GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

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voralfred
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

E Pericoloso Sporgersi wrote:Are you sure that the person who coined the word Linux, wasn't, at the time, avidly reading Charles M. Schulz's Peanuts. (...)
Probably not, very few people are in a position to choose their first names.... but it is a good guess that his parents were :D
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

Snow

1. precipitation falling from clouds in the form of ice crystals
2. bamboozle: conceal one's true motives from especially by elaborately feigning good intentions so as to gain an end; "He bamboozled his professors into thinking that he knew the subject well"

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Image
Image
Since this photo, snow cleared from the parking lots has added to this pile, and the lamp to the rear on the right has been totally covered. The other post visible is now mostly covered, too. This annual pile melts as spring progresses, usually gone by May. I'm predicting we'll get to July before it is all gone.

In the time since the last post here on WotD, my beloved New England has been the recipient of twice weekly storms.
The storms have been variously 18 inches, 6 inches, 20 inches, 10 inches, 7 inches, etc. There have been roof collapses of businesses, garages, schools, and one major mall (not the kind in Washington, D.C. between the Capitol and the Lincoln Memorial) was closed when roof beams were seen to sag.

As a change, very pleasing for most residents, this week is predicted to have days of around 50 degrees (10 Celsius).

I have read that the native tribes of the extreme north, Inuit, Eskimo (Esquimaux), etc., have many different words for snow.

I would like to ascribe one adjective: heavy.
The individual flakes, hexagonal gems that they may be, are light. Their massive accumulation spreads white beauty on tree branches, lawns and the like. Then, as the dawn demands us to exit the dens of our modern caves, we step out to deal with the flakes by the shovelful.

In spite of the tone of this entry, I will state clearly: I love to shovel snow. Really! There is a great feeling in my shoulders, back and thighs while I methodically bend, extend, lift and toss the snow from my driveway and sidewalk. When I am done, I can look back and see the accomplishment.

Just for fun, if you have not seen it, you might like the story of "Snowflake" Bentley of Vermont, USA.
http://publicdomainreview.okfn.org/2011 ... f-vermont/
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by MidasKnight »

It was 70 and sunny for the past two weeks here (up until Monday). Boooooring.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

MidasKnight wrote:It was 70 and sunny for the past two weeks here (up until Monday). Boooooring.
I read a book about being a meteorologist. The author learned his trade at a California school. He suggested that it was pathetically easy to forecast California weather and wanted the challenge of places like New England where the saying is, "If you don't like the weather, wait a minute." Rarely boring. :D
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by MidasKnight »

Yes, I lived in Arkansas for 5 years and Kansas for nearly 10 years. We had that saying also.

... and in California, they call that low distance rumble sound "thunder."

... if they only knew ...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

Disparage

express a negative opinion of; "She disparaged her student's efforts"

Image
image in the public domain http://www.openclipart.org/detail/26659

------------------------------

I cannot help myself.
When I hear the word meteorologist, I either think "one who studies meteors" or "meaty urologist". Sorry about that weather professionals and amateurs out there. :slap:
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by MidasKnight »

ROFLMAO @ meaty urologist


:clap: :thumb:
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GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

Abnegate

1 deny: deny oneself (something); restrain, especially from indulging in some pleasure; "She denied herself wine and spirits"
2 surrender (power or a position); "The King abnegated his power to the ministers"
3 deny or renounce; "They abnegated their gods"

---------------------------------

Is it better to abnegate one's pleasure at playing with words or to abrogate the responsibility to participate?
Better, I think to advocate for getting plenty to participate for which purpose we might negotiate.
What magic slate should we offer as a ploy to integrate the wordly great and instigate a full plate or verbal spate?
Never say, friends, "It is too late."
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

Abaculus

single piece of a mosaic, one "tile"

[see also tessera]

"I was but an abaculus in an enormous politicomilitary mosiaic." Fitzhugh in The Eternity Artifact by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

Image --> Image
images drawn from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:St.pe ... up.arp.jpg licensed in the public domain.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

falcate

curved like a sickle; hooked

Image
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... indust.jpg

Image
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... ,japan.JPG

Image
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... Frucht.jpg

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( , ) Punctuation participates symbolically.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

adipose

animal fat stored in the tissue of the body; of, related to, or composed of fat; fatty

Image
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Beef_suet-01.jpg Creative Commons license: CC-BY-SA

Image
[image by user:yukariryu on Flickr.com] Creative Commons license: CC-BY-SA

------------------------------------------

I decided to add a pose of this cat to clarify the meaning of adipose. Could possibly have taken a photo of my own belly, but I've moved on from college era navel gazing (all those philosophy courses, you know).
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by rpschmitz »

Despite it's heft and bulk, the cat has beautiful green eyes.

My parents used to have a beagle that was as overweight (or more) as that cat you posted. Now, they have a bunch of cats (twenty or so) that are so well fed that male and female alike look pregnant... :slap:
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

rpschmitz wrote:Despite it's heft and bulk, the cat has beautiful green eyes.
Glad to see your post,rpschmitz, now how about adding a phrase, sentence, paragraph, short story into which you gently insert (or even forcibly jam) the word of the day?
:banana:
"I'm inclined to adipose layers. They do a good job of substituting for sweaters in the winter."
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

mixen

dungheap, pile of the manure/hay mix removed from animal stalls

Image
Photo derived from the original by Richard Web http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1192286 Creative Commons license cc-by

This is the word for "Frivolous Friday". Some Fridays may be less frivolous, but once in a while...
Focus on your verbal follies, friends. Foist your phrases upon us, folks.
Fantasize freely, fellow word followers.

------------------------------------------

The cheerful vixen mucked out the stall and carted the load to the mixen.
When she saw the man, tall in his saddle, she stalled by the stall, clearly in thrall.
He gave her a grin, clearly thinking of sin.
Then the smith came from his furnace carrying the big hammer and everything cooled down under his stern gaze.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by rpschmitz »

The odor from the mixen heap was intolerable. Jack stifled a gag. The aroma was so strong he wanted to vomit, but he hated vomiting. Regurgitation was something reserved for the flu, panic attacks, and bulimia: and Jack had none of these problems.

"Just take a deep breath, relax," said Jack to himself. People around him looked at him like he was crazy for talking to himself. It didn't matter: that's what worked to calm his heart. "Everything is alright."

"Hey, Jack!" He almost jumped out of his pants. "What ya doin' with all that mixen all over you?"

"What the Hell you talkin' about?" He replied, irritated by the implication. "How do you know that word, anyway?" He was baffled. Americans are so illiterate now days: he was absolutely amazed that someone would actual know what mixen meant.

"Like you're covered in crap like a midden heap: the words are related, you know." Mixen, midden--of course!

"Well, you may be correct. But you are an amalgamation of all the people I hate: and tell ME what that means!"

(Tried to follow your orders and write a bit of a story...) :mrgreen:
Last edited by rpschmitz on Sat Feb 26, 2011 11:45 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

rpschmitz wrote: (Tried to follow your orders and write a bit of a story...) :mrgreen:
Hut, two, three, four!
About face.

Now for your next task...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

tapis

a cloth hanging or cover
[archaic term]
diminutive form of the more current term tapestry
formerly, the cover of a council table

Image
Photo credit Kenneth Allen http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1468913 Creative Commons cc-by
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by rpschmitz »

"What a fine tapis, you have," I replied, conversationally. "I've never seen one quite like it?"

"Tapas?" Arlene was baffled by the word. "Spanish appetizers?" Which sounded good, by the way. A few tapas and some beer would go down quite nice.

"No, tapis, which I think is the root for tapestry."

"Well, then why did't you say so?" She squinted her eyes--hazel eyes--and shook her head. Her blond hair flopped about ungracefully. She was quite pretty but her hair was an unmanageable mess. "You and your obscure words..." She laughed: a high-pitched annoying sound I could well do without. I would rather have an appendectomy than hear that sound more often than necessary.

"I'm trying to expand your mind to the vast extent of the English language," I replied. I gave my best smile, trying to woo her with my eyes.

She blushed, smiling...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Artificial snow competes with the LHC.
Below 1800 meters there was quite a lack of natural snow in the western French Alps during my ski holiday. The compacted artificial snow made the runs rock-hard and dangerously icy. Many people had a hard time controlling their speed. Collisions were frequent, as if CERN had a kind of uncollimated Large Human Collider for randomised individuals, east of Geneva.
I got away unscathed but, ironically, I sprained two fingers and a couple of ribs on the way home. You can guess which (smelly) expletive I vented.
Image

Grandma breathed through her mouth.
From October 1944 to March 1945 Antwerp was targeted by V-1 and V-2 missiles.
Image
My paternal grandparents, my parents and I (4 months old) fled to Schaltin (a village in the Ardennes) where we stayed on a farm run by distant relatives. Just in time to meet the fringe of the Battle of the Bulge.
To earn their keep, my family helped around the farm as much as possible.
My grandma, born and bred a city-girl, had no training or experience whatsoever about crops or livestock. So grandma, not wanting to shirk any chores nor shunning smelly jobs like changing my diapers, took charge of all babies' diapers and the farm's midden too.
It didn't take the farmers long to nickname her the Mixen Queen.
Grandma didn't feel disparaged. Her female adipose being less excessive and better distributed than most farmers' wives', she kept a stiff upper lip and breathed through her mouth.

tapis
If I didn't know French, I would suggest it's texting short for tapir's piss.

Nice take-over, Algot.
A change in style to avoid monotony is very welcome. It feels like a fresh fart wind blowing through this thread.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

centurian

commander of a 100-man group of soldiers (a century) in ancient Rome

Image
Image Credit: World of Oddy on flickr http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/2.0/

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Tony, the centurion, only stood guard three times a year. He rotated the duty through his hundred men, generally. During a busy battle season, of course, the high troop attrition demanded that the duty rotate faster. Tony stood guard three times a year, even then, and never the midnight shift. To be honest, the troop attrition was caused mainly by Tony, who could only manage to form his century into a skewed parallelogram instead of the typical solid square formation.

[Did you know that a mile was once defined as the distance covered by 1000 double paces of a Roman solider? A double pace would be measured from the heal of one right footprint to the next print of the right foot.]

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EPS, I grimace at the sight of your hand(made) "results" from the LHC experience while skiing. Just how closely were you able to examine the snow.

My last skiing experience resulted in a very close look and a seriously wrenched knee. It also happened that I suffered appendicitis just the following week from my muddy spring skiing crash. The knee and an operation made me decide to stop for the year, and we never went back, as it turns out. I'm fine now. It was years ago, back when Head was a big deal in ski brands with their early experiments with a Teflon™-like substitute for wax.
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rpschmitz, nice tapis dance with the laughing girl.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by rpschmitz »

Not to be insulting, but according to my reading of Roman history, a century of soldiers (which should have been one hundred) was actually eighty men... :roll:

I also have a problem with the word: decimate. I read books where authors use the word like almost everyone was slaughtered. But "decimated" means that one in ten was killed. So if you had a force of one thousand: one hundred would die, leaving you with nine hundred.

It was actually a punishment (decimation) to legions that failed. Out of a whole Legion, one out of every ten men was chosen for execution and their fellow soldiers had to kill them--it was punishment. Basically: win--or you might be (randomly) decimated next. Glad we don't live in Roman times anymore...
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

rpschmitz wrote:Not to be insulting, but according to my reading of Roman history, a century of soldiers (which should have been one hundred) was actually eighty men... :roll:
You cannot succeed in insulting me. I'm always making misteaks mistakes. Sometimes I even correct them.

Maybe the ancient Romans had difficulty keeping their centuries up to the verbal norm, or perhaps they just couldn't count above 80 and decided to round off. I only took first year Latin in high school. Reading about Caesar's marches wasn't done until second year Latin.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

cochlea

the spiral cavity of the inner ear where vibrations turn to nerve impulses

Image
Image Credit MIT Open Courseware http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by- ... .0/deed.en

-------------------------------------------

As I listen on headphones to the old song "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys (I know, it isn't "today", but do you really want me to listen to "Hey Soul Sister" again?) my semi-reliable cochlea translates the vibrations into nerve pulses. When I listen to people talk, the job isn't done so well. Going deaf gradually.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote:... my semi-reliable cochlea translates the vibrations into nerve pulses. When I listen to people talk, the job isn't done so well. Going deaf gradually.
Ah, yes.
Lately I've noticed that I can't turn women UP or DOWN, but only ON of OFF.
I wonder why? Are my cochleae to blame?
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

harissa

sauce used in North African cooking; includes, chili pepper, paprika and olive oil

Too muchImage leads to Image
Photo Credit derived from Wikimedia user TVR
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: ... ollien.jpg
license: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.5/deed.en

Harissa image: derived from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Haris ... nisie_.JPG
Wikimedia Commons user Skandour
License: Creative Commons Attribution Share-Alike (cc-by-sa) http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en

------------------------------------------------------

So, okay, the picture doesn't actually illustrate the harissa itself, but how exciting would a photo of bowl of sauce be?
Well, after huge pressure, I've actually conceded and have added a picture of a can of the stuff. I'm still holding out against a bowl, though.
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