Wordsmith.org: the magic of words

Wordsmith Talk

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

Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 7 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
#76784 07/25/02 04:48 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Orrery An astronomical toy to show the relative movements of the planets, etc., invented by George
Graham, who sent his model to Rowley, an instrument maker, to make one for Prince Eugéne. Rowley
made a copy of it for Charles Boyle, third Earl of Orrery, and Sir Richard Steele named it an orrery out of
compliment to the earl. One of the best is Fulton's, in Kelvin Grove Museum, West End Park, Glasgow.


#76785 07/25/02 04:52 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Orts Crumbs; refuse. (Low German, ort- i.e. what is left after eating.)
I shall not eat your orts- i.e. your leavings.

On Boston radio there used to be ads for "Ort's Grille" I was not tempted
to patronize it.


#76786 07/25/02 04:58 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Osprey or Ospray (a corruption of Latin Ossifragus the bone-breaker). The fish-eagle, or fishing hawk
(Pandion haeliaetis).


#76787 07/25/02 05:02 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
A famous literary hoax.

Ossian The son of Fingal, a Scottish warrior-bard who lived in the third century. The poems called
Ossian's Pooms were first published by James M'Pherson in 1760, and professed to be translations from
Erse manuscripts collected in the Highlands. This is not true. M'Pherson no doubt based the poems on
traditions, but not one of them is a translation of an Erse manuscript; and so far as they are Ossianic at all,
they are Irish, and not Scotch


#76788 07/25/02 05:07 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
A contradiction

Ostler jocosely said to be derived from oat-stealer, but actually from the French hostelier, an innkeeper.

hos[tler 7h9s4l!r, 9s$38
n.
5contr. of HOSTELER6
1 a person who takes care of horses at an inn, stable, etc.; groom
>2 a person who services a truck or a railroad engine at the end of a run
3 [Obs.] an innkeeper



#76789 07/25/02 05:09 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Ostracis'm Oyster-shelling, black-balling, or expelling. Clisthenes gave the people of Attica the power of
removing from the state, without making a definite charge, any leader of the people likely to subvert the
government. Each citizen wrote his vote on an earthen. ware table (ostracon), whence the term.



#76790 07/25/02 05:12 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
I wonder how Brewer a hundred years ago would repeat this stupid hoax:

Ostrich When hunted the ostrich is said to run a certain distance and then thrust its head into a bush,
thinking, because it cannot see, that it cannot be seen by the hunters. (See Crocodile. )



#76791 07/25/02 05:16 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Brewer's take on retirement:

O'tium cum Dig [dignitate ]. Retirement after a person has given up business and has saved enough to
live upon in comfort. The words are Latin, and mean “retirement with honour.” They are more frequently
used in jest, familiarity, and ridicule.


#76792 07/25/02 05:18 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Oui (French for “yes”). A contraction of Hoc illud. Thus, hoc-ill', ho'-il, o'il, oïl, oï, oui.



#76793 07/25/02 05:21 PM
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
W
wwh Offline OP
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Outis (Greek, nobody). A name assumed by Odysseus in the cave of Polyphemos. When the monster
roared with the pain from the loss of his eye, his brother giants demanded from a distance who was
hurting him: “Nobody,” thundered out Polyphemos, and his companions went their way. Odysseus in
Latin is Ulysses.



Page 7 of 8 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 444 guests, and 3 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
AnnaStrophic 6,511
Wordwind 6,296
of troy 5,400
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

© 1994-2024 Wordsmith

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5