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 48 of 100 1 2 46 47 48 49 50 99 100
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
antipodes

PRONUNCIATION:
(an-TIP-uh-deez)
MEANING:
noun:
1. Two places situated on the diametrically opposite sides of the earth.
2. The exact opposite of someone or something.
3. Australia and New Zealand.

ETYMOLOGY:
Via Latin from Greek antipodes (literally, those having the feet opposite, i.e. having feet on opposite sides of the earth), plural of antipous, from anti- (opposite) + pous (foot). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ped- (foot) which gave us peccadillo (alluding to a stumble or fall), pedal, impeccable, podium, octopus, and impeach. Earliest documented use: 1398.
___________________________________________

less P
ANTIODES - a jar ode written by Wallace Stevens and a urn ode written by Keats.


Last edited by jenny jenny; 08/02/13 04:43 PM.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2

XANTIPODES - Socrates' wife has large feet.


What intrigues me is the pluralization rule that makes -pous into -podes. Know any other examples that crept into English? Anybody?

Edit: (My feet of clay are showing. I didn't know what you meant by jar/stevens and urn/keats, so I looked them up. Now I do. Nice!)

Last edited by wofahulicodoc; 08/02/13 06:35 PM.
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2

...the pluralization rule that makes -pous into -podes. Know any other examples that crept into English?


Answer (found by Onelooking "*podes") : Octopus --> octopodes. Also Platypus.

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
Ponzi scheme

PRONUNCIATION: (PON-zee skeem)
MEANING: noun: An investment swindle in which high profits are promised from fictitious sources and early investors are paid off with funds raised from later ones.
ETYMOLOGY:
After Charles Ponzi (1882-1949), a speculator who organized such a scheme during 1919-1920. He was neither the first nor the last person to float this or a similar scheme, just someone who did it on a massive scale. See the list of Ponzi schemes in history. Earliest documented use: 1920.
_______________________________________________
P -> F

FONZI SCHEME- in Episode XXV the Fonz charges $50 to set-up a date to the Prom with Betty the head cheerleader.
On Prom night 50 hot-blooded boys show up at Betty's house.
Those were not Happy Days.

Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,931
Likes: 3
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
Joined: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,931
Likes: 3
FUNZI - birthday party at Chucky Cheese's


----please, draw me a sheep----
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2

PONTI SCHEME - We'll all get shares of this Italian movie producer's empire, see, and a piece of Sophia Loren besides, and resell some more shares to eager buyers, and...


Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2

Who will it be ?

... a cheater, a traitor, a killer, a faker, and an infector.

...start with the US, then Norway, Scotland, Ukraine, and then back to the US.


Any ideas?

U S cheater = Ponzi of the Ponzi scheme
Norway traitor = QUISLING ?
Scotland killer = ?
Ukraine faker = ?
U S infector = TYPHOID MARY ?

Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
J
veteran
OP Offline
veteran
J
Joined: Jun 2010
Posts: 1,554
Scotland: Black Bart?
Ukraine: Rasputin?

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2

We'll see!

QUISLING

PRONUNCIATION: (KWIZ-ling)

MEANING:
noun: A traitor, especially one who aids an invading enemy.

ETYMOLOGY:
After Major Vidkun Quisling (1887-1945), a Norwegian army officer who collaborated (1940-1945) with the German occupying forces during World War II and ruled Norway as head of the puppet government. He was shot for treason after the German defeat. Besides a noun, his name has become a verb as well. Earliest documented use: 1940.

-------------------------------------

QUILLING - What Barquis is, according to David Copperfield

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2
W
Carpal Tunnel
Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,717
Likes: 2

Was Jack the Ripper Scottish?

Page 48 of 100 1 2 46 47 48 49 50 99 100

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,913
Posts229,586
Members9,187
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
Karin, JeffMackwood, artguitar, Jim_W, Rdbuffalo
9,187 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 296 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 10,717
tsuwm 10,542
LukeJavan8 9,931
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