Friday, 12 October 2012
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Thursday, 27 September 2012
schlep
(also schlepp)
informal
verb
[with object]
haul or carry (something heavy or awkward)
a tedious or difficult journey
Origin: early 20th century (as verb): from Yiddish schlepn 'drag', from Middle High German sleppen
assuage
verb
[with object]
1. make (an unpleasant feeling) less intense:
2. satisfy (an appetite or desire)
Origin: Middle English: from Old French assouagier, asouagier, based on Latin ad- 'to' (expressing change) + suavis 'sweet'
Monday, 24 September 2012
Sunday, 16 September 2012
hoosegow
noun
A prison.
Origin: early 20th century: via Latin American Spanish from Spanish juzgado 'tribunal', from Latin judicaturn 'something judged, neuter part participle of judicare
jettison
verb
[with object]
1. throw or drop (something) from an aircraft or ship
2. abandon or discard (someone or something no longer wanted)
Origin: late Middle English (as a noun denoting the throwing of goods overboard to lighten a ship in distress): from Old French getaison, from Latin jactatio(n-), from jactare 'to throw'. The verb dates from the mid 19th century
Sunday, 2 September 2012
Found my way back.
Took me so long to remember my passwords and get back here,
But i'm back!
and I have some guest contributions from my parents who i'm staying with.
Here goes
Rod (Dad) gives us
tintinnabulation- tinkling of bells
(extremely fun to say)
and Margy (mum) provides
chatoyancy - Having a changeable luster.
and mine from the old dictionary at home is
cottonocracy- the magnates of the cotton trade
as in "this aint no democracy it's a cottonocracy."
This will be good when i'm in France as I don't want to forget English while i'm speaking French all the time.
Also I might be your foreign correspondent and contribute some French words if I find some winners!
bye for now. will keep up better from now.
verisimilitude
noun.
The appearance of being true or real
Origin: early 17th century: from Latin verisimilitudo, from verisimilis 'probable', from veri (genitive of verus 'true') +similis 'like'
pundit
noun.
1. an expert in a particular subject or field who is frequently called upon to give their opinions to the public.
2. variant spelling of PANDIT
Origin: from Sanskrit pandita 'learned'.
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