NEW VOCABULARY WORDS

Deon can't do everything.

Deon can't do everything. 

Alright -- That's cute!!!
BUT, just because you made a mockery of my 'word" thread, your 'punishment' is.... you MUST contribute at least one word per month.  No excuses, no going silent.!!!

We're waiting..!!

Word Of The Day....

Here's another word that jumped off of the printed page. I've seen this one before, but it hadn't stuck with me long enough to make an impression. This time it was in a military 'action' novel talking about one of the REMF guys throwing their weight around, trying to explain the "rules of engagement".  Had to look it up to be sure.....

evanescent = fleeting; tending to fade from sight quickly; ephemeral, light airy, cloud-like .... 

Such as:  floating along in a dream-like trance, helped along by his almost constant use of mind-stretching pharmaceuticals...(maybe..???)

Word Of The Day...

This is a strange one. I found this one on a greeting card in WalMart (Get Well card..). I'm certain I've never seen this word previously, yet it is not really scarce usage according to my research. I thought at first it was a joke of some sort. But, no.....

gliff -- a quick startling look at something; something seen that scares or causes fear or is unexpected.

Really strange word...

Word Of The Day...

Once again a word has jumped off of the written page in the comic strip. I've seen this word, but once again ..... ???  I think Brooke McEldowney is intentionally bombarding us with 'choice' words. I'd bet there is a obscure, nebulous reason we will discover later, probably.

osculate = Interesting word. At it's most basic, it means 'to come together'. Frequently used in mathematics (usually geometry..) to describe a figure that has at least three points coincident, in common, with another. To have a common curvature or common tangent. To touch closely.

OR: As here in this comic strip.... to kiss....

I ran into this word in a Chinese history book (short form..). The author of the book used it to describe early Chinese thought or philosophy. It dates to at least the mid 1600s if not earlier. Apparently the Chinese scholars of the time used circular impressions for early "magical" forms or items.  The word has frequent ties to early celestial study as far back as "geocentric" thought.

armillary = adjective: circular in nature; like a bracelet; consisting of circles or rings.... noun: an ancient astronomical machine composed of an assemblage of rings... adjective: designed to represent the positions of the important circles of the celestial sphere.

WORD OF THE DAY....

So, another new word bouncing around inside my otherwise almost empty head. I first found this one in a carefree, easy read. Sometimes known as a "cozy" murder mystery, I mix them in between other more serious or introspective books. This one was referring to a local storefront business in a small coastal town that survived on the tourist trade. Had not seen it before, nor have I seen it since.

stygian = adjective: gloomy and dark; dismal; infernal; hellish; dark and dismal as of the rivers Acheron and Styx in Hades.

A glance at the etymology reveals an historical perspective. [From Latin Stygius, from Greek Stugios, from Stux, Stug-, Styx.];  (Stugios, "relating to Styx"), from Στύξ (Stux, "Styx, chief river of underworld"). With a derivation from Latin and Ancient Greek, you can understand when the word is used to reference something as dark, brooding, or dismal like the underworld river Styx.

When used as an adjective to describe something in those terms, it is frequently capitalized because of its usage referring to the Styx (proper noun (name) requires capitalization)... example: Stygian vapors; Stygian pool 

In the book I was reading it was not capitalized... i guess because it was using the definition (dark; gloomy) that did not refer to anything river-like.  (OR... maybe the author just didn't realize..??)

Anyway --- Interesting word..!!

This is the word that was in my "Word of the Day" email this morning. (Still have no idea why I get that....lol.)

Pococurante:
ADJECTIVE 1. Indifferent or unconcerned.
NOUN 1. An indifferent or unconcerned person.

"Pococurante” is a French word coined by Enlightenment philosopher and author Voltaire, who joined the Italian words “poco” (“little”) and “curante” (“caring”). In the 1759 satirical novel “Candide, or Optimism,” Voltaire introduced the character of Signor Pococurante, a Venetian nobleman who cares nothing about great works of art. Thanks to the popularity of the book, the character became representative of indifference to the things others find important. A few short years after “Candide” was published, “pococurante” entered English as a noun for an indifferent or apathetic person, and within 50 years, the term had become an adjective describing apathetic indifference.

Might also describe a lot of Panther fans these days. 

That is a good word, LP. I have seen it previously (apparently..??) because I read Candide at some point many years ago. Well, the English translation I mean. The word never 'stuck' though as you might expect. I certainly do not remember it. Of course, I was younger and foolish back then and remember little of my literature studies.

Candide, huh?  That Voltaire.! What a guy.!!  Speaking of which, I just ordered a French language version of Candide. I'm going to struggle through it, then try to compare it to an English translation. Should be interesting.

GOOD word.!!!  And it's forced me to return to my French language study too  (Well, maybe...  & maybe not..).


Oh.... And Panther fans... "YES" visibly apathetic, and likely will be for awhile.

I like increasing my vocabulary. Thanks guys!