Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

 About Us | What's New | Search | Site Map | Contact Us  

You are not logged in. [Log In] Wordsmith.org » Forums » General Topics » Wordplay and fun » Bole
Register User    Forum List        Calendar     Active Topics     Search     FAQ
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 >
Topic Options
#71317 - 05/25/02 10:57 PM Bole
belMarduk Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 09/28/00
Posts: 2888
All right, this is just a show of hands question...

Before I ask, here is the story behind the question:

Tonight, my hubby and I went to some friends' house. We were looking for a parking spot on the street and we backed around a corner.

It is in an area that has just been rebuilt. The old tree-trunk telephone poles have not been replaced yet so they are smack dab in the street.

Well when we backed around the corner I saw a pole but my hubby didn't seem to have seen it. My automatic reaction was to urgently say "watch out for the bole"

Here is the question...

How many of you know that a tree trunk is a bole?
How many of you still use that word?


Top
#71318 - 05/25/02 11:11 PM .
Max Quordlepleen Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 08/12/00
Posts: 3409

Top
#71319 - 05/25/02 11:37 PM Re: Bole
Angel Offline
addict

Registered: 12/28/01
Posts: 688
Never heard the word before....and never use it.


Top
#71320 - 05/25/02 11:47 PM Re: Bole
KeivaCarpal Offline
stranger

Registered: 05/29/02
Posts: 0
Unknown and unused -- until now. Thanks for bole, bel.

From the same root as bollix, phallus, and folly.
http://www.bartleby.com/61/roots/IE51.html


Top
#71321 - 05/26/02 12:58 AM Re: Bole
Geoff Offline
old hand

Registered: 11/12/00
Posts: 819
Loc: Portland,Oregon, USA
I've always thought of the bole as being that part of the trunk that joins with the roots, but not the upper trunk. As soon as I can get my copy of Understanding Wood by Bruce Hoadley back from a friend who borrowed it, I can give you the definition therein.


Top
#71322 - 05/26/02 06:34 AM Re: Bole
Wordwind Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
I'd use trunk.

Bole: Not to be confused with boll as in the boll weevil of the American South.

But you can poll a tree:

Main Entry: 2poll
Date: 14th century
transitive senses
1 a : to cut off or cut short the hair or wool of : CROP, SHEAR b : to cut off or cut short (as wool)
2 a : to cut off or back the top of (as a tree); specifically : POLLARD b : to cut off or cut short the horns of (cattle)

http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary



Top
#71323 - 05/26/02 07:21 AM Re: Bole
KeivaCarpal Offline
stranger

Registered: 05/29/02
Posts: 0
My automatic reaction was to urgently say "watch out for the bole"

What a perfect example of the difficulties each of us word-nuts can suffer in [let us say] "interspousal communications".



Top
#71324 - 05/26/02 09:56 AM Re: Bole
wwh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 01/18/01
Posts: 13858
And I'm shedding great big tears of frustration. If any of you had looked at that Viking word site I posted yesterday, you would know that "bole" is of Scandinavian origin and does mean tree trunk.

http://viking.no/e/england/e-viking_words_2.htm#C

It's set to the "C" words, scroll up to the "B" words


Top
#71325 - 05/26/02 11:30 AM Re: Bole
Wordwind Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 09/30/01
Posts: 6296
Loc: Piedmont Region of Virginia, U...
wwh:

I accessed your link. Here's what was there:

bole (n) Stem of a tree. Scan => ME bol, Ice bolr, bulr (the trunk of a tree), Swe bål, Dan bul.

Stem of tree? I never heard of a trunk being referred to as a stem...though later in the definition there's bulr (the trunk of a tree).

Bulr makes me think of burled oak, but I don't expect there's a connection...

Bole regards,
Woodsworth

Edit/Addendum: A little more on burls (as in burled oak):

Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English burle, from (assumed) Middle French bourle tuft of wool, from (assumed) Vulgar Latin burrula, diminutive of Late Latin burra shaggy cloth
Date: 15th century
1 : a knot or lump in thread or cloth
2 a : a hard woody often flattened hemispherical outgrowth on a tree b : veneer made from burls

Top
#71326 - 05/26/02 12:01 PM wood nymph raises her hand
consuelo Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 06/11/01
Posts: 2636
Loc: Caribbean
Have I heard of the word? Do wood nymphs dance in the woods?
Do I ever use the word? Sometimes.


Top
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 >


Moderator:  Jackie 
Forum Stats
8424 Members
16 Forums
13686 Topics
209775 Posts

Max Online: 3341 @ 12/09/11 02:15 PM
Newest Members
teepee, smoothcriminal86, janbra, junebug, Stephen A
8423 Registered Users
Who's Online
0 registered (), 29 Guests and 1 Spider online.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters (30 Days)
LukeJavan8 88
jenny jenny 60
wofahulicodoc 54
endymion6 47
Rhubarb Commando 36
BranShea 34
Buffalo Shrdlu 15
zmjezhd 13
Faldage 12
Jackie 12
May
Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3 4
5 6 7 8 9 10 11
12 13 14 15 16 17 18
19 20 21 22 23 24 25
26 27 28 29 30 31
Board Rules · Mark all read
Contact Us · Wordsmith.org · Top

Disclaimer: Wordsmith.org is not responsible for views expressed on this site. Use of this forum is at your own risk and liability - you agree to hold Wordsmith.org and its associates harmless as a condition of using it.

Home | Today's Word | Yesterday's Word | Subscribe | FAQ | Archives | Search | Feedback
Wordsmith Talk | Wordsmith Chat

© 2013 Wordsmith