GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)
Word of the Day for Tuesday October 11, 2005
palpable \PAL-puh-buhl\, adjective: 1. Capable of being touched and felt; perceptible by the touch; as, "a palpable form." 2. Easily perceptible; plain; distinct; obvious; readily detected; as, "palpable imposture; palpable absurdity; palpable errors."
A sense of devastation from the attacks remains palpable, but so too is a sense of rejuvenation.
--"Onwards and upwards," The Economist, May 23, 2002
Crowds at Kennedy-related sites around Washington were no larger than usual yesterday, but the emotion was palpable.
--"Grieving Public Seeks Ways to Say Goodbye to the JFK They Knew," Washington Post, July 22, 1999
The loss of potential donors because of tattoos has been palpable if not drastic, blood-center officials said.
--"Tattoo surprise: Many find body art bars them as blood donors," San Francisco Chronicle, July 19, 1999
The movie's emotional potential, lying in wait for two hours, will sneak up on viewers, hitting them with a palpable thud.
--"Crime tale told with restraint," Dallas Morning News, May 10, 1999
Andre Garner and Dan Sklar . . . have clarion voices and the kind of palpable emotional heat and fiery commitment that can transform a song into a full-fledged little drama.
--Review of "Songs for a New World," Chicago Sun-Times, December 8, 1998
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Palpable derives ultimately from Latin palpabilis, from palpare, "to touch gently."
palpable \PAL-puh-buhl\, adjective: 1. Capable of being touched and felt; perceptible by the touch; as, "a palpable form." 2. Easily perceptible; plain; distinct; obvious; readily detected; as, "palpable imposture; palpable absurdity; palpable errors."
A sense of devastation from the attacks remains palpable, but so too is a sense of rejuvenation.
--"Onwards and upwards," The Economist, May 23, 2002
Crowds at Kennedy-related sites around Washington were no larger than usual yesterday, but the emotion was palpable.
--"Grieving Public Seeks Ways to Say Goodbye to the JFK They Knew," Washington Post, July 22, 1999
The loss of potential donors because of tattoos has been palpable if not drastic, blood-center officials said.
--"Tattoo surprise: Many find body art bars them as blood donors," San Francisco Chronicle, July 19, 1999
The movie's emotional potential, lying in wait for two hours, will sneak up on viewers, hitting them with a palpable thud.
--"Crime tale told with restraint," Dallas Morning News, May 10, 1999
Andre Garner and Dan Sklar . . . have clarion voices and the kind of palpable emotional heat and fiery commitment that can transform a song into a full-fledged little drama.
--Review of "Songs for a New World," Chicago Sun-Times, December 8, 1998
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Palpable derives ultimately from Latin palpabilis, from palpare, "to touch gently."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
- laurie
- Spelling Mistress
- Posts: 8164
- Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2004 2:52 am
- Location: The part of New York where "flurries" means 2 feet of snow to shovel
I'm very surprised Brad hasn't taken my last post to its palpable conclusion. Is he losing his touch along with his eyesight?
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." -- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
"So where the hell is he?" -- Laurie
"So where the hell is he?" -- Laurie
Word of the Day for Wednesday October 12, 2005
gewgaw \G(Y)OO-gaw\, noun: A showy trifle; a trinket; a bauble.
Bidders paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for worthless gewgaws--fake pearls, ashtrays, golf clubs--merely, one supposes, because they were touched by the hand of this celebrity of celebrities.
--Lawrence M. Friedman, The Horizontal Society
At least, you're tempted until you discover that the price of this gewgaw is $175.
--Walter Shapiro, "Earn exciting prizes from the Republicans!" USA Today, March 27, 2002
Walk into almost any department store, and there it is -- along with mounds of other gimmicky gadgets and garish gewgaws that (no offense, Vanna) the world can live without.
--James A. Russell, "What the World Needs Now . . . Is Not Another Gimmicky Gadget or Worthless Doohickey," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 9, 1995
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The origin of gewgaw is uncertain.
gewgaw \G(Y)OO-gaw\, noun: A showy trifle; a trinket; a bauble.
Bidders paid hundreds of thousands of dollars for worthless gewgaws--fake pearls, ashtrays, golf clubs--merely, one supposes, because they were touched by the hand of this celebrity of celebrities.
--Lawrence M. Friedman, The Horizontal Society
At least, you're tempted until you discover that the price of this gewgaw is $175.
--Walter Shapiro, "Earn exciting prizes from the Republicans!" USA Today, March 27, 2002
Walk into almost any department store, and there it is -- along with mounds of other gimmicky gadgets and garish gewgaws that (no offense, Vanna) the world can live without.
--James A. Russell, "What the World Needs Now . . . Is Not Another Gimmicky Gadget or Worthless Doohickey," St. Louis Post-Dispatch, September 9, 1995
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The origin of gewgaw is uncertain.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
Word of the Day for Thursday October 13, 2005
conurbation \kon-uhr-BAY-shuhn\, noun: An aggregation or continuous network of urban communities.
To live there in that great smoking conurbation rumbling with the constant thunder of locomotives, filled with the moaning of train whistles coming down the Potomac Valley, was beyond my most fevered hopes.
--Russell Baker, "Memoir of a Small-Town Boyhood," New York Times, September 12, 1982
Indeed the population in the greater London conurbation grew by 125 per cent in the period 1861 to 1911 when the population of England as a whole grew by 80 per cent.
--Terence Brown, The Life of W. B. Yeats
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Conurbation is from Latin con-, "with, together" + urbs, "city" + the suffix -ation.
conurbation \kon-uhr-BAY-shuhn\, noun: An aggregation or continuous network of urban communities.
To live there in that great smoking conurbation rumbling with the constant thunder of locomotives, filled with the moaning of train whistles coming down the Potomac Valley, was beyond my most fevered hopes.
--Russell Baker, "Memoir of a Small-Town Boyhood," New York Times, September 12, 1982
Indeed the population in the greater London conurbation grew by 125 per cent in the period 1861 to 1911 when the population of England as a whole grew by 80 per cent.
--Terence Brown, The Life of W. B. Yeats
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Conurbation is from Latin con-, "with, together" + urbs, "city" + the suffix -ation.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
Word of the Day for Monday October 17, 2005
aberrant \a-BERR-unt; AB-ur-unt\, adjective: Markedly different from an accepted norm; Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; abnormal.
The impulse toward individual expression is a recent and a possibly aberrant one in art.
--Nicholas Delbanco, "From Echoes Emerge Original Voices," New York Times, June 21, 1999
These characters are so wild and aberrant they are close to appearing lunatics.
--Bosley Crowther, "Who's Afraid of Audacity?" New York Times, July 10, 1966
But I could never accept the aberrant dictates of socialist realism which ruled out all mystery and turned literary activity into a propaganda exercise.
--Mario Vargas Llosa, Making Waves
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Aberrant comes from Latin aberro, aberrare, "to wander off, to lose one's way," from ab, "away from" + erro, errare, "to wander."
aberrant \a-BERR-unt; AB-ur-unt\, adjective: Markedly different from an accepted norm; Deviating from the ordinary or natural type; abnormal.
The impulse toward individual expression is a recent and a possibly aberrant one in art.
--Nicholas Delbanco, "From Echoes Emerge Original Voices," New York Times, June 21, 1999
These characters are so wild and aberrant they are close to appearing lunatics.
--Bosley Crowther, "Who's Afraid of Audacity?" New York Times, July 10, 1966
But I could never accept the aberrant dictates of socialist realism which ruled out all mystery and turned literary activity into a propaganda exercise.
--Mario Vargas Llosa, Making Waves
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Aberrant comes from Latin aberro, aberrare, "to wander off, to lose one's way," from ab, "away from" + erro, errare, "to wander."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
Word of the Day for Tuesday October 18, 1005
votary \VOH-tuh-ree\, noun: 1. One who is devoted, given, or addicted to some particular pursuit, subject, study, or way of life. 2. A devoted admirer. 3. A devout adherent of a religion or cult. 4. A dedicated believer or advocate.
When she held out her hand to receive the glass, she had more the air of a full-grown Bacchante, celebrating the rites of Bacchus, than a votary at the shrine of Hygeia.
--Pamela Neville-Sington, Fanny Trollope
Perhaps most amazingly, votaries of "diversity" insist on absolute conformity.
--Tony Snow, "Lifestyle police: Enough already," USA Today, June 10, 1996
It must be remembered that undisguised atrocities on a stupendous scale. . . would be too strong for the stomach of even the most brutalized people, and would tend to bring war into discredit with all but its monomaniac votaries.
--"The Idea of a League of Nations," The Atlantic, February 1919
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Votary comes from Latin votum, "vow," from the past participle of vovere, "to vow, to devote." Related words include vow and vote, originally a vow, hence a prayer or ardent wish, hence an expression of preference, as for a candidate.
votary \VOH-tuh-ree\, noun: 1. One who is devoted, given, or addicted to some particular pursuit, subject, study, or way of life. 2. A devoted admirer. 3. A devout adherent of a religion or cult. 4. A dedicated believer or advocate.
When she held out her hand to receive the glass, she had more the air of a full-grown Bacchante, celebrating the rites of Bacchus, than a votary at the shrine of Hygeia.
--Pamela Neville-Sington, Fanny Trollope
Perhaps most amazingly, votaries of "diversity" insist on absolute conformity.
--Tony Snow, "Lifestyle police: Enough already," USA Today, June 10, 1996
It must be remembered that undisguised atrocities on a stupendous scale. . . would be too strong for the stomach of even the most brutalized people, and would tend to bring war into discredit with all but its monomaniac votaries.
--"The Idea of a League of Nations," The Atlantic, February 1919
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Votary comes from Latin votum, "vow," from the past participle of vovere, "to vow, to devote." Related words include vow and vote, originally a vow, hence a prayer or ardent wish, hence an expression of preference, as for a candidate.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
Word of the Day for Wednesday October 19, 2005
pelf \PELF\, noun: Money; riches; gain; -- generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten.
. . . a master manipulator who will twist and dodge around the clock to keep the privileges of power and pelf.
--Nick Cohen, "Without prejudice," The Observer, February 20, 2000
She writes about those she might have known first-hand: teenage girls cowering in bunkers . . . friends making promises they can never keep . . . rich folk fattened on wartime pelf, poor folk surviving by wit alone.
--Harriet P. Gross, "Author roots her stories in Vietnam War," Dallas Morning News, July 20, 1997
As so often happens, pelf is talking louder than principle at the Colorado legislature.
--"Legislature Goes Belly Up," Denver Rocky Mountain News, April 27, 1997
In advertising, show business, and journalism, people work themselves to the nub for glitz and glory more than for pelf.
--Ford S. Worthy, "You're Probably Working Too Hard," Fortune, April 27, 1987
Some of the rich classmates were keeping their pelf to themselves.
--Nicholas von Hoffman, "The Class of '43 Is Puzzled," The Atlantic, October 1968
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Pelf comes from Old French pelfre, "booty, stolen goods." It is related to pilfer.
/here we goes, stealing words from the French again.
pelf \PELF\, noun: Money; riches; gain; -- generally conveying the idea of something ill-gotten.
. . . a master manipulator who will twist and dodge around the clock to keep the privileges of power and pelf.
--Nick Cohen, "Without prejudice," The Observer, February 20, 2000
She writes about those she might have known first-hand: teenage girls cowering in bunkers . . . friends making promises they can never keep . . . rich folk fattened on wartime pelf, poor folk surviving by wit alone.
--Harriet P. Gross, "Author roots her stories in Vietnam War," Dallas Morning News, July 20, 1997
As so often happens, pelf is talking louder than principle at the Colorado legislature.
--"Legislature Goes Belly Up," Denver Rocky Mountain News, April 27, 1997
In advertising, show business, and journalism, people work themselves to the nub for glitz and glory more than for pelf.
--Ford S. Worthy, "You're Probably Working Too Hard," Fortune, April 27, 1987
Some of the rich classmates were keeping their pelf to themselves.
--Nicholas von Hoffman, "The Class of '43 Is Puzzled," The Atlantic, October 1968
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Pelf comes from Old French pelfre, "booty, stolen goods." It is related to pilfer.
/here we goes, stealing words from the French again.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
- wolfspirit
- MST3K
- Posts: 3048
- Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2003 12:39 pm
"No no no ... I said I was looking for a Notary Public, not a Public Votary. I need legal papers signed, not someone who wants to panhandle me for pelf and gewgaws !", shrieked the frustrated caller.
"Which cornurbation please ?" replied the weary operator.
"Anywhere in the Tri-state area, and hurry it up !"
"Which cornurbation please ?" replied the weary operator.
"Anywhere in the Tri-state area, and hurry it up !"
Word of the Day for Thursday October 20, 2005
tocsin \TOCK-sin\, noun: 1. An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm. 2. A warning.
Some of the allegations put round are so frenzied, however, that some caution should be exercised before the tocsin is rung too loudly.
--"New President of the NUS," Times (London), April 10, 1969
The first atomic bomb fell and its radioactive cloud became a tocsin for mankind.
--Herbert Mitgang, "The Bomb as Horror and Warning," New York Times, August 1, 1990
But Mr. Beckett is wise in choosing the form of the myth in which to sound his tocsin on the condition of human society.
--Brooks Atkinson, "Beckett's 'Endgame,'" New York Times, January 29, 1958
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Tocsin derives from Medieval French touquesain, from Old Provençal tocasenh, from tocar, "to touch, to strike, to ring a bell" + senh, "church bell," ultimately from Latin signum, "sign, signal."
tocsin \TOCK-sin\, noun: 1. An alarm bell, or the ringing of a bell for the purpose of alarm. 2. A warning.
Some of the allegations put round are so frenzied, however, that some caution should be exercised before the tocsin is rung too loudly.
--"New President of the NUS," Times (London), April 10, 1969
The first atomic bomb fell and its radioactive cloud became a tocsin for mankind.
--Herbert Mitgang, "The Bomb as Horror and Warning," New York Times, August 1, 1990
But Mr. Beckett is wise in choosing the form of the myth in which to sound his tocsin on the condition of human society.
--Brooks Atkinson, "Beckett's 'Endgame,'" New York Times, January 29, 1958
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Tocsin derives from Medieval French touquesain, from Old Provençal tocasenh, from tocar, "to touch, to strike, to ring a bell" + senh, "church bell," ultimately from Latin signum, "sign, signal."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
-
- Viking Skald
- Posts: 1200
- Joined: Fri Aug 26, 2005 11:57 am
Word of the Day for Friday October 21, 2005
lexicon \LEK-suh-kon\, noun; plural lexicons or lexica \-kuh\: 1. A book containing an alphabetical arrangement of the words in a language with the definition of each; a dictionary. 2. The vocabulary of a person, group, subject, or language. 3. [Linguistics] The total morphemes of a language.
He thought it right in a lexicon of our language to collect many words which had fallen into disuse.
--James Boswell, Life of Johnson
There were schoolbooks for young James: Ovid, Caesar, Virgil, Terence, Greek grammar, Greek lexicon.
--Linda K. Kerber, No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies
Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians fled their homes during the fighting and became, in the lexicon of relief workers, IDPs, or internally displaced persons.
--"Casualties of War," Washington Post, June 15, 1999
Curse words ceased to shock; many moved into the accepted lexicon.
--Bruce J. Schulman, The Seventies
"Backwardness" was a very important word in the Soviet Communist lexicon: it stood for everything that belonged to old Russia and needed to be changed in the name of progress and culture.
--Sheila Fitzpatrick, Everyday Stalinism
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Lexicon comes from Greek lexikon, from lexikos, "of or belonging to words," from lexis, "a speaking, speech, a way of speaking, a word or phrase," from legein, "to say, to speak."
lexicon \LEK-suh-kon\, noun; plural lexicons or lexica \-kuh\: 1. A book containing an alphabetical arrangement of the words in a language with the definition of each; a dictionary. 2. The vocabulary of a person, group, subject, or language. 3. [Linguistics] The total morphemes of a language.
He thought it right in a lexicon of our language to collect many words which had fallen into disuse.
--James Boswell, Life of Johnson
There were schoolbooks for young James: Ovid, Caesar, Virgil, Terence, Greek grammar, Greek lexicon.
--Linda K. Kerber, No Constitutional Right to Be Ladies
Hundreds of thousands of ethnic Albanians fled their homes during the fighting and became, in the lexicon of relief workers, IDPs, or internally displaced persons.
--"Casualties of War," Washington Post, June 15, 1999
Curse words ceased to shock; many moved into the accepted lexicon.
--Bruce J. Schulman, The Seventies
"Backwardness" was a very important word in the Soviet Communist lexicon: it stood for everything that belonged to old Russia and needed to be changed in the name of progress and culture.
--Sheila Fitzpatrick, Everyday Stalinism
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Lexicon comes from Greek lexikon, from lexikos, "of or belonging to words," from lexis, "a speaking, speech, a way of speaking, a word or phrase," from legein, "to say, to speak."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
- wolfspirit
- MST3K
- Posts: 3048
- Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2003 12:39 pm
"I hear the actor playing Lex Luthor on Smallville will be the guest speaker at this year's Lexicon !" babbled the excited scifi fan.
"I'm detecting inordinately high concentrations of pun-based toxins in the local language" observed a nearby communications officer (with stick-on Vulcan ears), in response to the beeping tocsin emitted by his hand-held universal translator.
"I'm detecting inordinately high concentrations of pun-based toxins in the local language" observed a nearby communications officer (with stick-on Vulcan ears), in response to the beeping tocsin emitted by his hand-held universal translator.
Word of the Day for Monday October 24, 2005
loquacious \loh-KWAY-shuhs\, adjective: 1. Very talkative. 2. Full of excessive talk; wordy.
The meeting went on for hours, accommodating loquacious bores who were each allowed their say.
--Andrew Sullivan, "Gay Life, Gay Death," The New Republic, December 17, 1990
In drawing a sharp contrast with the loquacious Ginsburg, her new lawyers appeared for just a few moments and said virtually nothing to reporters before retreating into the building.
--Peter Baker, "Lewinsky Replaces Ginsburg," Washington Post, June 3, 1998
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Loquacious comes from Latin loquax, "talkative," from loqui, "to speak."
loquacious \loh-KWAY-shuhs\, adjective: 1. Very talkative. 2. Full of excessive talk; wordy.
The meeting went on for hours, accommodating loquacious bores who were each allowed their say.
--Andrew Sullivan, "Gay Life, Gay Death," The New Republic, December 17, 1990
In drawing a sharp contrast with the loquacious Ginsburg, her new lawyers appeared for just a few moments and said virtually nothing to reporters before retreating into the building.
--Peter Baker, "Lewinsky Replaces Ginsburg," Washington Post, June 3, 1998
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Loquacious comes from Latin loquax, "talkative," from loqui, "to speak."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
- wolfspirit
- MST3K
- Posts: 3048
- Joined: Sat Nov 08, 2003 12:39 pm