GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

renal

/ˈriːn(ə)l/
adjective
technical
Relating to the kidneys.

Origin
Mid 17th century: from French rénal, from late Latin renalis, from Latin renes ‘kidneys’.

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Cells in the kidneys (part of the renal system) provide a cleanup crew to remove toxic nitrogen byproducts of protein use in an animal. Renal failure is a potentially fatal problem.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

renal

I've often thought that the expression "A Royal Pain In The Ass" was not the original.

That it used to be "A Renal Pain In The Ass" until some joker (W. C. Fields or Groucho Marx) modified it.

[Algot Runeman]

spume

/spjuːm/
noun
mass noun literary
Froth or foam, especially that found on waves.
verb
[no object] literary
Form or produce a mass of froth or foam.

Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French ( e)spume or Latin spuma.

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The coffee in my cup was capped with man-made spume,
Recently considered a prize to consume.
But I think that the coffee I make a home
Actually fills my cup, and that's the plan I will resume.

(and foam clogs my mustache!)

[voralfred]

I do like cappuchino, but if frothed milk is unavailable, I will never suggest to cap coffee with renal spume instead

[Algot Runeman]

kowhaiwhai

/kəˈfʌɪfʌɪ/
noun
mass noun NZ
Painted ornamentation in Maori art, typically made up of geometric swirls.

Origin
1940s: Maori.

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Bob created a wall border imagined in the style of New Zealand's Maori kowhaiwhai.

[Algot Runeman]

plenum

/ˈpliːnəm/
noun
1 An assembly of all the members of a group or committee.
2 Physics
A space completely filled with matter, or the whole of space so regarded.

Origin
Late 17th century: from Latin, literally ‘full space’, neuter of plenus ‘full’.

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The committee met in plenary session. As a result, there were heated discussions from the varied factions. There was little need for the furnace to fill its plenum with hot air, such air being provided by the committee itself.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

plenum

My grandma didn't care whether she had a plenum, quorum, majority or whatever.
When she wanted Ossobuco, come rain or come shine she cooked Ossobuco, regardless the wishes of the opposition.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

okole

/əʊˈkəʊli//əʊˈkəʊleɪ/
(also 'okole)
noun
United States Regional, Hawaii
The buttocks, the backside.

Origin
1930s. From Hawaiian ʽōkole anus, buttocks.

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It is typical of a young man to notice the okole of a nearby wahine, though he should know her very well before mentioning it.

[Algot Runeman]

carinderia

/karɪnˈdɛrɪə/
(also karinderya)
noun
(in the Philippines) a food stall with a small seating area, typically in a market or at a roadside.

Origin
Tagalog karinderya.

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Mandy and Maura enjoyed a light lunch from the carinderia before touring the rest of the marketplace.

[Algot Runeman]

belfry

/ˈbɛlfri/
noun
1 The part of a bell tower or steeple in which bells are housed.
1.1 A bell tower or steeple housing bells.

Origin
Middle English berfrey, from Old French berfrei, later belfrei, of West Germanic origin. The change in the first syllable was due to association with bell.

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The bell in the church's belfry was silent, but would peal out as the service ended, announcing the marriage of Marge and Bob.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

belfry

I wonder if in medieval Flanders a belfry was associated with a military establishment.

In present-day Dutch and Flemish a belfry is called a "belfort", perhaps because the "fort" part belonged to a military fortress.

I think that, whereas the fortress became obsolete and was dismantled, the belfry was maintained as an excellent observation post and far-reaching alarm signal.

The Magnificent Belfry of Bruges, Belgium

[voralfred]

belfry

I wonder if in medieval Flanders a belfry was associated with a military establishment.

In present-day Dutch and Flemish a belfry is called a "belfort", perhaps because the "fort" part belonged to a military fortress.

I think that, whereas the fortress became obsolete and was dismantled, the belfry was maintained as an excellent observation post and far-reaching alarm signal.

The Magnificent Belfry of Bruges, Belgium

The Belfry of Bruges is undoubtedly magnificent, I did visit it some time ago.

However according to the french "Wiktionnaire" the etymology of "beffroi" which is the translation of "belfry" comes from "bas francisque" a germanic language, (close to dutch, I believe) and means "peace warden" where the "peace" part provides "froi" (compare to "Friede" in German) and the "warden" part provided "berg" shortened to "ber" and finally to "bef"

(see also https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/belfry )

However, "belfort" meaning "beautiful castle" probably sounded close enough to "attract" the flemish form for "beffroi"

[Algot Runeman]

boondocks

/ˈbuːndɒks/
plural noun
North American
informal
Rough or isolated country.

Origin
1940s: boondock from Tagalog bundok ‘mountain’.

==========

To a dyed-in-the-wool city dweller, driving in a car to visit a suburban farm stand is a journey to the boondocks, especially if a picnic in the nearby forest preserve follows.

[Algot Runeman]

desiccant

/ˈdɛsɪk(ə)nt/
noun
A hygroscopic substance used as a drying agent.
mass noun ‘a small packet of desiccant to absorb any moisture’

Origin
Late 17th century: from Latin desiccant- ‘making thoroughly dry’, from the verb desiccare.

==========

Silica gel is commonly used in small packets in pill jars, serving as a dessicant to keep the pills from absorbing humidity and degrading.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

desiccant

Concentrated sulfuric acid is a powerfull desiccant.

But because you can't carry it around in small packets, its use is limited to desiccators in the laboratory.

P.S. Mind the spelling.

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

lament

/ləˈmɛnt/
noun
1 A passionate expression of grief or sorrow.
mass noun ‘a song full of lament and sorrow’
1.1 A song, piece of music, or poem expressing grief or sorrow.
2 A complaint.
verb
1 with object Express passionate grief about.
no object ‘the women wept and lamented over him’
2 reporting verb Express regret or disappointment about something.
with object ‘she lamented the lack of shops in the town’
with direct speech ‘‘We could have won,’ lamented the England captain’

Origin
Late Middle English (as a verb): from French lamenter or Latin lamentari, from lamenta (plural) ‘weeping, wailing’.

==========

You've reached that point
Life's out of joint.
You're but a pawn.
The past is gone.

The up is jigged.
The game is rigged.
Make final vow;
Breath deeply now.

Bemoan your fate.
But it's too late.
The damage done
There's no more fun.

The water's deep.
You sowed, now reap.
Feet in cement,
The snitch's lament.

[Algot Runeman]

noodle2

/ˈnuːd(ə)l/
noun
informal
1 A stupid or silly person.
2 A person's head.

==========

College students consume ramen noodles, breakfast, lunch and dinner. Is it any wonder their fact-filled noodles(2) are making them noodles(1)?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

noodle

I guess canoodle has nothing in common with noodle, except spelling?

[Algot Runeman]

It certainly isn't descriptive of a man thinking with his head.

[Algot Runeman]

biota

/bʌɪˈəʊtə/
noun
mass noun - Ecology
The animal and plant life of a particular region, habitat, or geological period.

Origin
Early 20th century: modern Latin, from Greek biotē ‘life’.

==========

A diminished biota is a bad sign.

[Algot Runeman]

mucin

/ˈmjuːsɪn/
noun
mass noun - Biochemistry
A glycoprotein constituent of mucus.

Origin
Mid 19th century: from mucus + -in.

==========

Baseball fields, and, indeed, the team dugouts must have a perpetual sheen of mucin, no matter how hard the grounds crew works between games. I wonder if all that spit is in any way beneficial to the ballparks with real grass.

[Algot Runeman]

squinch1

/skwɪn(t)ʃ/
noun
A straight or arched structure across an interior angle of a square tower to carry a superstructure such as a dome.

Origin
Late 15th century: alteration of obsolete scunch, abbreviation of scuncheon.

squinch2
verb
[with object]North American
1 Tense up the muscles of (one's eyes or face)
1.1 no object (of a person's eyes) narrow so as to be almost closed, typically in reaction to strong light.
2 no object Crouch down in order to make oneself seem smaller or to occupy less space.

==========

Harold squinched up his face in an effort to visualize the architectural squinch design needed to support a dome. Somehow, he felt it helped.



Origin
Early 19th century: perhaps a blend of the verbs squeeze and pinch.

[Algot Runeman]

entitle

/ɪnˈtʌɪt(ə)l//ɛnˈtʌɪt(ə)l/
verb
[with object]
1 often be entitled to Give (someone) a legal right or a just claim to receive or do something.
with object and infinitive ‘the landlord is entitled to require references’
2 Give (something) a particular title.
2.1 archaic with object and complement Give (someone) a specified title expressing their rank, office, or character.

Origin
Late Middle English (formerly also as intitle): via Old French from late Latin intitulare, from in- ‘in’ + Latin titulus ‘title’.

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His average abilities were less important in the scheme of things. He "earned" his position because he was from the right sort of family. A member of the board recommended him. He steadily moved up in the company, entitled by the system of privilege. We are not so far away from the feudal Middle Ages as we want to believe.

[Algot Runeman]

studio

/ˈstjuːdɪəʊ/
noun
1 A room where an artist, photographer, sculptor, etc. works.
1.1 A place where cinema films are made or produced.
1.2 A place where musical or sound recordings are made.
1.3 A room from which television programmes are broadcast, or in which they are recorded.
1.4 A place where performers, especially dancers, practise and exercise.
2 A film or television production company.
as modifier ‘a studio executive’
3 A studio flat/apartment.

Origin
Early 19th century: from Italian, from Latin studium (see study).

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Though 2005, 2007 and 2010 brought "atelier" to our attention, until this very day, we had not considered the less fancy "studio". At a quick glance, the studio seems to have more breadth of definition.

[Algot Runeman]

bankster

/ˈbaŋkstə/
noun
US
derogatory
A member of the banking industry seen as profiteering or dishonest.

Origin
Late 19th century (as non-derogatory nickname): blend of banker and gangster.

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Joey dreamed of being a "made man" in the mob some day via street smarts. Clive dreamed of being a bankster instead, via a degree in finance. Both would need to "make a killing" to accomplish their goals.