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 86 of 99 1 2 84 85 86 87 88 98 99
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

DIVARICATE

PRONUNCIATION: (dy-VAR-uh-kayt, -kit for adjective)

MEANING: verb intr.: To branch off or diverge.
adjective: Branched off or diverging widely.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin divaricare, from dis- (apart) + varicare (to straddle), from varicus (straddling). Earliest documented use: 1623.
____________________________

DIVARIATE - dependent on two and only two factors

DIVA, RICH, ATE - coloratura soprano with a lot of money went to dinner

DIVARICARE - Senator Divari's Universal Health Care proposal

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

IMPIGNORATE

PRONUNCIATION: (im-PIG-nuh-rayt)

MEANING: verb tr.: To pledge, pawn, or mortgage.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin impignorare/impignerare (to pledge), from pignus (pledge, pawn, mortgage). Earliest documented use: 1639.
______________________________________

I'M PIG, NO RAT - Stefan Patsis is reducing his cast of characters

IMP, IGNORE AT E - you young rascal, pay no attention after the fifth letter

IMPUGN ORATE - You're such an untrustworthy speaker

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

VELUTINOUS

PRONUNCIATION: (vuh-LOO-tuh-nuhs)

MEANING: adjective: Soft and smooth like velvet.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin velutum (velvet). Earliest documented use: 1826.
_________________________

DELUTINOUS - removing a stringed instrument

MELUTINOUS - thick and viscous, like honey

VELUMINOUS - dim and attenuated, like light through thick, creamy paper

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

ELDRITCH

PRONUNCIATION: (EL-drich)

MEANING: adjective: Weird; supernatural; eerie.

ETYMOLOGY: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps from Old English elf + rice (realm). Earliest documented use: 1508.
_______________________________

EL DITCH - the Panama Canal (in Panama)

END RITCH - the goal of all fairy tales

ELD WITCH - Hermione, 80 years later

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

KLUDGE

PRONUNCIATION: (klooj, kluhj)

MEANING: noun: An inelegant, improvised solution to a problem.
verb tr.: To improvise a haphazard solution to a problem.

ETYMOLOGY: Of uncertain origin. Earliest documented use: 1962.

NOTES: The first documented use of the word is from a 1962 article by Jackson W. Granholm in Datamation magazine: “How to Design a Kludge”. That much is certain, but after that things get a bit fuzzy. Various origins have been suggested: German, Scots, military jargon, from the name of a paper feeder, but until we know definitely, we’ll just have to be content with saying: origin unknown.
___________________________

K-LUNGE - a quick thrust with a sharp weapon, that may turn abruptly in any of several directions

BLUDGE - to beat severely with a blunt object

K-LUDE - slang for a sedative drug popular the 60s (methaqualone)

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

XERIC

PRONUNCIATION: (ZER/ZEER-ik)

MEANING: adjective: Relating to very dry conditions.

ETYMOLOGY: From Greek xeros (dry). Earliest documented use: 1926.
________________________

EXERIC - and now known as Eberhart

XENIC - 1. Warrior Princessoid; 2. worthy of stopping a photographing the view

FERIC - petaining to Element Numbe 26 in its +3 state

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

TRANSPICUOUS

PRONUNCIATION: (tran-SPIK-yoo-uhs)

MEANING: adjective: Easily seen through or understood.

ETYMOLOGY: From Latin transpicere (to see through), from trans- (across) + specere (to look). Ultimately from the Indo-European root spek- (to observe) which also gave us suspect, spectrum, bishop (literally, overseer), espionage, despise, telescope, spectator, spectacles, conspectus, frontispiece, omphaloskepsis (navel gazing), perspicaciousness, perspicuous, prospicient, soupcon (a very small amount), speciesism, specious, and speculum. Earliest documented use: 1638.
_________________________

TRAINSPICUOUS - every car is a vibrant and different primary color

TRANS-PIC-UO-UP - if you're feeling blue after changing your gender this will make you feel better

TRANS-PICROUS - the alternating configuration of picric acid (cf. cis-picrous)

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

GYVE

PRONUNCIATION: (jyv)

MEANING: noun: A fetter or shackle.
verb tr.: To restrain.

ETYMOLOGY: Of unknown origin. Earliest documented use: 1275.
____________________________

GYRE - to go round and round like a dog (or a gyroscope) - see Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky

YVE - a singular Saint Laurent

AYVE - what the Allied sailor said, confirming victory in Europe in World War Two

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

JINX

PRONUNCIATION: (jinks)

MEANING: noun: 1. One that is believed to bring bad luck.
2. A state of bad luck.
verb tr.: 1. To cast a spell on.
2. To bring bad luck upon.

ETYMOLOGY: Of uncertain origin. Perhaps from jynx wryneck, a bird that was used in witchcraft. Earliest documented use: 1911.
______________________________

EIN X - marks der Spot, in Berlin

OINX - what pigs does

JEN-X - people born between the mid-60s to the early 80s, as they sloppily refer to themselves

Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1
W
Carpal Tunnel
OP Offline
Carpal Tunnel
W
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 10,510
Likes: 1

KLUTZ

PRONUNCIATION: (kluts)

MEANING: noun: A clumsy or stupid person.

ETYMOLOGY: From Yiddish klots (wooden block), from German Klotz (wooden block). Earliest documented use: 1968. Don’t confuse this word with kludge. A Yiddish synonym is schlemiel.
______________________

KLOTZ - what stops you from bleeding

KLUTO - a midwestern dog is following a New York City dog and has misadventures (from a 1971 movie)

KLETZ - a bumbling Yiddish musician trying to play the clarinet

Page 86 of 99 1 2 84 85 86 87 88 98 99

Moderated by  Jackie 

Link Copied to Clipboard
Forum Statistics
Forums16
Topics13,912
Posts229,283
Members9,179
Most Online3,341
Dec 9th, 2011
Newest Members
TRIALNERRA, befuddledmind, KILL_YOUR_SUV, Heather_Turey, Standy
9,179 Registered Users
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 302 guests, and 2 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Top Posters(30 Days)
Top Posters
wwh 13,858
Faldage 13,803
Jackie 11,613
tsuwm 10,542
wofahulicodoc 10,510
LukeJavan8 9,916
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