): from Old French tomberel, from tomber 'to fall'.

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

Teeming throngs watched with glee as the tumbril passed, carrying a morning load of former aristocrats bound for a meeting with Madame Guillotine. In the square, their heads would roll and the throng would shout itself hoarse at the repeating clunk of the bloody blade. "The Terror" ruled the country.

fungo

Pronunciation: /ˈfʌŋɡəʊ/
noun (plural fungoes or fungos)
1 (also fungo fly) Baseball A fly ball hit for practice.
1.1 (also fungo bat or stick) A long lightweight bat for hitting practice balls to fielders.

Origin
Mid 19th century: of unknown origin.

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

Frank was the perfect coach for the outfield. He could hit a hundred fungoes, one right after another, to any spot on the field, making each fielder race forward, backward or to either side to make the catch.

antitype

Pronunciation: /ˈantɪtʌɪp/
noun
1 A person or thing that represents the opposite of someone or something else: the antitype of female virtue
2 Something that is represented by a symbol.

Origin
Early 17th century: from late Latin antitypus, from Greek antitupos 'corresponding as an impression to the die', from anti 'against, opposite' + tupos 'type, a stamp'.

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

Despite their being brothers and fraternal twins, Bob and Ben were opposites, antitypes, as it were. If Bob was happy, Ben was grumpy. If Bob laughed then Ben typically scowled.



(Bob and Ben are merely symbols of reality, being cartoon faces without bodies or real flesh and blood. Perhaps that makes them both antitypes in the second sense.)

[Perhaps the next illustration demonstrates the "type" vs antitype relationship in yet another way (based on the etymology of the words)]

transcend

Pronunciation: /tranˈsɛnd/
Pronunciation: /trɑːnˈsɛnd/
verb
[with object]
1 Be or go beyond the range or limits of (a field of activity or conceptual sphere): this was an issue transcending party politics
1.1 Surpass (a person or achievement): he doubts that he will ever transcend Shakespeare

Origin
Middle English: from Old French transcendre or Latin transcendere, from trans- 'across' + scandere 'climb'.

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

Mary succeeded far beyond her wildest dreams. She blasted past her own personal best by thirty-two seconds and transcended the Olympic record in the process.

Algot Runeman wrote:transcend

Yes, yes!
You've transcended my number of posts.
No need to belabour the point!

revolute

Pronunciation: /ˈrɛvəl(j)uːt/
adjective
Botany
(Especially of the edge of a leaf) curved or curled back.

Origin
Mid 18th century: from Latin revolutus 'unrolled', past participle of revolvere (see revolve).

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

A fairly well-known example of revolute leaves is the rhododendron, a broadleaf evergreen whose leaves remain through the winter, but the colder it gets, the more tightly they curl so they do not lose moisture as quickly as they otherwise might. In essence, the leaves become closer to the needle shape of the better-known evergreens like pine and spruce.

pulque

Pronunciation: /ˈpʊlkeɪ/
Pronunciation: /ˈpʊlki/
noun
[mass noun]
A Mexican alcoholic drink made by fermenting sap from the maguey plant.

Origin
Via American Spanish from Nahuatl puliúhki 'decomposed'.

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

Miguel mananged to manipulate his glass of pulque from the table to his lips. After starting his second bottle, it was a harder job than before.

Algot Runeman wrote:pulque

In January 1972 I had, together with other UGent students, the unique opportunity to visit Chile, almost for free.

In the two weeks we were there, we had one overnight stay in Valparaiso.

All being adults, way past 21, eight of us guys went to a striptease bar in Valparaiso's port.
We ordered beer or coke, but that couldn't be had, unless we also ordered at least 1 bottle of Pisco per 4 persons. It wasn't Pulque, but it was just as spirited as the Pulque, Tequila and Mezcal I enjoyed a year later in Acapulque co.

What else happened in the striptease bar was both outrageous and hilarious (I wasn't married then), but not to be told here.
What happened in Acapulco was extremely private (honeymoon).

Oh, well said, E.P.S., Acapulque indeed.

trigamous

Pronunciation: /ˈtrɪɡəməs/
adjective
Having three wives or husbands at the same time.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from Greek trigamos (from tri- 'three' + gamos 'marriage') + -ous. The nouns trigamist and trigamy date from the mid 17th century.

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

It had been so much fun being bigamous that Joe decided to try being trigamous. For the record, none of his wives was called Polly.

Algot Runeman wrote:trigamous

In 2006 my heartbeat became irregular. Often a normal beat was immediately followed by two extra systoles. In medical parlance this is called a trigeminal rhythm, though it has nothing to do with the Trigeminus nerve. Ever since then I need daily medication to suppress the arrhythmia, for the remainder of my life.

Oh how I wish I were trigamous instead of trigeminal.

But even trigamous is ambiguous, though I'm sure I could handle this situation with my usual dexterity:

septennium

Pronunciation: /sɛpˈtɛnɪəm/
noun (plural septennia /sɛpˈtɛnɪə/ or septenniums)
rare
A specified period of seven years.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from late Latin, from Latin septem 'seven' + annus 'year'.

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

Whigs and wonks from 1716 gave themselves control (what else?) by passing an increase for the maximum parliamentary term, extending it from three years to seven. Subsequently, British government worked from one septennium to the next.

Algot Runeman wrote:septennium

So the Declaration of Independence, or some later resolution, made it an octennium, just to be contrary?