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 9 of 25 1 2 7 8 9 10 11 24 25
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
SQUARELY

PRONUNCIATION: (SKWAIR-lee)

MEANING: adverb:
1. In a straightforward or frank manner.
2. Firmly.
3. Directly.
4. At right angles.

ETYMOLOGY: From square, from Latin exquadrare (to square). Earliest documented use: 1557.
______________________

SQUAD-RELY - a US Armed Forces habit: the practice of depending on ones companions

QUARELY - iritable

'SQUARTELY - it's by 32-ounce increments

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
TANGENT

PRONUNCIATION: (TAN-juhnt)

MEANING: noun: 1. A line of thought or action that diverges from the main topic or course.
2. A line that touches a curve or a surface at one point but doesn’t cross it.
adjective: 1. Straying from the main topic.
2. Touching a curve or a surface at one point without crossing it.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin tangere (to touch). Earliest documented use: 1594.
_______________________

TAN-GENE - ...and he gets darker-skinned, not sunburnt, just like everyone else in his family

BAN-GENT - the rule says No Men Allowed

DANG E.N.T. - dad-burned otorhinolaryngologist

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
ASYMPTOTE

PRONUNCIATION: (AS-im-toht)

MEANING: noun:
1. Something or someone that gets closer and closer but never touches.
2. A straight line whose distance to a curve approaches zero as the curve approaches infinity.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek asymptotos (not falling together), from a- (not) + syn (with) + ptotos (falling), from piptein (to fall). Earliest documented use: 1656.
_______________________

ASYMPTONE - what a symp sounds like (see also ASYMPNOTE)

A SYMPH TOTE - a souvenir gift for donating to your local orchestra

EASY M.P. TOTE - a simple way to carry Military Police

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
SNAIL MAIL

PRONUNCIATION: (SNAYL-mayl)

MEANING: noun: The physical delivery of letters and other material. Also, a piece of such mail.
verb tr., intr.: To send a letter or other material by the postal system.

ETYMOLOGY: From snail, known for its sluggishness, from Old English snægl + mail, from Old French malle (bag). Earliest documented use: 1929.
________________________

NAIL MAIL - armor made by cutting the heads off nails and twisting the remaining shafts into interlocking rings to form a deflector when worn

STAIL MAIL - when you send a check to your bank and it's returned because it took more than six months to arrive

SAIL MAIL - an invitation to join the crew of an Americas' Cup yacht

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
GREENMAIL

PRONUNCIATION: (GREEN-mayl)

MEANING: noun: The practice of buying a large quantity of a company’s stock as a means of hostile takeover, then selling it back to the company at a higher price.
verb tr.: To subject a company to this tactic.

ETYMOLOGY: From green (money), from greenback (US currency note, from the color of its printing) + mail (as in blackmail), from Middle English male (rent or tribute), from Old English mal (agreement, pay), from Old Norse mal (agreement). Earliest documented use: 1983.
______________________________

GREENMALL - a place to buy flowers, vegetables, seedings, grass, sod, and other organics, along with the tools and supplies useful in nurturing them, with many vendors in one market

AGREE'N'MAIL - what you do with the contract from an online company

GREEDMAIL - spam

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
POSTAL

PRONUNCIATION: (POHS-tuhl)

MEANING: adjective:
1. Relating to the mail or the post office.
2. Very angry, insane, or violent.

ETYMOLOGY: From French poste, from the posting of horse riders at intervals to transport letters along a route. Earliest documented use: sense 1: 1842, sense 2: 1993.
_______________________________

POSIAL - Flowery

PROSTAL - Of or pertaining to a cancer that afflicts only men

PROSTAL - when a paid athlete takes much more time than necessary to make his next action

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
MAILED FIST

PRONUNCIATION: (MAYLD fist)

MEANING: noun: A threat or show of force to maintain control.

ETYMOLOGY: Translation of German gepanzerte Faust (mailed fist), from Panzer (armor) + Faust (fist). The word mail here is an armor made of interlinked rings, as in chain mail, from Old French maile (loop). Earliest documented use: 1897.]
____________________________

MAILED FISH - starts to smell after three days...

MA, I LED LIST - Look, Mother, I was the first one mentioned!

MAULED FIST - my third metatarsal bone is broken

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Online Content
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,735
Likes: 2
GRAYMAIL

PRONUNCIATION: (GRAY-mayl)

MEANING: noun: 1. A defense tactic in an espionage trial where the accused threatens to reveal secrets to avoid prosecution.
2. Email that the recipient no longer finds valuable even though it’s not spam. For example, a newsletter from a company where one has shopped.
verb tr.: To compel the prosecution to drop charges by threatening to disclose sensitive information.

ETYMOLOGY: Formed on the pattern of blackmail, utilizing “gray” to denote something that is indeterminate or falls into a “gray area”. The word mail here (as in blackmail) is from Middle English male (rent or tribute), from Old English mail (agreement, pay), from Old Norse mal (agreement). Earliest documented use: 1978.
___________________________

BRAYMAIL - postal service on Animal Farm

GRANMA, IL - how I just addressed a card to my father's mother in Chicago

GRAYMAIR - the old horse ain't what she used to be, now that she's aging

wofahulicodoc #232924 05/15/24 12:47 AM
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,255
Likes: 7
A
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
A
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,255
Likes: 7
'A' TYMPNOTE - type of tuning for kettledrums

A LIMPNOTE - not a bang but a whimper

ASEPTITE - soft mineral that can be rubbed against the hands to sterilize them

wofahulicodoc #232925 05/15/24 12:52 AM
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,255
Likes: 7
A
Pooh-Bah
Offline
Pooh-Bah
A
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 2,255
Likes: 7
POSITAL - hypothetical

PASTAL - relating to spaghetti etc

PROS(I)TAL - full of Bavarian heartiness

Page 9 of 25 1 2 7 8 9 10 11 24 25

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,614
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
1 members (wofahulicodoc), 136 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 10,735
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