GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

hairpin bend

(North American hairpin turn)
Pronunciation
noun
A sharp U-shaped bend in a road.

==========

Riders on the Giro d'Italia and other grand tour races must make effective use of hairpin bends, going both uphill and down.



And a real hairpin, AKA "Bobby Pin", just for fun.



[Grr. Personal gripe. I went to all the trouble of making a fancy, illustration for grimalkin because it had been offered by Lexico...and only then checked to see if it had been used before...of course it had. Seven years has passed and I feel very grumpy, almost spiteful, one might say! Now, I'll need to keep that illustration for some future post...if I remember it.]

[Algot Runeman]

pea-soupy

adjective
informal
Resembling or reminiscent of pea soup (applied especially to thick fog).

Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in Blackwood's Magazine.

==========

Nobody in the peloton liked the pea-soupy conditions on the hairpin-bends of the mountain stage, but at least it was not snowing.

[Algot Runeman]

articulate

Pronunciation /ɑːˈtɪkjʊlət/ /ɑːˈtɪkjʊleɪt/
adjective
1 Having or showing the ability to speak fluently and coherently.
2 technical - Having joints or jointed segments.
2.1 Zoology - Denoting a brachiopod which has projections and sockets that form a hinge joining the two halves of the shell.
verb
[with object]
1 Pronounce (something) clearly and distinctly.
1.1 Express (an idea or feeling) fluently and coherently.
2 no object - Form a joint.
2.1 be articulated - Be connected by joints.

Origin
Mid 16th century from Latin articulatus, past participle of articulare ‘divide into joints, utter distinctly’, from articulus ‘small connecting part’ (see article).

==========

Bob was certain that he had articulated his perspective. Nonetheless, Betty made her own decision. Bob decided it was wise to agree.

[Algot Runeman]

schmutter

Pronunciation /ˈʃmʌtə/
noun
mass noun
informal
1 Clothing; garments.
2 Worthless material; rubbish.

Origin
1950s from Yiddish schmatte ‘rag’.

==========

Sid decided to get rid of some old schmutter. Do you want it?



[This word may be a day late, but it isn't a dollar short.]

[Algot Runeman]

trounce

Pronunciation /traʊns/
verb
[with object]
1 Defeat heavily in a contest.
1.1 Rebuke or punish severely.

Origin
Mid 16th century (also in the sense ‘afflict’): of unknown origin.

==========

Tom tore himself up, needing no external rebuke. Once again, distracted, he'd been trounced by the passage of time.

[Algot Runeman]

prosopopoeia

Pronunciation /ˌprɒsəpəˈpiːə/
noun
mass noun
1 A figure of speech in which an abstract thing is personified.
2 A figure of speech in which an imagined, absent, or dead person or thing is represented as speaking.

Origin
Mid 16th century via Latin from Greek prosōpopoiia, from prosōpon ‘person’ + poiein ‘to make’.

==========

My long absent father whispered into my ear, "Just sleep on it, kiddo. You'll be able to think of some way to use the word prosopopoeia in a sentence." His advice, as always, calmed me, and I followed it.

[Algot Runeman]

culvert

Pronunciation /ˈkʌlvət/
noun
A tunnel carrying a stream or open drain under a road or railway.

Origin
Late 18th century of unknown origin.

==========

It is important to clear debris from culverts to keep streams from rising and washing out the roadway.



[Today's word follows a rabbit-hole trip of watching a series of volunteer culvert cleaning videos.]

[voralfred]

You were very articulate in your trouncing of Lexico for using grimalkin twice.

Contrariwise, the background of the illustration for culvert was a bit pea-soupy.

PS :
Your Articulation is whispering to my ear : "You are referring to Algot as if he were next to you and you could actually hear his voice ! He is one Ocean away, and not even on the phone ! Did you realise you were committing a prosopopoeia (meaning #2) ?"
Errrr... Hmmmm...

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

culvert

In one of Miles Vorkosigan's stories, a culvert plays a significant part.
Telling more would be a spoiler.

[Algot Runeman]

Contrariwise, the background of the illustration for culvert was a bit pea-soupy.

You have metaphorically whispered, "Learn how to draw trees and shrubs!" into my auditory orifices.

Be patient with me.

[voralfred]

(...)

You have metaphorically whispered, "Learn how to draw trees and shrubs!" into my auditory orifices.

Be patient with me.

(...)

From across an Ocean and without a phone...

I have never seen so many prosopopoeias in so few posts !

[Algot Runeman]

matriculate

Pronunciation /məˈtrɪkjʊleɪt/ /məˈtrɪkjʊlət/
verb
1 no object Be enrolled at a college or university.
1.1 with object Admit (a student) to membership of a college or university.
1.2 South African Pass the final school-leaving examination.
2 Scottish Heraldry
with object Record (arms) in an official register.
noun
Indian
A person who has matriculated.

Origin
Late 16th century from medieval Latin matriculat- ‘enrolled’, from the verb matriculare, from late Latin matricula ‘register’, diminutive of Latin matrix.

==========

According to this very definition, there is no object(point?) in matriculating in a university. (I cannot say I agree.)

[Algot Runeman]

congratulate

Pronunciation /kənˈɡratjʊleɪt/
verb
[with object]
1 Give (someone) one's good wishes when something special or pleasant has happened to them.
1.1 Praise (someone) for an achievement.
1.2 congratulate oneselfFeel pride or satisfaction.

Origin
Mid 16th century from Latin congratulat- ‘congratulated’, from the verb congratulari, from con- ‘with’ + gratulari ‘show joy’ (from gratus ‘pleasing’).

==========

Sarah congratulated Henry on his achievement, putting up with her for all those years.



[In most cases I've seen people offer plural congratulations instead of singular, solitary ones. Are individual congratulations worth less?]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

congratulate
...
In most cases I've seen people offer plural congratulations instead of singular, solitary ones. Are individual congratulations worth less?

Maybe Cliff Richard received multiple congratulations, and celebrations, and jubilations, but just a single set, one of each, from every person he told about it?

Cliff did say he told everyone, so his song is both mathematically and grammatically correct.

♫ Congratulations
And celebrations
When I tell everyone that you're in love
With me
Congratulations
And jubilations
I want the world to know I'm happy as can be. ♫

Etc, etc, etc ...

[Algot Runeman]

wasteful

Pronunciation /ˈweɪstfʊl/ /ˈweɪstf(ə)l/
adjective
(of a person, action, or process) using or expending something of value carelessly, extravagantly, or to no purpose.

==========

In an effort to not be profligate or wasteful, yesterday's support image was a partial reuse of another from back in 2018.



[There is always the chance that today's will find use again, too.]

[Algot Runeman]

irritate

Pronunciation /ˈɪrɪteɪt/
verb
[with object]
1 Make (someone) annoyed or a little angry.
2 Cause inflammation or other discomfort in (a part of the body)
2.1 Biology Stimulate (an organism, cell, or organ) to produce an active response.

Origin
Mid 16th century (in the sense ‘excite, provoke’): from Latin irritat- ‘irritated’, from the verb irritare.

==========

It took me a while to find it out
Checking twice so there's not doubt
And you know what's really great?
It's never too late to irritate.

[Algot Runeman]

expectant

Pronunciation /ɪkˈspɛkt(ə)nt/ /ɛkˈspɛkt(ə)nt/
adjective
1 Having or showing an excited feeling that something is about to happen, especially something good.
1.1 attributive - Used to describe a pregnant woman or a man who is about to become a father.

Origin
Late Middle English from Latin exspectant- ‘expecting’, from the verb exspectare (see expect).

==========

For several hours, Pete was nervously expectant, waiting for the word of the day to be published.



[Pete's time has come!]

[voralfred]

I easily get irritated when I am expectant for something to happen and that it is delayed. I hate wasteful loss of time.
Fortunately, this is almost never the case for the WOTD.


Considering how many misprints I am guilty of, it would be totally unfair for me to be irritated by a trifling inversion of two letters. It does not fit my profLIe. It would be a ridiculous to make a Watergate-type scandal for that.

[Algot Runeman]

unknowingly

Pronunciation /ʌnˈnəʊɪŋli/
adverb
Without being aware of something; unintentionally.

==========

With full understanding that it makes only marginal sense, I state that I am presenting this word, "unknowingly" to you, in hopes you will use it knowingly, astutely and lovingly.

[voralfred]

It is very hard to use a word unknowingly (unless a typo changes one word into another one, the latter being indeed used unknowingly), therefore it is certainly knowingly that I use unknowingly. In a sense, since I have a lot of fun participating to this thread, one could say I'm using it lovingly. But I am afraid I do not use very astutely.

[Algot Runeman]

channel-graze

verb
informal US
another term for channel-hop (sense 1)
channel-hop
verb
[no object]informal
1 Change frequently from one television channel to another.
2 Travel across the English Channel and back to Britain frequently or for only a brief trip.

==========

Okay, now, let's confuse the issue even more by noting that some of us call channel-grazing "channel-surfing" instead.



[I note that Lexico does not make this linkage even though they do have "channel-surf" as a term with essentially the same meaning.]

[Algot Runeman]

significant

Pronunciation /sɪɡˈnɪfɪk(ə)nt/
adjective
1 Sufficiently great or important to be worthy of attention; noteworthy.
2 Having a particular meaning; indicative of something.
2.1 Suggesting a meaning or message that is not explicitly stated.
3 Statistics
Relating to or having significance.

Origin
Late 16th century (in significant (sense 2)): from Latin significant- ‘indicating’, from the verb significare (see signify).

==========

Sam saw that significant feature and bug-squashing progress had occurred, so he decided it was time to install the newest version of his favorite software.



[It may also be properly seen as significant that I did not choose the offered word from Lexico, "runagate". Runagate is archaic. There are more modern and reasonably popular equivalents, so there's little reason to try to promote the older, outdated word. There you go.]

[voralfred]

But how significant is it that Lexico related channel-graze with channel-hop but not channel-surf ?

[Algot Runeman]

But how significant is it that Lexico related channel-graze with channel-hop but not channel-surf ?

Clearly, it is in-significant in the grand scheme of "things".

Each of us chooses the battles we are willing to wage (especially those for which we get no wage).

It takes a serious sage
To avoid a boiling rage
When failing to get paid
A significant basic wage.

[I will note that the wage I do not "earn" here is not of significance in any regard. This enterprise is a labor of love. I love all who participate and all who lurk here along with those who provide the forum itself, for sure!]

[Algot Runeman]

demented

Pronunciation /dɪˈmɛntɪd/
adjective
1 Suffering from dementia.
1.1 British informal Behaving irrationally due to anger, distress, or excitement.

Origin
Mid 17th century past participle of earlier dement ‘drive mad’, from Old French dementer or late Latin dementare, from demens ‘out of one's mind’.

==========

*Dementia*

Dean didn't decide to be demented.
All wished it could have been prevented.
Very soon after it began to show
It was, by his family, deeply resented.

He didn't always have retention
Of things his wife might mention.
And often, while he watched TV,
He didn't really pay attention.

If you ask him about his reading books
He might shrug or give you dirty looks
He'd read the same page over and again
Like well-loved recipes from his favorite cooks.

While no one ever thinks it's fair
Eventually he just will not be there
Though his body may still work
His brain, his mind, won't even care.