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Defenestration of Prague: That was how I first heard of the word. I thought it refered to the "taking out of windows", probably as a response to a Window Tax as UK had. Only later did I learn the true story.
There have actually been several defenestrations in Prague. The "First" was in about 1420 when 5 or so guys got thrown out and killed. The "Second" was in about 1620 when some Bohemian (as opposed to bohemian) nobles threw the Hapsburg Emperor's representatives out of the window of the castle in Prague (Hradcny ? may have spelt that wrong). They weren't hurt apparently but the Emperor was upset and the 30 Years War ensued (1620-1650ish).
There have been other defenestrations in Prague since then but usually on an individual basis and claimed as suicide by the authorities.
Rod
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Carpal Tunnel
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Go to almost any brick and mortar workplace and you will find plenty people orking cows.
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Carpal Tunnel
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I agree that defenestrate out the window would be redundant, but I cannot agree that it would be egregious, not with the state of the herd these days. It would be, unfortunately, only too gregious.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Extending our realm from the ovine to the bovine, are we, Faldage? 
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Ain' jus cows herd, AnnaS.
Buffalo, fer example. Herd of 'em?
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veteran
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Defenestration of Prague
One of the others since 1620 was that of Jan Masaryk, premier of the short-lived republic, who was officially called a suicide, but most people know better that he was got out of the way.
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"Adfenestration & defenestration" in Miller's Tale
Dear Bob: wouldn't "exfenestration" be closer?
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Dr. Bill asks: wouldn't "exfenestration" be closer?Naw! defenestration is perfectly fine. http://www.bartleby.com/61/8/D0050800.html
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took me a while to dig this out again:
ADFENESTRATE ad finis trait verb "to sneak through a window" (Koster). Compare antonym DEFENESTRATE Two hours before dawn members of the Acción Dinámica adfenestrated themselves into the palace. Koster, The Prince, p. 32. from Pete Saussy's LOGODAEDALIAN'S Dictionary of Curious and Interesting Words
I subsequently used adfenestration as a wwftd; now as it happens, Pete is on my subscription list and he forwards the mailings to several interested parties, one of which is Mr. Koster. the following exchange of e-mails ensued (word cafefully chosen for punish quotient):
>> Pete,
>>
>> That's my word, but unless someone else has been using it, it only exists
>> as a verb.
>>
>> Best,
>> Dick Koster
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> At 01:23 PM 12/3/98 -0500, you wrote:
>> >think "not Prague"
>> >
>> >the worthless word for the day is: adfenestration
>> >
>> >choose one:
>> > a) the arrangement, proportioning, and design of windows/doors in a =
>> building
>> > b) a throwing of a person or thing out of a window
>> > c) the (surreptitious?) act of entering through a window
>> >
>> > -tsuwm http://members.aol.com/tsuwm/
>
>Mr. Koster,
>
>well, consider your verb to have been "nouned"; I wanted to pair it up
>with defenestration. here's my lawyer's address:
>
> HiramCheep@pettifoggers.com
>
>-m.a.fischer
>
>
>p.s. - as the owner of this word, perhaps you could enlighten me as to
whether
> the "surreptitious" element is implied.
>
Mr. Fischer,
The context is as follows: Circa 1930, an ambitious fellow is invited to a
soiree at the presidential palace in the Republic of Tinieblas. He wanders
off and unlocks a window. Around 4:00 a.m. he and a bunch of resolutes he
has sharked up adfenestrate themselves into the building and expell the
incumbent.
Best,
R.M. Koster
P.S. My attorneys, Paine and Durance, eat attorneys like yours for breakfast.
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unless someone else has been using it, it only exists as a verb.
Seems only fair, since defenestrate was a back-formation from defenestration.
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