There’s such a thing as too much

There’s such a thing as too much.

That’s right, too much of a good thing is often too much.

Torico Ice Cream double scoopIf you love ice cream, eating a cone every so often is a savory treat that coats your tongue with exploding flavors as its cooling succulence slips down your throat. Even eating it once a day, in small portions, is manageable. Force fed it continuously, hour after hour, every day, well I know that I will soon hate the stuff.

That’s how I feel about some bloggers I follow. Many I eagerly look forward to, soaking in their insights on the world around them. I enjoy reading about their inner struggles and their ways in coping with life.

What I don’t like are posts done six to ten times a day, touting this or that, or promoting their wares. I want to support them. I really do. However, I am finding that I simply delete the unread post from my inbox. I am treating the posts as junk mail. Yes, I know it’s not fair. However, is it fair to be inundated with a dozen posts or more every day? Nope. Perhaps you feel the same way?

Just over a year ago, I was working with a publicist that wanted me to post something of 300 to 600 words at least daily, more if I could manage it. The idea was that the more I post, the more people would find me, and follow. At the time, I knew nothing. I trusted what I thought of as an expert. So, I tried. Six months later, we parted ways, but I still decided to follow the recommendations.

What did it get me? I started hating the idea of posting an article, especially daily articles. It took a lot of time away from my novels, stories, and painting. I also started to feel like it was too much ice cream.Fallen ice cream cone

Fortunately, I suffered a severe concussion last summer that I am still dealing with the aftereffects today. What it did for me in posting articles was first, a well-needed break. Then, I had a whole new topic to write about and share.

In the writings, I knew that I had to give you, my readers, something they wished to read. I did not want to fill them with fluff about marketing my books. I wanted to give you want you liked. I also had trouble with cognitive and creative thought, so I landed upon the idea of posting the ‘Word of the Day.’ Using M-W, I used them to add my personal two cents to their daily word.

Easy I thought. The trouble was, I was really getting into researching the word, finding images to support the word and then adding my two cents. Towards the end of last year, I was spending upwards of two hours a day, fascinated by the word, and digging deeper into it. As the holidays rolled around, I found that I was, once again, getting tired of the daily grind of blogging.

The Trafficking ConsortiumAs you may have noticed, I have since cut down my posts to once or twice a week. I can manage that, I think. Since my cognitive and creative streams of thought are slowly returning, I am writing once again, focusing on the final tweaks to my new book, ‘The Trafficking Consortium.’ I’m even thinking about a sequel to the story, but that’s down the road.

Limiting my posts gives me the time to work on why you follow me. Many of you are looking forward to my next release, and have written me asking when, et.all. How cool is that? Anyway, with summer approaching, I must decide between blogging and writing. I think writing is going to win every time.

Word of the Day: qui vive

Word of the Day: qui vive

Collie on alert
Source: corydoncollies.co.uk/qui_vive.html

qui vive (noun) kee-VEEV

Definition

: alert, lookout — used in the phrase on the qui vive

Examples

“All right. Lieutenant Howard, go see how the artillery wagons are managing, and on the way tell Major Mason that I need him again. Stay on the qui vive; you may find evidence of liquor.” — William T. Vollmann, The Dying Grass: A Novel of the Nez Perce War, 2015

“Pasadena Heritage staged its Colorado Street Bridge Party July 16, and Police Chief Phillip Sanchez was clearly on the qui vive at the entrance to the bridge.” — Patt Diroll, The Pasadena Star News, 24 July 2016

Did You Know?

When a sentinel guarding a French castle in days of yore cried, “Qui vive?,” your life depended upon your answer. The question the sentinel was asking was “Long live who?” The correct answer was usually something like “Long live the king!” Visitors not answering the question this way were regarded as suspect, and so to be “on the qui vive” meant to be on the alert or lookout, and qui vive came to mean “alert” or “lookout” soon afterward. Nowadays, the term is most often used in the phrase “on the qui vive,” meaning “on the lookout.”

My Take

Alright. Today’s word I want to say is stupid. It’s not, of course, but I’d like to think it. I know I will never use it. Yet, it does have a place in history. If I ever write a historical novel, then perhaps, I will use it.

From the examples, you will note contemporary uses of the word, and yet, I can’t seem to bring it about to use it. If I want to use a term to mean alert or lookout, I’ll use the words. Perhaps it is used in other parts of the world with more frequency. That’s okay too.

Adèle Exarchopoulos
Source: adele-exacharchopoulos-source.e-monsite.com

Thinking about the term, I came up with some scenarios that would be an appropriate usage of the term. For example, a city deploys additional security due to a terrorist alert, such as what recently occurred in Los Angeles California at the Universal Studios subway station. An event that is, unfortunately, all too common these days. I was also reminded of a woman on alert walking down a dark street or riding a crowded subway car. If the main character, Avril, in my new book were a bit more alert, perhaps she would have escaped her introduction to the despicable world of human trafficking. Be sure to look for this exciting new erotic thriller due out very soon.

In researching the word, I did find a field hockey club using the word as their team name. I also found a movie entitled ‘Qui Vive.’ I never heard of it of course, but what do I know. I found several pieces of artwork using the title, one of which I have included in this post as my twitter bonus picture. Finally, I did find a picture of a border collie. From its pose, it reminded me of my own collies our family bred growing up. When they alerted to something of interest, you knew the dog was on the qui vive.

Today’s bonus picture, available if you tweet from my page on Twitter is an image pertinent to the theme of the day. I hope you like it.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: bamboozle

Word of the Day: bamboozle

Bamboozle
Source: imagict.com

Bamboozle (verb) bam-BOO-zul

Definition

1 : to deceive by underhanded methods : dupe, hoodwink

2 : to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely

Examples

“Some consumers are so bamboozled by slick sales talk that they pay extra for amazingly bad deals. Just one example, a $49.99, four-year service plan on a DVD player that sells for $39.99.” — Mike McClintock, The Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2009

“We agree with those who filed the suits challenging the wording of the ballot question. We believe it is deceitful—and deliberately so, designed to bamboozle voters into thinking they are voting on a minor issue that simply codifies existing law instead of adding five years to a judge’s term.” — The Philadelphia Daily News, 10 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

In 1710, Irish author Jonathan Swift wrote an article on “the continual Corruption of our English Tongue” in which he complained of “the Choice of certain Words invented by some pretty Fellows.” Among the inventions Swift disliked were bamboozle, bubble(a dupe), put (a fool), and sham. (Perhaps he objected to the use of sham as a verb; he himself had used the adjective meaning “false” a couple of years previously.) What all these words appear to have in common is a connection to the underworld as jargon of criminals. Other than that, the origin of bamboozle remains a mystery, but the over-300-year-old word has clearly defied Swift’s assertion that “All new affected Modes of Speech . . . are the first perishing Parts in any Language.”

My Take

Well, there are no shortages of images to go with today’s word. So, I picked a few that I thought were appropriate and I hope you do too.

Bamboozled cat
Source: wordnik.com/words/bamboozle

To me, though I don’t use the bamboozle too much, the meaning is obvious. Is it with you?

To deceive, dupe, hoodwink, confuse, frustrate or throw off completely. I probably could think of another pocketful of synonyms for the term, but I believe you get the message.

The image I found most enjoyable was the wall appliqué of a tree scene with dozens of birds sitting on the branches. Nice, but it was the dog staring at the wall, bamboozled by the birds beyond its reach. I can imagine how many hours the dog spent trying to catch one. I must be honest, when I first saw this image, I thought it was a cat, which works even better.

Government bamboozling
Source: trinbagoviews.com

Another image I found most enjoyable was the cartoon of the honest government worker. In my opinion, it doesn’t matter what country you call home, the sentiment fits. Ain’t it a shame?

Today’s bonus picture, available if you tweet from my page on Twitter is an image pertinent to the theme of the day. I hope you like it.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: salient

Word of the Day: salient

Salient Features
Source: huemarcom.com

Salient (adjective) SAIL-yunt

Definition

1 : moving by leaps or springs : jumping

2 : jetting upward

3 : standing out conspicuously : prominent; especially : of notable significance

Examples

The speech was filled with so much twisted rhetoric that it was hard to identify any salient points.

“Among the projects: … an $18 million makeover of Freedom Hall, substantial new meeting and storage space, a new ballroom and a new $70 million exhibit hall…. Those were the salient recommendations of a new master plan for the Kentucky Exposition Center….” — Sheldon Shafer, The Courier-Journal (Louisville, KY), 28 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

Salient first popped up in English in the 16th century as a term of heraldry meaning “rampant but leaning forward as if leaping.” By the mid-17th century, it had leaped into more general use in the senses of “moving by leaps or springs” or “spouting forth.” Those senses aren’t too much of a jump from the word’s parent, the Latin verb salire, which means “to leap.” Salire also occurs in the etymologies of some other English words, including somersault and sally, as well as Salientia, the name for an order of amphibians that includes frogs, toads, and other notable jumpers. Today, salient is usually used to describe things that are physically prominent (such as a salient nose) or that stand out figuratively (such as the salient features of a painting or the salient points in an argument).

My Take

Salient outside battle
Source: http://taralen.deviantart.com/

When I’m wrong, I’m wrong. I admit it. I am wrong. I thought I knew the meaning to today’s word. I’ve known the term for many years, but I guess I never understood it. I must have heard it used in conversation somewhere and distorted its meaning in my head.

So, to fix my brain, I need to use it frequently, in the correct context. Let’s begin.

In sports, be it American Football, Futbol (or Soccer as it is known in the U.S.), Rugby, Field Hockey, Water Polo–you get the idea, the team moving the ball, down the field for a score is the salient team. In checkers, the act of jumping or leaping over your opponent’s checker is performing the salient move, removing a piece in the process. A monochrome holiday decoration that has a single brightly colored ornament contrasting the rest is a salient adornment. The person standing out in the crowd is salient.

Am I getting it right? Basically, as I understand the word, it’s akin to a brain teaser “What is different from all the rest?” or “Who or what is advancing better than another?”

I believe in uniqueness, conspicuousness, prominence, and difference. I write stories different from all the rest. Most of them are dark revelations of the human condition. They are meant to make one think, to question. “Could this really happen to the human race?” and “Could this happen to me?” and “OMG, this could happen to my child or me?”

Yes, I tend to write what many call ‘Dark Erotica.’ I don’t see my Mona Bendarova books that way but for certain, ‘Her Client’ and ‘The Breakup’ are.

Trafficking In Women
Source: epthinktank.eu

My new one, coming out in the next few weeks is also in that category. The title is tentatively called ‘Trafficking Consortium’ though that is likely to change in the next couple of weeks when the book goes to publication. The premise being that just by going to your doctor for an annual physical, brings you to the attention of an international human trafficking ring and puts into motion a plan to sell you into human slavery. Sure, there are many stories, real and fiction, over the centuries of stealing people and selling them into bondage. Mine is a new take, and if you like reading these kinds of stories, I believe you will enjoy this one.

Barbie with human proportions
Source: slideshare.net/artista33

As usual, I found many images related to today’s term. Products and companies love the concept of trying to stand out from the crowd. Why not? I try to get my books to stand out among the plethora of books out there. Frequent followers of the Word of the Day will know that I look for unique images. Today, I found artwork and a digital representation of what needs to change to make the Barbie doll, ™Mattel, more realistic and proportional to a real human being.

Today’s bonus picture, available if you tweet from my page on Twitter is an image pertinent to the theme of the day. I hope you like it.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day and a better tomorrow.

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Word of the Day: ziggurat

Word of the Day: ziggurat

The Great Ziggurat of Ur
Source: ancient-origins.net

Ziggurat (noun) ZIG-uh-rat

Definition

: an ancient Mesopotamian temple tower consisting of a lofty pyramidal structure built in successive stages with outside staircases and a shrine at the top; also : a structure or object of similar form

Examples

“The building itself is certainly distinctive: The bronze-meshed ziggurat moves upwards toward the sky and into the light.” — Lisa Benton-Short, GWToday (gwtoday.gwu.edu, George Washington University), 10 Oct. 2016

“The opulence remains in Barbara de Limburg’s expansive sets, but the dramatic point is the contrast of the family’s poverty with the consumerist rapacity suggested by the Witch’s lair—not the usual gumdrop-bedecked gingerbread house but a towering ziggurat of brightly packaged junk food….” — Gavin Borchart, The Seattle Weekly, 19 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

French professor of archaeology François Lenormant spent a great deal of time poring over ancient Assyrian texts. In those cuneiform inscriptions, he recognized a new language, now known as Akkadian, which proved valuable to the understanding of ancient Mesopotamian civilization. Through his studies, he became familiar with the Akkadian word for the towering Mesopotamian temples: ziqqurratu. In 1877 he came out with Chaldean Magic, a scholarly exposition on the mythology of the Chaldeans, an ancient people who lived in what is now Iraq. In his work, which was immediately translated into English, he introduced the word ziggurat to the modern world in his description of the ziggurat of the Iraqi palace of Khorsabad.

My Take

LEGO SUMERIAN ZIGGURAT
Source: playwelltek.wordpress.com

Today’s word is a new one for me. Ziggurat. It is a building of ancient design, with level stacked upon level and stairs on the outside leading up to the top.

There were no shortages of images of various ziggurats. I chose two that I found interesting. The one built of Legos, well that’s just cool.

What I found interesting was the building style is found all around the world, built by cultures that never intersected with each other. How is that possible?

If you believe what I believe and have believed since I was a youngling, then there had to be an external influence that interacted with the various groups of humans. Where we visited or even seeded on this planet by extraterrestrials? I believe it. The universe is too grand to think that we humans are alone in the universe.

If you share this post from my site on Twitter, you will receive a sexy bonus picture related to today’s word.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: muckrake

Word of the Day: muckrake

26th U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt
Source: history.com

Muckrake (verb) MUCK-rayk

Definition

: to search out and publicly expose real or apparent misconduct of a prominent individual or business

Examples

Arn is an aggressive reporter, never afraid to ask difficult questions, hound evasive sources, or muckrake when things appear suspect.

“From his groundbreaking days of editing the iconic liberal magazines Ramparts and Scanlan’s Monthly in the 1960s and ’70s to his reliably irreverent columns for newspapers …, Mr. [Warren] Hinckle delighted in tweaking anyone in charge of anything and muckraking for what he fiercely saw as the common good.” — Kevin Fagan, The San Francisco Chronicle, 26 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

The noun muckrake (literally, a rake for muck, i.e., manure) rose out of the dung heap and into the realm of literary metaphor in 1684. That’s when John Bunyan used it in Pilgrim’s Progress to represent man’s preoccupation with earthly things. “The Man with the Muckrake,” he wrote, “could look no way but downward.” In a 1906 speech, President Teddy Roosevelt recalled Bunyan’s words while railing against journalists he thought focused too much on exposing corruption in business and government. Roosevelt called them “the men with the muck-rakes” and implied that they needed to learn “when to stop raking the muck, and to look upward.” Investigative reporters weren’t insulted; they adopted the term muckraker as a badge of honor. And soon English speakers were using the verb muckrake for the practice of exposing misconduct.

Muckrackers
Source: unknown

My Take

Muckrake is a term that I rarely use but understand its meaning. At least I thought I did…till now. I learned that it is an actual tool or the act of raking up muck. Done that often enough and it makes sense. Growing up in the part of the country I did, I came to know it as a derogatory slang term for someone who digs up dirt on other people, just to be mean and hurt them. That’s not quite accurate.

What I didn’t know, was that, in a way, I was right. U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt coined the term during the turn of the twentieth century. Fair enough. What I didn’t know was that he used it for political gains, to target his opponents by encouraging everyone to be a muckraker, on the premise that if his opponents short-givings were exposed, it would help advance his political career. Well, I can’t blame him for that.

Muckraking standards of journalism
Source: weebly.com/standards-of-journalism

However, I wonder what our country would be like if we left well enough alone. Up until after the Kennedy era, journalists respected the privacy of sitting officials, allowing them to have their flings, affairs and such, without shouting from the mountain tops their private affairs. Granted, if it involved their public life, then by all means, it was fair game. Private lives remained…private.

In today’s world, the private lives of anyone are fair game to be broadcast around the world, via social media, actual journalism or the pretend journalist outlets, such as the nightly news et.all. If you want to hide something, of if you have a skeleton in your closet, sooner or later, it’s going to come out.

To me, the only way that it won’t matter is if you already lead a life where you, one, don’t care who finds out your inner most secrets, and two, lead a life of an open book. There once was a time where I cared whether someone figured out my inner most secrets. Not anymore. Because one, I don’t care whether you like it or not, and two, ask me anything. I’ll tell you the truth. Just don’t ask me anything you really don’t want the answer. I will tell you and then refer you to number one.

If you share this post from my site on Twitter, you will receive a sexy bonus picture related to today’s word.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: vulpine

Word of the Day: vulpine

Fox in winterVulpine (adjective) VUL-pine

Definition

1 : of, relating to, or resembling a fox

2 : foxy, crafty

Examples

“There is something Gatsby-esque about the whole story. [Bernie] Madoff is a clear proxy for Meyer Wolfsheim, the vulpine, self-satisfied criminal seducer.” — Daniel Gross, Newsweek, 12 Jan. 2009

“Flashing a vulpine grin, he’s not a typical hunk—but like Casanova, a maestro of stylish manners and clever entrapment, an incorrigible cad proud of his powers of improvisational manipulation.” — Misha Berson, The Seattle Times, 30 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

In Walden (1854), Henry David Thoreau described foxes crying out “raggedly and demoniacally” as they hunted through the winter forest, and he wrote, “Sometimes one came near to my window, attracted by my light, barked a vulpine curse at me, and then retreated.” Thoreau’s was far from the first use of vulpine; English writers have been applying that adjective to the foxlike or crafty since at least the 15th century, and the Latin parent of our term, vulpinus (from the noun vulpes, meaning “fox”), was around long before that.

Diane Vulpine reclining
Source: flickr.com/photos/anelyu/
photograph by Andrea Vittori

My Take

I never knew that there was a word related to Fox. Vulpine resembles a fox or is someone or something that is foxy or crafty. I never knew. So, I did some digging on the term ‘Vulpine’ and found many relates.

There are no shortages of items, products, media outlets, people or things that use the word ‘Vulpine’ or it’s related word, ‘Fox’. Trimming the gauntlet of images, I picked a few that I hope you’ll like or just brings back memories.

20th Century Fox LogoFor me, it started with 20th Century Fox, a movie studio, now known as Fox Entertainment Group. Over the years, I’ve watched many a film that they produced. Then, of course, there are the FOX companies owned by Rubert Murdock that include CNN and Fox News. Crafty, eh?

 

Vulpine Studios
Source: vulpine-studios.com

I found an art studio by the name of Vulpine Studios. I browsed their site. They appear to focus on artwork representing humans as foxes. Or is that the other way around? I don’t know, but I liked it.

I also found several other artists who compositions focused on foxes, such as the piece I found called ‘Vulpine Love’ by Shivita.

Vulpine Love by Shivita
Source: shivita.deviantart.com

A very beautiful piece of work, if I do say so myself.

I also stumbled across several models who either use the word Vulpine or Fox in their name. Since I like tattoos on women and redheads, I focused on Diane Vulpine, Cervana Fox, and Rebecca Crow. All foxy babes to me.

Fox Magazine Cover
Source: unknown

Then, back in the day, I enjoyed reading Fox Magazine, an adult magazine big on pictures, light on articles. Yep, I read it for the pictures. So sue me.

If you share this post from my site on Twitter, you will receive a sexy bonus picture related to today’s word.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: wane

Word of the Day: wane

Waning moon phases
Source: kissesandchaos.com

Wane (verb) WAYN

Definition

1 : to decrease in size, extent, or degree

2 : to fall gradually from power, prosperity, or influence

Synonyms

abate; atrophy; decrease; die down; die out; dim; dwindle; ebb; fade; peter out; shrink; slacken; subside; taper off; weaken; wither

Antonyms

brighten; develop; enhance; enlarge; expand; extend; grow; increase; rise; strengthen

Examples

“Last year, the station offered fans the chance to buy the CD online for the first time and also sold it in Target stores as usual. But unlike previous years, the limited-run compilation didn’t sell out immediately, suggesting its popularity may be waning.” — Ross Raihala, The Pioneer Press (TwinCities.com), 14 Oct. 2016

“And as public and political interest in space exploration waxed and waned over the following decades, the funding for the space program did too.” — Dianna Wray, The Houston Press, 26 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

“Now, fair Hippolyta, our nuptial hour / Draws on apace four happy days bring in / Another moon: But oh, methinks how slow / This old moon wanes!” So Theseus describes his eagerness for his wedding night in Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream. As illustrated by Theseus’ words, wane is a word often called upon to describe the seeming decrease in size of the moon in the later phases of the lunar cycle. The traditional opposite of wane is wax, a once common but now infrequently used synonym of grow. Wane and wax have been partnered in reference to the moon since the Middle Ages.

My Take

I learned about the word ‘Wane’ when I was maybe 8 or 9 years old. I had joined the scouts, and I studied the phases of the moon. By then, I was already captivated by astronomical events, so this was an excellent introduction to something that fascinated me.

Waning Phases of the Moon
Source: jasondemakis.com

I came to understand that the act of becoming a full moon was called waxing while the period after the full moon was called waning. I will admit since I didn’t make astronomy my career choice, as an adult, I often confused the two terms. I hope with today’s word; I can finally keep them straight. Waxing is for growing, and Waning is for receding. Cool! Now that I got that straight, I can rest easy. I hope. 😉

Lumber Wane
Source: baltimorebrickbybrick.com

I also learned a different usage for the word. M-W calls it a verb but I found a noun form of the word. If you have worked with lumber, especially framing lumber, I guarantee you have seen this. Check out the picture because it would take a thousand words for me to describe what is easily seen in the image. I always wondered if there was a name for that. Now I know. The inverse of ‘wane’ in lumber is called ‘want’. I learned something new! Whoo hoo!

Penthouse June 1994 cover Taylor Wane
Source unknown

I also thought of other uses, such as the stock market when it’s on a downswing or waning market. How many things do you know that wane? An entertainer’s career could be waning in popularity. A political party could be waning in influence. It doesn’t matter who, I don’t spill names. There are so many ways to use it.

Wane Veluz
Source: masrapidoblog.wordpress.com

I found at least three people who use the word as part of their name. Taylor Wane is an adult model with huge fake boobs. Ugh! I hate basketball boobs. I also found an actress by the name of Niki Wane who appeared in the 1973 film ‘Bamboo House of Dolls’. I presume it’s an adult film, but I didn’t look into it. Then there is Wane Veluz who is a product advertising model.

In my opinion, wane is a versatile word, and I’m going to look for a way to use it more often. What do you think?

If you share this post from my site on Twitter, you will receive a screen grab of a naked Niki Wane from the movie.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: thaumaturgy

Word of the Day: thaumaturgy

Thaumaturgy
Source: suggest-keywords.com

Thaumaturgy (noun) THAW-muh-ter-jee

Definition

: the performance of miracles; specifically : magic

Examples

“The place is still a favourite pilgrimage, but there seems to be some doubt as to which Saint John has chosen it as the scene of his posthumous thaumaturgy; for, according to a local guide-book, it is equally frequented on the feasts of the Baptist and of the Evangelist.” — Edith Wharton, Italian Backgrounds, 1905

“Indeed, so keen was the horror at the hysteria that had taken hold in Salem that the mere mention of the place was sufficient to cool any passions that looked in danger of spiraling into outmoded and dangerous thaumaturgy.” — Charles C. W. Cooke, National Review, 16 Dec. 2011

Did You Know?

The magic of thaumaturgy is miraculous. The word, from a Greek word meaning “miracle working,” is applicable to any performance of miracles, especially by incantation. It can also be used of things that merely seem miraculous and unexplainable, like the thaumaturgy of a motion picture’s illusions (aka “movie magic”), or the thaumaturgy at work in an athletic team’s “miracle” comeback. In addition to thaumaturgy, we also have thaumaturge and thaumaturgist, both of which mean “a performer of miracles” or “a magician,” and the adjective thaumaturgic, meaning “performing miracles” or “of, relating to, or dependent on thaumaturgy.”

Tremere by radiationboyy
Source: radiationboyy

My Take

I must admit, I don’t know much about Thaumaturgy. However, I do believe that it is possible to perform magic (or miracles). Not that I can do it, mind you. I just believe there are people all around the world who have abilities above and beyond what the rest of us can do. I’m not saying that they are supernatural, just different, unique. Somedays, I wish I had some of those abilities to make life just a bit more interesting.

I do read novels and stories on the subject, most notably, the ‘Thaumatology Books’ by Niall Teasdale. I read these three years ago, and I was spellbound (pun intended). I am a fast reader, and I read all eleven books in a span of just two months. What can I tell you, I was captivated by the stories. I then moved on the ‘Hollows Books’ by Kim Harrison, and I did the same thing to her books. That is, I read the entire series in just a couple of months. I both cases, I started following the authors, and as they published new works, I just had to read them. Right now, I’ve just started the ‘Witch Detectives’ books by Eve Paludan. In the course of just a couple of days, I finished book 1 and moved on to book two.

It’s taking me longer to read novels lately, as I am writing my own books, I am spending more time writing than I do reading. Frankly, it’s a good thing. If you’re interested in novels of this sort, please feel free to check these authors out. Their books are available on Amazon.com. I’ve provided the links to their author pages for your convenience.

Dark Thaumaturgy
Source: snakepit.wikidot.com

Back to thaumaturgy. while I believe in magic, I also believe that much that we might call magic is science that most of us just don’t understand. Using a cell phone to talk to someone on the other side of the world could be magic to one who has never seen or heard of a cell phone. Star Trek (Gene Roddenberry) predicted them back in 1966, and by the 1990’s, the first flip phones appeared. Magic then, science today.

When I search for imagery to go with this article, I knew I would find thousands. What I found annoying was that most of them are depictions of the dark arts. Who says they have to be dark? The books I referenced above described a world balancing the two. Just as I believe, there can’t be light without dark, a hero without a villain, there has to be good magic as well as bad.

What do you think?

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Word of the Day: soporific

Word of the Day: soporific

Classroom sleeping
Source: flashcardmonkey.com

Soporific (adjective) sah-puh-RIFF-ik

Definition

1 a : causing or tending to cause sleep

b : tending to dull awareness or alertness

2 : of, relating to, or marked by sleepiness or lethargy

Examples

The soporific effects of the stuffy classroom and the lecturer’s droning voice left more than one student fighting to stay awake.

“The prose sparkles at every turn, but that’s not to say it’s without flaws. Some entire chapters … struck me as wholly soporific.” — Andrew Ervin, The Washington Post, 13 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

“It is said that the effect of eating too much lettuce is ‘soporific.’ I have never felt sleepy after eating lettuces; but then I am not a rabbit.” In The Tale of the Flopsy Bunniesby Beatrix Potter, the children of Benjamin Bunny were very nearly done in by Mr. McGregor because they ate soporific lettuces that put them into a deep sleep. Their near fate can help you recall the history of soporific. The term traces to the Latin noun sopor, which means “deep sleep.” (That root is related to somnus, the Latin word for sleep and the name of the Roman god of sleep.) French speakers used sopor as the basis of soporifique, which was probably the model for the English soporific.

Soporific
Source: flashcardmonkey.com

My Take

I hope that my posts, and especially, the ‘Word of the Day’ are not soporific. I do try to make this section interesting. What do you think? Am I succeeding or making you fall asleep or delete these without reading them?

Girl Sleeping during Exam
Source: schellesenglish07.blogspot.com

I got started on these because I was looking for a way to give my followers something they liked while dealing with a vendor who was having difficulty distributing my posts. There were extended periods in August and September where, despite my best efforts, the posts remained undistributed to my social sites and my email followers. I needed something quick and easy to publish during the days of trouble.

For the most part, those problems are resolved, except for my email distributions. I’ve figured out, and communicated to the vendor, that during periods of high activity on the vendor’s part, my posts are caught up in some sort of ‘race’ condition between their email servers.

Emily Browning - Sleeping Beauty 2011
Source: masuema6751

But I digress. Soporific is the topic. I quickly found suitable images, including the sexy bonus picture that I almost always include for those that share the posts via Twitter. If you want to see it, please share the post from my page and click any of the Twitter buttons displayed.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: cabbage

Word of the Day: cabbage

I want my secretary back
Source: cartoonstock.com

Cabbage (verb) KAB-ij

Definition

: steal, filch

Examples

“When these ruffians were in a relatively mild mood they were content to chase us off the diamond, but when their glands were flowing freely they also cabbaged our bats, balls and gloves.” — H. L. Mencken, Happy Days, 1940

“More and more people are trying to get their ‘news’ free from online sources, unreliable as some of these fly-by-night wanna-bes are. In truth, the information is usually cabbaged from the website (or the print edition) of the local paper.” — Kim Poindexter, The Tahlequah (Oklahoma) Daily Press, 24 Aug. 2015

Did You Know?

Does the “filching” meaning of cabbage bring to mind an image of thieves sneaking out of farm fields with armloads of pilfered produce? If so, you’re in for a surprise. Today’s featured word has nothing to do with the leafy vegetable. It originally referred to the practice among tailors of pocketing part of the cloth given to them to make garments. The verb was cut from the same cloth as an older British noun cabbage, which meant “pieces of cloth left in cutting out garments and traditionally kept by tailors as perquisites.” Both of those ethically questionable cabbages probably derived from cabas, the Middle French word for “cheating or theft.” The cabbage found in coleslaw, on the other hand, comes from Middle English caboche, which meant “head.”

Pilfer wallet
Source: adigrahito.blogspot.com

My Take

Today’s word is a common word. The definition supplied by M-W is not. Besides the term for the vegetable, it also means to steal, pilfer, or filch.

To me, it’s an obviously a British usage of the word though the examples supplied come from American sources. I submit, that if any ordinary American from all classes, educations, or social standings would never associate the word ‘Cabbage’ to mean steal, etc.

Prostitute Cash
Source: Lisa S./Shutterstock

In the U.S., we use the term in two ways. One, the vegetable used to make coleslaw. The second is a slang term for money or cash. i.e. “Hey there, how much cabbage was in the take last night?” I haven’t heard it a lot lately, I must admit. I usually hear it older movies, and commonly used between gangsters, hookers, or even in shop owners chatting over coffee.

Stealing my milk
Source: unknown

I don’t know anyone in my social circles who would use the term to steal. Do you?

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Word of the Day: vicissitude

Word of the Day: vicissitude

Vicissitude
Source: dictionary.com

Vicissitude (noun) vuh-SISS-uh-tood

Definition

1 : the quality or state of being changeable : mutability

2 a : a favorable or unfavorable event or situation that occurs by chance : a fluctuation of state or condition

b : a difficulty or hardship usually beyond one’s control

Examples

“The vicissitudes of life strike us all. But when life gets difficult for the poor, economically or emotionally, or most often both at once, it can pitch them into complete chaos.” — The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 22 Aug. 2016

“A good coach on tour is at once a friend and a taskmaster, a psychologist and an emotional buffer against the vicissitudes of competing at the highest level of the game.” — Geoff Macdonald, The New York Times, 1 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

“Change is not made without inconvenience, even from worse to better,” wrote British theologian Richard Hooker in the 16th century. That observation may shed some light on vicissitude, a word that can refer simply to the fact of change, or to an instance of it, but that often refers specifically to hardship or difficulty brought about by change. To survive “the vicissitudes of life” is thus to survive life’s ups and downs, with special emphasis on the downs. Vicissitude is a descendant of the Latin noun vicis, meaning “change” or “alternation,” and it has been a part of the English language since the 16th century. In contemporary usage, it most often occurs in the plural.

REPORTER LOSES HER SHIRT DURING LIVE BROADCAST
Source: YouTube

My Take

I feel like I’m in a state of a difficulty or hardship beyond my control. So, today’s word is quite appropriate. The aftereffects of my concussion still linger and trying to get better is … well, let’s just say problematic. Must I be my own advocate for a work related injury?

Anyway, moving on. It could be worse.

A wave takes her top
Source: bg-mamma.com

Like being on the television for a live broadcast from the beach and you lose your bikini top on camera. Yep, found that in my research.

Girl loses her top on a pier
Source: eveyo.com

Or the case of a woman who was merely hanging out on a pier and her bikini top flew off into the ocean below. Yep, found that too. Or you are just enjoying the surf with a bunch of your friends and a lecherous wave comes along and yanks your bikini top right off your body. Found that too. I’m sure I can find hundreds if not thousands of these examples all over the world.

I also find lots of artwork titled Vicissitude, which surprised me, as well as a magazine titled Vicissitude, which double surprised me. I will say, I’m inspired by all those creative people around the world who find interesting ways of using these more obscure words.

Vicissitude magazine cover
Source: magcloud.com

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Word of the Day: dynasty

Word of the Day: dynasty

Terra Cotta Army
Source: yourchildlearns.com

Dynasty (noun) DYE-nuh-stee

Definition

1 : a succession of rulers of the same line of descent

2 : a powerful group or family that maintains its position for a considerable time

Examples

“A scion of the Patterson-Medill publishing dynasty (her great-grandfather and her father founded the Chicago Tribune and the New York Daily News, respectively), [Alicia] Patterson launched Newsday in 1940, on Long Island, quickly building it from a small suburban daily to an influential national paper.” — Jocelyn Hannah, The New Yorker, 12 Sept. 2016

“Mark down 2016 as the year the Republican Party under a new standard-bearer divorced itself from the Bush dynasty.” — Dan Janison, Newsday (New York), 10 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

Dynast and dynasty both descend from the Greek verb dynasthai, which means “to be able” or “to have power.” Dynasty came to prominence in English first; it has been part of our language since at least the 14th century. Dynast took its place in the linguistic family line in the early 1600s, and it has been used to describe sovereigns and other rulers ever since.

Joan Collins choked
Source: spytwins.com

My Take

God help me. When I searched for images related to today’s word, I immediately got hundreds of pictures from that 1980’s TV show of the same name. Ughhh!!!!! Then, mixed in those was ‘Duck Dynasty.’ Marginally better but WTFC. In my opinion, about the only good thing about the show evening soap opera was the cat fight between Linda Evans and Joan Collins. Two udders if I ever saw.

Linda Evans and Joan Collins catfight
Source: Unknown

Trying to trim out those references, I found Dynasty Warriors, a video game. Getting better but I’ve long since moved on from playing video games, preferring instead to play real life games. Those who know me intimately, know exactly what I mean by that.

What I really wanted to find were images related to the definition of the term. A family line of succession, a powerful group in power for a lengthy time. My first thoughts that came to mind when I saw the word was royalty, such as the Royal Line of England and Great Britain. I also thought of the dynasties of China, Egypt and the like. These are lines composed of blood.

Organized Crime
Source: uppedlife.wordpress.com

Then there are the business dynasties that rose over the past two centuries. You know what I mean. General Electric, Westinghouse, Wells Fargo, and the good old boys on Wall Street. Lest we forget political dynasties, such as in America and around the world. Then there are the dynasties within sports, such as today’s Women’s International Soccer (Futbol), or the dominance of the New England Patriots in American Football, or for a time, the Chicago Blackhawks, and in the 80’s the Atlanta Braves Baseball. Oh, and let’s not forget the NY Yankees who for much of the last one hundred years, is the team to beat. Sure, they all have their ups and downs. Inevitably, they all turn things around and rise to the top in their field.

Of course, there are the wanna be’s. I won’t go too much into them. There are literally millions of those. Me, I just want to leave my mark on the world. I’m doing that with my books and my artwork.

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I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: wistful

Word of the Day: wistful

Wistful Look
Source: portrait-photos.org

Wistful (adjective) WIST-ful

Definition

1 : full of yearning or desire tinged with melancholy; also : inspiring such yearning

2 : musingly sad : pensive

Examples

As the car pulled away, Lea cast one last wistful glance at the house where she’d spent so many happy years.

“The book left me in wistful reverie, envisioning that shimmering pond and a rugged, robust old gentleman in his ‘herringbone suit’ and jaunty wide-brimmed straw hat, sitting on a three-legged wooden chair in front of an easel, his brushes flying.” — Elfrieda Abbe, The Star Tribune (Minneapolis, Minnesota), 11 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Are you yearning to know the history of wistful? If so, we can ease your melancholy a little by telling you that wistful comes from a combination of wishful and wistly, a now obsolete word meaning “intently.” We can’t say with certainty where wistly came from, but it may have sprung from whistly, an old term meaning “silently” or “quietly.” How did the supposed transition from a word meaning “quietly” to one meaning “intently” come about? That’s something to muse about, but the answer isn’t known.

My Take

Pug Wistful Look
Source: pugmeme.com

Damn, this is a perfect word to use in my books. So many of my characters find themselves yearning, pensive and melancholic. They look for something better, something that will improve their standing in the story. Some are beaten down and just need a sliver of hope. Some can direct their lives in better ways. While others wish they could, but assume that their fates are written in stone. They all have one thing in common. At times, they are wistfully thinking about the other side of the fence.

Wistful is a word that directly points to emotion. Usually, we think of emotion in human terms, but animals and even plants (IMHO) have emotions. I found a great image of Bruce Willis with a wistful, pensive expression on his face. I found the same in other people as well. I even found a meme of a pug, yearning for a scrap of food from their master’s breakfast plate.

Wistful Mermaid
Source: playbuzz.com

I love the word, and I’m going to redouble my efforts to use it in my stories. I hope you enjoy them. They’re available on Amazon, B&N, your favorite eBook retailer and right here on my site. Plus, available only on my site is a short story about a Mermaid who was too curious for her own good. She has no idea what she started when she went to investigate that fishing boat floating on the surface of the sea.

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I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: genteel

Word of the Day: genteel

Come and enjoy a genteel morning with Jane
Source: independent.ie

Genteel (adjective) jen-TEEL

Definition

1 a : of or relating to the gentry or upper class

b : elegant or graceful in manner, appearance, or shape

c : free from vulgarity or rudeness : polite

2 : marked by false delicacy, prudery, or affectation

Examples

“The Hamptons, once so genteel, with their sepulchral light and estates hidden behind neatly groomed hedges, have managed to become a nexus of social life, … where openings and charity galas and club nights fill the summer calendar.” — Marisa Meltzer, Town & Country, 1 Aug. 2016

“At this preternaturally elegant new French restaurant …, the waitstaff keeps things lively with cheeky repartee. On arrival one late-summer evening, a man, having located his party, said to the host, ‘I’m with them,’ and was met with a genteel retort: ‘As you should be.'” — Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 26 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

In Roman times, the Latin noun gens was used to refer to a clan, a group of related people. Its plural gentes was used to designate all the people of the world, particularly non-Romans. An adjective form, gentilis, applied to both senses. Over time, the adjective was borrowed and passed through several languages. It came into Old French as gentil, a word that then meant “high-born” (in modern French it means “nice”); that term was carried over into Anglo-French, where English speakers found and borrowed it in the early 17th century.

My Take

Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers
Source: flyingdowntohollywood.blogspot.com

Genteel, genteel. My my. It’s one thing to use the word in what one believes is the proper context and it’s quite another to discover you may have used it incorrectly over the years. Seeing the definitions in print have a way of making me stop and think. Have I used it wrong?

I know I’ve used it in the form described in ‘1b’ of the definitions, elegant and graceful. For example, when Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers dance, it’s a thing of beauty, elegance, and grace. See, genteel.

But what about the other forms. Upper class, free of vulgarity and rudeness. I suppose those make sense to me. The gentry of society fits those definitions, though I know several of the gentries who are rude and vulgar to the rest of us.

2016 Camaro Interior
Source: topspeed.com

However, definition #2 seems out of place to me. To be marked by false delicacy, prudery, and affectation, well that seems an antonym to me. I’ll need to reflect on this definition, but I don’t believe I’ll resolve it anytime during the writing of this blog.

So, what else could be considered genteel? When I went looking for images related to the word, I found the usual products and companies capitalizing on the term. I found numerous joke panels using the word.

Hot Girl in High-Heels behind the wheel
Source: autospies.com

Then I stumbled on the interior of the Chevrolet Camaro 2LT. To me, that is the perfect representation of elegance and grace. Of course, I am biased to the car. I own one I see another in my future. The only thing better that the elegance of the interior of my Camaro is a sexy blonde sitting in my Camaro.

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I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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A jigsaw puzzle piece.

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Word of the Day: riddle

Word of the Day: riddle

Riddle
Source: Google Play

Riddle (noun) RID-ul

Definition

1 : a mystifying, misleading, or puzzling question posed as a problem to be solved or guessed : conundrum, enigma

2 : something or someone difficult to understand

Examples

Despite Nick’s outgoing nature, he doesn’t share many details about his background and personal life, so he remains something of a riddle.

“Stewart’s books are for children who like mysteries and riddles, and there are many scenes where readers hold their breath in suspense.” — Clara Martin, The Clarion-Ledger, 16 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

It is not unusual for words to acquire and lose meanings over time, and riddle is no exception. Old English speakers—who had a variety of spellings for riddle, including hrædels, redelse, and rædelse—used the word as we do today to describe a question posed as a problem to be solved or guessed, but they also used it in the now obsolete senses of “counsel,” “consideration,” “debate,” “conjecture,” “interpretation,” “imagination,” and “example.” (Not surprisingly, the Old English source of riddle is a cousin to Old English rǣdan, meaning “to interpret” or “to advise.”) By the beginning of the 15th century riddle acquired the sense of “a puzzling or perplexing thing,” and in the 17th century it also came to refer to “a puzzling or enigmatic person or being.”

My Take

Word Riddle Games
Source: bhavinionline.com

Riddle me this. Who has the creative soul to paint, draw, write and publish, can solve problems and issues with computers, software and a leaky roof, and yet, can’t solve the simplest of riddles?

Me

That’s right. I suck at solving word riddles. I have no idea why but I seem to stumble every time. Take, for example, the riddle I included in this post. I couldn’t solve it. Perhaps it has something to do with the lingering symptoms of my concussion, or maybe not.

The answer is … check the bottom of this post.

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I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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A jigsaw puzzle piece.

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Word of the Day: impute

Word of the Day: impute

Impute
Source: unknown

Impute (verb) im-PYOOT

Definition

1 : to lay the responsibility or blame for often falsely or unjustly

2 : to credit to a person or a cause

Examples

“Now, one comment in reaction to my essay said that by talking about the city’s problems and not its promise, I was in the business of tearing down Syracuse. At LeMoyne, I was taught that the most dangerous thing to do in argument was to impute motives to your opponent.” — Carl Schramm, Forbes.com, 4 Mar. 2013

“The CAS panel concluded that Sharapova’s case ‘was not about an athlete who cheated.’ Instead, the panel found, ‘It was only about the degree of fault that can be imputed to a player for her failure to make sure that the substance contained in a product she had been legally taking over a long period … remained in compliance.” — Tom Perrotta, The Wall Street Journal, 4 Oct. 2016

Keep Calm and Blame the Dog
Source: quizlet.com

Did You Know?

Impute is a somewhat formal word that is used to suggest that someone or something has done or is guilty of something. It is similar in meaning to such words as ascribe and attribute, though it is more likely to suggest an association with something that brings discredit. When we impute something, we typically impute it to someone or something. You may also encounter the related noun imputation, which appears in such contexts as “I deny all your imputations of blame.” Another sense of impute means “to calculate as a value or cost (as for taxation),” as in “impute a benefit from the use of the car.”

Impute CoHabitation
Source: roystoncartoons.com

My Take

Do you know how hard it is to find images related to today’s word, impute without insulting someone? It means to lay blame falsely or to credit a person unjustly.

I just won’t do it on this blog. My errors are my own, and I will not blame someone else for my short givings. I did question the difference between Impute and Impune. I thought they were related, but I wanted to make sure. I’m happy to say; they are, but not exactly. Impune is an adjective meaning ‘unpunished.’ I take it that the individual blaming someone else (impute) for their error, may remain unpunished (impune) for their actions if they successfully transfer the blame.

You killed my sister
Source: viewsaskew.wordpress.com

That said, I stayed away from using images with real people, or at least where you can recognize them. That left me with banners of the word and cartoons, and of course, this one where the Wicked Witch blames Dorothy for killing her sister. I downloaded many of them but I probably won’t use them all. I hope you like them, as I wouldn’t want to impute my actions on someone else.

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Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: protocol

Word of the Day: protocol

Keep Calm and Follow Protocol
Source: http://techspiro.blogspot.com/

Protocol (noun) PROH-tuh-kawl

Definition

1 : an original draft or record of a document or transaction

2 : a preliminary memorandum of diplomatic negotiation

3 : a code prescribing strict adherence to correct etiquette and precedence

4 : a set of conventions for formatting data in an electronic communications system

5 : a detailed plan of a scientific or medical experiment, treatment, or procedure

Keep Calm and Fuck Protocol
Source: keepcalm-o-matic.co.uk

Examples

“A protocol that arose from Weizmann Institute of Science, Rehovot, Israel, research has led to U.S. Food and Drug Administration approval of a biological drug for the treatment of a certain form of lung cancer.” — USA Today, 1 Oct. 2016

“Throughout Obama’s first term, critics described him as naïve, particularly in the area of foreign relations—so ignorant of practical realities that he didn’t even understand the symbolic protocols of a state visit. In 2009, when he bowed to Emperor Akihito, on a trip to Tokyo, he was referred to on the far right as ‘treasonous.'” — Jon Lee Anderson, The New Yorker, 3 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

In Late Greek, the word prōtokollon referred to the first sheet of a papyrus roll bearing the date of its manufacture. In some instances, it consisted of a flyleaf that was glued to the outside of a manuscript’s case and provided a description of its contents. Coming from the Greek prefix prōto– (“first”) and the noun kolla (“glue”), prōtokollongave us our word protocol. In its earliest uses in the 15th century, the word referred to a prologue or preface and also to a record of a document or transaction. In the late 19th century, it began to be used in reference to the etiquette observed by the Head of State of France in ceremonies and relations with other dignitaries. This sense has since extended in meaning to cover any code of proper conduct.

How Stuff Works
Source: computer.howstuffworks.com

My Take

As a software engineer, programmer and network technician, I live and breathe protocols. In fact, I see the entire world as an intricate pattern of protocols. Every interaction between two things, objects, animals, and people involves protocols.

Think about it. In western culture, shaking hands is protocol when solidifying a deal. In Europe kissing each other on the cheek is a protocol as a greeting or salutation. In the U.S. kissing on the cheek is less common outside the immediate family. In Japan, people bow to each other in a sign of respect when greeting each other.

Explaining the NFL’s concussion protocol
Source: sbnation.com

In the wild, if you watch the social interactions of a lion pride, you’ll note that there is a pecking order or protocol. A stag will fight another stag to protect his territory from others and to maintain the social order of his does.

In the health industry, there are protocols on everything, right down from triaging an injury to documentation on a case. The NFL recently instituted ‘Concussion Protocols’ to mitigate serious injury in players. Society has protocols on everything, from public nudity to waste recycling to which side of the road one must drive.

Cell Phone Ediquette
Source: naturalhealthprotocol.com

Have you ever dated a person who while during a date will interrupt your conversation to take a call, text or otherwise disrupt the evening? I’ve even heard of people answering their phones & text messages while in the midst of having sex. What kind of shit is that? Leave the phone down and enjoy your partner. The caller/texter can wait.

Then of course, are all the protocols involved with just using a cell phone. Thousands of protocols are used to connect you to your friend or relative, regardless of whether they are in the next room or across the globe. I won’t go into all of them but please believe me, there are a lot.

If you share this post via Twitter, you will receive a sexy bonus picture related to today’s word.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: Kafkaesque

Word of the Day: Kafkaesque

Kafkaesque Shadow
Source: 2012thetrial.wordpress.com

Kafkaesque (adjective) kahf-kuh-ESK

Definition

: of, relating to, or suggestive of Franz Kafka or his writings; especially : having a nightmarishly complex, bizarre, or illogical quality

Examples

“Dealing with the Kafkaesque health system, for example, would be enough to make anyone ‘agitated, aggressive, irritable or temperamental.'” — Logan Jenkins, The San Diego Union Tribune, 27 July 2016

“I think the ultimate nightmare is for you to get into a Kafkaesque situation where you know you haven’t done anything wrong . . . but for some reason you are not listened to and you are not being believed.” — Lee Child, quoted in The Philadelphia Inquirer, 19 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

Kafkaesque
Source: whynameitthat.blogspot.com

Franz Kafka (1883-1924) was a Czech-born German-language writer whose surreal fiction vividly expressed the anxiety, alienation, and powerlessness of the individual in the 20th century. Kafka’s work is characterized by nightmarish settings in which characters are crushed by nonsensical, blind authority. Thus, the word Kafkaesque is often applied to bizarre and impersonal administrative situations where the individual feels powerless to understand or control what is happening.

My Take

Relativity July 1953 Woodcut 28.2x29.4cm
Source: westkengibbsgreen.wordpress.com

When I first saw the Word of the Day by Merriam-Webster, I said to myself, WTF? I mean, why create a word associated with a person. Granted, Kafka is not just any person. He was a gifted communicator of the bizarre and complex.

Then I went about and searched for images. I found a plethora of them, thousands. Some I recognized, most I did not. Once again, I found products using the word in either their marketing efforts or the company name. I found lots of artwork and books on the subject. And let’s not forget the numerous cartoons.

You know what? I like bizarre. I like complex. I like to make logical appear illogical as well as the reverse. My stories tend to border on the bizarre but nothing on the order of Kafka.

When you boil it all down, I don’t know what to make of the word. I doubt I’ll use it in conversation or in my stories, but at least I am aware of the word and the meaning behind it. What do you think?

If you share this post via Twitter, you will receive a sexy bonus picture related to today’s word.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: nictitate

Word of the Day: nictitate

Nicitate banner
Source: unknown

Nictitate (verb NIK-tuh-tayt)

Definition

1 : to close and open quickly : to shut one eye briefly : wink

2 : to close and open the eyelids

Examples

“Dermaq’s third eyelids nictitated over his corneas as though to wash away the image, and momentarily he looked away, then back at his superior.” — Charles L. Harness, Firebird, 1981

“The hump shifted, raised a hairless head of chitinous scales. Almond eyes of burning gold nictitated to life. A broad chest of angular plates swelled with breath.” — Ian C. Esslemont, Night of Knives, 2004

Did You Know?

Nictitate didn’t just happen in the blink of an eye; it developed over time as an alteration of the older verb nictate, which also means “to wink.” Both verbs trace to the Latin word for winking, nictare. The addition of the extra syllable was apparently influenced by Latin verbs ending in -itare, such as palpitare and agitare (which gave us palpitate and agitate, respectively). Today, nictitate has a special use in the animal world. Since the early 18th century, scientists have used nictitating membrane to describe the so-called “third eyelid”: the thin, usually transparent membrane in the eyes of birds, fishes, and other vertebrates that helps keep the eyeball moist and clean.

My Take

Imagine my surprise when I saw this word. I had no idea what it meant, and when I read the definition, I thought to myself wow!

I mean, why have such a big word for ‘Wink?’

Sarah Palin Wink
Source: ar15.com

As I sat at my keyboard, I tried to figure out ways of using it. Was it an interesting term? It might be to some people. Was it a sexy word? Not to me. Can you image the famous image of Bettie Page nictitating at the base of a Christmas Tree? Or how about Sarah Palin’s nictitate so often imitated by Tina Fey? I also think some people ‘nictitate’ better than others. Case in point, George Clooney vs. Betty White vs. Beyonce? Who’s nictitate is better? It’s a matter of personal preference.

Wink Magazine Summer 2008 Cover
Source: pyramidgallery.com

So I say, let’s just use the word ‘Wink.’

It just doesn’t sound right to me. I don’t see me using the word. I predict that it will disappear from the English language within the next century. What do you think?

I hope you like the images I chose, as well as the sexy bonus pic you will get if you share this post via Twitter.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: meshuggener

Word of the Day: meshuggener

Meshuggener
Source: unknown

Meshuggener (noun) muh-SHUG-uh-ner

Definition

: a foolish or crazy person

Examples

“What kind of meshuggener would apply the small plates concept to Jewish comfort food, which is all about abundance and appetite?” — Tracey Macleod, The Independent(United Kingdom), 16 Dec. 2011

“Whoever decided to remake The Producers in 2005 was a meshuggener. There will certainly not be a remake of The Frisco Kid, a film from 1979—[Gene] Wilder plays a rabbi who rides into trouble in the Wild West. Don’t go there!” — David Robson, The Jewish Chronicle Online, 1 Sept. 2016

The Meshuggener of Kfar Chabad
Source: thebetzalelgallery.com

Did You Know?

From bagel and chutzpah to shtick and yenta, Yiddish has given English many a colorful term over the years. Meshuggener is another example of what happens when English interprets that rich Jewish language. Meshuggener comes from the Yiddish meshugener, which in turn derives from meshuge, an adjective that is synonymous with crazy or foolish. English speakers have used the adjective form, meshuga or meshugge, to mean “foolish” since the late 1800s; we’ve dubbed foolish folk meshuggeners since at least 1900.

My Take

Alright, I admit it. It was hard finding images related to today’s word without insulting someone. So, please forgive me. I selected what I thought were safe images. They include artwork, cartoons, and a safe banner image.

The Fools Jester
Source: newhopeinternationalministries

I will admit, as someone who grew up in the New York City metropolitan area, I was introduced to the term early in my life. I have always thought of it as slang, so seeing in in Merriam-Webster’s word of the day shook me up a bit.

I grew up with people who used to insult or ridicule a person or group. That’s not my style. Personally, I have never used the word, except as an exercise in using it in a sentence. I probably won’t ever.

I hope you like the images I chose, as well as the sexy bonus pic you will get if you share this post via Twitter.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Do you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: lambent

Word of the Day: lambent

Lambent
Source: unusedwords.com

Lambent (adjective) LAM-bunt

Definition

1 : playing lightly on or over a surface : flickering

2 : softly bright or radiant

3 : marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression

Examples

“It’s an early May morning and the air is cool and still and filled with lambent light.” — Christopher Norment, The Chronicle of Higher Education, 4 May 2015

“There’s nothing like the swell of a powerful pipe organ in the right room. You can feel the lowest pedal notes in your stomach, or the lambent whisper of the tiniest pipes, with their delicate, shimmering sound.” — T. R. Goldman, The Washington Post, 31 July 2016

Did You Know?

Fire is frequently associated with lapping or licking imagery: flames are often described as “tongues” that “lick.” Lambent, which first appeared in English in the 17th century, is a part of this tradition, coming from lambens, the present participle of the Latin verb lambere, meaning “to lick.” In its earliest uses, lambent meant “playing lightly over a surface,” “gliding over,” or “flickering.” These uses were usually applied to flames or light, and by way of that association, the term eventually came to describe things with a radiant or brilliant glow, as Alexander Pope used it in his 1717 poem “Eloisa to Abelard”: “Those smiling eyes, attemp’ring ev’ry ray, Shone sweetly lambent with celestial day.”

My Take

Fire dancing
Source: unknown

Whoo hoo! As soon as I saw today’s word and its definition, I knew just what two images I would use. I already had them in my inventory. Of course, I searched for others, just in case. So, I hope you like my selections. One, of course, can only be seen by Tweeting this post from one of the Twitter buttons on my page.

I found so many relates to the word, that once again, I had to filter my selections. After all, I am not publishing a photo gallery, just a commentary about a term that is part of the English language.

Lambert Leggings
Source: michellino.com

Feel free to travel the same path as I did in researching the word. I found a particularly interesting piece of artwork that had me spellbound. I found an MP4 of the perfect representation of the word but at 8+mb in size, a bit too daunting for this article. Once again, I found several companies and products incorporating the word. Since I felt one was interestingly enough without promoting a company, I included it in today’s article.

When I think of the word, one of the first things that came to mind was my first book, ‘The Taste of Honey.’ Yep, I’m back to that. Why not? There is a relate to the word in the book, which you’ll have to read if you want to find out. The cover photo is a hint. ‘The Taste of Honey’ is available right here on my website, or at Amazon.com, BN.com or your favorite eBook retailer. It is also available in paperback from Createspace.com.

Beautiful Full Lips, hot with arousal
Licensed from Adam Radosavljevic

“Light playing softly over her skin, marked by lightness and brilliance, her lambert expression depicted the heat of arousal building in her lips.” Sounds to me like an erotica novel. Shall I go on?

I had fun looking for images related to this word. I hope you like the ones I chose, as well as the sexy bonus pic you will get if you share this post via Twitter.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: obfuscate

Word of the Day: obfuscate

Obfuscate
Source: maltawinds.com

Obfuscate (verb) AHB-fuh-skayt

Definition

1 a : darken

b : to make obscure

2 : confuse

3 : to be evasive, unclear, or confusing

Examples

“Time and again he has shifted, shaded or obfuscated his policy positions—piling on new ideas, which sometimes didn’t fit with the old.” — David Fahrenthold and Katie Zezima, The Washington Post, 23 Apr. 2016

“It was the trademark of San Francisco psychedelia to never put the year on a concert poster, and to obfuscate important details.” — Sam Whiting, The San Francisco Chronicle, 14 Oct. 2016

Obfuscate cartoon
Source: wordinfo.info

Did You Know?

To obfuscate something means to make it so that it isn’t clear or transparent, much like dirty water makes it hard to see to the bottom of a pond. The verb shares its ob-root (meaning “over, completely”) with obscure, another word that can refer to the act of concealing something or making it more difficult to see or understand. The rest of obfuscate comes from Latin fuscus, which means “dark brown” and is distantly related to our word dusk.

My Take

Obfuscate, I like this word. If one knows its meaning, it’s easy to use in common language. I can even see me using it in my novels. Any of my plots can darken obscure, confuse or evade the real action. While my writing is explicit, I like to hide undercurrents of thoughts, beliefs or opinions into my scenes.

The Taste of HoneyTake for example my book, ‘The Taste of Honey.’

Did you know that while most of the characters are not spiritual at all, the title character is very much so. She believes in life after death, and she believes in a higher power. None of the other characters do. In essence, the characters in the world I created in these books has lost all touch with religion, spirituality and the idea of life after death.

Not to obfuscate the plot but Honey intends to help her community in life and after. She believes that a higher power will allow her, through ritualistic means, to literally live on after her death and help her family and friends to overcome adversity and thrive for eternity.

Why Do I Feel Like My Path is Unclear
Source: highexistence.com

For the rest of the characters, their paths through life are clear and well known. They have no concept of life after death. Little by little, Honey is changing that, so that the main character, Mona, questions herself, her life and her role within the community. Her path becomes unclear as she tries to resolve the conflict of her upbringing with the ideals of her best friend, Honey.

‘The Taste of Honey’ is available right here on my website, or at Amazon.com, BN.com or your favorite eBook retailer. It is also available in paperback from Createspace.com.

I had fun looking for images related to this word. I hope you like the ones I chose, as well as the sexy bonus pic you will get if you share this post via Twitter.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

Merriam-WebsterBrought to you by Merriam-Webster, Word of the Day.

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Word of the Day: jejune

Word of the Day: jejune

Crossroads between dull and boring
Source: rentaltonic.com

Jejune (adjective) jih-JOON

Definition

1 : lacking nutritive value

2 : devoid of significance or interest : dull

3 : juvenile, puerile

Examples

“I have not, however, been a fan of the Broadway singer … in the past, and her jejune performances here—complete with some tap dancing that belied the lyrics of ‘I Got Rhythm’—did not convert me.” — Anne Midgette, The Washington Post, 22 Sept. 2015

“He complains about wasting his talent ‘writing songs for frogs’ (he is a composer of jejune melodies for a children’s television show called Mr. Bungee’s Lily Pad).” — Nancy Chen, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 21 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

Starved for excitement? You won’t get it from something jejune. That term derives from the Latin jejunus, which means “empty of food,” “meager,” or “hungry.” Back in the 1600s, English speakers used jejune in senses very similar to those of its Latin parent, lamenting “jejune appetites” and “jejune morsels.” Something that is meager rarely satisfies, and before long jejune was being used not only for meager meals or hunger, but for things wanting in intellectual or emotional substance. The word most likely gained its “childish” sense when people confused it with the look-alike French word jeune, which means “young.”

My Take

Uninteresting Straw
Source: imagict.com

Well, mark my words. Finding images for this word was tough. After all, who wants to photograph dull, uninteresting subjects. I know that I don’t. So, I hope you’ll forgive me on what I did choose.

After searching for uninteresting images, I tried to find images related to ‘lacking nutritive value.’ It seems that the search engine totally ignored the word ‘lacking’ and display hundreds of highly nutritious foods. Even a burger and fries has some level of nutritive value. I wanted something that had zero value. The closest I could find was straw, which we as humans cannot digest but cattle can.

Juvenile, puerile
Source: phocabulary.com

Lastly, I moved on to ‘juvenile.’ There I found lots but few that interested me. Apparently, they were jejune to me.

When it came time to search for my bonus image, I struggled once again. Therefore, I decided to find an antonym for the word. No problem there, except for filtering out millions of images. So, I included the term ‘jejune’ that from that, I found this one. You can see it by retweeting this post by clicking on my Twitter button.

Today’s word was an exercise in patience and perseverance. I won’t mind if you don’t read all the way through this post. After all, it is jejune.

Have a great day.

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Word of the Day: quid quo pro

Word of the Day: quid quo pro

Quid Pro Quo
Source: thequidproharassment.com

Quid quo pro (noun) kwid-proh-KWOH

Definition

: something given or received for something else; also : a deal arranging such an exchange

Examples

“PA officials say they have no evidence [the employees] engaged in a quid quo pro, in which they green-light the PA’s purchase of wasteful insurance policies in return for the gifts or considerations, but rather suspect they turned a blind eye to their responsibilities.” — Philip Messing, The New York Post, 26 July 2013

“On the face of it, Canada’s agreement to enter into talks on an extradition treaty looks a lot like a quid pro quo for the welcome release of Kevin Garratt, the Canadian missionary imprisoned on trumped-up espionage charges.” — The Toronto Star, 23 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

In the early 16th century, a quid pro quo was something obtained from an apothecary. That’s because when quid pro quo (New Latin for “something for something”) was first used in English, it referred to the process of substituting one medicine for another—whether intentionally (and sometimes fraudulently) or accidentally. The meaning of the phrase was quickly extended, however, and within several decades it was being used for more general equivalent exchanges. These days, it often occurs in legal contexts.

My Take

For me, this is a common word, one in the forefront of my vocabulary. However, it is not a word that I commonly use. A paradox you say?

Sexual Harassment
Source: hrdailyadvisor.blr.com

Every job I’ve had since the nineties has sent me to workplace training. Usually, this training occurs within the first month of my employment. It’s a mandatory training and most often included several hours on workplace harassment. A big topic of this training is ‘Quid Pro Quo.’

It happens everywhere, but here in the U.S., it is frowned on between co-workers. Not that it doesn’t happen. It does, but when advances are not wanted or are hostile in nature, the consequences are significant.

Source: amazon.com
Source: amazon.com

Say, for example; a boss intends to sleep with a subordinate. In compensation for nights of sex, the boss promotes or gives a raise to the subordinate. That is ‘Quid Pro Quo.’

The same goes for this situation outside the workplace. A guy buys a beautiful girl a drink at a bar. After several drinks or even dinner, he might expect to take her home and have sex with her. Even if she willingly goes with him, it’s ‘Quid Pro Quo.’

How about a lobbyist in Washington D.C. passing a bribe to an official in exchange for a favor. ‘Quid Pro Quo.’ Or how about this situation. A shop owner pays protection to a mob or gang in exchange for peace of mind that their store won’t be vandalized. How about when you give a friend a case of beer to help you pack up your stuff and move it to a new home? You’re catching on. ‘Quid Pro Quo.’

Source: Quid Pro Quo by soul71 found on DeviantArt.com
Source: Quid Pro Quo
by soul71 found on DeviantArt.com

I had fun looking for images related to this word. Literally, everyone seems to know about it, and there were many interesting pics that I had to filter. I hope you like the ones I chose, as well as the sexy bonus pic you will get if you share this post via Twitter.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Have a great day.

A sexy bonus picture is available by sharing this post on Twitter. My gift to you for sharing.

mw_logoBrought to you by Merriam-Webster, Word of the Day.

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Word of the Day: hoke

Word of the Day: hoke

Hoke (verb) HOHK

Madonna spanking Amy Schumer on stage
Source: thecelebrityauction.co

Definition

: to give a contrived, falsely impressive, or hokey quality to — usually used with up

Examples

“It’s okay that everybody looks great, though certain scenes seem hoked up. A black cat crossing the path of a motorcade about to explode feels more like Hollywood moviemaking than truth telling….” — D.J. Palladino, The Santa Barbara Independent, 10 Jan. 2013

“‘Concussion’ has the sober, patient earnestness of a lawyer preparing a major case—it’s a dramatization of true events and occasionally hoked up in the finest Hollywood tradition, but it wants to stir you into being convinced instead of the other way around.” — Ty Burr, The Boston Globe, 25 Dec. 2015

Charlotte Moorman and her fabulous 'cello'
Source: unknown

Did You Know?

Hoke is a back-formation of hokum, which was probably created as a blend of hocus-pocus and bunkum. Hokum is a word for the theatrical devices used to evoke a desired audience response. The verb hoke appeared in the early 20th century and originally used (as it still can be today) when actors performed in an exaggerated or overly sentimental way. Today, it’s used adjectivally in the form hoked-up, as in “hoked-up dialogue.” We coined the related word hokey soon after hoke to describe things that are corny or phony.

My Take on Hoke

Heather Marie Hoke headshot
Source: starnostar.com

Well, this is a first. I could not find an appropriate image that represented the definition of the word ‘hoke.’ Oh, sure, I found lots of images connected to the term, but nothing related to its definition.

Many people are named ‘Hoke’ including Playboy model Heather Marie Hoke and a host of other people. (BTW, if you share this post via Twitter, you’ll be treated to a nude photo of her.) I found various buildings named ‘hoke,’ product after product and even many state counties all around the U.S. But nothing specifically related to the meaning of the word.

So, I had to expand my search, using words related to the term. I came up with several stage performances are either contrived or outrageous. So, I included one of Madonna spanking Amy Schumer on stage. If you haven’t seen either of these women in person or attended one of their live performances, I urge you to do so. I’ve them both live and on stage, and I had a great time each time I’ve seen them.

 

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

Lovable The Hoke House Chris Ocean Photography Portland
Source: opteks.site

A sexy bonus picture is available by sharing this post on Twitter. My gift to you for sharing.

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Word of the Day: sabot

Word of the Day: sabot

Sabot, wooden shoes
Source: dailykos.com

Sabot (noun) sa-BOH

Definition

1 a : a wooden shoe worn in various European countries

b : a strap across the instep in a shoe especially of the sandal type; also : a shoe having a sabot strap

2 : a thrust-transmitting carrier that positions a missile in a gun barrel or launching tube and that prevents the escape of gas ahead of the missile

3 : a dealing box designed to hold several decks of playing cards

Examples

“The spin imparted by rifling lets slugs separate cleanly from the sabot, makes them fly true, and allows them to expand.” — Phil Bourjaily, Field & Stream, November 2014

“The man is a venerable but unprepossessing figure; he rests his hands on a cane, he has sabots on his feet, wears cinched gaiters over his trousers and has two medals on his greatcoat.” — Michael Prodger, The New Statesman, 17 June 2015

Did You Know?

The term sabot may have first been introduced into English in a 1607 translation from French: “wooden shoes,” readers were informed, are “properly called sabots.” The gun-related sense appeared in the mid-1800s with the invention of a wooden gizmo that kept gun shells from shifting in the gun barrel. Apparently, someone thought the device resembled a wooden shoe and named it sabot (with later generations of this device carrying on the name). Another kind of French sabot—a metal “shoe” used to secure rails to railway ties—is said to be the origin of the word sabotage, from workers destroying the sabots during a French railway strike in the early 1900s. The word sabot is probably related to savate, a Middle French word for an old shoe.

Lt. Valeris, Star Trek VI
Source: Paramount Studios

My Take

Hey, I know this word! I learned about it in the 1991 movie ‘Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country.’ In it, Lt. Valeris, a Vulcan officer assigned to the Starship Enterprise teaches the crew the origin of the word ‘sabotage.’

In the scene, Lt. Valeris informs everyone that 400 hundred years earlier on Earth, workers would throw their wooden shoes, called sabots, into the machinery to stop them from working. My morning research on both sabot and sabotage found numerous instances that support her comment to the crew.

Sabot Card Shoe
Source: Dal Negro

Of course, Lt. Valeris turns out to be one of the conspirators in the film. It wasn’t a great movie, but it did have a great message, one that Star Trek founder Gene Roddenberry would approve.

I did learn something more about the word. I’ve watched James Bond play baccarat film after film, passing the ‘shoe’ from player to dealer. I never knew the accurate term for the ‘shoe’ was ‘sabot.’ I also found references to arms, from everything from bullets to missiles, that use the term.

Girl Kicks Off Her Sabots
Source: no.pornpicture.org

The term ‘Clogs’ also derives from ‘sabot.’ Apparently, many of today’s women’s shoes are modern versions of sabots. I never knew that either.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

My sexy bonus picture, available if you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, is especially pertinent to today’s word. My gift to you for sharing.

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Word of the Day: facetious

Word of the Day: facetious

Facetious I was being
Source: memegenerator.net

Facetious (adjective) fuh-SEE-shuss

Definition

1 : joking or jesting often inappropriately : waggish

2 : meant to be humorous or funny : not serious

Examples

“My proposal to tax estates heavily is neither entirely serious nor wholly facetious.” — Martha Viehmann, The Cincinnati (Ohio) Enquirer, 17 Aug. 2016

“When I was a kid, I wanted to be a garbage man. I’m not being facetious or silly…. As a four-year-old, my room window faced the street, and I remember being mesmerized by these wild guys waking me up twice a week. They were raucous and loud, they yelled and threw things around with reckless abandon, they dangerously climbed on and hung off a large moving vehicle….” — Andy Nulman, quoted in The Globe and Mail, 11 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Facetious—which puzzle fans know is one of the few English words containing the vowels a, e, i, o, u in order—came to English from the Middle French word facetieux, which traces to the Latin word facetia, meaning “jest.” Facetia seems to have made only one other lasting contribution to the English language: facetiae, meaning “witty or humorous writings or sayings.” Facetiae, which comes from the plural of facetia and is pronounced \fuh-SEE-shee-ee\ or \fuh-SEE-shee-eye\, is a far less common word than facetious, but it does show up occasionally. For example, American essayist Louis Menand used it in his 2002 book American Studies to describe the early days of The New Yorker. “The New Yorker,” he wrote, “started as a hectic book of gossip, cartoons, and facetiae.”

Fry being facetious
Source: memegenerator.net

My Take

I try to be humorous in my everyday life, at least when it is appropriate. It’s one reason my girlfriend loves me. Yet, there are days when she is sure that I’m being facetious. Take, for example, the times when she is feeling under the weather, and I try to make light of the situation. I’ll say something that in my mind is light-hearted and candid. Unfortunately, I am amazed at how often she takes exception to my feeble attempt to cheer her up. I see it time and time again, yet I’ll never learn. It’s part of my nature. Sorry honey.

Facetious, urbane or well-mannered
Source: buzzfeed.com

In my research on the word, I found that a century ago, facetious had a very different meaning, ‘urbane or well-mannered.’ It got me thinking. So many of the words I am learning by doing these Words of the Day used to have very different meanings, either decades ago or centuries ago. I find that intriguing. It means that the human race is ever changing. We are not stagnant and dying. It gives me hope for the future. How about you? What do you think?

My bonus picture, available if you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, is especially pertinent to today’s word. It’s sexy, and it’s particularly funny. My gift to you for sharing.

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Word of the Day: ukase

Word of the Day: ukase

Russian tsar Alexander II
Source: encyclopediaofukraine.com

Ukase (noun) yoo-KAYSS

Definition

1 : a proclamation by a Russian emperor or government having the force of law

2 a : a proclamation having the force of law

b : order, command

Examples

“On December 31, 1810, the Emperor issued a ukase lifting all restrictions on exports from Russia and on imports coming by sea, while at the same time imposing a heavy tariff on goods arriving overland, most of which came from France.” — James Traub, John Quincy Adams: Militant Spirit, 2016

“The Department of Education has issued a ukase … on the use of exclamation marks by seven-year-olds.… Education ministers have concluded that seven-year-olds are …  unhealthily addicted to exclamation points …, and have decreed that in this summer’s grammar tests for primary school pupils, sentences concluding with an exclamation point may be marked correct only if they begin with How or What.” — Jane Shilling, The Daily Telegraph (London), 7 Mar. 2016

OUKASE-ex-Libris et autres
Source: stoffel-eric-bd.over-blog.com

Did You Know?

English speakers adopted ukase more or less simultaneously from French (ukase) and Russian (ukaz) in the early 18th century. The word can be traced further back to the Russian verb ukazat’, meaning “to show” or “to order,” and its ultimate source is an ancient root that led to similar words in Latin, Sanskrit, and Old Church Slavic. A Russian ukase was a command from the highest levels of government that could not be disobeyed. But by the early 19th century, English speakers were also using ukase generally for any command that seemed to come from a higher authority, particularly one that was final or arbitrary.

My Take

Ukase Vol 03 - Enemy Brothers
Source: comicsfordownloads.blogspot.com

I can honestly say, that I doubt that I will ever use today’s word. Historians and similar professions might, but I can’t see me using it. According to my research, it’s most commonly used in connection with Russia. Not so much today’s version of the country but pre-twentieth century Russia.

Alternate uses include having the force of law, order or a command. Now, I’m not a lawyer, a member of law enforcement or government so I’m unlikely to use it in that context. About the only possible context might be in my household, but that will never be the case. My relationship with my girlfriend is built not on dominion over one another but mutual respect and consideration.

I did find a number of foreign products based upon the word. Though I don’t normally promote products, if the product is a creative work of art, I will.

If someone out there has a favorite day use for the word, please let me know.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: elicit

Word of the Day: elicit

Elicit
Source: wordpandit.com

Elicit (verb) ih-LISS-it

Definition

1 : to draw forth or bring out (something latent or potential)

2 : to call forth or draw out (as information or a response)

Examples

The announcement of the final amount raised by the charity walk elicited many cheers from the crowd.

“But the big question is whether fragments of pottery, fraying textiles and decaying manuscripts can elicit excitement these days when people are glued to technology.” — Ruth Eglash, The Washington Post, 26 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

Elicit derives from the past participle of the Latin verb elicere, formed by combining the prefix e- (meaning “away”) with the verb lacere, meaning “to entice by charm or attraction.” It is not related to its near-homophone, the adjective illicit—that word, meaning “unlawful,” traces back to another Latin verb, licēre, meaning “to be permitted.” Nor is elicit related to the verb solicit, even though it sounds like it should be. Solicit derives from Latin sollicitare (“to disturb”), formed by combining the adjective sollus, meaning “whole,” with the past participle of the verb ciēre, meaning “to move.”

Elicit a confession
Source: smartvocab.in

My Take

Elicit should not be confused with illicit. Many people do. Elicit is akin to a blood draw, an interrogation of a suspect, or encouraging an ejaculation. It is used to acquire useful information from a co-worker, boss or client. I found a reference to the term in drawing the string of a bow in archery. Interesting, though I’m not sure I would use it that way, though I see how it can.

In my search for images, I found several cartoons describing the word, driving home the point of its definition. I found numerous comparisons on why elicit is different from illicit. And, I found a couple of books, companies and even a line of audio equipment titled ‘Elicit.’

Elicit by M. Never
Source: thebookfairyreviews.com

Most importantly, I found numerous uses of the word Elicit applied in sentences and imagery that clearly should have been Illicit. Since they sound similar, I understand how that could happen but please, let’s keep them separate. Thanks.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: triptych

Word of the Day: triptych

Annunciation Triptych
Source: www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/56.70

Triptych (noun) TRIP-tik

Definition

1 : an ancient Roman writing tablet with three waxed leaves hinged together

2 a : a picture (such as an altarpiece) or carving in three panels side by side

b : something composed or presented in three parts or sections; especially : trilogy

Examples

The panels of the triptych illustrated the three theological virtues of faith, hope, and charity.

“‘Certain Women,’ her latest film and arguably the most precise expression of [Kelly] Reichardt’s vision to date, is a triptych based on three short stories by the Montana-raised author Maile Meloy.” — Alice Gregory, The New York Times, 16 Oct. 2016

Did You Know?

A painted or carved triptych typically has three hinged panels, and the two outer panels can be folded in towards the central one. A literary or musical triptych generally consists of three closely related or contrasting themes or parts. Triptych derives from the Greek triptychos (“having three folds”), formed by combining tri– (“three”) and ptychē (“fold” or “layer”). Although triptych originally described a specific type of Roman writing tablet that had three hinged sections, it is not surprising that the idea was generalized first to a type of painting, and then to anything composed of three parts.

My Take

I grew up with a fine art print of the feature photo in this post hanging in my living room. Until now, I never knew that there was an actual name for this kind of artwork. My father worked for an art gallery in New York City, as a master framer and master repair technician.

Triptych Photo
Source: landscapephotographyshop.com

Working for the gallery, over the years, he acquired numerous pieces which were distributed around my family after my parents passing. The gallery focused their business on selling and repairing 18th and 19th-century prints. My father’s role in the gallery was to frame their acquisitions, most times using gold leafed frames that today would cost thousands of dollars. He was also the lead person who would repair prints and original works when a customer would bring in a damaged item, perhaps with a slice in the canvas or water damage and the like. He was never a creative person, but as a technician, he was without compare. I miss him.

As an artist, I have thought to create a triptych to add to my gallery of works. Years ago, I made an attempt in an abstract style. I never liked it and painted over it with a new composition. However, I still have a new idea and one day; I will get to it.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day – bully pulpit-2

Word of the Day – bully pulpit-2

Topfree 7 performers
Source: www.wackbag.com

Bully pulpit (noun) BULL-ee-PULL-pit

Definition

: a prominent public position (as a political office) that provides an opportunity for expounding one’s views; also : such an opportunity

Examples

“Candidates for governor like to make people think they set the vision. But the governor has a bully pulpit and little else. He or she may be in a position to push or prod or convene a task force or two, but nothing happens if the other players don’t agree.” — Jay Evensen, The Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah), 28 Sept. 2016

“Land use is a local responsibility, and the federal government has limited power to make cities build more housing. Still, the Obama administration is increasingly using the bully pulpit to tell urban progressives that if they care about income inequality, they ought to care about building more housing.'” — Kerry Cavanaugh, The Los Angeles Times, 26 Sept. 2016

Teddy Roosevelt
Source: proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com

Did You Know?

Bully pulpit comes from the 26th U.S. President, Theodore Roosevelt, who observed that the White House was a bully pulpit. For Roosevelt, bully was an adjective meaning “excellent” or “first-rate”—not the noun bully (“a blustering, browbeating person”) that’s so common today. Roosevelt understood the modern presidency’s power of persuasion and recognized that it gave the incumbent the opportunity to exhort, instruct, or inspire. He took full advantage of his bully pulpit, speaking out about the danger of monopolies, the nation’s growing role as a world power, and other issues important to him. Since the 1970s, bully pulpit has been used as a term for an office—especially a political office—that provides one with the opportunity to share one’s views.

My Take

To me, ‘bully pulpit’ looks like two words, but apparently, it’s considered a single one. I find that peculiar. Oh, well. So what. The English language is chock full of discrepancies and rules that don’t seem to make sense.

Bully Pulpit
Source: THE COLBERT REPORT

Back to the word, I discovered that it was first used by President Teddy Roosevelt. He was a big one for preaching, instilling a feeling of the U.S. being an exceptional country speaking out about the dangers of monopolies, power, and all sorts of things important to him. It didn’t take the presidency for him to rise to this standard. Oh, no. He lived and breathed his viewpoints and never missed an opportunity to expound upon them.

I live in New York State, one of the fifty in the country. Several years ago, a movement started right in my home town. Called ‘The Top Free Seven’ they pushed to give women the right to go topless. Just as the suffragettes fought to give women the right to vote, own property and run for political office, they pushed hard, got arrested a few times but eventually, they got a law passed in New York decriminalizing removing one’s top and freeing the breast from covering up. If you’ve not heard about this, I encourage you to read up on it. Here is a good summary. (http://topfreedomnewyork.blogspot.com/2011/05/top-free-7.html) Let’s make it a movement across the country and the world. After all, God made man and woman in his image, and they were nude. Who are we to screw with his plan.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: auriferous

Eyes of Gold
Source: reveriesummoner.deviantart.com/

Word of the Day: auriferous

Auriferous (adjective) aw-RIF-uh-russ

Definition

1 containing gold

2 dark yellow

Synonyms

aureate; aurelian; auric; aurous; aurulent; blond; blonde; caramel; dusty; flaxen; gilded; gilt; halcyon; honeyed; mellow yellow; ochroid; straw; tan; tawny; wheat

Examples

Auriferous, uraninitic, hydrocarbon-rich stromatolite rock
James St. John

The mining company has discovered many auriferous deposits throughout the region.

“Development … on the east flank of the Huachuca Mountains occurred after the 1911 discovery of a gold nugget weighing 22 ounces, probably originating from auriferous quartz veins found in the granite beds upstream.” — William Ascarza, The Arizona Daily Star (Tucson, AZ), 26 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Students in chemistry class learn that the chemical symbol for gold is Au. That symbol is based on aurum, the Latin word for the element. In the 17th century, English speakers coined auriferous by appending the -ous ending to the Latin adjective aurifer, an offspring of aurum that means “containing gold” or “producing gold.” (The -fer is from ferre, a Latin verb meaning “to produce” or “to bear.”) Not surprisingly, auriferous is a term that shows up in geological contexts. Some other descendants of aurum include aureate (“of a golden color” or “marked by grandiloquent style”), auric(“of, relating to, or derived from gold”), and the noun or (“the heraldic color gold or yellow”).

My Take

auriferous “yielding gold”
Source: studiobritten.com/fine-artist-britten

Auriferous means ‘containing gold.’ It could also mean something that is gold colored or emulating gold. As I looked into the term, I discovered that it is used mostly in the mining industry. As in ‘a vein of auriferous rock found contains gold.’

Wow, I have never seen gold in its raw form embedded in rock. I may never. I don’t care if I do. What I do care about is how society seems to be driven by this element. It is relatively abundant mineral, so why the fuss. I know it looks pretty when refined and polished. It never tarnishes, it’s a good conductor of electricity, and highly malleable. But does that mean people need to covet it?

Livid by Auriferous Art
auriferous-art.deviantart.com/art/Livid-388932006

I’ll let you ponder that question. Moving on, I found a couple of artists who focus their fine-art on the color. Reverie Summoner and Auriferous Art have many pieces up on display at Deviant Art. I include a piece of each from their collection for you to check out. I’m a sucker for promoting people’s artwork. Hopefully, someone will promote mine.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: mollify

Mollify
Source: fyeahvocab.tumblr.com

Word of the Day: mollify

Mollify (verb) MAH-luh-fye

Definition

1 : to soothe in temper or disposition : appease

2 : to reduce the rigidity of : soften

3 : to reduce in intensity : assuage, temper

Synonyms

allay; alleviate; ameliorate; appease; assuage; blunt; lessen; lull; mitigate; pacify; placate; quell; relieve; soften; temper

Antonyms

aggravate; agitate; excite; incite; increase; intensify; irritate; provoke; upset; worry; worsen

Examples

“To some extent, the delay also was intended to mollify the concerns of county leaders that police and fire service responsibilities were being shoved at them on an abrupt timetable, potentially to the detriment of affected residents.” — Lawrence Specker, AL.com, 30 Aug. 2016

“If there were any doubt that Roark, with his 15 wins and top-five ERA, could be a reliable No. 2 starter if Stephen Strasburg cannot pitch in October, he has done all he could to mollify it. He has now thrown 200 innings for the first time. He still leads the league with nine starts of seven or more scoreless innings.” — Chelsea Janes, The Washington Post, 21 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Mollify, pacify, appease, and placate all mean “to ease the anger or disturbance of,” although each implies a slightly different way of pouring oil on troubled waters. Pacify suggests the restoration of a calm or peaceful state, while appease implies the quieting of insistent demands by making concessions; you can appease appetites and desires as well as persons. Placate is similar to appease, but it often indicates a more complete transformation of bitterness to goodwill. Mollify, with its root in Latin mollis, meaning “soft,” implies soothing hurt feelings or anger.

My Take

To me, mollifying is an art form. Soothing tempers, appeasing desire, softening a hard stance, and assuaging an intense situation takes rare skill. One I don’t believe I have.

Mollify by restraint
Source: transformative-honeymoons.blogspot.com

People tell me I have patience, but I wonder. I so to some extent but I still wonder. To me, patience is necessary to mollify a person in distress, pain, or just angry. I don’t have the skills to do that. I’m more likely going to aggravate rather than pacify the situation. It takes a rare breed, as far as I’m concerned, to help rather than hurt.

Calm after the storm
Source: Sonixstorm.Com

So how to mollify a situation. It can be done by force, either willingly by all parties involved, at the point of a gun or simple restraint, to just opening one’s arms and giving a hug.

I suppose I could use some help in this area and I welcome your comments. Perhaps I can become a better person as a result.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: cavalcade

Super Cars Cavalcade in London
Source: edgardaily.com

Word of the Day: cavalcade

Cavalcade (noun) kav-ul-KAYD

Definition

1 a : a procession of riders or carriages

b : a procession of vehicles or ships

2 : a dramatic sequence or procession : series

Examples

“Giant helium balloons, beautifully decorated, horse-drawn carriages and antique cars, along with uniformed cavalcades performing their routines, will thrill parade goers.” — San Antonio Magazine, 22 Apr. 2016

“In the first video released by the PAC, a cavalcade of Hollywood’s finest appear to underline the importance of voting in November’s election. From ‘Avengers’ alumni Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson … to Julianne Moore, Keegan-Michael Key, … and many more …” — Libby Hill, The Los Angeles Times, 21 Sept. 2016

Cavalcade of the Three Kings
Source: florencepictures.com

Did You Know?

When cavalcade was first used in English, it meant “a horseback ride” or “a march or raid made on horseback.” Edward Hyde, Earl of Clarendon, used it this way in his 1647 History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars in England: “He had with some Troops, made a Cavalcade or two into the West.” From there came the “procession of riders” meaning and eventual applications to processions in a broader sense.

Cavalcade came to English via French from the Old Italian noun cavalcata, which in turn came from an Old Italian verb, cavalcare, meaning “to go on horseback.” Ultimately, these words came from the Latin word caballus, meaning “horse.” The combining form cade also appears in other words describing particular kinds of processions, such as motorcade or the less common aquacade.

Royal Wedding - Carriage Procession To Buckingham Palace
Source: zimbio.com

My Take

Cavalcade, simply stated, is a parade or procession. It can be of anything. A town parade celebrating a civic event, a car show with owners displaying their prized possessions, a wedding parade (royal or not), a New Orleans parade for a loved one, and a procession of performing horses are all examples of a cavalcade.

I also found out that several products are using the term, from a motorcycle to a softcore men’s magazine of the sixties, a movie name and even light shows.

Cavalcade Volume 6 Number 11 November 1967
Source: http://martiantiki.com/cavalcade-nov67/

Festivals all over the world use the term, including the Cavalcade of the Three Kings held in Florence Italy. If you share this post using one of my Twitter share buttons, I will treat you with a sexy cavalcade of two of my favorite subjects in life.

Go ahead, share this page. I dare you. Actually, I have two photos I would like to make available this way, but unfortunately, I can only do one using Twitter. Hint: click here for the second.

With the Chicago Cubs winning the world series after a 108-year drought, their parade will offer a cavalcade of the players, allowing their fans to feel close to their team. Events like this happen all around the world, from the winners of the World Cup returning home, to Olympic athletes who are honored by their hometowns, regardless of whether they won a medal or not.

Cavalcades are everywhere. I have participated in several throughout my life. How about you?

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

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My Take, part 2

nude-photography
Source: pinterest.com/explore/nude-photography

My Take, part 2

Just a quick reminder, please check out the ‘My Take’ section of my Word of the Day posts. ‘My Take’ is where I add my commentary associated with the word and how I find it relates to the world I see around me.

It’s short and sweet, and I try to add imagery to support my suppositions. Plus, I usually add (including this post) an easter egg for you, if you share the post on Twitter. My gift to you for reading the entire post.

Thanks and have a great day!

Word of the Day: dicker

Word of the Day: dicker

Dicker (verb) DIK-er

Definition

: to bargain

Examples

Cintia Dicker
Cintia Dicker Source: shauntmax30.com

“Long before Walt Disney thought to sell toys based on his cartoon characters, [Edgar Rice] Burroughs was dickering with toy manufacturers for Tarzan tie-ins.” — Tim Martin, The Telegraph (United Kingdom), 7 July 2016

“As in any divorce, the lawyers will commence dickering, mostly behind closed doors. As in any celeb divorce, the usual unnamed ‘sources’ will commence leaking like sieves to favored media to benefit one side or the other.” — Maria Puente, USA Today, 21 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Etymologists aren’t exactly sure of the origins of the verb dicker; however, there is a probability that it arose from the bartering of animal hides on the American frontier.

dickering in asia
source: travel.cnn.com

The basis of that theory is founded on the noun dicker, which in English can refer to a quantity of ten hides. That word is derived from decuria, the Latin word for a bundle of ten hides, and ultimately from Latin decem, meaning “ten” (to learn why the month December comes from the Latin word decem, click here). In ancient Rome, a decuria became a unit of bartering. The word entered Middle English as dyker and eventually evolved to dicker. It has been posited that the verb emerged from the bargaining between traders over dickers of hides, but not all etymologists are sold on that idea.

My Take

Cintia Dicker topless
Source: tuxboard.com

Do you know how hard it is to find the perfect image that goes with the word of the day? Today, I found out just how hard it was when the word is also the name of an international glamor super-model who appears in all the major rags, walks the runway, and is an international celebrity. I’ve included a portion of her bio below. There are pictures everywhere for model Cintia Dicker. I went through hundreds of photos before I changed tactics.

So, I searched for images of the word bargain and bargaining. Guess what? Cintia was there, too. Oh my. I needed to filter some more and eventually I came up with a scene from an Asian market where bartering and dickering is a normal form of commerce. Of course, dickering can manifest itself including at the barrel of a gun, or a finger hovering above the button. Whatever form it takes, it’s not something commonly done in the lower levels of America. Jump to the boardroom, and it is another story. Then, sometimes, as is true in my area, one can dicker with the Cable company for lower rates by threatening to cancel the service altogether. Oh wait, isn’t that the same as dickering at the end of a gun barrel?

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a topless image of Cintia Dicker. My gift to you.

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Cintia Dicker Bio

Cintia Dicker relaxing nude

Source: thesupermodelsgallery.com

Stats

Nationality: Brazilian
Hair Color: Brown / red
Eye Color: Blue
Date of Birth: June 12 1986
Place of Birth: Campo Bom, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil
Height: 5’10? ; 178cm
Measurements: (US) 34-24-34 ; (EU) 86.5-61-86.5
Dress Size: (US) 4 ; (EU) 34
Shoe Size: (US) 9 ; (EU) 40 ; (UK) 6.5

Magazine Covers:

Brazil: ‘Elle’ – May 2009; ‘Follow’ – August 2010
Canada: ‘Fashion’ – April 2008
France: ‘Elle’ – November 2004; ‘Marie Claire’ – August 2010
Germany: ‘Sleek’ – Spring 2008
Italy: ‘D’ – July & November 27 2004; ‘Glamour’ – January 2004; ‘D’ April 2005
Japan: ‘Spur’ – September 2005
US: ‘City’ – June 2009

Notes:

She’s appeared in various advertising campaigns, Elle, GQ and the 2009, 2010 & 2011 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issues.

Word of the Day: echelon

Echelon formation
Source: freshmanphysics.com

Word of the Day: echelon

Echelon (noun) ESH-uh-lahn

Definition

1 : a steplike arrangement (as of troops or airplanes)

2 a : one of a series of levels or grades in an organization or field of activity

b : a group of individuals at a particular level or grade in an organization

Examples

“And I think that … there are more conservatives in Hollywood than one would think in all echelons, even among the actors.” — Jon Voight, speaking on the Fox News Network, 9 Sept. 2016

“There were those in the upper echelons of network news who caught a bit of that altitude sickness and thought it was their job to massage the news on behalf of a greater good only they could see.” — Dalton Delan, The Berkshire Eagle (Pittsfield, Massachusetts), 23 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Echelon is a useful word for anyone who is climbing the ladder of success. It traces back to scala, a Late Latin word meaning “ladder” that was the ancestor of the Old French eschelon, meaning “rung of a ladder.” Over time, the French word (which is échelon in Modern French) came to mean “step,” “grade,” or “level.” When it was first borrowed into English in the 18th century, echelon referred specifically to a steplike arrangement of troops, but it now usually refers to a level or category within an organization or group of people.

My Take

We’ve heard the term, the top echelon. From its use, we can figure out approximately what it means. Like the top .5% having the top 99% of all wealth in America, most people in this class consider themselves the top echelon in the country. Me, with several exceptions, I despise.

Looking beyond the normal meaning, I was astonished to note in

Drafting in Formation
Source: echeloncopy.com

its definition that there are other meanings of the term. One is the step-like arrangement as in airplanes. Think of airshows where military jets fly in tight formation over the airfield. It’s thrilling to watch, as they fly wingtip to wingtip, temerariously (yesterday’s word of the day) tempting disaster.

Stacked gears
Source: echeloncopy.com

Another meaning is the series of levels or grades within an organization or activity. Bike races are a perfect analogy to the term. You see them race in tight formation, drafting off each other, and allowing the team member to the rear take point so that the leader may fall back and rest a bit. Derailleur gears are another form of stacked levels.

I love learning the different contexts of these words of the day. Don’t you? Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all like to read them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: temerarious

Japanese Hot Pot
Source: yourfriendinthefridge-blog.tumblr.com/

Word of the Day: temerarious

Temerarious (adjective) tem-uh-RAIR-ee-us

Definition

marked by temerity : rashly or presumptuously daring

Synonyms

adventurous; bold; brash; daring; foolhardy; heedless; rash; venturesome

Examples

Temerarious
Source: wordsandphrasesfromthepast.com

“Nissan execs are proud of their new ‘flagship crossover,’ as they call the 2015 Murano, throwing around further clichés like ‘concept car for the street’ and talking about how much the interior resembles a ‘lounge on wheels.’ Which is by an appropriate measure less temerarious than the concept’s press release, which proclaimed that designers had drawn inspiration from ‘the futuristic allure of hypersonic travel.'” — Jeff Sabatini, CarandDriver.com, December 2014

“More important still—and here he is perceived as either temerarious or feckless—[Pope] Francis has departed radically from his predecessors in that he actively encourages his bishops … to speak boldly when addressing him and in assembly….” — Michael W. Higgins, The Globe and Mail, 13 Mar. 2015

Temerarious mutt
Source: wordinfo.info

Did You Know?

If you have guessed that temerarious may be related to the somewhat more common word temerity, you are correct. Temerarious was borrowed into English in the early 16th century from Latin temerarius, which in turn derives from Latin temere, meaning “blindly” or “recklessly.” Temerity, which arrived in English over a century earlier, also derives from temere; another descendant is the rare word intemerate,meaning “pure” or “undefiled.” Temere itself is akin to Old High German demar, Latin tenebrae, and Sanskrit tamas, all of which have associations with darkness.

My Take

Temerarious is an interesting word, and in my estimation, will fall by the wayside in the decades to come. A shame but if no one uses it, bye-bye!

Donatella Versace Wore Jennifer Lopez
Source: Getty Images

How can it be used? Of course, the examples given by Merriam-Webster work okay but really, does anyone really talk like that? I rather doubt it.

The related images I found pretty well describe the word. From the bold colors and taste of a Japanese Hot Pot to the tiny little dog, recklessly holding off the much bigger dog with its bark. We’ve all seen this, at least I have. A large dog, who could eat the small one in one bite, is kept at bay by the brazen attitude of the smaller one. Interesting, I’d say.

JLo wearing Donatella Versace’s presumptuously daring green dress with the oh so deep plunging neckline that reached right to her groin at the 2000 Grammys is a perfect example of a temerarious dress. It implied more than it showed but who cares. JLo was the talk of the globe for months.

I didn’t know this, but apparently she wasn’t the first to wear that dress. Geri Halliwell, a former Spice Girl, wore it at the NJR Music Awards in France one month earlier. However, JLo made it look GOOD!

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: gravid

Gravid Gift of Love
Source: jansdal.dk

Word of the Day: gravid

Gravid (adjective) GRAV-id

Definition

1 : pregnant

2 : distended with or full of eggs

Synonyms

abundant, anticipating, big, carrying a child, expectant, expecting, fecund, fertile, fraught, fruitful, gestating, heavy, hopeful, in a family way, in family way. pregnant, productive, prolific, replete, teeming, with child

Examples

“We know by intuition and study that great books approach a condition both above and below human … and our job is to place ourselves somewhere on the continuum between those shifting poles, to welcome a gravid agitation …; to have our person-hood both threatened and amplified.” — William Giraldi, The New York Times, 26 Jan. 2014

“Her laugh overtakes her.… It’s restorative; it brings light into her eyes and her high, round cheekbones into sharp relief. She has a radiance sometimes, almost gravid, and it’s usually when she’s been laughing.” — Tom Junod, Esquire, 1 Feb. 2016

Did You Know?

Gravid comes from Latin gravis, meaning “heavy.” It can refer to a female who is literally pregnant, and it also has the figurative meanings of pregnant: “full or teeming” and “meaningful.” Thus, a writer may be gravid with ideas as she sits down to write; a cloud may be gravid with rain; or a speaker may make a gravid pause before announcing his remarkable findings.

My Take

Pregnant, distended or full of eggs, that’s what the dictionary defines the word Gravid. I admit, this is not a word I had ever heard of but does that make it a little-used word, one that might be on its way out from our language. Probably not. My research showed many uses of the word.

I’ve included a pic of tropical fish, called a Molly. It’s a female whose belly is completely distended. When I was young, I didn’t understand pregnancy in humans. I never saw my mother pregnant. But, I did raise tropical fish. Mostly, I focused on breeding Beta’s, commonly called Siamese Fighting Fish. Maintaining my tank for all those years, I could tell which fish was pregnant and which wasn’t.

Gravid Mollys
Source: fishlore.com

In Molly’s and Guppies, it’s easy to tell. Their bellies get huge in comparison to their bodies. In researching this topic, I discovered that the females can store viable sperm inside their bodies for up to six months, delivering upwards of 20 fry per month until the sperm is consumed. Introduce a male and it starts all over again. Fascinating. In Beta’s I found it harder to tell, but I would figure it out when the breeding couple would build a bubble nest just before depositing the fertilized eggs.

When it comes to humans, unfortunately, I’ve never had the pleasure to be a part of the pregnancy process. That could be a good thing; I do admit. Nevertheless, I always wanted to share the experience with the love of my life. It was not to be. I did get a taste when my youngest sister allowed me to share a little of her last pregnancy. Perhaps that is why I have a special connection to my niece. She’s a terrific artist, now studying graphic gaming art in her final year of college. Yup, she animates and paints the skins (is that the right word these days?) on the characters.

Enjoy the day and kiss your extraordinary gravid partner as soon as you can. She is carrying a very personal gift.

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Word of the Day: sepulchre

Dark Tombs
Source: butterflywebgraphics.com

Word of the Day: sepulchre

Sepulchre (noun) SEP-ul-ker

Definition

1 : a place of burial : tomb

2 : a receptacle for religious relics especially in an altar

Examples

“The secrets of business—complicated and often dismal mysteries—were buried in his breast, and never came out of their sepulchre save now….” — Charlotte Brontë, Shirley, 1849

“He had begun making plans for his sepulchre soon after his election to the papacy in 1503, ultimately conceiving of a memorial that was to be the largest since the mausoleums built for Roman emperors such as Hadrian and Augustus.” — Ross King, Michelangelo and the Pope’s Ceiling, 2002

Did You Know?

Sepulchre (also spelled sepulcher) first appeared in Middle English around the beginning of the 13th century. It was originally spelled sepulcre, a spelling taken from Anglo-French. Like many words borrowed into English from French, sepulchre has roots buried in Latin. The word arose from Latin sepulcrum, a noun derived from the verb sepelire, meaning “to bury.” Sepultus, the past participle of sepelire, gave us—also by way of Anglo-French—the related noun sepulture, which is a synonym of burial and sepulchre.

My Take

cemetery tombs
Source: walldevil.com

Sepulchre, today’s word of the day, instantly brought me back to my childhood. Huh? Yes, my childhood. The childhood where my parents and my community tried in vain to instill within me the beliefs of what I consider the biggest snow job done to humanity. I’m not going to go into it. I’ve said enough.

So, let’s see if I can apply the word to something other than the obvious. Being that today is Halloween, the night to celebrate the dead, scaring us into treats, it is only fitting. One of the meanings of sepulcher is a tomb. Where do you think Count Dracula’s coffin resides when he is waiting to get up? There are countless ways to apply the word. I’ll let the images I’ve included speak for themselves.

Happy Halloween everyone. Be safe and watch out for the Michael Myers. Somehow, they think they killed him, only for him to come back and resume his nightmarish killing spree. You know who has to be the most afraid of Michael? Young adults who are looking for a place to hook up. Careful people. You may just find yourselves in your own sepulcher before the night is over.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a gruesome  image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: titivate

Titivate with black heels and hot red thigh highsWord of the Day: titivate

Titivate (verb) TIH-tuh-vayt

Definition

: to make or become smart or spruce

Examples

“It was instantly clear, however, that she had not been idle, but busy titivating: painting her nails, washing her hair, doing her face….” — Rosamunde Pilcher, September, 1990

“I came here as a student …, but I spent more time in Cannon Hill Park two miles from the city centre. I clearly remember watching the gardeners titivate the flower beds and strolling past the lake through the many choice trees.” — Val Bourne, The Daily Telegraph (London), 21 May 2016

Did You Know?

Titivate, spruce, smarten, and spiff all mean “to make a person or thing neater or more attractive.” Titivate often refers to making small additions or alterations in attire (“titivate the costume with sequins and other accessories”), but it can also be used figuratively (as in “titivating the script for Broadway”). Spruce up is sometimes used for cosmetic changes or renovations that give the appearance of newness (“spruce up the house with new shutters and fresh paint before trying to sell it”). Smarten up and spiff up both mean to improve in appearance often by making more neat or stylish (“the tailor smartened up the suit with minor alterations”; “he needed some time to spiff himself up for the party”). The origins of titivate are uncertain, but it may have been formed from the English words tidy and renovate.

My Take

Titivating or sprucing up the makeup
Source: verbalberbal.com

Today’s word, titivate, confused me for a moment. When I read it, my mind automatically processed the word, ‘titillate,’ which is something completely different. However, I did so because I use the word frequently. In my writings, I try to titillate the reader.

Titivate, now that I learned of its existence is a term that I can and will probably add to my vernacular. Why? It’s cool. Besides, it strings together letters of one my favorite things. Can you guess?

When I researched the word, I found hundreds of images, all related to women elegantly dressed, putting on makeup, or just sprucing themselves up. I’ve included a couple of those images in this post, including a special one you will find if your share this on Twitter from this page. However, I wanted to see if I could relate it to something different.

And then it hit me. A couple of weeks ago, I test drove a 2016 Camaro 2LT RS.

2016 Camaro 2LT RS
Source: Chevrolet

OMG, what a sweet ride. I currently drive a 2014 Camaro 2LT RS. I must tell you, Chevrolet, without a doubt, spruced up this car. I intend to buy one. They upgraded the instrument package, making it even easier to read the gauges, which I found difficult in the 2014 version. Its drivetrain is improved, its road handling divine and oh, the sound from its tailpipes. Just perfect.

The long and the short, this titivated car titillates me. Yes, I’m in love.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: osculate

Osculate
Source: unusedwords.com

Word of the Day: osculate

osculate (verb) AHSS-kyuh-layt

Definition

: kiss

Examples

“One thing I forgot to ask the guy in the bar: When his significant other ended their relationship, did she at least osculate him goodbye?” — Mike Royko, “Love Lost in Lingo,” 3 June 1981

“Attorney Dan Bailey was the officiant-with-a-sense-of-humor, advising the groom, ‘You may now osculate your bride.'” — Business Observer (Sarasota, Florida), 24 May 2012

Osculate, not oscillate
Source: wordsmith.org

Did You Know?

Osculate comes from the Latin noun osculum, meaning “kiss” or “little mouth.” It was included in a dictionary of “hard” words in 1656, but we have no evidence that anyone actually used it until the 19th century—except for scientists who used it differently to mean “to have contact with.” Today, osculate is used in geometry for the action of a pair of curves or surfaces that touch so that they have a common tangent at the point of contact. When osculate is used to mean “kiss,” the context is typically humorous.

My Take

Well, osculate is another new word for me. After researching it, it appears to be a little-used word. After all, why would I say ‘Waking up, the first thing I do is osculate my girlfriend good morning.’ It just doesn’t have the right connotation to me. It doesn’t sound natural. I’d rather say, ‘Waking up, the first thing I do is kiss my girlfriend good morning.’

Couple Kissing
Source: Merriam-Webster

Osculate means kissing or to kiss. Let me tell you; I love kissing. The partner I choose in life has to be a good kisser. Let me be the first to announce, she is. When we go at it, it’s like heaven in a moment. The connection in our osculation (see what I mean?) kiss is without comparison. In many ways, it’s better than sex. As we kiss, I can feel her excitement build, her mouth open, and her breathing going deeper and fuller. I can feel the heat build not only in her lips but throughout her entire body. It’s like we’re melting. It’s a behavior that I find hard to describe using words. Stringing together thousands of words to describe it, does not do justice to kissing. You have to experience it for yourself in order to understand.

Then, of course, is the ultimate osculation.

There we go again, what the fuck does that mean. Let’s try that again.

Then, of course, is the ultimate kiss.

You know the kiss I mean, oral sex between consenting partners. When two lovers kiss each other this way, expresses the ultimate act of passion, giving to the other and sharing pleasure on a completely different realm. For me, it’s better than sex but it will never be better than osculating lips to lips, I mean kissing lips to lips.

I urge you to osculate with your favorite partner and lover today. Right now even. Why do you think the ballparks have the ‘Kiss Cam’ during breaks in the action. People love to kiss and be kissed. Please, do it today. Do it now.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: variegated

Variegated leaves of a Coleus
Source: unknown

Word of the Day: variegated

variegated
(adjective) VAIR-ee-uh-gay-tud

Definition

1 : having discrete markings of different colors

2 : various, diverse, varied

Examples

The flower has bright variegated petals.

“Everyone of significance in the region has multiple agendas and variegated geopolitical interests.” — Robert Robb, The Arizona Republic, 21 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

Variegated has been adding color to our language since the 17th century. It is used in botany to describe the presence of two or more colors in the leaves, petals, or other parts of plants, and it also appears in the names of some animals (such as the variegated cutworm). It can be used by the general speaker to refer to anything marked with different colors (“a variegated silk robe,” for instance) or to things that are simply various and diverse (“a variegated collection”). Variegated has a variety of relatives in English—it is ultimately derived from the Latin root varius, meaning “varied,” which also gave us vary, various, and variety.

My Take

Variegated is another word that I know very well. I learned it decades ago with my parents garden. We had all sorts of variegated varieties, including Hosta, one of my favorites.

In researching this word, it suddenly occurred to me that I could use the term in a number of different ways, for in a number of different subjects, such as animals (the vast variety of people comes to mind), people (race, nationality, sex, social groups, and subsets such as tattoo fans), plants, well, the picture in the post and my earlier comment affirms that.

I recommend that you think about the word and come up with your own interpretations. I have added one to this post, but in order to see it, you will need to share the post on Twitter using one of the Twitter buttons on this page.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: myriad

Sea of StarsWord of the Day: myriad

myriad (noun) MEER-ee-ud

Definition

1 : ten thousand

2 : a great number

Examples

“After sold-out shows in New York and Los Angeles, Rise will make its debut in Boston with a myriad of hand-carved jack o’ lanterns that will light up a trail that people can walk on as music plays in the background.” — Matt Juul, Boston Magazine, 21 Sept. 2016

“The robust and metallic nest-like venue, which is the first ever arena to be run entirely on solar power, features additional popular local restaurants, grab-and-go fresh fruits and vegetables, a touch of Sacramento history with their refurbished neon signs, and a myriad of local microbreweries.” — Michael Morris, The Vallejo (California) Times-Herald, 28 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

In English, the “ten thousand” sense of myriad mostly appears in references to Ancient Greece, such as the following from English historian Connop Thirwall’s History of Greece: “4000 men from Peloponnesus had fought at Thermopylae with 300 myriads.” More often, English speakers use myriad in the broad sense—both as a singular noun (“a myriad of tiny particles”) and a plural noun (“myriads of tiny particles”). Myriad can also serve as an adjective meaning “innumerable” (“myriad particles”). While some usage commentators criticize the noun use, it’s been firmly established in English since the 16th century, and in fact is about 200 years older than the adjective. Myriad comes from Greek myrias, which in turn comes from myrioi, meaning “countless” or “ten thousand.”

My Take

Mermaids Escaping
Mermaids Escaping

I love the word myriad. I use it frequently. I’ve always known it to mean a great number, a large number, or an uncountable number. Less than infinite but large enough that it might as well be infinite.

What I did not know was that it also meant a specific number, ten thousand to be exact. I found that interesting. So, the next time I have a need to use a word for ten thousand, I’ll be sure to use it.

Happy trails everyone. Thanks for reading.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: beatific

blissful soak
Source: rednotebotanica.com/

Word of the Day: beatific

beatific (adjective) bee-uh-TIFF-ik

Definition

1 : of, possessing, or imparting a state of utmost bliss

2 : having a blissful appearance

Synonyms

angelic; blissful; cherubic; delightful; divine; elated; ethereal; euphoric; happy; heavenly; joyful; lovely; rapturous; saintly

Examples

“She was Italian, funny, a beatific tomboy, with just the hint of a lazy eye, and wore a pair of glasses that made me think of the wonders of the library.” — Bruce Springsteen, Born to Run, 2016

“Maybe it was the unexpected warmth of the gesture….  Maybe it was his response, the beatific expression on his face, eyes almost closed, head tilted toward her shoulder.… But when Michelle Obama hugged former President George W. Bush … at a ceremony to open the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the image quickly took flight online.” — Mark Landler, The New York Times, 26 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Beatific—which derives from Latin beatificus, meaning “making happy”—has graced the English language as a word describing things that impart consummate bliss since the 17th century. In theology, the phrase “beatific vision” gained meaning as an allusion to the direct sight of God enjoyed by the blessed in heaven. Today, the word more frequently describes a blissful look or appearance. A closely related word is beatitude, which can refer to a state of utmost bliss or to any of the declarations made by Jesus in the Sermon on the Mount.

My Take

In researching today’s word, I found a plethora of religious images. While I do consider myself spiritual and I talk to him/her all the time, I am not religious. Filtering out the Judeo/Christian symbology was daunting. I think I managed it. What do you think?

beatific
Source: Unknown

When I think of this word, I think of the happy couple on their wedding day. The bride especially, wearing her emotions on her face and in her light-footed gait. I think of soaking in a deep hot bath, surrounded by bubbles, candles, and a glass or wine. Sharing the bath with a companion is optional. I think of lying in bed, post-coitus, reveling in the contentment permeating within every cell of your body. I think of standing over the crib or bed of your sleeping child. The child content in the instinct that no matter what, you will protect them and take care of them. I think of a quiet, summer morning, the air still, and dew just about to disappear for the day.

I could go on and on. Is there something you would like to share? I’m sure we would all enjoy reading the contributions.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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My Take

Words can make you feel
Source: elephantjournal.com

My Take

I found out recently that some of my followers don’t know that I add ‘My Take‘ to my Word of the Day posts.

My Take? What does that mean you ask? What good would it do if I just spit out what someone else wrote? I ask you. It’s a waste of time and energy. You could subscribe to that feed and get the same content.

What makes my version worthwhile is that I add a commentary that I hope you will find inspiring, interesting, or just plain cool. I research the word, adding images that I believe are pertinent to the meaning of the term and that you, the reader, will find interesting.

So, please, scroll down from the definition and read my take. There are tidbits in each and every one that you will find interesting. Plus, in many cases, I include a gift if you would share the post on Twitter. Of course, to get the gift, you have to share it using the Twitter buttons displayed on my post. Psst! There’s one on this post. Share it from this page on Twitter to see what it is.

Thanks for continuing to read my posts.

Woman in words 2 by JuanOsborne
Woman in words 2
by JuanOsborne, inspiration from Michale Ezra

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

Word of the Day: imbue

Imbue
Source: omnilexica.com

Word of the Day: imbue

imbue (verb) im-BYOO

Definition

1 : to permeate or influence as if by dyeing

2 : to tinge or dye deeply

3 : to provide with something freely or naturally : endow

Synonyms

endow, inculcate, ingrain, instill, leaven, permeate, pervade, saturate, steep, suffuse

Examples

The children were imbued with a passion for nature by their parents, both biologists.

“For a 23-year-old newly imbued with national fame, Jacoby Brissett is a man of few vices. One of them is chocolate chip cookies, which in college he baked for his offensive linemen.” — Adam Kilgore, The Washington Post, 22 Sept. 2016

IMBUE - Not So White
Artist: Imbue (source: retrome.bigcartel.com)

My Take

It never ceases to amaze me. No matter how obscure, how removed a word is from common day language, I can find hundreds or thousands of images on the net related to the term. What surprises me even more, are the number of companies use the word in their name or marketing for products. While I strive hard to avoid promoting products in my take on the Word of the Day, I sometimes find it hard to do so.

Imbue is one such term. I found it hard to filter out a couple of images that to me, represent the word, while at the same time did not promote a product.

I do have an exception to that rule. Being an artist as well as a writer, if I find painting, drawing or sketch done by an artist that represents the word, I’ll be happy to use it. The image of the girl in this post is one such image. My Twitter sharing link will give you an even more risque image related to the word, one not suitable for Facebook, LinkedIn or my other social media sites.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

If you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, I will treat you with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: domicile

Couple at home in their domicile
Source: thebalance.com

Word of the Day: domicile

domicile (noun) DAH-muh-syle

Definition

1 : a dwelling place : place of residence : home

2 a : a person’s fixed, permanent, and principal home for legal purposes

    b : the place where a corporation is actually or officially established

Dark Blue Bedroom
Source: Pininterest

Examples

“I got married, when I was 66, to David Bale…. I thought the women’s movement has struggled for 25 years to allow marriage to be an equal partnership, so I no longer had to give up my name, my domicile, my credit rating, so why not? — Gloria Steinem, quoted in The Scottish Daily Mail, 29 Feb. 2016

“Meese estimates he moved 20 times during his 32-year military career. While he could have chosen a number of states for his residence, he elected to keep Texas—where he bought his first house—as his domicile.” — Maryalene LaPonsie, U.S. News & World Report, 11 Mar. 2016

brown purple regal bedroom
Source: home-designing.com

Did You Know?

Domicile traces to Latin domus, meaning “home,” and English speakers have been using it as a word for “home” since at least the 15th century. In the eyes of the law, a domicile can also be a legal residence, the address from which one registers to vote, licenses a car, and pays income tax. Wealthy people may have several homes in which they live at different times of the year, but only one of their homes can be their official domicile for all legal purposes.

Source: Anina MutterMy Take

When I think of the word domicile, I automatically think of home. My home, your home, anyone’s home. Homes are different for everyone. They may be the grandest estate in the country, or it may be a cardboard box in an abandoned subway tunnel. It may be a long haul truckers cab, or it may be the RV roaming the back roads from city to city. Domiciles are personal preferences for where a person lives, whether by desire or necessity.

But domiciles can be much more than that. In my house, a modest 55+ ranch, our domicile is not so much the house, it’s the bedroom. We spend a lot of time there. It’s a place to sleep; it’s a place to hang out; it’s a place to make love, and it’s an erotic playroom for consenting adults.

A domicile is one’s home and their castle. Most importantly, home is where the heart is.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

By the way, if you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, you will be treated with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: glaucous

Grey Eyes
Source: PEI Magazine

Word of the Day: glaucous

glaucous (adjective) GLAW-kus

Definition

1 a : of a pale yellow-green color

   b : of a light bluish-gray or bluish-white color

2 : having a powdery or waxy coating that gives a frosted appearance and tends to rub off

Faery Realm
Source: FaeryRealm

Examples

“Her eyes, a clear, glaucous gray, express unambiguous yearning.” — Amanda Petrusich, The New Yorker, 26 May 2016

“Waxy, hard, hairy and glaucous leaves help prevent water loss.” — Patrice Hanlon,The Mercury News (California), 10 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

Glaucous came to English—by way of Latin glaucus—from Greek glaukos, meaning “gleaming” or “gray,” and has been used to describe a range of pale colors from a yellow-green to a bluish-gray. The word is often found in horticultural writing describing the pale color of the leaves of various plants as well as the powdery bloom that can be found on some fruits and leaves. The stem glauc- appears in some other English words, the most familiar of which is glaucoma, referring to a disease of the eye that can result in gradual loss of vision. Glauc- also appears in the not-so-familiar glaucope, a word used to describe someone with fair hair and blue eyes (and a companion to cyanope, the term for someone with fair hair and brown eyes).

Imagenes y Carteles - Sirenas
Source: Imagenes y Carteles

My Take

I doubt I will use this word much. In my research, I found that in current times, glaucous mostly refers to makeup colors, especially eye makeup. Stretching further, I found other images but rarely associated with the word. I did find one synonym for it, opaque, which M-W did not list. Theauraus.com failed to have it in its database. In my experience, this is not unusual, but enlightening.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

By the way, if you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, you will be treated with a sexier image related to the word. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: frieze

Frieze
Source: drxelaandarchitecture.wordpress.com

Word of the Day: frieze

frieze (noun) FREEZ

Definition

1 : the part of an entablature between the architrave and the cornice

2 : a sculptured or richly ornamented band (as on a building or piece of furniture)

3 : a band, line, or series suggesting a frieze

Examples

“The house commands a hilltop and is forbidding, imposing, but softened with a frieze of beautiful American elms.” — Lady Bird Johnson, A White House Diary, 1970

“But many of the iconic features of the old ballpark, such as the curved frieze atop the three-tiered grandstand, have been preserved.” — Kevin Baxter, The Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2016

FRIEZE OF AMERICAN HISTORY
Source: www.aoc.gov/art/other-paintings-and-murals/frieze-american-history

Did You Know?

Today’s word is not the only frieze in English. The other frieze refers to a kind of heavy wool fabric. Both of the frieze homographs derive from French, but each entered that language through a different channel. The woolen homograph is from the Middle Dutch word vriese, which also refers to coarse wool. The frieze that we are featuring as our word today is from the Latin word frisium, meaning “embroidered cloth.” That word evolved from phrygium and Phrygia, the name of an ancient country of Asia Minor whose people excelled in metalwork, wood carving, and (unsurprisingly) embroidery. That embroidery lineage influenced the use of frieze for the middle division of an entablature, which commonly has a decorated surface resembling embroidered cloth.

Acanthus frieze 1st century A.D. Domus Aurae, Rome.
Source: orientalist-art.org

My Take

I must admit, the moment I saw the word, the geek in me went to the character Dr. Frieze from DC Comics and Batman. However, I knew that M-W wouldn’t take me in that direction. I was pleased to find out just what they meant.

I always wondered what you call those bands of sculpted or painted artwork banding a building. Now I know. Be it interior or exterior, friezes fascinate me. I was in Las Vegas two years ago, touring the Venetian and Caesars Palace to gape in wonder at the reproductions and representations of the originals. I love this stuff. I must admit. As I wandered the hallways and foyers of these hotels, I lagged behind my friends and family as I stood and stared at the works of art. Yes, in my opinion, though reproductions, they are works of art.

Yet, I can’t help wonder whether today’s comic strips could be considered friezes. Do they meet the definition of a frieze? Long painted panel scenes organized side by side. I wonder. What about you?

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

By the way, if you share this post by clicking one of the twitter buttons, you will be treated with a sexier image. My gift to you.

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Word of the Day: evanescent

Cloud Busting — Steve Richard Photography
Source: Steve Richard Photography

Word of the Day: evanescent

evanescent (adjective) ev-uh-NESS-unt

Definition

: tending to vanish like vapor

Synonymons

brief; disappearing; elusive; elusory; ephemeral; fading; fleeting; illusory; indefinable; insubstantial; intangible; momentary; passing; short-lived; temporary; tenuous; transitory; vanishing

Examples

“As stunning as his dishes could be, in the end, the maestro understood its evanescent nature. Furstenberg remembers Richard telling him, ‘It’s supposed to be food.'” — Tom Sietsema, The Washington Post, 15 Aug. 2016

“I think because we are young, issues we encounter with mental health are often excused as evanescent, and therefore not something to be taken seriously.” — Morgan Hughes, The Marquette Tribune (Marquette University), 6 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

The fragile, airy quality of things evanescent reflects the etymology of the wordevanescent itself. It derives from a form of the Latin verb evanescere, which means “to evaporate” or “to vanish.” Given the similarity in spelling between the two words, you might expect evaporate to come from the same Latin root, but it actually grew out of another steamy Latin root, evaporare. Evanescere did give us vanish, however, by way of Anglo-French and Vulgar Latin.

My Take

Surprisingly, I like researching words of the day. Why? I find so many related interesting things. Today’s word, evanescent is a fabulous word, full of innuendos, subtleties, and possibilities. Today, I found a wonderful photographer by the name of Steve Richards. Is he a kindred soul perhaps? I don’t know, and I don’t care. I just love the pieces I found on the web and his site. Check him out.

Getting back to the word, meaning to tend to vanish like vapor. I like the wispiness of the word. To me, it seems that I can use in many, interesting ways. Not just with the images I found, but in other areas as well. Typically, the word can describe anything that seems to disappear as you watch. In actuality, it can be used to describe a receding sound, thought or idea, or feeling. Anything that involves the five senses can, in many circumstances, be described by the word evanescent. Just look at the list of synonyms I included. The possibilities are endless.

What other ways do you think one can use it? I challenge you to try it out. I will. I hope you will too.

If you share this post by clicking any of the twitter buttons, you will offered a second, sexier image from Steve Richards gallery. My gift to you. Thanks for stopping by.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: hoick

Hoicking up the dress
Source: webphoto.co

Work of the Day: hoick

Hoick: (verb) HOIK

Definition

: to move or pull abruptly : yank

Synonyms

buck, hitch, jerk, jolt, twitch, yank, hike

Examples

“to move or cause to move with a sharp quick motion” <hoicked up his pants and hastily waded into the water>

“Occasionally he hoicks up the waistband of his trousers when he thinks no one is looking.” — Elizabeth Day, The Observer, 24 Feb. 2015

“The flutist … looks forward, unfolding a retinue of futuristic techniques—sounds that purr like a cat, pop like a cork or hoick like a spitball—on the way to a final improvisation….” — David Allen, The New York Times, 29 Mar. 2016

Did You Know?

Etymologists suspect that hoick is an alteration of the verb hike, which is itself akin to hitch. According to the evidence, hike entered the language during the first decade of the 19th century, whereas hoick appeared near that century’s close. The word hoick can be used for any type of abrupt pulling movement but is commonly used for the sudden pulling back on the joystick of an airplane; a rough, jerky movement when rowing; and a jerky, elevated shot in cricket. In fox hunting, the word hoicks is used to call attention to a hound that has picked up the scent and to bring the pack together.

Hiking up her dress
Source: webphoto.co

My Take

Hoick is an interesting word. To yank, to pull up, to hike up, to pull abruptly are just some of the synonyms for the word. I like it.

Especially when applied to pulling up trousers, hiking up one’s dress or adjusting one’s bra. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve seen a woman absent-mindedly pull up on her bra straps because her breasts were pulling hard on the cups, forcing the bra-strap to ride her her back. I’ve never commented when it happens, yet I’m strangely drawn to watching her do it. It is over in a blink of an eye, but I smile inside never-the-less. I do the same to adjust the boys when they get jammed between my legs. It’s uncomfortable if not painful. So, I understand ladies. I do.

lilly-w-hoick
Source: investinyourchest.co.uk

In researching this word, I did not know that it is also the proper name for many people as well as a band and it’s heavily used in the game of cricket.

When I think about it, it is a word I can use in my books. Already, several scenarios are evolving in my mind in thinking about the Mona Bendarova Stories. In book two ‘Broken Steele,’ I might have utilized it when Jewel competed in her first dance competition. Of course, I published that book last year, so I can’t. However, dance competitions are common in these stories, so look for it in future stories. By the way, spoiler alert, Jewel ties for first place.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: colubrine

snake-n-girl
Source: www.pinterest.com/cachratt/snake-girl/

Word of the Day: colubrine

colubrine (adjective) KAHL-yuh-bryne

Definition

1 : of, relating to, or resembling a snake

2 : of or relating to a large cosmopolitan family (Colubridae) of chiefly nonvenomous snakes

Examples

The trellis’s latticework was covered with colubrine ivy.

“Most of the colubrine snakes are entirely harmless, and are the common snakes that we meet everywhere.” — Theodore Roosevelt, Through the Brazilian Wilderness, 1914

Did You Know?

Colubrine may be less common than other animal words—such as canine, feline, and bovine—but it has been around for a good long while. Ultimately derived from the Latin colubra(“snake”), it slithered into the English language in the 16th century. (Cobra, by the way, comes from the same Latin word, but it entered English through Portuguese.) Some other words for “snakelike” are serpentine (a more common alternative) and ophidian (from the Greek word for snake: ophis).

My Take

What’s sexier than a naked girl? Answer, a naked girl holding a snake. Admit it, people, we love seeing a girl, naked or not, draping a snake over their shoulders, displaying them as necklaces, or simply wrapping the snake around their bodies and between their legs. Is it because they could be considered a phallic symbol, poking their noses in all sorts of places?

Throughout the ages, there are many painted or written scenes depicting women and snakes. Is there a correlation? I won’t speculate on that. I value my relationship with my girlfriend and my balls way too much.

Kiss the Girls by James PattersonI do know I am turned on by the thought of a girl with a snake. In searching for an appropriate image for this topic, I found hundreds of portraits, depicting snake/girls of all ages, from babies to young children, to young women, mature women, to elderly women. All presented as half human and half snake.

There are the written works as well, too numerous to do justice to them all. One that does stand out in my mind is ‘Kiss the Girls’ by James Patterson. Cut from the movie version; the book includes a scene comprising the tormenting of a girl with a snake. Check out Chapter 54. Titillating in print but horrific in reality.

Perhaps I’ll write my own scene in a book involving a girl and a snake. It can’t be in the Mona Bendarova Adventures though. Why? There are no snakes on the planet, anywhere. If you’re curious as to why, read the books. Free chapters are available on my site.

Many people despise snakes. I’m not sure why? Very few are dangerous to man. I see them as beneficial to our environment. Their primary food sources are rodents. You know, rats, mice, moles, and a host of other smaller mammals. Without snakes keeping their numbers in check, we would be overrun with rodents, invading our homes and ravaging our crops.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

By the way, if you tweet this page using one of my twitter buttons, you’ll get an even sexier photo of a naked girl with a snake. My gift to you for sharing this page via twitter.

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Word of the Day: jacquerie

Word of the Day: jacquerie

jacquerie (noun) zhah-kuh-REE

Definition

: (often capitalized Jacquerie) a peasants’ revolt

Examples

une nouvelle jacquerie fiscale à l’horizon
Source: contrepoints.org

“There were no bloodthirsty sansculottes preparing to erect guillotines; nor were farmers, however angry about government excise taxes and other matters—as Shays’s Rebellion suggested—ready to burn down the manorial estates of their feudal overlords in some version of an American jacquerie.” — Steve Fraser, Wall Street: America’s Dream Palace, 2008

“The thicker the masonry, the more likely the fortress would withstand the anticipated Jacquerie.” — Michael Knox Beran, National Review, 7 Sept. 2009

Did You Know?

The first jacquerie was an insurrection of peasants against the nobility in northeastern France in 1358, so-named from the nobles’ habit of referring contemptuously to any peasant as “Jacques,” or “Jacques Bonhomme” (in French bonhomme means “fellow”). It took some time—150 years—for the name of the first jacquerie to become a generalized term for other revolts. The term is also occasionally used to refer to the peasant class, as when Madame Defarge in Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities tells her husband to “consider the faces of all the world that we know, consider the rage and discontent to which the Jacquerie addresses itself with more and more of certainty every hour.”

My Take

As I reflected upon what to write regarding the word Jacquerie, I struggled to apply the term to the world I live in today. Yes, I know. Jacquerie usually refers to the French peasant’s revolution in 1358, and a subsequent one in England a few years later. Amid the Hundred Years War, the Black Plague, and serf oppression by landholders, unrest and worry ran rampant as nobles waged their battles, using ordinary people as pawns in their games. Eventually, they revolted.

I can’t help wonder if we in America, not to mention around the world, aren’t gearing up for our own revolution. The population of our country had our differences, problems, and issues to work out. What I see in the 21st century is unbelievable. The partisan lines are growing apart every day. America was never supposed to have a class system, yet our founding fathers must be spinning in their graves watching one develop unimpeded, stampeding out of control, worsening every day.

Are we heading for a new jacquerie? Science fiction writers of the past have touched upon this subject many times. I have believed since high school it would eventually happen, though I always thought it would happen centuries from now. I’m not so sure now. It could even happen within the next couple of decades.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

Merriam-Webster

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Word of the Day: ab initio

Word of the Day: ab­ initio

ab initio (adverb) ab-ih-NISH-ee-oh

Saltatus Aeternum by A. Andrew Gonzalez
Source: sublimatrix.com/html/SaltatusAeternum.html

Definition

: from the beginning

Examples

“Like many of contemporary architecture’s most celebrated figures, [Zaha] Hadid is often presented as an artist who conceives her buildings entirely ab initio.” — Ellis Woodman, The Daily Telegraph (London), 3 Sept. 2012

“Two months ago, the Supreme Court ruled that Federal Court judges are not eligible to represent Quebec on its bench. Justice Nadon’s nomination was therefore void ab initio.” — André Pratte, The Globe and Mail (Canada), 29 May 2014

Did You Know?

We’ll tell you right from the beginning where ab initio comes from. This adverb was adopted at the beginning of the 17th century directly from Latin, where it translates as “from the beginning.” (Initio is a form of the noun initium, meaning “beginning,” which gave rise to such English words as initial, initiate, andinitiative.) Ab initio most frequently appears in legal contexts, but it is not surprising to find it used outside of the courtroom. The phrase is also used as an adjective meaning “starting from or based on first principles” (as in “predicted from ab initio calculations”).

My Take

Why am I surprised? Well, first off, I think of myself as a well-rounded individual. I don’t pretend to know it all, but I feel I know a bit and comprehend more. Well, maybe I am no so well-rounded as I thought.

First off, I never knew a single word in the English language could include a space in the middle of the word. Ab Initio has such a space. It is considered a single word though to me; it is two words. It can’t be of course, as the first two letters of the word do not include a vowel, an essential component in the English language.

However, I do understand the concept. When I first reflected on the word, I recognized its Latin roots. I then figured that it most likely is used in either the medical or legal vernacular. I’m not sure whether it can be used in everyday conversation.

When I researched the word, I stumbled upon a website devoted to the concept, ‘from the beginning to infinity’ or ‘ab initio ad infinitum.’ The site hasn’t been updated in over four years now, but I found it an interesting read. More importantly, through it, I found another artist who intrigues me, A. Andrew Gonzalez. I plan on adding him to my list of artists to study.

What do you think about the word? Can the average person use it in everyday conversation? Certainly, if you want to read my Mona Bendarova books, you need to read them ab initio. Hmmm, an interesting word, don’t you think?

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

By the way, if you share this post on twitter by clicking one of twitter buttons on the page, you’ll be treated with a sexier image related to this topic. My gift to you for sharing my post.

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Word of the Day: Lavation

Women's pool I-Galtaji
Source: www.carlvolpephoto.com

Word of the Day: Lavation

Lavation (noun) lay-VAY-shun

Definition

: the act or an instance of washing or cleansing

Examples

“… we cannot keep the skin healthy without frequent lavations of the whole body in pure water. It is impossible to calculate the benefits of this simple practice.” — Walt Whitman, “Bathing, Cleanliness, Personal Beauty,” June 1846

“In Maycomb County, it was easy to tell when someone bathed regularly, as opposed to yearly lavations….” — Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird, 1960

Did You Know?

It sounds logical that you would perform a lavation in a lavatory, doesn’t it? And it is logical: both words come from Latin lavare, meaning, appropriately, “to wash.” English picked up a few other words from this root as well. In medicine, the therapeutic washing out of an organ is lavage. There is also lavabo (in Latin, literally, “I shall wash”), which in English can refer to a ceremony at Mass in which the celebrant washes his hands, to the basin used in this religious ceremony, or to other kinds of basins. Even the word lavish, via a Middle French word for a downpour of rain, comes to us from lavare.

My Take

Wow, another new word for me, one that I don’t think I have ever come across before. I must admit, when I first saw it, I did a double take. While the letters L‑A‑V‑A‑T‑I‑O‑N were on the screen, my mind processed L‑A‑C‑A‑T‑I‑O‑N or lactation. Instantly, transported to my favorite human body part, it took a moment before I realized the error. I guess it’s time I do a through lavation of my dirty mind– or not. 😛

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: Waggish

Waggish, displaying good humored mischief
Source: Vocab Made Easy

Word of the Day: Waggish

Waggish (adjective) WAG-ish

Definition

1 : resembling or characteristic of a wag : displaying good-humored mischief

2 : done or made for sport : humorous

Examples

“A warm person who enjoys banter with often-waggish reporters, [Elizabeth] Brenner joked that her next move would be to take a newspaper-carrier route in Pewaukee. ‘No, that’s not what I’m going to do,’ she quickly added. ‘Can’t get up that early.'” — Rick Romell, The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 17 May 2016

“The waggish reaction to Guaranteed Rate’s name and arrow logo is like the feedback Energy Solutions received when its name replaced that of Delta Air Lines on the Utah Jazz’s arena a decade ago. Energy Solutions’ business—disposing of low-level nuclear waste in the Utah desert—led to people calling the arena the Dump, the Isotope and Radium Stadium.” — Richard Sandomir, The New York Times, 25 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

One who is waggish acts like a wag. What, then, is a wag? Etymologists think wagprobably came from waghalter, a word that was once used for a gallows bird (that is, a person who was going to be, or deserved to be, hanged). Waghalter was apparently shortened to wag and used jokingly or affectionately for mischievous pranksters or youths. Hence a wag is a joker, and waggery is merriment or practical joking. Waggish can describe the prank itself as well as the prankster type; the class clown might be said to have a “waggish disposition” or be prone to “waggish antics.”

Waggish attorney
Source: Get Words

My Take

About the only thing that comes to mind regarding this word is a cat my family had when I was a youngster. The cat’s name was ‘Mischief’ and it was certainly a waggish creature. I remember once when it bought a snake into the house and presented it to my mother as a gift. Mom, of course, did not see it that way. But she was cool. She looked down at the cat and then looked over at our dog and said, “Lady, take care of that.”

Lady, a beautiful border collie, did take care of it. First, she went over and picked up the snake and took it outside. Upon her return, she found Mischief and proceeded to beat the shit out of her, reinforcing the rule, “Never, ever, do that again.” Mischief never did.

I still smile to this day when I think about the incident.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: Nemesis

Nemisis by Juan Medina
Source: Art Renewal Center

Word of the Day: Nemesis

Nemesis (noun) NEM-uh-sis

Definition

1 a : one that inflicts retribution or vengeance

b : a formidable and usually victorious rival or opponent

2 a : an act or effect of retribution

b : a source of harm or ruin : curse

Examples

“My nemesis was a young woman who, at the end of the film, had the honour of sending me to my doom at the bottom of a well. Her name meant nothing to me then: Jennifer Aniston.” — Warwick Davis, Dailymail.com, 10 Apr. 2010

“The leaves were pale … and, upon closer inspection, the stems had small nibble marks on them. I immediately suspected slugs since they’ve been my nemesis in the past so I sprang into action.” — Susan Mulvihill, The Spokesman Review(Spokane, Washington), 21 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

Nemesis was the Greek goddess of vengeance, a deity who doled out rewards for noble acts and punishment for evil ones. The Greeks believed that Nemesis didn’t always punish an offender immediately but might wait generations to avenge a crime. In English, nemesis originally referred to someone who brought a just retribution, but nowadays people are more likely to see animosity than justice in the actions of a nemesis.

My Take

When I first noticed M-W word of the day, being a Trekker, I immediately thought of the movie Star Trek Nemesis. How could I not? Star Trek has been a significant influence in my life. I’ve seen every episode as first run episodes. I’ve seen every movie and read many of the books written by fans alike. I even just got a chance to view the original model used in the original series currently on display at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington D.C. BTW, she’s beautiful.

However, this post is not about my love for Star Trek. It’s about the word Nemesis. In searching for an appropriate image for the word, I was not surprised at the volume of images related to the term. It seems everyone likes to associate their works with the word.

Juan Medina – Hiperrealismo Surrealista
Source: www.enkil.org

As an artist as well as a writer, I found a stunning collection of artworks by painter Juan Medina. What I saw, I loved, and now, I have a new mission to study his works and learn as much as I can about them. If you like art, I mean real art, painted with oil paints on canvas, I suggest you check them out.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: Univocal

univocal
Source: Digopaul.com

Word of the Day: Univocal

Univocal (adjective) yoo-NIV-uh-kul

Definition

1 : having one meaning only
2 : unambiguous

Examples

The president declared that it was important to send a univocal message of support to the beleaguered country.

“Often cited as America’s greatest indigenous art form, jazz wriggles away from any univocal definition, resisting the confines of a single track like water flowing on broken ground.” — Charles Donelan, The Santa Barbara (California) Independent, 23 Sept. 2010

Synonyms

absolute, apparent, categorical, clear-cut, decisive, explicit, indisputable, obvious, straight-forward, unambiguous, undeniable, unmistakable

Did You Know?

Earliest known print evidence of univocal, in the sense of “having one meaning only,” dates the word to the mid-1500s, somewhat earlier than its more familiar antonym equivocal (meaning “often misleadingly subject to two or more interpretations”). Both words trace back to the Latin noun vox, which means “voice.” The prefix uni– (“one”) was combined with vox to create the Late Latin word univocus, from which English speakers borrowed univocal. Univocal was indeed once used in the sense of “speaking in one voice” (or “unanimous”) as its etymology would imply, but that use is now obsolete.

My Take

Sometimes, for me to understand a word, I need to know the synonyms for the word. Univocal is one of those words. Sure, the definition presented by Merriam-Webster was clear enough. However, it only lightly touched on my understanding the word.

So, I did what I normally do in my writing. I went to the thesaurus and found several dozen synonyms. I share the most pertinent ones with you but, honestly, there are others I might use in differing situations.

In my everyday use of the meanings, I often use the word absolute (the software engineer in me lives and breathes that term), decisive (the businessman), explicit (the writer), obvious (the everyday guy), and the list goes on and on.

When I went looking for an appropriate image to represent the word, I found hundreds of examples. Most of them were uninteresting and ambiguous. I found a couple that I could not use in this article, and the rest, well let’s just say, they don’t fit into my beliefs of the world. So, I chose one that I liked, but if I could have found a better example, I would have.

Please share your comments. I’m sure we would all enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: Phlegmatic

phlegmatic-woman
Source: http://temperaments-carrie.blogspot.com/2010/09/meet-polly-phlegmatic-part-1.html

Word of the Day: Phlegmatic

Phlegmatic (adjective) fleg-MAT-ik

Definition

1 : resembling, consisting of, or producing the humor phlegm
2 : having or showing a slow and stolid temperament

Definition from Dictionary.com

1not easily excited to action or display of emotion; apathetic; sluggish.
2self-possessed, calm, or composed.
3of the nature of or abounding in the humor phlegm.

Examples

“She said ‘Good morning, Miss,’ in her usual phlegmatic and brief manner; and taking up another ring and more tape, went on with her sewing.” — Charlotte Brontë, Jane Eyre, 1847

“You are aware of the finality of fate, and tend to have a phlegmatic and sometimes unhappy compromise with your life, even when you long for a definitive resolution.” — Molly Shea,The New York Post, 31 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

According to the ancient Greeks, human personalities were controlled by four bodily fluids or semifluids called humors: blood, black bile, yellow bile, and phlegm. Each humor was associated with one of the four basic elements: air, earth, fire, and water. Phlegm was paired with water—the cold, moist element—and it was believed to impart the cool, calm, unemotional personality we now call the “phlegmatic type.” That’s a bit odd, given that the term derives from the Greek phlegma, which literally means “flame,” perhaps a reflection of the inflammation that colds and flus often bring.

My Take

Okay, I admit it. I had trouble with this one. The definition as listed in Merriam-Webster didn’t do much in allowing me to understand the meaning of the word. I had to go to Dictionary.com to understand it. I’ve included its definition in this post.

Now that I have a better understanding, I wanted to know more. Therefore, I looked up synonyms for the word. They include 1. stoical, cool, cold, uninterested, dull, torpid. 2. cool, collected, unruffled, placid, quiet.

To be honest, I would probably use one of the synonyms before using the actual word Phlegmatic. Check out this the blog article http://temperaments-carrie.blogspot.com/2010/09/meet-polly-phlegmatic-part-1.html if you would like to know more. I found it an interesting read.

What do you think? Please share your comments. I enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: Scion

Scion: A graft, a descendant, an heir
Source: blueberrytalk.wordpress.com

Word of the Day: Scion

Scion (noun) SYE-un

Definition

1 : a detached living portion of a plant (as a bud or shoot) joined to a stock in grafting and usually supplying solely aerial parts to a graft

2 : descendant, child; especially : a descendant of a wealthy, aristocratic, or influential family

3 : heir

Examples

“The duke was the billionaire owner of swaths of central London, a friend of Britain’s royal family and the scion of an aristocratic family stretching back to the Norman Conquest.” —The Boston Herald, 14 Aug. 2016

“The vibe of the place is a mixture of old-school cool and Brit eccentric. There are poems etched onto the wall by the artist Hugo Guinness, … a scion of the famous Anglo-Irish brewing family.” — Christa D’Souza, W, September 2016

Did You Know?

Scion derives from the Middle English sioun and Old French cion and is related to the Old English cīth and the Old High German kīdi (meaning “sprout” or “shoot”). When it first sprouted in English in the 14th century, scion meant “a shoot or twig.” That sense withered in horticultural contexts, but the word branched out, adding the grafting-related meaning we know today. A figurative sense also blossomed referring to one’s descendants, with particular reference to those who are descendants of notable families.

My Take

Well, knock me down with a feather. While I knew the word in everyday life (the car), I did not know its meaning. I did not know it meant grafting or its relationship to an heir.

In researching the word, I came up with thousands of relevant photos, most of them of the car. Since I don’t promote products in this forum, I needed to dig deeper. It was in this digging that it truly hit me, to graft one onto another. In it view of a descendant, examples are all around us, from the heir to a throne, to being the descendant of our ancestors. As implied in the photo, the branches of our genealogical tree can intermingle and intertwine, spreading out or coming together over the ages, merging before taking separate paths. It reminds me that we, the residents of this planet, are all related to each other.

In my Mona Bendarova Adventures, there is a scion on the way. Honey carries the heir, or scion, to Lee Marks. They commonly call him the ‘Little Master.’ Assuming he survives to adulthood, he is most definitely the scion to the Mark’s estate. He may not, but Honey is sure he will. I look forward to writing his story in later books within the series.

Please share with me your comments. I enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: Roister

Roister
Source: wrathofzombie.wordpress.com

Word of the Day: Roister

Roister (verb) ROY-ster

Definition

: to engage in noisy revelry : carouse

Examples

Hugh didn’t get much sleep last night because his neighbors were roistering until the wee hours of the morning.

“North Highlands, apparently, is also what they call a part of Scotland where the prince’s grandmum (the Queen Mother) kept a wee castle where the little royals used to roister.” — Carlos Alcala, The Sacramento (California) Bee, 27 Oct. 2005

Did You Know?

As British writer Hugo Williams asserted in The Times Literary Supplement (November 15, 1991), roistering tends to be “funnier, sillier and less harmful than standard hooliganism, being based on nonsense rather than violence.” Boisterous roisterers might be chagrined to learn that the word roister derives from a Middle French word that means “lout” or “boor,”rustre. Ultimately, however, it is from the fairly neutral Latin word rusticus, meaning “rural.” In the 16th century, the original English verb was simply roist, and one who roisted was aroister. Later, we changed the verb to roister and the corresponding noun to roisterer.

My Take

I remember the days when I would go out in the evening, perhaps after work or just because, and carouse or engage in noisy revelry. Ah, those were the days. Too bad, I didn’t know this word for it. Roister.

Do I miss those days? No, not really. As best as I can remember, I would go out because I needed to blow off steam, to get my rocks off, to find a girl to spend the evening with, and do it all over again. Of course, I didn’t have a lot of mad money in those days, so it wasn’t a nightly thing. What might have happened if I did, I shudder to think about it. I was lucky. Incredibly lucky. I didn’t fall into the wrong crowd, get a girl pregnant, nor get hooked on drugs, etc.

Today, I have a special person in my life. Stresses of the day are quickly relieved just by being with her, helping her and allowing her to help me. I have a small but solid circle of friends. We hang out and enjoy good times.

Do I miss those days of carousing, revelry, and roistering. No. What’s more, I am happy.

Please share with me your comments. I enjoy reading them.

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Word of the Day: Odious

Odious, arousing or deserving of hatred
Source: www.slideshare.net

Word of the Day: Odious

Odious (adjective) OH-dee-us

Definition

: arousing or deserving hatred or repugnance : hateful

Examples

Volunteers gathered on Saturday morning to scrub away the odious graffiti spray-painted on the school.

“I can’t help being reminded of the progress we’ve made as a nation, as well as the odious past of slavery, the many men and women who have lost their lives in wars….” — Candi Castleberry Singleton, quoted in The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, 5 Sept. 2016

Did You Know?

Odious has been with us since the days of Middle English. We borrowed it from Anglo-French, which in turn had taken it from Latin odiosus. The Latin adjective came from the noun odium, meaning “hatred.” Odium is also an ancestor of the English verb annoy (another word that came to Middle English via Anglo-French). And, at the beginning of the 17th century, odium entered English in its unaltered form, giving us a noun meaning “hatred” or “disgrace” (as in “ideas that have incurred much odium”).

My Take

Odious is not an unknown word for me, yet it is one that does not enter very much in my vocabulary. As I sit here, thinking about the term, I wonder why. I suppose it has a lot to do with my parents, my upbringing, and my philosophy on life. I don’t hate nor do I find most things repugnant. I wrote about my parents and how they raised me many months ago. In short, I wonder if, like myself, they were radicals. They raised me to be compassionate and considerate of everyone. They never instilled in me the nationalistic, sexist, or racist attitudes that I see around me. As a result, I feel fortunate.

Getting back to the word odious, I will strive to remember it. In researching the term, I discovered other uses for the word. The image I found for this post reflects upon another usage. In thinking about it further, I suddenly realize that there is a growing offensive attitude growing in my Mona Bendarova books. I briefly introduced it in book 2, and in book 3, the views of the community reflect a growing level of repugnancy among the population. Book 4 will expand upon the schism, almost like the today’s political environment.

What do you think? Share if like. I look forward to reading your comments.

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Word of the Day: Truncate

The Truncate Cropped Sweater in Fiery Red
The Truncate Cropped Sweater in Fiery Red Source: www.karmaloop.com

Word of the Day: Truncate

Truncate (verb) TRUNG-kayt

Definition

: to shorten by or as if by cutting off

Examples

“Apparently, a federal law … requires printed credit card receipts truncate not only the credit card number, but also the expiration date.” — Jack Greiner, The Cincinnati Enquirer, 28 Aug. 2016

“Google’s own URL shortener service … instantly truncates the URL you’re visiting and copies the new address to the clipboard for use anywhere.” — Eric Griffith, PCMag.com, 23 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

Truncate descends from the Latin verb truncare, meaning “to shorten,” which in turn can be traced back to the Latin word for the trunk of a tree, which is truncus. Incidentally, if you’ve guessed that truncus is also the ancestor of the English word trunk, you are correct. Truncusalso gave us truncheon, which is the name for a police officer’s billy club, and the obscure word obtruncate, meaning “to cut the head or top from.”

My Take

Truncate is another word that is part of my everyday vocabulary. It joined my vocabulary decades ago when I became a software engineer. Truncating strings (letters or words, such as a last name, an error message, or other similar communications). I’ve also used it to truncate trailing spaces in a string, to minimize storage necessities or make a message easier to understand.

In everyday life, agencies and companies routinely truncate, or prune, portions of a string to protect the privacy of the end user. Displaying the last four digits of a social security number or a credit card number protects the identity of the owner of that number. I could come up with example after example, but I believe you get the idea. So, the next time you see a truncated string, just remember that it’s there to help protect your privacy or understand the message.

Other things that can be truncated include cropped shirts, cropped shorts, and cropped hair cuts. Cropped is another word for truncate. Look around and see what other examples you can find in everyday life. Share them by commenting below. In the meantime, have a great day.

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Word of the Day: Macadam

Word of the Day: Macadam

Macadam
noun — muh-KAD-um

Definition

: a roadway or pavement of small closely packed broken stone

Examples

The sloping, curved street saw light traffic and had a smooth macadam surface that made it popular with skateboarders.

“Littered on the beach are nearly a dozen big slabs of macadam and even larger chunks of concrete that have slid down the cliff.” — Chris Burrell, The Patriot Ledger (Quincy, Massachusetts), 20 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

In 1783, inventor John Loudon McAdam returned to his native Scotland after amassing a fortune in New York City. He became the road trustee for his district and quickly set his inventiveness to remedying the terrible condition of local roads. After numerous experiments, he created a new road surfacing material made of bits of stone that became compressed into a solid mass as traffic passed over them. His invention revolutionized road construction and transportation, and engineers and the public alike honored him by using his name (re-spelled macadam) as a generic term for the material or pavement made from it. He is further immortalized in the verb macadamize, which names the process of installing macadam on a road.

My Take

Macadam, hey, a word I not only know, but I know well. In fact, I use it everyday life. Just two months ago, I had my driveway serviced with a top coat of macadam. It looks great, and it will sustain my home for decades to come. Some people call it asphalt paving, but that is not entirely accurate.

“Asphalt pavement comprises stone (aggregate), sand, additives and liquid (petroleum) asphalt. Liquid asphalt—a black sticky substance—is used as the binding material in asphalt pavements. It is viscous in nature and also in semi-solid forms. Another common term for asphalt is bitumen. The pavement—once mixed—consists of 90 to 95% aggregate and sand, and 5 to 10% asphalt or bitumen.”

(Source: http://www.pavemanpro.com/article/how_to_sealcoat_parking_lot_chapter_1)

Since macadam is only 5 to 10% bitumen, macadam is a more accurate name for the substance.

What I don’t care for are the potholes that frequently occur during the freezing / warming seasons. If macadam has even the smallest void, water can seep into the macadam. During freezing cycles, the water expands and forces the aggregate to disengage from the roadway, allowing more water to flow into the void. As the ice melts, the disengaged aggregate washes away. The result is a hole that grows into what we call potholes. Potholes are the bane of our cars, from minor tire damage to broken axles. Something that I am sure every driver knows. I’m not saying anything you don’t already know. Of that, I am certain.

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Word of the Day: Vulnerary

Vulnerary
Source: alonasmorning.wordpress.com

Word of the Day: Vulnerary

Vulnerary
adjective VUL-nuh-rair-ee

Definition

: used for or useful in healing wounds

Examples

“Rebecca examined the wound, and having applied to it such vulneraryremedies as her art prescribed, informed her father that if fever could be averted … there was nothing to fear for his guest’s life, and that he might with safety travel to York with them on the ensuing day.” — Sir Walter Scott, Ivanhoe, 1820

St. John’s wort can also help those with seasonal affective disorder (SAD) due to lower sunlight exposure in the winter months. Its anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, astringent, and antimicrobial actions make it a powerful healer for wounds, bruises, burns, sprains, and muscle pain.” — Jane Metzger, Mother Earth News, 13 July 2015

My Take

Ah, a new word for me, and one that I can use in my Mona Bendarova books. In these books, there is a medical doctor who is researching the male child high mortality rate and other issues.

However, he is also the primary care physician for hundreds of thousands of patients. In a world where sickness has been eliminated, the greatest need for his services is trauma care. Trauma injury occurs frequently. Treatment is performed using natural and manufactured medicines.

Vulnerary is a word that I can apply to his treatments. Wounds, bruises, burns, sprains, and muscle strain is common and need for the Doctor’s services is frequent. I look forward to the opportunity to use the word.

If you are interested in further information on the science of vulnerary, check out this blog site  The Top 10 Best Blogs on Vulnerary

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Word of the Day: Invective

Invective
Source: Vocabulary Pics

Word of the Day: Invective

Invenctive

noun | in-VEK-tiv

Definition

1 : an abusive expression or speech
2 : insulting or abusive language : vituperation

Examples

“The ongoing collapse of responsible broadcast and cable journalism and the explosive role that social media has assumed in this campaign have made for a nasty brew of invective, slurs and accusations….” — Susan J. Douglas, In These Times, July 2016

“At a moment when American political discourse has descended to almost unimaginable levels of … invective, we need our teachers to model a better way to discuss our differences.” — Jonathan Zimmerman, The Philadelphia Inquirer, 14 Aug. 2016

Did You Know?

Invective originated in the 15th century as an adjective meaning “of, relating to, or characterized by insult or abuse.” In the early 16th century, it appeared in print as a noun meaning “an example of abusive speech.” Eventually, the noun developed a second sense applying to abusive language as a whole. Invective comes to us from the Middle French wordinvectif, which in turn derives from Latin invectivus, meaning “reproachful, abusive.” (Invectivus comes from Latin invectus, past participle of the verb invehere, one form of which means “to assail with words.”) Invective is similar to abuse, but it tends to suggest not only anger and vehemence but verbal and rhetorical skill. It sometimes implies public denunciation, as in “blistering political invective.”

My Take

It’s a shame really. I think everyone, at one time or another, have been either the victim or abuser of invective language. I don’t care to use it, and I can’t recall a particular instance over the last several years where I have used it. However, I do know that I have, as the feelings I sustained at the time, remain with me to this day. Push comes to shove; I will fall prey to using it. I have also been the victim of such language. For me, it can be degrading, demoralizing, and an outright assault upon my psyche.

That said, it’s a word that I intend to strive to remember and avoid practicing. Searching for an appropriate image found numerous examples, most of which are products such as guns, which I will not promote. Finding a generic one was harder. Persistence prevails so that I may bring one to you.

In my writings, you will find little invective speech, especially in the Mona Bendarova Adventures. Sure, there is coarse language, flavorful language, descriptive, and erotic language, but little in the way of abusive language. Oh, sure, a couple of my characters may utter short abusive outbursts, but they usually don’t last more than a sentence or two. Perhaps I should incorporate more of invective language in my stories.

What do you think? I would love to know. Feel free to share your comments with me.

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Word of the Day: Banausic

Banausic
Banausic: (adj) concerned with earning a living

Word of the Day: Banausic

Banausic | adjective | buh-NAW-sik

Definition

: relating to or concerned with earning a living — used pejoratively; also : utilitarian,practical

Examples

“At the far end was a wooden board on which were hung saws, chisels, knives and other banausic instruments of the trade.” — Sebastian Faulk, Human Traces, 2005

“That story is followed by a brilliant allegory of reality TV and the cult of personality, Rumours About Me, in which a simple company man sees his banausic daily life … broadcast by the media until he is transformed into ‘a nobody who was known by everybody.'” — Christine Thomas, The Miami Herald, 2 Nov. 2008

Did You Know?

The ancient Greeks held intellectual pursuits in the highest esteem, and they considered ideal a leisurely life of contemplation. A large population of slaves enabled many Greek citizens to adopt that preferred lifestyle. Those who had others to do the heavy lifting for them tended to regard professional labor with contempt. Their prejudice against the need to toil to earn a living is reflected in the Greek adjective banausikos (the root of banausic), which not only means “of an artisan” (from the word for “artisan,” banausos) but “nonintellectual” as well.

My Take

Hey, here is a word I know I have never used or known. What I like about it, is it the perfect word to describe what I am trying to do with my writings. I strive to earn a living from my stories, written down, and shared with you.

Hundreds of stories stream through my head daily, some adaptations of previous streams but most are raw, new and different. Hmm, my streams are quiet right now, due to my injury several months back. I am hopeful they will return soon. At least that is what Doc tells me, despite my reservations. How do you think I came up with ‘The Taste of Honey’? It was one of those streams that kept repeating itself over the years.

Hopefully, my stories will be the banausic means to independent living. (Did I use it right? If not, please let me know.) Now, the challenge is to remember this word and use it. With my short-term memory issues, that will be a challenge. Thankfully, I have this post to refer to again and again.

This is Richard Verry, sharing with you just another insight into my world.

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Word of the Day: Guerdon

Guerdon, a rewardWord of the Day: Guerdon

Guerdon

noun : GUR-dun

Definition

: reward, recompense

Examples

“The big hurdle … was early promotion to captain. … This early promotion, this small dry irrevocable statistic in the record, was his guerdon for a quarter of a century of getting things done.” — Herman Wouk, The Winds of War, 1971

“The guerdon in attending a repertory company’s concert is being able to savor the variety of work on display.” — Juan Michael Porter II, Broadway World, 7 June 2016

Did you Know?

Guerdon dates back to the 14th century, when Geoffrey Chaucer used it in The Romaunt of the Rose (ca. 1366): “He quitte him wel his guerdon there.” It derives from Anglo-French and is thought to be related to the Old High German widarlōn, meaning “reward.” Shakespeare used guerdon a couple of times in his plays. In Love’s Labour’s Lost, for example, Berowne, attendant to King Ferdinand, sends the clown Costard to deliver a letter to Rosaline, attendant to the princess of France, handing him a shilling with the line, “There’s thy guerdon; go.” Guerdon is a rare word today, but contemporary writers do use it on occasion for poetic effect.

My Take

Ok, I admit, this is a tough one. I have never heard the word before, or I had, I promptly forgot about it. It’s not a common term, and one that I doubt will make it to my vocabulary.

To gain insight into the word, I Googled it. Good ol’ Google. Don’t you love it? Sorry, I digress. When I went looking for images related to the word, I thought that I wouldn’t find much. Surprise! Wrong again. It seems that many companies use the word in their businesses and products. Now that I understand the meaning of the word, it makes sense to me.

Who knew? Guerdon.

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Word of the Day: Deliquesce

deliquesce
Photo Source: http://victoriousvocabulary.tumblr.com

Word of the Day: Deliquesce

Definition

Deliquesce

1 : to dissolve or melt away

2 : to become soft or liquid with age or maturity—used of some fungal structures (as the gills of a mushroom); to become liquid by absorbing moisture from the air

Examples

“‘Number Nine,’ a 16-minute bonbon of a ballet …, keeps its yellow-clad ensemble and four principal couples wheeling through kaleidoscopic patterns that surprise as they smoothly crystallize and deliquesce, sometimes matching the musical rhythms, sometimes working against them.” — Roslyn Sulcas, The New York Times, 26 Sept. 2012

“But wait. If you have the brisket, will there be room for the beef rib? There’d better be, because it is a triumph. The salt-and-pepper-coated smoked meat and fat deliquesce into a sort of beef confit.” — Mark Vamos, The Dallas Morning News, 25 Dec. 2015

Did You Know?

Deliquesce derives from the prefix de- (“from, down, away”) and a form of the Latin verbliquēre, meaning “to be fluid.” Things that deliquesce, it could be said, turn to mush in more ways than one. In scientific contexts, a substance that deliquesces absorbs moisture from the atmosphere until it dissolves in the absorbed water and forms a solution. When plants and fungi deliquesce, they lose rigidity as they age. When deliquesce is used in non-scientific contexts, it is often in a figurative or humorous way to suggest the act of “melting away” under exhaustion, heat, or idleness, as in “teenagers deliquescing in 90-degree temperatures.”

My Take

An engaging word, and I like it. I also found one other definition of the word, which, I added to this post. In searching for related images, I found several, which surprised me. Of course, the one I wanted to use, I could not. It included naked tits which FB frowns on, despite the fact that it was a work of art rather than a photograph. Alternatively, I included one that is sure to depict the meaning of the word.

The trouble is, I don’t know how I would use it in everyday life or my writings. As I write this post, I have figured out some possible uses. I’ll work on it. How would you use it? Perhaps you can give me some ideas.

p.s. To see the photo I wanted to use, share this page using the Twitter icons on this page. Ain’t life great?

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Word of the Day: Empyreal

Word of the Day: Empyreal

Empyreal Lord
Empyreal Lord – PathfinderWiki

Definition

Empyreal

1: of or relating to the heavens or firmament : celestial
2: sublime

Examples

Night after night, the comet shone brightly against the empyreal tapestry of the sky.
“A jar made in Iraq, Syria or Iran, its shape is nothing special, but its color—an empyreal sapphire blue, a version of which will later adorn the domes of Safavid mosques—is out of this world.” — Holland Cotter, The New York Times, 24 Dec. 2004

Did You Know?

Empyreal can be traced back to the Greek word for “fiery,” empyros, which was formed from the prefix em– (“in,” “within,” or “inside”) and –pyros, from pyr, the Greek word for “fire.” When empyreal entered the English language—via the Late Latin empyreus or empyrius—in the 15th century, it specifically referred to things related to the empyrean, the highest heaven or outermost heavenly sphere of ancient and medieval cosmology, which was often thought to contain or be composed of the element of fire. In the works of Christian writers—such as Dante’s Divine Comedy and John Milton’s Paradise Lost—this outermost heavenly sphere was associated with the Christian paradise. Empyreal is now also used more broadly in the senses of “celestial” and “sublime.”

My Take

Noticing that Merriam Webster’s Word of the Day was Empyreal, impressed my soul. It’s a great word, one that I haven’t used in a very long time. I should. To me, it is an elegant word, conveying a kind of sexiness in its meaning.

I have got to figure out a way to incorporate it into one of my stories. Perhaps have Mona gaze at the night sky and appreciate its celestial beauty. Since I am a person, who relishes the star-filled the sky, imagining traveling up there, between stars, meeting new civilizations, and just appreciating what the heavens offer, as far back as I can remember, I travel the stars in awe of their beauty and danger.

Of course, when I did a Google image lookup, I wasn’t surprised on how many images it returned related to the word. Cool, eh?

Conclusion

What do you think about the word? What does it mean to you?

I may just look up the M-W word of the day on a regular basis and share it with you. Until next time, this is Richard Verry, bringing you the latest.

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