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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Wed Sep 06, 2017 11:09 am
by Algot Runeman
Which leads us to a new take on the old saying:

"A gentleman isn't gabby after he's recently been grabby."

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 7:50 am
by Algot Runeman
scimitar

/ˈsɪmɪtə/
noun
A short sword with a curved blade that broadens towards the point, used originally in Eastern countries.

Origin
Mid 16th century: from French cimeterre or Italian scimitarra, of unknown origin.

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Sheriff Stillman wore a scimitar in a leg sheath instead of a hunting knife, unaware that "sheriff" was totally unrelated to "sharif" and any middle-eastern origins.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Fri Sep 08, 2017 6:48 am
by Algot Runeman
finnesko

/ˈfɪnəskəʊ/
noun
A boot of tanned reindeer skin with the hair on the outside.

Origin
Late 19th century: from Norwegian finnsko, from Finn (see Finn) + sko (see shoe).

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Ferde donned his finneskos, opened the cabin door, stepped out into the bank of snow, and trudged to the wood pile. "Never go to sleep before you get firewood for the morning," he grumbled at the swirling snowflakes.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Sat Sep 09, 2017 7:56 am
by Algot Runeman
aquifer

/ˈakwɪfə/
noun
A body of permeable rock which can contain or transmit groundwater.

Origin
Early 20th century: from Latin aqui- (from aqua ‘water’) + -fer ‘bearing’.

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Allan's aquifer is full. Sally's is nearly so. Nestlé moves into the town next door and guess what happens. Well, well, well.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 6:15 am
by Algot Runeman
retcon

/ˈrɛtkɒn/
noun
(in a film, television series, or other fictional work) a piece of new information that imposes a different interpretation on previously described events, typically used to facilitate a dramatic plot shift or account for an inconsistency.

verb
[with object]
Revise (an aspect of a fictional work) retrospectively, typically by introducing a piece of new information that imposes a different interpretation on previously described events.

Origin
1980s: abbreviation of retroactive continuity.

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As a kid, I enjoyed going to the movie theater on Saturday mornings. There were cartoons before the feature, and a serial. The serial always ended in a cliffhanger. The main character was in big trouble. One time the car was racing toward a cliff and the episode ended with his car soaring into the canyon. Was this the end, our hero dead and the planet doomed?

Of course, thanks to creative scriptwriting with retcon, the next week's episode began by showing the hero jumping from the car just before it reached the edge.

Even as kids, we knew the story had to keep going. It was almost like the cartoons in which a cat, crushed under a falling rock, stood up and, after a few wobbling steps as a pancake-flat creature, popped into normal shape again and took off after the mouse.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Sun Sep 10, 2017 9:47 am
by E Pericoloso Sporgersi
Algot Runeman wrote:retcon...
As a kid, I enjoyed going to the movie theater on Saturday mornings.
...
Even as kids, we knew the story had to keep going. It was almost like the cartoons in which a cat, crushed under a falling rock, stood up and, after a few wobbling steps as a pancake-flat creature, popped into normal shape again and took off after the mouse.
You too?

I remember a few slightly different retcons though, when the projectionist pranked his audience.
For example: the disheveled hero went off having a beer with the reinflated cat, while the crumpled car took off after the mouse.

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Mon Sep 11, 2017 7:26 am
by Algot Runeman
jambalaya

/ˌdʒambəˈlʌɪə/
noun
mass noun
A Cajun dish of rice with shrimps, chicken, and vegetables.

Origin
Louisiana French, from Provençal jambalaia.

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Joe's jambalaya joint always had a crowd and they always dripped sweat after eating, no matter how cool the evening breeze. Spicy!

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[Festering Hate - ingredient of the day.]

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:05 am
by Algot Runeman
theodolite

/θɪˈɒdəlʌɪt/
noun
A surveying instrument with a rotating telescope for measuring horizontal and vertical angles.

Origin
Late 16th century (originally denoting an instrument for measuring horizontal angles): from modern Latin theodelitus, of unknown origin.

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Ted tuned his theodolite atop a sturdy tripod, verified the plumb bob was centered on the benchmark and sighted to were Charlie held the target pole.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Tue Sep 12, 2017 9:13 pm
by E Pericoloso Sporgersi
Algot Runeman wrote:theodolite
May I assume that the theodolite is the version without sugar?

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 8:17 am
by Algot Runeman
edaphic

/ɪˈdafɪk/
adjective
Ecology
Of, produced by, or influenced by the soil.

Origin
Late 19th century: coined in German from Greek edaphos ‘floor’ + -ic.

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Mushrooms are the visible "fruiting bodies" of a more widespread edaphic (soil-supported) network of relatively thin mycelia which are much larger in total than the visible mushrooms. Mushroom fungus depends on soil which is rich in decaying organic matter.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:24 am
by Algot Runeman
May I assume that the theodolite is the version without sugar?
... half the alcohol, as well!

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 8:12 am
by Algot Runeman
component

/kəmˈpəʊnənt/
noun
1 A part or element of a larger whole, especially a part of a machine or vehicle.
1.1 Each of two or more forces, velocities, or other vectors acting in different directions which are together equivalent to a given vector.
adjective
attributive - Constituting part of a larger whole; constituent.

Origin
Mid 17th century: from Latin component- ‘putting together’, from the verb componere, from com- ‘together’ + ponere ‘put’. Compare with compound.

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Sometimes Joe felt like just a small component of a large machine.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2017 9:55 am
by E Pericoloso Sporgersi
Algot Runeman wrote:component
Even though you and I are two components in a single system, our vectors often tend to be very divergent.
Spoiler: show
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 7:03 am
by Algot Runeman
lectern

/ˈlɛktəːn//ˈlɛkt(ə)n/
noun
A tall stand with a sloping top to hold a book or notes, from which someone, typically a preacher or lecturer, can read while standing up.

Origin
Middle English: from Old French letrun, from medieval Latin lectrum, from legere ‘to read’.

Professor Davis dressed informally, but did use a lectern in his classes. He wandered away and then back, as if it were an anchor from which he could not stray too far.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Fri Sep 15, 2017 9:51 am
by E Pericoloso Sporgersi
Algot Runeman wrote:lectern
Mention of or just the sight of a lectern always reminds me of Commandant Lassard in the movie "Police Academy" (1984)
Spoiler: show

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 9:44 am
by Algot Runeman
pourboire

/pʊəˈbwɑː/
noun
A gratuity; a tip.

Origin
French, from pour boire, literally ‘(money) for drinking’.

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Charlie Postalwaite always enjoyed leaving a $100+ tip when he bought lunch, just passing through a town. He enjoyed thinking of it as a pourboire, no matter if he only had coffee, iced tea or a glass of water to drink.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Sat Sep 16, 2017 11:45 am
by E Pericoloso Sporgersi
Algot Runeman wrote:pourboire
The Dutch equivalent of pourboire is similar, but in reverse order:

drinkgeld, drink (drink) + geld (money)

Though Flemings rarely say drinkgeld, they usually say poorbwoar ...
Spoiler: show
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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Sun Sep 17, 2017 7:53 am
by Algot Runeman
terraform

/ˈtɛrəfɔːm/
verb
[with object]
(especially in science fiction) transform (a planet) so as to resemble the earth, especially so that it can support human life.

Origin
1940s: from Latin terra ‘earth’ + the verb form.

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The concept of terraforming a planet, perhaps even our close neighbor, Mars, has been popular in science fiction. Real-life experience suggests we are more eager to make our own planet unsuitable for human life.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Mon Sep 18, 2017 7:47 am
by Algot Runeman
overwork

/əʊvəˈwəːk/
verb
[with object]often as adjective overworked
1Exhaust with too much work.
1.1 no object Work too hard.
1.2 Make excessive use of.
1.3 Use (a word or idea) too much and so make it weaker in meaning or effect.
noun
mass noun
Excessive work.

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Every day Bob exults in the selection of a new word for the word of the day. "No word will ever be overworked," he gloats.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Tue Sep 19, 2017 7:36 am
by Algot Runeman
chide

/tʃʌɪd/
verb
[with object]
Scold or rebuke.

Origin
Old English cīdan, of unknown origin.

-=-=-=-=-=-

It's very clear I was too bold.
It was not smart to say she's old.
At first she starts to pout,
But later comes to shout.
She rants and rails, impales
Me for all my epic fails.
I'd be OK if she'd chide me.
Instead she'll long-term ride me.

She's coming back.
Can you hide me?

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Wed Sep 20, 2017 6:39 am
by Algot Runeman
mung2

(also munge)

/mʌn(d)ʒ/
verb
[with object] Computing
informal
Manipulate (data)

Origin
1960s: origin uncertain (frequently said to be an acronym from mash until no good).

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New super server on the rack
Lots of data in the stack
Nightshift worker took the plunge
Launched the app to munge.

The sort began without a hitch
Then the power had a glitch
Tried the backup to restore
That data's gone for ever more.

A moral to the story please?
Wait to munge the data, jeez!
Until the manager's there.
Of the blame, he'll own his share.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 9:51 am
by Algot Runeman
cataphor

/ˈkɑtəfɔː//ˈkɑtəfə/
noun
Grammar
A word or phrase that refers to or stands for a later word or phrase (e.g. in when they saw Ruth, the men looked slightly abashed, they is used as a cataphor for the men).

Origin
1980s: back-formation from cataphora.

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When she crossed the room, the cat ran quickly with a proudly raised tail. "She" is a cataphor for the cat on the floor.

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Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 10:43 am
by E Pericoloso Sporgersi
Algot Runeman wrote:cataphor
One day when he hits us again with grammar, Algot will notice the cataphor turn around and bite him in a lower cheek.

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Thu Sep 21, 2017 12:30 pm
by Algot Runeman
I never hit my grammer. She was a wonderful person. 8)

Re: GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)

Posted: Fri Sep 22, 2017 7:21 am
by Algot Runeman
chasse1

/ʃas/
noun
A liqueur drunk after coffee.

Origin
French, abbreviation of chasse-café, literally ‘chase-coffee’.

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Jules did not stint on the alcohol. His routine included an apératif before dinner, good wine during, some strong coffee after, and capped with a chasse.

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