GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

leonine

Pronunciation: /ˈliːənʌɪn/

adjective
of or resembling a lion or lions: a handsome, leonine profile

Origin:
late Middle English: from Old French, or from Latin leoninus, from leo, leon- 'lion'


Andy Wilson on Flickr

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The statue of the lion had a surprisingly leonine appearance. All the sculptor's previous efforts had more often resembled stray housecats.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

leonine

Leontine hoped to cut a leonine figure when she chose leo9 as her user name.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

bourn - [definition 1]

Pronunciation: /bôrn, bo͝orn/

noun
dialect
a small stream, especially one that flows intermittently or seasonally.

Origin:
Middle English: southern English variant of burn


Robin Webster on geograph.org.uk



Bobby was born beside the bourn where his parents stopped their wagon while on the way to the harvest fair. After the happy event, his parents climbed back onto the wagon, and Bobby joined his six brothers and sisters in the back with the squash, turnips, apples and rutababa.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

bourn

As my beef about the beef at the bourn was born out, the bored Boer had the beef born from the bourn to the barn.

[Algot Runeman]

E.P.S.



Basic beliefs borne out. Flemish followers fill forum full of fun.

[Algot Runeman]

pod [definition 2]

Pronunciation: /päd/

noun
a small herd or school of marine animals, especially whales.

Origin:
mid 19th century (originally US): of unknown origin


Marie O'Shaughnessy / Orca Magic on Prince of Whales Blog CC-BY-NC-ND

☸

Sam sat in the middle seat of the dorry. He was tense even though the water all around the boat was calm. His boat suddenly seemed no more sturdy than a soap bubble. Sam gingerly set down his fishing pole and resigned himself to fate. The pod of at least 20 whales crested and dove gently all around him.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

pod

Young Sandy padded over to the iTop®/iCook® nook where her mother was surfing for "Pea in a Pod" maternity wear, and asked, "Mom? The whole pod of teeny-boppers in school has iPods® except me. Can I have one too?"

"Maybe." said Mom, "If you'll pad your school results to be in the top 10% of your pod, I'll get you one." Whereupon Dad, lounging in the ersatz-furred iWatch®/weNeck® nook, added, "And if you reach the top spot of your pod, I'll throw in an iPad® too!"

"Gee, thanks, Mom, Dad!" and off she went to her iRest®/iStudy® nook to study on her laptop.

{Yes, Grandma, I know. You never had any computer gear, but you had a whale of a pod of fur clothing instead. I'll tell a story about iGram ASAP. OK?}

P.S. I remember, when I was a little boy, helping my mom or grandma removing fresh peas from their pods. When squeezed to open them, the pods made funny popping noises.
In Belgium they seem to have become extinct.
Has anybody recently seen fresh peas in pods in the supermarket's fresh vegetable's section?

[Algot Runeman]

Peas in the pod do appear in our market in the spring. We also get fresh green beans.
We still mostly buy frozen!
Such is the modern habit, I guess.

[Algot Runeman]

impunity

Pronunciation: /imˈpyo͞onitē/

noun
exemption from punishment or freedom from the injurious consequences of an action: the impunity enjoyed by military officers implicated in civilian killings - protesters burned flags on the streets with impunity

Origin:
mid 16th century: from Latin impunitas, from impunis 'unpunished', from in- 'not' + poena 'penalty' or punire 'punish'



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

Those who burn through money, if they have enough of it, can enjoy their impunity from poverty.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

impunity

I can't neglect to tell tales about my Grandma for long with impunity.

Though she agreed to consider chastising the culprits, instead of me, for handing me WotDs impossible to apply to her heavenly self.

You can expect to be subpœnæd to appear before the pearly gates. You wil be judged by Gram herself, Jools, Leo, Nick, G.V. Black, J. Moriarty and S. Jobs. You may now prepare yourselves.

If convicted, you will be punished with a Clerk-Maxwellian unified algorithm.

You may of course appeal to me for reduction of sentence, early parole or even impunity. But your appeal must be submitted before the deadline, namely before I change my mind.

You've been warned!

[Algot Runeman]

vernal

adjective
of, in, or appropriate to spring: the vernal freshness of the land

Derivatives
vernally
adverb

Origin:
mid 16th century: from Latin vernalis, from vernus 'of the spring', from ver 'spring'


Donald J. Bergquist http://don-denver.blogspot.com/2007_03_01_archive.html

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Sure signs of spring include the vernal blooms of daffodils and the often less colorful (though no less vain) cousins, narcissus. People plant the bulbs in the fall, and as the sun warms the soil of gardens, borders of the barely green lawns and the edges of still pools up come the green leaves followed by the nodding flowers.

[laurie]

My favorite flower -- also the flower for March, my birth-month.

[Algot Runeman]

My favorite flower [daffodil]

So, a rose by any other name does smell as sweet.

[Algot Runeman]

vamoose

verb
[no object] informal
depart hurriedly: we’d better vamoose before we’re caught

Origin:
mid 19th century: from Spanish vamos 'let us go'


Alexis Ziritt on Flickr

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Pancho and Cisco endured for years as popular TV stars. Now, they'd probably be asked to vamoose across the border.

[Algot Runeman]

scarify [definition 2]

verb (scarifies, scarifying, scarified)
[with object] (usually as adjective scarifying) informal
frighten: a scarifying mix of extreme violence and absurdist humor

Origin:
late 18th century: formed irregularly from scare, perhaps on the pattern of terrify


Colin Bischoff on Flickr

☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣☣

In my neighborhood, people carve pumpkins to celebrate Halloween, but the designs are more often humorous than scarifying.

[Sorry to all of you (thousands) who were scarified, scandalized and traumatized because there was no midweek WotD. Long day at a conference.]

[Algot Runeman]

knack

noun
[in singular]
an acquired or natural skill at performing a task: she got the knack of it in the end
a tendency to do something: the band has a knack of warping classic soul songs

Origin:
late Middle English (originally denoting a clever or deceitful trick): probably related to obsolete knack 'sharp blow or sound', of imitative origin (compare with Dutch knak 'crack, snap')


milesizz on Flickr


Andy Carvin on Flickr

♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯♯

While some have a knack for things naturally, others develop their skill by starting early in life and being persistent.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

knack

My grandma (the other one, the amateur chef) used to prepare a wonderful "Choucroute Garnie à l'Alsacienne" (Garnished Sauerkraut Alsace Style). She had a knack to bring her choucroute to taste with S&P, juniper berries and a dry white Pinot Gris. The accompanying potato mash was well seasoned with ground nutmeg.

Of course her garnish contributed much to the body of the dish. To her choucroute she added Saucisson de Paris, generous slices of bacon, a chunk of Noix d'Ardenne, some Wiener Sausages and finally several Knackwursts.

Spoiler: show

Unfortunately I don't have her exact recipe, but the internet offers sites galore to emulate her quite traditional but delicious dish. As a matter of knack, I'll have it for lunch today.

[Algot Runeman]

posology

noun
rare
the part of medicine concerned with dosage.

Derivatives
posological
Pronunciation:/ˌpäzəˈläjikəl/
adjective

Origin:
early 19th century: from French posologie, from Greek posos 'how much' + -logia (see -logy)


silverlinedwinnebago on Flickr

☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯☯

Those who take warfarin (coumadin) to reduce the chance of blood clots which happen from something like atrial fibrillation (rapid pulsing of one part of the heart) need regular measurement of its effect. Too much and it is too easy to bleed from a simple bump against a table corner. Too little and the chance of clots goes up which can cause a stroke. My local hospital has an anticoagulation clinic which, as a result of clinical posology, carefully monitors the dosages of warfarin users.

[I was going to use the caduceus character ☤ for the separator before the "irreverent word use", but found out that it is technically misused as a medical symbol. Apparently a U.S. armed forces officer in the early 1900s demanded the caduceus be used instead of the more appropriate Rod of Asclepius. In the end, it seemed that a symbol of balance was also appropriate.]

Wikipedia "Ddcfnc"

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

posology

Once upon a time my grandma's fur-couturier asked her if she would like to, more or less nude, model his latest fur creations for a magazine's professional photographer. Grandma had no objections IF her poses were approved by grandpa, her posology director.

When the photographer mentioned this assignment to his GP, he was told to increase his Bisoprolol and Warfarin posology. That caduceus character also slyly required himself to be present with a first-aid kit during the photo shoots, "just in case".

The fur-fashion editor of the women's magazine insisted he had to attend the modelling sessions to approve the proposed tableaux vivants. He too had to adjust his medication posology.

The pharmacist, alert to the suddenly increased dosage, thought it imperative to observe the drug's effects firsthand. After the first session he witnessed, this drug dealer had to stop taking Viagra®.

The medical lab technician claimed it prudent to monitor the INR and adrenaline levels and zealously brought a MUG team (Mobile Urgency Group) with him.

All that additional photo-studio personnel got to be too much for grandma and grandpa, and they broke off the modelling photo sessions.

Except for grandpa. Though he rarely took pictures, he continued to enjoy grandma's live modelling doses, with and without furs.

[laurie]

EPS, did your grandmother happen to be the mysterious Madame X?

[voralfred]

EPS, did your grandmother happen to be the mysterious Madame X?

From what EPS says about her, his grandmother was rather Madame X-rated....

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

EPS, did your grandmother happen to be the mysterious Madame X?

No.
Had she been my paternal grandmother, my name would have been Gautreau. Furthermore, all my grands were Belgians. Regrettably my iconic grandma had no female descendants, except if my eldest son's wife will grace us with a daughter in late November (they haven't told me the baby's gender).

My grandma and Mme X had only one thing in common, and that only concerning their respective husbands, painters and couturiers (I quote the Wikipedia article): "... many poses were attempted."

Finally, their timelines don't match.

Apparently John Sargent was no stranger to subtly applied visual posology. His painting which most appeals to me because it most closely exhibits my grandma's looks, vesuvian temper and joie de vivre is:

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

EPS, did your grandmother happen to be the mysterious Madame X?

From what EPS says about her, his grandmother was rather Madame X-rated....

After the German army invaded Antwerp in May 1940, they took control of all media, radio stations, newspapers and magazines. Some feldwebel must have found and X-rated the pictures of grandma's short modelling career and secretly sent them to his friends back home in Germany.

I suspect that somehow Lili Marleen got hold of them and used them to perfect her public image, though she remains a mysterious legend to this day.

[Algot Runeman]

octogenarian

noun
a person who is between 80 and 89 years old.

Origin:
early 19th century: from Latin octogenarius (based on octoginta 'eighty') + -an


Frederick Noronha on Flickr

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It turns out there is a STAFF OF AESCULAPIUS character available, so here it is in full glory, as it is possible that good medical help will be of benefit to any ocotogenarian visitors to our conversation. All of E.P.S.'s posts describing his grandmother, with or without her furs could generate too much heat. EMTs, be ready!

[Algot Runeman]

talisman

noun (plural talismans)
an object, typically an inscribed ring or stone , that is thought to have magic powers and to bring good luck: those rings , so fresh and gleaming, were their talismans - a dolphin talisman would ensure a safe journey on land or at sea
figurative he called me his good luck talisman

Derivatives
talismanic
Pronunciation:/-ˈmanɪk/
adjective

Origin:
mid 17th century: based on Arabic ṭilsam, apparently from an alteration of late Greek telesma 'completion, religious rite', from telein 'complete, perform a rite', from telos 'result, end'


Nicole Lasher on Flickr

☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩☥☨☩

The success of tribes which wander may have to do with their use of talismans instead of totems. Talismans go with you while totems are tough to carry around. There is little need to hunker around the shrine ffor protection if it is easy to carry with you everywhere.