A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Mon Sep 1 01:26:01 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Band-Aid X-Bonus: The more original a discovery, the more obvious it seems afterward. -Arther Koestler Band-Aid n. A trademark used for an adhesive bandage with a gauze pad in the center, employed to protect minor wounds. figuratively, a temporary solution. John Elson, Cover Stories., Time International, 10-23-1995, pp 43. "`We're sometimes an effective Band-Aid in areas where the deeper problems are not being solved,' admits Ruth Marshall, UNHCR's Geneva-based spokeswoman." Ever 'xerox' a report? It attests to a product's popularity when its name starts being used in a generic manner. However, for the company owning the product it is a mixed blessing since this may result in loss of the trademark. This week's AWAD features seven trademarks that are often used figuratively. Many of these are used in various forms (verb, adjective, noun etc), without hyphens and in lowercase. -Anu -------- Date: Tue Sep 2 00:03:25 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Teflon X-Bonus: ELECELERATION: Pressing an elevator button a lot to speed it up. Tef.lon adj. A trademark used for a waxy, opaque material, polytetrafluoroethylene, employed as a coating on cooking utensils and in industrial applications to prevent sticking. Figuratively used to refer to politicians whose reputation remains undamaged by scandal or misjudgment, or who manage to deflect criticism on to others, so that nothing `sticks' to them. Godwin Agbroko, From the Editor., The Week, 11-18-1996, pp PG. "That Teflon cloak began to rumple when Anthony Udofia, the succeeding military administrator, set up a panel in April 1994 to inquire into the affairs of Asejire water project." This week's theme: trademarks that are often used figuratively. -------- Date: Wed Sep 3 00:02:55 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Ping-Pong X-Bonus: Laugh when you can; cry when you must. Ping-Pong n. A trademark used for table tennis and associated equipment. Figuratively, a series of exchanges between two parties. Ping-pong v.t. To send back and forth. Stephen Rothman, Florida judge rules for assisted-suicide for AIDS man., Reuters, 02-06-1997. "Hall's attorney, Robert Rivas, objected, saying, "It appears the state is continuing to play ping pong with Hall's life. It appears the state will stop at nothing in its harassment of Hall." This week's theme: trademarks that are often used figuratively. -------- Date: Thu Sep 4 00:03:30 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Technicolor X-Bonus: In the first place, God created idiots. That was for practice. Then he made school boards. -Mark Twain Tech.ni.col.or adj. A trademark used for a method of making color motion pictures in which films sensitive to different primary colors are exposed simultaneously and are later superimposed to produce the full-color print. Figuratively used to refer to an object in vivid colors. CaroL J. Loomis, Features: How Lewie Blew it., Fortune, 12-23-1996, pp 72+. "Until this sourness developed, the Ranieri myth, given technicolor life by the book Liar's Poker, had been doing nicely, thank you." This week's theme: trademarks that are often used figuratively. -------- Date: Fri Sep 5 00:03:02 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Jell-O X-Bonus: Springtime is the land awakening. The March winds are the morning yawn. -Lewis Grizzard Jell-O n. A trademark used for a dessert made of boiled animal tissues (bones, skin, tendons, and ligaments). Figuratively, something soft and wiggly. Steve Jacobson, Football Values Produced a Titan., Newsday, 01-08-1995, pp 08. "But if he went to the Rams or the Giants or someplace first-class, he would have stayed on `until my knees turned to Jell-O.'" -- Donald R. Sadoway, Professor of Materials Chemistry at MIT (dsadowayATmit.edu) had this to add about yesterday's word Technicolor: "Technicolor was invented by a graduate of MIT. Years ago, students and alumni referred to the place as "Tech." In fact, the old battle cry here was `Tech is Hell.' Faced with the need to name his invention, this particular alum chose Technicolor in honor of his alma mater." This week's theme: trademarks that are often used figuratively. -------- Date: Sat Sep 6 00:03:07 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--Kleenex X-Bonus: The principal mark of genius is not perfection but originality, the opening of new frontiers. -Arthur Koestler Kleen.ex. A trademark used for a soft facial tissue. Figuratively, something disposable or dispensable. Neimark, Jill, The culture of celebrity. Psychology Today, 05-15-1995, pp 54(7). "`We're in the Kleenex phase of fame,' notes Braudy. "We see so much of people, and in all branches of the media. We blow our nose on every new star that happens to come along and then dispose of them." This week's theme: trademarks that are often used figuratively. -------- Date: Sun Sep 7 00:03:21 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--yo-yo X-Bonus: The world is changed not by the self-regarding, but by men and women prepared to make fools of themselves. -P.D. James yo-yo n., pl. -yos. 1. A toy consisting of a flattened spool wound with string that is spun down from and reeled up to the hand by unwinding and winding the string. 2. Informal. One that vacillates. 3. Slang. A dope; jerk.-intr.v. -yoed,- yo-ing,- yos. Informal. To move repeatedly from one position to another; vacillate. [Orig. a trademark] Stevenson, Martin M., Quick reads.., Vol. 63, Modern Medicine, 09-01-1995, pp 19. "Not too long ago, yo-yo dieting was said to be associated with an increase in total and cardiovascular mortality. But a new study suggests that it still may be more beneficial than just staying obese." This week's theme: trademarks that are often used figuratively. -------- Date: Mon Sep 8 00:03:35 EDT 1997 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--paparazzo X-Bonus: Thought is the blossom; language the bud; action the fruit behind. -Ralph Waldo Emerson pa.pa.raz.zo n., pl. -zi A reporter or photographer, esp. a free-lance one, who doggedly searches for sensational stories about or takes candid pictures of celebrities for magazines and newspapers.[After Signor Paparazzo, a character in La Dolce Vita, a movie, by Federico Fellini (1920 - 1993)