GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by **Darb** » Thu Jul 12, 2007 11:25 pm

In his case, I think it's a chronic condition.

Post by **Darb** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 3:49 pm

/me checks watch.

Perhaps Mr. Boo took a break in order to get some exorcise ?

Post by **laurie** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:07 pm

Well, it *is* summer... perhaps he's floating in the pool, enjoying a long, cool one.

Post by **Darb** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:32 pm

Really ?

I though for sure he was hetero !

Post by **Darb** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 4:40 pm

Ok, I'll get us caught up ...

pecuniary \pih-KYOO-nee-air-ee\, adjective:
1. Relating to money; monetary.
2. Consisting of money.
3. Requiring payment of money.

He lacked the finer element of conscience which looks upon Art as a sacred calling, she remembered, and because of "pecuniary necessities" he "scattered his forces in many different and unworthy directions."
-- James F. O'Gorman, Accomplished in All Departments of Art

The young man of the house was absorbed in his vegetable garden and the possibilities for pecuniary profit that it held.
-- Samuel Chamberlain, Clementine in the Kitchen

He sees the great pecuniary rewards and how they are gained, and naturally is moved by an impulse to obtain the same for himself.
-- David J. Brewer, "The Ideal Lawyer", The Atlantic, November 1906

betimes \bih-TYMZ\, adverb:
1. Early; in good time; before it is late.
2. At times; on occasion.
3. [Archaic] Soon; in a short time.

But it takes a piece of political theatre, like yesterday's release of the Iraq dossier, to get us out of bed betimes.
-- Andrew Marr, "I couldn't have a lie-in because of the Iraq dossier", Daily Telegraph, September 25, 2002

It looks like it's trying to clear this morning, though waves of drizzle betimes pass through.
-- Will Cook, "Macklin's Cross", Irish America, February 1, 2004

Some of them were poets or novelists first and critics only betimes.
-- Denis Donoghue, The Practice of Reading

desideratum \dih-sid-uh-RAY-tum; -RAH-\, noun;
plural desiderata:
Something desired or considered necessary.

No one in Berkeley -- at least, no one I consorted with -- thought art was for sissies, or that a pensionable job was the highest desideratum.
-- John Banville, "Just a dream some of us had", Irish Times, August 24, 1998

Immense wealth, and its lavish expenditure, fill the great house with all that can please the eye, or tempt the taste. Here, appetite, not food, is the great desideratum.
-- Frederick Douglass, My Bondage, My Freedom

A technical dictionary . . . is one of the desiderata in anatomy.
-- Alexander Monro, Essay on Comparative Anatomy

Oh drat ... I'm the resident Triskaidekaphile for the forum. I can't believe that a I missed this one ... and on a Friday 13th no less !

triskaidekaphobia \tris-ky-dek-uh-FOH-bee-uh\, noun:
A morbid fear of the number 13 or the date Friday the 13th.

Thirteen people, pledged to eliminate triskaidekaphobia, fear of the number 13, today tried to reassure American sufferers by renting a 13 ft plot of land in Brooklyn for 13 cents . . . a month.
-- Daily Telegraph, January 14, 1967

Past disasters linked to the number 13 hardly help triskaidekaphobics overcome their affliction. The most famous is the Apollo 13 mission, launched on April 11, 1970 (the sum of 4, 11 and 70 equals 85 - which when added together comes to 13), from Pad 39 (three times 13) at 13:13 local time, and struck by an explosion on April 13.
-- "It's just bad luck that the 13th is so often a Friday", Electronic Telegraph, September 8, 1996

Triskaidekaphobia is from Greek treiskaideka, triskaideka, thirteen (treis, three + kai, and + deka, ten) + phobos, fear.

In Christian countries the number 13 was considered unlucky because there were 13 persons at the Last Supper of Christ. Fridays are also unlucky, because the Crucifixion was on a Friday. Hence a Friday falling on the thirteenth day is regarded as especially unlucky.

Some famous triskaidekaphobes1:

Napoleon
Herbert Hoover
Mark Twain
Richard Wagner
Franklin Roosevelt

1. Source: "It's just bad luck that the 13th is so often a Friday," Electronic Telegraph, September 8, 1996

verbose \vuhr-BOHS\, adjective:
Abounding in words; using or containing more words than are necessary; tedious by an excess of words; wordy; as, "a verbose speaker; a verbose argument."

. . .his singular style of flattening verbose politicians with the phrase: "Will you please get to the point."
-- Paul McCann, "Pioneer of TV debate put end to deference", Times (London), August 8, 2000

One reason I admire Oscar is that he's the least verbose, if sometimes plain to the point of being uninteresting.
-- Frank Rich, "Conversations with Sondheim", New York Times Magazine, March 12, 2000

Many tombstones have inscriptions that are not only touching but also, by modern standards, verbose.
-- Francine Prose, "Entering New Castle, Del.", New York Times Magazine, February 27, 2000

providential \prov-uh-DEN(T)-shuhl\, adjective:
1. Of or resulting from divine direction or superintendence.
2. Occurring through or as if through divine intervention; peculiarly fortunate or appropriate.

For Boston's progressive Unitarians in this period, rejecting the Calvinism of their forebears increasingly meant opposing the old idea that suffering was inevitable, irremediable, and providential.
-- Elisabeth Gitter, The Imprisoned Guest

The laws of nature seem to have been carefully arranged so that they can be discovered by beings with our level of intelligence. That not only fits the idea of design, but it also suggests a providential purpose for humankind -- that is, to learn about our habitat and to develop science and technology.
-- Robin Collins, The Case for a Creator by Lee Strobel

In the very first sentences of Mein Kampf, Adolf was to emphasize -- what became a Nazi stock-in-trade -- how providential it was that he had been born in Braunau am Inn, on the border of the two countries he saw it as his life's task to unite.
-- Ian Kershaw, Hitler: 1889-1936 Hubris

Providential derives from Latin providentia, from providens, provident-, present participle of providere, literally, "to see ahead," from pro-, "forward" + videre, "to see."

fructuous \FRUHK-choo-uhs\, adjective:
Fruitful; productive.

It had by now reached much beyond even that status to appear in our minds as a place sentient, actively helping these once forlorn and homeless sailors, presenting us with fructuous soil to grow our food, bountifully adding its own edible offerings, its waters supplying us with an abundance of fish.
-- William Brinkley, Last Ship

Theory does not provide us worthy Marching orders for a fructuous future, for theory in itself tells us nothing about how and when it is applicable.
-- Sheila McNamee and Kenneth J. Gergen, Relational Responsibility

Fructuous comes from Latin fructuosus, from fructus, "enjoyment, product, fruit," from the past participle of frui, "to enjoy."

Post by **Darb** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 6:05 pm

Wheeling his shopping card down aisle 13 of his favorite supermarket, the Triskaidekaphile crowed delightedly at the fructuous display of 13 varieties of fructose-free cereal ... undoubtedly a sign from Providence, right there in Providence, Rhode Island !

Although it was dinner time, the Triskaidekaphile betimes had a craving for breakfast cereal at bedtime ... and this was just such an occasion, so after hurredly satisfying the cashier's pecuinary needs, he raced home and gave himself over wholly to the desideratum of his favorite fixation.

Post by **laurie** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 7:55 pm

Brad wrote:Really ?

I though for sure he was hetero !

Who said he isn't? He's the guy in THIS SONG

Brad wrote:Wheeling his shopping card down aisle 13 of his favorite supermarket, the Triskaidekaphile crowed delightedly at the fructuous display of 13 varieties of fructose-free cereal ... undoubtedly a sign from Providence, right there in Providence, Rhode Island !

Although it was dinner time, the Triskaidekaphile betimes had a craving for breakfast cereal at bedtime ... and this was just such an occasion, so after hurredly satisfying the cashier's pecuinary needs, he raced home and gave himself over wholly to the desideratum of his favorite fixation.

Don't know about you, but I don't pull my shopping card out till my shopping cart gets to the checkout counter.

You typo-ed hurriedly and pecuniary, too.

Post by **Darb** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 8:35 pm

Yes, I was hurrying a bit at the time ... must have been post fatigue.

BTW, I dunno if you've ever scored a triple whammo on me before, with Mjolnir. That sucker hurts !

Post by **laurie** » Mon Jul 16, 2007 9:20 pm

Yeah, the invisible one really packs a wallop!

Post by **Ghost** » Tue Jul 17, 2007 6:53 pm

Word of the Day Tuesday July 17, 2007

gallimaufry \gal-uh-MAW-free\, noun: A medley; a hodgepodge.

Today bilingual programs are conducted in a gallimaufry of around 80 tongues, ranging from Spanish to Lithuanian to Micronesian Yapese.
-- Ezra Bowen, "For Learning or Ethnic Pride?", Time, July 8, 1985

Then the speech itself, and you have to feel sorry for TQMEM [The Queen's Most Excellent Majesty] having to read out this frightful drivel, this grim gallimaufry of cliches, jargon and outright lies.
-- Simon Hoggart, "Grand tradition: Maltravers, Rouge, Garter, Skinner", The Guardian, November 27, 2003

Maran reports the daily jostlings and thrivings in a public school with 3,200 students, 185 teachers, 45 languages, a principal and five vice principals, five safety monitors, 62 sports teams and a gallimaufry of alternative programs, clubs and cliques.
-- Colman McCarthy, "A Writer Goes Back to School", Washington Post, August 20, 2001

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Gallimaufry, originally meaning "a hash of various kinds of meats," comes from French galimafrÃ©e, from Old French, from galer, "to rejoice, to make merry" (source of English gala) + mafrer, "to eat much," from Medieval Dutch maffelen, "to open one's mouth wide."

Post by **Ghost** » Wed Jul 18, 2007 2:48 pm

Word of the Day Wednesday July 18, 2007

bibelot \BEE-buh-loh\, noun: A small decorative object without practical utility; a trinket.

An inveterate collector, Feldman purchased paintings and bibelots in quantity, often sight unseen.
-- Barbara Leaming, Marilyn Monroe

They break in expecting to find a collection of bibelots, objets de vertu, exquisite porcelain, Elizabethan miniatures, 18th century Italian fiddles, cabinets of curiosa, shelves of first editions, rare erotic manuscripts, rooms full of exquisite things: the fine and delicate treasures of a fine and delicate creature.
-- Simon Barnes, "Villains who are wiser after the event", Times (London), January 10, 2001

Fragonard's aristocrats gamboled in high-heeled boots and feathered hats on the front faces of the maroon table lamps, curlicued gilt mirrors, inexplicable bibelots: a venetian glass lady's slipper, a floral cup and saucer stood on a shelf beside life-size heads of the Mater Dolorosa and of Jesus suffering beneath the Crown of Thorns.
-- Mary Gordon, Seeing Through Places

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Bibelot is from French, from Old French beubelot, beubelet, "a small jewel, a trinket," from a reduplication of bel, "beautiful," from Latin bellus, "pretty, handsome." It is related to bauble.

Post by **Darb** » Thu Jul 19, 2007 11:16 am

Mr. Boo ... I think it's high time you made a contribution yourself.

Cmon - cough one up. I know you can do it.

Post by **Ghost** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:22 am

Word of the Day Monday July 23, 2007

trenchant \TREN-chunt\, adjective: 1. Characterized by or full of force and vigor; as, "a trenchant analysis." 2. Caustic; biting; severe; as, "trenchant criticism." 3. Distinct; clear-cut; clearly or sharply defined.

Her insistence that women's rights should be upheld universally, notwithstanding concerns about cultural diversity, led some to criticise her for being too narrowly entrenched within western liberalism, while others celebrated her trenchant defence of egalitarianism.
-- Judith Squires, "Susan Moller Okin", The Guardian, March 26, 2004

His revolutionary music, abrasive personality and trenchant writings about art and life divided the city into warring factions.
-- Jonathan Carr, Mahler: A Biography

The trenchant divisions between right and wrong, honest and dishonest, respectable and the reverse, had left so little scope for the unforseen.
-- Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence

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Trenchant comes from Old French, from the present participle of trenchier, "to cut." It is related to trench.

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 10:49 am

What an un-providential gallimaufry of new WoTDs!
Let me be trenchant:
betimes I find the desideratum to write verbose posts using them, without even a pecuniary compensation, even less fructuous than trying to sell to a lithophobiac*, levophiliac* and flagitious triskaidekaphobe a bibelot representing Da Vinci's Last Supper complete with Peter's right hand holding a knife.

My personal WoTDs
lithophobiac: adj., who has a morbid fear of hate of stone, in Greek "lithos", in Latin "petrus" whence "Peter", in French "pierre" whence "Pierre", etc.

levophiliac: adj., who has an obsession with anything in relation with the left

Post by **Darb** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 12:05 pm

Felonius was a bible-thumping lout who imbibed of a lot of biblically-proscribed vices. He lived in the loft above the lot next to the bible-store, and as rumor had it, he had a thriving business in black-market bibelots, as well as a fetish for wearing bibs and eating a lot of offal.

Speaking of The Bible, Lot was the itinerate bibelot's favorite person. He'd read quite a lot about Lot, sitting there in his loft above the lot, with his bibelots, bibs and bibles piled about him. It was apparently his lot in life to take in a lot of Lot, while trafficking in bibelots, before his allotted time on Earth was done.

In the greater scheme of things, neither Lot, nor bibelots, nor those who ate an awful lot of awful offal, amounted to an awful lot, but that's neither here nor there.

Yoda: A pun-i knight can feel the farce flowing through him ... like poo through a goose.

Post by **laurie** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:06 pm

Monty Python's Flying Circus missed a winner with that one, Brad.

Post by **Darb** » Mon Jul 23, 2007 8:58 pm

laurie wrote:Monty Python's Flying Circus missed a winner with that one, Brad.

Digression: As Kilty and Wolfspirit will attest, for years, our old DC team used to catapault enormous volleys of cattle (RC5 results) and sheep (SETI work units) in the general direction of KWSN. Their "Run Away !" battle cry was coined in response to us.

Post by **Ghost** » Tue Jul 24, 2007 11:17 am

Word of the Day Tuesday July 24, 2007

confabulation \kon-FAB-yuh-lay-shuhn\, noun: 1. Familiar talk; easy, unrestrained, unceremonious conversation. 2. (Psychology) A plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is remembered.

Their sentiments were reflected neither in the elegant exchanges between the Viceroy and Secretary of State, nor in the unlovely confabulations between the Congress and the League managers.
-- Mushirul Hasan, "Partition: The Human Cost", History Today, September 1997

Sigmund Freud, a stubborn, bullying interrogator of hysterical women, harangued his patients into building fantasies and traumas that fit into his grand narrative scheme, eliciting confabulations rather than actual memories.
-- Jennifer Howard, "Neurosis 1990s-Style", Civilization, April/May 1997

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Confabulation comes from Late Latin confabulatio, from the past participle of Latin confabulari, "to talk together," from con-, "together, with" + fabulari, "to talk." It is related to fable, "a fiction, a tale," and to fabulous, "so incredible or astonishing as to resemble or suggest a fable."

Post by **Ghost** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 8:15 am

Word of the Day Wednesday July 25, 2007

riposte \rih-POST\, noun: 1. A quick thrust given after parrying an opponent's lunge in fencing. 2. A quick and effective reply by word or act.
intransitive verb: 1. To make a riposte.

She had an agile, teasing sense of humor that included a sure grasp of the absurd and an instinct for punchy ripostes.
-- Sally Bedell Smith, Diana in Search of Herself

It was an inelegant riposte, especially for one so quick-witted as Neumann.
-- Peter Gay, My German Question

When she told him how much she hated being called an old trout, he'd riposte: "The trout is the most beautiful of fish *."
-- Angela Carter, Shaking a Leg

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Riposte derives from Italian risposta, "an answer," from rispondere, "to answer," from Latin respondere, "to promise in return, to answer," from re- + spondere, "to promise."

* Hahahahah

CodeBlower · Post by **CodeBlower** » Wed Jul 25, 2007 3:30 pm

Ghost wrote:riposte

I remember having to look this one up when exploring making a Rogue in EQ.

Post by **Ghost** » Thu Jul 26, 2007 11:25 am

Word of the Day Thursday July 26, 2007

serendipity \ser-uhn-DIP-uh-tee\, noun: The faculty or phenomenon of making fortunate accidental discoveries.

Still, I was more subject to serendipity than I yet knew. Soon risk, chance, and a letter from Sir Alun Reese-Jones, the Master of Trinity, my college at Cambridge, were to set my life on an adventurous course.
-- David Freeman, One of Us

Yet even as I planned a rough route, leaving plenty of room for serendipity, I was uncomfortably aware that journeys have a way of creating their own momentum.
-- Lesley Hazleton, Driving To Detroit

There again, perhaps because of serendipity, or an especially conscientious team of doctors, it can also happen that the crucial clues are noticed and recorded for posterity.
-- Edward Hooper, The River

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The word serendipity was formed by English author Horace Walpole (1717-1797) from Serendip (also Serendib), an old name for Sri Lanka, in reference to a Persian tale, The Three Princes of Serendip, whose heroes "discovered, quite unexpectedly, great and wonderful good in the most unlikely of situations, places and people."

tollbaby · Post by **tollbaby** » Sat Jul 28, 2007 6:30 pm

your pronunciation guide would have come in handy when I learned that word at age 4. I never heard it said out loud... and when I tried to use it in conversation when I was 22, all sound around me stopped, everyone stared at me, and started roaring with laughter. I'd seen the word on a sewing pattern envelope my mom had bought, and my four-year-old brain had decided it was pronounced "se-REN-di-PIty". I'm still teased about that ten years later *sigh*

voralfred · Post by **voralfred** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 10:29 am

By pure serendipity, I found the perfect, providential, fructuous, riposte to his verbose gallimaufry of confabulations: suddenly remembering he was triskaidekaphobe, I just pointed at the calendar on the wall, indicatining the date was Friday July 13th and he suddenly collapsed. My desideratum was fulfilled.

CodeBlower · Post by **CodeBlower** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 12:51 pm

I have no clue why, but I woke up today with "feckless" on my brain.

I did a quick search if IBDoF but didn't find it ..

Now I'm even more concerned about where I got this word from.

I checked Dictionary.com and my "on the street" definition was close enough - so that means I've gotten it from *somewhere* ..

tollbaby · Post by **tollbaby** » Wed Aug 01, 2007 2:58 pm

*snicker* it was a common joke bandied about on Father Ted when the Bishop would hear Father Jack say "feck" or "fecking" that he'd actually said "feckless"

Damn but I love me some Father Ted