Word of the day

Reconnoiter- Means to explore, survey or instect an area to gain information or "intelligence".
In general it means to "scope out' or check out- as you migh a new neighborhood or school before
moving to that area. In military speak it means to scout enemy lines in order to formulate strategeties.

Insipid- means bland, lacking flavor, vigor or interest and typically describes foods thar are bland
and tasteless or conversations that are dull.

Blandish- Does not mean sort of bland. It means to wheedle, flatter or coax someone into doing something or
giving you something you want- to cajole, sweet-talk or butter up. Carolyn attemped to blandish the
guard into letting her into the housing warehouse.

Dystopian- Refers to an imagined society characterized by bleak, nightmarish and oppressive conditions,
in effect the opposite of a utopia. Books like Brave New Worls, 1984, The Hunger Games, ore Idiocracy.
In fact it seems like dystopian futures are easier to imagine than Utopias- or even so-sopias.
 
Some manias

Arithmomania- an obsessive compulsion to count things. Maybe Sherlock Holmes has this
since he was always aware of the number of steps up to a building.

Entheomania- A persistant delusion that one is divinely inspired or "touched by God.

Ailuromania- an extreme, consuming, fondness for cats.

Ablutomania- A coompulsion to caonstntly wash and clean ones self.

Dipsomania- An uncontrollable impuls to consume alcohol- also Potomania.

Megalomania- An obsession with the aquiring of wealth, power and influence- also Plutomania.

Ludomania- Gambling.

Demonomania- A delusional conviction that one has beenpossessed by an evil spirit.
 
Manifesto- A manifesto is public declaration of core beliefs, intentions and motives.
Usually written, the manifesto serves to document what an individual, group, political party
stands for and how they intend to achieve those goals they set forth- those goals can
be political, artistic, social or personal- examples might be the communist manifesto,
Declaration of Independence, the surrealist manifesto, possibly an New Year's resolution
(assuming it was published foor the world to see).

Rue- Means to bitterly regret or feel sorrow and shame for past actions or choices-
as in-- You'll rue the day you took my car without asking.
Rue is also a type of herb/flower used from Roman times in cooking or folk medicine.
Also, "rue" is a French word meaning "street".

Roux- (pronounced the same as rue/roo) Roux is used in cooking. It is a mixture of flour
and fat- usually butter and is used as a thickenting agent fo soups, gravies, sauces
and curry.

Allure- Something that is alluring has the quality of being able to charm, is facinating and
mysteriously attractive- has a sort of magnetic attraction to attract with the suggested
promise of pleasure and excitement. Pinky was allured by the siren-song of big city life
and moved to New York hoping to star on Broadway someday in the furure.
 
Mordant- Comes from a Latin word meaning "to bite". So, something mordant
is biting and sarcastic, caustic and harsh. The high school valedictorian gave a mordant
speech critical of the teacher's lack of dedication and the student's lack of preparation
for making it in the real world.

Fondant- is a sweet icing made from sugar, water and possibly syrup to create a smooth
covering for cakes- or to create edible decorations like ribbons and flowers.

Demur vs demure- Demur (dih-MUR) rhymes with prefer and means to object, hesitate, disagree or raise
doubts about something. If auntie Rose offers to knit you a sweater for your birthday it
would be best to politely demur or you will end up looking like a homeless person.
Demure (di-MYUUR) rhymes with pure and describes someone who is shy, reserved and modest.
Rita, ordinarily demure and quiet, became quite a different person when she stepped on stage to sing.

Cohort- A cohort is a group od people that share some common trait, experience, or characteristic.
In studies involving, business, science, medicinf or politics, studies are often done using
cohorts- people with common conditions, beliefs, incomes... in order to heal them, appeal for their vote,
sell things to them... People that hang out together might also be called cohorts- snooty students, criminals,
peole with common religions, workers in the same profession. Glenda and her snooty cohorts
planned to put tequila in the punchbowl at the school party.
 
Paradox- A paradox is a statement of situation that appears to be self-contradictory,
and defy common sense, but, in doing so may reveal flaws in logic- or possibly some
unexpected truth.

Common paradox examples:
1. The Liar Paradox
  • The statement: "This statement is false."
  • Why it's a paradox: If the statement is true, then it must be false. But if it's false, then it must be true.
2. The Ship of Theseus (Identity Paradox)
    • The scenario: Over time, every single rotting wooden plank of a ship is replaced until no original piece remains. Is it still the same ship?
    • Why it's a paradox: It questions whether an object's identity relies on its physical parts or something else.

3. "Less is More"
  • The phrase: A widely used catchphrase in architecture and designliterary and everyday comments.
  • Why it's a paradox: By having or doing less, you can achieve a greater or higher-quality outcome.
4. The Grandfather Paradox
  • The scenario: You travel back in time and prevent your grandfather from ever meeting your grandmother.
  • Why it's a paradox: If you succeed, you are never born, which means you could never travel back in time to stop them in the first place.

Why Paradoxes are Used
  • In Literature & Writing: Authors use literary paradoxes to force readers to think outside the box, convey complex philosophical ideas, or add profound humor to a story.
  • In Philosophy & Science: Logical paradoxes are often used to test the limits of human reasoning, math, and scientific theories.
 
Capacious- Means having lot od space inside, capable of containing a huge amount of people of stuff-
a capacious handbag, capacious sports arena, a capacious mind, a capacious venue for the marriage of
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.

Gestalte- Refers to a unified "whole", configuration, or pattern that has a meaning greater than the sum of
its individual parts. Gestalt psychology, for example, suggests that the human brain perceives things
as complete paterns rather than individual bit and pieces of information. I suppose that is city, if you
think about it is more than the number of toilets, garage doors, back yards and school rooms- it must ultimately
be a place of culture with its own personality that adds someting special to those living there.

Pot shot- A pot shot is a shot (like from a gun) done in an offhand way, without serious aiming. In a figurative
sense a pot shot is a random critical remark aimed at an easy target.
A dark gray car sped through the neighborhood while someone inside took pot shots at the fronts of homes.
It irritated Glenda when Kevin took pot shots at her old boyfriend, calling him a failure because he worked as
an elementary school teacher.
So why is it called a "pot" shot? Back in the 1800s it was a hunting term for getting meat for the pot rather than
something requiring competitive skill.

Pascal's wager- Way back when, it seems that philosophers spent a lot of time wondering if God existed or not.
Pascal's "work- around" was to suggest that people should just live their lives as if God existed- then if there was
no God after all, nothing was lost (except living by some rules), but if there really was a God then something was
gained (like eternal life?). So, belief in God comes down to a rational choice. I will onit all the logical failures of
this argument, but there are many.

 
Ebulient- (From a Latin term for bubbling over) Ebulient means having a "bubbly" personality,
positive, cheerful and full of enthusiasm and excitement. Her ebulient personalitymade her a
good choice to give the opening speech for the assembly.

Nudibranchs- Are colorful, shelless, marine mollusks, sometimes called sea slugs. The bright
colors warn potentials predators that they may be toxic.


Feckless- Describes someone as being incompetent, ineffective, and irresponsible. A feckless person
is generally lazy, aimless and unsuited for handeling responsibility. Jerremy was thought of as being
feckless and was, therefore, never chosen (until last) for any school project or team assignment.

Perspicacious- Means perceptive, mentally sharp and able to comprehend things not obvious
to to most people. The detective's perspicacious nature made hime the first choice to put on the
most difficult cases.

Ambrosia- Most commonly refers to the food of the (Greek and Roman) gods which bestowed
immortality. It was often paired with nectar which was the devine drink both of which enabled
the gods to be eternally youthful.
In more recent times ambrosia is a fruit salad with things like orange slices, pineapple, shreaded
coconut, marshmallows and whipped cream or yogurt. It can also be used as a metaphor for
any food or drink that tastes or smells delicious.
 
Nothing to sneeze at- Means something is significant, substantial or valuable. This idiomatic
phrase originated during the 1600s in British high society when it was fassionable to
inhale powdered tobacco (snuff) whiich made that person sneeze. This became aassuciated with
dismissive haughty behavior, inplying contempt for the common man. The phrase, "nothing
to sneeze at" inverts the dismissiveness, and now means somethiing important- like (for example)
a lot of money- "Twelve thousand dollers, well that is a sum that is not to be sneezed at"!

Frowsty- Means stale-smelling, musty, or unclean- ususlly from lacking proper ventilation- causing
an atmosphere that feels stuffy, damp and "old". Over the summer, the attic had developed a frowsty
smell that made William think of a dead opossum.

Impecunious- Comes from Latin roots meaning "without money" and is used as a formal, "classy"
way of saying "dead broke". Clem spent his twenties as an impecunious student, counting every
bean and biscuit they served him at the cafeteria.

Proprioception- Sometimes refered to as a "sixth sense" is the body's ability to unconsciously
be aware of its own position in space- relying receptors in the muscles, tendons and joints to guide
movement independent of vision, which is why humans can pick up an egg without breaking it, and
a robot has trouble with that. For gymnasts and acrobats a keen sense of proprioception is an advantage.

 
Rumspringa- (from Pennsylvania German for "running around") Rumspringa is a period of time
in the life of Amish youth (about 16 years old) when fewer restrictions are levied on them and they
are permitted a kind of "rite of passage" where they can explore the outside world before
decidinf if they want to commit fully to the Amish church. Historically, just over 85% choose to
be baptized into the Aminsh church and community.

Rhetorical question- A rhetorical question is a question asked- not expecting an answer, but rather
to make a point, or to make someone start thinking differett possibilities. The "answer". if ther is one,
is usually self-evident and intended to highlight the obvious- often sarcastically. Some simple examples
might be:
Who wouldn't want a million dollars?
Do I look like a fool?
What kind of world do you want to live in?
What immortal hand or eye/ could frame thy fearful semmetry?

Verisimilitude- Means "having the appearance of being true" and is most frequently used in art,
literature and film that make the depiction seem real, authentic and reasonable to the reader or viewer.
A play, for example, where they suddenly burst into song and dance would lack verisimilitude.
A book that makes you feel what it is like to live as a homeless person should have veirsimilitued
to be effective.

 
Rapa Nui- Is the native name for Easter island'

Moai- Is the name for the large, stone statues on the island of Rapa Nui.
Just in case you are on Jeopardy sometime soon.

Bolus- In Biology class a bolus is a lump of chewed food mixed with saliva that is
swallowed down the esophagus to the stomach.

Chyme- The bolus becomes partly digested in the stomach- mixed with
acids and stuff. It becomes chime and passes into the intestines.

Boffo- Means extremely successful, really great or highly effective. It seems
to be used mostly in the entertainment industry to describe hit movies or plays.
"That new play you wrote is a boffo box-office smash. You're going to be rich
by tomorrow".

Esplanade- An esplanade is a long, open, paved area that parallels the ocean, or
perhaps a lake, where people can stroll about, visit shops, have a meal, watch the boats,
and spend some pleasant time. Originally the word (1600s) referred to a level
area outside a fortress walls where attacker could be seen and shot at. Eventually
those esplanads were transformed int pleasant park-like areas like we have today.

Yob- Is a term derived from British slang for a loud, aggressive young man or hooligan
and is an example of "backslang" (boy spelled backwards).
 
Peckish- Basically just means slightly hungry- not so hungry that you could eat a full meal,
but, rather just peck around at some snacky thing. It also has another meaning- to feel
irritable, cranky or cross. So, if you are feeling peckish, you might be craving a Pop Tart or
you might be irritated about some conflict at work.

Dog days vs Indian Summer- Dog days refers to the hottest, most stifling days of summer-
from about July 3 through around September 11, a time when Sirius, the "Dog Star" rises and
aligns with the sun. Ancient cultures thought Sirius (brightest star in the sky) added to the sun's heat.
Indian summer refers to an unexpectedly warm and sunny period in mid-to-late autumn.
The etymology of the term is uncertain, but it might have to do with North American settlers
noticing how the indigenous people used this time to finish gathering late crops.

Blowsy (or Blowzy)- Means disheveled, unkempt, frowzy, frumpy or slovenly in appearance (especially of a woman).
Originally the word was used to refer to a rustic wench or a beggar's female companion.
It can als mean having a coarse, ruddy complection as if from being out in harsh weather.

Nonpareil- Means having no equal (without equal), incomparable, unsurpassed, a model of perfection. "There is a
little shop in town where the chili-dogs are nonpareil. Nonpareil is also the the name for a type of candy-
round, flat, chocolates covered with tiny sweet, colored sprinkles (or just the sprinkles, themselves).
 
Words that describe some religious viewpoints.

Polytheism- Is the belief and worship of multiple gods- which often represent different
aspects of nature or life: Hinduism, Ancient Roman and Greek religions.

Monotheism- Is a belief in one (usually) all-powerful god (God): Judaism, Islam and Christianity-
although the Christian god is sometimes divided into 3 aspects.

Deism- The belief that a supreeme creator designed the universe and established natural
laws, but does not intervene in human affairs and perform miracles- Deism often stresses reason
and observation over dogma.

Pantheism- The belief that the universe, itself is God, everything is divine- everything is God.

Henotheism- The worship on one primary god, but believing in the possibility of other gods.

Gnosticism- Emphasizes the gaining of secret, mystical, spiratual, knowledge as the means
to connect with the divine.

Agnosticism- Is the view that the existence of God, the divine or anything supernatural is
inherently unknowable through human reason.

Atheism- Can be simply a general, casual lack of belief in in the existence of dieties to something
like a strong determination that God (gods) does/do not exist.

Transcendentalism- In high school we read some of the transcendental writers (like Emerson...)
without eny explaination of what it was (maybe "beyond the teeth"?). Anyway, the basic
idea is that divine truth and fundamental realities are discovered through individual
intuition and connecting with nature to discover some "divine spark" rather than through
pure logic or dogma.

Well, I"m sure I left things out, like Kiergaardian-existential Christianity... fell free to add to this list.
 
Carnivore vs Carnival- Well, we know that a carnivore is an eater of meat,
but what does carnival have to do with meat? Carnival comes from a Latin expression
meaning "fairwell to meat" and was a festival, for the final feast day before Lent-
like the Rio Carnival in Brazil or Mardi Gras here in the USA.

Carnation- The carnation is a flower, Why is it named for meat?
Carnation, the word, was derived from a Latin term for "flesh" and only after time was
applied to the pale pink flowers that had some resemblence to the skin color of certain
humans.

Incarnation- Also goes back to a Latin term meaning "to make into flesh"- in a spiratual
or religious sense, but in modern time is more likely to be used to mean "embodiment" or "example".
Lila never believed in magic or spirits, but what she saw in the old mansion, she now
say was a ghostly incarnation of pure evil. Mark's SAT scores were off the charts and his
parents now treat him like an incarnarion of genius.

Subliminal- Refers to sensory stimuli that exist below the theshold of conscious awareness.
Though they are not immediately recognized in one's conscious thought, these subliminal sights, sounds or
messages, can effect an individual unconsciously.

 
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Aplomb- Means self-confidence, poise- especially under strained or
demanding situations, which then are handled calmy without losing
composure. He was head of the complaint department because he could deal
with irate customers with tact and aplomb,

Beguile- Means to charm, attract or entice someone- generally with the
idea of decieving them. It can also mean to trick someone into doing something
by being pleasant or acting in a seductive manner toward them.
It can also-also mean to while away the time by doing something pleasant.
The used care salesman beguiled the customer into believing he was buying a
car once owned by Elvis.
Glenda beguiled away the hours at the beach, drinking bloody Marys and reading
mystery novels.

Dashboard- Well we know that a dashboard is that part of a car just below the
windshield, but why "dash"? Well, it goes back to horse and buggy days. When the
horse picked up spped, began to dash, it kicked up mud, dust and filth from the road
and into the wagon. The dashboard was a simple wood, leather or metal shield to
block that stuff from entering the vehicle. Modern cars have simply kept the name.

Lummox vs Flummox- A lummox is a clumsy, awkward, slow-witted person- a klutz.
Flummox means to completely confuse, perplex or bewilder someone.
Hey, you big lummox, you are standing on my foot.
Batman was flummoxed by the Riddlers baffeling note.
 
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Proclivity- A proclivity is a strong natural tendency or inclination to do something, like something,
or behave in a cetain manner.
Don't invite Glen to the party. He has a proclivity for starting arguments if he drinks too much.

Declivity- A downward slope or downward grade- an area of ground that slopes downward.
The opposite of declivity is acclivity, an upward slope or rise.

Eldrich- If something is eldrich it is weird, uncanny, otherworldly, and possibly supernatural in an
eerie, frightening, bizarre sort of way.
Beware the fen and bog at midnight when eldrich screams and moans seem to rise out of the mud, itself.

Crumudgen- A crumudgen is s cranky, ill-tempered, cantankerous, stubborn, grumpy person- often on the
older side and set in his/her ways though the female variety is often called a termagant or harridan.

Sleipner- is the eight-legged gray horse that belonged to Odin, chief of the Norse gods. Sleipner was the
offspring of Loki (when he had assumed the shape of a mare and the powerful stallion Svadifaeri. Now you
are ready to appear on Jeopardy.

 
Persiflage- Is, basically, lighthearted, frivolous jibber-jabber that might involve good-natured
teasing among friends. It come from a French term that means "banter" that goes back
further to "whistle" or "hiss" at a performance.
I ran into Glenda at wine bar in Napa and ask what she was doing there. She responded with
a bit of persiflage, "Just hanging out with the winos".

 
Shebang- Seems to have first popped up during The US Civil War and meant a temporary shelter
or temporary building and may have originated from an Irish term for a drinking shack or a
French term for a horse-drawn wagon with benches. Today the term is most often
used as "the whole shebang", to mean everything, the whole situation, the entire setup.
"We are moving our shop to a new location, the tables, counter, dishes, artwork- the whole shebang.
Similar terms might be:
The whole kit and caboodle,
The whole ball of wax,
The whole enchilada.

Psamophile- (SAM-uh-file) A psamophile is a plant or animal that is adapted for survival in a sandy envrionment.
Animals like kangaroo rats, side-winding vipers and jerboa have specific physical traits to help navigate
and survive in sand- like the fictional Shai-Hulud of the planet Dune.


Jorts- is a portmanteau of jeans and shorts- and usually refers to cut-off jeans made into shorts that
seem to be back in style this summer.


Frenetic-Means fast-paced, wild, chaotic, energetic activity that conveys a sense of being out of
control- involving rushing around madly- like a juggler trying to keep 15 plates spinning on slender
wooden dowels or cooking barbecue for a large family gathering.
 
Whammy- A whammy is a hex, a curse, or an "evil eye".
During her first set Gail hit the net-cord three times and felt that
someone had put a whammy on her forehand. In the 1930s the term
was mostly used in sports, in the 1940s the cartoonist Al Capp created
a character, Evil-Eye Fleegle, who could paralize people with one eye,
or give them a more potent double whammy by using both eyes,
and that also became a popularized term.

Copious- Means plentiful, abindant, or in large quantity, as in copious
reserves of ammunition, copious amounts of data for analysis.

Crepuscular- Diurnal means happening or active during the daytime, nocturnal
means active or occurring at night, but crepuscular activity takes place
in-between day and night, during dawn or twilight. Also, "crepuscular rays" is
a term for sunbeams that shine through gaps in clouds.
Deer, bats and rabbits tend to be crepuscular creatures.


Hypergamy- Is a term for dating or marrying someone whho has more
money, a higher social class, or better status. People often refer to this
as "marrying up" or "dating up"
Here is a failry negative video on the topic-

 
Sinistral- Just means left-handed (or lef-eyed), turning toward the left, or on the left side.
As an example, certain snails are called "sinistral" because their shells turn to the left (counterclockwise).
Sinistral comes from the same Latin root as sinister, which has come to be associated
with evil because in olden times , left, and left-handed people were thought to be weak, awkward, unlucky,
or indicative of bad omens. Dextral would be the opposite of sinistral and has to do with right-handedness.

Imbue- Means to fill, soak, or deeply inspire someone or something with with a strong feeling, quality or idea-
that becomes completely absorbed similar to how a sponge absorbs liquid.
"A shimmering dawn, filled with golden sunlight, imbued Sally with a feeling of new hope and determination".

Swizzle stick- A swizzle stick is a long, thin stir-stick used for mixing and chilling iced coctails in their tall glass.
Some of these sticks (made of stainless steel, glass, wood or plastic) have a paddle- or propeller-like part on
the lower end which users spin by rubbing it between their palms as they motion it up and down.

 
Get cold feet- To get cold feet means to lose the courage to do something, but
why is that associated with cold feet? One explaination is that, in the 1800s, Having
cold feet was a typical or stansard excuse for a gambler (who most likely was low on money)
to quit a game of poker (and go stand by the heater?). Later the term was picked up by
Stephen Crane in Maggie: A Girl of the Streets, and was used as we use it now to indicate
backing out of a commitment or losing courage.

Newton's flaming laser sword- (aslo known as Alder's razor) is a philosophical
principal stating that what cannot be settled by experiment or observation is not
worth debating. Basically, it is a sharper, "more dangerous" version of Occam's razor.

Occam's razor- Basically states that "the simplest explaination requiring the fewest assumptions
is usually the best- and is considered good advice for starting an investigation.

Beatitude- Comes from a Latin word meaning blessed or happy. Beatitude is a supreme happiness
or a declaration of devine favor.
Rosalinda meditated for hours, eventually achieving a state of quiet beatitude where all her
fears disolved into bliss.

Big cheese- The big cheese is an idiomatic term that is used to mean a main leader, boss or
most important person in an organization, but why cheese? The term goes back to British colonization
where soldiers and officials picked up on the Persian word "chiz" which meant "thing".
They would use phrases like the real chiz- meaning "the real thing", basically something excellent.
Eventually chez became cheese and "the real cheese" became the best of something- followed
by "the big cheese" being the top, most important, main person that we think of today.

 
Effluvium- An effluvium is a vaporous formation, often with bad smell- or in medicine it
can be a sudden, rapid loss of hair.
The clothes she bought at the thrift shop were accompanied by an effluvium of some strong
chemical compound that remained even after several washings.

Tangential- Means slightly relatet but diverging from the main topic or idea- often a remark that
seems to wander away from the main point.
Glen's speech was suposed to be about Shakespeare's contribution to vocabulary, but
he ofren drifted onto some obscure tangential ideas about shape-shifting and types of coffee.
In geometry a tangent is a line or plane that touches a curve or circle at only one point.

Forte- (for-tay, and sometimes just fort) Forte refers to a person's strong point or special talent- sort of like- In high school, I
was only so-so in English and composition, but tennis was my forte and got me a scholarship to
my chosen college.

Piince-nez- Is an old-fashioned style of eyeglasses held onto the nose by a clip, spring or wedge
without the use of earpieces. I comes from French words meaning "pinch" and "nose".


T a r digrade- A t a r digrade is a tiny, tiny animal sometimes called a "water bear". By tiny, well, they are basically
microscopic and known for their ability to survive in extreme conditions- including dehydration,
temperature extremes, and even the vacuum of space. (for soome reason the site would not let me spell the word correctly)

 
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Exquisit Corpse

Exquisite corpse is a game or creative activity indulged in by various surrealists in the early 20th centuary,
characterized by sequential contributions, hidden segments, and unexpected outcomes. Basically, a paper is folded into three
parts, one person draws a head then folds it away leaving only a portion for the next player as a reference.
the second player draws a torso anyway they want and fold that backso the next person can add legs and feet
or whatever they want. Here is a more detailed explaination:

How the Game Works
    • Folding paper: Players take a blank sheet and fold it into equal sections (like head, torso, and legs).
    • Blind contribution: The first person draws or writes on the top section, extends tiny guide lines over the fold, and folds the paper to hide their work.
    • Sequential passing: The paper is passed to the next player, who adds the next section without seeing what came before.
    • The reveal: Once all sections are complete, the paper is unfolded to reveal a bizarre, unified creature or sentence.


Origins and History
    • Name derivation: Named after the first sentence the group generated during a session in French: "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" ("The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine").
    • Key creators: Invented by leading Surrealists including André Breton, Yves Tanguy, Marcel Duchamp, and Jacques Prévert.
    • Goal: Designed to bypass conscious logic and tap into the power of the unconscious mind and random chance.
    Exquisite corpse is a collaborative game and creative method invented by Surrealist artists in Paris in 1925, characterized by sequential contributions, hidden segments, and unexpected outcomes.

    How the Game Works
      • Folding paper: Players take a blank sheet and fold it into equal sections (like head, torso, and legs).
      • Blind contribution: The first person draws or writes on the top section, extends tiny guide lines over the fold, and folds the paper to hide their work.
      • Sequential passing: The paper is passed to the next player, who adds the next section without seeing what came before.
      • The reveal: Once all sections are complete, the paper is unfolded to reveal a bizarre, unified creature or sentence.

    Origins and History
      • Name derivation: Named after the first sentence the group generated during a session in French: "Le cadavre exquis boira le vin nouveau" ("The exquisite corpse will drink the new wine").
      • Key creators: Invented by leading Surrealists including André Breton, Yves Tanguy, Marcel Duchamp, and Jacques Prévert.
      • Goal: Designed to bypass conscious logic and tap into the power of the unconscious mind and random chance.
 
Cookie Jarring- is a "dating" trend where the person doing the cookie jarring tends to keep you at a distance,
more like a backup option rather than someone they are seriously interested in or committed to.
Mainly the time they spend with you is when they have nothing better to do and they are bored.
I suppose that this behavior is not new, but now we have this name for it.

Hessians- So, who were those Hessians, anyway? Basically, back in the 1700s, the British Crown hired a bunch (30,000)
of German Auxiliary soldiers to help fight against American colonists in the Revolutionary War. Most came from
Hesse-Kassel and Hesse-Hanau- so they just called the whole lot of them Hessians. They fought under their
flags and officers rather than as individual mercenaries. Afterwards most went back to Germany. Some stayed and
became Americanized.

Inalienable- Means permanent, impossible to alter or take away, surrender or transfer to someone else, or be
stripped away by laws or governments. It is most commonly used in the phrase, "inalienable rights" ( such as life,
liberty and the persuit of happiness). Maybe I am just confused, because those things seem to be taken away, revoked,
or denied all the time???

Capacious- Means roomy, spacious, capable of holding vast quantities, like the new 12 racket tennis bag you just bought
or the Yacht that you would like to buy, but cannot afford.

Quell- Means to stop, calm or push something down- most commonly used when talking about ending a noisy uprising or
calming the worries in your mind-- If only I could quell those doubts and troubles that haunt my mind.

Krell- (kiind of sounds like quell?) The Krell are an extinct race of super-intelligent aliens from the movie Forbidden Planet.
They constructed a vast underground machine that could instantly materialize their thoughts- and that is what destroyed them.

Vernacular- Is the everyday language spoken by ordinary people in a particular region as distinct from a formal "learned",
literary, vocabulary following standardized conventions.
 
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Some colateral adjectives for animals
A colateral adjective has a different word origin than the word it describes- like "lunar" for "moon" which goes back
to Old-English or proto-Germanic roots (moon, month) but has a Latin adjective (lunar from luna).

Cameline: camels, Ovine: sheep, Bovine: cows Equine: horse, zebra, Asinine: donkeys, asses, Porcine: pigs, swine Caprine: goats

Canine: dogs and other canids, Cervine: deer, Feline: cats Lupine: wolves, Ursine: bears, Murine: mice, rats, Vulpine: foxes

Corvine: crows, ravens, Piscine: fish, Leonine: lion, Leporine: rabbit or hare, Ranine: frog, Vesperine: wasp, Proboscine: elephant
 
Eudaimonia vs Hedonia- Hedonia (think hedonism) focuses on immediate pleasure,
excitement and comfort while avoiding pain.
Eudaimonia, a term from Aristotle for a "flourishing life" also strives for a good feeling,
but not so much through sensualism, but more through having positive goals and a
lifestyle of quiet contentment, finding connections and achieving positive goals.


Acropolis vs Necropolis- An Acropolis (meaning in Greek "high city") like the Acropolis of Athens
is an area built on elevated ground to serve as a fortress, defensive stronghold, refuge from
attacks and/or a religious site for temples and treasures.
A Necropolis (city of the dead) is basically a cemetery or burial place usually located away from
the "living" city, and containing tombs, mausoleums, monuments-for example the Giza Necropolis in Egypt.


Pernicious- Means highly injurious, destructive, tending to cause injury, even death- often in a slow,
subtle, gradual way.
The team's new owners instituted new policies that resulted in a pernicious unraveling of everything
achieved over the last ten years.

Cheeky- Means to be "slightly" rude, bold or disrespectful- usually in a playful, funny, teasing,
mischievous or endearing way.
You're lucky not to be sent to the vice principal's office for getting so cheeky with the substitute teacher.
 
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The Gell-Mann amnesia effect- If you ever had something written about yourself in
a newspaper, almost invariably you noticed mistakes, errors, misspellings, wrong
quotes, misinformation and so on. Then, when you read an article about some movie
star or athlete, you just accept it as accurate- This is basically what Michael Crichton
was getting at when he named this "memory laps effect" after his friend Murray
Gell-Mann (as a joke) after they had discussed how a person would find glaring errors
in an article about a subject he was an expert in, but not apply the same skepticism
to other writings.

The Shirky principle- Basically states that an organization will try to preserve the problem
that they are supposed to solve. It explains how institutions will prioritize their own survival
and funding over completely eliminating the problem they were supposed to deal with.
An example might be a tax preparation company that lobies to keep personal filing from being simplified,
or healthcare systems ignoring root causes and concentrating on long-term care where they
make the most profit.

Stigler's law of eponomy- States that no scientific discovery is named after its original discoverer.
For example, Halley's comet was ovserved centuraries before Edmond Halley even lived,
the Pythagorean theorum was known to Indian and Babylonian mathamaticians before
Pythagoras- even Stigler's law can be attributed to sociologist Robert K Merton.

Briffault's law- States, "The female, not the male, determines all the conditions of the animal
family- Where the female can derive no benefit from association with the male, no such
association takes place- basically, they are weighing benefits vs costs. Peahens, for example
are enticed by the male with the best display of tailfeathers, other animals fight to be seen as
dominant. Briffault's law is easily observed in nature, but might it apply to humans as well?
Most people tend to think so.

Finagle's law- States that anything that can go wrong, will- at the worst possible moment. Essentially,
it is a more cynical version of Murphy's law. 1- The perversity of the universe tends toward a maximun.
2- Failures do not just happen, they happen when they cause the most harm or embarrassment.
3- Any attemp to repair the situation will just make everything worse. The term was popularized by
John W Campbell, editor of Astounding Science Fiction Magazine.

Sagan's standard- (Carl Sagan) Basically states that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence (ECREE).
For example, If you claim members of a religious group came to your house and gave you a pamphlet-
that might require just ordinary proof, because that sort of thing happens, but if you claim the
pamphlet restored your eyesight and increased your IQ, that would require some massive proof.

Checkhov's gun- is a storytelling principle used in plays, writing and movies and states that every
element introduced in a story, an object, a detail, a character- must be necessary and anything unused
should be avoided. I remember a old Dustin Hoffman movie, Straw Dogs (a gruesome movie) where he decorated his wall
with what was called a "Man trap"(like a bear trap) and, of course it later comes into play when the home is invaded.
Anyway, Checkhov's intention was to not deceive the reader (or viewer) or distract them from the effext
he was trying to create.
 
Eat crow- Why do we say that, what does it mean and why a crow?
Well, to eat crow means that after having been arogant and sure of oneself
and then having, finally to admid you were wrong- you "eat crow" because
they tast very bad and it is unpleasant to eat one

Rock vs stone- Is there a difference? Most people use the words interchangeably, but
apparently there is a difference.
A rock is a large natural mass of minerals f orming a part of the earth.
A stone is a smaller, detatched piece that has been shaped, moved or put to
some use by humans.
Rock is the more scientific term.
Stime is a more informal usage.

Epiphany vs Apotheosis- An epiphany is ia sudden flash of insight or a divine manifestation- an "aha!
or "Eureka" moment- like Archimedes who figured out how to measure volume and density.
An apotheosis is the elevation of a human to divine status, or the ultimate perfection of something.
There are various Mythological Greek humans that became imortal gods by drinking ambrosia, marrying
another god or as a reward from Zeus.


 
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Moribund- Means near death or in a very weak state. It can also describe things,
groups, ideas or systems that are failing or near their end or in a state of stagnation.
As in a moribund patient.
A moribund business.
A moribund tradition.

Perfunctory- Perfunctory is an adjective the refers to an action done quickly- basically
just going through the motions to finish a task, check a box with out any special
enthusiasm or real care.
Glenda gave Glen a perfunctory nod as they passed in the hall.
John gavee the dishes a perfunctory rinsing, then left them in the sink overnight.

Empirical- Means based on, concerned with, or varifiable by direct observation, testing,
measurement and actual experience rather than some abstract theory or supposition.
as in Empitical evidence.
Empirical study.
Empirical tests.

Transmogrify- Means to change the form, appearance, or nature of something completely
or radically- often in a bizarre, surprising or humorous way.
The decrepit old shed was transmogrified into the modern ranch-style home he dreamed of.
In a flash, the pumpkin was transmogrified into a golden carriage.
Common synonyms might be transform, metamorphose, transmute, convert.
 
Fat chance- Is basically a sarcastic expresssion meaning "no chance at all".
Even though "fat" suggests a large amount, the phrase is used ironically as the
exact opposite of a good chance or opportunity.
"I think you have a fat chance of getting getting paid to plat on this team."
Slim Chance- Means there is a very, very small, unlikely, almost negligible, but
still a remote possibility for something to take tplace or happen. So in this case
a "slim chance" is more likely to happen than a "fat chance".

Vicissitudes- (vi-SIS-uh-toodz) are unpredictable changes, ups and downs, if or ands, unexpected troubles,
hardships or difficulties that happen beyond a person's control- losing a job, having a loved-one die,
a home being destroyed, a scammer stealing your accounts...
Dora learned, quickly, to deal with the vicissituses of her new management position.

platitudes- Are dull, overused remarks or statements that have lost significance through
being repeated so often that the do not seem fresh, new or inspiring- you might say that
they are trite and cliched and when pronounced they sound pretentious.
common examples:
It is what it is.
Time heals all wounds.
what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.
Nobody's perfect.

Parabellum- Comes to us from the old saying "Sis vis pacem, para bellum", basically- "If you
wnat peace, prepare for war". so parabellum mean "prepare for war" as in the movie, "John Wick:
Chapter 3- Parabellum" where he makes preparations for a massive fight.

Ambience (or ambiance)- is the mood, character, general atmosphere or feeling you get from
a particular place or setting- atmosphere, mood, vibe.
"Well, I think Guido's has the better food, but Luigi's restaurant has better ambience for a first date".
the word Ambient simply means "surrounding"- what is all around you, smells, light, colors,
sounds, nature... Ambient music is specifically a soft, calming, background music meant to help
people relax- usually in a store, restaurant, or hotel lobby, for example.
 
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Byzantine- Has, basically, two meanings 1, It refers to the former Byzantine Empire,
Byzantium- once centered in Constantinople.
or
2. It is used to describe something that is excessively complicated, intricate, or
possibly filled with hidden irtrigues. In art and architecture it describes a distinct
medieval-style featuring large central domes, rounded arches, gold backgrounds
and glass mosaics. It aslso describes complex systems of bureaucratic rules that
are tangled and difficult to understand. It can also imply deviousness, underhanded
plotting and political intrigues or elaborate schemes. This last element grew
out of the Empire's complex administrative bureaucracy.
"When asked why he was home late from school, Kip gave some Byzantine explaination
involving the soccer team, his peanut butter sandwich, a drunken squirrel, and
the crazy library lady."

Axiomatic- means something that is so clearly true that it need no proof. Basically it
is a foundational statement, fact or starting point that people agree is true and can
be built upon to prove other more complex ideas or theorems.
"It is axiomatic that a journey of a hundred miles begins with a single step".

Lugubrious- (luh-GOO-bree-uhs) Means looking or sounding sad, gloomy or mournful- often in
an overly dramatic or heavy way. It comes from a Latin word meaning "to mourn".
Lugubrious might be used to describe a slow and haunting song about lost love, the
expression on a child's face when told he could not go out in the ran and play in the mud,
the drumming that accompanies a funeral march.


Polymath- A polymath is a person whos knowledge and skill span many different
subjects. A polymath might be refered to as a Renaissance person" and might excel in various fields
like science, physics, art, math and/or philosophy.
For example-
Leonardo da Vinci- painter, inventor, engineer, anatomist, architect...
Ben Franklin- Writer, scientist, statesman, diplomat, inventor...
 
Philistine- Most often lower case "p"- unless you are referring to an
ancient nation existing about the 12th centuary BCE "the Philistiines"
In modern times "philistine" is used (mostly) to describe someone who
dislikes or does not care about art, culture or thinking- someone
materialistic (interested in comfort and what money can buy) and
uncultured (not interested in arts, literature or continuing education.
"Kate was smart, liked being in school plays, reading classic books and
painting in her own, unique style- no one quite understood how she could
date such a philistine like Ralph".

Scurrilous- Is an adjective that means using harsh language, vulgarity,
or mean-spirited language intenting to hurt or ruin someone's reputation.
A scurrilous person might spread nasty rumors and false accusations,
make rude attacks, or make obscene comments or use crude humor to
mock and offend.
Toni spread scurrilous stories about Ellen, intending to get her dropped
from the team.

Larp- Originated as a word for people dressing up as fantasy characters to
participate in various roll-playing games- But time moves on and words acquire
different connotations. Now, "larp" is used to describe anyone pretending
to be an expert at something that they are not, living a lifestyle that is
a pretense, pertending to be what they are not. So, a larp or larper is
a phony, a poser, charlatan, fake, wannabe, pseud, humbug.

Antonomasia- Is a figure of speech where a descriptive title or phrase
replaces a proper name, like "The Bard" for William Shakespeare,
"The KIng" for Elvis Presley, or "A Scrooge" for a greedy person.
On the other hand, a famous proper name can be used to mean
a general sort of person, like calling a smart person an "Einstein" or
a romantic guy a"Romeo".
 
Phalanges- Are the small bones that make up your fingers and toes.
You have 56 of these little bones alltogether- 14 in each hand and 14 in each foot.
The thumb and big toe have two, the other fingers and toes have three.
As a group they are called phalanges, just one of them, alone is called a Phalanx.
Back in the time of The Greeks and Romans, a phalanx was a tight line or block of
foot soldiers, standing shoulder to shoulder with shields and long spears.
In a more general sense, a phalanx could be any close group of people working
together for the same goal. Phalanx is evolved from a Greek term meaning "log".


Catharsis- Is the process of realesing strong, hidden, pent-up feelings- bringing
an emotional release, a feeling of renewal and "cleansing". The word comes from
a Greek term meaning to purge or purify. Back in those old (Greek) times people
would attend tragic plays and it would be an emotional experience.


Catharsis is also a term used in Freudian psychology (basaically he borrowed the
term from the Greeks. The idea is that people have repressed certain memories
so that they still reside in our mind somewhere apart from conscious thought- yet
still they might cause anxieties, fears or neurotic behavior. It would be the doctor's
Job to try to bring these repressed thoughts and feelings out into consciousness
where they can be analyzed and dealt with.

Fulminate- Means to explode in anger- usually by shouting or criticizing, all in a
rage agains people, rules, ideas. It can also mean to actually explode. Dynamite is
manufactured so that it would not explode if it were lit with a match, so what is
needed is a small fulminating charge (blasting cap) that shocks the dynamite into exploding.
"Dora is much better now, but without her medication she would fulminate over
even the slightest criticism".
 
Brobdingnagian- means gigantic, colossal, immense. It comes from Swift's
Gulliver's Travels and was a fictional land of giants where the people were
about 60 feet tall. Lilliputian would be the antonym- derived from Lilliput,
an island of very small people in the same book.
Gargantuan is another word that means large, massive in size, scope or appetite
and is also derived from literature- Rabelai's 16th centuary satire, Gargantua and Pantagruel.
The new skyscraper was built to brobdingnagian proportions and cost a
gargantuan amount of money.

Flehmen response- is an instiinctive or in-born behavior where anamal curls back its
upper lip, lifts its head and breathes with its mouth open- giving it a funny "stinky-face"
look that helps the animal sense smells or pheeromones in the air. This occures
with various animals, including cats, horses and zebras, cattle, goats, sheep, rhinos and
elephants and helps the animal sense territories, identify other animals, check if
another animal is ready for mating.

 
Serendipity- Something is serendipitous if it is a "happy accicent" or
fortunate coincidence that brings a pleasant or unexpected surprise.
Horace Walpole coined the term in 1745 after a fairy tale, The Three Princes
of Serendip, whose heros always made lucky discoveries by accident.
"I just wanted the book from the yard sale, but it was serendipitous that
it had been signed by Rod Laver".

Zemblanity- Is the opposite of serendipity. It means a predictable and
unfortunate misfortune that we directly or indirectly inflict on ourselves.
examples might include- missing a flight because you didn't take into account
traffic problems, crowded parking lots and long lines- or you ignored advice (like,
"take an umbrella") and you ruined your expensive, new, shoes.
Novelist William Boyd invented the word in his 1998 book, Armadillo, from
Nova Zembla- a cold, barren, icy, Arctic archipelago.

High dudgeon- Means being very angry, upset or offended because you feel you
have been treated in an unfair way. People in high dudgeon show their
annoyance, sputter and stammer with anger and storm off in a huff.
"Gregory pounded the counter in high dudgeon when he was told the shop
would not honor his lifetime warranty."

Legerdemain- Means "slight of hand" and refers to the skillful tricks that magicians
use to perform their magic tricks. It can also be used more loosely to mean any
deception used to fool or decieve people (like politicians contort facts to decieve their
aucience).
 
Mens rea- is Latin for "guilty mind". It is a legal term used to imply the mental state
or intent of a person accused of committing a crime. Did they act with a clear
plan to cause some "bad acr", did they know their action could result in some
bad result, even if that was not their plan, did they take an unreasonable risk,
could a reasonable person have avoided this bad result?
For example- if you buy your child a gun and the child takes it to school and kills
some peole, can you, also, be charged with a crime? Much would depend on your mens rea.
Did you know that he had mental problems? Did you know he frequented websites
that dealt with mass murder? Did you know that he drew pictures of teachers
and students being killed or tortured....?

Actus rea- is the criminal act, itself, independent of one's mental state.
For example- you pick up someone's phone by mistake and take it home (actus rea)
it is not necessarily a crime, because there was no intentional wrongdoing. If you knew
it was someone else's phone and you took it anyway, then it becomes a
crime (mens rea). On the other hand, once you realize it is not yours, but you keep it
anyway, then mens rea comes in play.

Persnickety- Means being overly fussy or overly focused on small, unimportant details.
It can also be used to describe someone who is picky about food habits or how
a job should be done, as well as to describe someone who is acting stuck-up and snobbish.
Jeff was persnickity about how to load the dishwasher and would never stack cups
next to glasses.

Gumptious- Is the adjective form of "gumption" and mean to be full of energy, drive
and smart ideas- and can be used to describe somone who is a hard worker who takes initiative
and gets the job done. In the 1700s it was mainly used to mean being shrewd and
having common sense, later (1800s) if shifted to mean enterprising and having drive, by
the 1900s it was used to mean grit, spunk and courage.

Nth degree- Means to othe maximum, ultimate, to the extreme limit or
greatest possible extent. But why do we say that? Why "N" and not "Z" or "S"?
In math (algabra) using "N" to represent degree or power goes back to the early 1700s.
By the 1800s "Nth degree" began to be used (non-mathematically, much as we use it now- to the extreme or
utmost limit.

Alacrity- Means a cheerful, brisk, and having an eager willingness to do something. It come from
the Latin "alacritas", meaning liveliness or ardor. Synonyms include eagerness, zeal,
briskness, and enthusiasm.
The friendly, helpful clerk went about his duties with alacrity- if only more people were like him
at the DMV, I wouldn't mind going there as much as I dread going there now.
 
Topiary- Is the art of trimming and training trees, shrubs and bushes into various
forms- such as animal figures, geometric shapes, architectural forms...

Tipperary- Is a town in County Tipperary, Ireland- mostly known for the WWI
marching song "It's a Long Way to Tipperary".

Olio- Is a word sometimes used in crossword puzzles and it simply mean a hodgepodge,
miscellaneous mixture of unrelated thinngs or a musical medley. Olio is
derived in a round-about way from a Spanish meat and vegetable dish (olla podrida).

Oleo- Is a shortened form of "oleomargarine" a butter substitute- invented in 1869, it
was a cheap butter substitute for the military and working class. Ealy recipes used
beef fat, salt and milk. By the 1900s vegetable oils were used and food coloring added
along with vitamins to add nutritional value.

Mantic- Means relating to the facult of divination, prophetic. Oddly, or maybe no so oddly,
the praying mantis gets its name from the same Greek root- because the insect, with
its forelimbs extended, as though in prayer, reminded folks of a prophet. In ancient Greece
prophecy was considered to be a kind of inspired madness, and so is also a root of the words mania
or maniac
 
Contrite- (kuhn-TRAYT) Means feeling or showing deep sorrow and regret for doing something wrong-
and not just sorry, but wiching to make amends for that wrong.
You are right, quite right, Steve was contrite and apologized profusely for his joke- he didn't know the kitten had died".

Fastidious- Means wanting every detail of something to be exactly right. Synonyms might be fussy, finicky,
demanding, exacting, meticulous. It can als be used to imply someone is hard to please or easil
disgusted by unpleasant things.
"Zoey was fastidious about the way she arranged her stuffed animals around her room.

Lapis lazuli- is a deep blue semiprecious stone used for over 6,500 years in jewely, carvings and ultramarine paint.
Vermeer, in the 1600s used natural ultramarine pigments made from crushed lapis lazuli, imported
from Afghanistan and more expensive than gold.


Slowjamastan- is a self-proclaimed "micronation" consisting of 11 acres of desert land in Imperial County in
Southern California. It was "founded" in 2021by a radio DJ, Randy "RDub!" Williams who declared himself "Sultan".
The nation has some quirky laws like a ban on Crocks and allows people to register as citizens on line.
 
Out of left field- Means something completely unexpected, a surprising event,
happening suddenly, without warning.
This sounds like an expression that comes from baseball, but I don't see what is
so special about the left field. Some suggest that because it is so far away from
the diamond, a baseball thrown from there could be unexpected- a sort of "bolt
from the blue" so to speak. Some suggest the expression arose in Chicago where
a mental hospital sat just beyond left field at the old West Side grounds and resulted
in an association with left field and eratic behavior.

Ululate- Means to make a long, high-pitched, wailing or trilling sound with the voice,
often by involving the tongue and (or) uvula to create a kind of pulsing, rolling,
howling sound. Ululation might be heard at joyful events like weffings, or at funerals
to express mourning, sorrow and grief. Also animals like wolves, coyotes and dogs
can ululat when they howl.


Zeugma- Is a figure of speech where a single word (usually a verb) links two or more
other words- usually creating a different twist for each word. OK we need examples.
"Shelly broke his car and his heart". (physical damage for the car, enotional damage for the heart).
"I lost my reciept and my temper". (lost an item, lost self control).

Plutonian- Means relating to the Roman god Pluto- god of the underworld of death
and subterranean wealth. Plutonian can also mean (or suggest) darkness, the abode of
the dead and things infernal. In The Raven poe wrote, "Tell me what thy lordly name
is on the Night's Plutonian Shore".

Megillah- is the word for a "scroll" in Hebrew. The slang meaning for megillah is
"a lenghty explaination of a complicated situation or elaborate process with too
many details.
"So did Wheezy tell you about what happened to Bill and Susie"?
"Yea, I got the whole megillah from Wheezy, yesterday, poor Susie".

 
Gabriel García Márquez
“To him she seemed so beautiful, so seductive, so different from ordinary people,
that he could not understand why no one was as disturbed as he by the clicking
of her heels on the paving stones, why no one else's heart was wild with the breeze
stirred by the sighs of her veils, why everyone did not go mad with the movements
of her braid, the flight of her hands, the gold of her laughter. He had not missed a
single one of her gestures, not one of the indications of her character, but he did
not dare approach her for fear of destroying the spell.”

“He was still too young to know that the heart's memory eliminates the bad and
magnifies the good, and that thanks to this artifice we manage to endure the burden of the past.”

“It's enough for me to be sure that you and I exist at this moment.”

“All human beings have three lives: public, private, and secret.”

“wisdom comes to us when it can no longer do any good.”

“Wherever they might be they always remember that the past was a lie, that memory has no return,
that every spring gone by could never be recovered, and that the wildest and most tenacious love
was an ephemeral truth in the end.”
 
Pithy- Well, first what is pith? The word pith is derived from "pitha", the soft, spongy,
inner core of a plant stem- the sort of stuff (pith of the sola plant) pith helmets are made from.
Anyway since pith was a core substance, anything full of substance and meaning
came to be called "pithy". A pithy statment cuts straight to the core meaning of something-
brief, forceful, snd full of meaning or substance.
"Charles was a quiet child, but when he did speak his remarks tended to be pithy and clever."

Phony Negroni- Is a non-alcohol (mocktail) version of a "negroni". I only include this
because I like the sound of it. It is something you can buy in a bottle, or there are various diy
recipes.

Evanescent- Means lasting for only a short time before vanishing or disappearing like vapor,
or fade like a memory- fleeting, ephemeral, transcient, brief,
"The evanescent beauty of the sunset left everyone a little sad."

Anhedonia- Is the inability to feel pleasure or joy. It can be a physical thing like not enjoying foods,
music or physical contact- or it could be having no interest in social activities or meeting people-
and may include feeling "numb to the world" or a lack of motivation to do anything at all.
I seem to remember Woody Allen saying that he considered naming Annie Hall, Ann Hedonia.

Phosphenes- are basically floating spots, flashes or patterns of light that we can "see" when
our eyes are closed or we are in darkness. Causes might include pressing on your eyelids,
a sudden sneeze, standing up too fast

 
Inexorable- Means impossible to stop, prevent or persuade.

Despite Xena's tears, her mother remained inexorable, forbiding her from going to the carnival.

Professor Zoloff was already in his 80s when he began work on a treatment that
he hoped would halt the inexorable progress of aging.

Perseveration or perseverance-
Perseverance means working hard and steadily toward toward a clear, productive goal.
It was through pure determination and perseverance that Jerry was able to become a tennis professional.

Perseveration means repeating the same thing over and over or being stuck on one thing, a behavior
or idea from which it is difficult to transition. A person who perseverates may repeat the same word
or phrase over and over, may perform the same action, like flipping a switch on and off, drawing the same sketch
over and over, or fixated on a single idea or schedule from which they will not deviate.
Perseveration can be the result of autism, brain injury, dementia, ADHD- (mental problems).


Cavalier- As a noun means a horseman, knight or courteous gentleman.
As an adjective, cavalier means haughty, dismissive, offhand, supercicilious, disdainful attitude toward
rules, serious issues issues, people and important matters.
This is a very serious issue, Clarles, I don't understand hou you can take such a calalier attitude
toward picking a burial plot, and don't say you just want to be fed to the bears.
 
Spill the tea- in an informal, slangy way of asking someone to share some juicy gossip
or private information. The phrase comes from the 1980 and 90s when the "T" stood
for "truth".
"Come on, Edna, spill the tea, how was your first date last night?"

Anathema- Is something or someoone that you strongly dislike, detest, or regard as an
abomination or curse.
"Ever since he inherited a smal fortune, work has become anethema to him."

Waffle- Is often used to mean to waver, be indecisive, to frequently change one's mind or opinion.
So, what does that have to do with that breakfast thing with a grid pattern that we
cook on the stove or toss in a toaster? Basically nothing- the waffle that we eat and the
waffle that means to be indecisive come from two different roots.
The thing we eat comes from a Dutch word for "honeycomb". The flip-flopping definition
comes from an old Scots word that describes a yelping dog.

Lassitude- Means a physical or mental weariness, fatigue, exhaustion or lack of enthusiasm and energy.
"After a solid week of intense studdying, a lassitude overcame john and he fell into
a deep, dreamless sleep."
 
Versimilitude- is the quality of seeming real, believable, and true- even in works of fiction-
and is usually achieved by using accurate setting, natural dialogue and realistic details.
Kim was a fan of surrealist writers, but sometimes, for a change, read writers that
were able to describe the world with a sort of versimilitude that made her think, "Yea,
that's the way the world really works".

Mononymous- Means going by, or known by just one name- rather than a first name
and a surmame- like Cher, Madona, Prince, Homer or Plato...

Urinator- Well, yes, it does mean a person who urinates, but in times past it meant an
underwater diver- especially someone who dove for pearls or sunken treasures.
This definition was an "answer" on Jeopardy a few days ago, so it must be right.

Eugenics- (Good breeding) is a word coined by Frances Galton who believed that the human population
could be "improved" through "selective breeding", segregation and forced sterization
of "inferior" humans. Various governments, including U S States (like California) began
implementing Galton's ideas, imposing marriage restrictions and sterialization of
individuals with mental disabilities (Germany took things a bit further).
 
Last edited:
Bagumbawalla said:
Versimilitude- is the quality of seeming real, believable, and true- even in works of fiction-
and is usually achieved by using accurate setting, natural dialogue and realistic details.
Kim was a fan of surrealist writers, but sometimes, for a change, read writers that
were able to describe the world with a sort of versimilitude that made her think, "Yea,
that's the way the world really works".

Mononymous- Means going by, or known by just one name- rather than a first name
and a surmame- like Cher, Madona, Prince, Homer or Plato...

Urinator- Well, yes, it does mean a person who urinates, but in times past it meant an
underwater diver- especially someone who dove for pearls or sunken treasures.
This definition was an "answer" on Jeopardy a few days ago, so it must be right.

Eugenics- (Good breeding) is a word coined by Frances Galton who believed that the human population
could be "improved" through "selective breeding", segregation and forced sterization
of "inferior" humans. Various governments, including U S States (like California) began
implementing Galton's ideas, imposing marriage restrictions and serialization of
individuals with mental disabilities (Germany took things a bit further).
Click to expand...
You have misspelled a key word in the last sentence. The disgust I had seeing w"Judgement at Nuremberg" as a very young teen is still palpable 60 years later
 
Laissez-faire- Is a French term that means something like "let it be" and describes a
hands-off, minimal interference approach toward the affairs of others.
In economics it refers to a free market system where the government does not interfere,
regulate or over-tax. Proponents, like AdamSmith (1700s) believed individual self-interest
and competition would create the most efficient economy.
The same concepts can be applied to various other aspects of life (parenting, for example).


Dowager- in older writings and novels we may happen on a dowager. Basically, that would
be a widow who keeps a title, property, or money (known as "dower") from her dead husband.
In more recent writings, the term may be used more loosely to refer to any wealthy, dignified,
well-behaved elderly woman.

Vernorexia- (vur-nuh-REK-see-uh) Comes from the Latin word vernalis which meant having to do with spring.
And, so, vernorexia means that romantic mood or deep desire inspired by the arrival of springtime.
I will most likely never use this word, but if you are ever a contestant on Jeopardy, well good luck.

Homunculus-Basically means "little man" and is used to describe a miniature or humanoid being.
Historically (in the 1600s) "scientists" believed fully formed human figures lived in sperm and egg cells
and then just grew bigger during pregnancy. In alchemy a homunculus might be an artificial creature
created with various chemicals and materials. In fantasy and fiction a homunculus might be a small magical
creature created as a servant to a wizard. Nowdays it is often used in a joking or teasing way to refer to
someone small in stature.

Pettifogger- A pettifogger can be a dishonest, low-quality, unscrupulous lawyer (or scheeming underhanded trickster)
or someone who argues about small, unimportant, (petty) quibbling details. Used car salespeople are often considered
pettifoggers who will use underhanded methods and quibbling distinctions to sell you lemons and keep your cash.
 
Bagumbawalla said:
Laissez-faire- Is a French term that means something like "let it be" and describes a
hands-off, minimal interference approach toward the affairs of others.
In economics it refers to a free market system where the government does not interfere,
regulate or over-tax. Proponents, like AdamSmith (1700s) believed individual self-interest
and competition would create the most efficient economy.
The same concepts can be applied to various other aspects of life (parenting, for example).


Dowager- in older writings and novels we may happen on a dowager. Basically, that would
be a widow who keeps a title, property, or money (known as "dower") from her dead husband.
In more recent writings, the term may be used more loosely to refer to any wealthy, dignified,
well-behaved elderly woman.

Vernorexia- (vur-nuh-REK-see-uh) Comes from the Latin word vernalis which meant having to do with spring.
And, so, vernorexia means that romantic mood or deep desire inspired by the arrival of springtime.
I will most likely never use this word, but if you are ever a contestant on Jeopardy, well good luck.

Homunculus-Basically means "little man" and is used to describe a miniature or humanoid being.
Historically (in the 1600s) "scientists" believed fully formed human figures lived in sperm and egg cells
and then just grew bigger during pregnancy. In alchemy a homunculus might be an artificial creature
created with various chemicals and materials. In fantasy and fiction a homunculus might be a small magical
creature created as a servant to a wizard. Nowdays it is often used in a joking or teasing way to refer to
someone small in stature.

Pettifogger- A pettifogger can be a dishonest, low-quality, unscrupulous lawyer (or scheeming underhanded trickster)
or someone who argues about small, unimportant, (petty) quibbling details. Used car salespeople are often considered
pettifoggers who will use underhanded methods and quibbling distinctions to sell you lemons and keep your cash.
Click to expand...
I was pettifogged once at a car dealership. The unscrupulous salesman took my keys to the car I drove and threw them on the roof of his showroom.
 
Dissolute- Means lacking moral restraint, virtue and proper behavior- showing a careless
disregard for rules and conventions- recklessly giving in to sensual pleasures, drinking and vice.
Similar words- immoral, dissipated, licentious, profligate.
"He wasted his youth living a dissolute life of too many excesses".

Inimical- Means harmful, hostile, adverse or tending to obstruct something.
Usually followed by "to", inimical is used something like, "Gary was inimical to Wanda's plan
to settle down in the countryside and raise children and horses".

Sundry- Is an adjective that means various, several, a diverse or miscellaneous assortment.
"For the short trip Cromwell packed a toothbrush, a change of clothes and a few sundry items".
Not used as commonly, now, people used to say they were going to the store to buy sundries.

Albedo- Is a meaasure of how well a surface reflects light- on a scale of 0 to 1.
Fresh snow, for example, has a fairly high albedo of about 0.8, and in astronomy celestial bodies,
like planets and meteors might be classified by their size, distance, pathway, atmosphere and albedo.
This word was an "answer" on Jeopardy.
 
Do it yourself vocabulary quiz
match number of word to letter of meaning

1. Planchette................................ a. A magic potion to induce falliing in love.

2. Golom....................................... b. A hair-styling substance to create a slicked-back retro look.

3. Gnomen.................................... c. An upright pole or post often with a rope or belt used to guide crowds.

4. Philter....................................... d. A small heart-shaped plank that moves on a Ouija board.

5. Saluki........................................ e. A mythical humanoid creature made from mud to serve a human master.

6. Pomade..................................... f. To raise trivial objections over petty details.

7. Nacre......................................... g. A breed of dog known for speed and endurance.

8. Stancheon................................. h. Upright part of a sundial that casts the shadoe.

9. Nexus......................................... i. A connecting point where ideas, things, points, come together.

10. Cavil.......................................... j. The iridescent (mother-of-pearl) inner surface of a mollusk shell.

Answers: 1=d, 2=e, 3=h, 4=a, 5=g, 6=b, 7=j, 8=c, 9=i, 10=f
 
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