GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[Algot Runeman]

overwhelm

Pronunciation /əʊvəˈwɛlm/
verb
[with object]
1 Bury or drown beneath a huge mass of something, especially water.
1.1 Give too much of something to; inundate.
2 Have a strong emotional effect on.
3 Defeat completely.
3.1 Be too strong for; overpower.

==========

Yesterday's heavy mid-day downpour overwhelmed storm drains causing many traffic headaches.



[I was interested to see that the word "whelm" is defined by Lexico: "to engulf, submerge, or bury." I don't recall ever hearing it. Of course, like several of the word encountered here, it is identified as archaic.]

[Algot Runeman]

tallow

Pronunciation /ˈtaləʊ/
noun
mass noun
A hard fatty substance made from rendered animal fat, used (especially formerly) in making candles and soap.
verb
[with object] archaic
Smear (something, especially the bottom of a boat) with tallow.

==========

These days it might seem hard to swallow, but it's good to fry using lard or tallow.
Both are low in saturated fats, and withstand breaking down better than vegetable oil.



[Today's word comes by way of mad keen - phrase - informal British - Extremely enthusiastic. For no particular reason, it didn't resonate with me, so I used Wordnik to chase random words, eventually encountering the prefix "steato-" /ˈstɪətəʊ/ - Relating to fatty matter or tissue. - From Greek stear, steat- ‘tallow, fat’.]

Another reason for the choice is that I was able to "render" a more appropriate image.

[Algot Runeman]

pantechnicon

Pronunciation /panˈtɛknɪk(ə)n/
noun
British
A large van for transporting furniture.

Origin
Mid 19th century from pan-‘all’ + tekhnikon ‘piece of art’, originally the name of a bazaar in London for all kinds of artistic work, later converted into a furniture warehouse.

[Algot Runeman]

fumigate

Pronunciation /ˈfjuːmɪɡeɪt/
verb
[with object]
Disinfect or purify (an area) with the fumes of certain chemicals.

Origin
Mid 16th century from Latin fumigat- ‘fumigated’, from the verb fumigare, from fumus ‘smoke’.

When you are running just a little late,
And if to bugs you really can't relate,
And you've got an itch for that special date,
You may finally choose to fumigate.

[Algot Runeman]

co-dependency

Pronunciation /kəʊdɪˈpɛnd(ə)nsi/
noun
(also co-dependence)
mass noun
Excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, typically one who requires support on account of an illness or addiction.

==========

Co-dependency

He's on the way to self-destruct.
But, Jan is totally hooked on Buck.
So now, Jan is mired, stuck.
One might say, she's out of luck.

[voralfred]

There once was a truck driver who had a real co-dependancy to his pantechnicon.

After delivering a shipman of tallow, some of which had melted and smeared the inside of the truck, he saw that his beloved vehicle was overwhelmed by an invasion of vermin. So he decided to thoroughly fumigate it. Alas, in the process he inhaled too much of the pesticide and succumbed to that poisoning.

Methinks, excessive emotional or psychological reliance on a partner, even on one that is after all just a large mostly metallic object, is a very hazardous situation.

[Algot Runeman]

endemic

Pronunciation /ɛnˈdɛmɪk/
adjective
1 (of a disease or condition) regularly found among particular people or in a certain area.
1.1 attributive (of an area) in which a particular disease is regularly found.
2 (of a plant or animal) native and restricted to a certain place.
noun
An endemic plant or animal.

Origin
Mid 17th century (as a noun): from French endémique or modern Latin endemicus, from Greek endēmios ‘native’ (based on dēmos ‘people’).

Time crunch seems to be endemic, even during the retirement years.

[Algot Runeman]

mnemonize

Pronunciation
/ˈniːmənʌɪz/ /ˈnɛmənʌɪz/
verb
rare
To remember or express by means of a mnemonic formula.

Origin
Mid 19th century; earliest use found in James Smith (1775–1839), writer and humorist. From mnemon- + -ize.

==========

Please excuse my dear Aunt Sally for mnemonizing and helping me to remember the order of math operations.

[Algot Runeman]

pleach

Pronunciation /pliːtʃ/
verb
[with object]
Entwine or interlace (tree branches) to form a hedge or provide cover for an outdoor walkway.

Origin
Late Middle English from an Old French variant of plaissier (see plash).

==========

Typical hedges in the U.S. don't come close to the intricate work done in the UK to pleach a proper boundary for a field.

[voralfred]

pleach

Pronunciation /pliːtʃ/
verb
[with object]
Entwine or interlace (tree branches) to form a hedge or provide cover for an outdoor walkway.

Origin
Late Middle English from an Old French variant of plaissier (see plash).

(...)

My usual way to post on this thread is to pleach several WOTDs into a single sentence, or at least a single topic, but not this time. I'll do it piecewise.

I do enjoy to mnemonize the stellar classification : O, B, A, F, G, K, M by using the sentence

Oh, be a fine girl, kiss me !

This may look a bit self-centered, but my close family is endemic (meaning 2) of the larger Paris area.

Just one more word, and I would have achieved a nap hand.

[Algot Runeman]

amend

Pronunciation
amend
/əˈmend/ /əˈmɛnd/
transitive verb
[with object]
1 Make minor changes in (a text) in order to make it fairer, more accurate, or more up-to-date.
1.1 Modify formally, as a legal document or legislative bill.
1.2 Make better; improve.
1.3 archaic Put right.

Origin
Middle English from Old French amender, based on Latin emendare (see emend).

==========

When composing yet another rhyme
I attempt to wash off all the grime.
But, no matter how much time I spend
There's always something to amend.

A single word to yank and change,
A line or two to rearrange,
The hope, of course, is to make it better
Before I send it off inside a letter.

Even once that step's been taken
I'll glance again, feeling shaken.
Take a deep breath and let out a hiss,
Some cadence is off, still seems amiss.

Will adding a final stanza here
Make the intent quite clear?
Or will you wish you'd overlooked
A poem that's been overcooked?

[voralfred]

amend

Pronunciation
amend
/əˈmend/ /əˈmɛnd/
transitive verb
[with object]
1 Make minor changes in (a text) in order to make it fairer, more accurate, or more up-to-date.
1.1 Modify formally, as a legal document or legislative bill.
1.2 Make better; improve.
1.3 archaic Put right.

(...)

I definitely have to amend (meaning 1) my previous post.

My usual way to post on this thread is to pleach several WOTDs into a single sentence, or at least a single topic, but not this time. I'll do it piecewise.

I do enjoy to mnemonize the stellar classification : O, B, A, F, G, K, M by using the sentence

Oh, be a fine girl, kiss me !

This may look a bit self-centered, but my close family is endemic (meaning 2) of the larger Paris area.

And this time I have achieved a nap hand !

[Algot Runeman]

absent

Pronunciation
/abˈsent/ /æbˈsɛnt/

adjective
1 Not present in a place, at an occasion, or as part of something.
2 (of an expression or manner) showing that someone is not paying attention to what is being said or done.

==========

My mind was apparently largely absent today, letting the word happen so late.

[Algot Runeman]

dispassionate

Pronunciation
/disˈpaSH(ə)nət/ /dɪsˈpæʃ(ə)nət/

adjective
Not influenced by strong emotion, and so able to be rational and impartial.

==========

Dispassionate, Bob found himself unable to get as worked up about the cause as others.



[Aside:
It is more common to try to use a root-like word for the focus, and "passion" has not been used. Still, why *must* we be conventional!]

[[(Actually, a lot of what gets posted by yours truly in this topic is "aside the point" or "beside the point" or maybe "totally pointless")]]

[Algot Runeman]

audacious

Pronunciation /ɔːˈdeɪʃəs/
adjective
1 Showing a willingness to take surprisingly bold risks.
2 Showing an impudent lack of respect.

Origin
Mid 16th century from Latin audax, audac- ‘bold’ (from audere ‘dare’) + -ious.

=========

Barnaby would never be disrespectful, but audaciously grasping the opportunity for fame, he ignored the warnings of wiser heads.

[Algot Runeman]

burnish

Pronunciation /ˈbəːnɪʃ/
verb
[with object]
1 Polish (something, especially metal) by rubbing.
1.1 Enhance or perfect (something such as a reputation or a skill)

Origin
Middle English from Old French burniss-, lengthened stem of burnir, variant of brunir ‘make brown’, from brun ‘brown’.

==========

Having missed yesterday's word, tarnishing my reputation, I will not gloss over the failure, but rather begin again to burnish it.

[Algot Runeman]

emergent

Pronunciation /ɪˈməːdʒ(ə)nt/
adjective
1 In the process of coming into being or becoming prominent.
1.1 Philosophy (of a property) arising as an effect of complex causes and not analysable simply as the sum of their effects.
2 Ecology
Of or denoting a plant which is taller than the surrounding vegetation, especially a tall tree in a forest.
2.1 Of or denoting a water plant with leaves and flowers that appear above the water surface.

Origin
Late Middle English (in the sense ‘occurring unexpectedly’): from Latin emergent- ‘arising from’, from the verb emergere (see emerge).

==========

After a mediocre season the previous year (or perhaps longer), all true fans are eager to watch their favorite team become emergent in the league.

Of course, that overeager attitude may also be an indicator of incipient disappointment.

[Algot Runeman]

pogonotomy

Pronunciation /ˌpəʊɡəˈnɒtəmi/
noun
The cutting of a beard; shaving.

Origin
Late 19th century; earliest use found in The Los Angeles Times. From ancient Greek πωγωνο-, combining form of πώγων beard + -tomy.

==========

Peter practices practical pogonotomy just once a week, in order to clear the stubble from his neck. The beard itself is not shaved, but merely trimmed.

[Algot Runeman]

repmobile

Pronunciation /ˈrɛpməbiːl/
noun
informal, derogatory
A mid-range saloon car, typically used as a company car.

==========

The reality is that Jack drives his repmobile, an average sedan, but perfectly suitable to drive to a local bar for a liquid lunch with a client.

[Algot Runeman]

enthralling

Pronunciation
enthralling
/ɪnˈθrɔːlɪŋ/ /ɛnˈθrɔːlɪŋ/
adjective
Capturing and holding one's attention; fascinating.

==========

Of course, the goal is to be enthralling every day. Honestly though, I'm shooting for "not boring".

[Algot Runeman]

sea change

Pronunciation
noun
1 A profound or notable transformation.
1.1 Australian A significant change in lifestyle, especially a move from the city to a rural or seaside location.

Origin
From Shakespeare's Tempest (I. ii. 403).

==========

For some, retirement is a sea change. In Australia, people choose to be seachangers. In the USA, many people decide to retire from a city or suburb to the shores of a place like Florida, combining the timing. Some even begin eating the evening meal by 4:30P.M.

[voralfred]

Would Algot undergoing a ponogotomy be a sea change ?

I, for myself, would not stay dispassionate in the case of such an audacious and enthralling move.

What would the emergent (meaning 1.1) effect of an absent beard on his chin ? Would it burnish (meaning 1.1) said chin ?




Being unable to fit repmobile in this post, I regretfully missed the double nap hand (or not ?)

[Algot Runeman]

memorize

Pronunciation /ˈmɛmərʌɪz/
verb
(British memorise)
[with object]
Commit to memory; learn by heart.

==========

Don't merely memorize vocabulary. Make it 'come alive' by regular, interesting, creative use.

He learned the songs by heart
But that was just the start
If you want to know the best part,
You'll need to hear him sing his chart.

[voralfred]

The best way to memorize a list is to mnemonize it.

OK, OK, it is a very weak one. I just could not resist....

Oh, be a fine girl, kiss me !
This is what I asked my future wife after watching the night sky with her and pointing to her all the bright stars I could name, from the B-type blue giant Rigel to the M-type red giant Betelgeuse.
No O-stars are easily found with the naked eye, alas !


Edit : well, well, well, in fact there is an O-type star that can be found thanks to its very peculiar position between Rigel and Betelgeuse
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iota_Orionis

[Algot Runeman]

formulate

Pronunciation /ˈfɔːmjʊleɪt/
verb
[with object]
1 Create or prepare methodically.
1.1 Express (an idea) in a concise or systematic way.

Origin

Mid 19th century from formula+ -ate, on the pattern of French formuler, from medieval Latin formulare.

==========

Frankly, these daily WotD support sentences are not carefully formulated. Mostly the work goes into the associated clipart, and even then, not always.



[Some days the formulation is early, other times the form is late!]

I am, at least, entertaining myself with these posts. Whether I am entertaining others is open to question.