The Internet has many glossaries, collections of terms with definitions.
NASA for instance uses many scientific terms we have to look up.
Here is a short one, not as good as I had hoped:
http://www.nas.nasa.gov/About/Education/Ozone/glossary.html

It could be a sort of game for others to find and post other such URL's.

Or the post could consist of a single word worth defining, such as "ablation"
The space craft are covered with special tiles that can withstand the
friction of high speed re-entry to atmosphere. They are subject to
ablation, meaning heat and friction remove enough of the tile material that
after several re-entries they must be replaced.

As a sample, a Shakespeare glossary
http://shakespeare.about.com/library/blglossary.htm?once=true&

A second sample, a Chaucer glossary:
http://www.umm.maine.edu/faculty/necastro/chaucer/glossary.html

Wine term glossary:

http://wine.about.com/library/encyc/glossary/bl_glossary.htm

Dear WW: the wine glossary is a good one. How about browsing through it and picking
out a term and commenting about it?

Here's one that tells how Mark Twain got his name:
http://www.twainquotes.com/Steamboats/Glossary.html

OK, wwh. Here's some noble rot for you from the above wine glossary site:

Noble Rot

"Botrytis, Bunch Rot, Noble Rot and Wine
Ah, Botrytis, or 'Bunch Rot', that fungus which can both destroy a crop and bring it to glorious fruition. On its darker side, botrytis is grey rot, attacking vineyards that are in damp climates, spreading through entire bunches of grapes with ease.


When botrytis is handled properly, it creates the noble rot wines such as Sauternes and Tokaji - deliciouly smooth and sweet. The story is that in 1650, a priest was making wine when an attack of the Turks delayed the harvest. When they realized fungus had grown on some of the grapes, they kept those separate, wondering how they would taste. They were quite pleased with the results!

The Germans were next to follow, and then the French, where Sauternes became world famous for its delicious wines. Chateau d'Yquem is the best known creator of French Sauternes. The best grapes to create noble rot wines from include Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc and Chenin Blanc.

Grapes must be harvested carefully, for the proper amount of fungal growth must be present on each bunch. Often harvests are done in several sweeps, picking out the correct grapes on each pass. During pressings, it is actually the later pressings that give the best wine, because of the chemicals and sugars involved."

http://wine.about.com/library/weekly/aa102000.htm

Dear WW: I am totally ignorant about wines. Somewhere I recently read something about
the disposal of the "must", the residue of the grapes that have been crushed, after the
liquid has been drained off. I didn't find any discussion of what is done with the "must"
to avoid undesirable fungi growing in it. Can you tell us about that?

(Hi, Slithy!)

slithy: Slythy (compounded of slimy and lithe). Smooth and active. Lithe and slimy. Lithe is the same as 'active.' ... It's like a portmanteau -- there are two meanings packed up into one word.
tove: Tove, a species of badger. They had smooth white hair, long hind legs, and short horns like a stag; lived chiefly on cheese. "Toves" should be pronounced to rhyme with "groves". Something like badgers -- they're something like lizards -- and they are something like corkscrews. ... They make their nests under sundials -- also they live on cheese.

(I hope you like cheese!)

http://www.math.luc.edu/~vande/jabglossary.html

(and an old AWAD thread about Carroll's coinages...you may remember this one, TEd )

http://wordsmith.org/board/showthreaded.pl?Cat=&Board=words&Number=3827

The Wizard of WO'N bestows upon the board (with a sweep of WO'N's Wand) the one, the only, language of Middle Earth...Gandalf sends his greetings!

http://fin.go.wifl.at.org/tables/html/glossary.htm

http://www.google.com/search?q=glossary.htm&sourceid=opera&num=0&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8

A Glossary of Faldagian Nits

Here we have a rare opportunity to create a glossary unique to the AWAD experience, and chronicle the many fine points taken by our one-and-only Faldage along the way. And, so, it is with great honor that I respectfully begin the list by presenting this first entry:

1. seen: any tense of the verb "to see"

Help! Faldage has glossolalia! Speaking in tongues! or tons of glossaries.
Now, Faldage, how about some posts on the interesting words therein?

>the one, the only, language of Middle Earth

Quenya, Sindarin, Westron, the Black Speech - "the one and only" was just to tempting a nit to let crawl past.

Quenya, Sindarin, Westron, the Black Speech - "the one and only" was just to tempting a nit to let crawl past.

Ah, but my good sir, these are all considered Elven tongues:

Parma Eldalamberon (Quenya: 'The Book of Elven Tongues')
Parma is a journal of linguistic studies of fantasy literature, especially of the Elvish languages and nomenclature in the works of J.R.R.Tolkien. It is published at irregular intervals as sufficient material becomes available. Submissions are welcome.

http://www.eldalamberon.com/parma9.html

Also: http://elvish.org

But, I assure you, sjm, that your challenge to a wizard will not render you more vulnerable to the wrath of Sauron, should you venture into the passages of my power's jurisdiction...

OK, wwh.

The wine glossary didn't include must, but I've been a-googlin' and have a few entries for you:

"Vinification: traditional off-the-skins white wine-making method with soft pressing: cold racking of the must, fermentation in pressure tanks at 18-20'C with an over-pressure of 0.5 bar. "


"Vinification: traditional crushing with de-stemming, fc)llowed by controlled temperature fermentation with frequent pumping over of the must. The maceration lasts 8-10 days. "

From:
http://www.luigigiordano.it/vini_en.htm

And [ta-da!]:

"Must: The liquid (mostly) portion of freshly crushed grapes (before fermentation). Includes pulp, skins, seeds, juice and bits of stem. "

From:

http://www.marylandwine.com/wineries/glossary/wineterms2.html

And the above is still another wine glossary.

Beverage regards,
WineWind

Google is weird. I can get the cached page for the wine glossary I mentioned just above, but I cannot get to the site itself. No way. So that glossary is only available on google is you cache it.

However, on that "L" page are some terms that are just so cool (look at legs) that I'll paste 'em here:

Late Harvest: Name given to dessert or full-bodied table wines produced from overripe grapes.

Leaf axil: The acute angle between a vine shoot and a leaf stem or petiole extending from the shoot. Buds develop in these axils just above each leaf petiole.

Lees: The sediment which settles to the bottom of the wine in a tank during processing. If primarily yeast, as from a fermentation, it is called "yeast lees;" if sediment from fining, it is called "fining lees."

Legs: Term referring to the colorless droplets which form along the inside wall of a wine glass, just above the surface the wine.

Limousin: A type of French oak for used to make barrels. Its grain is less tight and more open than others, allowing the oak flavor to become extracted out of the wood quickly.



I mean we've got limousines and stretch limousines (which bore me to death), but look at that "limousin" above! Oak wood! Less tight grain! Oak flavor entering the wine! That has just got to be the coolest thing to think about. Sorry I cannot figure out how to get to the home page of this particular glossary. It's better than the first one I posted based on this single page.

Ah, but my good sir, these are all considered Elven tongues:

No, they're not, and anybody who tries to say otherwise is just plain wrong. Quenya, Sindarin and The Black Speech are all derived from elven, but that doesn't make them "one and only" any more than English and Sankrit are one because of both being derived from PIE. In the spirit of nitpickery/fanmania, it could also be pointed out that even in your glaringly incorrect response, you said that these are all considered elven tongues which in itself makes a mockery of your earlier "one and only" assertion. There are also dwarvish and Entish two definitely non-elven languages only sketchily developed by Tolkien.Baruk Khazâd! Khazâd ai-mênu!

Ah, ssssssssssjm...you could be right. But it'sssssssss very dangerousssssssssss to be dissssssstracted with nittery whilsssssssst Gollum isssssssssss lurking! However, the Elvisssssssh glossssssssssssssarriesssssssssssssssss prevail!

Ah, ssssssssssjm...you could be right. But it'sssssssss very dangerousssssssssss to be dissssssstracted with nittery whilsssssssst Gollum isssssssssss lurking!

Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo, sharkû.

Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo, sharkû.

Well! I guess he told you!

>Sorry I cannot figure out how to get to the home page...

ah, but that's another of the wunnerful things about Google -- extinct sites are cached therein for who knows how long; it's sorta like the Tar Pits.

The Great and Powerful tsuwm observes:

"Ah, but that's another of the wunnerful things about Google -- extinct sites are cached therein for who knows how long; it's sorta like the Tar Pits.

And the Faldage on another thread calls Shapies "gazelles" and Magic Markers "moose"...

Metaphorical writing is alive and well on AWAD. Oh, happy day!

Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo, sharkûElen síla lúmenn' omentielvo, sharkû.

Oooooooo, sjm...that's dirty pool! I'm almost afraid to look up the translation for sharkû, but. The Wizard of WO'N is getting restless, so...!

Well! I guess he told you!


Sure, sure, sure, Faldie...you're just gloating because our Elvish debate has distracted from your Nit Glossary, but. The flame is lit...the embers are beckoning...

Sharkû: (n)Black Speech - "old man"
Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo: Quenya - a star shines on the hour of our meeting

http://www.vegweb.com/glossary/


Chipotle
A dried and smoked jalapeno which can be found dried or reconstituted and sold in tomato sauce. These chiles are extremely hot and caution should be taken when using them in cooking.

Jicama (Yam Bean, Mexican Turnip)
Description. Jicama, a legume, is grown for the large tuberous roots which are eaten raw or cooked and are used as a source of starch. The jicama plant is a vine which grows to a length of 20 feet or more. Roots are light brown and may weigh up to 50 pounds. Most of those on the market weigh 3 to 5 pounds.

Culture. Jicamas are actually perennials and produce their large roots after several years of growth. They are commonly found in frost-free regions. In Texas, plant seed in the early spring and harvest small tubers before the first killing frost. The root or tuber initiation and development are dependent on photoperiod or length of day. Plants exposed to relatively long days of 14 to 15 hours do not produce tubers. Areas with mild fall or winter temperatures are best suited for yam bean production.

Selection. Jicamas are suitable for consumption at any growth stage (size). Look for well formed tubers that appear fresh and are free of cracks and bruises. Jicamas, like most other root crops, store for relatively long periods in refrigeration. However, conversion of starch to sugar occurs if stored for excessive periods and should be avoided.


Mole
An assortment of thick sauces used in Mexican cooking made of chiles. These sauces are made with one or many chiles, and flavored with cumin, coriander, cinnamon, nuts, seeds, and chocolate. Their flavor is rich, smoky, and very complex. Some recipes are made with fresh herbs and have a green color.

Sharkû: (n)Black Speech - "old man"
Elen síla lúmenn' omentielvo: Quenya - a star shines on the hour of our meeting

Well, thanks for saving me the footwork, kind sir, because I was going to look it all up and get back to you, I really was...er, I mean, the Wizard of WO'N was going to respond in due time, of course! But since you jumped the gun, here, let me say that I find "a star shines on the hour of our meeting" to be particularly nice and gracious, and I thank you for that, but. That OLD in "old man" has got to go!!! Er, let me retract that tongue thingy, and say, that, of course, all Wizards are ageless and we shall never succumb to such a lack of protocol as to be pigeon-holed into any caricature of age!
Therefore, sjm, while my Wand of merriment at your initial words remains in your favor, I'm sensing a Wanderlust of discontentment at your nefarious allusion to the mingling of age with my character, my image, my incarnation...so you just remember who you're messin' with, young man (chocking and gulping for air-e)...ah, oh, ahh, ye...uhgh, yes...that's better...remember you're merely a mortal, and must bow to the powers of my Wizardry! The full moon speaketh!...my Wand is aflame!...and, beware, for what you've heard is true!...J'pet le feux! J'pet le feux! (no need to look in the Elvish, it's French) Old, indeed!

http://nsidc.org/snow/glossary.html

Yet another definition of ablation:
the process of being removed. Snow ablation usually refers to removal by melting

depth hoar:
large (one to several millimeters in diameter), cohesionless, coarse, faceted snow crystals which result from the presence of strong temperature gradients within the snowpack

surface hoar:
the deposition (sublimation) of ice crystals on a surface which occurs when the temperature of the surface is colder than the air above and colder than the frost point of that air

graupel:
snowflakes that become rounded pellets due to riming. Typical sizes are two to five millimeters in diameter (0.1 to 0.2 inches). Graupel is sometimes mistaken for hail.
This stuff is hell to drive on. It feels like you're skating on marbles.

http://www.tcmall.com/nauticalknowhow/GLOSSARY.htm

Bitter end:
The last part of a rope or chain.The inboard end of the anchor rode

Coaming:
A vertical piece around the edge of a cockpit, hatch, etc. to prevent water on deck from running below.

Lazarette:
A storage space in a boat's stern area.

this is site entirely devoted to glossaries, on any subject
http://www.vodkatea.com/g/glossary.asp i like the maning of frog entry, particularly the boredom and the cigarette definitions

Here ya go, Doctor! A glossary of Net medical terminology.

http://www.netmind.ch/home/medint.htm

For some reason the Elvish/Black Speech/Tolkienish banter set me to wondering if there were any Glossaries of Klingon terms out there.

Stupid question really:
http://makeashorterlink.com/?W2D4513A1



P.S. You can go up the Open/Google Directory tree then back down again for loads on Tolkienian Languages.

http://www.sfwa.org/writing/glossary.html

There's also an intriguing SF Glossary by a Dr. Raymond, but the link is dead right now...however, it is cached on Google, just pop "Science Fiction Glossary" into the search window (I'm not registered at Make A Shorter Link for the long cache url).

You have to be 'registered' now?

I just type "Make A Shorter Link" into Yahoo! search box, and up it comes.

See:http://www.makeashorterlink.com/

or just type into location box: www.makeashorterlink.com/

hmm...seemed that "shorter link" wanted a name and e-address at one time, but mebbe I was wrong. Anyway, here's the cached SF Glossary...pretty interesting:

http://makeashorterlink.com/?T63F165A1

Howye fokes

Would this be the Mammy of all glosseries?
http://www.ingersoll-printers.co.uk/glossary/varnish.html

Be seein ya

GallantTed

Subtle. Very subtle. And darned funny!

ablation, meaning heat and friction remove enough of the tile material that
after several re-entries they must be replaced.
Good grief--I had a cardiac ablation earlier this year!

>>ablation, meaning heat and friction remove enough of the tile material that after several re-entries they must be replaced.

Good grief--I had a cardiac ablation earlier this year!

That's serious heartburn, Jackie.

That's serious heartburn, Jackie.
GROAN! It was, actually, but it didn't hurt a bit.
The doc threaded this device into my heart, where it located and closed off (with laser, I think) the places where the electrical impulses were slipping through where they shouldn't oughta. And only a tiny incision, just big enough for the device. Isn't that amazing? They can go into--right inside!--your heart and do stuff, and not only do you live, you can barely tell anything's happened!

Isn't that amazing? They can go into--right inside!--your heart and do stuff, and not only do you live, you can barely tell anything's happened!

You ain't kidding.

I'm delighted it went well, and - certainly in this case - I tip my hat to modern medical science.

And now, of course, she's tracked every minute and hour by a satellite which reports directly to the FBI, the NSA and - worst of all - the IRS.

Are you sayin' I can run, but I can't hide?? [horrors] Help me, Mulder!

Another scullied reputation.

C'mon gents, have a heart.