GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[voralfred]

Sometimes, I feel that I am retreating into sourpuss mode. As soon as I realize it, I act energetically: I mix myself a nice sour which I imbibe while munching on some good french sourdough, and I immediately feel mellower.

[Algot Runeman]

Today, not-so-mellow mobster Whitey Bulger was sentenced to two life sentences plus five years by an apparently sourpuss judge. At the end of all that time, Whitey will be somewhat yellow, and possibly more mellow. Not so sure, can you get a stiff drink in the clink?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

Sometimes it's just a passing sourpuss face.
Like a baby sucking lemon. Nothing permanent.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

blague

Pronunciation: /bläg/
noun
a joke or piece of nonsense.

Origin:
mid 19th century: French, literally 'claptrap, nonsense'



Lolling around at the beach all summer was combined with the blague of attending no more than one class a week during college sessions. Mike was very happy. Mom and Dad did not see how he was on the Dean's List all four years.

[voralfred]

A catholic priest, a protestant clergyman, an orthodox pope, a rabbi, an imam and a buddhist monk enter together into a parisian bar.
The guy behind the counter looks at them all and asks
"C'est une blague ou quoi ?" ('Is this a blague, a kind of joke ?")

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

A catholic priest, a protestant clergyman, an orthodox pope, a rabbi, an imam and a buddhist monk enter together into a parisian bar.
The guy behind the counter looks at them all and asks
"C'est une blague ou quoi ?" ('Is this a blague, a kind of joke ?")

The patrons might *think* that but I'm quite sure the bartender would actually say: "Vous vous foutez de ma gueule ou quoi?"

[voralfred]

(...) "Vous vous foutez de ma gueule ou quoi?"

I am impressed by your mastery of the french language...

[Algot Runeman]

doyenne

Pronunciation: /doiˈen/
noun
a woman who is the most respected or prominent person in a particular field:she’s the doyenne of daytime TV

Origin:
mid 19th century: from French, feminine of doyen (see doyen)

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Sally wondered if not being known as "Sarah" was the cause she wasn't seen as the doyenne of anything. She didn't have a middle name, either.

[voralfred]

In french, "doyen" and "doyenne" can be the most respected and prominent person, but the simplest meaning is just the oldest.
The doyenne of this forum is mccormack44.
I'm saying she is, not she was though she has not posted here for a while, two posts in March 2012 and nothing else since april 2010, because she posted on Facebook quite recently, less than one hour ago, in fact.

I wonder who is the doyen, if we do not count her (or even counting her, but insist on doyen in the strict sense of older male). Are you, E.P.S. ?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

... Are you, E.P.S. ?

Well, according to joining date, lately *you* are the doyen in this WotD forum, while overall it would be MidasKnight.

And your profile doesn't state your actual age, so I can't compare.

As for me, I'm mostly "moyen" even if doyen.

[Algot Runeman]

spoliation

Pronunciation: /ˌspōlēˈāSHən/
noun
1the action of ruining or destroying something:the spoliation of the countryside
2the action of taking goods or property from somewhere by illegal or unethical means:the spoliation of the Church

Origin:
late Middle English (denoting pillaging): from Latin spoliatio(n-), from the verb spoliare 'strip, deprive' (see spoil)


Image Credit: drumaboy

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Spoilation is our primary skill as humans. We have "dominion" over the Earth and mainly the world is our midden.

[Algot Runeman]

appurtenance

Pronunciation: /əˈpərtn-əns/
noun
(usually appurtenances)
an accessory or other item associated with a particular activity or style of living:all the appurtenances of luxurious travel

Origin:
Middle English: from Old French apertenance, based on late Latin appertinere 'belong to' (see appertain)


Ben Amstutz

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Wood shavings in the pants cuffs and sawdust in the hair are appurtenances of the woodworker's trade.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

appurtenance

You all got acquainted with me since June 2009. That's more than four years now.

Well, here's a little quiz to test how well you know my dearest subject:

What was my grandma's most favorite appurtenance?

• A - A Form Fitting Evening Gown
• B - Lustrous Furs
• C - Chanel No. 5 and nothing else

In which of these did my grandpa prefer her?

[voralfred]

appurtenance

You all got acquainted with me since June 2009. That's more than four years now.

Well, here's a little quiz to test how well you know my dearest subject:

What was my grandma's most favorite appurtenance?

• A - A Form Fitting Evening Gown
• B - Lustrous Furs
• C - Chanel No. 5 and nothing else

In which of these did my grandpa prefer her?

Your grandma's favorite was B: lustrous furs
But unless I am mistaken, your grandpa preferred it when the only fur she wore was... her own, didn't he ? Not that he was overly bothered by the spoliation of visons, minks, chinchillas and assorted leopards, (not to mention poor little synthetics ! do you imagine how many nice, cute, innocent synthetics are slaughtered daily to produce coats ?), but because of all possible furs, hers was the only one he really was himself interested in.

[Algot Runeman]

Of course, your grandfather was not eager for a hug when your grandma adorned herself with furze (facing out only, with a tough-if-supple lining). I bet he said she was "prickly" on occasion.

[I admit to circular references here. Furze has entered the discussion of furs before. - July 28, 2009.]

[Algot Runeman]

fribble

Pronunciation: /ˈfribəl/
noun
informal
a frivolous or foolish person.
a thing of no great importance.

verb
(fribble away) [with object] dated
part with lightly and wastefully; fritter:it is no longer respectable to fribble the days away in idle pleasure

Origin:
mid 17th century: symbolic, from the earlier (now obsolete) verb meaning 'stammer', also 'act aimlessly or frivolously'


Boston Business Journal

`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`~`

Sam stood outside the Friendly Ice Cream restaurant. He had fribbled away years of his life travelling the world, searching for the perfect drink. Here, at last, the quest was complete. Sam had finally had a frozen mix of chocolate sauce, icecream and milk. Some called it a milkshake, others a frappe, but in this shop it was called a Fribble. Oh, the delight. Frittering away his life had been worth it. Now, if only the shop sold apple fritters, he could rest.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

fribble

In hindsight the notorious troubles with tribbles were just frivolous fribbles.

[Algot Runeman]

wheedle

Pronunciation: /ˈ(h)wēdl/

verb
[no object]

employ endearments or flattery to persuade someone to do something or give one something:you can contrive to wheedle your way onto a court [with direct speech]:“Please, for my sake,” he wheedled
[with object] (wheedle someone into doing something) coax or persuade someone to do something.
[with object] (wheedle something out of) coax or persuade (someone) to say or give something.

Origin:

mid 17th century: perhaps from German wedeln 'cringe, fawn', from Wedel 'tail, fan'

***___***___***___***___***___***___***___***___***___***___***___***___***___***

The word of this day is late. "PLEASE forgive me, you lovers of words, purveyors of puns and altogether fine people," I wheedle.

[voralfred]

(...)

I wonder how Nimoy's daughter has been wheedled into wearing this poor rabbit as a headdress...

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

wheedle

When he was a student, Bill used to wheedle his mom to take the needle and darn his socks.

Click the image

[Algot Runeman]

curio

Pronunciation: /ˈkyo͝orēˌō/

noun (plural curios)
a rare, unusual, or intriguing object.

Origin:
mid 19th century: abbreviation of curiosity

⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯ ⚭ ⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯⚯

In the era of unmarried partnerships ( ⚯ ), marriage ( ⚭ ) borders on being a curio.

[Algot Runeman]

anamorphosis

Pronunciation: /ˌanəˈmôrfəsis/
noun (plural anamorphoses /-fəˌsēz/)
1a distorted projection or drawing that appears normal when viewed from a particular point or with a suitable mirror or lens.
the process by which anamorphic images are produced.
2 Biology a gradual, ascending progression or change of form to a higher type.
development of the adult form through a series of small changes, especially in some arthropods, the acquisition of additional body segments after hatching.

Origin:
early 18th century: from Greek anamorphōsis 'transformation', from ana- 'back, again' + morphosis 'a shaping' (from morphoun 'to shape', from morphē 'shape, form')


[urlhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anamorphic_art_toy_by_OOZ_%26_OZ.jpg]Myrna Hoffman[/url]

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Anna Moore Pho is the "sis" of Feefi Pho who married Chad Fumm. That probably does not matter in the distorted world of anamorphosis but this topic is about words, and their sounds assail me, rattling within my brain. They do not cause pain...to me. I cannot speak for thee.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

anamorphosis

I guess that the Mercator Projection is an anamorphosis of the Earth's globe.

Though to navigators exploring the world's oceans to the map's edges, Mercator's World Map must have been much more than just a curio.

[Algot Runeman]

brilliantine

Pronunciation: /ˈbrilyənˌtēn/
noun
1 dated scented oil used on men’s hair to make it look glossy.
2US shiny dress fabric made from cotton and mohair or cotton and worsted.

Origin:
late 19th century: from French brillantine, from brillant 'shining' (see brilliant)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Louis was a brilliant teen.
His friends all thought him really keen.
But though otherwise very clean,
He drowned his hair in brilliantine.

[He ignored the advertising, "A little dab'll do ya!"]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

brilliantine
... scented oil used on men’s hair ...
... "A little dab'll do ya!" ...

I've heard that excessive use of brilliantine causes hair loss.
Do you think that's true?

Spoiler: show

P.S.
Sorry. The temptation was just too overwhelming.