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#122264 02/07/04 08:33 PM
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Date: Mon May 22 00:19:27 EDT 1995
Subject: A.Word.A.Day--bibliopole
bib.li.o.pole or bib.li.op.o.list n [L bibliopola bookseller, fr. Gk
bibliopoles, fr. bibli- + polein to sell] (1775): a dealer esp. in rare or
curious books



#122265 02/14/04 12:06 PM
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Am I right in thinking 'curious' books was a euphemism for porn?

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#122266 02/14/04 02:54 PM
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Dear Bingley: You'd have to ask Wordsmith. I have seen
"amazing" used to hint that a book was pornographic.


#122267 02/16/04 08:29 AM
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I was talking generally rather than specifically about that particular passage.

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#122268 02/16/04 02:00 PM
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Dear Bingley: You made me coin a word: "pornopole" = a seller of "carnal knowledge". I was surprised that I could not find it in any dictionary.
I am surprised that the such a potentially useful root
as " -pole" is used so infrequently.



#122269 02/16/04 02:03 PM
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such a potentially useful root as " -pole" is used so infrequently.

More often seen in its incarnation as -poly, as in monopoly.


#122270 02/16/04 02:12 PM
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pornopoly

do not pass go, do not collect $200...



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#122271 02/16/04 02:24 PM
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Dear Faldage: I have seen monopoly, and duopoly. I challenge you to find others.


#122272 02/16/04 02:25 PM
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Oligopoly, for one.


#122273 02/16/04 03:08 PM
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OneLook had a sparse few, I especially liked "roly-poly"...




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#122274 02/16/04 03:22 PM
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I think oligopoly is the only one that onelook has to offer where the -poly is from the root in question.


#122275 02/16/04 03:34 PM
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Bill's coinage inspired me. I took two Greek words for 'brothel-keeper', pornoboskos 'herder of whores' and pornotrophos 'rearer of whores' and came up with pornoboscan and pornotrophic as adjectives meaning pimpish.


#122276 02/22/04 11:53 PM
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Oligopoly, for one

Wouldn't that be: oligopoly, for several?



#122277 02/23/04 02:45 PM
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#122278 02/23/04 03:39 PM
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Dear jheem: your "pornoboskos" made me wonder about the etymology of "boss", the guy who gives you orders. I didn't find a good site. Here's an old one:

To ornament with bosses; to stud.

Origin: OE. Bocen, fr. OF. Bocier. See the preceding word.

Origin: OE. Boce, bose, boche, OF. Boce, boche, bosse, F. Bosse, of G. Origin; cf. OHG. Bozo tuft, bunch, OHG. Bozan, MHG. Bozen, to beat. See Beat, and cf. Botch a swelling.

1. Any protuberant part; a round, swelling part or body; a knoblike process; as, a boss of wood.

2. A protuberant ornament on any work, either of different material from that of the work or of the same, as upon a buckler or bridle; a stud; a knob; the central projection of a shield. See Umbilicus.

3. A projecting ornament placed at the intersection of the ribs of ceilings, whether vaulted or flat, and in other situations.

4. [Cf. D. Bus box, Dan. Bosse] A wooden vessel for the mortar used in tiling or masonry, hung by a hook from the laths, or from the rounds of a ladder.

5. <mechanics> The enlarged part of a shaft, on which a wheel is keyed, or at the end, where it is coupled to another. A swage or die used for shaping metals.

6. A head or reservoir of water.

Source: Websters Dictionary



#122279 02/23/04 04:01 PM
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the etymology of "boss", the guy who gives you orders

I'd allus heard it was from the Afrikaans, baas. AHD4 says it's Dutch, not Afrikaans.

http://www.bartleby.com/61/86/B0408600.html


#122280 02/23/04 04:44 PM
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I seem to remember that boss in the sense of 'the guy with the pointy hair' is supposed to be from a Dutch word. I always liked the sound, but not the meaning, of Boss Tweed. Another boscus, unrelated, is Sanctoboscus 'holywood'. I wonder if Hollywood is from the holly tree?


#122281 02/23/04 04:45 PM
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It's a fine line between Dutch, Flemish, and Afrikaans.


#122282 06/30/04 09:54 AM
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Oligopoly, for one

Wouldn't that be: oligopoly, for several?


I knew there was a reason I came back.


#122283 07/05/04 01:17 PM
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And is "bos-" meaning protuberant part also seen in "proboscis" ? Or is that redundant? or parallel evolution?


#122284 07/05/04 02:52 PM
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proboscis
I'm sure someone knows...



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#122285 07/06/04 12:33 AM
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And is "bos-" meaning protuberant part also seen in "proboscis" ? Or is that redundant? or parallel evolution?

You mean, of course, bosc. From the Greek boskein 'to feed'. Related to bous (Latin bos, English cow, Sanskrit go), but whence the kappa?


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