A.Word.A.Day Archives from https://wordsmith.org/awad -------- Date: Tue Oct 1 00:53:59 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--mastodon X-Bonus: An oral contract isn't worth the paper it's written on. mast.odon \'mas-t*-.da:n, -d*n\ \.mas-t*-'da:n-ik\ \'mas-t*-.da:nt\ n [NL mastodont-, mastodon, fr. Gk mast- + odont-, odo]-n, odous tooth - more at TOOTH 1: any of numerous extinct mammals (esp. genus Mammut) that differ from the related mammoths and existing elephants chiefly in the form of the molar teeth 2: something of unusually large size : GIANT - mast.odon.ic aj 1965 Listener 2 Sept. 337/2 "It is high time we..began to inquire more coolly how we can expect this mastodon in our midst to behave." -------- Date: Wed Oct 2 00:52:12 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bathos X-Bonus: You cannot depend on your eyes when your imagination is out of focus. -Mark Twain ba.thos \'ba--.tha:s\ n [Gk] 1a: the sudden appearance of the commonplace in otherwise elevated matter or style 1b: ANTICLIMAX, LETDOWN 2: FLATNESS, TRITENESS 3: insincere or overdone pathos : SENTIMENTALISM 1841 MARRYAT, Poacher xxviii, "It was rather a bathos..to sink from a gentleman's son to an under usher." -------- Date: Thu Oct 3 00:53:16 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--maudlin X-Bonus: Swing hard, in case they throw the ball where you're swinging. -Duke Snider maud.lin \'mo.d-l*n\ aj [alter. of Mary Magdalene; fr. the practice of depicting her as a weeping], penitent sinner 1: weakly and effusively sentimental 2: drunk enough to be emotionally silly : FUDDLED -------- Date: Fri Oct 4 00:54:42 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--orphic X-Bonus: He who foresees calamities suffers them twice over. or.phic \'o.r-fik\ \-fi-k(*-)le-\ aj cap 1: of or relating to Orpheus or the rites or doctrines ascribed to him 2: MYSTIC, ORACULAR 3: ENTRANCING - or.phi.cal.ly av 1821 SHELLEY, Prometh. Unb. IV. i. 421 "Language is a perpetual orphic song." -------- Date: Sat Oct 5 00:59:39 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--morganatic X-Bonus: When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty. -George Bernard Shaw mor.ga.nat.ic \.mo.r-g*-'nat-ik\ \-i-k(*-)le-\ aj [NL matrimonium ad morganaticam, lit., marriage with morning gift] : of or relating to a marriage contracted by a member of a European royal or noble family with a person of inferior rank on the understanding that the rank of the inferior partner remains unchanged and that the children of the marriage do not succeed to the titles, fiefs, or entailed property of the parent of higher rank - mor.ga.nat.i.cal.ly av -------- Date: Sun Oct 6 19:31:19 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--rhymester X-Bonus: There is one thing stronger that all the armies in the world; and that is an idea whose time has come. -Victor Hugo rhyme.ster \'ri-m(p)-st*r\ n : an inferior poet : a maker of poor verse 1873 DIXON, Two Queens II. i. I. 72 "In youth, a rhymester and a student, he is said to have translated Ovid into Spanish verse." -------- Date: Mon Oct 7 19:32:11 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--karma X-Bonus: My friends, no matter how rough the road may be, we can and we will never, never surrender to what is right. -Dan Quayle kar.ma \'ka:r-m*, 'k*r-\ \-mik\ n [Skt karman (nom. karma) lit., work] often cap : the force generated by a person's actions held in Hinduism and Buddhism to perpetuate transmigration and in its ethical consequences to determine his destiny in his next existence often cap - kar.mic aj 1971 Rolling Stone 24 June 32/2 "John Sebastian's recording career has been plagued with an unusually bad karma." -- This week's collection of words comes from the ancient Indian language Sanskrit. I had the fortune of studying this classical language until my eighth grade. I fondly remember playing in one drama back in school in which all dialogues were in Sanskrit. Words such as the ones for this week, taken from another language and at least partially naturalized are called loanwords. -Anu -------- Date: Tue Oct 8 03:52:03 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--dharma X-Bonus: Don't mistake pleasure for happiness. They're a different breed of dog. -Josh Billings dhar.ma \'d*r-m*\ n [Skt, fr. dha-rayati he holds; akin to L firmus firm] Hinduism 1: custom or law regarded as duty Hinduism & Buddhism 2a: the basic principles of cosmic or individual existence : NATURE 2b: conformity to one's duty and nature 1994 Erik Davis, Wired, Aug. 1, Though Tibetan religious thought was by no means static, the philosopher-monks made considerable effort to keep their dharma crystal clear. -------- Date: Wed Oct 9 00:52:06 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--mahatma X-Bonus: The worst of all deceptions is self-deception. -Plato ma.hat.ma \m*-'ha:t-m*, -'hat-\ n [Skt maha-tman, fr. maha-tman great-souled, fr. mahat +] a-tman soul - more at ATMAN 1: a person to be revered for high-mindedness, wisdom, and selflessness 2: a person of great prestige in some field of endeavor 1949 H. N. BRAILSFORD, in H. S. L. Polak et al. Mahatma Gandhi viii. ist 96 "On 9 January, 1915,..Gandhi landed in Bombay... Soon after..in a published letter, the poet Rabindranath Tagore conferred on him the title of 'Mahatma`, of which the literal meaning is 'great soul`. It is the custom among Indians to bestow such distinctions on leaders whom they love and admire." -------- Date: Thu Oct 10 11:44:15 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--avatar X-Bonus: When I have been asked during these last weeks who caused the riots and the killing in L.A., my answer has been direct and simple: Who is to blame for the riots? The rioters are to blame. Who is to blame for the killings? The killers are to blame. -US Vice President J. Danforth Quayle av.a.tar \'av-*-.ta:r\ n [Skt avata-ra descent, fr. avatarati he descends, fr. ava-] away + tarati he crosses over - more at UKASE, THROUGH 1: the incarnation of a Hindu deity (as Vishnu) 2a: an incarnation of another person 2b: an embodiment usu. in a person (as of a concept, philosophy, or tradition) 3: a variant phase or version of a continuing basic entity 1880 L. STEPHEN, Pope ii. 29 "Wit and sense are but different avatars of the same spirit. -------- Date: Fri Oct 11 00:50:03 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--yoga X-Bonus: Reputation: what others are not thinking about you. yo.ga \'yo--g*\ \-gik\ n [Skt, lit., yoking, fr. yunakti he yokes; akin to L jungere to join] - more at YOKE cap 1: a Hindu theistic philosophy teaching the suppression of all activity of body, mind, and will in order that the self may realize its distinction from them and attain liberation 2: a system of exercises for attaining bodily or mental control and well-being often cap - yo.gic aj 1967 Daily Tel. 1 Feb. 13/1 "All kinds of yoga (the word means 'union` or 'joining`) are practised, including yoga of action, wisdom, knowledge, devotion, sounds and higher faculties, but far the most k. common in Britain is hatha yoga, the philosophy of physical well-being." -------- Date: Sat Oct 12 00:52:04 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sutra X-Bonus: Journalism is merely history's first draft. -Geoffrey C. Ward su.tra \'su:-tr*\ n [Skt su-tra thread, string of precepts, sutra; akin to L suere t]o sew - more at SEW 1: a precept summarizing Vedic teaching 2: a discourse of the Buddha 3: a collection of sutras -------- Date: Sun Oct 13 00:52:05 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--nirvana X-Bonus: Boredom is a vital problem for the moralist, since at least half of the sins of mankind are caused by the fear of it. -Bertrand Russell nir.va.na \ni(*)r-'va:n-*, n*r-\ n [Skt nirva-nsub-dot>a, lit., act of extinguishing, fr. nis-] often cap out + va-ti it blows - more at WIND 1: the final beatitude that transcends suffering, karma, and samsara and is sought esp. in Buddhism through the extinction of desire and individual consciousness 2: a place or state of oblivion to care, pain, or external reality 1895 BALFOUR, Foundations Belief 64 "The very Nirvana of artistic imagination, without desire and without pain." -------- Date: Mon Oct 14 02:19:18 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hoity-toity X-Bonus: May you live all the days of your life. -Jonathan Swift 1. hoi.ty-toi.ty \.ho.it-e--'to.it-e-, .hi-t-e--'ti-t-e-\ n [irreg. redupl. of E dial. hoit (to play the fool)] : thoughtless giddy behavior 2. hoity-toity aj : GIDDY, FLIGHT 2: HAUGHTY, PATRONIZING This week's theme: flip-flop words. -Anu -------- Date: Tue Oct 15 09:30:06 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hurly-burly X-Bonus: I never said it was possible. I only said it was true. -Charles Richet, Nobel Laureate in Physiology hur.ly-bur.ly \.h*r-le--'b*r-le-\ n [prob. alter. & redupl. of hurling] : UPROAR, TUMULT 1830 DE QUINCEY, Bentley Wks. 1863 VI. 43 "In the very uttermost hurly-burly of the storm." -------- Date: Wed Oct 16 00:52:08 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hugger-mugger X-Bonus: It's not a matter of where you stand but in what direction you're headed. 1. hug.ger-mug.ger \'h*g-*r-.m*g-*r\ n [origin unknown] 1: SECRECY 2: CONFUSION, MUDDLE 2. hugger-mugger aj 1: SECRET 2: CONFUSED, JUMBLED 3. hugger-mugger \-.m*g-(*-)rin\ vb or hug.ger-mug.ger.ing : to keep secret : to act stealthily 1898 Daily News 5 Apr. 3/1 "For two years the City Corporation tried to hugger-mugger this nasty little incident out of sight." -------- Date: Thu Oct 17 00:52:00 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--higgledy-piggledy X-Bonus: The safest way to double your money is to fold it over and put it in your pocket. -Kin Hubbard hig.gle.dy-pig.gle.dy \.hig-*l-de--'pig-*l-de-\ av [origin unknown] : in confusion : TOPSY-TURVY - higgledy-piggledy aj -------- Date: Fri Oct 18 00:51:59 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--hurry-scurry X-Bonus: Whenever books are burned men also in the end are burned. -Heinrich Heine, poet, journalist, and essayist (1797-1856) hur.ry-scur.ry or hur.ry-skur.ry \.h*r-e--'sk*r-e-, .h*-re--'sk*-re-\ n [redupl. of 2hurry] : a confused rush : TURMOIL - hurry-scurry ajor ;av -------- Date: Sat Oct 19 00:52:03 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--namby-pamby X-Bonus: The only time you don't fail is the last time you try anything--and it works. -William Strong nam.by-pam.by \.nam-be--'pam-be-\ aj [Namby Pamby, nickname given to Ambrose Philips] 1: lacking in character or substance : INSIPID 2: WEAK, INDECISIVE - namby-pamby n 1882 M. E. BRADDON, Mt. Royal III. x. 191 "He had just that small namby-pamby air which would suit Pauline's faint-hearted lover." -------- Date: Sun Oct 20 00:55:10 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--topsy-turvy X-Bonus: We can pay our debt to the past by putting the future in debt to ourselves. -John Buchan (1875-1940) Scottish author 1. top.sy-tur.vy \.ta:p-se--'t*r-ve-\ av [prob. deriv. of tops (pl. of 1top) + obs. E terve (to]turn upside down) 1: with the top or head downward : upside down 2: in utter confusion or disorder 2. topsy-turvy aj : turned topsy-turvy : totally disordered 3. topsy-turvy \-ve-d-*m\ n : TOPSY-TURVINESS - top.sy-tur.vy.dom n -------- Date: Mon Oct 21 06:23:53 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--pilgarlic X-Bonus: The whole point of getting things done is knowing what to leave undone. -Stella, Lady Reading pil.gar.lic \pil-'ga:r-lik\ n [pilled garlic] 1a: a bald head 1b: a bald-headed man 2: a man looked upon with humorous contempt or mock pity -- This week's theme: Odds and ends. -Anu -------- Date: Tue Oct 22 00:52:06 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--querist X-Bonus: Elbonics: Two people maneuvering for one armrest in a movie theater. que.rist \'kwi(*)r-*st, 'kwe(*)r-\ n [L quaerere to ask] : INQUIRER -------- Date: Wed Oct 23 00:52:02 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--supervenient X-Bonus: If you go into a situation with nothing planned, sometimes wonderful stuff happens. -Jerry Garcia su.per.ve.nient \-ny*nt\ aj [L supervenient-, superveniens, prp. of supervenire] : coming or occurring as something additional, extraneous, or unexpected -- Lately I have been receiving requests for gift subscriptions of A.Word.A.Day. Now I have created a form that you can use to send a gift subscription to your friends. Point your browser to: https://wordsmith.org/awad/gift.html -Anu -------- Date: Thu Oct 24 01:39:19 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--oneiric X-Bonus: It is often better not to see an insult than to avenge it. onei.ric \o--'ni-(*)r-ik\ aj [Gk oneiros dream; akin to Arm anurjhachek> dream] : of or relating to dreams : DREAMY 1995 Antonio Skarmeta, The Postman, "This habit, as well as a permanent susceptibility to real or invented colds, excused him, more often than not, from preparing the tackle for his father's boat, gave him full license to stay snuggling under thick ponchos from the southern islands, and allowed him to perfect his oneiric idylls until his father, Jose Jimenez, returned from the high seas." -------- Date: Fri Oct 25 00:52:10 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--eldritch X-Bonus: Patriotism is your conviction that this country is superior to all others because you were born in it. -G.B. Shaw el.dritch \'el-drich\ aj [perh. fr. (assumed) ME elfriche fairyland, fr. ME elf + richeX kingdom, fr. OE ri-ce : WEIRD, EERIE 1995 RORABACK, Los Angeles Times, Jan 15 "There is a talent here, an eldritch one, oozing without remorse from the subconscious of the author--who, curiously is a pillar of the Mormon church, a bishop, father of two, a teacher at Brigham Young University." -------- Date: Sat Oct 26 00:52:12 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--discalced X-Bonus: The world has achieved brilliance without conscience. Ours is a world of nuclear giants and ethical infants. -Gen. Omar Bradley dis.calced \(')dis-'kalst\ aj [part trans. of L discalceatus, fr. dis- + calceatus, pp. of]calceare to put on shoes, fr. calceus shoe, fr. calc-, calx heel - more at CALK : UNSHOD, BAREFOOTED {~ friars} -------- Date: Sun Oct 27 00:52:16 EDT 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--rowen X-Bonus: What we hope ever to do with ease, we must learn first to do with diligence. -Samuel Johnson row.en \'rau.-*n\ n [ME rowein, fr. (assumed) ONF rewain; akin to OF regai:n aft]ermath, fr. re- + gaaignier to till - more at GAIN 1: a stubble field left unplowed for late grazing 2: AFTERMATH - often used in pl. Date: Mon Oct 28 00:52:16 EST 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--doppelganger X-Bonus: When professors want your opinion, they'll give it to you. dop.pel.ganger. or dop.pel.gang.er \.da:p-*l-'gan-*r\ n [G doppelga:nger, fr. doppel- double + -ga:nger goer] : a ghostly counterpart of a living person Stern, David, The man with qualities.., Vol. 212, New Republic, 04-10-1995, pp 31. "In this way, Benjamin was Scholem's doppelganger, a kind of figurative double. He represented the road not taken, and yet the road that he, Scholem, could never fully escape." -- Halloween, the festival of all things scary and frightful, is around the corner. Be afraid, very afraid... of this week's words! (-: -Anu -------- Date: Tue Oct 29 00:52:06 EST 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--gramarye X-Bonus: No wonder nobody comes here--it's too crowded. -Yogi Berra gram.a.rye \'gram-*-re-\ n [ME, fr. MF gramaire grammar, grammar book, book of sorcery] : MAGIC Arabian Nights, translated by Sir Richard Francis Burton, "Moreover, she ensorceled the city with all its streets and garths, and she turned by her gramarye the four islands into four mountains around the tarn whereof thou questionest me." -------- Date: Wed Oct 30 00:51:56 EST 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--thanatos X-Bonus: To travel hopefully is a better thing than to arrive, and the true success is to labour. -Robert L. Stevenson Than.a.tos \'than-*-.ta:s\ n [Gk, death; akin to Skt adhvani-t it vanished, L fumus smoke] : instinctual desire for death HALPERN, FRANCES, WORDS & IMAGES; Getting Personal With Your Summer Reading; If you're in search of a literary outing, catch up with an author at a book signing.; Ventura West Edition., Los Angeles Times, 07-21-1994, pp J-7. "Susan Storch of Oxnard, an oncology nurse with a masters in psychology / thanatology (from the Greek thanatos meaning pertaining to death ) has been a hospice pioneer for the last 25 years. She will give a Conscious Dying seminar and discuss "The Tibetan Book of Living and Dying" at 2 p.m. Saturday at Ventura Bookstore, 522 E. Main St." -------- Date: Thu Oct 31 00:52:02 EST 1996 Subject: A.Word.A.Day--sheol X-Bonus: Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail. -Ralph Waldo Emerson She.ol \she--'o-l, 'she--.\ n [Heb Shebreve>'o-l] 1: an underworld where according to ancient Hebrew belief the dead have a shadowy existence 2: HELL