GAME: Word of the Day (WOTD)
Word of the Day for Friday May 27, 2005
lionize \LY-uh-nyz\, transitive verb:
To treat or regard as an object great interest or importance.
At Penn State he'd been welcomed, nurtured, lionized as a track and field star who narrowly missed making our Olympic team in the decathlon
--James Brady, Further Lane
But it is a good reason to be wary, and to pay some attention to that man behind the curtain -- or, if anyone tries to sell you one, to be cautious about lionizing "some pig" -- however terrific, radiant, and humble -- in a poke.
--Marjorie B. Garber, Symptoms of Culture
But the urge to lionize him is an indication that we live in a terrible age for pianists. There is today almost no pianist worth crossing the street for.
--Jay Nordlinger, "Curtain Calls," National Review, May 31, 1999
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Lionize, comes from lion, in the sense of "a person of great interest or importance."
lionize \LY-uh-nyz\, transitive verb:
To treat or regard as an object great interest or importance.
At Penn State he'd been welcomed, nurtured, lionized as a track and field star who narrowly missed making our Olympic team in the decathlon
--James Brady, Further Lane
But it is a good reason to be wary, and to pay some attention to that man behind the curtain -- or, if anyone tries to sell you one, to be cautious about lionizing "some pig" -- however terrific, radiant, and humble -- in a poke.
--Marjorie B. Garber, Symptoms of Culture
But the urge to lionize him is an indication that we live in a terrible age for pianists. There is today almost no pianist worth crossing the street for.
--Jay Nordlinger, "Curtain Calls," National Review, May 31, 1999
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Lionize, comes from lion, in the sense of "a person of great interest or importance."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
Word of the Day for Tuesday May 31, 2005
recreant \REK-ree-uhnt\, adjective: 1. Cowardly; craven.
2. Unfaithful; disloyal.
noun: 1. A coward. 2. An unfaithful or disloyal person.
His recreant companion disappears around the fence, but he remains, smiling affably.
--Eric J. Segal, "Norman Rockwell and the fashioning of American masculinity," Art Bulletin, December 1, 1996
To any man there may come at times a consciousness that there blows, through all the articulations of his body, the wind of a spirit not wholly his; that his mind rebels; that another girds him and carries him whither he would not. . . . The open door was closed in his recreant face.
--Genie Babb, "Where the bodies are buried," Narrative, October 1, 2002
Wordsworth compares himself to a truant, a false steward, a recreant, when he does not write poetry, when poetic numbers fail to come spontaneously, when his harp is defrauded and the singer ends in silence.
--J. Douglas Kneale, "Majestic Indolence: English Romantic Poetry and the Work of Art," Criticism, September 22, 1996
And it appears in the way the review essay was set up: Aronson versus Miliband, the recreant versus the faithful one.
--Ronald Aronson, "Response to Victor Wallis," Monthly Review, October 1, 1996
But was it worth surrendering your religion, hence your honor, and becoming a recreant?
--Eugen Weber, "The Ups and Downs of Honor," American Scholar, January 1, 1999
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Recreant comes from Old French, from the present participle of recroire, "to yield in a trial by battle," from re-, "re-" + croire, "to believe," from Latin credere.
Run away, run away!
recreant \REK-ree-uhnt\, adjective: 1. Cowardly; craven.
2. Unfaithful; disloyal.
noun: 1. A coward. 2. An unfaithful or disloyal person.
His recreant companion disappears around the fence, but he remains, smiling affably.
--Eric J. Segal, "Norman Rockwell and the fashioning of American masculinity," Art Bulletin, December 1, 1996
To any man there may come at times a consciousness that there blows, through all the articulations of his body, the wind of a spirit not wholly his; that his mind rebels; that another girds him and carries him whither he would not. . . . The open door was closed in his recreant face.
--Genie Babb, "Where the bodies are buried," Narrative, October 1, 2002
Wordsworth compares himself to a truant, a false steward, a recreant, when he does not write poetry, when poetic numbers fail to come spontaneously, when his harp is defrauded and the singer ends in silence.
--J. Douglas Kneale, "Majestic Indolence: English Romantic Poetry and the Work of Art," Criticism, September 22, 1996
And it appears in the way the review essay was set up: Aronson versus Miliband, the recreant versus the faithful one.
--Ronald Aronson, "Response to Victor Wallis," Monthly Review, October 1, 1996
But was it worth surrendering your religion, hence your honor, and becoming a recreant?
--Eugen Weber, "The Ups and Downs of Honor," American Scholar, January 1, 1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Recreant comes from Old French, from the present participle of recroire, "to yield in a trial by battle," from re-, "re-" + croire, "to believe," from Latin credere.
Run away, run away!

If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
Word of the Day for Wednesday June 1, 2005
fetter \FET-uhr\, noun: 1. A chain or shackle for the feet; a bond; a shackle. 2. Anything that confines or restrains; a restraint.
transitive verb: 1. To put fetters upon; to shackle or confine. 2. To restrain from progress or action; to impose restraints on; to confine.
The right ankle of one, indeed, is connected with the left ankle of another by a small iron fetter.
--William Wilberforce, On the Horrors of the Slave Trade
But just let even a thumb's pressure be put upon me to tame the wild something in me, and I feel it like a fetter.
--Kahlil Gibran, quoted in Kahlil Gibran, Man and Poet, by Suheil Bushrui and Joe Jenkins
Only his hands have any action left in them. He uses them, struggling against the torpor that fetters him, to raise his rifle barrel and shoot the man in the floppy hat.
--Robert Coover, Ghost Town
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Fetter is from Middle English feter, from Old English. It is related to foot.
fetter \FET-uhr\, noun: 1. A chain or shackle for the feet; a bond; a shackle. 2. Anything that confines or restrains; a restraint.
transitive verb: 1. To put fetters upon; to shackle or confine. 2. To restrain from progress or action; to impose restraints on; to confine.
The right ankle of one, indeed, is connected with the left ankle of another by a small iron fetter.
--William Wilberforce, On the Horrors of the Slave Trade
But just let even a thumb's pressure be put upon me to tame the wild something in me, and I feel it like a fetter.
--Kahlil Gibran, quoted in Kahlil Gibran, Man and Poet, by Suheil Bushrui and Joe Jenkins
Only his hands have any action left in them. He uses them, struggling against the torpor that fetters him, to raise his rifle barrel and shoot the man in the floppy hat.
--Robert Coover, Ghost Town
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Fetter is from Middle English feter, from Old English. It is related to foot.
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams
I've come across unfettered much more often in books, usually metaphorically -
His rage unfettered, Steve rapidly advanced toward the beeping alarm clock, swept it up in two hands and hurled it downward with every inch of strength he could muster, a primordial howl of victory breaking from his lungs as he did so...
Can you tell I'm not a morning person?

His rage unfettered, Steve rapidly advanced toward the beeping alarm clock, swept it up in two hands and hurled it downward with every inch of strength he could muster, a primordial howl of victory breaking from his lungs as he did so...
Can you tell I'm not a morning person?

Coover!Only his hands have any action left in them. He uses them, struggling against the torpor that fetters him, to raise his rifle barrel and shoot the man in the floppy hat.
--Robert Coover, Ghost Town


Colourless green ideas sleep furiously
Word of the Day for Thursday June 2, 2005
tumid \TOO-mid; TYOO-\, adjective: 1. Swollen, enlarged, or distended; as, "a tumid leg." 2. Bulging; protuberant. 3. Swelling in sound or sense; pompous; inflated; bombastic.
Oedema -- swelling of the tissues caused by fluid retention -- had left his face pouchy and tumid.
--Ian Thomson, "Bringing my father home," Independent, December 14, 2003
Give me your tumid, your sore, your glutted tummies, churning with hot dogs and ice cream...
--David Nevers, "Chicken Soup in the Melting Pot," The Record, August 27, 1994
The faults throughout are the same, a tumid style, generality of emotion, imprecision of image and no definite location of anything.
--T. S. Eliot, letter to J.V. Healy, November 22, 1932
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Tumid comes from Latin tumidus, from tumere, "to swell."
tumid \TOO-mid; TYOO-\, adjective: 1. Swollen, enlarged, or distended; as, "a tumid leg." 2. Bulging; protuberant. 3. Swelling in sound or sense; pompous; inflated; bombastic.
Oedema -- swelling of the tissues caused by fluid retention -- had left his face pouchy and tumid.
--Ian Thomson, "Bringing my father home," Independent, December 14, 2003
Give me your tumid, your sore, your glutted tummies, churning with hot dogs and ice cream...
--David Nevers, "Chicken Soup in the Melting Pot," The Record, August 27, 1994
The faults throughout are the same, a tumid style, generality of emotion, imprecision of image and no definite location of anything.
--T. S. Eliot, letter to J.V. Healy, November 22, 1932
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tumid comes from Latin tumidus, from tumere, "to swell."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams


Goats say "meheheheheh", and sheep say "baaaaaahhh" !
Only a sick, twisted pervert could possibly prefer a sheep over a goat.
Your Faux Bah has combleatley spoiled my previously tumid mood. Shame on ewe !
Last edited by Darb on Thu Jun 02, 2005 11:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
GENRE: American South Animal Farm
...no one had any other ideas and a grim silence fell, save only for the wet thapping sound of Nancy chewing her cud and old Yowser nuzzling at a turd in the dust.
"Wait a minute. Wait just a dang minute!" Billy Joe Jim Bob exclaimed.
"What is it, Billy Joe Jim Bob?" asked Flora May Sally Sue.
"Don't matter a cat-pee-smelly banjo if we ain't got no money to rent the town hall - let's put the dang show on in the barn!"
Nancy's big lips froze in mid-chew. Yowser glanced up, snuffling slightly to clear turd fragments from one nostril.
...no one had any other ideas and a grim silence fell, save only for the wet thapping sound of Nancy chewing her cud and old Yowser nuzzling at a turd in the dust.
"Wait a minute. Wait just a dang minute!" Billy Joe Jim Bob exclaimed.
"What is it, Billy Joe Jim Bob?" asked Flora May Sally Sue.
"Don't matter a cat-pee-smelly banjo if we ain't got no money to rent the town hall - let's put the dang show on in the barn!"
Nancy's big lips froze in mid-chew. Yowser glanced up, snuffling slightly to clear turd fragments from one nostril.
Colourless green ideas sleep furiously
- laurie
- Spelling Mistress
- Posts: 8164
- Joined: Sat Jul 17, 2004 2:52 am
- Location: The part of New York where "flurries" means 2 feet of snow to shovel
Does Sir Spook know his baby is now officially a game?Brad wrote:[Mod note: thread title tweaked to clarify 'Game' status, for the benefit of forum surfing spectators]

(It's been a game forever, but no one admitted that.)
"It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife." -- Jane Austen, Pride and Prejudice
"So where the hell is he?" -- Laurie
"So where the hell is he?" -- Laurie
Perhaps we should have a coming out party, for the benefit of onlookers.
Hmmm, what do you think we should wear, in the way of attire ... sheets with eye holes, professorial gowns w/caps & stoles, or togas w/olive laurels ?
We can always get rid of the "Game:" label if Mr. McBoo decides he doesn't want it. It's his thread, after all.
Hmmm, what do you think we should wear, in the way of attire ... sheets with eye holes, professorial gowns w/caps & stoles, or togas w/olive laurels ?

We can always get rid of the "Game:" label if Mr. McBoo decides he doesn't want it. It's his thread, after all.
Word of the Day for Friday June 3, 2005
agglomeration \uh-glom-uh-RAY-shuhn\, noun: 1. The act or process of collecting in a mass; a heaping together. 2. A jumbled cluster or mass of usually varied elements.
Female biologists such as Lynn Margulis have suggested that symbiosis is the origin of complex life and that, if artificial intelligence comes about, it will do so by an agglomeration and binding up of functions, rather than through some Frankensteinian hauling down of a single power switch.
--Roz Kaveney, "The Eight Technologies of Otherness," New Statesman, January 9, 1998
Upon closer inspection, it revealed itself to be an agglomeration of differently shaped and colored prescription eyeglasses, inserted into a thin wall built in front of a window.
--Susan Harris, "Jean Shin at Frederieke Taylor," Art in America, October, 2004
On flat farmland outside the town of Paulding, Ohio, sits an agglomeration of storage tanks, conveyors and long, rotating kilns that burn 60,000 tons of hazardous waste a year.
--David Bowermaster, "The cement makers' long sweet ride," U.S. News & World Report, July 19, 1993
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Agglomeration is the noun form of agglomerate, "to gather into a ball or mass," which derives from the past participle of Latin agglomerare, "to mass together; to heap up," from ad- + glomerare, "to form into a ball," from glomus, glomer-, "ball."
agglomeration \uh-glom-uh-RAY-shuhn\, noun: 1. The act or process of collecting in a mass; a heaping together. 2. A jumbled cluster or mass of usually varied elements.
Female biologists such as Lynn Margulis have suggested that symbiosis is the origin of complex life and that, if artificial intelligence comes about, it will do so by an agglomeration and binding up of functions, rather than through some Frankensteinian hauling down of a single power switch.
--Roz Kaveney, "The Eight Technologies of Otherness," New Statesman, January 9, 1998
Upon closer inspection, it revealed itself to be an agglomeration of differently shaped and colored prescription eyeglasses, inserted into a thin wall built in front of a window.
--Susan Harris, "Jean Shin at Frederieke Taylor," Art in America, October, 2004
On flat farmland outside the town of Paulding, Ohio, sits an agglomeration of storage tanks, conveyors and long, rotating kilns that burn 60,000 tons of hazardous waste a year.
--David Bowermaster, "The cement makers' long sweet ride," U.S. News & World Report, July 19, 1993
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Agglomeration is the noun form of agglomerate, "to gather into a ball or mass," which derives from the past participle of Latin agglomerare, "to mass together; to heap up," from ad- + glomerare, "to form into a ball," from glomus, glomer-, "ball."
If ye love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude than the animating contest of freedom, go from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains sit lightly upon you,
S Adams
S Adams