#62261
03/26/2002 2:59 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
The word 'asparagus' came from "asperges" because of that vegetable's resemblance to the implement.
Wow, Byb, thank you--I was wondering about that, and was going to kid Dr. Bill by asking hadn't he ever had aspergations for supper!
I admire you a very great deal, you know that?
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#62262
03/26/2002 3:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dear BobY: I can cast no fault-finding aspersions on your scholarship. Nor would I wish to.Thank you.
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#62263
03/31/2002 3:59 AM
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 18
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 18 |
I really appreciate all the feedback I've gotten from the folks here, this is a great forum. If you're still interested, here's another update to the Word Browser...
There was the suggestion that it might be nice if the word list were "scannable". Thus was born the "Alphabetical Word Browser". If you'd like to check it out, the home page has a link to it:
http://www.storylines.com/wb
Basically it is the entire word list divided up into 526 "pages" of 500 words each. There are options at the top for browsing the words at a select few reference and other sites; I'll be adding more over time. Other features such as saving to your own word list are not there yet, but coming soon. (In the meantime the "random" interface is still there). As always, feedback (both positive and negative) is encouraged; I'm curious to know if people find one interface friendlier than the other.
Thanks again,
Josh
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#62264
03/31/2002 3:01 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Dear Josh: I like the random ten words best. It is a big enough bite, and interesting words are included sufficiently often. However, I have to look at many, many groups before I find a word suitable for making a post.Helen of Troy has suggested that we all should be on the lookout for interesting words in the books and magazines we read, and post the text in which we find them
If we all did that, the Board would be a much more enjoyable place.
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#62265
03/31/2002 3:49 PM
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Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 5,400 |
Oh, Dr Bill, you are too kind! i am not Helen of Troy i am Helen/of Troy- each is an alternate name. you only have to go to Max's gallery, and you'll see-- i will claim a winning personality, and good sense of humor, and lots of other admirable traits.. but not not evan a milli helen of beauty--(if Helen of Troy's beauty could launch a 1000 ships, a milli helen could launch one ship, 2 milli helen's 2, and so on.
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#62266
03/31/2002 4:32 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Old Yankee saying: Handsome is as handsome does.
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#62267
04/01/2002 12:14 AM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 6,511 |
Old Yankee saying: Handsome is as handsome does.
Now that's interesting. In the south we say "Beauty is as beauty does."
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#62268
04/01/2002 1:50 AM
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094
old hand
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old hand
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 1,094 |
In the south we say "Beauty is as beauty does."
Forrest Gump says "stupid is as stupid does."
Guess that's just general wisdom that actions speak louder than words.
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#62269
04/01/2002 2:51 AM
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Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 10,542 |
apropos of nothing, gump comes from a Scandinavian word for buttocks or rump and is low cant for a complete nitwit.
errare est humanum
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#62270
04/01/2002 2:06 PM
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,858 |
Apropos of still less, Andy Gump was longtime comic strip character, with very small lower jaw.
Also, "gumption"
2 courage and initiative; enterprise and boldness: the current sense
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#62271
04/01/2002 3:08 PM
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Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Mar 2000
Posts: 11,613 |
gump comes from a Scandinavian word for buttocks or rump and is low cant for a complete nitwit.
Thank you, tsuwm. Reckon it was appropriate, then. I must be about the only person who didn't like that movie. Maybe it's just that I don't like Tom Hanks--I didn't like Sleepless in Seattle, either. Though maybe it's that I'm a bit hypersensitive to insults to people who are 'different'. I HATED The Waterboy!
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#62272
04/01/2002 6:16 PM
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Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467
Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jul 2000
Posts: 3,467 |
Josh:
There's actually a more technical definition for pyxing. At one time quality control at a mint required that a certain percentage of the coins produced be examined for quality (and not incidentally for content of precious metal.) The assayer would randomly go through the output and put the required number into a pyx, a locked strongbox with a slot for dropping the coins into. It was later transferred under seal to the assayer's office where the contents were tested for quality of stamping, metal content, and weight. Pyxing is thus a random sampling process.
I add my welcome in echo of those before me.
TEd
TEd
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#62273
04/10/2002 4:54 PM
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Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 18
stranger
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stranger
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 18 |
Ted,
That's great - thanks for the expanded definition. So the Word Browser itself could almost be called a "Word Pyxer" ;-) It sure 'picks' fascinating ones sometimes. ;-)
-Josh
Ted wrote:
>There's actually a more technical definition for pyxing.
>[...] Pyxing is thus a random sampling process."
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