GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

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E Pericoloso Sporgersi
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Wed Oct 13, 2021 11:15 am horripilation
...
... standing on the narrow, icy balcony. ...
How horriple ...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

Bohemic

Pronunciation /bə(ʊ)ˈhiːmɪk/
adjective
Usually with lower-case initial. Socially unconventional in a way regarded as characteristic of creative artists; belonging to or characteristic of a bohemian; = "Bohemian".

Origin
Early 17th century (in an earlier sense). From post-classical Latin Bohemicus of or relating to Bohemia, Hussite from Bohemia, the name of a region and formerly a kingdom in central Europe + -icus.

==========

It was never Cal's intention to live a bohemic lifestyle. Looking back, he felt, "it just happened."

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 3:17 pm Bohemic
Bohemia appeared in much music and songs, amongst others very notably Charles Aznavour
(https://youtu.be/hWLc0J52b2I).

And of course the older opera La Bohème (Puccini et al. https://youtu.be/H_1OtRt0_ho?t=153)
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

destrier

Pronunciation
destrier
/ˈdɛstrɪə/ /dɛˈstriːə/
noun
A medieval knight's warhorse.

Origin
Middle English from Old French, based on Latin dextera ‘the right hand’, from dexter ‘on the right’ (because the squire led the knight's horse with his right hand).

==========

The medieval knight was expected to provide his own equipage, a destrier warhorse, at least a palfrey for his squire and a packhorse for necessities.

Image

[In spite of the illustration, there is no evidence that knights actually wore their armor or carried a long jousting lance while on the way to the ground where a battle would take place.]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

twinkle-toed

Pronunciation /ˈtwɪŋk(ə)ltəʊd/
adjective
informal
Nimble and quick on one's feet.

==========

Nobody ever described Bob as being twinkle-toed.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

gestalt

Pronunciation
/ɡəˈʃtɑːlt/ /ɡəˈʃtalt/
noun
Psychology
An organized whole that is perceived as more than the sum of its parts.

Origin
1920s from German Gestalt, literally ‘form, shape’.

==========

In a flash of recognition, a moment of gestalt, Joe realized he had met her long ago.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

barrier

Pronunciation /ˈbarɪə/
noun
1 A fence or other obstacle that prevents movement or access.
1.1 British A gate at a car park or railway station that controls access by being raised or lowered.
1.2 A circumstance or obstacle that keeps people or things apart or prevents communication or progress.

Origin
Late Middle English (denoting a palisade or fortification defending an entrance): from Old French barriere, of unknown origin; related to barre.

==========

Keeping high speed traffic on major highways safely separated is the job of carefully designed concrete barriers.

Image

Today's word comes as part of an attempt at wordplay:

Image

These barriers were once poured in place, but because they were also found to be very effective in temporary installations, they have been mostly implemented as linked, portable, modules during major highway construction or repair. They are known as K-Rail barriers and Jersey Barriers, though I'm told by a resident of New Jersey, USA, that she has only heard "Jersey barriers" outside of New Jersey. In the UK, these are called concrete step barriers.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Mon Oct 18, 2021 8:55 am barrier
Sometimes to remove a barrier, you need a barrister ... Image
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

summon

Pronunciation /ˈsʌmən/
verb
[with object]
1 Order (someone) to be present.
1.1 Authoritatively call on (someone) to be present as a defendant or witness in a law court.
1.2 Urgently demand (help)
1.3 Call people to attend (a meeting)
2 Make an effort to produce (a particular quality or reaction) from within oneself.
2.1 summon something up Call an image to mind.

Origin
Middle English from Old French somondre, from Latin summonere ‘give a hint’, later ‘call, summon’, from sub- ‘secretly’ + monere ‘warn’.

==========

Lexico proffered "propitious" today,
And, while that might seem to be okay.
After all is said and done,
With that word we've long since had our fun.

So off we go to find some other.
Summon courage; all fear, please smother.
Take good advice from your dear mother.
"Bob, go off and ask your brother!"

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Tue Oct 19, 2021 9:02 am summon
Sometimes to remove a barrier, you need to summon a barrister ... Image Image
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

Algot Runeman wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 8:09 am destrier

Pronunciation
destrier
/ˈdɛstrɪə/ /dɛˈstriːə/
noun
A medieval knight's warhorse.

Origin
Middle English from Old French, based on Latin dextera ‘the right hand’, from dexter ‘on the right’ (because the squire led the knight's horse with his right hand).

==========
(....)
Emphasis mine.

According to this website
http://www.ferdelance.be/articles/cheval.html (sorry, in French) the reason is different.

The "destrier" horse himself is "right-handed" or rather "right foreleg-ged"
Gallop is asymmetric. At each step, the foreleg that hits the ground ahead of the other one is always the same. In order to fight more effectively (in the case, of course, of two right-handed riders) it was found out that the horse had to hit the ground with the right foreleg ahead of the left one. Hence you wanted the horse to be "destrier", old french for "droitier"="right-handed". War horses were trained to gallop in that way.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

voralfred wrote: Wed Oct 20, 2021 4:20 am
Algot Runeman wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 8:09 am destrier
...
The "destrier" horse himself is "right-handed" or rather "right foreleg-ged"
...
Hey, interesting!

Now with a very tenuous connection to the WotD:

There's an old (older than I) Western movie starring Marlene Dietrich and James Stewart.
It's title is : "Destry Rides Again".

Was at least one of the screen play writers French Canadian, and thinking of destrier when he wrote that title?
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

boggle

Pronunciation /ˈbɒɡ(ə)l/ verb [no object]
1 informal (of a person or their mind) be astonished or baffled when trying to imagine something.
1.1 with object Cause (a person or their mind) to be astonished.
1.2 boggle at(of a person) hesitate to do or accept.

Origin
Late 16th century probably of dialect origin and related to bogle and bogey.

==========

While it may boggle your mind, Bob was not frightened by the prospect of seeing the junior ghosts, ghouls, bogles and vampires who appeared at his door each Halloween.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

It always boggles my mind that Algot is able to find an idea for an interesting sentence for each and every WOTD.
Usually I need several ones to get an idea. This post is rather exceptional for me.
To say nothing of the dog* errr... pumpkin emmm... illustration.

* : In reference to the famous book "Three men in a thread", by Algot A. Francis


Edit : I had to summon (meaning 2) a lot of effort from my brain for this result.
Errrr... emmm... Missed again !


* : Reference to the famous book "Three men in a thread", by Algot A. Francis
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

voralfred wrote: Thu Oct 21, 2021 1:23 am It always boggles my mind that Algot is able to find an idea for an interesting sentence for each and every WOTD.
Sometimes

It takes several tries
With no lack of little lies
To convince you all
That the effort's small.

Throughout most of my days
Words bounce in mind haze
Making it easy to graze
To form little silly plays.

As a matter of course
A destrier's a horse
With a weighted knight astride
Just out for an afternoon's ride.

More often than not
The gait is a trot
From that we get jostled
Keeping words from getting fossiled.

[Thanks, voralfred, for your kind words. I suspect that a cluttered mind, one prone to rhyming and puns, is a significant factor in the process of doing a sample sentence. The other conclusion I've drawn is that (aside from the chiding about duplicate words) the WotD community is very supportive, and has been from long before I yanked the warhorse's reins away from those who presented words for us before me. The dedicated participants here exhibit a strong, playful bent. The process is like a brainstorming session on steroids. The feedback is positive. No idea is turned aside offhandedly.]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

ambrosia

Pronunciation /amˈbrəʊzɪə/
noun
mass noun
1 Greek Mythology Roman Mythology
The food of the gods.
1.1 Something very pleasing to taste or smell.
2 A fungal product used as food by ambrosia beetles.
3 Another term for bee bread

Origin
Mid 16th century via Latin from Greek, ‘elixir of life’, from ambrotos ‘immortal’.

==========

If humans are made in the image of our deities, then, judging from the preferences of school-age children, at least, ambrosia, food of the gods, must be pizza.

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In my old age, I've moved on to a tasty ice cream sundae.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

saleratus

Pronunciation /ˌsaləˈreɪtəs/
noun
mass noun dated US
Sodium bicarbonate

Origin
Mid 19th century from modern Latin sal aeratus ‘aerated salt’.

==========

Ben put his box of saleratus in the refrigerator because his mother had done so. He really didn't ask why.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

insinuendo

Pronunciation /ɪnˌsɪnjʊˈɛndəʊ/
noun plural noun insinuendos
informal, mainly humorous
another term for insinuation

Origin
Late 19th century blend of insinuation and innuendo.

==========

Alec dropped so many lame insinuendos about Mark at the party that, by the end, everyone congratulated Mark for keeping so much of Alec's attention.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

sepulchral

Pronunciation /sɪˈpʌlkr(ə)l/
adjective
1 Relating to a tomb or interment.
1.1 Gloomy; dismal.

Origin
Early 17th century from French sépulchral or Latin sepulchralis, from sepulcrum (see sepulchre).

==========

*Sunny*

There was very little room
To stand within the gloom
Of shadow by the tomb
'Cause it was almost noon.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Sun Oct 24, 2021 8:40 am sepulchral
Vincent Price made his voice almost *look* sepulchral too, and that on demand.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

indemnity

Pronunciation /ɪnˈdɛmnɪti/
noun indemnities
mass noun
1 Security or protection against a loss or other financial burden.
1.1 Security against or exemption from legal liability for one's actions.
1.2 count noun A sum of money paid as compensation, especially one paid by a country defeated in war as a condition of peace.

Origin
Late Middle English from French indemnite, from late Latin indemnitas, from indemnis ‘unhurt, free from loss’.

==========

Insurance is an ordinary person's indemnity against disaster. In practice, few are made whole.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

tractable

Pronunciation /ˈtraktəb(ə)l/
adjective
1 (of a person) easy to control or influence.
1.1 (of a situation or problem) easy to deal with.

Origin
Early 16th century from Latin tractabilis, from tractare ‘to handle’ (see tractate).

==========

I appreciate all the efforts made to make algebra tractable for me. Those efforts were applied too early for me. Time, and mental maturity, was the eventual cure.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

stroppy

Pronunciation /ˈstrɒpi/
adjective, stroppier, stroppiest
informal British
Bad-tempered and argumentative.

Origin
1950s perhaps an abbreviation of obstreperous.

=========

Stan is severely stroppy
When his staff's work is sloppy.
But his temper doesn't improve their work.
They all just think that he's a jerk.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

autumnal

Pronunciation /ɔːˈtʌmn(ə)l/
adjective
Of, characteristic of, or occurring in autumn.

Origin
Late 16th century from Latin autumnalis, from autumnus ‘autumn’.

==========

Autumnal Musings

Is there a significant reason
For each and every season?
Or is it simply for variety,
So each of us gets some pleasin?

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

monstrosity

Pronunciation /mɒnˈstrɒsɪti/
noun plural noun monstrosities
1 A thing, especially a building, which is very large and unsightly.
1.1 A grossly malformed animal or plant.
2 A thing which is outrageously evil or wrong.
3 mass noun The state or fact of being monstrous.

Origin
Mid 16th century (denoting an abnormality of growth): from late Latin monstrositas, from Latin monstrosus (see monstrous).

==========

Mounting massive machination, Mark managed to manufacture a mechanical monstrosity.
(It was, perhaps, monstrous like this very sentence!)

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