# General > General Chat >  Word of the Day

## Scheherazade

Thought it would be nice to learn a new word every day.

Rules:
- Only one word per day.

- Clearly state for which day you are posting in the title line.

- To give an equal chance to all, the same person cannot post twice in the same week (at least 7 days later).

- The definition should come from a legitimate online dictionary and the link should be posted at the end of the post.

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## Scheherazade

*ubiquitous*  
adjective FORMAL OR HUMOROUS
seeming to be in all places:

Leather is very much in fashion this season, as of course is the _ubiquitous_ denim.
The Swedes are not alone in finding their language under pressure from the _ubiquitous_ spread of English.
The radio, that most _ubiquitous_ of consumer-electronic appliances, is about to enter a new age.
*
ubiquitously*  
adverb

*ubiquity*  
noun [U] FORMAL
the _ubiquity_ of fast-food outlets (= the fact that they are found everywhere)


(http://dictionary.cambridge.org/def...=CALD&key=85831)
__________________

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## Jay

*edit*
someone can't read the instructions
*points finger at self*
*hey, poke that thing somewhere else*
*you learn to read instructions and then can poke fingers as well*
*hmm, good idea, thanks*
*welcome* *pokes finger*

nope, I'm really not crazy  :Angel:

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## subterranean

*Catch-22 also catch-22* (noun)


*One:*

1. A situation in which a desired outcome or solution is impossible to attain because of a set of inherently illogical rules or conditions: In the Catch-22 of a closed repertoire, only music that is already familiar is thought to deserve familiarity (Joseph McLennan). 
2. The rules or conditions that create such a situation. 

*Two:*
A situation or predicament characterized by absurdity or senselessness. 

*Three:*
A contradictory or self-defeating course of action: The Catch-22 of his administration was that every grandiose improvement scheme began with community dismemberment (Village Voice). 

*Four:*
A tricky or disadvantageous condition; a catch: Of course, there is a Catch-22 with Form 4868you are supposed to include a check if you owe any additional tax, otherwise you face some penalties (New York). 


source

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## baddad

> *edit*
> someone can't read the instructions
> *points finger at self*
> *hey, poke that thing somewhere else*
> *you learn to read instructions and then can poke fingers as well*
> *hmm, good idea, thanks*
> *welcome* *pokes finger*
> 
> nope, I'm really not crazy


 .......begs to differ......

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## atiguhya padma

March 24th

For all those weary of the endless commute from the homely suburbs into the dreary office-pocked metropolis:

Bathysiderodromophobia : noun fear of subways, undergrounds, or metros.

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## Jay

> .......begs to differ......


Beg you may  :Biggrin:  but I would give in even without the begging  :FRlol:

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## Scheherazade

*jingoism*  noun [U] DISAPPROVING
the extreme belief that your own country is always best, which is often shown in enthusiastic support for a war against another country:

Patriotism can turn into *jingoism*  and intolerance very quickly.


*jingoist* noun [C] DISAPPROVING
someone who believes that their own country is always best:

He was a confirmed *jingoist* and would frequently speak about the dangers of Britain forming closer ties with the rest of Europe.


*jingoistic*  adjective DISAPPROVING


(http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...ey=42703&ph=on)

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## subterranean

Bathysiderodromophobia..WOW...such an interesting word

Does it include fear of subterranean?




> March 24th
> 
> For all those weary of the endless commute from the homely suburbs into the dreary office-pocked metropolis:
> 
> Bathysiderodromophobia : noun fear of subways, undergrounds, or metros.

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## atiguhya padma

Tannhauserism is a love of caves and all things subterranean, IIRC.  :Smile: 

Maybe Bathysiderodromophobia covers fear of subterranean spaces and passages, but don't quote me on it.

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## Jay

I finally got to enter a word... the word  :Wink:   :Tongue: 

*entitle* (ALLOW) 
verb [T]
to give someone the right to do or have something:
Being unemployed entitles you to free medical treatment.
[+ to infinitive] The employer is entitled to ask for references.

*entitled*
adjective [+ to infinitive]
I felt entitled (= I felt I had the right) to know how my own money is being spent!

*entitlement*
noun [C or U]
something that you have right to do or have, or when you have the right to do or have something:
pension/holiday entitlements
Managers have generous leave entitlement.

linky 1

*OR*

*entitle* (GIVE TITLE)
to give a title to a book, film, etc:
Her latest novel, entitled 'The Forgotten Sex', is out this week.

linky 2

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## kilted exile

*April 1st* 


*acquiesce* 
Definition


verb [I] FORMAL
to accept or agree to something, often unwillingly:
Reluctantly, he acquiesced to/in the plans.

acquiescent

adjective FORMAL
She has a very acquiescent nature (= agrees to everything without complaining). <--- not sure about this example, I have yet to meet any women who agrees to anything without complaining  :Biggrin:  

acquiescence

noun [U]
I was surprised by her acquiescence to/in the scheme.

link

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## Basil

I thought this would be a good place to post this. Many of you are probably familiar with the word _gullible_. It is usually used to mean easily fooled or deceived.

But how many of you knew that _gullible_ is in fact NOT an actual word at all? That it cannot be found in any English dictionary?

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## penguinsail

haha...very very funny

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## Scheherazade

> I thought this would be a good place to post this. Many of you are probably familiar with the word _gullible_. It is usually used to mean easily fooled or deceived.
> 
> But how many of you knew that _gullible_ is in fact NOT an actual word at all? That it cannot be found in any English dictionary?


Uhm, we would be too _gullible_ to believe that!  :Biggrin:

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## Koa

I don't get it...was that the april's fool?

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## baddad

Gulible: easily gulled.

gull; a person easily tricked

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## Scheherazade

*viviparous*  (adjective SPECIALIZED) 

giving birth to young that have already developed inside the mother's body rather than producing eggs.


PS: A word I learnt while reading _Brave New World_.  :Smile:

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## Chava

*sesquipedalian* - Someone who is given to the use of long (often ridiculous) words.

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## imthefoolonthehill

April 10th: Fangorious

points to anyone who figures out what it means

extra points to anyone who figures out where it came from.

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## baddad

Fangorious: Monsterous, evil, usually monsters with fangs......yeah, originally quoted by a guy nicked,"Strong BAd", on a certain website. Or at least thats what I got off of googling the word......

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## Scheherazade

Another word from _Brave New World_  :Smile: 

*Malthusian*
Pronunciation: mal-'th(y)ü-zh&n, mol-
Function: adjective
: of or relating to Malthus or to his theory that population tends to increase at a faster rate than its means of subsistence and that unless it is checked by moral restraint or by disease, famine, war, or other disaster widespread poverty and degradation inevitably result Malthusian noun 

*Mal·thus /'mol-th&s/, Thomas Robert* (17661834), British economist and demographer. Malthus presented his theory of population in _An Essay on the Principle of Population_, which was first published in 1798 but later expanded and documented. A pioneer in modern demography, he was descriptive rather than prescriptive in his work. An economic pessimist, he viewed poverty as unfortunate as well as inevitable. His thinking later had a profound influence upon Charles Darwin. 

source

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## imthefoolonthehill

April 16

defenestrate

v : throw through or out of the window; "The rebels stormed the palace and defenestrated the President

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## imthefoolonthehill

April 18th

man·i·fold ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mn-fld)
adj. 
Many and varied; of many kinds; multiple: our manifold failings. 
Having many features or forms: manifold intelligence. 
Being such for a variety of reasons: a manifold traitor. 
Consisting of or operating several devices of one kind at the same time. 

n. 
A whole composed of diverse elements. 
One of several copies. 
A pipe or chamber having multiple apertures for making connections. 
Mathematics. A topological space or surface.

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## Scheherazade

*equanimity *  

noun [U] FORMAL
calmness and self-control, especially after a shock or disappointment or in a difficult situation:

He received the news of his mother's death with remarkable *equanimity*.
Three years after the tragedy she has only just begun to regain her *equanimity*.



PS: I would hate to disappoint those of you who expected me to post *buttercup* as the word of the day this week so I will at least provide the link for it: *buttercup*

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## Jay

OH, I thought buttercup was different flower than this *glares at google images engine for misguiding me*

I still like the Foundations' version better  :FRlol:

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## Jay

I hate that word, I can never remember what it means

cunning (CLEVER) 
adjective
describes people who are clever at planning something so that they get what they want, especially by tricking other people, or things that are cleverly made for a particular purpose:
_a cunning plan/ploy
He's a very cunning man._

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## atiguhya padma

Hylozoism:

n. belief that all matter has life. hylozoist, n. hylozoistic(al), a.

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## Jay

Nice word, AP  :Smile:

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## Scheherazade

*serendipity* noun [U] 
the lucky tendency to find interesting or valuable things just by chance 

The actress Lana Turner, it is said, was discovered by *serendipity* at Schwab's Hollywood drug store.


*serendipitous* adjective 

Reading should be an adventure, a personal experience full of *serendipitous*  surprises.


PS: One word I keep looking up in the dictionary... Always reminds me of 'serenity'.

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## amuse

i think we should have a thread where we make up a short paragraph, story, or poem (any style) using the word of that day - any takers?

*yes i know i should make up the thread, but i want feedback and it's morning. have i mentioned mornings aren't fond of me nor i of them?

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## Jay

Not yet  :Tongue: 

Sounds like a good idea. Using the new word in writing (a few times  :Wink: ) should work for actually remembering it  :Smile:

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## Scheherazade

> i think we should have a thread where we make up a short paragraph, story, or poem (any style) using the word of that day - any takers?


Paragraphs, poems, stories, weekly fill- in-the-blanks pop quizes... Oh the possibilities!  :Brow:

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## Jay

Uhoh, fill-in-the-blanks? Does that mean... no, it can't... though Scher IS a teacher... but she wouldn't... would she?... nah... but on the other hand...

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## amuse

syndic (decided to lift i mean learn  :Tongue:  a word from Foucault today)

One appointed to represent a corporation, university, or other organization in business transactions; a business agent. 
A civil magistrate or similar government official in some European countries


to employ this word, look no further! (thank this link. (than this link?))
http://www.online-literature.com/for...5445#post65445

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## subterranean

* idol* 



1. An image used as an object of worship. 
A false god. 


2. One that is adored, often blindly or excessively. 

3. Something visible but without substance.


*idolism*

The worship of idols.


*Idolist*

A worshiper of idols


*idolater* or * idolator* 

1. One who worships idols. 

2. One who blindly or excessively admires or adores another

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## Scheherazade

*abeyance* noun [U] FORMAL

a state of not happening or being used at present:


Hostilities between the two groups have been in *abeyance* since last June.

The project is being held in *abeyance* until agreement is reached on funding it.



http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...=115&dict=CALD

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## Jay

What about words one actually gets to use once in a while? I mean... why learning weird sounding/looking words when there's simplier way of putting it?

Scher, does _abeyance_ (or _in abeyance_?) mean ... kinda postponed? I can never understand dictionary definitions, I seem to have more luck guessing what a word means from its context... or asking someone patient enough to translate the definitions to me  :Biggrin: 

So well, yeah, I guess I'm a bit... dull  :Rolleyes:

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## amuse

shh!!! you aren't dull. i forget this isn't your first language and apparently YOU have too - silly girl.  :Smile: 

things in abeyance are sort of in limbo.

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## Jay

Does 'in limbo' mean neglected? (derelict, desolate, destitute... funny thing what cross-referrencing with Czech <->English dictionary does to a word  :Biggrin: ... you translate one, it spits several back at you, you ... pick one and see which one seems to fit... if you don't know what the words mean though, you need to search for those new words ending up with a few more words... forgetting why are you even using a dictionary in the first place after a little while  :Biggrin: )

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## Scheherazade

abeyance means... to suspend... stop something temporarily.

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## Jay

to postpone then  :Tongue:

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## subterranean

> I seem to have more luck guessing what a word means from its context... or asking someone patient enough to translate the definitions to me



Yep, same here. Though didn't get the exact meaning, least we can understand it..

I don't look the dict, but I guess in limbo means in a state of confusion..deeply in a state of confusion ...

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## amuse

things in limbo can be stagnant, though, nothing to do with confusion. english - glug!

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## subterranean

nothing to do w/ confusion...

Oh all this time I was so wrong...

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## Jay

Got a bit carried away  :Angel: 

To search, used OneLook

Etymology
1398, earlier abime (c.1300), from L.L. _abyssus_, from Gk. _abyssos_ "bottomless," from a- "without" (see a- (2)) + _byssos_ "bottom," possibly related to _bathos_ "depth." _Abyssal_ is first recorded 1691, used especially of the zone of ocean water below 300 fathoms.

Too long to paste here, Wikipedia on abyss

Cambridge Dictionary
1 LITERARY: a very deep hole which seems to have no bottom

2 a difficult situation that brings trouble or destruction:
_The country is sinking/plunging into an abyss of violence and lawlessness.
She found herself on the edge of an abyss._

Bartleby - pronunciation file
*1.* An immeasurably deep chasm, depth, or void: _lost in the vast abysses of space and time_ (Loren Eiseley).
*2a.* The primeval chaos out of which it was believed that the earth and sky were formed.
*2b.* The abode of evil spirits; hell.

Art dictionary:
Ambivalent, as both the profundity of the depth and as abasement and inferiority. Often a symbol of the uncertainty of childhood, the abyss may also represent indefinte depths or heights and is closely associated with evolution, both individual and universal. "Man has to confront his personal abyss at least four times in a lifetime, that is, he has to reconsider his convictions and question his motives in order to achieve maturity (the four ages of man)" (Julien, 5).
Also associated with the 'land of the dead' and the underworld, often Hell, and is identified as the place to which departed spirits might be cast.

Catholic encyclopedia:
(Greek _abyssos_).

Abyss is primarily and classically an adjective, meaning deep, very deep (Wisd., x, 19; Job, xxxviii, 16). Elsewhere in the Bible, and once in Diog. Laert., it is a substantive. Some thirty times in the Septuagint it is the equivalent of the Hebrew _tehom_, Assyrian _tihamtu_, and once each of the Hebrew _meculah_, "sea-deep", _culah_, "deep flood", and _rachabh_, "spacious place". Hence the meanings:
(1) primeval waters;
(2) the waters beneath the earth;
(3) the upper seas and rivers;
(4) the abode of the dead, limbo;
(5) the abode of the evil spirits, hell.
The last two meanings are the only ones found in the New Testament.

Scientific
A particularly deep part of the ocean, between 4,000 and 7,000 m depth.

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## Scheherazade

*soporific*  (adj) causing sleep or making a person want to sleep:

the *soporific* effect of the heat


*soporifically*  (adv)



source

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## Scheherazade

*motile* (adj) (especially of plants, organisms and very small forms of life) able to move by itself

*motility* noun [U] 



http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...2052&dict=CALD

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## subterranean

> idol 
> 
> 
> 
> 1. An image used as an object of worship. 
> A false god. 
> 
> 
> 2. One that is adored, often blindly or excessively. 
> ...


www.dictionary.com





> Hylozoism:
> 
> n. belief that all matter has life. hylozoist, n. hylozoistic(al), a.



please cite the source





> April 18th
> 
> man·i·fold ( P ) Pronunciation Key (mn-fld)
> adj. 
> Many and varied; of many kinds; multiple: our manifold failings. 
> Having many features or forms: manifold intelligence. 
> Being such for a variety of reasons: a manifold traitor. 
> Consisting of or operating several devices of one kind at the same time. 
> 
> ...


please cite the source





> serendipity noun [U] 
> the lucky tendency to find interesting or valuable things just by chance 
> 
> The actress Lana Turner, it is said, was discovered by serendipity at Schwab's Hollywood drug store.
> 
> 
> serendipitous adjective 
> 
> Reading should be an adventure, a personal experience full of serendipitous surprises.
> ...


Please cite the source




> April 16
> 
> defenestrate
> 
> v : throw through or out of the window; "The rebels stormed the palace and defenestrated the President



please cite the source




> April 10th: Fangorious
> 
> points to anyone who figures out what it means
> 
> extra points to anyone who figures out where it came from.


please cite the source





> March 24th
> 
> For all those weary of the endless commute from the homely suburbs into the dreary office-pocked metropolis:
> 
> Bathysiderodromophobia : noun fear of subways, undergrounds, or metros


please cite the source

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## Jay

Oy  :Eek: 
*blames Ash  :FRlol: *
Are we to send the answers to you via PM? (hint, deleting the attachment would be a good idea in that case  :Tongue: )
Nice, can we play teachers and students? Pretty please?  :Biggrin:

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## Scheherazade

I am reading enough papers as it is, thank you! You can check your own answers and let us know how you did... If you feel like it!  :Tongue:

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## Jay

Come on, you could give KitKats instead of grades  :Tongue: ... as I wouldn't be too happy with more Fs  :FRlol:  and I could do with a short-term chocolate intake shortage  :Biggrin:

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## Scheherazade

Is it me or are you actually encouraging me to mark your quizes?  :Eek:

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## baddad

#'s.....20,16,13 11.....stumped me. My left hand quivered, as it was closest to my dictionary, but I fought off the impulse.......and it took willpower to do that. Strange, or maybe not so stange is the power of Conditioning, the pavlovian impulse.......

*bathysiderodromophobia?????????* ...a fear of never having a dictionary handy??

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## Scheherazade

> *bathysiderodromophobia?????????* ...a fear of never having a dictionary handy??


You can thank AP for that one!  :Biggrin: 

The answer key is attached by the way... No need for the dictionary.

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## Jay

Well, Scher, you don't just issue a quiz and then think it's gonna be easy!  :Biggrin: 

I'm... too lazy  :Angel:  to answer, but I would have problems defining:

jingoist
ubiquitous
motile
bathysideromophobia
syndic
acquiesce
idolator
equanimity
serendipity
sesquipedalian

imvho they're not even words  :Tongue:

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## Scheherazade

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/ begs to differ!  :Tongue:

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## Jay

It's lying!  :FRlol:

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## Nightshade

*Cornobbled* --To hit with a fish.
http://teachers.ocps.net/~kellyd2/mi...rchiveword.htm

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## Scheherazade

Nightshade, unfortunately 'cornobbled' cannot be found in any dictionary. Would you like to replace it with another word? Thank you.

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## Scheherazade

Dear All,

While posting new words in this thread, please clearly state *the date*  you are posting and don't forget that the definition should come from a *legitimate online dictionary*  with the *link cited*  at the end of the post.

http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/featur...onaryhome.aspx

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/

http://dictionary.reference.com/

http://www.wikipedia.org/

http://www.webster.com/

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## Scheherazade

Match the words and definitions! (All the words are posted in this thread.)


1. * soporific* .............................. a. seeming to be in all places

2. *entitlement*........................... b. To accept or agree to something, often unwillingly

3. *jingoist* ............................... c. Many and varied

4. *defenestrate* ........................ d. People who are clever at planning things to get what they want, especially by tricking other people

5. *ubiquitous* ............................ e. The lucky tendency to find interesting or valuable things just by chance 

6. *hylozoism* ............................. f. Someone who is given to the use of long (often ridiculous) words

7. * motile* .................................. g. A business agent.

8. *cunning* ................................ h. Someone who believes that their own country is always best

9. *catch-22* .............................. i. Able to move by itself

10. *abbys* .................................. j. A state of not happening

11. *bathysiderodromophobia* .......... k. Giving birth to young that have already developed inside the mother's body

12. *manifold*  ............................... l. One who blindly or excessively admires another

13. *syndic* ................................. m. Throw through or out of the window

14. *acquiesce* ............................ n. Belief that all matter has life

15. *idolator* ............................... o. A very deep hole which seems to have no bottom

16.* viviparous* ............................ p. A contradictory or self-defeating course of action

17. *equanimity*  ........................... q. Causing sleep or making a person want to sleep

18. *serendipity*  ........................... r. Calmness and self-control in a difficult situation

19. *abeyance* ............................ s. Fear of subways, undergrounds, or metros

20. *sesquipedalian*  ...................... t. Something that you have right to do or have




How did you do?  :Smile:

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## kilted exile

Ok I got 18 (mixed up vivaparous & sesquipadalian)

*finally taking latin at school came in useful for something - defenestrate*

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## Jay

LOL!!!  :FRlol:

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## Jay

getting friendly with onelook.com

*comeuppance*
deserved fate: something unpleasant, regarded as a just punishment for somebody (informal)
_He got his comeuppance in the end._

[Mid-19th century. Formed from come up, probably in the sense to be tried before a court.]

*come-uppance* - noun, informal, humorous
a person's bad luck that is considered to be a fair and deserved punishment for something bad that they have done
_She'll get her come-uppance, don't worry._

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## Scheherazade

*ostensible* adj FORMAL

appearing or claiming to be one thing when it is really something else:

Their *ostensible* goal was to clean up government corruption, but their real aim was to unseat the government.


*ostensibly*  adv FORMAL

He has spent the past three months in Florida, *ostensibly* for medical treatment, but in actual fact to avoid prosecution for a series of notorious armed robberies.


Source

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## Jay

blame ihrocks for calling me names  :Tongue: ... especially ones I don't know  :Biggrin: 

an enfant terrible
a famous or successful person who likes to shock people by behaving badly
_Jean Paul Gaultier, the enfant terrible of French fashion, arrived at the show wearing a mini kilt._

enfant terrible
noun, plural enfants terribles, formal
a famous or successful person who likes to shock people
_In the seventies he was the enfant terrible of the theatre._

wonder why they have two versions of the definition  :Rolleyes:

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## Scheherazade

*pedant* noun [C] DISAPPROVING 
a person who is too interested in formal rules and small unimportant details 


*pedantic* adjective DISAPPROVING 
They were being unnecessarily *pedantic* (=giving too much attention to formal rules or small details) by insisting that Berry himself, and not his wife, should have made the announcement.


*pedantically* adverb 

*
pedantry* noun [U] 
There was a hint of* pedantry* in his elegant style of speaking.


http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...key=pedant*1+0

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## kilted exile

I attempted to use the word soporific in conversation today, drew blank looks from my roommates.

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## Scheherazade

Maybe your conversation had already taken a soporific effect on them?  :Biggrin:

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## Jay

Maybe they thought you were calling them nasty names and didn't want to show you they didn't know how bad it was  :Tongue:

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## kilted exile

> Maybe your conversation had already taken a soporific effect on them?


This is indeed a distinct possibility.

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## Scheherazade

*polyglot*  adj FORMAL

1. speaking or using several different languages:

She was reading a *polyglot*  bible, with the text in English, Latin and Greek.

2. containing people from many different and distant places:

New York is an exciting *polyglot* city.

*polyglot*  noun [C] FORMAL

My tutor's something of a *polyglot*  - she speaks seven languages.


source

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## Scheherazade

*heresy*  noun

*1.* [C or U] (the act of having) an opinion or belief that is the opposite of or against what is the official or popular opinion, or an action which shows that you have no respect for the official opinion:

Radical remarks like this amount to *heresy* for most members of the Republican party.

She committed the *heresy* of playing a Madonna song on a classical music station.


*2.* [U] a belief which is against the principles of a particular religion:

He was burned at the stake in the fifteenth century for *heresy*.


*heretic*  noun [C]

a person who is guilty of heresy


*heretical*  adjective

Her belief that a split would be good for the party was regarded as *heretical*.


source

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## Scheherazade

*enunciate* verb [I or T] 

to pronounce words or parts of words clearly:

He doesn't *enunciate* (his words) very clearly.

*enunciation* noun [C or U] 


*
enunciate* verb [T] 

to state and explain a plan or principle clearly or formally:

In the speech, the leader *enunciated* his party's proposals for tax reform.

source

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## Scheherazade

*hubris* noun [U] LITERARY
 
very great pride and belief in your own importance:

He was punished for his *hubris*.

source

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## Fango

*incommode* - v. cause inconvenience; disturb.

He always incommodes people with his bad breath.

Source

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## Taliesin

*munchkin*
_
1.A very small person. 
2.Informal. A child. 
3.Informal. A minor official. 
[After the Munchkins, characters in The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum.]_
First source 

But in role-playing games, such as LARP or D&D or internet RPG-s, *munchkin* means:
_A munchkin is a player who plays a normally cooperative game exclusively for the purposes of "winning", usually at the cost of the other players' enjoyment of in an RPG or a MUD game. The term is also frequently used in reference to powergamers and to immature players in general.

A more neutral use of the term is in reference to young players, who, not knowing yet how to roleplay, typically obsess about the statistical "power" of their characters rather than developing their characters' fictional "personalities."

Some people say this is a certain stage of a gamer's growth and that if one starts to understand the philosophy behind an RPG, they will stop these kind of Munchkin behaviours._

"He constantly begged the DM for more bonuses and better stats. What a munchkin."
Second source

----------


## Scheherazade

*odious* adj FORMAL

extremely unpleasant; causing and deserving hate:

an *odious* crime

an *odious* little man


*odium* noun [U] FORMAL

hate and strong disapproval

source

----------


## Basil

*July 10*

*flapdoodle*
also *flap-doodle*

NOUN:	_Slang_ foolish talk; nonsense

_I could scarcely bring myself to read his posts, finding them full of so much flapdoodle._

Here ya go!

----------


## baddad

[QUOTE=Basil]*July 10*


NOUN:	_Slang_ foolish talk; nonsense[/font]

_I could scarcely bring myself to read his posts, finding them full of so much flapdoodle._

[QUOTE]

Colloquialism: designating or of the words, phrases, et., characteristic of informal speech and writing; conversational.

: often/commonly regional in particular useage

----------


## Scheherazade

*bosh* exclamation, noun [U] OLD-FASHIONED

nonsense:

Don't talk such *bosh*!

source 


*bosh* noun, interjection

Nonsense.

[From Turkish bos (empty). The term was popularized in English by its
use in the novels of James J. Morier (1780-1849).]

source

----------


## Scheherazade

*Roman holiday*  n. 

1. Enjoyment or satisfaction derived from observing the suffering of others. 

2. A violent public spectacle or disturbance in which shame, degradation, or physical harm is intentionally inflicted on one person or group by another. 

(From the bloody gladiatorial contests staged as entertainment for the ancient Romans.)

"There were his young barbarians all at play;
There was their Dacian mother: he, their sire,
Butcher'd to make a *Roman holiday*!"

Lord Byron; _Childe Harold's Pilgrimage_; Canto iv. Stanza 141.


source

----------


## Scheherazade

*hoi polloi* \hoi-puh-LOI\, noun:

The common people generally; the masses. 


Lizzie insisted that her children distinguish themselves from the *hoi polloi*  by scrupulous honesty. 
--Kate Buford, Burt Lancaster: An American Life

The exchange of roles in "The Prince and the Pauper" suggests that a man of the people can be a benevolent ruler because of his humble roots, that a prince can become a better ruler through exposure to *hoi polloi*. 
--Michiko Kakutani "In Classic Children's Books, Is a Witch Ever Just a Witch?" New York Times, December 22, 1992

America's cereal queen [Marjorie Merriweather Post, heir to the Post Cereal fortune] had the same problems that the *hoi polloi*  have -- philandering husbands, messy divorces, soggy Grape-Nuts. 
--Maureen Dowd, "Rich Little Rich Girl," New York Times, February 12, 1995

*Hoi polloi*  is Greek for "the many."

http://dictionary.reference.com/word...001/05/30.html


Usage Note: *Hoi polloi* is a borrowing of the Greek phrase *hoi polloi*, consisting of hoi, meaning the and used before a plural, and polloi, the plural of polus, many. In Greek *hoi polloi*  had a special sense, the greater number, the people, the commonalty, the masses. This phrase has generally expressed this meaning in English since its first recorded instance, in an 1837 work by James Fenimore Cooper. *Hoi polloi*  is sometimes incorrectly used to mean the elite, possibly because it is reminiscent of high and mighty or because it sounds like hoity-toity. ·Since the Greek phrase includes an article, some critics have argued that the phrase *the hoi polloi*  is redundant. But phrases borrowed from other languages are often reanalyzed in English as single words. For example, a number of Arabic noun phrases were borrowed into English as simple nouns. The Arabic element al- means the, and appears in English nouns such as alcohol and alchemy. Thus, since no one would consider a phrase such as the alcohol to be redundant, criticizing the hoi polloi on similar grounds seems pedantic.

http://dictionary.reference.com/sear...q=hoi%20polloi

----------


## Jay

*August 2*

bummel: stroll; leisurely journey

----------


## Scheherazade

*pontificate* V [I] DISAPPROVING 

to speak or write and give your opinion about something as if you knew everything about it and as if only your opinion was correct:

I think it should be illegal for non-parents to *pontificate* on/about parenting.

Sourse 


*pon·tif·i·cate* n. 

The office or term of office of a pontiff.

*pon·tif·i·cat·ed, pon·tif·i·cat·ing, pon·tif·i·cates*  intr.v. 

1.To express opinions or judgments in a dogmatic way. 

2.To administer the office of a pontiff. 

Source

----------


## Scheherazade

*cy·no·sure* n. 

An object that serves as a focal point of attention and admiration. 
Something that serves to guide. 

source 


*cynosure* N [C] LITERARY

a person or thing having a quality of excellence or great beauty which attracts a lot of attention.

source 




> "We attracted a good deal of attention at the Alhambra. On our presenting ourselves at the paybox we were gruffly directed to go round to Castle Street, and were informed that we were half-an-hour behind our time. We convinced the man, with some difficulty, that we were not "the world-renowned contortionists from the Himalaya Mountains," and he took our money and let us pass. Inside we were a still greater success. Our fine bronzed countenances and picturesque clothes were followed round the place with admiring gaze. We were the *cynosure* of every eye. 
> 
> It was a proud moment for us all. " 
> 
> From _Three Men in a Boat_

----------


## Scheherazade

*quid pro quo* noun [C usually singular] 

plural *quid pro quos* FORMAL

something that is given to a person in return for something they have done:

The government has promised food aid as a *quid pro quo*  for the stopping of violence.


source

----------


## Scheherazade

The new quizes based on 'Word of the Day' thread have been added to the site:

http://www.online-literature.com/for....php?quizid=22

http://www.online-literature.com/for....php?quizid=32

----------


## Jay

*sounding board*

Oxford English Dictionary: a person or group whose reactions to ideas or opinons are used as a test of their validity or likely success.

----------


## Scheherazade

*facetious* adj DISAPPROVING

not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be amusing or to appear clever:

*facetious* remarks

He's just being *facetious*.


*facetiously*  adv DISAPPROVING


*facetiousness* n [U] DISAPPROVING


source

----------


## Jay

graveyard shift

period of work after midnight: a shift of work running through the early hours of the morning, especially one running from midnight till eight o'clock the following morning, or the workers on such a shift

----------


## Jay

clever Dick/clogs (UK informal disapproving)

somebody too sure of own cleverness: somebody regarded as arrogant or ostentatiously clever

clever Dick/clogs (UK informal disapproving)

someone who shows that they are clever, in a way which annoys other people:
_If you're such a clever dick, you finish the crossword puzzle._

----------


## Scheherazade

*speakeasy*  n. pl. speak·eas·ies 

A place for the illegal sale and consumption of alcoholic drinks, as during Prohibition in the United States.


source

----------


## Taliesin

Brillig Four o'clock in the afternoon: the time when you begin broiling things for dinner. (According to Mischmasch, it is derived from the verb to bryl or broil.)

We know that it probably doesn't count, but it is a very nice word, isn't it?

----------


## Scheherazade

*sententious*  adj FORMAL DISAPPROVING

trying to appear wise, clever and important:

The document was *sententious* and pompous.

"I see how you are. Getting all euphuistic and *sententious* on me. Meanie."


*sententiously* adv




source

----------


## Scheherazade

*denizen* noun [C] LITERARY

an animal, plant or person that lives in or is often in a particular place:

Deer, foxes and squirrels are among the *denizens* of the forest.



> He becomes very sentimental sometimes, explained Gatsby. This is one of his sentimental days. Hes quite a character around New Yorka *denizen* of Broadway.


from _The Great Gatsby_

source

----------


## underground

*shamus* (noun): a detective

_what the...? who stole my bike--_again_? that's it, i'm hiring a shamus now._

----------


## Scheherazade

*histrionic* adj DISAPPROVING

very emotional and energetic, but lacking sincerity or real meaning:

a *histrionic* outburst
She put on a *histrionic* display of grief at her ex-husband's funeral.


*histrionically* adv DISAPPROVING


*histrionics* plural N DISAPPROVING

very emotional and energetic behaviour that lacks sincerity and real meaning:

I'd had enough of Lydia's *histrionics*.



source

----------


## Scheherazade

*un·gu·late*  adj. 

*1.* Having hooves. 

*2.* Resembling hooves; hooflike. 

*3.* Of or belonging to the former order Ungulata, now divided into the orders Perissodactyla and Artiodactyla and composed of the hoofed mammals such as horses, cattle, deer, swine, and elephants. 

n. 
An *ungulate* mammal.



source

----------


## Pensive

ah, its a very nice thread, helps in vocabulary. 

crestfallen - adjective

1: dispirited
2: dejected
3: disappointed

----------


## Jay

prolific: adj

1. highly productive: producing ideas or works frequently and in large quantities

2. fruitful: producing a lot of fruit or many offspring

3. abundant or abounding: present in large numbers, or containing large numbers of quantities of something, especially animal life

so in other words... babbly  :Biggrin:

----------


## Scheherazade

*gadfly*  n. 

1. A persistent irritating critic; a nuisance. 

2. One that acts as a provocative stimulus; a goad. 

3. Any of various flies, especially of the family Tabanidae, that bite or annoy livestock and other animals. 

source 



> ...Clarissa wishes, suddlenly and with surprising urgency, that Richard were here beside her, right now - not Richard as he's become but the Richard of ten years ago; Richard the fearless, ceaseless talker; Richard the gadfly.


from _the Hours_ by Michael Cunningham

----------


## ANN VIRGES

Where Would I Find The Word Sesquipadalian?

----------


## Perspicacity

www.Dictionary.com

Sesquipedalian 

1. (n.) a long word
2. (adj.) given to the use of long words

----------


## Jay

or here
*too short... or not*

----------


## Jay

ubiquitous, adj.
existing everywhere: present everywhere at once, or seeming to be

----------


## Scheherazade

*bardolatry* n.

Idolization of William Shakespeare.

http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bardolatry



> Before the Romantics, Shakespeare was simply the most admired of all dramatic poets, especially for his insight into human nature and his realism, but Romantic critics such as S. T. Coleridge refactored him into an object of almost religious adoration or "*bardolatry*" (from bard + idolatry, a word coined by George Bernard Shaw) who towered above mere mortal writers, and whose plays were to be worshipped as not "merely great works of art" but as "phenomena of nature, like the sun and the sea, the stars and the flowers" and "with entire submission of our own faculties" (Thomas de Quincey, 1823).


 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bardolatry

----------


## Scheherazade

*flummox*verb [T] INFORMAL 

to confuse someone so much that they do not know what to do:

I have to say that last question *flummoxed*  me.


*flummoxed* adj INFORMAL

He looked completely *flummoxed*.


source

----------


## starrwriter

fug (noun, slang)
A state of extreme ugliness.

fugly (adjective)
Frightfully ugly; pertaining to something beyond the boundaries of normal unattractiveness.

source

----------


## Jay

to egg on (verb)
encourage somebody: to encourage somebody to do something, especially something wrong, foolish, or dangerous
_She never would have done it herself, but the girls were egging her on._

----------


## Scheherazade

*arable*  adjective

describes farming and farm land that is used for, or is suitable for, growing crops:

*arable* farming/farmers/farms/land

----------


## Scheherazade

A new Word of the Day Quiz has been added to the Forum.

----------


## Logos

yay! thank you for making it Scher  :Biggrin:

----------


## Scheherazade

*chimera* noun [C] FORMAL

a hope or dream that is extremely unlikely ever to come true:

Is the ideal of banishing hunger throughout the world just a *chimera*?


*chimerical* adjective FORMAL


> It was a forbidden word: 'before'. She felt the *chimerical* angel of the past flying overhead and she tried to elude to it.


from _Love in the Time of Cholera_

----------


## Jay

November 29

paronomastic, adj
a play on words: pun

----------


## Scheherazade

*draconian* adj FORMAL

describes laws, government actions, etc. which are unreasonably severe; going beyond what is right or necessary:

*draconian* laws/methods

He criticized the* draconian*  measures taken by the police in controlling the demonstrators.


> Some said that after midnight more reeling than dancing took place; and more *draconian* claimed that there was very little of either, but a great deal of something else.


 from _The French Lieutenant's Woman_

----------


## Jay

recalcitrant
adjective
1. resisting authority: stubbornly resisting the authority of another person or group
2. hard to do or handle: difficult to deal with or operate
_struggling in front of the mirror with a recalcitrant necktie_

noun
stubborn opponent: somebody who stubbornly resists authority or control
_ few recalcitrants refused to submit_

from The French Lieutenant's Woman

----------


## Scheherazade

*lampoon* noun [C]

a piece of writing, a drawing, etc. which criticizes in an amusing way a famous person or a public organization, allowing their bad qualities to be seen and making them seem stupid:

The magazine is famed for its merciless political *lampoons*.

*lampoon* verb [T] 


> In some of this literature, it is difficult to distinguish between behavior that is being parodied and behavior that is presented as an ideal. This ambiguity may also be found in The Taming of the Shrew, which manages to* lampoon*  chauvinistic behavior while simultaneously reaffirming its social validity. The play celebrates the quick wit and fiery spirit of its heroine even while reveling in her humiliation.


 _from Sparknotes_

source

----------


## Scheherazade

*sully* V [T] FORMAL 

1 to spoil something or someone's perfect reputation or purity:

His reputation, he said, had been unfairly *sullied* by allegations, half-truths and innuendos.

2 to make something dirty:

No speck of dirt had ever *sullied* his hands.


> An alternative argument holds that Romeos love for Rosaline shows him to be desirous of love with anyone who is beautiful and willing to share his feelings, thereby *sullying* our understanding of Romeos love with Juliet.


 from SparkNotes.

source

----------


## Scheherazade

*soupçon* N [S] MAINLY HUMOROUS
a very small amount:

"Milk in your coffee?" "Just a *soupçon*, please."

Do I detect a *soupçon* of sarcasm in what you just said? 


> 'They can't kill you unless it's for money,' said Catseye. But now tehre was a *soupçon* of doubt in his voice.


 From _Hogfather_ by Terry Pratchett

----------


## Taliesin

*Tom Swiftie*
A Tom Swifty (or Tom Swiftie) is a phrase in which a quoted sentence is linked by a pun to the manner in which it is represented as having been said. Tom Swifties may be considered a type of Wellerism.

e.g:
"I'll never stick my arm in the lion's mouth again," Tom said offhandedly.
"Let's go downstairs," said Tom to the robber condescendingly.
"I used to be a pilot," Tom explained.
"I just love camping!" Tom said, intently.

Wikipedia article

----------


## Scheherazade

*prolix* ADJ. 

1.Tediously prolonged; wordy: editing a *prolix* manuscript. 

2.Tending to speak or write at excessive length. 

*prolixity* N

boring verboseness 


> ROMEO 
> 
> What, shall this speech be spoke for our excuse? 
> Or shall we on without apology? 
> 
> BENVOLIO 
> 
> The date is out of such *prolixity*: 
> We'll have no Cupid hoodwink'd with a scarf, 
> ...


_Romeo and Juliet_, Act 1.4

----------


## Jay

eat humble pie
to admit that you were wrong
_After boasting that his company could outperform the industry's best, he's been forced to eat humble pie._

eat humble pie
to be forced to apologize abjectly or admit one's faults in humiliating circumstances

----------


## Scheherazade

*platitude* n [C] DISAPPROVING

a remark or statement that may be true but is boring and meaningless because it has been said so many times before:

Milosevic doesn't mouth *platitudes* about it not mattering who scores as long as the team wins.

platitudinous Adj FORMAL DISAPPROVING 


> I put an end to this gibberish by suggesting Valeria pack up her few belongings immediately, upon which the platitudinous colonel gallantly offered to carry them into the car.


From _Lolita_ by Nabokov


source

----------


## Scheherazade

*hagiography* noun

1 [C or U] a biography in which the writer represents the person as perfect or much better than they really are, or the tendency to write so many admiring things about a person that it is not realistic

2 [U] SPECIALIZED writings about the lives of holy people such as saints

*hagiographic* adjective LITERARY

The biography has been criticized for being too *hagiographic*.

source


> He had a peculiarly vicious version of reverse *hagiography*; the desire to cut his subject down to size.


from _Possession_ A.S. Byatt

----------


## Taliesin

*bower* 
noun [C] LITERARY
a pleasant place under the branches of a tree in a wood or garden
link

----------


## Nightshade

Biblophil,-phile: 
1) lover of books
2)a collector of books.
http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...7278&dict=CALD
http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=bibliophil

I thought it was a real word I noticed somewhere some one said they'd made it up  :Biggrin: 

You do realise what this means? It means Biblophobia exsists.
 :Eek:

----------


## Scheherazade

*lackadaisical*  adjective FORMAL

lacking enthusiasm and effort:

The food was nice enough but the service was rather *lackadaisical*.


*lackadaisically* adverb

source

----------


## Pensive

Ah Scher, "lackadaisical" is such a difficult and a long word.

----------


## Scheherazade

> Ah Scher, "lackadaisical" is such a difficult and a long word.


I agree with you, Pensive; I learnt it only yesterday, too. 

If you read it slowly, though, it is kind of funny: *lack-a-daisy-cal!*  :Biggrin:

----------


## RJbibliophil

April 1st 2006
Odontophobia-noun-a fear of teeth and/or dentists 

http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?odontophobia

Fortunately I do not suffer from odontophobia!

----------


## RJbibliophil

Why not have 2 words since there hasn't been any for a long time. :P


*toxophilite* (tok-SOF-uh-lyt) noun

One who is fond of or expert at archery.

[Coined by Roger Ascham (1515-1568), scholar and writer, as a proper 
name and
the title of his book Toxophilus, from Greek toxon (bow) + -philos 
(loving).]

Roger Ascham was the tutor for teenager Elizabeth, future Queen 
Elizabeth I.
His book Toxophilus was the first book on archery in English. It was a
treatise on archery but it was also an argument for writing in the
vernacular: in English. You could say he shot two birds with one arrow.
---------------------------------------------------------------
*fletcher* (FLECH-uhr) noun

A maker of arrows.

[From Middle English fleccher, from Old French flechier, from fleche 
(arrow).
Ultimately from Indo-European root pleu (to flow), which also gave us 
flow,
fly, float, fleet, pulmonary, and pluvial.]

----------


## Scheherazade

*Philippic* n. 

1. Any of the orations of Demosthenes against Philip of Macedon in the fourth century B.C. 
2. Any of the orations of Cicero against Antony in 44 B.C. 
3. A verbal denunciation characterized by harsh, often insulting language; a tirade.

source 


> The talk, as usual, had veered around to the Beauforts, and even Mr van der Luyden and Mr Selfridge Merry, installed in the honorary arm-chairs tacitly reserved for them, paused to listen to the younger man's *philippic*.


 from _The Age of Innocence_ by Edith Wharton

----------


## RJbibliophil

*Xenophobia*-noun- extreme dislike, hatred or fear of foreigners, their customs, their religions, etc.

Link

----------


## Scheherazade

*daguerreotype* n. 

1. An early photographic process with the image made on a light-sensitive silver-coated metallic plate.

2. A photograph made by this process. 




> His hair was pale and fine. It had been brushed smoothly down upon his brow like that of children in *daguerreotypes*.


 from _The Sound and the Fury_

----------


## RJbibliophil

*April 29*
belles-lettres (bel-LET-ruh) noun

literary works that are beautiful and pleasing in an artistic way, rather than being very serious or full of information

Literary works valued for their aesthetic qualities rather than
information or instruction.

[From French belles (fine) + lettres (letters, literature).

source

For help understanding:
aesthetic, US ALSO esthetic adjective
1. relating to the enjoyment or study of beauty:
The new building has little aesthetic value/appeal.

2. describes an object or a work of art that shows great beauty:
furniture which is both aesthetic and functional

(Scher, please don't get mad at me!  :Eek:  .)

----------


## Scheherazade

*necromancy* noun [U]

the practice of claiming to communicate with the dead in order to discover what is going to happen in the future, or black magic (= magic used for bad purposes)

*necromancer*  noun [C]

source 


> The world all around the Abbey is rank with heresy; they tell me that on the throne of Rome there is a perverse pope who uses hosts of practices of *necromancy* and feeds them to his morays...


 from _The Name of the Rose_ by Eco

----------


## RJbibliophil

*May 4th 2006* 

anabiosis (an-uh-bi-O-sis) noun

A return to life after death or apparent death.

A state of suspended animation, especially one in which certain aquatic
invertebrates are able to survive long periods of drought.

[From Greek anabiosis (coming back to life), from anabioun
(to return to life), from ana- (back) + bio- (life).]




> Many animals and plants can survive periods of extreme drought or cold. 
> They reach a state of suspended animation and can come back to life even 
> after being dormant for years. One such plant is the Rose of Jericho, also 
> known as Anastatica or Resurrection plant. In dry conditions, its stems curl 
> into a ball. When blown by the wind, it spreads its seeds along the way. 
> When moistened, it turns into a green plant again, even after years of 
> dryness. The curled ball is sold as a curiosity item.


link[

----------


## Taliesin

Henotheism 

In religion and philosophy, henotheism is a term coined by Max Müller, meaning devotion to a single god while accepting the existence of other gods. It is derived from the Greek heis theos, "one god". According to Müller, it is "monotheism in principle and a polytheism in fact". Variations on the term have been inclusive monotheism and monarchial polytheism, designed to differentiate differing forms of the phenomenon. Related terms are monolatrism and kathenotheism, which are typically understood as sub-types of henotheism. The latter term is an extension of "henotheism", from kath heno theon  "one god at a time". Henotheism is similar but less exclusive than monolatry because a monolator worships only one god, while the henotheist may worship any within the pantheon, depending on circumstances. In some belief systems, the choice of the supreme deity within a henotheistic framework may be determined by cultural, geographical, or political reasons.

----------


## Jay

pusillanimous _adj_
weak-spirited: showing a contemptible lack of boldness and resolve ( formal )

weak and cowardly; frightened of taking risks (source)

----------


## RJbibliophil

*May 12th 2006*


procellous (pro-SEL-uhs) adjective

Stormy, as the sea.

[From Latin procellosus (stormy), from procella (storm).]


"I likened myself to a sailor ... to brave the dangers of that
procellous sea."

a link to something

----------


## Jay

supererogatory adj

1. beyond call of duty: performed to an extent beyond what is required or expected

2. superfluous: beyond what is sufficient or necessary, and not wanted

----------


## Nightshade

may 23
Quire
noun 1 four sheets of paper or parchment folded to form eight leaves, as in medieval manuscripts. 2 25 (formerly 24) sheets of paper; one twentieth of a ream. 3 any collection of leaves one within another in a manuscript or book. 

— ORIGIN Old French quaier, from Latin quaterni ‘set of four’
http://www.askoxford.com/results/?vi...r=score%2Cname

----------


## apple jiang

> Thought it would be nice to learn a new word every day.
> 
> Rules:
> - Only one word per day.
> 
> - Clearly state for which day you are posting in the title line.
> 
> - To give an equal chance to all, the same person cannot post twice in the same week (at least 7 days later).
> 
> - The definition should come from a legitimate online dictionary and the link should be posted at the end of the post.


 my knowledge of internet technology is so limited,so that means I can't say anything here?  :Sick:   :Brickwall:

----------


## mingdamerciless

*ululate*  
 verb howl or wail. 

 DERIVATIVES ululation noun. 

 ORIGIN Latin ululare howl, shriek.

http://www.askoxford.com/results/?vi...archtype=exact

----------


## RJbibliophil

*June 1, 2006*

terpsichorean  (turp-si-kuh-REE-uhn, turp-si-KOR-ee-uhn, -KORE-) 
adjective

Of or relating to dancing.

noun

A dancer.

[From Terpsichore, the Muse of dancing and choral song in Greek 
mythology.
The word Terpsichore is the feminine form of terpsichoros (delighting 
in the dance), a combination of Greek terpein (to delight) and khoros 
(dance), which is ultimately from Indo-European root gher- (to grasp or to 
enclose) that's also the source of chorus, carol, choir, garth, court, and 
garden.]


"On the subject of Prezza: Ruskin College, Oxford, his alma mater, is 
no doubt bracing itself for no end of inquiries following those 
startling pictures of his terpsichorean skills. Where did he learn to dance?"
Peter Kingston; Conference Call; The Guardian (London, UK); May 2, 
2006.

Of course not Apple! A good online dictionary to start with is: http://dictionary.cambridge.org When you run across interesting and complicated words, share them!

----------


## Scheherazade

*reconnoitre*  (US USUALLY reconnoiter ) verb [I or T] SPECIALIZED 

(of soldiers or military aircraft) to obtain information about an area or the size and position of enemy forces

source 


> Later, Hazel had said that there was nothing for it but to cross the open pasture and under Silver's direction they had crossed it, with Dandelion running ahead to reconnoitre.


from _Watership Down_

----------


## Jay

obsequious adj, formal disapproving
too eager to praise or obey someone
_She is almost embarrassingly obsequious to anyone in authority._

----------


## Scheherazade

*cavil*  verb FORMAL 

to make unreasonable complaints, especially about things that are not important

*cavil*  noun [C] FORMAL

The one *cavil* I have about the book is that it is written as a diary.

source

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## Scheherazade

We have a new quiz!

http://www.online-literature.com/for...php?quizid=386

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## Scheherazade

*jejune* adjective FORMAL DISAPPROVING

very simple or childish:

He made *jejune* generalizations about how all students were lazy and never did any work.


> When at length I returned to my rooms and found them exactly as I had left them that morning, I detected a *jejune* air that had not irked me before.


from _Brideshead Revisited_ by Evelyn Waugh

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## ShoutGrace

> supererogatory adj
> 
> 1. beyond call of duty: performed to an extent beyond what is required or expected
> 
> 2. superfluous: beyond what is sufficient or necessary, and not wanted



Hey, you looked that up!  :Biggrin:   :Thumbs Up:  

You were explaining something to me, if I remember correctly, and I was awfully grateful . . . how weird to remember that now.  :Alien:

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## Nightshade

In the light of the vicious vocab thread thought this might be what we nedd~~bump~~

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## B-Mental

I'm not sure if we have tried this one yet. How about a thread where you can post an interesting word you've come across and its definition. Lets come up with some good words. Are we not literate?


*ca·price* noun [kuh-prees] 
1. a sudden, unpredictable change, as of one's mind or the weather. 
2. a tendency to change one's mind without apparent or adequate motive; whimsicality; capriciousness: With the caprice of a despotic king, he alternated between kindness and cruelty.

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## Weisinheimer

I like the way this word sounds:
pulchritude –physical beauty; comeliness.

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## snow9999

bon vivant \bon-vee-VONT\, noun:
A person with refined and sociable tastes, especially one who enjoys fine food and drink.
Bon vivant comes from French bon, "good" (from Latin bonus) + vivant, present participle of vivre, "to live," from Latin vivere. 
from www.dictionary.com

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## B-Mental

*aphorism*  (af-uh-riz-uhm) - An aphorism is a short, pithy statement containing a truth of general import; an epigram is like an aphorism, but lacking in general import. *Maxim* and *saying* can be used as synonyms for aphorism.

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## B-Mental

*re·ful·gent* (ri-fuhl-juhnt) adjective: shining brightly; radiant; gleaming: _Crystal chandeliers and gilded walls made the opera house a refulgent setting for the ball._

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## Pendragon

*votive* candles lit in memory of someone in fullfillment of a vow to honor their death

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## B-Mental

*vex·il·lol·o·gy*  [vek-suh-lol-uh-jee] noun 
the study of flags.

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## dramasnot6

proselytize \PROS-uh-luh-tyz\, intransitive verb:

1. To induce someone to convert to one's religious faith.
2. To induce someone to join one's institution, cause, or political party.
3. To convert to some religion, system, opinion, or the like.

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## ktd222

expiate (ex-pi-ate), verb

a)to extinguish the guilt incurred by b)to make amends for

And I have something to expiate: A pettiness. - D.H. Lawrence from The Snake

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## Sindhu

Mariology- study or doctrine relating to the Virgin Mary .

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## Brigitte

contravene \kon-truh-VEEN\, transitive verb:
1. To act or be counter to; to violate.
2. To oppose in argument; to contradict.

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## B-Mental

maladroit \mal-uh-DROYT\, adjective:
Lacking adroitness; clumsy; awkward; unskillful; inept.

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## Shalot

pusillanimous - adjective

http://www.merriam-webster.com/cgi-b...=pusillanimous

lacking courage and resolution : marked by contemptible timidity (is this where the more vulgar synonym for wus came from?)

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## B-Mental

*ma·jor-do·mo* ~ [mey-jer-doh-moh] noun, plural -mos. 
1.) a man in charge of a great household, as that of a sovereign; a chief steward. 
2.) a steward or butler. 
3.) a person who makes arrangements for another.

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## B-Mental

*di·dac·tic* [dahy-dak-tik]adjective 
*1.* intended for instruction; instructive: didactic poetry. 
*2.* inclined to teach or lecture others too much: a boring, didactic speaker. 
*3.* teaching or intending to teach a moral lesson. 
*4.* didactics, (used with a singular verb) the art or science of teaching.

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## AdoreroDio

*namby-pamby* 
–adjective
1.without firm methods or policy; weak or indecisive: namby-pamby handling of juvenile offenders.
2.lacking in character, directness, or moral or emotional strength: namby-pamby writing.
3.weakly sentimental, pretentious, or affected; insipid.
–noun
4.a namby-pamby person
5.namby-pamby sentiment
6.namby-pamby verse or prose.

(Place I got the info)

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## Shalot

*crepuscular
*

meaning: of, relating to, or resembling twilight. 

(seems like this could be expressed in a much better way without the use of this word, but there you go. There you have it. Expanding the vocabulary, but not necessarily improving it. this word looks like it should have something to do with the deteriotion of muscle tissue or something)

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## Gadget Girl

*killjoy*

Meaning: one who spoils the pleasure of others.

(This is according to RoCKiTcZa. I'm just posting for her.  :Biggrin:  Peace, Kit!)

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## subterranean

Today, someone asked me what's the meaning of 'weaknesses'

Main entry: weak·ness 

1: the quality or state of being weak ; also : an instance or period of being weak <backed down in a moment of weakness>
2: fault , defect
3 a: a special desire or fondness <has a weakness for sweets> b: an object of special desire or fondness <pizza is my weakness>

From Merriam-Webster online dictionary

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## librarius_qui

moderation /,mòdâ'rejshn/* _n_ [U] the quality of being moderated; freedom from excess; restraint

---
*er .. I don't have the IPA here ... I improvised.~

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## Scheherazade

You can find one very easily online, Lib.

Try cambridge or dictionary.com.

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## librarius_qui

> You can find one very easily online, Lib.
> 
> Try cambridge or dictionary.com.


good idea!

~

there you go:

/ˌmɒdəˈreɪʃn/

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## Scheherazade

*jeroboam* noun [C]

a very large wine bottle which contains four or six times the usual amount:

_a jeroboam of champagne_

http://dictionary.cambridge.org/defi...ey=42586&ph=on

_"I'd say you did," I replied amiably enough, thinking that this big jeroboam of self-contentment really was in possession of all he ever had wanted._

from _American Pastoral_ by Philip Roth

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## librarius_qui

forgiving /fəˈgɪvɪŋ/ _adj_ ready and willing to forgive

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## librarius_qui

(Blast the IPA tonight!)

*bonny* _("b*â*ny" or "bòny", stressed on the "o")_* _adj_ (*-ier*, *-iest*) (_esp Scot_) attractive, or beautiful; fine: _a bonny lass/baby_ o _That's a bonny idea_. *>* *bonnily* _adv_.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY-HU...eature=related

---
*phonetic invention by me!, does anyone not understand?

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## Scheherazade

*glib* 

Pronunciation: \ˈglib\ 
Function: adjective 
Inflected Form(s): glib·ber; glib·best 
Etymology: probably modification of Low German glibberig slippery 
Date: 1584 

1 a: marked by ease and informality : nonchalant 
b: showing little forethought or preparation : offhand <_glib_ answers> 
c: lacking depth and substance : superficial <_glib_ solutions to knotty problems>

2: archaic : smooth, slippery

3: marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful <a _glib_ politician>

 glib·ly adverb 
 glib·ness noun 

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glib

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## Jay

need help with one nice-sounding word, came across this one today in a story and while I think I kinda know what it means, the definitions nor the context really make too much sense... anybody, put this into English for me, pwetty pwease?  :Biggrin: 

*atavistic* /ˌæt.əˈvɪs.tɪk/ _adj._

cambridge dictionary:
(of behaviour) happening because of a very old natural and basic habit from the distant past (= a long time ago), not because of a conscious decision or present need or usefulness

oxford dictionary:
relating to or characterized by reversion to something ancient or ancestral: _atavistic fears and instincts_

does the cambridge definition mean something like traditional? but more... primal? that would make it... what exactly?  :Sosp:

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## Sancho

I see it used as a synonym for a throw-back. It’s usually derisive. Hunter S. Thompson liked to use it when describing the Nixon administration. He seemed to think Nixon and his people hadn’t fully evolved as human beings. They were maybe only a generation or two from walking with their hands above their heads. 

That’s speaking in the behavioral sense. It’s used in a biological sense to describe things like an appendix, or something in the body that used to have a purpose but now doesn't seem to. Tail bone might be another example.

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## Jay

That makes much more sense, thanks, Sancho  :CoolgleamA:

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