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Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Makebate

Makebate (MEYK-beyt) is a person who causes contention or discord.

"Are you a makebate? Because some people are just who they are - makebates, prone to get involved in any heated argument, in dispute, in a strife, in a quarrel. Is it because they are argumentative, egoistic or just defending their values and principles?  I can't say but I am sure that makebates can't handle discussions or criticisms really well".

Tuesday, 25 June 2013

Terpsichorean

Terpsichorean (turp-si-kuh-REE-uhn) pertains to dancing or a dancer

The word terpsichorean comes from the name of the Greek muse of dancing, Terpischore. The word is a combination of the Greek terpein, "to delight", and khoros, "chorus".

"The members of the Sining Kambayoka are agile, flexible, and creative. They're terpsichorean"!

Monday, 24 June 2013

Asyndeton

Asyndeton (uh-SIN-di-ton) is 

  • the omission of conjunctions, as in "He has provided the poor with jobs, with opportunity, with respect."
  • the omission of cross references, especially from a catalog

Asyndeton comes from the Greek roots a + syndetos literally meaning "not bound together".


Sunday, 23 June 2013

Gorgonize

Gorgonize (GAWR-guh-nayhz) means to affect as a Gorgon; hypnotize; petrify

Gorgons were ancient Greek mythological figures. They were three sister monsters commonly represented as having snakes for hair, wings, and brazen claws. Their eyes turned anyone looking into them to stone. Thus, to gorgonize someone is to turn them into stone.

"If King Midas turns everything he touches into gold, Gorgons turn everyone who stares at them stone. And since to gorgonize means to hypnotize, I guess not one eye can escape from the Gorgons." 

Saturday, 22 June 2013

Fen

Fen is a low land covered wholly or partially with water; boggy land; a marsh

"The word fen is a very usual word in scrabble and admittedly many players put this word on the board without even knowing what it is. Well, do you?"


Friday, 21 June 2013

Poniard

Poniard (PON-yerd) is a small, slender dagger; to stab with a poniard.

Poniard comes from the Latin word, pungus, meaning "fist". The Old French word poignal literally refers to something held by the fist.

"I could have reached for my poniard which my father had gifted me on my birthday and stabbed the assailant before he could attack me but I just couldn't grabbed it out from my boots.  I struggled only to wake up and found out I was all alone in my room."

Thursday, 20 June 2013

Satrap

Satrap (SEY-trap) is

  • a subordinate ruler, often a despotic one
  • a governor of a province under the ancient Persian monarchy.
Satrap originated in the Old Persian from the literary prefix kshathrapavan, meaning "guardian of the realm".

"Datu Soliman governed the acres of land 500 miles from here for his brother, who had been ill for quite a long time. And since he is the satrap of that land he has to know everything about it including the neighboring lands."

Wednesday, 19 June 2013

Boustrophedon

Boustrophedon (boo-struh-FEED-n) 

  • is an ancient method of writing in which the lines run alternately from right to left and from left to right.

Boustrophedon describes a snake-like motion in which a line of text doubles back on itself as it descends a page.

"I never heard of boustrophedon until now. I know how Chinese writes. I know how Arabs write. And of course, I know how the usual people right - from right to left and back to right to left. So I am wondering which ancient group of people used this method of writing."





Monday, 17 June 2013

Whinge

Whinge means to complain or to whine.

"Wanting to have children of your own is a choice, and for me, not a wise decision. And yet people who have children whinge about their children's behavior, demands, school performance, etc. I can't understand. They wanted children and now that they have them they complain about many things about them."

Sunday, 16 June 2013

Velleity

Velleity (vuh-LEE-i-tee) is

  • volition in its weakest form
  • a mere wish, unaccompanied by an effort to obtain it
The word velleity stems from the Latin word "velle" meaning "to be willing".

"I've had heard people with so many wishes, things that they would like to happen and have in their lives yet I have never seen them exert an effort to have these wishes come true. Do they just pray over these wishes and hope they come true? Velleity is like a prayer to me. It doesn't do anything".

Friday, 14 June 2013

Primaveral

Primaveral (prahy-muh-VEER-uhl) pertains to the early springtime.

The word primaveral hails from the Latin word prima vera, which literally means springtime. And this word shares with an Italian noodle dish, pasta primavera, pasta served with fresh vegetables.

"Okay so, the girls have primaveral excitement to visit The Valley of Flowers in April and take note the different varieties they expect to find and see but unfortunately the road up there doesn't open until June. Too bad huh!".

Thursday, 13 June 2013

Feuilleton

Feuilleton (FOI-i-tn) is 
  • a part of a European newspaper devoted to light literature, fiction or criticism. 
  • It also refers to an item printed in the feuilleton.
"I assume that anyone who knows what feuilleton means also knows which page of a European newspaper it is found and what items are written there."


Wednesday, 12 June 2013

Sward

Sward (swawrd), both noun and verb, is the grassy surface of land; turf

  • the outer layer of the earth where grass grows
The front lawn of our house in Philippines is sward with carabao grass. It's easy to grow, thick yet soft to stand on or sit upon.

Ouphe

Ouphe (Auf) is an elf, a goblin or a fairy. 

The Lord of the Ring has many ouphes, huh! Legolas looks attractive in his long white hair.


Tuesday, 11 June 2013

Spelunk

Spelunk (spi-LUHNGK) is to explore caves, especially as a hobby.

The word spelunk comes from the Latin word spelunca meaning "cave" or "cavern".

"Do you know anyone who spelunk?"

Codger

Codger (KOJ-er) is an eccentric man, especially an old one.

Codger is likely related to the word cadge meaning "to beg".

"While waiting for the officers' wives I got the opportunity to look around their area of residence and found one codger, sitting on the porch of one of the flats, alone and sad. He must be a relative!"

Monday, 10 June 2013

Marmoreal

Marmoreal is an adjective which means of or like marble.

Marmoreal comes from the Latin word marmoreus meaning "of marble".



Sunday, 9 June 2013

Trousseau

Trousseau is an outfit of clothing, household linen, etc. for a bride.

The word comes from the Old French trousse meaning "bundle", which was used to describe a bundle of keys in 1200. Only in 1800's that it became to mean the clothes and linen of a bride.

So when a woman is about to marry, her relatives and friends have to present her a varied trousseau to choose from for her wedding? Is that it?

Saturday, 8 June 2013

Scherzando

Scherzando (skert-SAHN-doh) means playful or sportive.

It comes from the Italian word scherzare meaning "to joke".

Friday, 7 June 2013

Trachle

Trachle (TRAH-khuh) means

  • an exhausted effort, especially walking or working
  • an exhausted or bedraggled person
  • to fatigue; tire; wear out
  • to bedraggle
The word's origin is unknown but it could be related to the Welsh Flemish "tragelen" meaning "to walk heavily".

After a day's trachle and a 30-minute work out at the gym I feel like I am heading towards the bed right away.

Thursday, 6 June 2013

Hadal

Hadal ( HEYD-l ) pertains to 

  • the greatest ocean depths, below approximately 20,000 feet.
  • the bio-geographic region of the ocean bottom below the abyssal zone.
The word comes from the name Hades, the Greek god of the underworld.

So in the movie, The Abyss, Sam Harris has reached the "hadal" level of the ocean. Fantastic scene, indeed! But has he met Hades down there? Nah, I don't think so but he has certainly met something "not-like-us" down there. I like that movie, one of my faves!

Wednesday, 5 June 2013

Baccate

Baccate (BAK-eyt) means berrylike, bearing berries.

Baccate is derived from the Latin word bacca meaning "berry".




Fabulist

Fabulist (FAB-yuh-list) is a liar, a person who invents or relates fables.

The word fabulist is derived from the Middle French word, fabuliste which referred to someone who told fables.

"Nothing is off limits to this free-range fabulist. He can fold a dusty Persian carpet into the contours of the world itself and wring delight from every lustrous thread". (Clive Barker, The Essential Clive Barker)...source dictionary.com


But a person who likes or even loves to tell fables to kids may not be a liar in real. I believe so. Do you?

Tuesday, 4 June 2013

Eidolon

Eidolon (ahy-DOH-luhn) is a phantom; apparition; an ideal.

The word comes from the more common word, idol, which originally referred to pagan religious idols.

"It was the ghoulish shade of decay, antiquity, and desolation; the putrid, dripping eidolon of unwholesome revelation, the awful baring of that which the merciful earth should always hide." (H.P. Lovecraft, The Outsider)


Monday, 3 June 2013

Bibelot

Bibelot (BIB-loh) is a small object of curiosity, beauty, or rarity.

It comes from the Old French word beubelet meaning "trinket or jewel".

Saturday, 1 June 2013

Fracas

Fracas (FREY-kuhs) is a noisy, disorderly disturbance or fight; riotous brawl; uproar.

It comes from the Italian word fracasso meaning "to beat".

Sentence example: 

  • Three men were not there during the fracas so they intend to know what has started it.
  • I can never stand a fracas at home, in neighbors or anywhere with anyone. Sometimes it's best to keep quiet and just let go of things that you knew would never make a difference even with your interference.