GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

computeracy

Pronunciation /kəmˈpjuːt(ə)rəsi/
noun
Knowledge of or skill in using computers; the quality or state of being computerate.

Origin
1960s; earliest use found in The Times. Either from computer + -acy, after literacy, or a blend of computer and literacy.

==========

There is a sense that young people are computerate. It's like suggesting that eating food means you are a good cook, or driving a car means you are a mechanic. Temper your expectations.

[Algot Runeman]

doddering

Pronunciation /ˈdɒdərɪŋ/
adjective
Moving in a feeble or unsteady way, especially because of old age.

=========

Bob attempted soldering
His dear old cherished claddagh ring
But he didn't do so well,
And muttered, "What the hell!"
Deciding he was too doddering.

[voralfred]

Is (E in italian) trying to embus while doddering more dangerous (Pericoloso in italian) than leaning out (Sporgersi in italian) of windows of a train ?
A sufficient amount of computeracy might allow to find statistics on the Internet, analyse them and solve this riddle...

[Algot Runeman]

grumble

Pronunciation /ˈɡrʌmb(ə)l/
verb
1 reporting verb Complain about something in a bad-tempered way.
with direct speech ‘‘I'm getting old,’ she grumbled’
2 no object Make a low rumbling sound.
3 no object (of an internal organ) give intermittent discomfort.
noun
1 A complaint.
2 A low rumbling sound.

Origin
Late 16th century from obsolete grumme (probably of Germanic origin and related to Dutch grommen) + -le.

==========

Red preferred to grouse than to grumble,
And to speak clearly, not to mumble.
One might never expect him to stumble,
And would not call him humble.

[Algot Runeman]

incapacitate

Pronunciation /ˌɪnkəˈpasɪteɪt/
verb
[with object]
1 Prevent from functioning in a normal way.
1.1 Law Deprive (someone) of their legal capacity.

Origin
Mid 17th century from incapacity+ -ate.

==========

In the USA, outside of a city, we are incapacitated when we are without a car.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

incapacitate

Maybe years ago you could experience such incapacity, but I'm sure no more with the rise of the cell phone and Uber.

Except perhaps in the "Heart of Texas" or down in the Grand Canyon?

[Algot Runeman]

kirtle

Pronunciation /ˈkəːt(ə)l/
noun
1 archaic A woman's gown or outer petticoat.
1.1 A man's tunic or coat.

Origin
Old English cyrtel, of Germanic origin, probably based on Latin curtus ‘short’.

==========

In 2021, kirtles and cardigans have largely been replaced by hoodies.

[Algot Runeman]

fantasize

(British fantasise)
Pronunciation /ˈfantəsʌɪz/
verb
[no object]
1 Indulge in daydreaming about something desired.
1.1 with object Imagine (something that one wants to happen)

===========

I must object, indeed reject,
If I can't reflect, or e'en detect,
In any respect, or carefully inspect
The object about which I fantasize.

[Algot Runeman]

precept

Pronunciation /ˈpriːsɛpt/
noun
1 A general rule intended to regulate behavior or thought.
2 A writ or warrant.
3 British An order issued by one local authority to another specifying the rate of tax to be charged on its behalf.
3.1 A rate or tax set by a precept.

Origin
Late Middle English from Latin praeceptum, neuter past participle of praecipere ‘warn, instruct’, from prae ‘before’ + capere ‘take’.

==========

*No Allowance to Reflect*

Because of pesky precepts
There are things one just accepts
From authorities you must respect,
And to whose words you can't object.

[Algot Runeman]

pipsqueak

Pronunciation /ˈpɪpskwiːk/
noun
informal
A person considered to be insignificant, especially because they are small or young.

Origin

Early 20th century symbolic and imitative.
==========

Bob, too, was once young, but he was never slim, so he might have been called a whippersnapper, but not a pipsqueak, stripling or squirt.



[Today's word is not randomly chosen. Last night, the baseball pitcher of the Toronto Bluejays who was charged with the loss to my home team, the Red Sox, was named Stripling. To his misfortune, the Red Sox batters battered him severely in the very first inning of the game, perhaps treating him as a "mere stripling". Since ghost, long ago, latched onto stripling, today's word is, hopefully, an acceptable substitute.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

pipsqueak

Is the word squeamish somehow related to pipsqueak?

[Algot Runeman]

Is the word squeamish somehow related to pipsqueak?

A quick look at https://www.etymonline.com/ for both words does not suggest any connection.
Perhaps a professional word history person will stumble across this question and reply.

*holding my breath (not)*

[Algot Runeman]

telepath

Pronunciation /ˈtɛlɪpaθ/
noun
A person with the ability to use telepathy.

Origin
Late 19th century (as a verb, meaning ‘to use telepathy’): back-formation from telepathy.

==========

Tim and Tom were so in sync that everyone thought they were telepaths.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

telepath
A person with the ability to use telepathy.

Also a file's path on a remote computer.

[Algot Runeman]

lanky

Pronunciation /ˈlaŋki/
adjective lankier, lankiest
(of a person) ungracefully thin and tall.

==========

*Lean and Mean*

If you stare too hard at Frankie,
And decide to call him lanky
Then you should say it frankly.
I warn you; he could get cranky.
There's no need to thank me.

[Algot Runeman]

inquire

(British enquire)
Pronunciation /ɪnˈkwʌɪə/
verb
1 reporting verb Ask for information from someone.
no object ‘he inquired about cottages for sale’
1.1 inquire after no object Ask about the health and well-being of (someone)
1.2 inquire for no object Ask to see or speak to (someone)
2 inquire into no object Investigate; look into.

Usage
The traditional distinction between enquire and inquire is that enquire is used for general senses of ‘ask’ while inquire is reserved for uses meaning ‘make a formal investigation’. In practice, however, there is little discernible distinction in the way the words are used today. Inquire is the usual form in US English, with enquire being mainly restricted to British English

Origin
Middle English enquere (later inquere), from Old French enquerre, from a variant of Latin inquirere, based on quaerere ‘seek’. The spelling with in-, influenced by Latin, dates from the 15th century.

==========

Amanda inquired about the reasons behind common spelling differences between US and British English. The explanation made as much sense as you might expect. "Blame Noah Webster." - "That's the way it is!" - "Have you asked Chaucer?"

[Algot Runeman]

prioritize

(British prioritise)
Pronunciation /prʌɪˈɒrɪtʌɪz/
verb
[with object]
1 Designate or treat (something) as being very or most important.
1.1 Determine the order for dealing with (a series of items or tasks) according to their relative importance.

==========

Pauline prioritized preparations for the party over all else.

[voralfred]

If you inquire why I haven't been active on this thead recently, I'd answer that I had to prioritize babywalking my grand-daughter. She is no more the lanky pipsqueak she was at birth, more than twice the weight now that she is 5 1/2 months old, so this is a real physical exercise....

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... baby-walking[/b] my grand-daughter.

Until she burps?

[voralfred]

... baby-walking[/b] my grand-daughter.

Until she burps?

Yes. She swallows a lot of air together with a lot of milk....

[Algot Runeman]

habergeon

Pronunciation /ˈhabədʒ(ə)n/ /həˈbəːdʒ(ə)n/
noun
historical
A sleeveless coat of mail or scale armour.

Origin
Middle English from Old French haubergeon, from hauberc (see hauberk), originally denoting a garment protecting the neck; compare with Dutch halsberg.

==========

It would seem that the bullet proof vest is the modern incarnation of the habergeon.

[Algot Runeman]

had to prioritize babywalking my grand-daughter.

Burps or Not

It should come as no surprise
That a loving person tries,
Putting first things first: prioritize,
No matter what the grandchild's size.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... had to prioritize babywalking my grand-daughter.

One day he was forced to prioritise babywalking instead of writing,
and the thought crossed his mind "to burp or not to burp ...".

That's when Hamlet's famous one-liner was conceived.

[Algot Runeman]

clued-up

(North American clued-in)
Pronunciation /ˌkluːdˈʌp/
adjective
informal
Well informed about a particular subject.

==========

You should feel clued-up about some fine words after reading these posts for a while.

[voralfred]

And if King Duncan had worn a habergeon even while he slept, a whole tragedy would have been averted....

At that, dear fellow WOTDers, since we seem to be clued-up, when shall we three meet again ?

Why not in Tempest ?