Word of the Day!

[hcjilson]

When I was young, my grandfather helped me to increase my vocabulary by getting me in the habit of learning a new word every day.I did it regularly until I hit high school when I had come to the mistaken conclusion that I knew it all.I also used to do cross word puzzles a lot. As I grew older I got out of the good habits and into some bad one's-enough said! I noticed a woman in the office the other day, doing a crossword while waiting for the doctor. I asked her how she was doing (she was doing it with a pen!). She was hard of hearing and thought I had asked her WHAT she was doing.

"Excersizing my mind" she said. She then told me that as she grew older she needed to excersize her mind to keep sharp, and she said it helped her not to forget things. I told her I no longer did crosswords because I couldn't remember the "catch" words anymore. She advised me to get back into it because "the worst thing that could happen" is that I would learn new words.

That exchange gave me the idea for this thread.I'm not sure how, or if it will develop, but here goes!

[rbaker]

Harry,

Here is another good site:

http://wordsmith.org/

I started using this site back when it was a bulletin board (1985 ? ? ?)

[hcjilson]

The worse that can happen is we'll learn a bunch of new words every day- Many thanks for the assistance. hj

PS Feel free to add your own words whenever you can. They stay up for a day and then go in the "past words" post.

[PAkev]

Great Concept.........


I had an instructor in college that did something similar. He often found unpopular words in the index of our textbook and offered extra credit on exams if we were able to define the word. I learned a lot of new words from this class which had improved my colloquial vocabulary and boosted my GPA.

By the way this is the same instructor that coined a phrase I love:
"Once you THINK you know EVERYTHING.......You STOP knowing ANYTHING !

Kevin

[1968]

Eschatology was on the mind of the panjandrum, a reputed cormorant, when his egregious malversation was revealed as contretemps in front of those attending the tattoo in his honor this afternoon.

[hcjilson]

I've purposely left off the definitions so you could look them up. Use any dictionary you can find online to get the definitions. You will definitely be surprised at some of them.

panjandrum- tattoo- cormorant- eschatology-egregious-contretemps- malversation-exhort- genuflect- solecism-extemporaneous- forgo- aborning- dulcet- hoi polloi-scurrilous- recherche-permeate-germane-disconsolate-Ratiocination-Ineluctable-exegesis-cornucopia

[harry a saake]

MR. JILSON, do you perhaps have a particular or perculiar propensity for this plethora of words, or might it be a proclivity?

[Shutterbug]

This thread reminds me of a friend of mine who told me he was learning a new word every day and practicing it on his wife.

He got bogged down with the word "sensuous". He thought and thought about how he could use it in a sentence without sounding unmanly. His opportunity finally came when his wife excused herself from TV viewing to get a drink. He said "Hey honey, sensuous up, how about bringing me a beer?"

[1968]

Eschatology was on the mind of the panjandrum, a reputed cormorant, when his egregious malversation was revealed as contretemps in front of those attending the tattoo in his honor this afternoon. Disconsolate over the loss of his “integrity”, he elected to forgo his recherché posturing to genuflect before the scurrilous hoi polloi and proclaim, “I’m sorry that I done it”. Although showing regret seemed germane, he immediately recognized that the extemporaneously exhorted solecism permeating the air crushed aborning what might have otherwise been a dulcet apology.

[chip anderson]

If we are gonna keep this up, someone is going to have arrange for a sound link so we can learn pronounciation.

[hcjilson]

If we are gonna keep this up, someone is going to have arrange for a sound link so we can learn pronounciation.

Hey Chip!
Give me a call sometime and I'll do the best I can.....but I warn you now, it won't be with a Southern accent! :bbg:

harry

PS to all, from time to time I am going to remove posts from this thread just to keep it clean and readable. If you find your post is missing, thats the reason.
ksquared has volunteered to help while I'm away...and after if she is still willing. That goes for anyone who wants to add words.The help is most appreciated.
hj

[hcjilson]

Word of the Day for Saturday December 25, 2004

benison \BEN-uh-suhn; -zuhn\, noun:
Blessing; benediction.

In the beginning, Gibran's small estate was worth some
$50,000, benison enough for a village of ten thousand
souls.
--Stefan Kanfer, "But is it not strange that elephants will
yield -- and that The Prophet is still popular?" [1]New
York Times, June 25, 1972

Yet to be with him was a benison, a curiously exhilarating
and anarchic experience, as the lightning celerity of his
thought processes took you on a kind of helter-skelter ride
of surreal non-sequiturs, sudden accesses of emotion and
ribald asides, made all the more bizarre for being uttered
in those honeyed tones by the impeccably elegant gent
before you.
--Simon Callow, "A life full of frolics," [2]The Guardian,
May 19, 2001
_________________________________________________________

Benison comes from Old French beneison, from Latin benedictio,
from benedicere, "to bless," from bene, "well" + dicere, "to
say."

[ksquared]

Equanimity (E-kwuh-nim'-uh-tE or e-kwuh-nim'-uh-tE) n.: Composure, calmness, sangfroid

Equanimity comes from a Latin word meaning even-tempered. The equ root, meaning equal or even, is also found in words like equation and equality.

Equanimity is the characteristic of being even-tempered, of possessing mental and emotional balance. Someone with equanimity is not easily upset or excited.

"Even the children's fighting could not disturb Pete’s equanimity. He simply inquired what the matter was.”

“The pressures of her job caused Karen to lose her usual equanimity.”

“The teacher didn’t possess enough equanimity to face the rowdy students day after day without losing her temper.”

[ksquared]

Evince (e-vins’) v.: to exhibit, manifest, reveal

To evince is to show or demonstrate clearly by some outward sign. The word is applied to emotions, interest, and the like, not to physical characteristics.

“He evinced no desire to go shopping with us.”

“Evincing his reluctance with a frown, the manager told Bill to come to his office.”

“Mom said she would have been more lenient if we had evinced any regret regarding our behavior over the holidays.”

[1968]

Eschatology was on the mind of the panjandrum, a reputed cormorant, when his egregious malversation was revealed as contretemps in front of those attending the tattoo in his honor this afternoon. Disconsolate over the loss of his “integrity”, he elected to forgo his recherché posturing to genuflect before the scurrilous hoi polloi and proclaim, “I’m sorry that I done it”. Although showing regret seemed germane, he immediately recognized that the extemporaneously exhorted solecism permeating the air crushed aborning what might have otherwise been a dulcet apology. Despite the ratiocination that his ledger would be subject to an ineluctable cornucopia of exegesis, the official evinced equanimity as though receiving a benison.

[Spexvet]

Eschatology was on the mind of the panjandrum, a reputed cormorant, when his egregious malversation was revealed as contretemps in front of those attending the tattoo in his honor this afternoon. Disconsolate over the loss of his “integrity”, he elected to forgo his recherché posturing to genuflect before the scurrilous hoi polloi and proclaim, “I’m sorry that I done it”. Although showing regret seemed germane, he immediately recognized that the extemporaneously exhorted solecism permeating the air crushed aborning what might have otherwise been a dulcet apology. Despite the ratiocination that his ledger would be subject to an ineluctable cornucopia of exegesis, the official evinced equanimity as though receiving a benison.

That's easy for you to say!:bbg:

[ksquared]

“Piper down!!” vociferated the drum major, “we have a Piper down!!”. Whoops, sorry I was visualizing. What I really meant to say is "1968, you have a way with words". Glad to see these are finding a good home.

[ksquared]

ALACRITY (uh-lak'-ruh-tE) adj.: eagerness, readiness, willingness

Alacrity is promtness, eagerness, lively readiness. THe word is used of a person who is eager or quite willing to do something, and who will respond quickly and cherrfully when asked.

"When Darris asked her to the party, she accepted with alacrity."
"The alacrity with which Karen pursued her studies, surprised her husband: he hadn't thought she find the subject matter that interesting."
"The fireman responded with alacrity when the boy requested a demonstration of the fire trucks siren system."

[ksquared]

MALEDICTION (mal-uh-dik'-shuhn) n.: a curse, slander

THe dic part of malediction comes from a Latin word meaning speak, it is also in words like diction, dictation, predict, and contradict. The mal part of the word means bad. A malediction is bad speech directed at someone, a curse or slander. It is the oppisite of benidiction, which is a blessing.

"THe customer uttered a malediction under her breath as she left the store without a full refund."
"Despite the maledicitons of his opponents the governer was reelected."
"The professor grew accumtomed to the students maledictions as he knew they were learning the material regardless."

[ksquared]

PROTEAN (prO'-tE-uhn or prO-tE'-uhn) adj.: changable, variable, versatile

In Greek mythology, Proteus was a sea god who could assume differant shapes at will. Protean is an adjective from Proteus. It is used of both physical objects and abstract qualities than can readily take on differant shapes or apperances.

"The artist loved the sea's protean quality, it was never the same color or shape twice."
"Her protean dispostion made her difficult to live with: you never knew when she was happy or sad or angry."
"The protean actor was capable of transforming himself instantly into any of a hundred differant characters."

[ksquared]

APPOSITE (ap'-uh-zit) adj.: fitting, suitable, appropriate

Apposite means fitting, apt, pertinent. The word is usually applied to something, like a quotation, that is strikingly appropriate for a particular situation.

"I thought the CFO's remarks about belt-tightening were extremely apposite, given the recent release of this years' budget figures."
"Although the text was resonably clear, the phtographs chosen to illistrate it were not particularly apposite."
"We thought it was an apposite decsision to end the New Year with a resounding chorus of "Auld Lang-syne".

As we bid adieu to 2004 and welcome 2005, let's think peace and toast health and happiness.

Words from "Scots Musical Museum," 1796. Music from Thomson's "Select Collection of Scottish Songs," Vol. II, 1799.

"Should auld acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind? Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang-syne? (translation: times gone by)?For auld lang-syne, my jo (term of affection like 'dear'), For auld lang-syne.We'll tak' a cup1 o' kindness yet, For auld lang-syne."

http://159.54.226.83/apps/pbcs.dll/a...0334/1066/NEWS

[ksquared]

SEDULOUS (sej'-U-luhs) adj.: diligent, industrious

Sedulous means industrious, and implies that a person is working hard and persitently at accomplishing something.

"She is not a genius, but her sedulous efforts earn her very good grades and a deeper understanding of the subject matter."
"Sedulous attention to detail marked Charles as a lab tech who took his job seriously."
"The CMA was sedulous in carrying out her duties; rarely was there a need for a remake in any of her designs."

[ksquared]

OBVIATE (ob'-vE-At) V.: to prevent, make unnecessary

Obviate comes form the same Latin root as obvious. Despite the similier derivations, however, obviate has a very different meaning form obvious.

To obviate something is to anticipate it and make it unnecessary, for example by removing the conditions under which it may occur.

"Good nutrition now will obviate the need for exspensive medical treatments later on."
"Installing virus protection obviates the risk of theft and down time in your computer network."
"Making sure your customers understand the pros and cons of using a short corridor frame may obviate customer dissatisfaction once the job is complete."

[1968]

Eschatology was on the mind of the panjandrum, a reputed cormorant, when his egregious malversation was revealed as contretemps in front of those attending the tattoo in his honor this afternoon. Disconsolate over the loss of his “integrity”, he elected to forgo his recherché posturing to genuflect before the scurrilous hoi polloi and proclaim, “I’m sorry that I done it”. Although showing regret seemed germane, he immediately recognized that the extemporaneously exhorted solecism permeating the air crushed aborning what might have otherwise been a dulcet apology. Despite the ratiocination that his ledger would be subject to an ineluctable cornucopia of exegesis, the official evinced equanimity as though receiving a benison. Suddenly, a young girl stood forward with alacrity to shout an apposite malediction: “You can’t fool us, you pompous jerk! Your protean demeanor will not obviate our sedulous efforts to make you pay!”

[ksquared]

RISIBLE (riz’-uh-bul) adj.: funny, laughable, ludicrous

Risible comes from the Latin word meaning to laugh, also the source of derision and ridiculous. Risible means “able to excite laughter,” laughable. Other forms of the word: RISIBILITY, n.

"The risibility of the situation soon became quite clear when the cookie began to crumble.”

“The thought of all those people trying to fit into the compact car was quite risible."

“His risible and very creative use of words kept the opti-boarders chuckling to themselves for the rest of the day.”