best to take a stab and then look them up. all three words are difficult to define altho the first one is usually only used in one context. my definitions posted tomorrow but yours might be more accurate

egregious (pron; a- greev- vus)

effete

entropy

pepe said:

best to take a stab and then look them up. all three words are difficult to define altho the first one is usually only used in one context. my definitions posted tomorrow but yours might be more accurate

egregious (pron; a- greev- vus)

effete

entropy

Is egregious really pronounced with a “v”? I’ve always thought it meant one who enjoys the company of others, going so far as to seek it out…

Effete: usually used to describe a man…somebody who displays rather feminine traits in their mannerisms and way of dressing (not to be confused with cross-dressers)

entropy: the dying off of something…generally from lack of use…might not mean dying off exactly, but if you don’t use your muscles, they will waste away…

This is off the top of my head…

Must look egregious up…I’ve always pronounced it egg-greg-ious…mostly ‘cause I don’t hear anybody else say it…

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

best to take a stab and then look them up. all three words are difficult to define altho the first one is usually only used in one context. my definitions posted tomorrow but yours might be more accurate

egregious (pron; a- greev- vus)

effete

entropy

Is egregious really pronounced with a “v”? I’ve always thought it meant one who enjoys the company of others, going so far as to seek it out…

Effete: usually used to describe a man…somebody who displays rather feminine traits in their mannerisms and way of dressing (not to be confused with cross-dressers)

entropy: the dying off of something…generally from lack of use…might not mean dying off exactly, but if you don’t use your muscles, they will waste away…

This is off the top of my head…

the difference between egregious and grevious has me beat – but there must be some.

the other two are roughly what i would have said – but actually they are not right – i now think???

Dinetta said:

entropy: the dying off of something…generally from lack of use…might not mean dying off exactly, but if you don’t use your muscles, they will waste away…

that’s atrophy

entropy = from order into chaos, like a teenager’s bedroom!

Dinetta said:

Is egregious really pronounced with a “v”? I’ve always thought it meant one who enjoys the company of others, going so far as to seek it out…

That’s gregarious…

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

entropy: the dying off of something…generally from lack of use…might not mean dying off exactly, but if you don’t use your muscles, they will waste away…

that’s atrophy

entropy = from order into chaos, like a teenager’s bedroom!

…which explains what happened to my house LOL!

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Is egregious really pronounced with a “v”? I’ve always thought it meant one who enjoys the company of others, going so far as to seek it out…

That’s gregarious…

I didn’t realize there was a difference…off to look them up…

Dinetta said:

bluegreen said:

Dinetta said:

Is egregious really pronounced with a “v”? I’ve always thought it meant one who enjoys the company of others, going so far as to seek it out…

That’s gregarious…

I didn’t realize there was a difference…off to look them up…

My first and last definitions have been egregiously erroneous :)

Off to look up entrophy

Entrophy in information theory:
“In information theory, entropy is a measure of the uncertainty associated with a random variable”

(Wikipedia)

There’s more:

“Definition: Entropy is the quantitative measure of disorder in a system. The concept comes out of thermodynamics, which deals with the transfer of heat energy within a system. Instead of talking about some form of “absolute entropy,” physicists generally talk about the change in entropy that takes place in a specific thermodynamic process. “

I like that: “quantitative measure of disorder in a system”…

I like that: “quantitative measure of disorder in a system”…
——
chuckle – kind of blows away the mind.
i have settled for ‘transformation’ rather than chaos. it is rooted in physics and transfer from one mode to another. not sure?

effete can mean infertile, worn out or ineffectual – as well as effeminate – i think?

egregious means important, exemplary, remarkable – but – and here’s the sting – it’s usually derogatory.

pepe said:

I like that: “quantitative measure of disorder in a system”…
——
chuckle – kind of blows away the mind.
i have settled for ‘transformation’ rather than chaos. it is rooted in physics and transfer from one mode to another. not sure?

Dinetta said:

It looks that way

pepe said:

effete can mean infertile, worn out or ineffectual – as well as effeminate – i think?

egregious means important, exemplary, remarkable – but – and here’s the sting – it’s usually derogatory.

Yes, interesting read in Wikipedia how that came about…became used as sarcasm…

Ye

I think I need a bex

pain master said:

I think I need a bex

Why?

pain master said:

I think I need a bex

says he of the multi -syllabic plant and creature names LOL.

Do we got some new ones this morning? (Gee I hate that manner of speaking)…

Dinetta said:

Do we got some new ones this morning? (Gee I hate that manner of speaking)…

ok – but i haven’t planned it – and the cleaner’s coming – and only bg, you and i participate.
still – viva la vocab.

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

most of these words are ‘reading’ vocabulary rather than ‘speaking’ vocabulary. so yesterday’s words were all from ‘destination;void’ by frank herbert. they didn’t really have a context and were just slipped in as tho’ we should all know their meaning. authors have the advantage of rewriting with the dictionary.

today’s words are collected from other novels and, i guess, only ‘puerile’ would be speaking vocab.
i have misused puerile to mean something between loathsome and putrid – but that is wrong.

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

puerile is derogatory, I think. Meaning pointless?
don’t know paean
polemic – all inclusive, wide-spreading?

pepe said:

most of these words are ‘reading’ vocabulary rather than ‘speaking’ vocabulary. so yesterday’s words were all from ‘destination;void’ by frank herbert. they didn’t really have a context and were just slipped in as tho’ we should all know their meaning. authors have the advantage of rewriting with the dictionary.

today’s words are collected from other novels and, i guess, only ‘puerile’ would be speaking vocab.
i have misused puerile to mean something between loathsome and putrid – but that is wrong.

I was reading a book recently that was full of words that I had to look up. Got a bit annoying after a while although the book itself was very good. I think I have a reasonable vocab,but these were words that are not in common usage.

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

Polemic- what they call Mick when he climbs one.

Paean- what Mick feels when he falls off the pole.

Puerile- what Mick sings when he’s grateful he didn’t get injured from falling off the pole.

hehehe

back to work!

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

Childish

Serf?

No idea.

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

Hmm, puerile – juvenile, a bit disgusting, like toilet humour

paean – This makes me think of religious systems with multiple deities, but I can’t remember what that’s called :D is a paean something like a tribute to a god?

polemic – I know I should know this one, but I just have a vague sense of it – is it something to do with political view points? Could you describe a rant as being polemic? One sided, like a monopole?

I’m usually not on the forum when the words come up, so I just follow along afterwards, but this time I happened to be here :)

bubba louie said:

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

Childish

Serf?

No idea.

I confused Paean with Peon.

Hmm, puerile – juvenile, a bit disgusting, like toilet humour
paean – This makes me think of religious systems with multiple deities, but I can’t remember what that’s called :D is a paean something like a tribute to a god?
polemic – I know I should know this one, but I just have a vague sense of it – is it something to do with political view points? Could you describe a rant as being polemic? One sided, like a monopole?
I’m usually not on the forum when the words come up, so I just follow along afterwards, but this time I happened to be here :)
—————————————
come more often bon – your reading hast not been wasted.

(goes to look up monopole)

pepe said:

Hmm, puerile – juvenile, a bit disgusting, like toilet humour
paean – This makes me think of religious systems with multiple deities, but I can’t remember what that’s called :D is a paean something like a tribute to a god?
polemic – I know I should know this one, but I just have a vague sense of it – is it something to do with political view points? Could you describe a rant as being polemic? One sided, like a monopole?
I’m usually not on the forum when the words come up, so I just follow along afterwards, but this time I happened to be here :)
—————————————
come more often bon – your reading hast not been wasted.

(goes to look up monopole)

hehe, I only know monopole from the TV show, The Big Bang Theory :)

And I suspect I picked up paean from fantasy novels.

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

OK, I couldn’t wait any longer, I had to look them up…

puerile – adj. 1. Belonging to childhood; juvenile. 2. Immature; childish.

Paean (pronounced /ˈpiːən/, as in European) n. 1. A song of joyful praise or exultation. 2. A fervent expression of joy or praise. hymn of thanksgiving especially addressed to Apollo,

A polemic (pronounced /pəˈlɛmɪk/) is a variety of argument or controversy made against one opinion, doctrine, or person.

pepe said:

(goes to look up monopole)

Incidentally, using “define: monopole” in Google gives a lot of very different answers! I was meaning this one:

“All known magnets have two poles, one south pole and one north pole. The existence of a single such pole, termed a monopole, has not yet been established but is believed by many physicists to exist on the basis of theoretical studies. …
history.nasa.gov/EP-95/glossary.htm”

bon008 said:

hehe, I only know monopole from the TV show, The Big Bang Theory :)

A magnetic monopole is a hypothetical particle in physics that is a magnet with only one pole – is this the word you were after? or was it monologue?

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

hehe, I only know monopole from the TV show, The Big Bang Theory :)

A magnetic monopole is a hypothetical particle in physics that is a magnet with only one pole – is this the word you were after? or was it monologue?

question answered. In the sense of completely opposed to each other?

bluegreen said:

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

hehe, I only know monopole from the TV show, The Big Bang Theory :)

A magnetic monopole is a hypothetical particle in physics that is a magnet with only one pole – is this the word you were after? or was it monologue?

question answered. In the sense of completely opposed to each other?

I’m not sure if I was using any logic or just grasping at straws :D The “pole” in polemic made me think of monopole, which led me to “one-sided”. Which is silly really, as it’s the “mono” in monopole that makes it one-ish! Just my brain leaping about in strange ways :)

bon008 said:

bluegreen said:

bluegreen said:

A magnetic monopole is a hypothetical particle in physics that is a magnet with only one pole – is this the word you were after? or was it monologue?

question answered. In the sense of completely opposed to each other?

I’m not sure if I was using any logic or just grasping at straws :D The “pole” in polemic made me think of monopole, which led me to “one-sided”. Which is silly really, as it’s the “mono” in monopole that makes it one-ish! Just my brain leaping about in strange ways :)

there does seem to be a correlation so not so strange maybe :)

This thread is good fun :) Reminds me of conversations I would have with my dad when I came across a word I didn’t know.

pepe said:

i have misused puerile to mean something between loathsome and putrid – but that is wrong.

Well that is how I have heard it used…

Polemic – would that be like opposite ends?

Paen I’m not sure of…

bluegreen said:

I was reading a book recently that was full of words that I had to look up. Got a bit annoying after a while although the book itself was very good. I think I have a reasonable vocab,but these were words that are not in common usage.

I became used to that at uni with all the old plays and poems…Anglo-Saxon remains my favourite of the English languages, and Milton’s “Paradise Lost” is one my favourite works of English literature…besides I like the puzzle when you come across a word that you don’t know and you try to work it out (or what the author wants it to mean) as the story goes along…

Happy Potter said:

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

puerile

paean

polemic

Polemic- what they call Mick when he climbs one.

Paean- what Mick feels when he falls off the pole.

Puerile- what Mick sings when he’s grateful he didn’t get injured from falling off the pole.

:D!!

pepe said:

guess first and then look up.

paean

paean… a Pagan who has lost his Gumption, his Guff, His Get up and Go, and basically has lost his God.

bluegreen said:

I was reading a book recently that was full of words that I had to look up. Got a bit annoying after a while although the book itself was very good. I think I have a reasonable vocab,but these were words that are not in common usage.

I have read that book too, its called the Dictionary, and there’s a sequel; the Thesaurus.

I’m a peon. my name is Manuel Labour.

ok that was a good response but obviously my reading matter favours some over others. bon was pretty well right on all three.

puerile is childish or silly – paean is a song to a greek god – polemic is a one sided political argument.
ps; RB’s peon is a little word not many of us use – spanish for labourer.
pps; paean – can also mean ‘commonplace’ and ‘a truism’ – presumably because everyone worshipped apollo.

today’s words

odium

obfuscate

orotund

pepe said:

today’s words

odium

obfuscate

orotund

obfuscate – to make unclear or blurry?

I know rotund is round, but orotund? Maybe something all-rounded or wholistic?

pepe said:

today’s words

odium

obfuscate

orotund

Oh, hard.

Odium – is this related to odious? I really have no idea. It feels like a cross between tedium and odious, so something sinister and unpleasant, but also boring :D

Obfuscate – that would be to muddy the waters around an issue, wouldn’t it? Hide the true situation by introducing erroneous information (cough Conroy’s filter cough)

Orotund – no idea! A rotund person’s oration? :D thinks a bit harder No, I’ve got nothing..

One more (slightly more sensible) guess before I look them up – is odium to odious what tedium is to tedious?

I can’t quite wrap my head around the proper term for that tense/form..

yes to the first two bon.
odium is like odious. ….and obfuscate is to confuse.
orotund is to do with music or the voice.

pepe said:

yes to the first two bon.
odium is like odious. ….and obfuscate is to confuse.
orotund is to do with music or the voice.

Darn! too late!

roughbarked said:

I’m a peon. my name is Manuel Labour.

Lovely! :D

pepe said:

orotund

Shakespeare once wrote a poem which went along the lines of:

Orotund son of a unmarried couple, orotund son of a unmarried couple, who the devil consumed all of those pastries…

The Balmy Army modernised this to:

“You Fat Bastard, You Fat Bastard, Who ate all our Pies!”

pain master said:

pepe said:

orotund

Shakespeare once wrote a poem which went along the lines of:

Orotund son of a unmarried couple, orotund son of a unmarried couple, who the devil consumed all of those pastries…

The Balmy Army modernised this to:

“You Fat Bastard, You Fat Bastard, Who ate all our Pies!”

Fair dinkum?

Took me a little while to pick up the “pun”, if that’s what you’d call it…

orotund means ‘imposing, pompous and grandiloquent’. since rotund is fat it might mean oral fatness as in ‘a voice with a full, clear, smooth, open, mellow, rich and musical quality’.
odium is hatred or abhorrence – odious is the adjective.
obfuscate is to perplex or confuse.

since i can’t speel to save my life i’m an imposter in this role. i set one last group of three and then abjure my arrant autocracy.

abjure
arrant
autocracy

pepe said:

orotund means ‘imposing, pompous and grandiloquent’. since rotund is fat it might mean oral fatness as in ‘a voice with a full, clear, smooth, open, mellow, rich and musical quality’.
odium is hatred or abhorrence – odious is the adjective.
obfuscate is to perplex or confuse.

since i can’t speel to save my life i’m an imposter in this role. i set one last group of three and then abjure my arrant autocracy.

abjure
arrant
autocracy

I think abjure is to nag, as in “He abjured his son to study well”…

Arrant is somebody who’s not following the rules “Thou arrant knave! Thou has broken the knightly code of behaviour!”

and autocracy means, basically, assigning oneself the leadership role “as of right” (as they used to say)…not to be confused with dictatorship, which reeks of lack of justice in the governance of the plebs…

I think abjure is to nag, as in “He abjured his son to study well”…
Arrant is somebody who’s not following the rules “Thou arrant knave! Thou has broken the knightly code of behaviour!”
and autocracy means, basically, assigning oneself the leadership role “as of right” (as they used to say)…not to be confused with dictatorship, which reeks of lack of justice in the governance of the plebs…
————————-
i think abjure means something else but the other two have such good examples that i wouldn’t argue.

pepe said:

orotund means ‘imposing, pompous and grandiloquent’. since rotund is fat it might mean oral fatness as in ‘a voice with a full, clear, smooth, open, mellow, rich and musical quality’.

Well, isn’t a “rotunda” a round stage where bands used to play? Where did all the bands go????

pepe said:

abjure
arrant
autocracy

abjure – to give in to an argument? to agree?
arrant
autocracy – think highly of oneself?

bluegreen said:

pepe said:

abjure
arrant
autocracy

abjure – to give in to an argument? to agree?
arrant
autocracy – think highly of oneself?

either you, dinetta or bon should set the next list of words. obviously individuals have areas of expertise where their vocab is strongest. you’re close to the mark on those two but i’m looking at dictionary definitions which are very specific.

pepe said:

bluegreen said:

pepe said:

abjure
arrant
autocracy

abjure – to give in to an argument? to agree?
arrant
autocracy – think highly of oneself?

either you, dinetta or bon should set the next list of words. obviously individuals have areas of expertise where their vocab is strongest. you’re close to the mark on those two but i’m looking at dictionary definitions which are very specific.

shame that book I was talking about is back at the library – I could have put up some doosies!

pepe said:

since i can’t speel to save my life i’m an imposter in this role. i set one last group of three and then abjure my arrant autocracy.

abjure
arrant
autocracy

hehe.

Abjure – umm. It makes me think of abdicate. I don’t know why, but I’m thinking along the lines of oppress, subjugate?

Arrant – out of control, not behaving in the expected way, or physically not in the place where it should be – arrant locks of hair?

Autocracy – a self-governing system? Like a society that runs itself, but with no elected ruler (I suppose that is what separates it from democracy)

Bit late today, been in a meeting. Looking forward to see what everybody else was thinking!

pepe said:

bluegreen said:

pepe said:

abjure
arrant
autocracy

abjure – to give in to an argument? to agree?
arrant
autocracy – think highly of oneself?

either you, dinetta or bon should set the next list of words. obviously individuals have areas of expertise where their vocab is strongest. you’re close to the mark on those two but i’m looking at dictionary definitions which are very specific.

I’m reading fantasy novels at the moment, I could grab a few words? Some are just too specific though – names for different bits of armour and medieval clothing that I just skip over. I suppose this would be a good way to try to learn them!

Wow, I was way off today.. hehe :)

bon008 said:

Wow, I was way off today.. hehe :)

or we were :)

Dinetta said:

pain master said:

pepe said:

orotund

Shakespeare once wrote a poem which went along the lines of:

Orotund son of a unmarried couple, orotund son of a unmarried couple, who the devil consumed all of those pastries…

The Balmy Army modernised this to:

“You Fat Bastard, You Fat Bastard, Who ate all our Pies!”

Fair dinkum?

Took me a little while to pick up the “pun”, if that’s what you’d call it…

I swear I heard them sing that at Adelaide Oval one day watching the Ashes…

pepe said:

autocracy

Last week I saw an autocratic driver in the shopping centre, he indicated or should I say confirmated to go left, yet he turned into the next right lane. The autocracy of it all!

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

orotund means ‘imposing, pompous and grandiloquent’. since rotund is fat it might mean oral fatness as in ‘a voice with a full, clear, smooth, open, mellow, rich and musical quality’.

Well, isn’t a “rotunda” a round stage where bands used to play? Where did all the bands go????

pokies

pepe said:

bluegreen said:

pepe said:

abjure
arrant
autocracy

abjure – to give in to an argument? to agree?
arrant
autocracy – think highly of oneself?

either you, dinetta or bon should set the next list of words. obviously individuals have areas of expertise where their vocab is strongest. you’re close to the mark on those two but i’m looking at dictionary definitions which are very specific.

Where is Yeehah when we need her, she had such a wonderful way with the English language that she (and that is not the Cat’s Mother) would contribute delightfully to this thread in question.

bluegreen said:

bon008 said:

Wow, I was way off today.. hehe :)

or we were :)

Nah, I can never wait to look them up – I do it right after I’ve finished guessing!

pepe said:

orotund means ‘imposing, pompous and grandiloquent’. since rotund is fat it might mean oral fatness as in ‘a voice with a full, clear, smooth, open, mellow, rich and musical quality’.
odium is hatred or abhorrence – odious is the adjective.
obfuscate is to perplex or confuse.

since i can’t speel to save my life i’m an imposter in this role. i set one last group of three and then abjure my arrant autocracy.

abjure
arrant
autocracy

arrant syn., errant?

pain master said:

Where is Yeehah when we need her, she had such a wonderful way with the English language that she (and that is not the Cat’s Mother) would contribute delightfully to this thread in question.

She does indeed. I think $$ constrains her access to the internet…she also has a BA in Linguistics…

roughbarked said:

pepe said:

orotund means ‘imposing, pompous and grandiloquent’. since rotund is fat it might mean oral fatness as in ‘a voice with a full, clear, smooth, open, mellow, rich and musical quality’.
odium is hatred or abhorrence – odious is the adjective.
obfuscate is to perplex or confuse.

since i can’t speel to save my life i’m an imposter in this role. i set one last group of three and then abjure my arrant autocracy.

abjure
arrant
autocracy

arrant syn., errant?

arrant is notoriously, thoroughly, and downright bad (note oxford comma), whereas errant is to stray a bit whilst on a journey?.
autrocracy is rule by an absolute monarch. i’m not sure how it varies from dictatorship.
abjure is to renounce past errors.

today’s words by ……….. someone else please

pepe said:

today’s words by ……….. someone else please

OK, here we go – inspired by fantasy novels. I also have a shortlist in mind based on historical naval novels, if tomorrow’s spot is free too :D Although by the time I get up on a Saturday, it will be afternoon for you lot.

Gambeson

Sapper

Bailey

Nobody likes my words :(

bon008 said:

pepe said:

today’s words by ……….. someone else please

OK, here we go – inspired by fantasy novels. I also have a shortlist in mind based on historical naval novels, if tomorrow’s spot is free too :D Although by the time I get up on a Saturday, it will be afternoon for you lot.

Gambeson

Sapper

Bailey

Never heard of gambeson…how far back in the English language does it go?

Sapper…that’s somebody in the army….originally they used to string wires between communication points, usually in the trenches, but now it means a communications technician, usually “on the ground”, and usually in the army (don’t think you get sappers in the air force or navy)…

Bailey is from “bailiff”…the “Old Bailey” would have been a nickname derived from this fact…a bailiff was responsible for serving notices / summonses to appear in court, they also delivered bankruptcy notices and sealed off the properties of the bankrupts…very busy person, the bailiff…also very rich people had one to attend to business for them…

Dinetta said:

Never heard of gambeson…how far back in the English language does it go?

Sapper…that’s somebody in the army….originally they used to string wires between communication points, usually in the trenches, but now it means a communications technician, usually “on the ground”, and usually in the army (don’t think you get sappers in the air force or navy)…

Bailey is from “bailiff”…the “Old Bailey” would have been a nickname derived from this fact…a bailiff was responsible for serving notices / summonses to appear in court, they also delivered bankruptcy notices and sealed off the properties of the bankrupts…very busy person, the bailiff…also very rich people had one to attend to business for them…

Hmm. As a complete guess, it seems medieval to me, since a lot of the cultural references in the books I read feel that way. Let me look it up for other clues.. 1300–50, apparently.

Definitely on the right track with sapper.

Bailiff I’m not sure – bailey is used a lot in the books I read but I don’t think I’ve ever seen bailiffs mentioned. They could well be from the same root though?

bon008 said:

pepe said:

today’s words by ……….. someone else please

OK, here we go – inspired by fantasy novels. I also have a shortlist in mind based on historical naval novels, if tomorrow’s spot is free too :D Although by the time I get up on a Saturday, it will be afternoon for you lot.

Gambeson

Sapper

Bailey

sapper is an army bloke – mine clearer?.
bailey is a tower or a keep within a castle – or maybe those towers around the edge of a castle.

is gambeson something to do with armour? – a fancy sword or lance?

pepe said:

bon008 said:

pepe said:

today’s words by ……….. someone else please

OK, here we go – inspired by fantasy novels. I also have a shortlist in mind based on historical naval novels, if tomorrow’s spot is free too :D Although by the time I get up on a Saturday, it will be afternoon for you lot.

Gambeson

Sapper

Bailey

sapper is an army bloke – mine clearer?.
bailey is a tower or a keep within a castle – or maybe those towers around the edge of a castle.

is gambeson something to do with armour? – a fancy sword or lance?

Pretty close on all three, pepe :) I’ll put the definitions up before I go home from work, so in just under 3 hours

Gambeson: Ancient leather or quilted cloth worn under the habergeon (sleeveless mail coat, lighter than a hauberk).. .

Sapper: A private in the engineers (my dad was one until he was promoted). Their jobs did include mine clearing, mine laying, bridge building, road building, moving of trucks and artillery, maintenance of equipment and may other engineering type things that meant the army could function and arrive on time, with all the eqiuipment in order. Two fgamous examples my dad did.. was fool Rommel with cardboard and plywood cut-outs of tank silhouiettes.. Sneaked out and moved them around at night and thus ran Rommel out of fuel at Tobruk . . The other was to get 25 pound field guns up the Owen Stanley ranges at Kokoda.

Bailey: remember the song “I’m bound for Botany Bay”? .. farewell to the well known old bailey… ?
Is the outer wall of a feudal castle: hence the outer court or any court within the walls. The old Bailey in London was the ancient bailey between Ludgate and Newgate.
comes from the French baille: pallisade of enclosure.

roughbarked said:

Gambeson: Ancient leather or quilted cloth worn under the habergeon (sleeveless mail coat, lighter than a hauberk).. .

Sapper: A private in the engineers (my dad was one until he was promoted). Their jobs did include mine clearing, mine laying, bridge building, road building, moving of trucks and artillery, maintenance of equipment and may other engineering type things that meant the army could function and arrive on time, with all the eqiuipment in order. Two fgamous examples my dad did.. was fool Rommel with cardboard and plywood cut-outs of tank silhouiettes.. Sneaked out and moved them around at night and thus ran Rommel out of fuel at Tobruk . . The other was to get 25 pound field guns up the Owen Stanley ranges at Kokoda.

Bailey: remember the song “I’m bound for Botany Bay”? .. farewell to the well known old bailey… ?
Is the outer wall of a feudal castle: hence the outer court or any court within the walls. The old Bailey in London was the ancient bailey between Ludgate and Newgate.
comes from the French baille: pallisade of enclosure.

RB wins!

The books I read are set in a medieval sort of society, so the sappers mostly do tunnelling under walls and such – no landmines, but some use of explosives. Some amazing things your dad did, RB.

Well, no point putting up the dictionary definitions, since RB is spot on :) And everyone else was really close!

congratulations to RoughBarked…what a character your father was, and as they say, like father like son… ;)

If you go go Wikipedia, and look up both “bailiff” and “bailey”, you will see that the two words can be confused after a while, but I mention this merely to be pedantic… :P!!

bon008 said:

pepe said:

today’s words by ……….. someone else please

OK, here we go – inspired by fantasy novels. I also have a shortlist in mind based on historical naval novels, if tomorrow’s spot is free too :D Although by the time I get up on a Saturday, it will be afternoon for you lot.

Gambeson

Sapper

Bailey

Sapper is a soldier.

pain master said:

bon008 said:

pepe said:

today’s words by ……….. someone else please

OK, here we go – inspired by fantasy novels. I also have a shortlist in mind based on historical naval novels, if tomorrow’s spot is free too :D Although by the time I get up on a Saturday, it will be afternoon for you lot.

Gambeson

Sapper

Bailey

Sapper is a soldier.

I know roughy and his wonderful father have described Sapper well, but in the Army, yes Sapper’s are Privates, they are Privates of the engineering corps. A Gunner is the equivalent in the Artillery and there is another which I forget.

Fantastic stuff by your Father. I have stood at the point where they got the 25-pounder guns and looked across the Goldie River at Imita and Ioribaiwa Ridge to where the Japanese were entrenched.

pain master said:

pain master said:

bon008 said:

OK, here we go – inspired by fantasy novels. I also have a shortlist in mind based on historical naval novels, if tomorrow’s spot is free too :D Although by the time I get up on a Saturday, it will be afternoon for you lot.

Gambeson

Sapper

Bailey

Sapper is a soldier.

I know roughy and his wonderful father have described Sapper well, but in the Army, yes Sapper’s are Privates, they are Privates of the engineering corps. A Gunner is the equivalent in the Artillery and there is another which I forget.

Fantastic stuff by your Father. I have stood at the point where they got the 25-pounder guns and looked across the Goldie River at Imita and Ioribaiwa Ridge to where the Japanese were entrenched.

Tobuk was a sapper’s nightmare

as was Kokoda, sorry no photos, only photos of after Kokoda. Photos from Lae and Rabaul. not scanned yet.
Yes, the other soldiers whinged about the mud and the malaria but they didn’t have a 25 pounder to pull up the slopes.

roughbarked said:

Gambeson: Ancient leather or quilted cloth worn under the habergeon (sleeveless mail coat, lighter than a hauberk).. .

Sapper: A private in the engineers (my dad was one until he was promoted). Their jobs did include mine clearing, mine laying, bridge building, road building, moving of trucks and artillery, maintenance of equipment and may other engineering type things that meant the army could function and arrive on time, with all the eqiuipment in order. Two fgamous examples my dad did.. was fool Rommel with cardboard and plywood cut-outs of tank silhouiettes.. Sneaked out and moved them around at night and thus ran Rommel out of fuel at Tobruk . . The other was to get 25 pound field guns up the Owen Stanley ranges at Kokoda.

Bailey: remember the song “I’m bound for Botany Bay”? .. farewell to the well known old bailey… ?
Is the outer wall of a feudal castle: hence the outer court or any court within the walls. The old Bailey in London was the ancient bailey between Ludgate and Newgate.
comes from the French baille: pallisade of enclosure.

i have read about those mock tanks at el alamein. so after being a private sapper what’s the promotion to – sargeant sapper?

an outer bailey – of course ! – it’s the ground between the wall and the keep.

pepe said:

roughbarked said:

Gambeson: Ancient leather or quilted cloth worn under the habergeon (sleeveless mail coat, lighter than a hauberk).. .

Sapper: A private in the engineers (my dad was one until he was promoted). Their jobs did include mine clearing, mine laying, bridge building, road building, moving of trucks and artillery, maintenance of equipment and may other engineering type things that meant the army could function and arrive on time, with all the eqiuipment in order. Two fgamous examples my dad did.. was fool Rommel with cardboard and plywood cut-outs of tank silhouiettes.. Sneaked out and moved them around at night and thus ran Rommel out of fuel at Tobruk . . The other was to get 25 pound field guns up the Owen Stanley ranges at Kokoda.

Bailey: remember the song “I’m bound for Botany Bay”? .. farewell to the well known old bailey… ?
Is the outer wall of a feudal castle: hence the outer court or any court within the walls. The old Bailey in London was the ancient bailey between Ludgate and Newgate.
comes from the French baille: pallisade of enclosure.

i have read about those mock tanks at el alamein. so after being a private sapper what’s the promotion to – sargeant sapper?

an outer bailey – of course ! – it’s the ground between the wall and the keep.

first promotion is lance corporal, then corporal before sergeant. Yes, dad was at El Alemein too. I must get around to scanning all his photo’s for posterity’s sake. Some are captured German and Italian photos so could be of use to someone out here.

roughbarked said:

pepe said:

roughbarked said:

Gambeson: Ancient leather or quilted cloth worn under the habergeon (sleeveless mail coat, lighter than a hauberk).. .

Sapper: A private in the engineers (my dad was one until he was promoted). Their jobs did include mine clearing, mine laying, bridge building, road building, moving of trucks and artillery, maintenance of equipment and may other engineering type things that meant the army could function and arrive on time, with all the eqiuipment in order. Two fgamous examples my dad did.. was fool Rommel with cardboard and plywood cut-outs of tank silhouiettes.. Sneaked out and moved them around at night and thus ran Rommel out of fuel at Tobruk . . The other was to get 25 pound field guns up the Owen Stanley ranges at Kokoda.

Bailey: remember the song “I’m bound for Botany Bay”? .. farewell to the well known old bailey… ?
Is the outer wall of a feudal castle: hence the outer court or any court within the walls. The old Bailey in London was the ancient bailey between Ludgate and Newgate.
comes from the French baille: pallisade of enclosure.

i have read about those mock tanks at el alamein. so after being a private sapper what’s the promotion to – sargeant sapper?

an outer bailey – of course ! – it’s the ground between the wall and the keep.

first promotion is lance corporal, then corporal before sergeant. Yes, dad was at El Alemein too. I must get around to scanning all his photo’s for posterity’s sake. Some are captured German and Italian photos so could be of use to someone out here.

Although the AWM takes only originals and keep them in the best of conditions… my recommendation would be take copies and/or scan and then offer the originals to the AWM.

here’s three words i like. i don’t expect anyone to know them. just look them up – we should know them.

thrawn

telluric

tabula rasa

pepe said:

here’s three words i like. i don’t expect anyone to know them. just look them up – we should know them. thrawn telluric tabula rasa

this topic might be dead for the moment.

thrawn = wrenched, twisted, crooked – thus perverse and stubborn
telluric = of the earth
tabular rasa = originally a waxed tablet with the writing erased or a black surface. also according to the doctrines of Locke – a child’s mind at birth – a blank ready to store impressions.

pepe said:

here’s three words i like. i don’t expect anyone to know them. just look them up – we should know them.

thrawn

telluric

tabula rasa

“Thrawn Janet”…now which one of the Brontes wrote that story???

I think, in that story, it meant her neck was either broken or thrown out of whack so her head didn’t sit straignt…

Have never heard the other two, “tabula rasa” sounds like a foreign language…

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

here’s three words i like. i don’t expect anyone to know them. just look them up – we should know them.

thrawn

telluric

tabula rasa

“Thrawn Janet”…now which one of the Brontes wrote that story???

I think, in that story, it meant her neck was either broken or thrown out of whack so her head didn’t sit straignt…

Have never heard the other two, “tabula rasa” sounds like a foreign language…

This topic certainly is not dead for me: just haven’t been near a computer for 3 days….

Off to check Wiki for the entymology (or is that “etymology”?)

Dinetta said:

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

here’s three words i like. i don’t expect anyone to know them. just look them up – we should know them.

thrawn

telluric

tabula rasa

“Thrawn Janet”…now which one of the Brontes wrote that story???

I think, in that story, it meant her neck was either broken or thrown out of whack so her head didn’t sit straignt…

Have never heard the other two, “tabula rasa” sounds like a foreign language…

This topic certainly is not dead for me: just haven’t been near a computer for 3 days….

Off to check Wiki for the entymology (or is that “etymology”?)

I have absolutely no idea with these words.

etymology = words, entomology = insects? Is that right? They’re very easy to confuse..

Climbing to the top..

>etymology = words, entomology = insects

When you get on a bit the words on the page looks like insects.

The world goes in a big circle. Get it wrong, wait long enough and you are right.

colliewa said:

>etymology = words, entomology = insects

When you get on a bit the words on the page looks like insects.

The world goes in a big circle. Get it wrong, wait long enough and you are right.

Hehe :)

colliewa said:

>etymology = words, entomology = insects

When you get on a bit the words on the page looks like insects.

The world goes in a big circle. Get it wrong, wait long enough and you are right.

I wish that were true.

an abc news host used this word this morning – so i guess it’s becoming common

asinine

pepe said:

an abc news host used this word this morning – so i guess it’s becoming common

asinine

Argh, I know I should know this one – I have a strong feeling about it, but I can’t put it into words! I think I would get it better in context.

Is it.. when someone’s being a bit.. superficial, facetious.. Oh, now it’s going to drive me mad until I look it up!

pepe said:

an abc news host used this word this morning – so i guess it’s becoming common

asinine

a kind of facetious stupidity…even dumber than frivolous…

pepe said:

an abc news host used this word this morning – so i guess it’s becoming common

asinine

in context please? Did the ABC news host say to her co-host “Get your asinine, the commercial network has offered you a job with Ray Martin”?

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

an abc news host used this word this morning – so i guess it’s becoming common

asinine

a kind of facetious stupidity…even dumber than frivolous…

so I was kinda right with my Ray Martin reference?

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

an abc news host used this word this morning – so i guess it’s becoming common

asinine

a kind of facetious stupidity…even dumber than frivolous…

so I was kinda right with my Ray Martin reference?

Kinda…

pain master said:

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

an abc news host used this word this morning – so i guess it’s becoming common

asinine

a kind of facetious stupidity…even dumber than frivolous…

so I was kinda right with my Ray Martin reference?

the ass bit is right but – ass as in donkey – not ass as in tight buns.
dinetta is right – asinine is obstinate, stupid and silly. (human nature really LOL)

“Perhaps she did, for the lambent stare from within the hood blinked twice before Caolwn turned to the door.”
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb.

define lambent

From the online dictionary.

Main Entry: lam·bent
Pronunciation: \ˈlam-bənt\
Function: adjective
Etymology: Latin lambent-, lambens, present participle of lambere to lick — more at lap
Date: 1647
1 : playing lightly on or over a surface : flickering
2 : softly bright or radiant
3 : marked by lightness or brilliance especially of expression

— lam·bent·ly adverb

pepe said:

“Perhaps she did, for the lambent stare from within the hood blinked twice before Caolwn turned to the door.”
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb.

define lambent

A sheep who bats for the opposition.

pain master said:

pepe said:

“Perhaps she did, for the lambent stare from within the hood blinked twice before Caolwn turned to the door.”
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb.

define lambent

A sheep who bats for the opposition.

geez the world is nuts today – i give you a context and you do this to me.

pepe said:

“Perhaps she did, for the lambent stare from within the hood blinked twice before Caolwn turned to the door.”
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb.

define lambent

I’m still working on that one…have been for some years…need to read it in various contexts a few more times…I’m guessing either passive, or a stare where people look like they’re not seeing anything, but they really are (seeing something)…

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

“Perhaps she did, for the lambent stare from within the hood blinked twice before Caolwn turned to the door.”
Ship of Magic by Robin Hobb.

define lambent

I’m still working on that one…have been for some years…need to read it in various contexts a few more times…I’m guessing either passive, or a stare where people look like they’re not seeing anything, but they really are (seeing something)…

well the stare was bent upon something possibly lam or lame.. but I’d drop the L and replace it with an i as in ambient.

here is something that always confuses me:

what is the difference between enquiry and inquiry?

bluegreen said:

here is something that always confuses me:

what is the difference between enquiry and inquiry?

an enquiry is just a question

an inquiry is an interrogation

bluegreen said:

here is something that always confuses me:

what is the difference between enquiry and inquiry?

The “en” generally signifies an action, whereas the “in” is generally passive…

So you enquire as to something, then ask how your inquiry is going…

a bit like affect and effect, and immigration and emigrate…

roughbarked said:

bluegreen said:

here is something that always confuses me:

what is the difference between enquiry and inquiry?

an enquiry is just a question

an inquiry is an interrogation

Whoops…

*lambent *
touching lightly or playing lightly over the surface
softly radiant
gently brilliant

now all i have to do is work it into a sentence somehow.

pepe said:

*lambent *
touching lightly or playing lightly over the surface
softly radiant
gently brilliant

now all i have to do is work it into a sentence somehow.

I’d go for my definition, Pepe, where the gaze is there but you’re not sure if the gazer is really looking at the object…

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

*lambent *
touching lightly or playing lightly over the surface
softly radiant
gently brilliant

now all i have to do is work it into a sentence somehow.

I’d go for my definition, Pepe, where the gaze is there but you’re not sure if the gazer is really looking at the object…

fair enough. i need a few more contexts to be sure – altho’ it might just be a loosely defined word??

pepe said:

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

*lambent *
touching lightly or playing lightly over the surface
softly radiant
gently brilliant

now all i have to do is work it into a sentence somehow.

I’d go for my definition, Pepe, where the gaze is there but you’re not sure if the gazer is really looking at the object…

fair enough. i need a few more contexts to be sure – altho’ it might just be a loosely defined word??

one of those thoughtful gazes? Where the gazee is looking at the subject, without really seeing it, whilst lost in thought?

Pepe are you writing a book?!

Am I “allowed” to look at a dictionary in my hand, just to check the origin of the word, or would that be cheating??

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

Dinetta said:

I’d go for my definition, Pepe, where the gaze is there but you’re not sure if the gazer is really looking at the object…

fair enough. i need a few more contexts to be sure – altho’ it might just be a loosely defined word??

one of those thoughtful gazes? Where the gazee is looking at the subject, without really seeing it, whilst lost in thought?

Pepe are you writing a book?!

Am I “allowed” to look at a dictionary in my hand, just to check the origin of the word, or would that be cheating??

No, that’s “Gazer”…drat…getting tangled now…

no book – it’s mainly a interest when reading books – and i guess – this ‘ere medium (the forum) will attract those with a command of the language.

So I can look up a manual dictionary? This has got me intrigued…I don’t recognise the syllable construction, if you know what I mean…

Dinetta said:

So I can look up a manual dictionary? This has got me intrigued…I don’t recognise the syllable construction, if you know what I mean…

there are no rules so you can use any reference. i think it’s more interesting if people give an immediate response first. i presume the aim of this topic is just to broaden vocab.

i don’t recognise the etymology of any words – since i never studied latin or any language (except spoken spanish).

Spanish! you could talk to Ragamuffin then…she is fluent in Portuguese and not too bad in Spanish…

I have checked The Concise Oxford Dictionary…

“Lam/bent, adjective. (Of flame or light) playing on serface without burning it, with soft radiance; (of eyes, sky, etc) softly radiant; (of wit, etc) gently brilliant. Hence ~ENCY noun, ~ENTLY adverb. {from Latin lambere lick, ENT}

I’m getting the hang of the meaning now…

Dinetta said:

pepe said:

Dinetta said:

I’d go for my definition, Pepe, where the gaze is there but you’re not sure if the gazer is really looking at the object…

fair enough. i need a few more contexts to be sure – altho’ it might just be a loosely defined word??

one of those thoughtful gazes? Where the gazee is looking at the subject, without really seeing it, whilst lost in thought?

Pepe are you writing a book?!

Am I “allowed” to look at a dictionary in my hand, just to check the origin of the word, or would that be cheating??

It’s not cheating if you are learning. I’d be lost if I couldn’t use a dictionary any time I write.

pepe said:

no book – it’s mainly a interest when reading books – and i guess – this ‘ere medium (the forum) will attract those with a command of the language.

I wish I had the command that you lot seem to have.

pomolo said:

It’s not cheating if you are learning. I’d be lost if I couldn’t use a dictionary any time I write.

The “cheating” aspect relates to the very first post on this thread…where Pepe suggests we try to submit our own meanings of words without looking up dictionaries first…this thread’s a kind of game for we language pedants…

We all (who are interested) have a “go” at submitting our meanings for words that are put up, and then we check a dictionary…

pomolo said:

pepe said:

no book – it’s mainly a interest when reading books – and i guess – this ‘ere medium (the forum) will attract those with a command of the language.

I wish I had the command that you lot seem to have.

you do very well!!

Some of us manage idiom better than others…every body here has his/her own style. which I find fascinating…