GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

paraphrenia

Pronunciation: /ˌparəˈfriːnɪə/
noun
Psychiatry Psychology
In early use: insanity, madness Later: specifically mental illness with prominent paranoid or other delusional symptoms; paranoid schizophrenia.

Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in British and Foreign Medico-chirurgical Review. From para- + ancient Greek ϕρήν phren + -ia, after French paraphrénie.

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Max pretended to look straight ahead, but carefully kept an eye on the group loitering at the street corner. His paraphrenia convinced him that they were out to get him.

[Algot Runeman]

champlevé

Pronunciation: /ˌʃam(p)ləˈveɪ/
noun
[mass noun] Enamelwork in which hollows made in a metal surface are filled with coloured enamels:
[as modifier] ‘enamelling using the champlevé technique’

Origin
French, from champ field + levé raised.

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The crown was for battle. with champlevé decorations replacing jewels of Roderick's ceremonial crown.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

champlevé

Champlevé is also a place in France.

Point Google maps at 47.349601, 5.098062 .

That Champlevé may be a bit higher than the surrounding fields. But I have no idea whether it's used to grow mustard seed.

Or use this

[Algot Runeman]

overpass

Pronunciation: /ˈəʊvəpɑːs/
noun
A bridge by which a road or railway line passes over another.

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Ernie liked driving for Wayne's Attentive Movers. The trouble was, Ernie didn't like to read road signs. He frequently had to backtrack because of low overpasses.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

overpass

I have no idea whether they have an overpass with sufficient clearance on the D104 to Champlevé. I wouldn't bet on it.

Better to continue over the A31, then the A39, the N274, the D70 and finally the Rue Jacquat and the Chemin de Saint-Apollinaire à Ruffey. Any too low over- or underpasses will be visible from afar.

Do try to avoid this:

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

absonant

pronunciation: /ˈabs(ə)nənt/
adjective
archaic
Discordant or unreasonable.

Origin
Mid 16th century: from Latin ab- away, from + sonant- sounding (from the verb sonare), on the pattern of words such as dissonant.

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Adding a flat note to a harmonious chord creates an discordant sound, and Injecting a negative attitude into an upbeat conversation creates absonant results.

[Algot Runeman]

chalazion


Proununciation: /kuh-ley-zee-uh n/
noun
Chronic inflammation of the meibomian glands leads to meibomian cysts or chalazions. The word "chalazion" is Greek for small pimple (and little hail). Like a pimple, a chalazion is an inflamed swelling. But instead of being on the skin, a chalazion is in the margin of the eyelid.
definition from MedicineNet.com

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Mark loved Cherisse. Still, it put him off that she developed a chalazion right after he proposed. She was fortunately able to get it successfully treated before the wedding.

[Algot Runeman]

mesquite

Pronunciation: /mɛˈskiːt//ˈmɛskiːt/
noun
A spiny tree or shrub of the pea family, native to arid regions of south-western US and Mexico. It yields timber, tanbark, medicinal products, and edible pods.

Origin
Mid 18th century: from Mexican Spanish mezquite.

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Riding the fence lines all day long among the prickly pear cactus and the occasional mesquite tree, Harvey was very glad he had a full canteen.

[Algot Runeman]

prophesy

pronunciation: /ˈprɒfɪsʌɪ/
verb
[WITH OBJECT]
Say that (a specified thing) will happen in the future

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How might things differ if someone were to prophesy the weather?

[Algot Runeman]

bragget

Pronunciation: \ˈbragə̇t\
noun
a drink made from ale and fermented honey or from ale sweetened and spiced.

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Aiden sat solemnly in the pub, wishing that the ordinary ale in his glass were the fuller, richer bragget which his uncle made back in the village. The extra spiciness was perfect for the Christmas season.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

bragget

I'd suggest Aiden not ask for ale or bragget, but instead for Irish Coffee laced with cinnamon.

After three or four of those, believe you me, he'll brag!

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

squire

ˈskwī(ə)r/
noun
1. a man of high social standing who owns and lives on an estate in a rural area, especially the chief landowner in such an area.
British informal
used by a man as a friendly or humorous form of address to another man.
US archaic
a title given to a magistrate, lawyer, or judge in some rural districts.
2. historical
a young nobleman acting as an attendant to a knight before becoming a knight himself.
verb
verb: squire; 3rd person present: squires; past tense: squired; past participle: squired; gerund or present participle: squiring
1. (of a man) accompany or escort (a woman).

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Derek Donzel was squire to Sir Arthur Ainsley during the reign of King Alfred the third. None of that really matters because Derek never got to be a knight himself because, while Derek was putting on the beast's battle armor, Ainsley's massive steed crushed Derek against the wall of the stall, killing the young gentleman.




[Today's word was going to be "donzel", which means much the same as squire, but ODO didn't have the word. ODO seems to be focusing on words which have more chance of being used in current writing or conversation. Maybe that's laudable, but it does mean that these words of the day often have to come from other sources. That's not a complaint, actually.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

squire

A young lad aiming to become a squire, was often expected to be a square.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

I won't be a liar.
As squire, to knight I aspire.
I polish the armor.
And scrape out the stall
All-in-all, I have a ball.

Sir Wimott is old.
Yet, he's still quite bold.
Given a chance with his long lance
He knocks others silly.
Whether it's flat or it's hilly.

I practice with sword.
While watched by my lord.
That wood and straw dummy
Has no chance 'gainst my slash.
Nor with mace when I bash.

Next year I'm nineteen,
And that's really keen
'Cause I stand for knighthood.
I'll need new armor
And a girl so I can charm her.

[Algot Runeman]

groundless

Pronunciation: /ˈɡraʊn(d)ləs/
adjective
Not based on any good reason

Origin
Old English grundlēas (see ground, -less).

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Fear, no matter how groundless, can still be debilitating. Of course, some people are not even aware they should be afraid.

[Kahrey]

Life felt groundless for him, and it was becoming a permanent feeling.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Life felt groundless for him, and it was becoming a permanent feeling.

Actually, to me, the ground feels lifeless.

[Algot Runeman]

zenith

Pronunciation: /ˈzɛnɪθ/
noun
1 The time at which something is most powerful or successful
2 Astronomy
The point in the sky or celestial sphere directly above an observer. The opposite of nadir
2.1 The highest point reached by a given celestial object

Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French or medieval Latin cenit, based on Arabic samt (ar-ra's) path (over the head).

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At one time, Sam said a company called Zenith was at the zenith of electronics. Since then, not so much. More recently, Sam sang the praises of Samsung.

[Algot Runeman]

atole

pronunciation: /a'tole/
noun
thick hot drink served mornings or nighttime, usually made with ground, toasted corn and sweetened water steeped with cinnamon sticks.

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Diego drank his atole. Juan ate his thicker version with a spoon. They both loved the stuff.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

atole

Can one have an Atoll Atole on Fiji or the other Pacific atolls?

I'd love to investigate but sadly my budget doesn't reach that far.

A Sangria Real in Spain is my limit.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

coggie

pronunciation: /ˈkɒɡɪ/
noun
1a Scottish: a quaich or drinking cup
1b A small wooden bowl.
2 The contents of a coggie, as porridge, brose, liquor, etc.
adjective
3 Riding on the pegs, crossbar, or handle bar of someone's bike when they are riding the bike

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Joel loved his atole drink so much, he took it in his coggie with him to town when he rode coggie with his big brother, Bob.

[Kahrey]

Joel loved his atole drink so much, he took it in his coggie with him to town when he rode coggie with his big brother, Bob.

Hahaha!

[Algot Runeman]

esplanade

pronunciation: ˈespləˌnäd,-ˌnād/
noun
A flat open stretch of pavement or grass, especially one designed as a promenade (a place to walk) along a shore.

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The Boston Esplanade is famous for the Fourth of July concert by the Boston Pops Orchestra in the Hatch Shell performance venue. 364 other days of the esplanade is less famous, but full of people walking along beside the Charles River.

[Algot Runeman]

gate-keeper

noun
One who keeps a gate, as of a turnpike, race-course, railroad-crossing, private grounds, etc.

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In Massachusetts, there is a turnpike running from Boston to the western border of the state. It is a toll road, too. There used to be gate-keepers, of a sort. Toll booth attendants handed out a ticket when you got on. At the exit, another toll taker actually took the cash along with the ticket. This year, all those toll booths have been removed.

Is it free to drive the turnpike now?

No, it's still a toll road. The toll is judged by electronics arching over the roadway which sense the transponder in each car passing through, and the appropriate toll is deducted from your connected bank account. If you have no transponder, cameras photograph your license plate and the system mails you a bill.

[Algot Runeman]

apostematic

pronunciation: /ˌapəseˈmadik/
adjective
Having or designating conspicuous or warning colors or structures indicative of special means of defense against enemies, as in the skunk.

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Fans of teams, notably the fans of American football, often go to extremes to support their favorite squad. Today's illustration highlights the apostematic outfit of an Oakland Raiders fan. I think the scariest thing might be seeing this guy behind the wheel while he was driving to the stadium.


Image Credit: Donald Miralle/Getty Images