The Internet Book Database of Fiction

E Pericoloso Sporgersi wrote: ↑Sat Jan 21, 2023 4:23 pm
What does an accomplice accomplish?

I often wonder, are you my accomplice, or am I yours?

(short) shrift

noun
1 barely adequate time for confession before execution
2a little or no attention or consideration
2b quick work - usually used in the phrase make short shrift of

-==0==-

Confession

My at-bats are always swift.
Of me, the pitchers make short shrift.
Because I lack any kind of hitting gift,
Every time at bat, three throws, three strikes, all whiffed.

discrete

adjective
dis·​crete di-ˈskrēt ˈdis-ˌ
1 constituting a separate entity : individually distinct
2a consisting of distinct or unconnected elements : noncontinuous
2b taking on or having a finite or countably infinite number of values

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It is interesting, no matter how close they might seem, discrete is separated from and not the same as having discretion, good judgement.

excuse

verb
ex·​cuse ik-ˈskyüz imperatively often ˈskyüz
excused; excusing
transitive verb
1a to make apology for
1b to try to remove blame from
2 to forgive entirely or disregard as of trivial import : regard as excusable
3a to grant exemption or release to
3b to allow to leave
4 to serve as excuse for : justify
noun
ex·​cuse ik-ˈskyüs
1 the act of excusing
2a something offered as justification or as grounds for being excused
2b excuses plural : an expression of regret for failure to do something
2c a note of explanation of an absence
3 justification, reason

-==0==-

Please excuse me. This is it. I have no further excuse.

Algot Runeman wrote: ↑Wed Jan 25, 2023 4:06 pm excuse

To find a reasonable excuse
I wracked my brain.
But it was all in vain,
He stuck the needle in a vein.

wangle

verb
wan·​gle ˈwaŋ-gəl
wangled; wangling ˈwaŋ-g(ə-)liŋ
intransitive verb
to resort to trickery or devious methods
transitive verb
1 to adjust or manipulate for personal or fraudulent ends
2 to make or get by devious means : finagle

-==0==-

Con artists wangle.
Good faith, they mangle.
They always have an angle
For the offers that they dangle.

doctrinaire

adjective
doc·​tri·​naire ˌdäk-trə-ˈner
stubbornly or excessively devoted to a doctrine or theory without regard to practical considerations
doctrinairism
ˌdäk-trə-ˈner-ˌi-zəm
noun
noun
one who attempts to put into effect an abstract doctrine or theory with little or no regard for practical difficulties

-==0==-

As a cost saving measure,
For the whole world's seating pleasure,
I plan to develop a two legged chair.
Now don't you fret; I'm no doctrinaire.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it!"

rubric

noun
ru·​bric ˈrü-brik -ˌbrik
1a an authoritative rule
especially : a rule for conduct of a liturgical service
1b(1) name, title
specifically : the title of a statute
1b(2) something under which a thing is classed : category
1c an explanatory or introductory commentary : gloss
specifically : an editorial interpolation
2 a heading of a part of a book or manuscript done or underlined in a color (such as red) different from the rest
3 an established rule, tradition, or custom
4 a guide listing specific criteria for grading or scoring academic papers, projects, or tests

-==0==-

Five, Seven, Five: For All Seasons

There's a rubric for a haiku
Which tells exactly what to do.
It is simple in its form,
Making it easy to conform.
But simple as it seems,
There's scope to share our dreams.

Algot Runeman wrote: ↑Sun Jan 29, 2023 11:12 am rubric

I used to be able to solve Rubric's cube without cheating.
But it's so long ago that now I've forgotten how.

adapt

verb
ə-ˈdapt a-
adapted; adapting; adapts
transitive verb
to make fit (as for a new use) often by modification
intransitive verb
to become adapted

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In a changing world, one benefits from being adept at adapting by adopting different habits.

savant

noun
sa·​vant sa-ˈvänt sə-, -ˈväⁿ; sə-ˈvant, ˈsa-vənt
1 a person of learning
especially : one with detailed knowledge in some specialized field (as of science or literature)
2 a person affected with a developmental disorder (such as autism or intellectual disability) who exhibits exceptional skill or brilliance in some limited field (such as mathematics or music)
especially : autistic savant

-==0==-

As I do not qualify as a savant in any field, I will not try to explain the usefulness of this word.

Algot Runeman wrote: ↑Tue Jan 31, 2023 6:10 pm savant

There's little savantage in washing a savant, except for getting a clean savant.

hare

verb
hared; haring
intransitive verb
to go swiftly

-==0==-

In my daily chase
It's a hectic pace
New things keep snaring
And I go off haring.



(Routines are good, but only if you focus enough to do them.)

challah

noun
chal·​lah ˈḵä-lə ˈhä-
variants or less commonly challa or hallah
plural challoth or challot ˈḵä-ˌlōt -ˌlōth, -ˌlōs, ˈhä-
or challahs also challas ˈḵä-ləz ˈhä-
or halloth or hallot ˈḵä-ˌlōt -ˌlōth, -ˌlōs, ˈhä-
or hallahs ˈḵä-ləz ˈhä-
egg-rich yeast-leavened bread that is usually braided or twisted before baking and is traditionally eaten by Jews on the Sabbath and holidays

-==0==-

If hunger makes you your stomach feel hollah
Fill yourself up with a chunk of challah.
No need for a knife; just tear it instead.
That's why it is called "breaking bread".

Algot Runeman wrote: ↑Fri Feb 03, 2023 10:00 am challah

Who knows whether King T'Challa liked challah?

scrutinize

verb
scru·​ti·​nize ˈskrü-tə-ˌnīz
scrutinized; scrutinizing
transitive verb
to examine closely and minutely

-==0==-

Puzzles are designed so you need to carefully scrutinize the parts to figure out how they fit together (in some cases, it's how they come apart).

weal

ˈwēl
1 a sound, healthy, or prosperous state : well-being
2 obsolete : body politic, commonweal

-==0==-

Okay, friends, so here's the deal,
And for me it has great appeal.
We all want to achieve a weal
That we can approve with an official seal.

laden

adjective
lad·​en ˈlā-dᵊn
carrying a load or burden

-==0==-

Louise lifted the laden ladle,
Loading a bowl to put on the table.
It was the last
So she did it fast
To avoid letting it chill
And she still didn't spill.



[It was pleasing to see that ladle and laden were related words. It probably was something I had assumed in the very back of my mind, but it was good to get confirmation.]

flair

noun
ˈfler
1 a skill or instinctive ability to appreciate or make good use of something : talent
also : inclination, tendency
2 a uniquely attractive quality : style

-==0==-

Public Poet

Though I really have no flair
I'm still quite glad to share
Out here in a public square;
Not that you need to care.


[He's really holding that flare with some flair!]

trajectory

noun
tra·​jec·​to·​ry trə-ˈjek-t(ə-)rē
plural trajectories
1 the curve that a body (such as a planet or comet in its orbit or a rocket) describes in space
2 a path, progression, or line of development resembling a physical trajectory

-==0==-

Some see life as having a trajectory,
An arc from birth to an ultimate destiny.
But if we look closely, having enough nerve,
We notice life's path will twist and swerve.

besotted

adjective
be·​sot·​ted bi-ˈsä-təd bē-
1 blindly or utterly infatuated
2 intoxicated or stupefied especially with drink

-==0==-

The young lovers were besotted,
So quickly they got knotted.
And after they had long been married
Their deep affection serenely tarried.



{Two days of digging trenches in my personal web page code lead to two days of overlooking the WotD responsibility. I hope the slippage/skippage will be understood. I can hope it will not be a frequent oversight.}

gambit

noun
gam·​bit ˈgam-bət
1 a chess opening in which a player risks one or more pawns or a minor piece to gain an advantage in position
2a(1) a remark intended to start a conversation or make a telling point
2a(2) topic
2b a calculated move : stratagem

-==0==-

A word posted here each day
Gives us each a chance to play.
It's an opening sort of gambit,
But may take too much time, dammit!

high-flown

adjective
ˈhī-ˈflōn
1 exceedingly or excessively high or favorable
2 having an excessively embellished or inflated character : pretentious

After planning to share magniloquent
It should be expected I would repent,
As mavens of these words resent
When high-flown words we re-present.

So hark ye now as we devise
A similar word, to no surprise.
You still may want accuse me, see,
Of being highfalutin. Well, excuse me!

And if you wish to seem aghast,
Remember, I'm just having a blast
Filling up these posts quite fast
With lots of puffed up, arcane bombast.

impromptu

adjective
im·​promp·​tu im-ˈpräm(p)-(ˌ)tü -(ˌ)tyü
1 made, done, or formed on or as if on the spur of the moment : improvised
2 composed or uttered without previous preparation : extemporaneous
impromptu adverb
noun
1 something that is impromptu
2 a musical composition suggesting improvisation

-==0==-

Impromptu

If you think this rhyme is rough,
To you, it must seem off-the-cuff,
Completely filled with silly stuff,
Then, by now, you've had enough.

Doo, wah - doo, wah - doo, wah...

But, while it came out in a dash,
There's still a chance it'll make a splash,
And become a soaring, instant smash,
While making me a ton of cash!

Doo, wah - doo, wah - doo, wah...

There's nothing here but frippery.
My grasp on sense is slippery.
The final judgement's going to be
I've lost my grip, whoo-eee!



[Apologies to the eager WotD readers for the impromptu break for the recent days. Focus was elsewhere.]

cleave

verb (1)
ˈklēv cleaved ˈklēvd or clove ˈklōv also clave ˈklāv; cleaved; cleaving
intransitive verb
to adhere firmly and closely or loyally and unwaveringly

cleave verb (2)
cleaved ˈklēvd
also cleft ˈkleft or clove ˈklōv; cleaved also cleft or cloven ˈklō-vən; cleaving
transitive verb
1 to divide by or as if by a cutting blow : split
2 to separate into distinct parts and especially into groups having divergent views
3 to subject to chemical cleavage
intransitive verb
1 to split especially along the grain
2 to penetrate or pass through something by or as if by cutting

Source: https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cleave

-==0==-

When, over time, words divide,
And have two meanings found inside,
They sure do feel broken,
And seem too often misspoken.

As a result, I grieve
When I hear them say "cleave".
It makes want to hurl,
As down the drain I swirl.

I don't know if they mean hold tight,
Or that I should run away in fright.
Should I, right beside them, sit,
Or decide it is time to split?