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ACACIA AVENUE
PRONUNCIATION: (uh-KAY-shuh AV-uh-nyoo)
MEANING: noun: The middle class.
ETYMOLOGY: After Acacia Avenue, a common name of streets in the UK. Earliest documented use: 1919.
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AFACIA AVENUE - unable to speak the name of the street
FACACIA AVENUE - a street in Rome named for it's signature bread dipped in a sauce of oil, garlic, and spices
ABA/CIA AVENUE - the place where the two organizations have a joint headquarters. I'm not authorized to tell you what they do there.
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ORPHEAN
PRONUNCIATION: (OR-fee-uhn, or-FEE-uhn)
MEANING: adjective:
1. Melodious.
2. Enchanting.
3. In the manner of Orpheus’s journey to the underworld.
ETYMOLOGY: After Orpheus, a musician, poet, and prophet in Greek mythology. His lyre-playing and singing could charm animals, trees, and even rocks. After his wife Eurydice, a nymph, died of a snakebite, he traveled to the underworld to bring her back. His music melted the heart of Hades, the god of the underworld, who allowed him to take his wife back on the condition that he not look back at her until they had reached the world of the living. They had almost made it when he looked back and lost her again. His mother Calliope/Kalliope has also given a word to the English language: calliopean. Earliest documented use: 1593.
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MORPHEAN - a Greek Odo
ORPHAN - parentless owner of Sandy, the dog who barks "Orph! Orph!"
ORCHEAN - 1. testicular; 2. played by several instruments in concert
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PROTEUS
PRONUNCIATION: PRO-tee-uhs, -tyoos)
MEANING: noun: One who can easily change appearance, form, character, principles, etc.
ETYMOLOGY: After Proteus, a sea god in Greek mythology, who could assume different forms. He got his name from Greek protos (first) as he was one of the earliest sea gods. Earliest documented use: 1528. The adjectival form is protean.
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PROTEANS- Odo again!
PROTEURS - professional amateurs (e.g. many college football players)
EROTEUS - a strip-tease artist
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EOLIAN or AEOLIAN
PRONUNCIATION: (ee-O-lee-uhn)
MEANING:adjective: Relating to or caused by the wind.
ETYMOLOGY: After Aeolus, god of the winds in Greek mythology. As keeper of the winds, he gave a bag containing winds to help with Odysseus’s sailing. Earliest documented use: 1546.
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EOSIAN - like a red dye
EYOLIAN - asinine, tailless and pessimistic
AEOLIGAN - a Greek thug or rowdy troublemaker
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PANDERER
PRONUNCIATION: (PAN-duhr-uhr)
MEANING: noun: One who caters to the base desires, whims, or prejudices of others.
ETYMOLOGY: After Pandarus, a Trojan warrior in Greek mythology. He was known for his skill in archery. In later accounts, such as Chaucer’s and Shakespeare’s, he acts as a go-between in the love affair of Troilus and Cressida. This resulted in his reputation as a procurer in the English language. Earliest documented use: 1826.
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WANDERER - an itinerant Magician
PANDORER - she who released all the evil in the world from a box in Boston
PANERER - a glazier specializing in double-paned windows
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CHIMERIC
PRONUNCIATION: (KY/KI-mer-ik)
MEANING: adjective:
1. Made up of parts that are very different.
2. Fanciful; imaginative; illusory.
ETYMOLOGY: After Chimera, a fire-breathing female monster in Greek mythology who had a lion’s head, a goat’s body, and a serpent’s tail. From Greek khimaira (she-goat), ultimately from the Indo-European root ghei- (winter), which also gave us chimera (literally, a female animal that is one winter, or one year old), hibernate, and the Himalayas, from Sanskrit him (snow) + alaya (abode). Earliest documented use: 1655.
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CRIME RIC - what they call Ricardo, the new Head of the Family
CHIME RICE - what they put into those lovely delicate-sounding maracas
CHUM ERIC - he's my best pal
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VERBIFY
PRONUNCIATION: (VUHR-buh-fy)
MEANING: verb tr.: To convert into a verb.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin verbum (word, verb). Earliest documented use: 1820.
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VERGIFY - to push to the edge
HERBIFY - fancy word for "to add seasoning"
OVERBIFY - having too many bifs
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PROPAROXYTONE
PRONUNCIATION: (pro-puh-ROK-si-tohn)
MEANING: adjective: Having stress on the third-from-the-last syllable.
noun: Such a word.
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek proparoxytonos, from pro (before) + para (beside) + oxys (acute) + tonos (tone). Earliest documented use: 1764.
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PROPAROXYTENE - an antidepressant which is metabolized in the body to Paxil
PYRO-PAROXYTONE - a sudden sound of burning intensity
PRO-PROXYTONE - Management's language when they deliver their request for shareholder approval at the Annual Meeting
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ABSTRUSE
PRONUNCIATION: (ab-STROOS)
MEANING: adjective: Hard to understand; obscure.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin abstrudere (to hide), from ab- (away) + trudere (to push). Ultimately from the Indo-European root treud- (to squeeze), which also gave us extrude, intrude, threat, and thrust. Earliest documented use: 1549.
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ABS TRUSS - one way to deal with the hernia above our navel
ABS TRUST - ... I'll put money on how many sit-ups I can do!
ABUT RUSE - scam involving your next-door neighbor
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GRANDILOQUENT
PRONUNCIATION: (gran-DIL-uh-kwuhnt)
MEANING: adjective: High-flown or pompous.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin grandis (grand) + loqui (to speak). Ultimately from the Indo-European root tolkw- (to speak), which also gave us breviloquence, obloquy, pleniloquence, sialoquent, somniloquy, ventriloquism, loquacious, and allocution. Earliest documented use: 1592.
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GRAND ELOQUENT - thousand dollar fee for giving a speech
GRANDILO QUINT - Mr and Mrs Grandilo expected twins, not this!
GRENDILOQUENT - describing the Scandinavian bard who originally sung of Beowulf
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SESQUIPEDALIANISM
PRONUNCIATION: (ses-kwi-pi-DAYL-yuh-niz-uhm)
MEANING: noun:
1. The practice of using big words.
2. A very long word.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin sesqui- (one and a half) + ped- (foot). Earliest documented use: 1863.
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SESQUIPEDALIAN IS ME - said the 18-inch-tall midget
'S EQUI-PEDALIANISM - it's the doctrine of having all one's feet the same length
SESQUIPETALIANISM - Schroedinger's Daisy, with one-and-a-half petals; it can't makeup it's mind whether she loves me or she loves me not
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MAINPAST
PRONUNCIATION: (MAYN-past)
MEANING: noun:
1. A household.
2. A member of a household.
3. A servant.
4. A dependent.
ETYMOLOGY: From Old French mainpast (household), from Latin manupastus (household or its member), from manus (hand) + pastus, past participle of pascere (to feed). Earliest documented use: 1865.
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MAINE PAST - formerly part of Massachusetts
MAINPASTA - we're having spaghetti for dinner
MATINPAST - yesterday morning
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OPENHANDED
PRONUNCIATION: (oh-puhn-HAN-duhd)
MEANING: adjective:
1. Generous; liberal.
2. Delivered with an open hand, as a blow.
ETYMOLOGY: The figurative meaning alludes to someone giving money or other things away with an open hand. Earliest documented use: 1593. Some opposite terms are clutchfist, ironfisted, and hardfisted.
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OPEN-HANDEL - the first two measures of The Messiah
COPENHANDED - they're very generous in the capital of Denmark
OPEN HAN DID - Yoda describes a poker game on the Millennium Falcon
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LIGHT-FINGERED
PRONUNCIATION: (lyt-FING-uhrd, LYT-fing-)
MEANING: adjective:
1. Prone to or skilled at stealing.
2. Having nimble fingers or having a light touch.
ETYMOLOGY: From light, from Old English leoht + finger, from Old English. Earliest documented use: 1546. A synonym of the first sense is sticky-fingered.
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SIGHT-FINGERED - skilled in Braille
FLIGHT-FINGERED - hands-on piloting
LIGHTING-EARED - "portmanteau puppet" - part Yoda, part E.T.
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THUMBSUCKER
PRONUNCIATION: (THUHM-suhk-uhr)
MEANING: noun:
1. Someone who likes to suck their thumb.
2. A journalistic piece that deals with the background and interpretation of events instead of hard news.
ETYMOLOGY: Why thumbsucker for such a piece of writing? It has been explained as something that a journalist writes after sucking their thumb for a while instead of going out there and covering hard news. Another interpretation is that such a piece provides background and interpretation of an event as a way to comfort the reader. It’s also called news analysis or a think piece. Earliest documented use: 1891.
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THUMBTUCKER - so much thumb-wrestling that your thumb is all tuckered out
THUMB-ZUCKER - what you use to induce German infants to suck on their thumbs
THUMB-SICKER - having a worse infection on ones' pollex
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SOUTHPAW
PRONUNCIATION: (SOUTH-paw)
MEANING: noun: A left-handed person.
adjective: Left-handed.
ETYMOLOGY: Of unknown origin. Earliest documented use: 1813.
NOTES: The term is especially common in baseball to describe a left-handed pitcher and in boxing to describe a boxer who uses the left hand for the most powerful punches, but what’s the origin of the term? According to popular belief, the term originated in baseball: the diamond was placed so the batter faces east and avoids the afternoon sun. A left-handed pitcher facing the batter would thus have the left hand to the south. The only problem with this is that the earliest citation of the term doesn’t involve baseball or any other sports.
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SOUTHPOW - a roundhouse punch delivered by the left hand
MOUTHPAW - hoof-and-mouth disease
COUTHPAW - what a doggie offers you in polite greeting
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STAYCATION
PRONUNCIATION: (STAY-kay-shuhn)
MEANING: noun: A vacation spent at home or close to home.
verb intr.: To vacation at or close to home.
ETYMOLOGY: A blend of stay + vacation, from Latin vacare (to be empty). Earliest documented use: 1944. Also see, busman’s holiday.
NOTES: It’s all relative. In the US, a vacation taken at or close to home -- a day trip -- is a staycation. In the UK, the definition includes any vacation taken within one’s country instead of traveling abroad. _______________________________
STRAYCATION - aimlessly driving the RV
STAGCATION - 2-weeks away from work - for men only
STAY CAT ICON - the Board of Directors of MGM will keep the lion as its symbol
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ORATURE
PRONUNCIATION: (OR-uh-chuhr)
MEANING: noun: Songs, poems, stories, etc., transmitted orally across generations.
ETYMOLOGY: A blend of oral + literature. Earliest documented use: 1976.
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RATURE - the ecstasy of a large rodent in a cheese factory
ORALURE - seeking gold, or Why the Spaniards came to the New World
ORASURE - supremely confident in one's utterances
ORAPTURE - an apostrophe uttered by a very happy person
Last edited by wofahulicodoc; 07/07/2022 12:28 AM. Reason: (afterthought added after)
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PENNANT
PRONUNCIATION: (PEN-uhnt)
MEANING: noun:
1. A long tapering flag.
2. A flag symbolizing a sports championship or another achievement.
3. A victory, championship, etc.
ETYMOLOGY: A blend of pendant, from Latin pendre (to hang) + pennon, from Latin penna/pinna (feather). Earliest documented use: 1470.
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PENZANT - home of a Pirate
PENNANG - a city (and a state) in northwest Mallaysa
PENWANT - something you lack when you're in jail
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FLEXITARIAN
PRONUNCIATION: (flek-suh-TAYR-ee-uhn)
MEANING: noun: One who follows a primarily vegetarian diet but occasionally consumes animal products.
adjective: Primarily but not completely vegetarian.
ETYMOLOGY: A blend of flexible + vegetarian. Earliest documented use: 1998.
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ILEXITARIAN - a holly tree is supple, therefore eminently suitable for making into wreaths
FLO, EXITARIAN - Florence specializes in going out
FLEX ITALIAN - the bend in the Tower of Pisa
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BROMANCE
PRONUNCIATION: (BRO-mans)
MEANING: noun: A close friendship between men.
ETYMOLOGY: A blend of bro + romance. Earliest documented use: 2001. The female equivalent is womance (Don’t blame us -- we didn’t coin any of these).
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EBROMANCE - a novel taking place on a Spanish river
BOOMANCE - a novel taking pace on Halloween
BROMANCHE - my brother lives on the other side of the English Channel, in France
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STADDLE
PRONUNCIATION: (STAD-uhl)
MEANING: noun: A base, support, or supporting framework.
ETYMOLOGY: From Old English stathol (base, support, or tree trunk). Earliest documented use: 900.
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STANDLE - a low knick-knack stand
STADDLER - a fictional scientist (see Atlas Shrugged) who sold out his intellectual integrity to the Estabishment, in return for Power
STADD LEE - originator of Spiderman with a bad cold, introducing himself
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DRAGOON
PRONUNCIATION: (druh-GOON)
MEANING: verb tr.: To force someone to do something; coerce.
ETYMOLOGY: From French dragon (dragon, to dragoon). Earliest documented use: 1622.
NOTES: This is a good example of how the meaning of a word evolves from an object to a person to an action. Originally, the word dragoon referred to firearms, either from the fact that they breathed fire like a dragon or from the shape of the pistol hammer. Eventually, it began to be applied to a cavalryman armed with a carbine. Today the term is a verb for forcing someone to do something against their will.
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DRANGOON - capital of Dburma
DRABOON - a colorless omnivorous primate
ERAGOON - protagonist of a scifi series by Chris Poolini
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SPECIE
PRONUNCIATION: (SPEE-shee/-see)
MEANING: noun:
1. Money, especially in a form that has an intrinsic value (for example, coins made from precious metals as opposed to paper money).
2. Type or kind (used in the phrase “in specie” meaning “in a similar manner”).
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin species (appearance, form, kind), from specere (to look). Earliest documented use: 1551.
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SPECIE - another counterexample to "I before E except after C..."
SPECOE - answer to "What kind of tea did you say this is?"
SPECIME - a sample children's TV program which takes place on a street
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NAVVY
PRONUNCIATION: (NAV-ee)
MEANING: noun: A laborer or a construction worker.
ETYMOLOGY: Short for navigator, from Latin navigator (sailor), from navigare (to sail), from navis (ship). Earliest documented use: 1574.
NOTES: A navigator is someone who navigates. In the past, it was also a sailor or a mariner, from Latin navis (ship). Then the word came to be applied to someone who worked on the construction of a canal. Eventually, it became shortened to navvy and was used for any constructor worker, one who worked on roads, railroads, etc. The word is also used for mechanical excavators.
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LAVVY - a diminutive London washroom
NAVEY - like the place in a church where the congregation sits
KNAVVY - fourth highest card in each suit in a modern deck
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COMPROMIS
PRONUNCIATION: (KOM-pruh-mee)
MEANING: noun: An agreement, especially between nations, to submit disputes to arbitration.
ETYMOLOGY: From French compromis (compromise). Earliest documented use: 1590.
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COMP. ROMAs - free plum tomatoes
COR: PRO MIs - you have a lot of risk factors for getting a heart attack, y'know
COME: PROM IS...! - Would you accompany me to the Senior dance?
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SPEECHIFY
PRONUNCIATION: (SPEE-chuh-fy)
MEANING: verb intr.: To make a speech, especially in a tedious or pompous manner.
ETYMOLOGY: From speech, from Old English spaec/spreac (speech), from sprecan (to speak) + -ify (to make), from Latin facere (to make or do). Earliest documented use: 1723
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SPEECH IFFY - we're not sure whether or not he'll give his oration
SPEE CHIEF Y - club named after the Captain of the Dirigible.
PEECHIFY - convert the orchard to a different fruit
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AGROSTOLOGY
PRONUNCIATION: (ag-ruh-STOL-uh-jee)
MEANING: noun: The study of grasses.
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek agrostis (a type of grass), from agros (field) + -logy (study). Earliest documented use: 1820.
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A GROSS -OLOGY - a crude body of knowledge
AGRISTOLOGY - how windmills work during a famine
AGRA-STOLOGY - the study of Indian marble mausoleum sites
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SMILET
PRONUNCIATION: (SMY-luht)
MEANING: noun: A little smile.
ETYMOLOGY: From smile + -et (a diminutive suffix). Earliest documented use: 1591.
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SMITLET - a tap in the wrist
SMILENT - describing the Mona Lisa's expression
'SMILES - how far I have to go before I sleep (said Tom, frostily)
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TERGIVERSATION
PRONUNCIATION: (tuhr-ji-vuhr-SAY-shuhn)
MEANING: noun:
1. Misleading, evasive, or ambiguous speech or action.
2. Desertion of a party, position, cause, etc.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin tergiversari (to turn one’s back, to evade), from tergum (back) + vertere (to turn). Earliest documented use: 1570.
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FERGIVERSATION - when two people meet for apology, acceptance, and reconciliation
TERGIVER'S ACTION - Mr Tergiver has been a busy bee, hasn't he?
TER GIVE RATION - why I donated my lunch
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META
PRONUNCIATION: (ME-tuh)
MEANING: adjective: 1. Self-referential.
2. Relating to members of its own category.
adverb: In a self-referential manner.
noun: Something that is self-referential.
prefix: Denoting transformation, transcending, going beyond, etc.
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek meta (after, beyond, behind, beside, among, etc.). Earliest documented use: 1838.
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METSA - so-so; half-way
MEETA - what you might do to a body comin' through the rye
NETA - your first and best butterfly-catching equipment
m𝒇 ETA - utter a Greek vowel at moderate loudness
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JOHN HENRY
PRONUNCIATION: (jon HEN-ree)
MEANING: noun: A person’s signature.
ETYMOLOGY: From the name John Henry, from confusion with John Hancock. Hancock’s signature was the most prominent on the United States Declaration of Independence and his name became a synonym for a signature. Earliest documented use: 1914.
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JOIN HENRY - Mr Ford requests the pleasure of your company
JOHN HENLY - what the combined Harvard-Yale crew team calls the bathroom
JOAN, HENRY - the Sainte is introduced to the King of England
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MOLLYCODDLE
PRONUNCIATION: (MOL-ee-kod-uhl)
MEANING: noun: A pampered or overprotected person.
verb tr.: To overprotect or pamper.
ETYMOLOGY: From Molly (a nickname for Mary) + coddle (to treat or boil gently), from caudle (a warm drink for the sick), from Latin caldum (hot drink), from calidus (warm). Earliest documented use: 1823.
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COLLYMODDLE - Lassie has a new contract!
POLLY-CODDLE - you risk catching psittacosis if you share a cracker
MOLLY CO/DOLE - after the pineapple company and the fastener-manufacturer merge
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JONES
PRONUNCIATION: (jonz)
MEANING: noun: 1 One’s neighbors or social equals. Typically used in the phrase: keeping up with the Joneses.
noun: 2. An addiction or craving, especially for drugs.
verb intr.: To have an intense longing.
ETYMOLOGY: For noun 1: From Jones, a common surname. The phrase was popularized by the comic strip Keeping up with the Joneses that ran in newspapers from 1913 to 1938. Earliest documented use: 1879.
For noun 2, verb: Of uncertain origin. Earliest documented use: 1965
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JONDES - yellow skin and eyes, from liver disease
D.J. "ONES" - favorites on the disk-jockeys' Hit Parade
JOLES - where on the greens they stand the flags on the Madrid golf course
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Carpal Tunnel
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PATSY
PRONUNCIATION: (PAT-see)
MEANING: noun: One who is easily taken advantage of, by being deceived, unfairly blamed, or ridiculed.
ETYMOLOGY: Perhaps from the name Patsy, a diminutive of Patrick or Patricia, or from Italian pazzo (crazy), whose plural is pazzi, pronounced paht-see. Earliest documented use: 1889.
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PATSHY - pulling away rom a light touch
NATSY - not just mean but can't spell, either
TATSY - covered with inked images
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Carpal Tunnel
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JASPER
PRONUNCIATION: (JAS-puhr)
MEANING: noun:
1. A person; guy.
2. A wasp.
3. A compact, opaque quartz, typically in dull shades of red, yellow, and brown.
ETYMOLOGY: For 1: From the name Jasper. Earliest documented use: 1896.
For 2: Perhaps from the name Jasper. Earliest documented use: 1967.
For 3: From Old French jaspre, from Latin iaspis, from Ancient Greek iaspis, of Semitic origin. Earliest documented use: 1330.
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JA, SUPER - the German chancellor gives whole-hearted approval
ASPER - according to
WASPER - the exterminator who specializes in stinging flying insects
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OBTRUDE
PRONUNCIATION: (uhb/ob-TROOD)
MEANING: verb tr.: To impose one’s ideas, opinions, etc.
verb intr.: To thrust forward or to intrude.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin obtrudere (to thrust at), from ob- (against) + trudere (to push). Ultimately from the Indo-European root treud- (to squeeze), which also gave us extrude, intrude, threat, thrust, and abstruse. Earliest documented use: 1575.
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OBTRUE - If you can't believe your obstetrician, whom can you believe?
O BTRADE - an apostrophe after experiencing treachery
OBI RUDE - Jedi or not, Kenobi is not only inexperienced but also disrespectful
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MUNDIFYPRONUNCIATION: (MUHN-duh-fy) MEANING: verb tr.: To wash, cleanse, or purify. ETYMOLOGY: From Middle French mondefier , from Latin mundificare (to cleanse), from mundus (clean). Earliest documented use: 1425. __________________________ MINDIFY - to provide a foil for that comedian from OrkHUNDIFY - to make into a German dog FUNDIFY - to deepen
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Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,072 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
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DISCERP
PRONUNCIATION: (di-SUHRP)
MEANING: verb tr.: To tear off or to rip into pieces.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin discerpere (to tear to pieces), from dis- (apart) + carpere (to pick, pluck). Earliest documented use: 1483.
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DISCERN - to remove the ashes from their container
DIS-CERA - to take out wax
DISPERP - a particular small-time crook from Brooklyn
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Posts: 11,072 Likes: 2
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ELUTE
PRONUNCIATION: (ee/i-LOOT)
MEANING: verb tr.: To wash out or extract, especially with a solvent.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin eluere (to wash out), from ex- (out) + -luere (to wash), from lavare/lavere (to wash). Earliest documented use: 1731.
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ME LUTE - Honi's boyfriend doesn't speak English very well. (But then why should he? He's a Viking!)
ELUGE - to get thrown out of a speeding sled
EXLUTE - a musical instrument once used by Kurt Cobain. (It was a smashing success!)
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