GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

button

Pronunciation /ˈbətn/
noun
1 A small disk or knob sewn on to a garment, either to fasten it by being pushed through a slit made for the purpose or for decoration.

1.1 A small round object resembling a button.

1.2 Fencing A knob fitted to the point of a foil to make it harmless.

2 A knob on a piece of electrical or electronic equipment that is pressed to operate it.

2.1 An element of a graphical user interface which a user can select to perform a particular action.

3 North American A badge bearing a design or slogan and pinned to clothing.

transitive verb
[with object]
1 Fasten (clothing) with buttons.
1.1 button someone into Fasten the buttons of a garment being worn by someone.
1.2 no object (of a garment) be fastened with buttons.
2 button it informal Stop talking.

==========

Wandering through the word lists for today, there was "cardy" short for "cardigan" which is described as a "jumper", something I'd call a "sweater" lead, eventually, me to "button". It's a common word, but is widely used in several areas of interest. Therefore, I won't button my lip. I'll attempt to button down some ideas and button up some of its applications in a package.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

button

A long time ago, 40 years or so, I bought me a new pair of blue jeans.
But jeans with a buttoned fly, because that was the latest fashion.

After wearing it a few days, I told my wife its fit didn't feel quite right.

"Of course not, you idiot!" she replied. "Also the buttons are on the wrong side for you. It's a jeans for women!"

[Algot Runeman]

assemble

Pronunciation /əˈsɛmb(ə)l/
verb
1 no object (of people) gather together in one place for a common purpose.
1.1 with object Cause (people or things) to gather together for a common purpose.
1.2 Entomology (of male moths) gather for mating in response to a pheromone released by a female.
2 with object Fit together the separate component parts of (a machine or other object)
3 Computing - with object Translate (a program) from a higher-level programming language into machine code.
‘assemble the program and produce a file suitable to input to the simulator’

Origin
Middle English from Old French asembler, based on Latin ad- ‘to’ + simul ‘together’.

=====

The manufacturer assembled the workers to assemble the product. The workers assembled to form a union. The company replaced them with a robot which formerly the workers had assembled.

[Algot Runeman]

incorrigible

Pronunciation /ɪnˈkɒrɪdʒɪb(ə)l/
adjective
(of a person or their behaviour) not able to be changed or reformed.
noun
An incorrigible person.

Origin
Middle English from Old French, or from Latin incorrigibilis, from in- ‘not’ + corrigibilis (see corrigible).

==========

Andy agreed with nothing his parents requested. He reveled in being incorrigible.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

incorrigible

I read this.
So, OK. I went to bed, to take a nap.
Sometimes I like to be contrary ...

[Algot Runeman]

bobble

Pronunciation /ˈbɒb(ə)l/
verb
informal
1 no object Move with a feeble or irregular bouncing motion.
2 North American with object Mishandle (a ball)
noun
informal
1 A feeble or irregular bouncing motion.
2 North American A mishandling of a ball.

Origin
Early 19th century frequentative of bob.

==========

Local fans hope that the home team doesn't bobble the ball, wrecking the opening day pitching of Red Sox ace, Nathan Eovaldi.

[Algot Runeman]

nimble

Pronunciation /ˈnɪmb(ə)l/
adjective nimbler, nimblest
1 Quick and light in movement or action; agile.
1.1 (of the mind) able to think and understand quickly.

Origin
Old English nǣmel ‘quick to seize or comprehend’, related to niman ‘take’, of Germanic origin. The -b- was added for ease of pronunciation.

============

Crossing the mountain's steep rock slopes, with no observable slips, mountain goats are the epitome of being nimble.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

nimble

Don't think that a dog figurine with a bobble head is nimble.

It isn't. It's just a loose and low resistance suspension.

[Algot Runeman]

partial

Pronunciation /ˈpɑːʃ(ə)l/
adjective
1 Existing only in part; incomplete.
2 Favoring one side in a dispute above the other; biased.
3 partial to - Having a liking for.
noun
Music
A component of a musical sound; an overtone or harmonic.

Origin
Late Middle English (in partial (sense 2 of the adjective)): from Old French parcial (partial (sense 2 of the adjective)), French partiel (partial (sense 1 of the adjective)), from late Latin partialis, from pars, part- ‘part’.

==========

Harry sought to impart a partial acceptance of his being partial to participles.

[Algot Runeman]

transformation

Pronunciation /ˌtransfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ /ˌtrɑːnsfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ /ˌtranzfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/ /ˌtrɑːnzfəˈmeɪʃ(ə)n/
noun
marked change in form, nature, or appearance.

==========

Lowly flour, when mixed properly with sugar, butter, milk, eggs, baking powder, and then baked and frosted undergoes a fabulous transformation into that most astounding dessert, THE CAKE.

[voralfred]

I am incorrigible. Since my mind is not nimble enough to imagine funny sentences on a single WOTD, I am partial to assembling several of them in order to produce a post.

This transformation of several disjoint WOTD into a single sentence, like the ingredients of the cake of Algot's last post, certainly makes you bobble your head in dismay for my lack of autonomy.

On the other hand, it could be considered as a form of pluralism as in E pluribus unum

[Algot Runeman]

voralfred, vacuous attempts at decrying your verbal volume will never lead to valueless verbiage. I, for one, (for two and for three), approve of such plentiful posts.

[Algot Runeman]

bedfellow

Pronunciation /ˈbɛdfɛləʊ/
noun
1 A person who shares a bed with another.
1.1 A person or thing allied or closely connected with another.

==========

According to etymonline.com "fellow" is historically a genderless term, so bedfellow easily and effectively expresses close associations of all kinds. Though the common phrase "strange bedfellows", to describe unexpected affiliations, may be the most familar usage.

There is also the archaic term, "wedfellow", referring to a spouse. Perhaps, with same-sex marriages having become common, that term will be resurrected.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

bedfellow
...
There is also the archaic term, "wedfellow", referring to a spouse. Perhaps, with same-sex marriages having become common, that term will be resurrected.

One can hope it will not devolve into "wetfellow".

[Algot Runeman]

One can hope it will not devolve into "wetfellow".

It is my resolve to do no such devolve.
It would be a problem too hard to solve.

[Algot Runeman]

historize

(also historise)
Pronunciation /ˈhɪstərʌɪz/
verb
1 To tell the history of; to narrate as history.
2 To compose history or narrative; to take a historical view of something; to act as a historian.

Origin
Late 16th century; earliest use found in John Bridges (?1536–1618), bishop of Oxford. From history + -ize. Compare post-classical Latin historizare.

==========

With increasing age, when you reminisce, especially in writing, you probably historize. What you casually recollect may easily be something that today's youth know nothing about.



[There is nothing really connecting this image with today's word, since it is generally believed that, while cats might have nine lives, they do not record history. The image does combine images used in the past...hence historizing.]

[Algot Runeman]

straggler

Pronunciation /ˈstraɡlə/
noun
1 A person in a group who becomes separated from the others, typically because of moving more slowly.
1.1 Something that grows or spreads irregularly or apart from others of its kind.

==========

It was a chore, to nag at her
For too often being a straggler.
She simply waved her rag of fur
And replied, "I will not haggle, sir!"



[My silly rhymes probably perplex people while perpetually pleasing me.]

[Algot Runeman]

oops

Pronunciation /uːps/ /ʊps/
exclamation
informal
Used to show recognition of a mistake or minor accident, often as part of an apology.

Origin
Natural exclamation: first recorded in English in the 1930s.

==========

One word, in the middle of an operation, you do not want to hear a surgeon say, "Oops!"



[If it were not an exclamation strong enough on its own, there's also oopsie and oopsie-daisy.]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

oops

I always thought "oops!" to be synonymous to "sh*t!"... ...

[voralfred]

I always felt that, though oops and sh*t may be badfellows, the former is not quite as malapert as the latter. Among four-letter words, oops is some kind of a straggler, not as energetic as most of the others.

Or maybe I am just historizing

[Algot Runeman]

whatsit

Pronunciation /ˈwɒtsɪt/
noun
informal British
A thing whose name one cannot recall, does not know, or does not wish to specify.

==========

Oh nuts! Come on! Hand me the whatsit. I already have the thingamabob ready to go.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

whatsit

Oh! Now I understand.

You've explained what a whatchamacallit is.

Now I finally get it!

(Can one ever stop learning?)

[Algot Runeman]

(Can one ever stop learning?)

Why would anyone want to do that?

Lexico.com actually offered "oojah", but the other two words with a similar intent, were already known to me, from reading, etc. and I am based, attached, and bolted down to the U.S.A., so there you are. "Whatsis" is actually what I've used more frequently than whatsit.

Our forum lookup will not allow words longer than 14 characters, while also oddly calling whatchamacallit "too common".

[Algot Runeman]

vindictive

Pronunciation /vɪnˈdɪktɪv/
adjective
Having or showing a strong or unreasoning desire for revenge.

Origin
Early 17th century from Latin vindicta ‘vengeance’ + -ive.

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In some sense, it is predictive
That I find the rules of man restrictive.
Blocking some from hope like a big sieve
Which leaves me feeling really vindictive.

[voralfred]

If you don't know the exact name of some whatsit, whatsis, thingamabob, whatchamacallit or oojah, would it be a good idea to ask a ouija board for the answer ?

The danger is that too difficult a question might cause the spirit behind the ouija vindictive if it does not know the answer...