Word of the day

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
That rings a bell
We know that the phrase means you recall something, your memory is jogged or something is brought to your attention,
but what kind of bell are we talking about? how/where did the phrase originate?

a. From boxing
b. Public school
c. Psychology
d. Carnival games
e. Hotel desk

Answer- Most likely it came from Psychology. In the late 1800s and early 1900s pavlov's dog experiments with
dogs, bells and food were well known and the ringing of a bell became associated with making an association or mental connection.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Caryatid
In ancient Greece columns were carved in 3 mani styles or "orders"- Doric, Ionic, Corinthian.
Doric, topped with a simple square top, Ionic with a more decorative scrollwork, and Corinthian, the most ornate.
But we are not talking about those.
Some columns are carved in the likeness of human figures. Caryatids are the most common or familiar.
The name caryatid comes from maidens of a town, Karyai, in the south of Greece who danced with baskets on their heads.

Caryatid columns with baskets on their heads are called Canephora.
Sometimes these kinds of columns are carved to represent men- then they are called a Telemon or Atlas.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Wrack and ruin
or is it rack and ruin?


Lots of disagreement on this. Let's try and make this as confusing as possible.
Wrack, at one time was a nautical term for wreckage- so wrack and ruin could mean wreckage and ruin.
It seems there should be a difference otherwise it's sort of like saying "ruin and ruin" or "destruction and destruction".

Rack was a term associated with "the rack" a Medieval instrument of torture that stretched a person's body.
Others say that rack is just a more modern way of saying wrack.

some say use "rack" when stretching or pain is involved.
Rack my brain for an answer.

Use Wrack when referring to destruction.
The storm-wracked shore.

Bagumbawalla says pick one and stick with it.



Here is another attempt at an answer that I found somewhere-


Rack vs. Wrack
Choosing which one to use can be nerve-racking What to Know Rack and wrack in phrases such as “(w)rack one’s brain” have been used interchangeably so frequently that either spelling is fine to use. However, some usage commentators suggest using rack in the phrases “rack one’s brain” and “nerve-racking” and save wrack for boat- and storm-related imagery, such as “storm-wracked” and “wrack and ruin”. Quick question: do you "rack your brain" or do you "wrack your brain"? Or is your brain sufficiently wrecked by this point that you do not distinguish between them at all? There is no simple and easy answer to which word you should use in this setting, but we may provide you with some form of guidance.Though 'rack' and 'wrack' come from different sources, treating them as variants of the same word may be the most sensible approach.Rack and wrack are often confused, and there are some ways in which one may easily distinguish between the two words. When employing one of them as a noun you are almost certainly looking for rack. You hang your clothes on a rack, eat a rack of lamb, and, if you are a medieval torture enthusiast, attach someone to a rack to be stretched until bones are broken or joints dislocated. You should use the noun wrack for those happy moments in your life when you need to refer to a wrecked ship or some form of marine vegetation.

Origins of Rack vs Wrack
So why the confusion? Well, the verb forms of these two words are often muddled, and here there is no easy way of distinguishing between them. The two words did come from different sources—rack is thought to be from the Middle Dutch word recken, meaning “to stretch,” and wrack comes from the Middle English word for a shipwreck, wrak—and do retain different meanings. However, wrack has so often been used as a variant spelling of rack, especially when used in the phrases “(w)rack one’s brain” and “(w)racked with pain,” that many dictionaries now list it as a variant.I racked my brain and summoned up all the faces that I could remember, but nowhere could I locate this man with the red hat.—L. Black & R. Lynd, Horlick’s Magazine, 1904I wracked my brain, but I could not think of a sale we had ever made to him.—C. D. Crain, Jr., The Salesman, Aug., 1926

Contradictory Rules
Some guides have expressed the opinion that since the verb rack comes from an instrument that stretches people (not in a fun way), this word should be used in settings which are related to strain, torture, and stress. And since wrack comes from a background of nautical destruction, this word should be used to indicate either wreckage (storm-wracked) or destruction (wrack and ruin). One problem with this is that oftentimes we find that not only will ordinary users of the language vary in terms of which variant they use, but usage guides will offer contradictory advice on these matters.The two works below were published just over a decade apart from each other, and have markedly different opinions on what is considered to be the correct spelling for (w)rack and ruin.Most Edited English will prefer ... wrack and ruin, storm-wracked, and pain-wracked, but other Standard written evidence, including some Edited English, will use the variant spelling for each.—Kenneth George Wilson, The Columbia Guide to Standard American English, 1993The spelling 'rack' is now used in all senses except for the seaweed called wrack. So it's "rack and ruin," … "racking my brains," and so on.—Ned Halley, The Wordsworth Dictionary of Modern English, 2005Some other usage guides provide a way of dealing with this question that has a certain brutal charm: just stop using the word wrack. This is the method that is advocated by The New York Times Manual of Style and Usage, which points out that wrack is archaic, and then informs the reader that they should simply “substitute a modern synonym.”However, as is so often the case, we find that the advice most worth repeating is that found in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary of English Usage:probably the most sensible attitude would be to ignore the etymologies of rack and wrack (which, of course, is exactly what most people do) and regard them simply as spelling variants of one word. If you choose to toe the line drawn by the commentators, however, you will want to write nerve-racking, rack one’s brains, storm-wracked, and for good measure wrack and ruin. Then you will have nothing to worry about being criticized for—except, of course, for using too many clichés.

Oh, and I forgot-
Wrack can also mean the organic matter that washes up onto a beach mostly during high tide.
It is made up of various sea grasses, seaweed, shells, and so forth.

Here is a video of a Wrack Line- that long line of debris that is left behind as the water recedes.

 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Phatic (phad-ik)

Phatic, or a phatic conversation is basically what might be termed chit-chat.

Phatic speech is "comfort speech"- things we say in conversation, just in passing,
to create a sense of ease- avoiding any stressful issues, heavy thoughts, complex thinking.

A typical phatic conversation might go-

Hey man, how's it goin'.

Super-duper, wassup with you.

Nada mucho, we bought a new TV.

I'll see you later and we can watch something really retro.

Yeah, later, bye now.

Here is someone who can barely speak trying to explain phatic communication:
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Leidenfrost Effect

If you ever tried to make an omelet using a stainless steel (or iron) pan, you may discover
that you have a made a mess instead of an omelet and have a big cleaning job ahead.

You can get around that by buying non-stick pans- or, or, or, learning about the leidenfrost effect.

At a certain temperature (which varies depending on a number of factors) water droplets on the pan
surface will form little balls that float and dance about rather than just boiling off. When they do that,
you have reached the leidenfrost temperature just right for cooking your eggs so they will not stick.


You can see the leidenfrost effect in other situations than just eggs and pans.


And here is an example with liquid nitrogen.

 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Dewar
If you watched the liquid nitrogen video (above), they call that bucket-looking thing
where he imerses his hand a dewar.

James Dewar, a scottish scientist invented this kind of vacuum flask to hold and stabilize ultra cold
liquids for his cryogenics experiments. Basically it is an inner and outer layer of metal with a vacuum
space inside which prevents the flow of heat- like what we would call a thermos.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Doomscrolling

Is a fairly recent term that emerged since the late covid restrictions resulted in a lack of social activity.
People with too much time on their hands and too many fears became immersed in "scrolling" the "web"-
mainly for negative information that reinforced their general unease.



Oh, I forgot that doomscrolling is somewhat related to the concept of
mean world syndrome

Mean world syndrome
is a proposed cognitive bias wherein people may perceive the world to be more dangerous than it is. This is due to long-term moderate to heavy exposure to violence-related content in mass media. In the early stages of research, mean world syndrome was only discussed as an effect of watching television. However, it became clear that social media platforms also play a major role in the spread of mean world syndrome.

Proponents of the syndrome, coined by communications professor George Gerbner in the 1970s, assert that viewers who are exposed to violence-related content can experience increased fear, anxiety, pessimism, and a heightened state of alert in response to perceived threats. Through the study of mean world syndrome, it was found that media of all sorts has the power to directly influence and inform people's attitudes, beliefs, and opinions about the world.

 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Tunic

Everybody (many) think of Romans as wearing togas, but togas were sort of like
formal wear. Mostly, they (men and women and kids) wore tunics.
Women's tunics were called lunula.
Men's tunics were called chilton's
So, tunics have been around for a long time and are still in style.
Just as an aside, Chilton was the prep school Rory attended in The Gilmore Girls.
I can't recall how old I was when I started reading, but in children's books a lot of the
younger characters wore tunics. They didn't have pictures. I had no idea what a tunic
looked like. But now I do.
Basically they are like a simple shirt- with long, short or no sleeves, that hung down to below
the hips- or even to the knees.
Here are some examples of current tunic styles (for women).

 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Strange bedfellows

Strange bedfellows is not such a common term as it once was.
I suppose that at one time- it actually meant "odd couples" that end up
married or otherwise sharing the same bed, but since the 1400s it has been
used in a more figurative sense. So, although Katy Perry and Russell Brand
may have been strange bedfellows in a more literal sense-
the term currently is used to describe unlikely alliances, unusual combinations,
contrasting associations.
They say politics makes strange bedfellows- so if a right-wing MAGA fascist, teamed
up with a woke lefty, socialist, to get a law passed- we could say that in that case
politics did make strange bedfellows.

Misery acquaints a man with strange bedfellows is another old usage of the term-
implying that a person that finds himself in bad circumstances, cannot be fussy about
who he teams up with.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Fresnel (lens)

A type of lens invented by Augustin-Jean Fresnel),
pronounced something like "Frey nel".

Unlike the lenses we are most familiar with- in cameras, telescopes, microscopes,
that have a smooth, curved surface, Fresnel lenses are made of a series of concentric
rings that are able to focus light into tight beams.

Though they are slowly being replaced by more modern lighting we still see them used
in lighthouses (to send out beams 20 miles or more), stage and movie lighting, starting campfires,
older-style car headlights, traffic lights, virtual reality goggles, melting metals and rock, and
for heating of solar collectors and panels

Side note: the largest lighthouse Fresnel lens is located in Oahu Hawaii (since 1893)
and is 12 feet high and 8 feet wide.

 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Rashomon Effect
The other day I was watching TMZ, a sort of tabloid, Hollywood-focused show,
where a bunch of employees discuss "news" of the entertainment world.

I don't recall the exact thing they were discussing, but several of the shows
"personalities" had conflicting information and opinions about what really happened.

Harvey Levin the host and creator of the show interjected something like, "That's
so Rashomony." None of his young employees had ever heard of the movie he referenced.
I was thinking he might have said "Rashomon-esque" instead, but after looking it up didn't
find either version in common use.
Rashomon Effect, seem seems to be the prefered term. The movie basically concerns
four people each telling a different story of a rape and murder that happened in the tangled woods.

It refers to the ultimate inscrutability of of the truth.

People lie, are biased, invent material to support their beliefs, have partial or
distorted information, misinterpret what they do see... and so on.

Now, with politicians who wallow in a culture of lies, artificial intelligence that can make lies into truths, people
that believe anything according to their prejudice and hate- well, this just seems like a word for the times.

Video:
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Figurative vs metaphorical
The other day I was watching an old (repeat) Jeopardy episode.

The contestant answered "metaphorical" and was told that was incorrect- the
correct answer was "Figurative".

Here is a copy of the definitions:

Figurative language is a type of language that uses words or phrases to convey a meaning that differs from their literal definition. Metaphors are a type of figurative language that directly compare two things to suggest a resemblance between them. For example, "Time is money" is a metaphor that compares time and money, but doesn't literally mean that the amount of time you have is equal to the amount of money you have. Instead, it means that time is a valuable resource that should be used effectively to earn money.

Figurative language can be imaginative and is often used to convey that something didn't actually happen. For example, "that news hit me like a ton of bricks" is figurative language that conveys that the news was deeply moving, but the speaker wasn't actually hit by bricks.

Other types of figurative language include similes, idioms, hyperboles, oxymorons, puns, personification, and allusion.

 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Nouveau riche
Nouveau riche is basically a derogatory term for people not "born to wealth" or "old money".

I am pretty sure that this term is, today, not used as frequently or in exactly the same sense as in the past, but
basically, it is a way of mocking people who through their own hard work, inventions, talent, luck, genius,
skill... have acquired a significant amount of wealth- as lacking social "skills", "behaviors", networks among the powerful...

They have been stereotyped as "vulgar", "flashy", "shallow", "lacking social skills", "inferior" and prone to conspicuous consumption.

Video-


I would suggest- if new wealth begets flash and sass, old money often conceals abuse of the common man,
easy money from nepotism and inbreeding...

Please add to this "definition" if you want.
 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Noblesse oblige

Noblesse oblige is the assumption (not always well founded) that the nobility, those in
power, the privileged, famous, monied... have an obligation to their "inferiors" in terms of
good behavior, generosity, morality. However, historically the concept has been used to
justify the superiority of a few against the majority.

Here is a guy that comments on the concept-

 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Ludic

Basically means showing/exhibiting spontaneous playful behavior.

The seal pubs frolicked in the surf with ludic delight.

She viewed love as some kind of ludic game.
Unfortunately, her boyfriend did not.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Collective Nouns
(note- the answer may not be the most common possible answer)


1. Porcupines......................a. Flamboyance
2. Rabbits............................b. Murmuration
3.Rattlesnakes....................c. Warren
4. Starlings..........................d. Prickle
5. Wolves.............................e. Plague
6. Flamingos........................f. Pack
7. Locusts.............................g. Rhumba
8. Cows.................................j. Richness
9. Caterpillars.......................n. Leap
10. Bats.................................j. Flink
11. Dolphins........................k. Pod
12. Ferrets............................l. Shadow
13. Jaguars..........................m. Exaltation
14. Larks..............................n. Richness
15. Leopards.......................o. Business
16. Martins.........................p. Cloud

Answers:
1=j,2=c,3=g,4=b,5=f,6=a,7=e,8=j,9=n,10=p,11=k,12=o,13=l,14=m.15=i,16=n
 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Frenetic

Marked by fast-paced disordered, anxiety-driven, frenzied activity.
After a week of working at a frenetic pace, she was able to complete her term paper.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Frantic

Wild with fear or anxiety- hurried, chaotic, excited- emotionally out of control.
He was frantic with fear- knowing that the goblin was following him through the woods.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Phrenetic
Is an older spelling of frenetic and means excessively agitated, emotionally disturbed, fearful, distraught with emotion.

There is also a phrenic nerve that that controls breathing.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Blousy

Blousy means, basically, frowsy.
It means unkempt in appearance or aspect-
untidy, disheveled. dingy, antiquated, frumpy, shabby,
fat with ill-fitting clothes, disheveled, sloppy, untidy- often, but not always referring
to women.
He opened the door and saw a blousy woman in her forties- a beer in one hand,
a baby in the other.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Some words that begin with eu.
(From Greek- meaning "good)

Euphonic- Good-sounding, harmonious, pleasing to the ear,
like the voices in a choir.

Eurythmic- Also means a kind of harmony of the various part of something-
as in architecture, dance, bodily movement.

Euthanize- refers to a "good death" without cruelty or suffering.
Animals with excruciating, painful conditions that cannot be cured are often euthanized
because it would be inhumane to let them suffer.

Euphemistic- a euphemism or something expressed euphemistically, is a way of saying something
in terms that "sound better" or less blunt, or less vulgar. So, instead of saying that you are
being fired, HR says they are sorry to "let you go" due to a necessary "downsizing" in force.

Euphoria- Is a good feeling of of being without problems, having a calm outlook- that everything
is wonderful. Certain drugs, some meditation, or happy circumstances can create this feeling.

Eulogy- Is good things we say or write about the life of someone after they have died.

Eugenics- Basically means "good breeding" as applied to humans- to encourage the breeding
of "superior individuals or races" and to sterilize those deemed unfit. I could explain the horrors
of this type of thinking, but look it up if you are interested.

Eunuch- comes from different Greek roots that mean "bedroom guard". Men were castrated
(some as children) to produce servants for guarding harems, tending to the concubines...
Some eunuchs actually chose castration to preserve their singing voice, or to create a feeling
of detachment from the world.

Eudaimonia- Means "good spirits", happiness, a feeling of well-being- similar in a way to
the German feeling of gemutlich- an agreeable, homy, snug, cozy, pleasant state of mind.
 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Some various, unrelated words

Caveat
- (from Latin roots) A caveat is a warning or restriction or "catch"- especially when it comes to an agreement or contract to beware of
clauses or limitations.
The politician agreed to to do an interview- with the caveat the he be allowed to preview the questions.
Caveat emptor is a Latin phrase that means- "let the buyer beware".

Feckless- Feckless means irresponsible, incompetent, ineffective- as in: A panel was formed to
come up way for saving the company money. The feckless committee, however, abused their position, overspent.
and ran the company int bankruptcy.

Bimbo- Back in the early 1900's, bimbo was a disparaging word for a brutish man of low intelligence.
As time evolved, bimbo was transferred to mean an attractive, but naive woman- not very intelligent.
So, what do we, now call that brutish man?-- A "himbo".
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
A proscenium stage is is a theatrical stage that is viewed by the audience from one side, the front.
It is designed to look sort of like a frame that showcases the acting and creates a
separation, or psychological distance, between the seating area and the play itself.
Sometimes referred to as a proscenium arch, this sort of set up is the most common for play productions.
Sometimes there is a bit of stage protruding in front of the curtain- that is referred to as an apron.
Sometimes in front of the apron is an orchestra pit- set below floor level so it doesn't block the view.

Hello Dolly came to our town as part of a traveling production (with Angela Lansbury) I remember it clearly because that
was the play where my sister fell into the orchestra pit.

There are several other stage set-ups and here is a video where a guy who seems to know what
he is talking about describes them.

 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Some (more-or-less) random words
(is anything really random?)

Sacrilicious-
Sacrilicious is a portmanteau, which is a new word made up from combining two different words-
in this case sacrilegious and delicious. In this case it refers to a food that is tasty but forbidden by a religion.
In Judaism is is forbidden to eat (yummy) bacon. In the movie, The Princess Bride, Miracle Max substitutes mutton
to avoid the sacrilicious bacon.


Gambit- A gambit is a tactic, an attempt, a clever plan to gain advantage- often involving some risk.
In chess, the meaning is similar- it is an opening, often involving a sacrifice in the beginning in order
to gain some advantage later in the game.

Gamut- is sometimes confused with gambit, but has a completely different meaning.
Gamut means the complete range of something- just as an actor must be able to display the
gamut of emotions from tears to laughter. A formal dinner might be described a running the gamut of
courses from soup to nuts.
Dorothy Parker once criticized Katherine Hepburn's acting as running the gamut of emotions- from A to B.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Mascaron- comes from an Italian word meaning "big mask".
A Mascaron is, basically, a carved face- often with harsh, ugly, forbidding
features, that ornament a building- originally to ward off "evil spirits", but eventually
just as a kind of decoration. Medusa figures are seen on ancient Greek structures
to warn evil not to intrude.

Grotesques- are carved figures of monstrous creatures that adorn structures for
similar reasons- to frighten away evil beings.

Gargoyles- are figures- usually grotesque- that also act as water spouts- sort of like a rain-gutter
on a house. Gargoyle comes from a Greek root for "gargle" and a French term for "throat"
because the run-off water would flow out of its mouth. In other words, a grotesque is
like a gargoyle but without being part of a drainage system.

 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Cogent- means clear, logical, convincing,
as in a cogent explanation, argument, plan for doing something.


Whelmed- comes from a root meaning to submerge or bury or "swamp".
It also means to become overcome with emotion as in sadness or joy.
I was whelmed with gratitude for their support.

Usually, we will hear "overwhelmed". Since whelmed already means overcome-
in a way overwhelmed would mean over-overcome, but this is the most common usage.
People also say "underwhelmed". In a way that is like saying "under-overcome", but still we use it.
For my birthday they gave me my older brother's hand-me-down jacket. I was underwhelmed with joy.

Maneki-Neko- is Japanese for "beckoning cat".
(the Es are pronounces as long Es)

Even here in the US, I'm sure you've seen them.
They are figurines that come in various sizes, made from pottery, porcelain, even plastic, of stylized cats with
one raised paw. They are considered good luck charms and have several symbolic meanings- depending on the color
and which paw is raised, and how high it is raised.

 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Analysis Paralysis

Analysis paralysis is a cute rhyming term for an inability to act or make a decision.
Some causes may be- overthinking, having too many (overwhelming) choices,
anxiety, complicated options, fear of the consequences of a wrong/bad decision, fear of how others
might be affected...(and more)

I was watching a move-by-move chess game on YouTube and the narrator
explained her bad move was caused by analysis paralysis- in this case having too many
possibilities/choices that could result in losing. Essentially that the same kind of thinking can happen in tennis.

In some circumstances there are just too many choices- do I hit down-the-line,
take to the net, drive a sharp angle cross-court, or topspin lob...?... but down the line the net is higher, I don't
generate enough topspin for a sharp angle, my topspin lob stinks, I'm lousy at the net. I can't decide...
and then it's too late. You pop up a sitter and he blasts it away.

A person needs help with their serve and the "pro" explain ten things about the toss, foot
position, type of grip, loose wrist, elbow motion, applying spin... Then, during a tournament,
it all becomes too confused and complex and the guy goes back to his old, ineffective, motion.

There are remedies for analysis paralysis, but in tennis having confidence is one defense against
indecision, practicing different patterns and combination another, but those ideas might be better located elsewhere.
 

casuistry​


[ kazh-oo-uh-stree ] Phonetic

noun, Plural cas·u·ist·ries.

  1. specious, deceptive, or oversubtle reasoning, especially in questions of morality; fallacious or dishonest application of general principles; sophistry.
  2. the application of general ethical principles to particular cases of conscience or conduct.





 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Pretender

Well, we all know what pretender means, why is this a word of the day?
Pretender to the Throne is a specialized usage and comes from a French
term meaning "to extend a claim before". Other terms like claimant or aspirant
may also be used.

A pretender to a throne or title is not just pretending to be royalty- but
because of complications of bloodlines and relationships, births from different mothers
and so forth a pretender may feel he or she merits a title or position. Naturally,
the person in the position currently will resist/contradict the assertion.
I believe Mary of Scots was a pretender to the English throne, but because her mother's
marriage to Henry the 8th was annulled Elizabeth ascended the throne.
If a country eliminates Royals all together, a person may still claim royal linage-
And that person could also be called a pretender
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Bougie and Bougee

Bougei (Boo-zhee)
Bougee (boo-jee)

These slang terms reference the word Bourgeois (boo-zhwah-ZEE)
which generally refers to the upper-middle classe- business owners,
people who hire others to do the work- as opposed to people who work for others.

Both spellings mean about the same thing with, maybe, a bit of difference.

Bougie- is a bit of a negative term given to those who put on airs, pretending to be wealthier than they really are.
The term implies pretentiousness, an aspirational attitude.
When we go out to breakfast she is always ordering that bougie avocado toast.

Bougee- is used in a bit more straightforward manner to refer to someone who has money and glitz
and is not pretending.
This guy has bougee money, enough to buy that private jet.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Close proximity
Well close means near and proximity means nearness, but when they are used together "close proximity"- it is
like saying "near nearness"- and this is a form of redundancy or tautology- repeating the same thing in different words.
Other examples might be "end result" or "return back".
Avoid these tautologies by choosing your terms carefully- I cannot get home insurance due to my proximity to the fire zone-
Living near the fairgrounds make parking difficult.

Anthropocene
Anthropocene is the current geological age- defined as the period when human activity became the dominant factor in influencing
climate, environment, and other aspects of the world's overall condition.

Curfew
Now-days curfew means a set time when people are required to be off the streets and inside there home due to various factors,
such as social unrest, war, going out on a high school date. Originally the word had a (mostly) different meaning.
Curfew evolved from an Old French term meaning "cover (the) fire". In old towns where the buildings, and especially
the home, were made of easily combustible materials like thatched roofs. people might fall asleep with their fires burning-
resulting in a conflagration that could destroy the entire city- so a time was decreed when all home fires should
be extinguished. Over time the usage has shifted to what we know today.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Old bromide
An old bromide can be a boring person who speaks in clichés or the platitudes and overused, dull, phrases themselves.
Back in the old days bromides were common sedatives- and a person taking these sedatives might appear
dull, confused, rambling on in monotonous, uninteresting, droning, blather- possibly like a certain presidential candidate.

"Yes, when I was a boy, I remember back then, there was a saying that "boys would be boys" and unlike today, when
there are surgeries for that, back then boys would just be boys, having no other choice than to be a boy and
go to school- though young people could work back then, I didn't work I went to school and when people saw me
they would turn to each other and remark how boys would be boys, so, now does that answer your question"?
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Ersatz

Ersatz usually refers to a product that substitutes for or imitates another thing- most often
not to deceive, but rather because the real produce is unavailable, overly expensive, or contains
elements one wished to avoid.
During times of war, WWII for example, people drank ersatz coffee made from acorns, chicory, or grain.
Oat or almond milk would be considered an ersatz product for those who cannot use real milk products.

Similar terms, but each with their own subtle differences are--Mock (like mock-turtle soup), faux, simulated,
bogus, sham, pirate, counterfeit, spurious, brummagem...

Would a fake Rolex be considered ersatz. Probably not. Counterfeit would be a better term.
On the other hand a person who owns a $16,000.00 Rolex might wear a $600.00 knock-off
when traveling and personally consider it ersatz, though almost everyone else would not.
 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Funicular

A funicular is basically a cabin that sort of looks like a train car, or cable car that is designed to
travel up (and down) a steep slope.
Usually there are two funicular cars that that counterbalance each other. As one goes up, the other
goes down. They are often found in tourist destinations and travel from a lower level (like a town)
up to a higher spot (like a panoramic view-point or maybe a ski resort). I remember riding one in Europe,
but cannot recall where. There are also some to be found here in the US.

 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Antebellum and antediluvian

The prefix "ante" simply means "before"-
in these words before the war (antebellum)
and before the flood (antediluvian).

Antebellum refers to before the Civil War, here in the US. Antebellum might
refer to a mansion found on a former plantation, or to attitudes and practices
like slavery, or tensions between the states building up to conflict.


Antediluvian refers to the biblical flood (think Noah and the Ark).So, if you are
discussing bible stuff antediluvian would refer to biblical events before that flood.
In general speech and referring to Earth's history, it can be used to mean very old
or even prehistoric.
 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Sophistry

The sophist were a school in ancient Greece where students could go (for a fee) to
learn things like math, grammar, philosophy, physics, astronomy, argument and that sort of thing.

The school became known for teaching deceptive "logic"- not to acquire truth, but rather to win
their arguments at debate- much like advertisers and politicians, today.

So, sophistry has come to mean the use of clever but false reasoning, using intentional lies and deception
to win a point rather than to discover truths- unlike Plato who believed a true teacher led students to
seek the truth.

An example of sophistry might be an argument like this- the law says that is is criminal to cut a man.
Surgeons cut men, therefore surgeons are criminals. Or- immigrants to the USA are criminals who kill and eat your pets,
therefore all foreigners who want access into this country are evil and a pogrom to eradicate them
makes sense.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Imago

In biology an imago is the last stage in the development of an insect- a butterfly, for example.
The word "imago" comes from Latin for "image"
The four stages of insect development are- egg, larva, pupa, adult (imago).

 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Beck and call

OK, we know what "call" means, but what about "beck"?

"I am at your beck" just does not sound right. Actually, it comes from the word "beckon".
Beckon means to signal or gesture.
So, to be at someone's beck and call means that you must be attentive to them- to
the point that you wait for any signal from them- verbal or visual to attend to their needs.

 
Last edited:

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Atavism Atavistic

Something is atavistic (or is an atavism) if it is something like a "throwback" to some earlier time.
Something, for example, that has been outgrown because of evolution but recurs in individuals
from time to time- or remains as part of the organism, but is no longer functional.

Many humans have "wisdom teeth" (third molars), but they no longer serve a necessary purpose.
Once humans (or pre-humans) ate a coarse diet that required some serious grinding. The wisdom teeth
served a purpose then, now (that mouths are smaller) they tend to create problems and require extraction.

Some birds have wings (ostriches) but cannot fly. Occasionally (rarely) a human infant may be born with a tail-
because we evolved from some monkey-like organism and still have traces of DNA that can produce
those vestigial traits.

Atavistic traits can also be psychological- behavior patterns or reactions that at one time
helped with survival- Aggression, for example, phobias, "magical" thinking.

There are some traits that are said to skip a generation- things like parents that do not have red hair, themselves
giving birth to a red haired child. Things like sickle cell anemia and Tay-Sachs disease
are called autosomal recessive traits and involve the 22 non-sex genes.

Here is the shortest video that I could find that gives a fair overview of the topic.

 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Gravitas and Veritas-These words are two of the Roman virtues.

Gravitas means a serious manner that projects respectability, seriousness,
gravity of purpose, a solemn dignified manner, and emotional intelligence.
A person with gravitas projects seriousness of manner.

Who might illustrate the idea of gravitas?- well, Martin Luther King comes to mind.

Veritas is a word derived from the Roman goddess of truth, and means truth or reality.
There are several sayings and mottos associated with veritas.

Veritas vos liberabit- the truth shall set you free.
In vino veritas- In wine, truth.
Vincet omnis veritas- truth conquers all things.

The Romans held many virtues, including:


  • Virtus: Originally meaning martial courage, this word came to describe a range of Roman virtues, including justice, temperance, and courage.


  • Gravitas: This virtue meant seriousness, dignity, importance, restraint, and moral rigor. It was considered an ideal characteristic in leaders.


  • Pietas: This virtue meant living in accordance with the will of the gods, and included respect for the natural order and devotion to others.


  • Auctoritas: This virtue meant having a sense of one's social standing.


  • Comitas: This virtue meant ease of manner, courtesy, openness, and friendliness.


    • Clementia: This virtue meant mildness and gentleness.

    • Dignitas: This virtue meant a sense of self-worth and personal pride.

    • Firmitas: This virtue meant strength of mind and the ability to stick to one's purpose.

    • Frugalitas: This virtue meant economy and simplicity of style.

    • Honestas: This virtue meant the image that one presented as a respectable member of society.

    • Humanitas: This virtue meant refinement, civilization, learning, and being cultured.

    • Industria: This virtue meant hard work.

    • Prudentia: This virtue meant foresight, wisdom, and personal discretion.

    • Salubritas: This virtue meant health and cleanliness.

    • Severitas: This virtue meant gravity and self-control.

    • Veritas: This virtue meant honesty in dealing with others.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Malaise

Malaise is a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or lack of well-being.

If you feel a flu coming on, everything around you might seem flat, uninteresting, depressing.
You might be experiencing malaise.

When the nation is plagued with politicians spouting lies and using hateful, disparaging language and threats,
the country might fall into numbing malaise.

You have joined a club, but soon you find out what it really stands for. You begin to feel a sense of
disgust and malaise.

Your dog recently died, and now the entire world seems drained of vitality, as if a plague has stolen
vitality and meaning from your life. You may have fallen into a malaise.
 

Bagumbawalla

Talk Tennis Guru
Some Crossword Puzzle Words.

What with all the NYT's games available, I have been ignoring the old paper and pencil Crosswords.
I came across an old book of 500 puzzles recently and these words are from one of them.

1. Williwaw- A williwaw is sudden, powerful, fast, offshore, wind (or squall) that originates from a mountainous area
near a coastal area and that is often accompanied by sleet, rain, mist and other factors that create danger for ships.
The word originated from early sailors experiences in the Strait of Magellan.

2. Distaff- Distaff has come to mean- relating to women or the female side of the family.
A distaff is a spindle on the old-fashioned spinning wheels. Spinning was considered women's work
and "distaff" became almost synonymous with womanly things, or the women in general.
Since men were associated with hunting, the male side of the family is sometimes referred to as "spear side"-
although I have never actually heard it used.

3. Colliery- Colliery mean a "coal mine" (or coal-mining business) and includes all the buildings and equipment necessary to run it.

4. Verisimilitude-Means having the quality of believability or the appearance of truth. The adventure novel had enough verisimilitude
that I felt the author had actually served on a whaling ship, himself.

5. Hibernia is a "poetic" word for England- Derived from a Greek term meaning "wintery".
Albion is a pre-Celtic word for Ireland.

6. Incarnation- Comes from Latin roots meaning "in the flesh", as if a character in a novel represented an incarnation
of evil- a devil in the flesh, an embodiment of evil. In a way it can be thought of like the word "avatar"- a god or spirit
in some physical form. Reincarnation has similar roots- meaning to acquire a new bodily form by a series of deaths and rebirths.

7. Wiseacre. Well, we know what the word means, but what does it have to do with an acre of land?
Well, basically nothing. It comes from an old, Middle-Dutch word- wijssegger- that meant "soothsayer". Now, it
has come to mean something like "know-it-all"- a disparaging term for someone who puts pretends to knowledge
that he does not really possess.
 
Top