GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

conference

Sitting at a conference's greeter's table is no sinecure.

All visitors consider you to be a fount of information and their personal servant. They keep pestering you with all manner of silly questions,
'Is there a KFC nearby? - What time does it end? - Is there a power socket in the lecture hall? - Can I have a glass of water for my meds? - Can you keep an eye on my bike over there? - Could you please shoo away the big spider in the loo?'.
It's exhausting.

But for his morning stints he was rewarded with 3 vouchers for 1 kilogram each of succulent Reine Claude, Frankenthaler and Conference.

[Algot Runeman]

marker

Pronunciation: marker/ˈmɑːkə/
noun
1 An object used to indicate a position, place, or route.
‘they erected a granite marker at the crash site’
1.1 [in singular]A distinctive feature or characteristic indicative of a particular quality or condition.
‘identification with one's own language has always been a marker of nationalism’1.2A thing serving as a standard of comparison.
‘he has already laid down a marker by setting a fast time during practice’
1.3 A radio beacon used to guide the pilot of an aircraft.
1.4 Genetics An allele used to identify a chromosome or to locate other genes on a genetic map.
2 A felt-tip pen with a broad tip.
‘a heavy line drawn by a marker’
3 British (in team games) a player who stays close to an opponent to prevent them from getting or passing the ball.
‘Quinn took the ball wide of his marker’
4 British A person who assesses the standard of a test or examination.
‘the aim of the marker is to help the student do better next time’
4.1 A person who records the score in snooker, billiards, or squash.
5 North American informal A promissory note; an IOU.
‘we'll give you a marker, you give us the car’

--==--==--==--

Manny marked the marker with his markers. His work was colorful.

[Algot Runeman]

triviality

Pronunciation: triviality/ˌtrɪvɪˈalɪti/
noun
1 [mass noun] Lack of seriousness or importance; insignificance.
‘the mediocrity and triviality of current popular culture’
‘the relentlessness of his triviality is grating’
1.1 [count noun]An insignificant detail; a trifle.
‘an over-concentration on trivialities’

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Not to trouble you with trivialities, but the word "levet" is not in all dictionaries. Those which do list it, say it means a signal designed to raise soldiers from their sleep, often a particular trumpet call. You might recognize today's reveille if you heard it.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

triviality

I think outsiders (non-US) and non-voters consider the current Trumpeting and Hillarity just silly triviality.

[Algot Runeman]

telnet

Pronunciation: telnet/ˈtɛlnɛt/
noun
Computing
1 [mass noun] A network protocol that allows a user on one computer to log into another computer that is part of the same network.
1.1 [count noun]A program that establishes a connection from one computer to another by means of telnet.
1.2 [count noun]A link established using a telnet program.
verb
[NO OBJECT]Computing
informal
Log into a remote computer using a telnet program.

Origin
1970s: blend of telecommunication and network.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Though it is still in use, the telnet protocol on the Internet has been functionally replaced by "the cloud". Don't worry about it, unless you want to be a computer geek.

[Which makes me wonder: Will we be calling the drivers of old non-autonomous cars "commuter geeks" in a few years?]

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

telnet

When I was an internet newbie (20 years ago), I used to think telnet was a typo for telenet (my ISP).

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

gusty

Pronunciation: gusty/ˈɡʌsti/
adjective
1 Characterized by or blowing in gusts.
‘gusty winds’
2 Having or showing gusto.
‘gusty female vocals’

-=-=-=-=-=-

There's no doubt it will be dusty
With a wind which comes in gusty
Unless there's rain mixed in the flow
So that ground is muddy, you know?

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

gusty

I think the mention of "gusty winds" in a polite conversation or public performance might be an unfortunate choice of words.

(the website is hypervocal.com )

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

latke

Pronunciation: latke/ˈlʌtkə/
noun
(in Jewish cooking) a pancake, especially one made with grated potato.

Origin
Yiddish.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Louie loved his latkes, lovingly layered with lamb. These days, he must be content with McDonalds hasbrowns and a sausage McMuffin.

[Algot Runeman]

millstream

Pronunciation: /ˈmɪlstriːm/
noun
the flowing water that drives a mill wheel, usually in a constrained, manmade channel called a race.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Rick ran the local sawmill. People liked to visit and chat by the tumbling, churning millstream while he was waiting for the arrival of fresh logs.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

millstream...
Rick ran the local sawmill. People liked to visit and chat by the tumbling, churning millstream while he was waiting for the arrival of fresh logs.

But many of the old stories old Rick told, lounging by the old millstream, were old saw.

[Algot Runeman]

pygostyle

Pronunciation: /ˈpʌɪɡə(ʊ)stʌɪl/
noun
Ornithology
(in a bird) a triangular plate formed of the fused caudal vertebrae, typically supporting the tail feathers.

Origin
Late 19th century: from Greek pugē rump + stulos column.

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The turkeys at the edge of the woods strutted, preened and showed off not only to one another, but to the happy crowd on my back porch. I did not explain to them that the spectacular display of tail feathers is only possible because of the fused vertebrae of the pygostyle. Today's visitors are not an ornithology crowd.


Photo Credit: Flickr user lumesire Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial license

[Algot Runeman]

kewpie

Pronunciation: kewpie/ˈkjuːpi/
(also kewpie doll)
noun
trademark
A type of doll characterized by a large head, big eyes, chubby cheeks, and a curl or topknot on top of its head.

Origin
Early 20th century (originally US): from Cupid + -ie.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Carol carefully cleaned the dust from her doll collection every day. She knew their value soared if they looked new, in spite of their age. Some were easy because they were in original packaging, but several of her best treasures came unwrapped from long ago, and those like the fairground kewpie dolls had never had a package.

[Algot Runeman]

heart-throb

Pronunciation: /ˈhɑːtθrɒb/
noun
informal
A man, typically a celebrity, whose good looks excite romantic feelings in women.

-=-=-=-=-=-

To date, Kate had not had a single heart-throb. She concentrated on taking care of her widowed father and her day job. Kate was well on her way to being an old maid.

[Algot Runeman]

stormy

Pronunciation: /ˈstɔːmi/
adjective
1.0 (of weather) characterized by strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.
1.1 (of the sea or sky) having large waves or dark clouds because of windy or rainy conditions.
1.2 Full of angry or violent outbursts of feeling.


-=-=-=-=-=-

Steve, Stan and Sid gesticulated, shouted and cursed. Their stormy argument was, as usual, about a woman.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

stormy
...
Their stormy argument was, as usual, about a woman.

Not about my stormy grandma?

[Algot Runeman]

full-on

1 Running at or providing maximum power or capacity.
2.0 So as to make a direct or significant impact.
2.1 informal Not diluted in nature or effect.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Gordon wanted to participate full-on in the event, but his over-eating at dinner diminished his "top end". Still, he gave the game his somewhat-reduced all. In the end, it was enough. His squad edged the opponents in flag football 7-6.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

full-on

007, left eyebrow slightly raised, gave the poker game his usual phlegmatic full-on and said: "All-in".
Vesper poked him in the ribs and whispered hotly: "James! Have you gone mad?!"
He answered simply: "Don't worry. Après nous, le déluge!"

Spoiler: show

[Algot Runeman]

fret

verb
[no object] Be constantly or visibly anxious.
noun
Each of a sequence of ridges on the fingerboard of some stringed musical instruments (such as the guitar), used for fixing the positions of the fingers to produce the desired notes.

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Fred fretted over his instrument's frets. He also fretted over the ghouls and goblins and princesses and politicians who would appear at his frat's door after dark on this day. He was notably batty on days like this.



[Friends, you are asked not to fret that this word may have had an earlier use. The forum software's lookup does not like words less than five letters long. Finding "fret" is, therefore, fraught with problems.]

[Algot Runeman]

autoclave

Pronunciation: /ˈɔːtə(ʊ)kleɪv/
noun
A strong heated container used for chemical reactions and other processes using high pressures and temperatures, e.g. steam sterilization.
verb
[WITH OBJECT]
Heat (something) in an autoclave.

Origin
Late 19th century: from French, from auto- self + Latin clavus nail or clavis key (so named because it is self-fastening).

-=-=-=-=-=-

Andrew and Amy had an argument. He claimed the autoclave in her lab was little more than a fancy version of the pressure cooker in his kitchen.


Portable Pressure Steam Sterilizer - Bluestone Medical

[Algot Runeman]

pothook

Pronunciation: /ˈpätho͝ok/
noun
1 historical A hook used for hanging a pot over a hearth or for lifting a hot pot.
2 dated A curved stroke in handwriting, especially as made by children learning to write.

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Paula parlayed her good looks and skill at cooking into a happy marriage. Her hard-working husband loved her completely. She baked bread and biscuits and made delicious roasts as well as superb stews, even though her facilities were ancient. She was adept at all the skills needed to make best use of the pothook in the hearth.

[E Pericoloso Sporgersi]

pothook

I've always wondered about the meaning of Pothoekstraat, Antwerpen.
Now I know.

Spoiler: show

Pothook street, Antwerp

[Algot Runeman]

telecaster

Pronunciation: /ˈtɛlɪkɑːstə/
noun
A television broadcaster

-=-=-=-=-=-=-

Tony was a terrific telecaster, though, these days, like his peers, he called himself a newscaster. On weekends, he liked to go to the lake to relax. He could enjoy just sitting on the wooden dock and be a fish-lure-caster.

[Algot Runeman]

bow-legged

Pronunciation: /ˌbəʊˈlɛɡɪd/
adjective
Having the legs bowed outward; bandy-legged.

-=-=-=-=-=-

Horace loved his horses. He rode every day. He had done so since he was a boy. He was bow-legged, anyway, but being on horseback so much didn't help.

[Algot Runeman]

circumduce

Pronunciation: /ˌsɜːkəmˈdjuːs)/
-ed/-ing/-s

verb
1. cause something to rotate on its axis
2. Scots law: to set a limit to or declare to be at an end by a judicial decision

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Though Mr. Jones was a teacher instead of a judge, he circumduced his tests strictly. They ended right on schedule. Teddy was proud of his vocabulary, among other skills.