GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

A home for our "Off-Topic" Chats. Like to play games? Tell jokes? Shoot the breeze about nothing at all ? Here is the place where you can hang out with the IBDoF Peanut Gallery and have some fun.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

voralfred wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:23 pm Well, since I am not able to find any funny sentence using recent words, maybe I can answer seriously

- and finally, my daughter had an accouchement on December 6th, and I am now a Granddad.

After using all this space without writing anything humorous, I'll vacate this post on tiptoes...
There seems to be a rumor
That this topic is just humor.
That's a thing to quick dispel
There's honesty here as well.

Some like to share a real moment. Others tell stories, real or imagined. As can be seen just above, sometime there are rhymes.
The key isn't any one thing, of course. The mass of moments we share here are...whatever we ALL want to make them.

The thing which draws us here may be obscure words, but we share our attempts to use them any way we can.

Congratulations, Grampa!
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

voralfred wrote: Sat Jan 30, 2021 6:23 pm ...
- and finally, my daughter had an accouchement on December 6th, and I am now a Granddad.
Hey, congratulations grandfather, welcome to the club.

Also congratulations to your daughter. Her aim for Saint Nicholas (1) on December 6th has been impressively accurate.

As you've been promoted to "opa" (2), from now on you're allowed to be permanently grumpy, grouchy, cranky, finicky and picky 🐗, EXCEPT to your granddaughter. With her you shall be the saintliest, most caring, exhaustively patient and all-forgiving "bompa" (3) EVER 🐶.

Have fun.

(1) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saint_Nicholas, who gave rise to the traditional model of Santa Claus ("Saint Nick") through the Dutch Sinterklaas. (interesting read!)
(2) opa = gramps in Dutch
(3) bompa = gramps in Flemish
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

hustings

Pronunciation /ˈhʌstɪŋz/
noun hustings
1 A meeting at which candidates in an election address potential voters.
1.1 the hustings - The campaigning associated with an election.

Origin
Late Old English husting ‘deliberative assembly, council’, from Old Norse hústhing ‘household assembly held by a leader’, from hús ‘house’ + thing ‘assembly, parliament’; hustings was applied in Middle English to the highest court of the City of London, presided over by the Recorder of London. Subsequently it denoted the platform in Guildhall where the Lord Mayor and aldermen presided, and (early 18th century) a temporary platform on which parliamentary candidates were nominated; hence the sense ‘electoral proceedings’.

==========

The hustle and bustle of the hustings are over. It is time to dig in to the day-to-day effort of making things work for the electorate.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

salvo

Pronunciation /ˈsalvəʊ/
noun salvos, salvoes
1 A simultaneous discharge of artillery or other guns in a battle.
1.1 A number of weapons released from one or more aircraft in quick succession.
1.2 A sudden, vigorous, or aggressive act or series of acts.

Origin
Late 16th century (earlier as salve): from French salve, Italian salva ‘salutation’.

==========

An opening salvo of cannon is probably the last which will be so well coordinated. [That's the military canon I learned from reading Hornblower novels.]

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

William did not want to lose time with hustings nor take the risk to lose the election.
He opted for a decisive salvo (definition 1.2, as there were no guns yet in 1066) in Hastings.


EPS : Thanks for your congratulations ; I'll try to avoid the grumpy, grouchy, cranky, finicky and picky part as I don't think my wife would much appreciate it but for the remainder I'll follow your sound advices : saintliest, most caring, exhaustively patient and all-forgiving "bompa" EVER for my little Lila

And thanks to you too, Algot
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

obstruct

Pronunciation /əbˈstrʌkt/
verb
[with object]
1 Block (an opening, path, road, etc.); be or get in the way of.
1.1 Prevent or hinder (movement or someone or something in motion)
1.2 Deliberately make (something) difficult.
1.3 Law Commit the offence of intentionally hindering (a police officer)
1.4(in various sports) impede (a player in the opposing team) in a manner which constitutes an offence.

Origin
Late 16th century from Latin obstruct- ‘blocked up’, from the verb obstruere, from ob- ‘against’ + struere ‘build, pile up’.

=========

Cataract surgery today may obstruct the posting of words over the next days. Happy Groundhog Day.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

muddle

Pronunciation /ˈmʌd(ə)l/
verb
[with object]
1 Bring into a disordered or confusing state.
1.1 Confuse (a person or their thoughts)
noun
usually in singular
An untidy and disorganized state or collection.

==========

*One-Eyed Jack*

The left eye fog is thick
A squint don't do the trick.
In a day or two I'll "see"
Is my hope that it will be.

So here I sit, say huddle
Perhaps I'm in a muddle.
I hope soon back on track
From being a one-eyed Jack.

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This post is a day after cataract surgery of my left eye. With it, I see everything as if through a thick fog (hence the connection to "muddle"). The illustration, naturally, was both an extra challenge and gradually became a more complex illustration than I usually do. It is odd to do that kind of thing. Today, I should have simply tried to fall back on a former clip, somehow. It may have been the "challenge" of doing it. Will it happen again tomorrow? I don't know.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Wed Feb 03, 2021 3:42 pm muddle
I'm sure your visual muddledness is just a passing nuisance so soon after ocular intervention.

What I read on the internet about cataract surgery (in the developed countries, that is), presents a very good outlook, so to speak.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

vainglory

Pronunciation /veɪnˈɡlɔːri/
noun
mass noun literary
Excessive pride in oneself or one's achievements; excessive vanity.

Origin
Middle English suggested by Old French vaine gloire, Latin vana gloria.

==========

Let us tell another story.
It will be about vainglory.
Although you might object,
What else would you expect?

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

embouchure

Pronunciation /ˌɒmbʊˈʃʊə/
noun
1 Music
mass noun The way in which a player applies their mouth to the mouthpiece of a brass or wind instrument, especially as it affects the production of the sound.
1.1 count noun The mouthpiece of a flute or a similar instrument.
2 archaic The mouth of a river or valley.

Origin
Mid 18th century French, from s'emboucher ‘discharge itself by the mouth’, from emboucher ‘put in or to the mouth’, from em- ‘into’ + bouche ‘mouth’.

==========

One wonders if botox treatment of the lips has an impact on embouchure.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

analytics

Pronunciation /anəˈlɪtɪks/

plural noun
treated as singular or plural
1 The systematic computational analysis of data or statistics.
1.1 Information resulting from the systematic analysis of data or statistics.

==========

Pervasive automated observation can provide probable cause for investigation by applying surveillance analytics.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Sat Feb 06, 2021 12:08 pm analytics.
...
Pervasive automated observation can provide probable cause for investigation by applying surveillance analytics.
...
I have "Google Analytics Opt-out Add-on" enabled in Firefox.

I also refuse all cookies by social networks (Facebook, Whatsapp, Twitter, etc.). They can't apply their analytics to me, or only very limited anyway.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

I do not feel much vainglory about my contributions here. But I can provide some information I hope you consider interesting.
In French, embouchure has the same meanings 1, 1.1 and 2 as in english, but, should I say, in reverse order. Meaning 2 is not at all archaic, and in fact rather dominant. Among 1 and 1.1, meaning 1.1 is primary and meaning 1 rather derives from it.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

unload

Pronunciation /ʌnˈləʊd/
verb
[with object]
1 Remove goods from (a vehicle, ship, container, etc.)
1.1 Remove (goods) from a vehicle, ship, container, etc.
1.2 no object (of a vehicle, ship, container, etc.) have goods removed.
1.3 informal Get rid of (something unwanted)
1.4 Give expression to (oppressive thoughts or feelings)
2 Remove (ammunition) from a gun or (film) from a camera.

==========

Stevie Dore was good at his job unloading containers from ships at the port.

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[As a rule, four letter words are difficult for this forum, so this negative version of "load" is, one hopes, a reasonable substitute. If not, and you think this solution is just a "load of crap", I'm sorry.]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

victorious

Pronunciation /vɪkˈtɔːrɪəs/
adjective
1 Having won a victory; triumphant.
1.1 Of or characterized by victory.

Origin
Late Middle English from Anglo-Norman French victorious, from Latin victoriosus, from victoria (see victory).

==========

Tom Brady lead his new team to the Super Bowl where he was victorious for his seventh time at 43 years old.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

Admirers of Napoleon would say he was so often victorious because of his mastery of the analytics of battles.
Critics would say he was just too vainglorious to unload guns and, rather, insisted on firing them, in salvoes, on anything in sight.

Well, some other historians may also have more theories, I suppose.
But all would agree that, for better or for worse, he had a very resolute personality.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

ackers

Pronunciation /ˈakəz/
plural noun
informal British
Money.

Origin
1930s (originally used by British troops in Egypt as a name for the piastre): probably an alteration of Arabic fakka ‘small change, coins’.

==========

Alf somehow seems to have no ability to accumulate enough ackers to keep comfortable digs, not to mention that Lebanese money is hard to pass in the UK.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Tue Feb 09, 2021 1:41 pm ackers
Pronunciation /ˈakəz/
plural noun
informal British
Money.
A very good and famous musician used this currency as his trademark identity.

It's not a competitive quiz here, so I can tell you his distinctive stage name: Hear and see him play here.
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

super

Pronunciation /ˈsuːpə/
adjective
1 informal Very good or pleasant; excellent.
2 (of a manufactured product) very good; superfine.
3 British Building
short for superficial (used in expressing quantities of material)
adverb
informal as submodifier
Especially; particularly.
noun
1 informal A superintendent.
2 informal, archaic An extra, unwanted, or unimportant person; a supernumerary.
2.1 North American theatrical slang, dated An extra.
3 informal mass noun Superphosphate.
4 informal mass noun Superfine fabric or manufacture.

Origin
Mid 19th century abbreviation.

==========

As an (interminable!) sequel to this thread, today's word is "Super WotD"!

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

vacant

Pronunciation /ˈveɪk(ə)nt/
adjective
1 (of a place) not occupied; empty.
1.1 (of a position or employment) not filled.
2 Having or showing no intelligence or interest.

Origin
Middle English from Old French, or from Latin vacant- ‘remaining empty’, from the verb vacare.

==========

They asked him what he though about using vacant so soon after using vacate as Word of the Day.

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[His answer is typical. He had no reason. He might actually be as vacuous as he has often seemed. Maybe he should go on a vacation! And you well may wonder if the vacuum will be filled (and filed) sometime soon.]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by voralfred »

I already used vacate recently, so let me comment on vacuum with a child's memory.

My father and also my mother, in fact, knew english, but did not speak it at home, more the pity. He did, however, use the phrase "nettoyage par le vide" which is word-for-word translation of "vacuum-cleaning", not in the sense of cleaning an apartment, but in a more general setting, getting rid of everything that goes wrong in society, though it was clear to me, even as a child, that this was an analogy to cleaning an apartment.
But for me the way I understood it was to remove all the content of a place, to evacuate it in order to clean it thoroughly.

It took me decades to realise that the phrase was in connection with the implement called vacuum-cleaner because in french it is called "aspirateur", and the verb "aspirer" ("to suck" in the ordinary meaning of "to suck a drink through a straw") did not at all evoke the notion of "emptiness" to me. When I drink with a straw, my mouth fills up, I don't think of it as being in a state of vacuum even before I start. "Aspirer" is also often used as a synonym to "inspirer"="inhale". Again, lungs are not empty when one inhales, one increases the amount of air, but not starting from zero.

Curious how a child's mind works, isn't it ?
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

commit

Pronunciation /kəˈmɪt/
verb commits, committing, committed
[with object]
1 Perpetrate or carry out (a mistake, crime, or immoral act)
2 Pledge or bind (a person or an organization) to a certain course or policy.
2.1 be committed to - Be dedicated to (something)
2.2 Pledge or set aside (resources) for future use.
2.3 commit oneself to - Resolve to remain in a long-term emotional relationship with (someone)
2.4 be committed to - Be in a long-term emotional relationship with (someone)
3 commit something to - Transfer something to (a state or place where it can be kept or preserved)
3.1 Consign (someone) officially to prison, especially on remand.
3.2 Send (a person or case) for trial in a higher court.
3.3 Send (someone) to be confined in a psychiatric hospital.
3.4 Refer (a parliamentary or legislative bill) to a committee.

Origin
Late Middle English from Latin committere ‘join, entrust’ (in medieval Latin ‘put into custody’), from com- ‘with’ + mittere ‘put or send’.

==========

Henry committed his story to paper, telling of the commitment of two brothers...though to entirely different paths.

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[For what it is worth: Spelling, especially the inconsistent use of doubled letters makes me shudder. ]
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

wreak

Pronunciation /riːk/
verb
[with object]
1 Cause (a large amount of damage or harm)
1.1 Inflict (vengeance)
1.2 archaic Avenge (someone who has been wronged)

Usage
In the phrase wrought havoc, as in they wrought havoc on the countryside, wrought is an archaic past tense of work and is not, as is sometimes assumed, a past tense of wreak

Origin
Old English wrecan ‘drive (out), avenge’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch wreken and German rächen; compare with wrack, wreck, and wretch.

==========

You may always properly wreak scorn on the author of these sampler texts.

(Happy Valentine's Day)

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by E Pericoloso Sporgersi »

Algot Runeman wrote: Sun Feb 14, 2021 1:32 pm wreak
Is a wreck the result of e wreaking action, for example a car's wreck in a traffic accident?

German police set up fake traffic accident to test how many will stop:
(https://www.dw.com/en/german-police-set ... a-44325502)

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Post by Algot Runeman »

access

Pronunciation /ˈaksɛs/
noun
1 often "access to" mass noun The means or opportunity to approach or enter a place.
1.1 The right or opportunity to use or benefit from something.
1.2 The right or opportunity to approach or see someone.
1.3 The process of obtaining or retrieving information stored in a computer's memory.
1.4 as modifier Denoting broadcasting produced by minority and specialist interest groups, rather than by professionals.
2 literary in singular - An attack or outburst of an emotion.
verb
[with object]
1 Approach or enter (a place)
2 Obtain or retrieve (computer data or a file)

Origin
Middle English (in the sense ‘sudden attack of illness’): from Latin accessus, from the verb accedere ‘to approach’ (see accede). access (sense 1 of the noun) is first recorded in the early 17th century.

==========

My anger's in excess
Locked at home, a mess.
Can't access the library.
With old books must tarry.

Oh, yes, there are the ebooks.
Using Kindles and those Nooks.
But, for them, I have to pay.
'Till the vaccine, outlook's gray.

Image

[For the record, Lexico offered "unget-at-able", which let me track back through our word archives which has passed over "inaccessible" and "accessible" on the way to this more root-like word access.]
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