GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

rebus

He bussed to the reunion in Antwerp.

Upon arrival his cellphone got the SMS that it had been cancelled.

Oh well, he'd just have to rebus back home.

See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGOC_B-type

[Algot Runeman]

I'm rethinking my resolution to reverse my remarks about rebuses.

[Algot Runeman]

epact

Pronunciation: /ˈēˌpakt
noun
[in singular]
1 The number of days by which the solar year differs from the lunar year.
1.1 The number of days into the moon’s phase cycle at the beginning of the solar (calendar) year.

Origin
mid 16th century (denoting the age of the moon in days at the beginning of the calendar year): from French épacte, via late Latin from Greek epaktai (hēmerai) 'intercalated (days)', from epagein 'bring in', from epi 'in addition' + agein 'bring'.



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Sally reclined in the solarium. Even though it was December 21 and the winter solstice, she enjoyed the sun on her bare skin. Her neighbors to the south also appreciated her year-long love of the sun, though they did consider her a bit looney for her behavior. None of them noticed the epact offset of the moon's phase at all. For a wonder, neither did any of the others in town who were not her neighbors, except for the astronomer living on the side of the hill over which the sun was shining into Sally's solarium. Knowing the offset of days wasn't on the astronomer's mind as he trained his best refracting telescope her way. Her nearest neighbors might have been surprised to know that he had a better view than they did. Sally was oblivious, if well tanned all over.

[Algot Runeman]

hispid

Pronunciation: /ˈhispid
adjective
Botany & Zoology
Covered with stiff hair or bristles.

Origin
mid 17th century: from Latin hispidus.


--------------------------

Hairy Harry married hirsute Mary.
Their kids came soon. They didn't tarry.
They all were bushy, bearded, scary.
Most lacked hispid bristles, except for Larry.

[voralfred]

It is generally believed that the golden apples of the Hesperides were oranges. What is less well known is that her sisters, the Hisperides, had their own sacred fruits, namely chestnuts which they kept in their hispid burrs.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

epact

hispid

The Julian Calendar accumulated its yearly epact so much that it had a significant (and annoying) impact on agricultural planting schedules.

Pope Gregory of the ubiquitous Gregorian Calender dropped almost two weeks to get synchronous again with the real-time solar seasons.

Farmers were happy with the adjustment, but to people who had to pay interest or a monthly rent it was a hispid transition. Gregory himself couldn't care less, he just wanted more accurate calculations for the yearly dates of Easter.

The Gregorian Calendar, also known as the “Western Calendar” or “Christian Calendar”, is the most widely accepted calendar around the world today. Its predecessor, the Julian Calendar, was replaced because it did not correctly reflect the tropical year or solar year marked by Earth's revolution around the Sun.

See http://www.timeanddate.com/calendar/jul ... witch.html

[Algot Runeman]

hiatus

Pronunciation: /hīˈātəs
noun (plural hiatuses)
[usually in singular]
1 A pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process: there was a brief hiatus in the war with France
1.1 Prosody & Grammar A break between two vowels coming together but not in the same syllable, as in the ear and cooperate.

Origin
mid 16th century (originally denoting a physical gap or opening): from Latin, literally 'gaping', from hiare 'gape'.



--------------- ---------------

Let me think...No, I don't remember. The hiatus in my memory is to big a gap.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

hiatus...
A pause or gap in a sequence, series, or process ...

Hilarious hiatuses = having hiccups while laughing out loud.

[Algot Runeman]

free

adjective
1) without cost
2) unencumbered, unrestrained, liberated



----------

Today was free of an email from the dictionary. It offered a perfect opportunity to choose a word for a pet peeve discussion.

"But wait! There's more. If you order within the next 20 minutes (of this ad which is is playing from DVRs at dozens of different TV stations at different times across the country) we'll include this 'free gift.' Just pay separate shipping and handling."

[So, what is it that makes separate shipping and handling a good deal?]
[ And why is there an implication that a gift is anything but free?]
[ And have you noticed that taking out just one letter reverses the meaning? FREE → FEE]

[Algot Runeman]

floccose

Pronunciation: /ˈfläkˌōs
adjective
chiefly Botany
Covered with or consisting of woolly tufts.

Origin
mid 18th century: from late Latin floccosus, from Latin floccus 'flock'.



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Though Ted was a botanist, he wasn't happy about his floccose tufts, which were the best he could do growing a beard in the field. At home, he shaved assiduously.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

free

Not surprisingly, 'free' is one of the words most apt to trigger a spam filter.

See this list of spammy words.

In my case I have a (proven to be) reliable rule-of-thumb: any word, statement, advertisement or promise that attempts to address my greed or libido, is automatically suspect.

Words like 'Algot' and 'Runeman' just fail to trigger my filters, but I guess those are 'borderline' cases?

[Algot Runeman]

caramba

Pronunciation: /kəˈrämbə
exclamation
• informal , often • humorous
An expression of surprise or dismay.

Origin
mid 19th century: from Spanish.

-------------------

Caramba, I got this word yesterday, but missed it and now have not gotten todays word!

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

caramba... I got this word yesterday, but missed it and now have not gotten todays word!

Ay, Caramba, Señor. Cuidado!

[Algot Runeman]

maelstrom

Pronunciation: /ˈmālˌsträm, -strəm
noun
1 A powerful whirlpool in the sea or a river.
1.1 A situation or state of confused movement or violent turmoil: the train station was a maelstrom of crowds

Origin
late 17th century: from early modern Dutch (denoting a mythical whirlpool supposed to exist in the Arctic Ocean, west of Norway), from maalen 'grind, whirl' + stroom 'stream'.

---------------------------- @ ----------------------------

Carl stood quietly in the center of a train station. He stood in the middle of and yet was apart from the maelstrom of the crowd rushing every which way, entering train cars or pushing out to the street. That he was 7 feet tall, with a 3 foot long greasy mane of hair and was dressed in only a filthy brown trench coat might also have explained the gap he was allocated.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

maelstrom

Isn't a barista's job frustrating?
It only takes a little spoon's maelstrom or a fleeting sip to utterly destroy his carefully applied cream design.

[Algot Runeman]

coloratura

Pronunciation: /ˌkələrəˈto͝orə, ˌkäl-
noun

1 Elaborate ornamentation of a vocal melody, especially in operatic singing by a soprano.
1.1 (also coloratura soprano) A soprano skilled in coloratura.

Origin
Italian, literally 'coloring', from Latin colorare 'to color'.

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A whole bunch of modern singers attempt to ornament the US national anthem, especially when they sing at the beginning of a sports event. Generally, I do not think of it as coloratura.

[Algot Runeman]

skosh

Pronunciation: /skōSH
noun
US • informal
A small amount; a little
a skosh
Somewhat; slightly: it’s a skosh more formal than one might like

Origin
1950s: from Japanese sukoshi.

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It will take more than a skosh of effort to fix the Heartbleed malware problem on the Internet. In a pinch, you could write a check and lick a stamp, I suppose.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

coloratura

No one ever accused Will Tura of being a coloratura.
(just google for 'Will Tura')

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

skosh

I've said before that I might prefer a splotch of a good Single Malt.
Well, I guess a skosh of good Scotch will do too.

[Algot Runeman]

astrogation

Pronunciation: /ˌastrəˈgāSHən
noun
(In science fiction) navigation in outer space.

Origin
1930s: blend of astro- and navigation.


Image by Walt Kelly
Cartoon repeated from the website of Charles Apple.

*-------------*------------*-

As a boy, reading my early science fiction books, I think I might have wanted to study astrogation. I have strong memories of my favorite characters doing so. To be an astrogator, even on a commercial tug was a desirable job. Though I don't actually remember, I wonder if Pogo's Albert the Alligator wanted to be an Astro-gator.

[As always, we are seeking MORE EXAMPLE SENTENCES, and they are welcome whether reverent or irreverent word usage.]

[Algot Runeman]

kerf

Pronunciation: /kərf
noun
1 A slit made by cutting, especially with a saw.
2 The cut end of a felled tree.

Origin
Old English cyrf 'cutting, a cut'; related to carve.


FEI ZUO

-------------------

When you go out and try to surf.
The things you do should cut a kerf
Into the wave you slice, although,
The cut's not straight but curved, you know.

Kali Anastasi, as the Greeks say
On Easter, when spring gains sway.
Or celebrate the passing over
Or just enjoy the sun in Dover.

Cut yourself some slack.
Lighten loads from your back.
It is Sunday after all.
Enjoy family dinner and all.

Tomorrow, unless you're in Boston,
You'll calculate the cost, an'
Return to Monday's work.
Unless you're just a jerk.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

kerf
...

When you go out and try to surf.
The things you do should cut a kerf
etc ...

Wow!
That's a kerf to the core!

[Algot Runeman]

mage

Pronunciation: /māj
noun
• archaic or • literary
A magician or learned person.

Origin
late Middle English: anglicized form of Latin magus (see magus).



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Horace slowly turned the page,
He was learned as a sage.
There was no sense of awe
That he was also quite the mage.

He kept lions in a cage.
To show off on the stage.
Doing a trick with the saw.
And a girl of younger age.

[Algot Runeman]

razz

Pronunciation: /raz
• informal , chiefly North American
verb
[with object]
Tease (someone) playfully.
noun
another term for raspberry ( sense 4).

Origin
early 20th century: from informal razzberry, alteration of raspberry.



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You'll not razz me, friends, when I tell you I'm lazy. You knew that anyway. Instead you will rise to give me a resounding Bronx Cheer, so much as such a cheer will resound.

[Algot Runeman]

milord

Pronunciation: /məˈlôrd, mī-
noun
• historical or • humorous
Used to address or refer to an English nobleman, especially one traveling in Europe.

Origin
early 17th century: via French from English my lord; compare with milady.

-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-

"Welcome to the manor, milord" was the best that Clarence could do as he greeted the Duke of Ormond at the door.