The Internet Book Database of Fiction

cleat

Pronunciation: /kliːt/
noun
Image of cleat
1 A T-shaped piece of metal or wood on a boat or ship, to which ropes are attached.
2 Each of a number of projections on the sole of a shoe, designed to prevent the wearer losing their footing.
2.1 (cleats) North American Athletic shoes with cleats on the soles.
2.2 An attachment for the sole of a cyclist’s shoe which clips on to a pedal, keeping the foot in place while cycling and increasing the application of force to the pedal: I think more or less everyone who has used cleats has fallen off at some stage
2.3 A projecting wedge on a spar or other part of a ship, to prevent slipping.
2.4 A small wedge, especially one on a plough or scythe.

Origin
Middle English (in the sense 'wedge'): of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch kloot 'ball, sphere' and German Kloss 'clod, dumpling', also to clot and clout.

Algot Runeman wrote:cleat

It looks like a cleat is also the thingie that holds up a flag on a flagpole.

ultrasaurus

Pronunciation: /ˈʌltrəsɔːrəs/
noun
A late Jurassic dinosaur related to brachiosaurus, known from only a few bones but probably the tallest ever animal, and possibly the heaviest at up to 130 tons.
Genus Ultrasaurus, infraorder Sauropoda, order Saurischia.

Origin
Modern Latin, from Latin ultra 'beyond' + Greek sauros 'lizard'.

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Algot Runeman wrote:ultrasaurus

We're having briefs-in-crack temperatures in my region. Mister Meteo predicts a maximum of 34 C (93.2 F) in dwellings lacking airco.

With this heat I can barely lift a cold drink, let alone an Ultrasau ... Ultrasau ... sau ... Never mind.

So I'll pass this one, sorry.

amigo

Pronunciation: /əˈmiːɡəʊ/
noun (plural amigos)
North American informal
Used to address or refer to a friend, chiefly in Spanish-speaking areas: I’ll do my best. Adios, amigo

Origin
Mid 19th century: Spanish.

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Hey, amigos! Have fun on "hump day", as Wednesday is called in the U.S.



[[Amigos on horses somewhere in the U.S. west, I get that, but what about the "hump day" thing?]]

chryselephantine

Pronunciation: /ˌkrɪsɛlɪˈfantʌɪn/
adjective
(Of ancient Greek sculpture) overlaid with gold and ivory.

Origin
Early 19th century: from Greek khruselephantinos, from khrusos 'gold' + elephas, elephant- 'elephant' or 'ivory'.

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The elephant proudly carried the chryselephantine sculpture of an ancient Greek pedestrian. If he had not been so ancient, he might have walked.



[[Well, I knew that I could not look up short words to check if they have been used. Today's word was too BIG. The following words in your search query were ignored because they are too common words: chryselephantine.
You must specify at least one word to search for. Each word must consist of at least 5 characters and must not contain more than 14 characters excluding wildcards.]]

Algot Runeman wrote:chryselephantine

I emphatically refuse to apply the word chryselephantine to my grandma.

She might absolve me, if I show enough remorse, but grandpa would mercilessly dissolve me even then, and I highly prefer to stay in his good graces too.

liquorish

Pronunciation: /ˈlɪkərɪʃ/
adjective
1 archaic form of lickerish.
2 Fond of or indicating a fondness for alcoholic drink.

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Lacking luck, liquorish Larry licks his lips after frequent sips and dreams of Marilyn. (Licorice has nothing to do with this. Go ahead and eat it in moderation.)



[[Another example of a paper dictionary definition. If liquorish is lickerish is lecherous (the modern term), why not just say so up front?]]

Algot Runeman wrote:liquorish

My grandma was actually often very liquorish.

Not that she drank. Oh no! It's just that she loved cooking dishes that required the addition of a more or less strong alcoholic beverage.

As there are Canard à l'Orange (Grand Marnier), Aspic à l'Armagnac, Tournedos Rossini (Madeira), Coq au Vin (red wine), Baba au Rhum, Crèpes Flambées au Calvados, Flemish Beef Stew with Triple Trappist (or other dark beer), Ossobuco alla Milanese (dry white wine + Grappa), Mussels with Pernod (or dry white wine), Bisque de Langoustines (Cognac + white wine + Kirsch), Pork Roast Gravy (Dijon mustard + Scotch Whiskey), Capellini alla Bolognese (red wine) and many, many more.

For completeness and veracity, I must admit that I not only cook with spirits, but I also imbibe when I'm feeling liquorish.

transept

Pronunciation: /ˈtransɛpt/
/ˈtrɑːnsɛpt/
noun
(In a cross-shaped church) either of the two parts forming the arms of the cross shape, projecting at right angles from the nave: the north transept

Origin
Mid 16th century: from modern Latin transeptum (see trans-, septum).

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There was no access to the north transept. The construction crew worked as quietly as they could during the week and some of the crew even attended the service on Sunday, though, like everybody else, they sat in the pews of the nave or spread into the south transept during crowded masses.

Algot Runeman wrote:transept

When my grandma was a young woman, zebra crossings didn't exist.

But people had to cross somewhere. So they named it a transept.

In later years the English language was most inventive about it: besides zebra crossing there is toucan crossing, pelican crossing and puffin crossing.

Is there anywhere a pinguin crossing in winter, or a pregnant crossing to maternity wards?

traditional

Pronunciation: /trəˈdɪʃ(ə)n(ə)l/
adjective
1 Existing in or as part of a tradition; long-established: the traditional festivities of the Church year
More example sentences Synonyms
1.1 Produced, done, or used in accordance with tradition: a traditional fish soup
1.2 Habitually done, used, or found: the traditional drinks in the clubhouse
1.3 (Of a person or group) adhering to tradition, or to a particular tradition: traditional Elgarians
1.4 (Of jazz) in the style of the early 20th century.

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It is traditional here to write.
Something significant, never trite.
However, today, try as I might
What I've done here is really quite light.

(Traditional hymn closes the services)

Algot Runeman wrote:traditional

As had become traditional during his tenure, the bishop finished his lunch with a crunchy radish salad.

A traditional radishional, as it were.

abaya

Pronunciation: /əˈbeɪjə/
noun
A full-length, sleeveless outer garment worn by some Muslim women.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from Arabic ‘abāya.

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The sleeves were long on her abaya. She was a stunning woman. Paradise on earth awaited her husband.


Style.com

[I am not familiar with Muslim culture. If my irreverent sample sentence offends, I apologize.]

def

Pronunciation: /dɛf/
adjective
informal
Excellent: a truly def tattoo

Origin
1980s: probably an alteration of death (used in Jamaican English as an intensifier), or shortened from definitive or definite.

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He's such a def trumpet player that even my tone-deaf ear appreciates his swing.

Algot Runeman wrote:def

I guess the Democrats are at DefCon Three tonight?

bridezilla

Pronunciation: /brʌɪdˈzɪlə/
noun
informal
A woman whose behaviour in planning the details of her wedding is regarded as obsessive or intolerably demanding: I don’t want to be a bridezilla, but so far my attempts at getting people to respect my wishes aren’t working

Origin
1990s: blend of bride and Godzilla.

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My darling wife was the epitome of simplicity at our wedding. No bridezilla, she.

track 1

Top 1000 frequently used words
Pronunciation: /trak/
noun
1A rough path or road, typically one beaten by use rather than constructed: follow the track to the farm
2A prepared course or circuit for athletes, horses, motor vehicles, bicycles, or dogs to race on: a Formula One Grand Prix track
2.1 [mass noun] The sport of running on a track: the four running disciplines of track, road, country, and fell
3 (usually tracks) A mark or line of marks left by a person, animal, or vehicle in passing: he followed the tracks made by the cars in the snow
3.1 The course or route followed by someone or something (used especially in talking about their pursuit by others): I didn’t want them on my track
3.2 A course of action or line of thought: in terms of social arrangements, you are not too far off the track
4 A continuous line of rails on a railway: commuters had to leave trains to walk along the tracks [mass noun]: 130 kilometres of track
4.1 A metal or plastic strip or rail along which a curtain or spotlight may be moved.
4.2 Sailing A strip on the mast, boom, or floor of a yacht along which a slide attached to a sail can be moved, used to adjust the position of the sail.
5A recording of one song or piece of music: the CD contains early Elvis Presley tracks
Originally denoting a groove on a gramophone record
5.1A lengthwise strip of magnetic tape containing one sequence of signals.
5.2 The soundtrack of a film or video.
6A continuous articulated metal band around the wheels of a heavy vehicle such as a tank, intended to facilitate movement over rough or soft ground.
6.1 Electronics A continuous line of copper or other conductive material on a printed circuit board, used to connect parts of a circuit: extremely thin tracks are not able to withstand much heat when soldering
7 The transverse distance between a vehicle’s wheels: the undercarriage was fully retractable inwards into the wing, with a 90 inch track
8 US term for stream (sense 4 of the noun).

[Verbs, etc omitted]

Origin

Late 15th century (in the sense 'trail, marks left behind'): the noun from Old French trac, perhaps from Low German or Dutch trek 'draught, drawing'; the verb (current senses dating from the mid 16th century) from French traquer or directly from the noun.

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There were really too many definitions to track them all. I'll take just one track. I'm well trained...

Algot Runeman wrote:track

When my grandma wanted to be sure I understood her explanation/instruction, she used to ask me:
"Do you track me?"

astylar

Pronunciation: /əˈstʌɪlə/
adjective
Architecture
(Of a classical building) lacking columns or pilasters.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from a-1 'without' + Greek stulos 'column' + -ar1.

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Sam built his astylar mansion. It was not well recieved by the other plantation owners.

Algot Runeman wrote:astylar

Later in life, my grandma too developed some difficulty keeping her eyes open in the opera.

One day grandpa, a notorious snorer in the opera house orchestra stalls, made a remark about her astylar eyelid behavior and suggested the use of Sparadrap.

During the next week and except for a grudging grunt or a rare "no" or even rarer "yes", grandma didn't speak to him at all.

IBDoF WotD has been both astylar and without rows, too. No rank or file!



[Middle Management is even absent from the image. E.P.S. I forget. Are you playing black or white?]

Algot Runeman wrote:...
E.P.S. I forget. Are you playing black or white?

Oh ... well ... Always some shade of gray ...

paillette

Pronunciation: /palˈjɛt/
Pronunciation: /pʌɪˈjɛt/
noun
1 A piece of glittering material used to decorate clothing; a spangle.
1.1 A piece of bright metal used in enamel painting.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from French, diminutive of paille, from Latin palea 'straw, chaff'.

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Toni turned her Tee into a stylish garment, at least in her own eyes. She added paillettes in the outline of a heart and proudly went to the party.




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Algot Runeman wrote:paillette...
Toni turned her Tee into a stylish garment, at least in her own eyes. She added paillettes in the outline of a heart and proudly went to the party.

Sadly, another girl also thought of paillettes. But she applied the sequins with a totally different, very special effect.