Wonky Ruminations

According to dictionary.com, ruminate has two basic meanings; chewing cud, and thinking something over. Officially, no one knows how the two are connected, but I have a personal suspicion that it’s because when a cow is laying there chewing her cud, she looks like she’s thinking over a very serious and complicated problem.

If something is wonky, it is shaky, unsteady, or crooked, and likely to develop a problem or break down at any moment.

Take some time today to ruminate over the wonky things in your life. See if you can fix them before they actually break!

~Marie

The Quixotic Nature of Serendipity

According to dictionary.com, the word serendipity is a noun meaning an aptitude for making desirable discoveries by accident. The secondary meaning is simple good luck, as in something which has come to you, rather than wishing someone else good fortune.

Quixotic is an adjective which refers to the title character in Cervantes' work Don Quixote. The three official definitions are: resembling or befitting Don Quixote; extravagantly chivalrous or romantic, visionary, or impractical; and impulsive and often rashly unpredictable.

Quixotic serendipity would therefore be good luck which arrives in a highly unpredictable manner. I would hope my own serendipity is a little more reliable and a lot less quixotic.

~Marie

Reconstitute the Sauce and Slather it on the Pizza Bones

You’re going to do what, on what, with what?!

Reconstitute, slather, and pizza bones; a trio of very strange terms, but let’s find out what each of them mean.

Reconstitute means to bring something back to original state. Restoring dried potatoes into mashed, or soaking beef jerky in water while you’re camping so you can have yummy meat for dinner that night equals reconstitution.

Slather means to layer a liquid or semi-liquid substance on thickly, so slathering pizza sauce means laying it on thick. It sounds very tasty, as long as you put lots of cheese on top.

According to dictionary.com, pizza bones are the crust remnants ‘left’ or ‘you leave’ on your plate.

So if you “reconstitute the sauce and slather it on the pizza bones,” you are putting fluid into dried sauce of some kind and heaping it on pizza crusts! That sounds so good, I think I’ll have to try it soon.

Have fun slathering and munching!

~Jenna

Huzzah! Hooray! It's Independence Day!

Two old English words today, huzzah and cock-a-hoop.

I began my search for the origin and meaning of cock-a-hoop at dictionary.com, but they didn't have it and gave me a list of what theythought were likely links. One of those links led me to The Word Detective's blog where a full explanation is given which is quite interesting to read. Apparently the most common meanings in use today indicate either extreme happiness or extreme drunkenness.

A search for huzzah also sent me through various links, until reference.com said that according to the Oxford English Dictionary, Huzzah was a cheer with no apparent source. It's been in use at least since the time of Shakespeare. That's 500 years, give or take, so it's understandable that the origins have been forgotten.

So, as most of my readers celebrate the 236^th anniversary of American Independence tomorrow, join with me in a loud Huzzah! And whether your idea of a good time includes extreme joy or extreme drunkenness, I hope you get all cock-a-hoop.

~Marie

A Little Pontification

Pontificate has two main meanings with one being religious and one not religious. On the religious side, it means to officiate as a pontiff, especially in celebrating Mass, or to indicate the office or term of office of a pontiff (now usually the pope) and is usually spoken of with respect.

The non-religious (or very irreligious) usage nearly always has a negative innuendo regarding the speaker in question. It means to speak pompously or dogmatically about something and usually indicates the one speaking is doing so in a knowing, self-important way, especially when that person is not qualified to do so. Furthermore, used in this sense, the meaning includes the unspoken, eye-rolling message that the speaker also doesn’t know when to shut up and leave well enough alone.

An example of this meaning may be this short conversation. “There he is again; the town drunk lecturing the congregation for two hours on the evils of drink!” “Yes, well, that’s better than the circus fat lady taking all day to tell us all how easy it is to diet!”

~Anne

Keep Your Greasy Hair Off My Chair!

I'm really not sure how this word ended up on my list of unusual words to look up and share, but here it is, for your learning pleasure. Let your brain expand as you absorb it. All credit for definitions goes to dictionary.com.

An antimacassar is a small covering for the arms and backs of chairs. It’s usually highly ornamental. You’ve probably seen them at Grandma’s house. The crocheted or embroidered things that always fall off and you have to make sure to straighten them before you leave. They once had an important purpose.

A long time ago when washing your hair in the winter in a drafty house would get you pneumonia, people would get greasy hair. Greasy hair is hard to style, and it would smell. To help with the styling and the smell, people would put on scented oils. One popular hair oil came from the Indonesian islands, and was named Macassar. The natural hair oils, plus the added Macassar oils and the oils from dirty hands, would get on the expensive upholstery and ruin it.

Sometime around 1850, people started putting bits of easily laundered cloth or lace on the chairs to protect them from the oils. These were called Anti-Macassars, because they protected against the Macassar oil. Eventually people got better houses and could indulge in better hygiene, but the decorative lace and embroidery were now part of the interior decoration of homes.

The next time you go to Grandma’s and have to straighten the antimacassar when you get up from the couch, you’ll know what it’s called and how the tradition of having them on the chair’s arms and back got started.

Shovel Leaners and Toaster Leavin's

Here’s a pair of interesting phrases which are apparently fairly new to “formal” vocabulary.

“Shovel leaners” doesn’t appear in any dictionary that I could find. However, I did find references to it in several blogs. Gathering the meaning from the context, the term refers to workers who collect a paycheck for apparently doing nothing. The origin appears to be from road construction projects where several lanes are closed off and several individuals are leaning on their shovels watching one individual do the actual work.

“Toaster Leavin’s”, is defined at urbandictionary.com as the crumbs left behind in the bottom of the toaster.

Maybe I should go outside and offer some toaster leavin’s to those shovel leaners….

~Marie

Bodaciously Copacetic

Thanks to Okie Dog, who suggested both of today’s words, and dictionary.com for providing the definitions.

bo·da·cious [boh-dey-shuhs]

adjective

1. South Midland and Southern U.S. thorough; blatant; unmistakable: a bodacious gossip.
2. Slang.
a. remarkable; outstanding: a bodacious story.
b. audacious; bold or brazen.
c. sexy; voluptuous.

Origin: 1835–45; probably to be identified with dial. (Devon, Cornwall) bo ( w ) ldacious  brazen, impudent, blend of bold  and audacious

co·pa·cet·ic [koh-puh-set-ik, -see-tik]

adjective; Slang.
fine; completely satisfactory; OK.

Also, copasetic, copesetic.
Origin: 1915–20, Americanism; of obscure origin; popular attributions of the word to Louisiana French, Italian, Hebrew, etc., lack supporting evidence.

Despite Suzanne’s bodacious behavior at the party, Mike assures me that everything was copacetic.

~Marie

The Nincompoop's Minion

Sometimes you can guess at a word's meaning by deconstructing it and seeing what roots it has in common with words you already know well. Beloved, for example means be + loved. (duh!). How often are you deconstructing words to compare roots? Use some of these in your life, and come back to tell us how much better (or not!) your love life is, compliments of dictionary.com.

Cherish [cher-ish]

–verb (used with object)
1. To hold or treat as dear; feel love for: to cherish one's native land.
2. To care for tenderly; nurture: to cherish a child.
3. To cling fondly or inveterately to: to cherish a memory.

Beloved [bih-luhv-id, -luhvd] 

 –adjective

Greatly loved; dear to the heart.

Nincompoop [nin-kuhm-poop]

 –noun
A fool or simpleton.

Minion [min-yuhn]

–noun

1. A servile follower or subordinate of a person in power.

2. A favored or highly regarded person.
3. A minor official.
4. Printing. A 7-point type.

You are cherished and beloved, my nincompoop of a minion.

~Marie

The Earl's Couch

While I knew a Chesterfield was a couch, and an Axminster was a carpet, I still don't know if the word Chesterfield refers to the earl, his couch, or his suit. Possibly all three; dictionary.com didn't specify. Share the words, and report your colleagues bemused expressions when you come back.

Chesterfield [ches-ter-feeld] 

–noun

1. (Sometimes initial capital letter) a single- or double-breasted topcoat or overcoat with a fly front and a narrow velvet collar.

2. A large, overstuffed sofa or divan with a back and upholstered arms.
3. Chiefly Canadian . Any large sofa or couch.

 Origin:

1885–90;  named after an Earl of Chesterfield  in the 19th century.

Ingénue [an-zhuh-noo, -nyoo]

–noun, plural -nues  [-nooz, -nyooz; Fr. -ny] Show IPA.

1. the part of an artless, innocent, unworldly girl or young woman, especially as represented on the stage.

2. an actress who plays such a part or specializes in playing such parts.

Bemused [bih-myoozd]

–adjective

1. bewildered or confused.

2. lost in thought; preoccupied.

The bemused ingénue sat on the antique Chesterfield, clutching her script in one hand, but not really seeing the words printed on the page.

~Marie

The Whole Gamut

Here's one of those words I've been misunderstanding for years. I always thought "salubrious" had something to do with being drunk. I was way off. Thank you, dictionary.com for educating me. It just goes to show that you can teach an old author new words!

I also think it's interesting that we nearly always say "the whole gamut" when "gamut" means "whole", which makes "whole gamut" redundant; but it wouldn't sound right to just say "gamut". English is a funny language. Go out into the world and share the words, then return and share your funny stories.

Salubrious [suh-loo-bree-uhs]

–adjective

Favorable to or promoting health; healthful: salubrious air.

Suint [soo-int, swint]

–noun

The natural grease of the wool of sheep, consisting of a mixture of fatty matter and potassium salts, used as a source of potash and in the preparation of ointments.

Gamut [gam-uht]

–noun

1. The entire scale or range: the gamut of dramatic emotion from grief to joy.

2. Music .
a. the whole series of recognized musical notes.
b. the major scale.

The whole gamut of ointments made from suint are salubrious.

~Marie

Here's Mud in Your Eye!

I love learning new words. Sometimes when I look words up, I find out that they don't mean what I thought they did or that I've been saying them wrong for years. Again, I challenge you to use these in daily conversation, then come back and post comments on how your colleagues reacted. As usual, my source is dictionary.com. No, I'm not confessing which words I didn't have right. I don't want to blush again.

 Akimbo [uh-kim-boh]

 –adjective, adverb

with hand on hip and elbow bent outward: to stand with arms akimbo.

 Quagmire [kwag-mahyuhr] 

–noun

1. an area of miry or boggy ground whose surface yields under the tread; a bog.

2. a situation from which extrication is very difficult: a quagmire of financial indebtedness.
3. anything soft or flabby.

 Curmudgeon [ker-muhj-uhn]

–noun

a bad-tempered, difficult, cantankerous person.

The curmudgeon stood in the quagmire with his arms akimbo.

Gobsmacked!

"Gob" being a British term for mouth, apparently, my friends and I are more British than I realized. Or at least, they are. I moved back and forth between British and American English for years before I found out there was a difference, and that many of the words, spellings, syntax, and punctuation I habitually use are British rather than American. Maybe it's just that I watch too much British television. Wait, I'm not sure it's possible to watch too much British television. At any rate, here are three words you can add to your vocabulary this week. I challenge you to work them into your normal daily conversation. As an added challenge, come back and tell us how people reacted to the words. As usual, I'm getting my definitions from dictionary.com.

Gobsmacked (ˈɡɒbˌsmækt)

--- adj

flabbergasted, astounded, shocked; also written gob-smacked

from gob 'mouth' + smacked 'clapping hand over in surprise'

Defenestrate [dee-fen-uh-streyt]

–verb (used with object), de·fen·es·trat·ed, de·fen·es·trat·ing.

to throw (a person or thing) out of a window.

Discombobulate [dis-kuhm-bob-yuh-leyt]

 –verb (used with object), -lat·ed, -lat·ing.

to confuse or disconcert; upset; frustrate: The speaker was completely discombobulated by the hecklers.

Origin:

1825–35, Americanism; fanciful alteration of discompose or discomfort

—Related forms

dis·com·bob·u·la·tion, noun

I was gobsmacked when they defenestrated the discombobulated old man.

~Marie

Brace Me Up

I'm going to be learning a lot as I provide these for you. I had no idea how many definitions there were for "brace". Apparently I'm a bit behind the times, I like it in the archaic usage of two, a pair, as in "He walked into the kitchen and set a brace of wildfowl on the table." Dictionary.com had a lot more definitions than I ever thought of.

Brace

–noun

1. something that holds parts together or in place, as a clasp or clamp.

2. anything that imparts rigidity or steadiness.
3. Also called bitbrace, bitstock. Machinery . a device for holding and turning a bit for boring or drilling.
4. Building Trades . a piece of timber, metal, etc., for supporting or positioning another piece or portion of a framework.
5. Nautical . (on a square-rigged ship) a rope by which a yard is swung about and secured horizontally.
6. Music . leather loops sliding upon the tightening cords of a drum to change their tension and the drum's pitch.
7. Often, braces. Dentistry . a round or flat metal wire placed against the surfaces of the teeth for straightening irregularly arranged teeth.
8. Medicine/Medical . an appliance for supporting a weak joint or joints.
9. braces, Chiefly British . suspender ( def. 1 ) .
10. a pair; couple: a brace of grouse.
11. Printing .
a. one of two characters { or } used to enclose words or lines to be considered together.
b. bracket ( def. 7 ) .
12. Music . connected staves.
13. a protective band covering the wrist or lower part of the arm, especially a bracer.
14. Military . a position of attention with exaggeratedly stiff posture.

–verb (used with object)

15. to furnish, fasten, or strengthen with or as if with a brace.

16. to fix firmly; make steady; secure against pressure or impact: He braces himself when the ship rolls. Brace yourself for some bad news.
17. to make tight; increase the tension of.
18. to act as a stimulant to.
19. Nautical . to swing or turn around (the yards of a ship) by means of the braces.
20. Military . to order (a subordinate) to assume and maintain a brace.

–verb (used without object)

21. Military . to assume a brace.

—Verb phrase

22. brace in, Nautical . to brace (the yards of a square-rigged vessel) more nearly athwartships, as for running free.

—Idiom

23. brace up, Informal . to summon up one's courage; become resolute: She choked back her tears and braced up.

Use brace in a Sentence

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Origin:
1300–50; (noun) Middle English < Anglo-French, Old French: pair of arms < Latin brā ( c ) chia plural (taken as feminine singular) of brā ( c ) chium arm (< Greek; see brachium); (v.) in part Middle English bracen (< Anglo-French bracier, derivative of brace; compare embrace), in participle derivative of the noun

The Need for a Good Vocabulary

Here's an experience a friend of mine had:

"I was sitting on some concrete steps involved in an art project. A couple of 'gentlemen' who were under the influence of some mind-altering substance came over to me and started chatting. They were basically friendly and harmless, if somewhat inappropriate, so I kept working and tried to ignore them. One of them sat down right next to me, and as he moved closer, I said, "You don't want to do that. I'm very contentious." I doubt he knew what contentious meant, but I bet he thought it was the same as contagious, because they immediately stopped trying to schmooze me, and picked up and left!"

While it was probably fortunate for her that the "gentlemen" in question didn't have a better understanding of the English language, think of the other things they might be missing.

We communicate through the use of language, and those who don't have a good, working vocabulary miss out on things they need to understand. In the future, I will be posting some lesser-used words along with their definitions and examples, so you can avoid missing out on the fun and interesting parts of life. Feel free to suggest some of your favorite obscure words. If it's not already on my list, I'll even give you credit for the suggestion.

I'm taking my definitions from Dictionary.com, though if they give other sources, I will show those. The usage sentences are my own creations.

Kerfluffle

- row, disturbance, c.1930, first in Canadian English, ult. from Scot. curfuffle.

(Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2010 Douglas Harper)

She left the restaurant, oblivious to the kerfluffle happening on the balcony above her until the potted plant, nudged by one of the combatants, crashed to the sidewalk at her feet.

Ribald

–adjective

vulgar or indecent in speech, language, etc.; coarsely mocking, abusive, or irreverent; scurrilous.

–noun

a ribald person.

Origin:
1200–50; Middle English ribald, ribaud (noun) < Old French ribau ( l ) d, equivalent to rib ( er ) to be licentious (< Old High German rīben to copulate, be in heat, literally, rub) + -au ( l ) d, -alt < Frankish *-wald a suffix in personal names, derivative of *walden to rule; compare parallel development of -ard

She blushed as the minstrel strummed the opening bars of a popular and slightly ribald song. He ought to know better than to sing such a scurrilous thing in the presence of ladies.