|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
CUMBROUS
PRONUNCIATION: (KUHM-bruhs)
MEANING: adjective: Difficult to carry, use, or manage, especially because of size, weight, or complexity.
ETYMOLOGY: From Old French encombrer (to hinder), from combre (dam). Earliest documented use: before 1400.
_______________________
CRUMBROUS - easily breakable into small pieces
CHUMBROUS - like a well-meaning but somewhat oafish friend
CAMBROUS - having multiple small protrusions around its otherwise-circular rim
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
PISMIRE
PRONUNCIATION: (PIS/PIZ-myr)
MEANING: noun:
1. An ant.
2. An insignificant person.
ETYMOLOGY: From Middle English pissemire, from pisse (urine) + mire (ant). Earliest documented use: 1395.
_________________________
PISPIRE - to sweat so much that there's no fluid left to make urine
PI-SMITE - the facial impact that is the basis of much clowning around
PIGSMIRE - the gunk that covers the swineyard
also -
PI-SMILE - the Aha! moment on realizing that the ratio of the circumference to the diameter of every circle is the same
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
DOWFART
PRONUNCIATION: (DAU-fuhrt)
MEANING: noun: 1. A dimwit.
2. A coward.
adj.: 1. Dim or dull.
2. Cowardly.
ETYMOLOGY: From Scots dowf (dull, dim) + -art, a variant of the usually pejorative suffix -ard. Earliest documented use: 1719. Also spelled duffart.
____________________________
DOWL ART - a toy structure made of round wooden sticks of various lengths
DORF ART - a picture adorning the roof of a building in Germany
DOWFARM - where startup companies are raised to grow into industrial giants
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
ASSART
PRONUNCIATION: (uh-SART)
MEANING: noun: 1. A tract of woodland cleared for cultivation.
2. The act of clearing such land.
verb tr., intr.: To clear woodland for cultivation.
ETYMOLOGY: From French essart (cleared land) and essarter (to clear), ultimately from Latin exsarire (to weed out), from ex- (out) + sarire (to hoe or weed). Earliest documented use: before 1450 for the noun and 1523 for the verb.
___________________________
MASSART - a statewide program to support graphic, visual, musical, and theatrical culture in Massachusetts
ASHART - an image created from fire residue
ABSART - a tattoo on the belly
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
RAPTURE
PRONUNCIATION: (RAP-chuhr)
MEANING: noun: 1. A state or expression of ecstasy.
2. In some Christian theologies, the supernatural taking up of believers from earth during the end times.
verb tr.: 1. To fill with joy; enrapture.
2. To cause a believer to be taken up supernaturally from earth during the end times.
ETYMOLOGY: From rapt + -ure, ultimately from Latin rapere (to seize). Earliest documented use: 1594 for the noun and 1636 for the verb.
__________________________________
RA, PURE - the Sun God, undiluted
RAP TURN - it's Open Mike night, and you're on
RAPT, SURE - definitely paying attention!
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
SKIRR
PRONUNCIATION: (skuhr)
MEANING: verb intr.: To move rapidly, especially away.
verb tr.: To range rapidly over an area, especially in search of something.
noun: A whirring or grating sound.
ETYMOLOGY: Perhaps a variant of scour (to move rapidly or search), itself perhaps from Old Norse skur (shower). Earliest documented use: 1548 for the verb and c. 1870 for the noun.
_____________________________
OSKIRR - award for making the best Irish movie of the year
SHIRR - to bake an egg in a tall cuplike dish with a narrow rim at the top
STIRR - to mix gently with a spoon, or a stick, and a Scottish burr
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
CORBEL
PRONUNCIATION: (KOR-buhl)
MEANING: noun: 1. An architectural support projecting from a wall to bear weight.
verb tr.: 1. To arrange (bricks, stones, etc.) in stepped courses to form a corbel.
2. To support by means of a corbel or corbels.
ETYMOLOGY: From Old French corbel (little raven), a diminutive of corp or corb (raven), from Latin corvus (raven), apparently alluding to the corbel’s beaklike shape. Earliest documented use: c. 1400 for the noun and 1859 for the verb.
________________________
BORBEL - what a Jabberwock does as it comes whiffling through the tulgey wood
COBBEL - (verb) what a shoemaker does; (noun) the capital of Afghanistan
CORPEL - pertaining to the wrist body
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
MORDANT
PRONUNCIATION: (MOR-duhnt)
MEANING: adjective: Biting, caustic, or sarcastic.
noun: 1. A substance used to fix a dye in or on a material.
2. A corrosive substance used in etching.
verb tr.: To treat with a mordant.
ETYMOLOGY: From Old French mordant (biting), present participle of mordre (to bite), from Latin mordere (to bite). Earliest documented use: 1791 for the noun, 1474 for the adjective, and 1839 for the verb.
____________________
CORDANT - agreeing with; ant. discordant
MONDANT - writing an epic, creating an entire world
MORDON'T - additional proscriptions
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
SOLIVAGANT
PRONUNCIATION: (suh-LIV-uh-guhnt)
MEANING: noun: A solitary wanderer.
adjective: Wandering alone.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin solivagus (wandering alone), from solus (alone) + vagus (wandering). Earliest documented use: 1621.
________________________________
SOLIVACANT - a one-person apartment without a tenant
SOL/FA-GANT - a musical theme based on the fifth and then the fourth tone of the major scale
SOLIVA GIANT - how animated the big fella is
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
HYPERPHAGIA
PRONUNCIATION: (hy-puhr-FAY-jee-uh)
MEANING: noun: Compulsive overeating.
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek hyper- (over) + -phagia (eating). Earliest documented use: 1941.
___________________________
HYPE-PHAGIA - eating up publicity
HOPERPHAGIA - behaving like a Dementor; see also
"Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate."
HYPNERPHAGIA - a patented remedy for overeating, using aversive hypnotism
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
OPHIDIOPHOBIA
PRONUNCIATION: (oh-fi-dee-oh-FO-bee-uh)
MEANING: noun: An abnormal fear of snakes.
ETYMOLOGY: From Greek ophis (snake) + -phobia (fear). Earliest documented use: 1914.
_______________________________
PHIDOPHOBIA - fear of dogs
OSHIDIOPHOBIA - fear of cussing
TOPHIDIOPHOBIA - fear of the God of Gout
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
OBGANIATE
PRONUNCIATION: (ob-GAY-nee-ayt)
MEANING: verb tr.: To annoy someone by repeatedly saying the same thing.
verb intr.: To repeat oneself tediously.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin obgannire or oggannire (to yelp or growl at). Earliest documented use: 1623.
_______________________
OBGYNIATE - pertaining to women's physiology and complaints
OBRANIATE - work-related (in Madrid)
ORGANIATE - Wurlitzerian
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
CHUMOCRACY
PRONUNCIATION: (chum-AH-kruh-see)
MEANING: noun: A government, organization, or culture in which friends and associates are favored, especially in appointments to positions of authority.
ETYMOLOGY: From chum (friend) + -ocracy (rule). Chum is of uncertain origin, perhaps a shortening and alteration of chamber fellow or chamber mate. Earliest documented use: 1937.
___________________
RHUMOCRACY - government by the French inebriate
CHUMOCRACY - government by baiting the electorate
CHEMOCRACY - government by cellular poisons, but meant to eradicate a cancer on society
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
DOGLEG
PRONUNCIATION: (DOG-leg)
MEANING: noun: 1. A sharp bend or turn.
2. Something having a sharp bend.
adjective: Having a sharp bend or angle.
verb intr.: To bend or turn sharply.
ETYMOLOGY: From dog + leg, alluding to the angular shape of a dog’s hind leg. Earliest documented use: 1671.
_______________________
DOGELEG - painful gouty lower limb of an old Italian official
DONGLE G - what you need to plug in seven peripherals to your main computer
DO GLEE - pretend you're having the time of your life
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
STICKYBEAK
PRONUNCIATION: (STIK-ee-beek)
MEANING: noun: 1. An overly inquisitive person.
2. An inquisitive look or inspection.
verb intr.: To pry or snoop.
ETYMOLOGY: From stick, from Old English stician (to pierce or thrust) + beak (slang for a human nose). Earliest documented use: 1914.
_______________________
STICKYBEAR - a soft candy, also called a gummy bear
STICKYBEAN - a molasses-coated lima bean, meant to occupy a fussy infant as he tries to put it down and succeeds only in passing it from finger to finger
STICKY BREAK - a maneuver in a game of pool whereby the shooter disturbs the pack only minimally, so as not to leave the opponent a useful lie
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
MOTH-WING
PRONUNCIATION: (MAWTH-wing)
MEANING: adjective: Fragile or fleeting.
noun: Something fragile or fleeting.
ETYMOLOGY: From moth, from Old English moththe + wing, from Old Norse vængir, plural of vængr. Earliest documented use: 1823.
____________________________
BOTH-WING - affecting both upper and lower surfaces of a biplane wing
MYTH-WING - the alae of Icarus, Pegasus, et al.
MATH-WING - there's a whole building at MIT where every classroom is devoted to the study of numbers, algebra, geometry, and topology
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
GRIFFONAGE
PRONUNCIATION: (grif-uh-NAHZH)
MEANING: noun: Careless or illegible handwriting; scrawl.
ETYMOLOGY: From French griffonner (to scribble or scrawl), from griffe (claw). Earliest documented use: 1832.
________________________
GRIFFIN AGE - 1962-1986, the years when singer and band leader, movie actor, television personality and media mogul Merv hosted his talk show
GRIFT ON AGE - the vocation of one who practices deceiving older people
GRIEFONAGE - sadly, how the above practitioners work, using the telephone
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
COWHEARTED
PRONUNCIATION: (KOW-har-tid)
MEANING: adjective: Cowardly.
ETYMOLOGY: From cow, from Old English cu (cow) + heart, from Old English heorte. Earliest documented use: 1660.
___________________________
SCOWHEARTED - worthless; full of garbage down to its core
COWHEATED - warmed in the winter by burning manure; comfortable but smelly. a dubious combination
COWSHEAR TED - nickname of the guy who cuts the hair off leather early in the tanning process
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
STUPOROUS
PRONUNCIATION: (STOO/STYOO-puh-ruhs)
MEANING: adjective: Dazed, sluggish, or barely responsive.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin stupere (to be stunned or dazed), which also gave us stupendous, stupefy, and stupid. Earliest documented use: 1712.
___________________________
SIT-UPOROUS - tending to admonish others for poor posture
SCUPOROUS - having good drainage
SETUPOROUS - constructed to be leaky
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
RORID
PRONUNCIATION: (ROR-id)
MEANING: adjective: Dewy.
ETYMOLOGY: n From Latin roridus (dewy), from ros (dew). Earliest documented use: 1425
______________________________
R.U.R. ID - ISBN-13 978-1974489862
ORO RID - Madrid abolishes the gold standard
ROR B.I.D. - you should ROR twice daily
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
NIDOROUS
PRONUNCIATION: (NY-duh-ruhs)
MEANING: adjective: Smelling strongly of cooking, burning, or decaying animal matter.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin nidor (strong smell from cooking or burning), unrelated to odor. Earliest documented use: 1626.
__________________________
Ni-TOROUS - a nickel doughnut
NODOROUS - without a smell
FIDOROUS - having a small portal so a dog can enter or leave without disturbing its owner
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
MACILENT
PRONUNCIATION: (MAS-uh-luhnt)
MEANING: adjective:
1. Lean or emaciated.
2. Lacking in substance.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin macilentus (lean). Earliest documented use: before 1425.
__________________________
MA SILENT - Mother didn't say a word
iMAC I LENT - My desktop Apple computer is being borrowed at the moment
MASCILENT - opposite of FEMINENT
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
BREVILOQUENT
PRONUNCIATION: (bre-VIL-uh-kwuhnt)
MEANING: adjective: Using few words.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin brevis (short) + loqui (to speak). Earliest documented use: 1865.
______________________________
BREWILOQUENT - extoling the virtues of fermented spirits in great detail
REVILOQUENT - full of rejection and loathing
BREXILOQUENT - passionate on the subject of Britain leaving the European Union
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
EVERT
PRONUNCIATION: (i-VUHRT)
MEANING: verb tr.: To turn inside out or outward.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin evertere (to overturn), from e- (out) + vertere (to turn). Earliest documented use: 1533.
___________________________
EWER-T - a brew made from steeped leaves (and sometimes stems) and served in a pitcher
EV-EMT - en electric-powered vehicle designed for transporting those giving and receiving emergency care
IE-VENT - making a special occasion of spelling a word with E-before-I, like a deceitful neighbor giving you a receipt
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
VILLEIN
PRONUNCIATION: (VIL-uhn)
MEANING: noun: A peasant legally bound to a feudal lord, owing labor or dues in return for the use of land.
ETYMOLOGY: From Old French vilein (peasant), from Latin villanus (farm worker), from villa (country estate, farm). Earliest documented use: before 1325.
____________________
VIOLEIN - a medieval musical instrument
VILE IN - a despicable means of entry based on knowing someone
V-IL LENIN - Founder 5-49 of the Red Russian political movement in the early Twentieth Century
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
ROSERY
PRONUNCIATION: (ROHZ-uh-ree)
MEANING: noun: A garden or part of a garden devoted to roses.
ETYMOLOGY: From rose + -ery, from Latin rosa (rose). Earliest documented use: 1745.
_________________________
HOSERY - where to purchase the watering apparatus for your new garden
PROSERY - Buy your books here, and you won't be disappointed. You can be confident that things will never go from bad to verse.
EROSERY - an ancient Greek monument dedicated to all aspects of love
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
MORDENT
PRONUNCIATION: (MOR-duhnt)
MEANING: noun: A musical ornament typically made by playing a note, the note immediately above or below it, and the original note again in quick succession.
ETYMOLOGY: From German Mordent, from Italian mordente (biting), ultimately from Latin mordere (to bite). Earliest documented use: 1806.
________________________
MONDENT - sophisticated, world-weary
MERDENT - crude, vulgar
AMORDENT - offensively persistent in expressing affection, after being rebuffed
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
DECEDENT
PRONUNCIATION: (di-SEE-duhnt)
MEANING: noun: A person who has died.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin decedens (departing), from decedere (to depart, to die), from de- (away) + cedere (to go, yield). Earliest documented use: 1599.
_________________________________
DEC. EDENTI - my teeth were pulled in Rome on the first day of winter
DECKED E.N.T. - oto-rhino-laryngologist was knocked out in a fight
D.E.C. EVENT - With much fanfare, Digital Equipment Company announced their new PDP-11 mini-computers in 1969.
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
SOPORIFEROUS
PRONUNCIATION. (sop-uh-RIF-uhr-uhs)
MEANING: adjective: Inducing sleep.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin sopor (deep sleep) + -fer (bearing). Earliest documented use: 1583.
_________________________
SPORIFEROUS - reproducing by spores
SOPORIFERROUS - sleeping like a pig-iron ingot
SO-POORIFE-ROUS - there are so many financially-challenged families everywhere
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
MISGIVING
PRONUNCIATION: (mis-GIV-ing)
MEANING: noun: A feeling of doubt or apprehension.
ETYMOLOGY: From misgive (to cause doubt or apprehension), from mis- (badly or wrongly) + give (in its former sense: to suggest). Earliest documented use: 1582.
_________________________
MISS GIVING - how I feel when my philanthropic impulses cannot be acted upon
MING IV -ING - acting the great-grandson of Flash Gordon's favorite opponent - Merciless!
MIS-LIVING - the pursuit of evilness
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
TIMOROUS
PRONUNCIATION: (TIM-uhr-uhs)
MEANING: adjective: Full of fear; timid.
ETYMOLOGY: From Latin timor (fear), from timere (to fear). Earliest documented use: c. 1450.
_________________________
TIMOR HOUS - an e-less Indonesian dwelling
TIMER-OUS - mechanical, bound by unnecessary temporal constraints
STIMOROUS - persistently provocative
|
|
|
|
|
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2
Carpal Tunnel
|
|
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 11,358 Likes: 2 |
KIDOLOGY
PRONUNCIATION: (kid-AHL-uh-jee)
MEANING: noun: The art or practice of bluffing or deceiving.
ETYMOLOGY: From kid (to deceive or tease) + -ology (a field of study). The verb kid is probably from the notion of treating someone like a child. Earliest documented use: 1964.
________________________
FIDOLOGY - canine studies
SKIDOLOGY - the science of free-siding tires (and vehicles) on an icy road
CIDOLOGY - specialized knowledge about the British Criminal Investigation Division
|
|
|
|
Forums16
Topics13,917
Posts230,565
Members9,211
| |
Most Online17,319
Apr 8th, 2026
|
|
|
|
