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Dec 9, 2003

This week's theme
Words borrowed from Spanish

This week's words
amigo
loco
duende
disembogue
armada

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loco

adjective: Insane.

noun: 1. A crazy person. 2. Locoweed (any of various poisonous, leguminous plants).

verb tr.: 1. To poison with locoweed. 2. To make crazy.

[From Spanish loco (crazy).]

The word loco has a number of other senses. It's used to refer to an engine (abbreviation of locomotive). Also, in music, it indicates that notes be played as written, canceling a previous direction that they be played an octave higher or lower, from Italian loco (there), from Latin in loco (at the place).

"So they're local. But are they loco? Why would two otherwise sane and successful businessmen step up to the plate to pay - an undisclosed sum, and indeed the deal will not be finalized until after the Nov. 16 Grey Cup game - for a failing club that has lost over $50 million since 1991?"
Chris Young; New Owners, Old Issues; Toronto Star (Canada); Nov 6, 2003.

"Of course, the more savvy investor will simply have bought into the euphoria and gone along for the ride ('go long till you're wrong'), never mind the signs of impending doom from a market that appears to have gone loco."
Jeremy Thomas; US Stocks Defy Logic as They Spiral Upwards; Sunday Times (Johannesburg, South Africa); Nov 9, 2003.

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