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 1 of 24 1 2 3 23 24
#232770 01/29/24 04:27 PM
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
(continued from here, after 1,000+ posts!)

=======================

HEIGHTISM

PRONUNCIATION: (HY-tiz-uhm)

MEANING: noun: Discrimination based on height, especially the unfair treatment of people who are short.

ETYMOLOGY: Coined by sociologist Saul Feldman, from height, from Old English hehthu (height), from heah (high). Earliest documented use: 1971.
_______________________________

HIGHTISM - discrimination based on one's name (obsolete)

EIGHTISM - requirement that all mathematical statements shall be in Base 8

EIGHTISM (2) - monetary system based on the old Spanish dollar (real de ocho) and its parts; "two bits" = a quarter = 25 ¢

HEIGHTIST - synonym of aerialist, high-wire artist

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
THEOPHORIC

PRONUNCIATION: (thee-uh/oh-FOR-ik)

MEANING: adjective: Having or derived from the name of a god.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek theo- (god) + -phoric (bearing). Earliest documented use: 1891.
___________________________

THEOPHOTIC - taking a picture of God

THEOCHORIC - singing God's praises (see also THEOPHONIC)

THEOPHORIC - I feel like a cup of tea

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
EKPHRASIS

PRONUNCIATION: (EK-fruh-sis)

MEANING: noun: A description of or commentary on a work of visual art.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin ecphrasis, from Greek ekphrasis (description), from ek (ex-, out) + phrazein (to explain). Earliest documented use: 1632.
____________________________

ELK PHRASIS - the Sayings of the BPOE

EKPHASIS - the opposite of EMPHASIS

EEKPHRASIS - mouse-aphobia

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
DIEGETIC

PRONUNCIATION: (dy-uh-JET-ik)

MEANING: adjective: Happening inside a story.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek diegesis (narrative). Earliest documented use: 1970.
_________________________

DIE AGE-TIC - in Berlin, the twitch in your eyelid that comes with growing oder

DI-ERGETIC - producing twice as much energy

DYE-GET, I.C. - an international company that produces and markets hair coloring

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
YESTERWEEK

PRONUNCIATION: (YES-tuhr-week)

MEANING: noun: Last week.
adverb: During last week.

ETYMOLOGY: From yester- (a time one period before the present one), from Old English giestran (previous day) + week, from Old English wice (week). Earliest documented use: 1830.
__________________________

HESTERWEEK - the seven-day period when aficionados get together to re-read The Scarlet Letter.

EYES, TERWEEK! - Mr Terweek, copying answers from your neighbors' test papers is not permitted

YESTERWEED - a strain of marijuana so strong you're stoned for even before you use it

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
TZIMMES or TSIMMES

PRONUNCIATION: (TSIM-is/uhs)

MEANING: noun:
1. Fuss; confusion.
2. A stew of fruits and vegetables, and sometimes meat.

ETYMOLOGY: From Yiddish tsimes (stew). Earliest documented use: 1892.
______________________________

T. ZIMMER - less-known younger brother of the guy who replaced Jackie Robinson at 2nd Base

TO "I'M ME!"S - toasting the victims of identity theft

TRIMMES - modest haircuts at the Olde Barber Shoppe

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
GRAVY TRAIN

PRONUNCIATION: (GRAY-vee trayn)

MEANING: noun: A situation offering a lot of money or benefits for little work.

ETYMOLOGY: The word gravy has been used for easily acquired money. Eventually it began to be used in the phrase: to ride the gravy train. Earliest documented use: 1895. See also sinecure.
____________________________

GRAVY TO RAIN - a task just a bit easier than turning wine into water

GRAVY STRAIN - taking the solids out of the drippings from roast turkey

GRAVY TRAIL - what Hansel and Gretel left after their father struck it rich and they ate roast beef instead of bread

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
COLD TURKEY

PRONUNCIATION: (KOLD TUHR-kee)

MEANING: noun: 1. An abrupt and complete withdrawal, especially from an addiction.
2. A frank and direct expression of views.
adjective: Abrupt and complete.
adverb: Abruptly.
verb tr., intr.: To abruptly and completely withdraw, especially from something addictive.

ETYMOLOGY: Apparently from the serving of cold roast turkey which requires no preparation. Earliest documented use: 1921.
_________________________

OLD TURKEY - brand of cheap bourbon

COLA, TURKEY ! - Ya want root beer with that, fella?

COLD TURNKEY - even the guards wear a coat in that cheap Duke's dungeon

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
NOTHINGBURGER

PRONUNCIATION: (NUH-thing-buhr-guhr)

MEANING: noun: Someone or something that turns out to be inconsequential.

ETYMOLOGY: From the metaphorical use of a burger missing a patty. Coined by Hollywood gossip columnist Louella Parsons. Earliest documented use: 1942.
_______________________________

NOT-HUNG BURGER - portrait of a bourgeois town resident that isn't yet up on the wall

BOTH IN G-BURG E.R. - the two of them have been taken to the city Emergency Room in Gettysburg

NO THINK! BURGER!! - Cookie Monster's cousin Hammie M. has no trouble deciding what to order at Macdonald's

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,731
Likes: 2
PLAIN VANILLA

PRONUNCIATION: (PLAYN vuh-NIL-uh)

MEANING: adjective: The basic, plain, or bland.

ETYMOLOGY: From plain + vanilla, from Spanish vainilla (little pod), from vaina (sheath), from Latin vaginα (sheath) + -illa (diminutive suffix). Earliest documented use: 1942.

NOTES:
Once vanillin, the organic compound that gives vanilla its flavor, was synthesized, it became cheap to use vanilla flavor. It became the default flavor of ice-cream and soon the term was used for anything basic, unadorned, without any extras.
_______________________________

PLAIN MANILLA - a simple unadorned Philippine city

SWAIN VANILLA - an uunremarkable, ordinary-loooking, but dependable suitor

PLAID VANILLA - a sweet Scottish dessert flavor

Page 1 of 24 1 2 3 23 24

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,610
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 149 guests, and 1 robot.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
wofahulicodoc 10,731
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,933
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