Word of the Day Wednesday August 1, 2007
wayworn \WAY-worn\, adjective: Wearied by traveling.
The wayworn Battalions halt in the Avenue: they have, for the present, no wish so pressing as that of shelter and rest.
-- Thomas Carlyle, The French Revolution
These beautiful and verdant recesses, running through and softening the rugged mountains, were cheering and refreshing to the wayworn travellers.
-- Washington Irving, Astoria
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Wayworn is way (from Old English weg) + worn (from Old English werian).
GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)
Judging by your feeble and inneffectual searching skills, your feelings of fecklessness are well deserved.CodeBlower wrote: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* ..
WOTD PG-13 warning.
Spoiler: show
Word of the Day Monday August 6, 2007
quixotic \kwik-SOT-ik\, adjective: 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals. 2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable.
Some of his plans were quixotic and much too good for this world, but he never wavered in a cause that he considered just and he commanded the respect of all who opposed him.
-- "Dr. John Dewey Dead at 92; Philosopher a Noted Liberal", New York Times, June 2, 1952
He is buying up commercial buildings in his hometown of Archer City and filling them with used books -- hundreds of thousands of used books gathered from all over the country -- as part of a quixotic scheme to turn this sleepy rural community into a mecca for book lovers.
-- Mark Horowitz, "Larry McMurtry's Dream Job", New York Times, December 7, 1997
I was amazed to learn that he didn't have much experience climbing mountains and that he wasn't intending to do any intensive training for his quixotic expedition.
-- Michael D. Eisner, Work in Progress
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quixotic refers to the eccentric, generous idealism of Don Quixote, the hero of a satiric romance by Miguel de Cervantes.
quixotic \kwik-SOT-ik\, adjective: 1. Caught up in the romance of noble deeds and the pursuit of unreachable goals; foolishly impractical especially in the pursuit of ideals. 2. Capricious; impulsive; unpredictable.
Some of his plans were quixotic and much too good for this world, but he never wavered in a cause that he considered just and he commanded the respect of all who opposed him.
-- "Dr. John Dewey Dead at 92; Philosopher a Noted Liberal", New York Times, June 2, 1952
He is buying up commercial buildings in his hometown of Archer City and filling them with used books -- hundreds of thousands of used books gathered from all over the country -- as part of a quixotic scheme to turn this sleepy rural community into a mecca for book lovers.
-- Mark Horowitz, "Larry McMurtry's Dream Job", New York Times, December 7, 1997
I was amazed to learn that he didn't have much experience climbing mountains and that he wasn't intending to do any intensive training for his quixotic expedition.
-- Michael D. Eisner, Work in Progress
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Quixotic refers to the eccentric, generous idealism of Don Quixote, the hero of a satiric romance by Miguel de Cervantes.
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 Wednesday August 8, 2007
abed \uh-BED\, adverb: In bed.
When I lay abed as a boy in our ranch house, listening to those trucks growl their way up highway 281, the sound of those motors came to seem as organic as the sounds of the various birds and animals who were apt to make noises in the night.
-- Larry McMurtry, Roads: Driving America's Great Highways
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abed is the prefix a-, "in, on" (from Old English an) + bed (from Old English bedd).
abed \uh-BED\, adverb: In bed.
When I lay abed as a boy in our ranch house, listening to those trucks growl their way up highway 281, the sound of those motors came to seem as organic as the sounds of the various birds and animals who were apt to make noises in the night.
-- Larry McMurtry, Roads: Driving America's Great Highways
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Abed is the prefix a-, "in, on" (from Old English an) + bed (from Old English bedd).
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
-
CodeBlower
- Shakespearean Groupie
- Posts: 1760
- Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:27 am
- Location: IL, USA
- Contact:
**Covers delicate eyes in anticipation of Brad's next entry.**
(just kidding - I thoroughly enjoyed the "maritime-themed anatomical double entrendre".)
Edit: Darn it .. you'd think I didn't proofread before I hit submit to see if I'd left off a closing-parenthesis (again).
(just kidding - I thoroughly enjoyed the "maritime-themed anatomical double entrendre".)
Edit: Darn it .. you'd think I didn't proofread before I hit submit to see if I'd left off a closing-parenthesis (again).
"Budge up, yeh great lump." -- Hagrid, HP:SS
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
Word of the Day Thursday August 9, 2007
diaphanous \dy-AF-uh-nuhs\, adjective: 1. Of such fine texture as to allow light to pass through; translucent or transparent. 2. Vague; insubstantial.
The curtains are thin, a diaphanous membrane that can't quite contain the light outside.
-- Eric Liu, The Accidental Asian
She needed more than diaphanous hope, more than I could give her.
-- Tej Rae, "One Hand Extended", Washington Post, August 12, 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diaphanous ultimately derives from Greek diaphanes, "showing through," from diaphainein, "to show through, to be transparent," from dia-, "through" + phainein, "to show, to appear." It is related to phantom, something apparently sensed but having no physical reality.
diaphanous \dy-AF-uh-nuhs\, adjective: 1. Of such fine texture as to allow light to pass through; translucent or transparent. 2. Vague; insubstantial.
The curtains are thin, a diaphanous membrane that can't quite contain the light outside.
-- Eric Liu, The Accidental Asian
She needed more than diaphanous hope, more than I could give her.
-- Tej Rae, "One Hand Extended", Washington Post, August 12, 2001
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Diaphanous ultimately derives from Greek diaphanes, "showing through," from diaphainein, "to show through, to be transparent," from dia-, "through" + phainein, "to show, to appear." It is related to phantom, something apparently sensed but having no physical reality.
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
The feckless, quixotic but wayworn errant knight, instead of attacking the very thick wings of a windmill, aggressed instead the diaphanous curtains of the room in which he was abed.. and fell out, and providentially got caught on the branches of a tree just below his windows.
Unfortunately there was a major forest fire, and that is where two firefighters eventually found his charred corpse, with all his errant knight paraphernalia variously charred, too.
So one firefighter asked the other one: "Why is this knight different from all other knights?"
Did you cover your delicate eyes, CodeBlower?
Edit: this is the first time that I inserted a WotD in my post beforeGhost posted it!
Unfortunately there was a major forest fire, and that is where two firefighters eventually found his charred corpse, with all his errant knight paraphernalia variously charred, too.
So one firefighter asked the other one: "Why is this knight different from all other knights?"
Did you cover your delicate eyes, CodeBlower?
Edit: this is the first time that I inserted a WotD in my post beforeGhost posted it!
Last edited by voralfred on Fri Aug 10, 2007 12:35 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Human is as human does....Animals don't weep, Nine
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
-
CodeBlower
- Shakespearean Groupie
- Posts: 1760
- Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:27 am
- Location: IL, USA
- Contact:
** Peeks out, notices a smouldering corpse, goes back into hiding. ** 
"Budge up, yeh great lump." -- Hagrid, HP:SS
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
Word of the Day Friday August 10, 2007
aggress \uh-GRES\, intransitive verb: To commit the first act of hostility or offense; to make an attack.
Nagaraj can never bring himself to aggress or fight back, but he is capable of a delicious malice.
-- Julian Moynahan, "India of the Imagination. . .", New York Times, July 15, 1990
The hand . . . is the most versatile of organs. Through its agency we lift, pinch, squeeze, explore, feel, learn, discriminate, repulse, caress, aggress.
-- F. Gonzalez-Crussi, "The Hand", Washington Post, July 19, 1998
A master of drawing, Rico Lebrun, discovered that "the draftsman must aggress; only by persistent assault will the live image capitulate and give up its secret to an unrelenting line."
-- Annie Dillard, "Write Till You Drop", New York Times, May 28, 1989
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggress is from French agresser, from Latin aggredi, aggress-, "to approach, to approach aggressively, to attack," from ad-, "to" + gradi, "to step, to walk."
aggress \uh-GRES\, intransitive verb: To commit the first act of hostility or offense; to make an attack.
Nagaraj can never bring himself to aggress or fight back, but he is capable of a delicious malice.
-- Julian Moynahan, "India of the Imagination. . .", New York Times, July 15, 1990
The hand . . . is the most versatile of organs. Through its agency we lift, pinch, squeeze, explore, feel, learn, discriminate, repulse, caress, aggress.
-- F. Gonzalez-Crussi, "The Hand", Washington Post, July 19, 1998
A master of drawing, Rico Lebrun, discovered that "the draftsman must aggress; only by persistent assault will the live image capitulate and give up its secret to an unrelenting line."
-- Annie Dillard, "Write Till You Drop", New York Times, May 28, 1989
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aggress is from French agresser, from Latin aggredi, aggress-, "to approach, to approach aggressively, to attack," from ad-, "to" + gradi, "to step, to walk."
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 Monday August 13, 2007
bellicose \BEL-ih-kohs\, adjective: Inclined to or favoring war or strife; warlike; pugnacious.
And John Adams insisted that where European diplomacy was secret, bellicose, and riddled with intrigue, American policy would be open, peaceful, and honest.
-- Walter McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State
Cambodia struggled through five years of bloody civil conflict with the destructive intervention of bellicose foreign powers, four years of a genocidal revolutionary regime, then liberation through invasion and a decade of military occupation by Vietnam.
-- Henry Kamm, Cambodia: Report From a Stricken Land
Yet his undoubtedly aggressive behaviour . . . only served to further endear him to all who had dealings with him. They recognised that behind the bellicose facade, there beat a big, warm, compassionate heart.
-- "Big, warm heart behind bellicose facade", Irish Times, August 21, 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bellicose is from Latin bellicosus, from bellicus, "of war," from bellum, "war."
bellicose \BEL-ih-kohs\, adjective: Inclined to or favoring war or strife; warlike; pugnacious.
And John Adams insisted that where European diplomacy was secret, bellicose, and riddled with intrigue, American policy would be open, peaceful, and honest.
-- Walter McDougall, Promised Land, Crusader State
Cambodia struggled through five years of bloody civil conflict with the destructive intervention of bellicose foreign powers, four years of a genocidal revolutionary regime, then liberation through invasion and a decade of military occupation by Vietnam.
-- Henry Kamm, Cambodia: Report From a Stricken Land
Yet his undoubtedly aggressive behaviour . . . only served to further endear him to all who had dealings with him. They recognised that behind the bellicose facade, there beat a big, warm, compassionate heart.
-- "Big, warm heart behind bellicose facade", Irish Times, August 21, 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Bellicose is from Latin bellicosus, from bellicus, "of war," from bellum, "war."
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
-
CodeBlower
- Shakespearean Groupie
- Posts: 1760
- Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:27 am
- Location: IL, USA
- Contact:
LOL .. that reminds me of the look of consternation I got from my father one day when he heard me call my brother "bovine" .. when I actually had to explain the meaning, he tried to cover himself by asking why I would call my brother that.
(The old man didn't really have much more credibility to lose at that point with me, but this didn't help.)
From "bovine", my brother and I mutated our nickname for each other to "bovinian" ..
We still call each other "Vin" on the phone - or on those rare occasions when we're together.
We don't see much of the old man anymore, but I keep waiting for that look again when he tries to puzzle it together - and can't - and has to resort to asking one of us about it.
(The old man didn't really have much more credibility to lose at that point with me, but this didn't help.)
From "bovine", my brother and I mutated our nickname for each other to "bovinian" ..
We still call each other "Vin" on the phone - or on those rare occasions when we're together.
We don't see much of the old man anymore, but I keep waiting for that look again when he tries to puzzle it together - and can't - and has to resort to asking one of us about it.
"Budge up, yeh great lump." -- Hagrid, HP:SS
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
Word of the Day Tuesday August 14, 2007
commensurate \kuh-MEN(T)S-uhr-it; -shuhr-\, adjective: 1. Equal in measure, extent, or duration. 2. Corresponding in size or degree or extent; proportionate. 3. Having a common measure; commensurable; reducible to a common measure; as, commensurate quantities.
A new era, Hoover called it, one that was witnessing breathtaking transformations in traditional ways of life and that demanded commensurate transformations in the institutions and techniques sof government.
-- David M. Kennedy, Freedom from Fear
It is almost a rule: the successful American--Vanderbilt, Frick, Rockefeller, Hearst, Gates--builds himself a house commensurate with his fortune.
-- Michael Knox Beran, The Last Patrician
The Shi'a represent a plurality in Lebanon, where only in recent years they have gained a degree of political power commensurate with their numbers.
-- Graham E. Fuller and Rend Rahim Francke, The Arab Shi'a: The Forgotten Muslims
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commensurate is from Late Latin commensuratus, from Latin com-, "with, together" + Late Latin mensuratus, past participle of mensurare, "to measure," from Latin mensura, "measure."
commensurate \kuh-MEN(T)S-uhr-it; -shuhr-\, adjective: 1. Equal in measure, extent, or duration. 2. Corresponding in size or degree or extent; proportionate. 3. Having a common measure; commensurable; reducible to a common measure; as, commensurate quantities.
A new era, Hoover called it, one that was witnessing breathtaking transformations in traditional ways of life and that demanded commensurate transformations in the institutions and techniques sof government.
-- David M. Kennedy, Freedom from Fear
It is almost a rule: the successful American--Vanderbilt, Frick, Rockefeller, Hearst, Gates--builds himself a house commensurate with his fortune.
-- Michael Knox Beran, The Last Patrician
The Shi'a represent a plurality in Lebanon, where only in recent years they have gained a degree of political power commensurate with their numbers.
-- Graham E. Fuller and Rend Rahim Francke, The Arab Shi'a: The Forgotten Muslims
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Commensurate is from Late Latin commensuratus, from Latin com-, "with, together" + Late Latin mensuratus, past participle of mensurare, "to measure," from Latin mensura, "measure."
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 Wednesday August 15, 2007
plenipotentiary \plen-uh-puh-TEN-shee-air-ee; -shuh-ree\, adjective: 1. Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, "plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers."
noun: 1. A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or diplomatic agent with full power to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.
There were two accounts, one in a news article, the second in the editorial section, telling the minihistory of Pol Pot, sometime plenipotentiary ruler of Cambodia.
-- William F. Buckley Jr., The Redhunter
At that time, Egypt was our protectorate, which meant the High Commissioner was the plenipotentiary of George V and carried independent authority.
-- David Freeman, One of Us
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plenipotentiary derives from Latin plenus, "full" + potens, "powerful."
plenipotentiary \plen-uh-puh-TEN-shee-air-ee; -shuh-ree\, adjective: 1. Containing or conferring full power; invested with full power; as, "plenipotentiary license; plenipotentiary ministers."
noun: 1. A person invested with full power to transact any business; especially, an ambassador or diplomatic agent with full power to negotiate a treaty or to transact other business.
There were two accounts, one in a news article, the second in the editorial section, telling the minihistory of Pol Pot, sometime plenipotentiary ruler of Cambodia.
-- William F. Buckley Jr., The Redhunter
At that time, Egypt was our protectorate, which meant the High Commissioner was the plenipotentiary of George V and carried independent authority.
-- David Freeman, One of Us
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Plenipotentiary derives from Latin plenus, "full" + potens, "powerful."
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
-
tollbaby
- anything but this ...
- Posts: 6827
- Joined: Sun Mar 09, 2003 11:03 am
- Location: Ottawa, Ontario
- Contact:
Zyban0, correcting an obvious mistranslation is one thing, but attributing a simple typo to the fact that voralfred's first language isn't English is a bit of overkill. We all make typos, so please keep that in mind.Zyban0 wrote:In English, "someone" is the proper...
Seriously, though, I liked your post. Very clever mooing.
And what manner of jackassery must we put up with today? ~ Danae, Non Sequitur
Well, from the second sentence, it was clear to me that Zyban0's remark was tongue-in-cheek.tollbaby wrote:Zyban0, correcting an obvious mistranslation is one thing, but attributing a simple typo to the fact that voralfred's first language isn't English is a bit of overkill. We all make typos, so please keep that in mind.Zyban0 wrote:In English, "someone" is the proper...
Seriously, though, I liked your post. Very clever mooing.
One more of my mnay lysdexais, I'm afriad!
Human is as human does....Animals don't weep, Nine
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
[i]LMB, The Labyrinth [/i]
-
CodeBlower
- Shakespearean Groupie
- Posts: 1760
- Joined: Sun Jun 25, 2006 12:27 am
- Location: IL, USA
- Contact:
Question ..
.. as much as I enjoy learning new words, I find myself particularly attracted to the ones that are the most fun to pronounce ..
.. such as: pugnacious vs. bellicose, or onomatopeia vs. whatever-word-means-onomatopeia
Am I the only one that does that?
(Still trying to wrap my tongue around plenipotentiary.)
.. as much as I enjoy learning new words, I find myself particularly attracted to the ones that are the most fun to pronounce ..
.. such as: pugnacious vs. bellicose, or onomatopeia vs. whatever-word-means-onomatopeia
Am I the only one that does that?
(Still trying to wrap my tongue around plenipotentiary.)
"Budge up, yeh great lump." -- Hagrid, HP:SS
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador
-=-
The gelding is what the gelding is, unlike people who change in response to their perceptions of events that may benefit or threaten their power. -- Lorn, Chapter LXXXII, Magi'i of Cyador