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a. adj. - macabre, eerie. (derived by contraction from samhain) submitted by sjm
b. sanitation, general health environment: "The low level of sain in most third-world countries creates a burden for their hospitals." submitted by wofahulidoc
c. to bless, especially by making the sign of the cross over someone. the correct answer, chosen by tsuwm and Coffeebean
d. Acronym. SAIN was used between novices in celibate communities and was written across the sealed flap of an envelope, usually together with a cross, and stood for Signum Anti Impius Necessitas. The novices, with their poor command of Latin, used this as a translation of ‘sealed against wicked desires’ and it represented their fight against carnality. submitted by dxb
e. A form of precipitation which is mostly rain but has some snow or sleet content. An expression from northern England. submitted by Capfka, chosen by Capfka
f. the line of debris left on a beach at the high tide mark. submitted by Whitman O'Neill, chosen by etaoin, sjm, dxb
g. [baseball] term used to describe a once successful major league pitcher who later succeeds as a pitching coach--after Johnny Sain, "Spahn and Sain and pray for rain." submitted by tsuwm
h. From the Scots Gaelic sabbhain; "to your health". submitted by Jackie
i. Name of a plant found in W. England and Wales whose leaves were often used in poultices; (dialect) a poultice. submitted by bingley, chosen by Jackie, faldage, AnnaStrophic, wordwind
j. A substance derived from shellfish used in making incense. submitted by Coffeebean, chosen by consuelo, maahey
k. A device for seeding clouds for the purpose of producing rain. submitted by faldage
l. The diameter of a globular body; the diameter of a solid spheroid, especially of a cannonball submitted by Wordwind, chosen by wofahulidoc, Whitman O'Neill
Bingley
Bingley
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Carpal Tunnel
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Well, Bingley, congratulations on suckering four of us! I thought yours could possibly be the correct definition because of sain and the French connection.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I told my mother about this word last weekend so after I left she looked it up. It's in the Scrabble dictionary[look-of-great-surprise-e]
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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I think dixbie should receive an hono(u)rable mention for his daffynition.
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Carpal Tunnel
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My dictionary did mark it as Not US. I found the word in one of Ellis Peters's novels, and noted the passage, but have now lost my note, so I can't find the passage again. It comes via OE from Latin signum (which more recently gave us sign). Perhaps websafe or tsuwm could post the OED entry for us. The fact that Ellis Peters's detective, Brother Cadfael, is a herbalist inspired my poultice definition.
Bingley
Bingley
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So, in light of the blessing definition, is sain related to saint?
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Carpal Tunnel
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Saint--etymology, Whit':
"Etymology: Middle English, from Old French, from Late Latin sanctus, from Latin, sacred, from past participle of sancire to make sacred" (MW Online)
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