words

So I obviously haven't been doing the word of the day every day. But when a word I find interesting comes along, I like to do it. Though I seem to save them for the weekend. And, I don't have sentences for them. It's odd. I've had these words sitting here and I think they're fun words, but I don't have anything to say about them. so.

droll \drohl\, adjective:

1. amusing in an odd way; whimsically humorous; waggish.

logomachy \loh-GOM-uh-kee\, noun:

1. a dispute about or concerning words.
2. an argument or debate marked by the reckless or incorrect use of words; meaningless battle of words.

really?

chuffed \chuhft\, adjective:

1. annoyed; displeased; disgruntled.
2. delighted; pleased; satisfied.

When the baby was placed in his arms, he looked awfully chuffed. 

If it were me, it's definition #1. I really enjoy this word. Another is egregious. I don't know why it is that the English language has allowed for words to be their own antonym.

Word of the day

Word of the day for February 24th (I liked it but was too lazy to write it.)

xeric \ZEER-ik\, adjective:

of, pertaining to, or adapted to a dry environment.

Salamanders, being moist, are not fit for this xeric climate. Luckily, I am no salamander, I prefer it dry. 

Word of the Day

decathect \dee-kuh-THEKT\, verb:
To withdraw one's feelings of attachment from (a person, idea, or object), as in anticipation of a future loss


Before I wrote my 'coming out' letter to my parents, I made sure I was financially stable on my own and I even decathected from them in case the news was not taken well. Even though it wasn't taken well, I needn't have gone so far.

one of my most favorite words

whinge \hwinj\, verb:

To complain; whine.

Whinge is a Northern variant of the Old English word hwinsian meaning, "to whine."    

This word is almost onomatopoeia. I have loved it since I first heard it sometime in high school.


Quit yer whinging, Larry! We ent 'ad naught but mouldy bread fer days, neither.

WotD

rime \RAHYM\, noun:

A coating of tiny, white, granular ice particles, caused by the rapid freezing of water droplets.

(nonfiction)

The stars were brilliant on account of being unpolluted by any surrounding light. Lack of electricity in rural Mexico was good for that at least. I could hear the occasional bark of feral dogs carrying across the canyons. But it was easy to sleep, the steady breathing of my classmates and exhaustion after a long day of digging helped.

I awoke early- "Is 6 am, where is my breakfast?" Carlos jokingly prodded us with his feet. On the outside of my sleeping bag a rime of frost twinkled in the morning sun.

draggle \DRAG-uhl\, verb:

1. To soil by dragging over damp ground or in mud.
2. To trail on the ground; be or become draggled.
3. To follow slowly; straggle.

The small girl's doll made it safely on the journey, draggled though she became. 

anacoluthon \an-uh-kuh-LOO-thon\, noun:

1. A construction involving a break in grammatical sequence, as It makes me so—I just get angry.
2. An instance of anacoluthia.

Perhaps on these I'll write an example instead of using the word in a sentence. But not today. I may leave off on these until after the 30 days questionnaire.  Or just do interesting ones. 

Routine bores me.

catachresis \kat-uh-KREE-sis\, noun:

Misuse or strained use of words, as in a mixed metaphor, occurring either in error or for rhetorical effect.

I actually am completely at a loss as to how to use this in a sentence. I could possibly think of using it's definition, but I don't know how to use the word. Lately the words have been a bit difficult. I'll do better when it's not so late. 

apophasis  \uh-POF-uh-sis\, noun:

Denial of one's intention to speak of a subject that is at the same time named or insinuated, as “I shall not mention Caesar's avarice, nor his cunning, nor his morality.”

 "My brother is neither lewd nor an alcoholic" his apophasis was clear, the girl left. 

tardigrade \TAHR-di-greyd\, adjective:

1. Slow in pace or movement.
2. Belonging or pertaining to the phylum Tardigrada.

noun:
1. Also called bear animalcule, water bear. Any microscopic, chiefly herbivorous invertebrate of the phylum Tardigrada, living in water, on mosses, lichens, etc.

 I am a sprinter, I've yet to master long distances without my pace becoming steadily tardigrade.

hirtellous \hur-TEL-uhs\, verb:

Minutely hirsute.

It's a good thing I know what the two words in the definition mean. 

At the beginning of hormone replacement therapy, any hirtellous darkening was a cause of immense satisfaction. Now, it's almost mundane.

agita \AJ-i-tuh\, noun:

1. Agitation; anxiety.
2. Heartburn; indigestion.

For a racehorse agita is expected, but in my nose-to-tail trail horse it was quite a thrill. 

thetic \THET-ik\, adjective:

Positive; dogmatic.


His thetic understanding of the texts was less than realistic.

(I don't know if I'm using that one correctly. This hurts my head some days.)

catholicon \kuh-THOL-i-kuhn\, noun:

A universal remedy; panacea.

Though his idea may work for the student government, it isn't a catholicon for government in general. 

austral \AW-struhl\, adjective:

1. Southern.
2. (Initial capital letter) Australian.

Mylo was totally lost. The austral stars were not the ones he know by which to navigate. 

privity \PRIV-i-tee\, noun:

1. Participation in the knowledge of something private or secret, especially as implying concurrence or consent.
2. Private or secret knowledge.
3. Law. The relation between privies.
4. Obsolete. Privacy.

"No, you are not allowed to have any cookies." She eyed him. "Not without my privity and possible participation anyhow." With that, the babysitter gained his full trust.  

sententious \sen-TEN-shuhs\, adjective:

1. Abounding in pithy aphorisms or maxims: a sententious book.
2. Given to excessive moralizing; self-righteous.
3. Given to or using pithy sayings or maxims: a sententious poet.
4. Of the nature of a maxim; pithy.

Jim couldn't see how the congregation could stand the sentenitous pastor.

hematic \hi-MAT-ik\, adjective:

1. Of or pertaining to blood; hemic.
2. Acting on the blood, as a medicine.

noun:
1. Hematinic.

"The specimen's hematic levels of plutonium are unheard of!" She jumped back from the sample. "...and yet, the radiation doesn't break down the cells..."

strepitous \STREP-i-tuhs\, adjective:

boisterous; noisy.

In my old age I strive to keep away from strepitous parties.