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#96443 02/20/03 03:27 PM
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I remember how I learned this word, from an article in National Geographic in the twenties.
For exploration of deep sea bottom, a "bathysphere" was built, a metal hollow sphere perhaps
eight feet in diameter, with thick glass windows. But the first time it was tested, with no
one inside, the tremendous pressure burst one window inwards. This might even have been
the first time the word was used.


#96444 02/20/03 03:33 PM
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A charge, often false, of a lack of reverence for God. One of the principal functions of
religion is to allow the elite to control the masses. Socrates was condemned to death
on trumped up allegations of impiety.


#96445 02/20/03 03:34 PM
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an article in National Geographic in the twenties…the first time the word was used

Not according to Merriam-Webster

http://m-w.com/cgi-bin/dictionary?va=implode


#96446 02/20/03 03:39 PM
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impound
vt.
1 to shut up (an animal) in a pound
2 to take and hold (a document, funds, a vehicle, etc.) in legal custody
3 to gather and enclose (water) for irrigation, etc.
im[pound4ment
n.

A pond is a relatively small body of water resulting from a stream becoming blocked

A pound can be a enclosed place where stray animals can be kept until claimed by their owners.
Or destroyed if owners do not claim them.


#96447 02/20/03 03:42 PM
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imprecate
vt.
3cat#ed, 3cat#ing 5< L imprecatus, pp. of imprecari, to invoke, pray to < in3, in, on + precari, to PRAY6
1 to pray for or invoke (evil, a curse, etc.) !to imprecate disaster upon one‘s foe"
2 [Rare] to invoke evil upon; curse
—SYN CURSE
im4pre[ca#tor
n.



#96448 02/20/03 03:45 PM
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impregnable
adj.
5ME imprenable < OFr: see IN32 & PREGNABLE6
1 not capable of being captured or entered by force
2 unshakable; unyielding; firm !an impregnable belief"
impreg#na[bil4i[ty
n.
im[preg4na[bly
adv.

im[preg[na[ble2 7im preg4n! b!l8
adj.
5fol. + 3ABLE6 that can be impregnated



#96449 02/20/03 03:48 PM
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improvise
vt., vi.
3vised#, 3vis#ing 5Fr improviser < It improvvisare < improvviso, unprepared < L improvisus, unforeseen < in3, not + provisus, pp. of providere, to foresee, anticipate: see PROVIDE6
1 to compose, or simultaneously compose and perform, on the spur of the moment and without any preparation; extemporize
2 a) to bring about, make, or do on the spur of the moment !to improvise a solution to a problem" b) to make, provide, or do with the tools and materials at hand, usually to fill an unforeseen and immediate need !to improvise a bed out of leaves"
im4pro[vis#er, im4pro[vi#sor, or im[prov$i[sa#tor 73pr9v4i zat#!r8
n.



#96450 02/20/03 03:59 PM
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imprudent
adj.
5ME < L imprudens: see IN32 & PRUDENT6not prudent; without thought of the consequences; lacking in judgment or caution; rash; indiscreet
im[pru4dence
n.
im[pru4dent[ly
adv.

derived from Latin "pudor" = shame, sense of shame.


#96451 02/20/03 04:02 PM
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inadvertent
adj.
5prob. back-form. < prec.6
1 not attentive or observant; heedless
2 due to oversight; unintentional
in#ad[vert4ent[ly
adv.



#96452 02/20/03 04:12 PM
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imbroglio
n.,
pl. 3glios 5It < imbrogliare, to embroil < or akin to MFr embrouiller: see EN31 & BROIL26
1 [Rare] a confused heap
2 an involved and confusing situation; state of confusion and complication
3 a confused misunderstanding or disagreement



#96453 02/20/03 04:14 PM
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incarcerate
vt.
3at#ed, 3at#ing 5< ML incarceratus, pp. of incarcerare, to imprison < L in, in + carcer, prison6
1 to imprison; jail
2 to shut up; confine
in[car#cer[a4tion
n.
in[car4cer[a#tor
n.



#96454 02/20/03 04:17 PM
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incendiary
adj.
5L incendiarius, setting on fire, an incendiary < incendium, a fire < incendere: see fol.6
1 having to do with the willful destruction of property by fire
2 causing or designed to cause fires, as certain substances, bombs, etc.
3 willfully stirring up strife, riot, rebellion, etc.
n.,
pl. 3ar#ies
1 a person who willfully destroys property by fire
2 a person who willfully stirs up strife, riot, rebellion, etc.
3 an incendiary bomb, substance, etc.
in[cen4di[a[rism# 73dc ! riz#!m8
n.



#96455 02/20/03 04:21 PM
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iincisive
adj.
5ML incisivus < L incisus: see INCISE6
1 cutting into
2 sharp; keen; penetrating; acute !an incisive mind"
3 of the incisors
in[ci4sive[ly
adv.
in[ci4sive[ness
n.
SYN.—incisive is applied to speech or writing that seems to penetrate directly to the heart of the matter, resulting in a clear and unambiguous statement [an incisive criticism]; trenchant implies clean-cut expression that results in sharply defined categories, differences, etc. [a trenchant analysis]; cutting implies incisive qualities but also connotes such harshness or sarcasm as to hurt the feelings [his cutting allusion to her inefficiency]; biting implies a caustic or stinging quality that makes a deep impression on the mind [his biting satire]



#96456 02/20/03 04:24 PM
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incipient
adj.
5L incipiens, prp. of incipere, to begin, lit., take up < in3, in, on + capere, to take: see HAVE6 in the first stage of existence; just beginning to exist or to come to notice !an incipient illness"
in[cip$i[ence or in[cip$i[en[cy
n.
in[cip$i[ent[ly
adv.



#96457 02/20/03 04:32 PM
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You makin' a mess a the Stales Index.


#96458 02/20/03 04:36 PM
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Dear Faldage: to which of my many crimes do you refer?


#96459 02/20/03 04:47 PM
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All this posting without increasing the number of views.


#96460 02/20/03 04:53 PM
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Dear Faldage: Do you feel my posting in this long unused forum deprives anyone?


#96461 02/20/03 05:06 PM
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I'm just saying you're making a mess of the stales index. That's all I'm saying.


#96462 02/20/03 06:04 PM
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And what the badword is the "stales index" and why need I be conceerned about it?


#96463 02/20/03 06:23 PM
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The stales index is a measure of the interest a thread has generated. It is defined as the number of replies divided by the number of views. Experience has shown that threads with a stales index of 0.1 or greater tend to be interesting to the general public. You have forced the further refinement of the definition to include the proviso: If the stales index is greater than 1 it is probably Dr Bill with one of his lists of words.


#96464 02/20/03 06:51 PM
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Dear Faldage: badword you.


#96465 02/20/03 06:54 PM
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To which Stales are you referring, oh, Faldaggio? Our Stales? Or is this some other Stales?

wwh: I like your word lists. I like seeing how many of them I can figure out. Some of the words don't interest me, but usually you have at least two or three on each list that are interesting to read about--and potentially have a little discussion about. I will be eternally grateful to you for digging up fodient, for example. Dig?


#96466 02/20/03 07:10 PM
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Yeah our stales. Doesn't *anyone remember? An all I said was he was making a mess of the stales index. I didn't say I didn't like his posts. Jeesh!


#96467 02/20/03 07:32 PM
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Yes, I rememberd, and understood your post perfectly, you poor Fool. Welcome to my world.


#96468 02/20/03 07:36 PM
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understood your post perfectly

Thank you, s.

And I'll do everything I can to rescind that order to have you transported to the West Island.


#96469 02/20/03 09:40 PM
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Ah, Faldage, I didn't mean to cast aspersion. I was just letting wwh know I like his word lists. Forgive me, please.


#96470 02/22/03 10:57 AM
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Faldage and Dr Bill

The old Stales index hey!

Thought that had been lost in the annals of AWAD - and only for us old stagers to pay any attention to.

Rather than the mathematically correct, but perhaps somewhat 'cold' definition provided by Faldage, I prefer to think of 10% rather than 0.1. (ie if the number of contributions is greater 10% of the number of looks - then it is a thread worthy of attention for those of us who must discriminate between the things upon which we should spend our time on and those we shouldn't).

Think I also mentioned in the original 'definition' that the threads that fell below the 10% level were often very highbrow.

So Dr Bill, how's it feel to be given a back handed compliment by Faldage? [ducking for cover -e].

BTW, this is the first time I've ever even opened up the Beheading Words Forum. First time for everything huh!

stales


#96471 02/22/03 01:23 PM
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Dear states: I must have missed the original post, and thought Faldage was just
having another bout of pyrosis from indigestible spelling bee words. Soryy about
that Fraldage.


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