n 1: the acoustic effect produced by words so formed or combined as to please the ear 2: a harmonious succession of words having a pleasing sound
The poet chose words for the sake of euphony and rhythm as well as rhyme.
Did You Know?
"Euphony" was borrowed from French at the beginning of the 17th century; the French word (euphonie) itself derives from the Late Latin euphonia, which in turn traces back to the Greek adjective euphonos, meaning "sweet-voiced" or "musical." Euphonos was formed by combining the prefix eu- ("good") and phone ("voice"). In addition to its more commonly recognized senses, "euphony" also has a more specific meaning in the field of linguistics, where it can refer to the preference for words that are easy to pronounce; this preference may be the cause of an observed trend of people altering the pronunciation of certain words - apparently in favor of sound combinations that are simpler and faster to say out loud.
Page-A-Day Calendar
http://www.pageaday.com/
Workman Publishing
In my world...
I'm sure that, in a past life, I was a songwriter...but I will probable never manage to write a song in this life...
Showing posts with label page-a-day calendar. Show all posts
Showing posts with label page-a-day calendar. Show all posts
Monday, 17 January 2011
Sunday, 16 January 2011
hare
v: to go swiftly: tear
Watching out for icy patches, Andrew hared along the country road on his motorbike.
Did You Know?
The hare in Aesop's fable may have lost the race with the tortoise due to the need for a nap, but the long-eared mammal's overall reputation for swiftness remains intact. The noun "hare" (referring to a member of the genus Lepus, whose young are usually able to hop a few minutes after birth) first appeared as hara in a Latin/Old English glossary around the year 700. The verb was in use by 1719, and people have been "haring off" and "haring about" ever since.
Page-A-Day Calendar
http://www.pageaday.com/
Workman Publishing
In My World...
I never knew this could be a verb. I guess it's a bit like a lot of these twenty-first century websites that we have. You know, like "Google," which used to be a website and then became a verb: "I googled the company before my interview. Or "Facebook." Although, FB is more about the "fb-creeping" than "facebooking." Twitter, on the other hand, went straight to verb: I was late for work this morning because I was "tweeting" and missed my bus stop.
Watching out for icy patches, Andrew hared along the country road on his motorbike.
Did You Know?
The hare in Aesop's fable may have lost the race with the tortoise due to the need for a nap, but the long-eared mammal's overall reputation for swiftness remains intact. The noun "hare" (referring to a member of the genus Lepus, whose young are usually able to hop a few minutes after birth) first appeared as hara in a Latin/Old English glossary around the year 700. The verb was in use by 1719, and people have been "haring off" and "haring about" ever since.
Page-A-Day Calendar
http://www.pageaday.com/
Workman Publishing
In My World...
I never knew this could be a verb. I guess it's a bit like a lot of these twenty-first century websites that we have. You know, like "Google," which used to be a website and then became a verb: "I googled the company before my interview. Or "Facebook." Although, FB is more about the "fb-creeping" than "facebooking." Twitter, on the other hand, went straight to verb: I was late for work this morning because I was "tweeting" and missed my bus stop.
Tuesday, 11 January 2011
tutoyer
v: to address familiarly
"Yes, now (to the outside world) we were on first-name terms, now to anyone within earshot I tutoyered him." - Marie Brenner, Tell Me Everything
Did You Know?
In conversational French, the pronoun vous ("you") is used for formal address of individuals (as well as plural addresses familiar or otherwise), while the singular pronoun tu (also "you," a relative of Middle English thou) is reserved for use among intimate friends. A person who uses tu to address his or her elders, for example, is committing a breach of etiquette. The French verb tutoyer - literally "to address with the pronoun tu" - was borrowed into English in the late 17th century to refer to this concept. The English "tutoyer" is still used in reference to people speaking French (as English does not discriminate between intimate and formal address in its pronouns), but it can also apply to casual address among English-speakers.
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world...
I think social media has reduced us all to tutoyering one another. Seriously, how can we offer anybody that much respect after we've seen a hundred pictures of them smashed at some party? Just saying...
"Yes, now (to the outside world) we were on first-name terms, now to anyone within earshot I tutoyered him." - Marie Brenner, Tell Me Everything
Did You Know?
In conversational French, the pronoun vous ("you") is used for formal address of individuals (as well as plural addresses familiar or otherwise), while the singular pronoun tu (also "you," a relative of Middle English thou) is reserved for use among intimate friends. A person who uses tu to address his or her elders, for example, is committing a breach of etiquette. The French verb tutoyer - literally "to address with the pronoun tu" - was borrowed into English in the late 17th century to refer to this concept. The English "tutoyer" is still used in reference to people speaking French (as English does not discriminate between intimate and formal address in its pronouns), but it can also apply to casual address among English-speakers.
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world...
I think social media has reduced us all to tutoyering one another. Seriously, how can we offer anybody that much respect after we've seen a hundred pictures of them smashed at some party? Just saying...
Monday, 10 January 2011
subvention
n: the provision of assistance or financial support (as from a government or foundation)
The earliest documented subvention for the science museum was a grant from the federal government in 1853.
Did You Know?
A subvention is a form of assistance, so it should come as no surprise that the word itself can be traced back to the Late Latin noun subventio, meaning "assistance." Subventio in turn derives from Latin subvenire, meaning "to come up" or "to come to the rescue." (Another descendant of subvenire in English is the more common word "souvenir") "Subvention" also functions as a verb meaning "to provide with a subvention." The verb "subvention" is a very uncommon word, and it has the equally uncommon synonym "subvent."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world...
It has been suggested that I take a subvention, while getting my writing underway. My reluctance to do so makes me think that being from Saskatchewan was all a hoax: I'm too capitalist to do rely on socialism for my crazy ideas; however, I think nothing less of artists who take grants...
The earliest documented subvention for the science museum was a grant from the federal government in 1853.
Did You Know?
A subvention is a form of assistance, so it should come as no surprise that the word itself can be traced back to the Late Latin noun subventio, meaning "assistance." Subventio in turn derives from Latin subvenire, meaning "to come up" or "to come to the rescue." (Another descendant of subvenire in English is the more common word "souvenir") "Subvention" also functions as a verb meaning "to provide with a subvention." The verb "subvention" is a very uncommon word, and it has the equally uncommon synonym "subvent."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world...
It has been suggested that I take a subvention, while getting my writing underway. My reluctance to do so makes me think that being from Saskatchewan was all a hoax: I'm too capitalist to do rely on socialism for my crazy ideas; however, I think nothing less of artists who take grants...
Sunday, 9 January 2011
oldster
n: an old or elderly person
More and more oldsters are embracing the Internet and interacting by using social networking websites.
Did You Know?
To mariners, a "youngster" is a midshipman who has served less than four years. This use is connected with the Dutch word younker, which, like "youngster," refers to a young person as well as a young seaman. Similarly, an oldster is a midshipman of four years' standing. The earliest known use of "oldster" meaning "old person" is in Charles Dickens' Dombey & Son(1848): "Her eyes would play the Devil with the youngsters before long - 'and the oldsters too, Sir, if you come to that," addded the Major."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world...
I truly enjoy oldsters. In my old job, I would cherish the moments when they would come in, have a seat at my desk, and just talk because they were lonely. Perhaps, at some point, I would enjoy working for a calling centre...if only because I would relish the conversations with the lonely oldsters...
More and more oldsters are embracing the Internet and interacting by using social networking websites.
Did You Know?
To mariners, a "youngster" is a midshipman who has served less than four years. This use is connected with the Dutch word younker, which, like "youngster," refers to a young person as well as a young seaman. Similarly, an oldster is a midshipman of four years' standing. The earliest known use of "oldster" meaning "old person" is in Charles Dickens' Dombey & Son(1848): "Her eyes would play the Devil with the youngsters before long - 'and the oldsters too, Sir, if you come to that," addded the Major."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world...
I truly enjoy oldsters. In my old job, I would cherish the moments when they would come in, have a seat at my desk, and just talk because they were lonely. Perhaps, at some point, I would enjoy working for a calling centre...if only because I would relish the conversations with the lonely oldsters...
Saturday, 8 January 2011
kickshaw
n1: a fancy dish 2: a showy trifle
The shop was filled with refrigerator magnets, back-scratchers, snow globes, and other kickshaws, all adorned with images of smiling pigs.
Did You Know?
This noun began its career in the late 16th century as a borrowing from the French quelque chose - literally, "something." In line with the French pronunciation of the day, the "l" was dropped and the word was anglicized as "kickshaws" or "kickshoes." English-speakers soon lost all consciousness of the word's French origin and, by taking "kickshaws" as plural, created the new singular noun "kickshaw."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world....
As I packed up my Christmas decorations, I realized that I should get rid of some of my kickshaws...otherwise known as JUNK!
The shop was filled with refrigerator magnets, back-scratchers, snow globes, and other kickshaws, all adorned with images of smiling pigs.
Did You Know?
This noun began its career in the late 16th century as a borrowing from the French quelque chose - literally, "something." In line with the French pronunciation of the day, the "l" was dropped and the word was anglicized as "kickshaws" or "kickshoes." English-speakers soon lost all consciousness of the word's French origin and, by taking "kickshaws" as plural, created the new singular noun "kickshaw."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
In my world....
As I packed up my Christmas decorations, I realized that I should get rid of some of my kickshaws...otherwise known as JUNK!
Thursday, 6 January 2011
jimjams
n pl: jitters
"Just thinking about my class presentation today gives me the jimjams," confided Joseph to his roommate.
Did You Know?
When "jimjams" entered English in the mid-19th century, it probably referred to delirium tremens, a violent delirium caused by excessive drinking. When used in current American Enlgish, it means simply "jitters." Etymologist aren't sure about the origin of the term. Some speculate that it came about as an alteration of "delirium tremens." Others, though uncertain of the origin of "jim" and "jam," notice that the word follows a pattern of similar words in which one sound is repeated or altered slightly. Interestingly, other words for "jitters" were formed in the same repetitive way - "whim-whams" and "heebie-jeebies" are examples.
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
This word is ridiculous!!! I have never heard it used before. Wouldn't you just call that colloquial slang?
"Just thinking about my class presentation today gives me the jimjams," confided Joseph to his roommate.
Did You Know?
When "jimjams" entered English in the mid-19th century, it probably referred to delirium tremens, a violent delirium caused by excessive drinking. When used in current American Enlgish, it means simply "jitters." Etymologist aren't sure about the origin of the term. Some speculate that it came about as an alteration of "delirium tremens." Others, though uncertain of the origin of "jim" and "jam," notice that the word follows a pattern of similar words in which one sound is repeated or altered slightly. Interestingly, other words for "jitters" were formed in the same repetitive way - "whim-whams" and "heebie-jeebies" are examples.
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
This word is ridiculous!!! I have never heard it used before. Wouldn't you just call that colloquial slang?
Wednesday, 5 January 2011
flack
v.: to provide publicity: engage in press agentry
The billionaire's ex-wife has been flacking for her juicy tell-all on all the popular talk shows.
Did You Know?
The word "flack" was first used as a noun meaning "publicity agent" in the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to Gene Flack, a well-known movie publicist of the time. Another rumor holds that "flack" derives from a similar-sounding Yiddish word for someone who talks about someone else's affairs. The editors of MErriam-Webster dictionaries remain skeptical about these claims and have listed the etymology of "flack" as "unknown." We can say with confidence, however, that the verb form of the word had begun appearing in print by 1963. You may also be familiar with another "flack" - a noun meaning "criticism" or "opposition." This unrelated homograph stems from a misspelling of "flak," a German acronym and English word for antiaircraft guns.
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
This word, as well, is useful to bloggers...and Facebook or Twitter users. I was listening to the radio the other day (on my actual radio, not the internet), and they were discussing how facebook has replaced google as the most used internet site. An explanation for this was that we are lazy and don't want to look things up for ourselves, instead we would like our trusted friends and colleagues to find the interesting "news" articles for us and share them on facebook. I think that's a fairly accurate description of what is happening to our society...somehow, though, it doesn't explain all those requests to play farmville on facebook...unless you call that a "news" item as well, which might, these days, qualify as one...
The billionaire's ex-wife has been flacking for her juicy tell-all on all the popular talk shows.
Did You Know?
The word "flack" was first used as a noun meaning "publicity agent" in the late 1930s. According to one rumor, the word was coined in tribute to Gene Flack, a well-known movie publicist of the time. Another rumor holds that "flack" derives from a similar-sounding Yiddish word for someone who talks about someone else's affairs. The editors of MErriam-Webster dictionaries remain skeptical about these claims and have listed the etymology of "flack" as "unknown." We can say with confidence, however, that the verb form of the word had begun appearing in print by 1963. You may also be familiar with another "flack" - a noun meaning "criticism" or "opposition." This unrelated homograph stems from a misspelling of "flak," a German acronym and English word for antiaircraft guns.
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
This word, as well, is useful to bloggers...and Facebook or Twitter users. I was listening to the radio the other day (on my actual radio, not the internet), and they were discussing how facebook has replaced google as the most used internet site. An explanation for this was that we are lazy and don't want to look things up for ourselves, instead we would like our trusted friends and colleagues to find the interesting "news" articles for us and share them on facebook. I think that's a fairly accurate description of what is happening to our society...somehow, though, it doesn't explain all those requests to play farmville on facebook...unless you call that a "news" item as well, which might, these days, qualify as one...
Sunday, 2 January 2011
exoteric
1:suitable to be imparted to the public. 2: belonging to the outer or less initiate circle. 3:external
Trying to reach a broader audience, the geneticist faced the challenge of producing an exoteric synthesis of complex information.
Did You Know?
This useful word derives from the Latin exotericus, itself from the Greek exoterikos ("external") and ultimately from exo, meaning "outside." Exo has a number of offspring in English, including "exotic," "exonerate," "exorbitant," and the combing form "exo-" or "ex-" (as in "exoskeleton"). The antonym of "exoteric" is "esoteric," meaning "designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone"; it descends from eso, the Greek word for "within."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
I think this word relates to blogging so much. While journals are esoteric, a blog is most definitely exoteric; however, sometimes what we share is esoteric in its ability to be fully understood...but art isn't supposed to be fully understood...
Trying to reach a broader audience, the geneticist faced the challenge of producing an exoteric synthesis of complex information.
Did You Know?
This useful word derives from the Latin exotericus, itself from the Greek exoterikos ("external") and ultimately from exo, meaning "outside." Exo has a number of offspring in English, including "exotic," "exonerate," "exorbitant," and the combing form "exo-" or "ex-" (as in "exoskeleton"). The antonym of "exoteric" is "esoteric," meaning "designed for or understood by the specially initiated alone"; it descends from eso, the Greek word for "within."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.PageADay.com
Workman Publishing
I think this word relates to blogging so much. While journals are esoteric, a blog is most definitely exoteric; however, sometimes what we share is esoteric in its ability to be fully understood...but art isn't supposed to be fully understood...
Monday, 20 December 2010
lollygag
to spend time idly, aimlessly, or foolishly: dawdle
"Please stop lollygagging around and get ready for school," pleaded Mom.
Did You Know?
Nowadays, "lollygag" doesn't usually carry any naughty connotations, but it used to be slang for "fooling around" (sexually, that is). That sense of "lollygag," in use as long ago as 1868, probably originated as an alteration of the older (and more dawdlingly innocent) "lallygag." In 1946, a navy captain considered lollygaggin enough of a problem to issue this warning: "Lovemaking and lollygagging are hereby strictly forbidden... The holding of hands, osculation and constant embracing of WAVES, corpsmen or civilians and sailors or any combination of male and female personnel is a violation of naval discipline..."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.pageaday.com
Workman Publishing
"Please stop lollygagging around and get ready for school," pleaded Mom.
Did You Know?
Nowadays, "lollygag" doesn't usually carry any naughty connotations, but it used to be slang for "fooling around" (sexually, that is). That sense of "lollygag," in use as long ago as 1868, probably originated as an alteration of the older (and more dawdlingly innocent) "lallygag." In 1946, a navy captain considered lollygaggin enough of a problem to issue this warning: "Lovemaking and lollygagging are hereby strictly forbidden... The holding of hands, osculation and constant embracing of WAVES, corpsmen or civilians and sailors or any combination of male and female personnel is a violation of naval discipline..."
Page-A-Day Calendar
www.pageaday.com
Workman Publishing
Sunday, 19 December 2010
potentate
a ruler or sovereign; broadly: one who weild great power or sway
His work as a high-level diplomat frequently brings him into contact with foreign potentates
Did You Know?
Wielding its power in English since the 15th century, "potentate" comes from the Late Latin potent-, meaning "powerful." Other descendants of potent- in English include "potent" itself, "impotent," and omnipotent," as well as the archais "armipotent" and very rare "bellipotent" (meaning, respectively, "mighty in battle" and "mighty in war"). Even"power" and "powerful" can be traced back to potent-
Page-A-Day calendar
www.pageaday.com
Workman Publishing
His work as a high-level diplomat frequently brings him into contact with foreign potentates
Did You Know?
Wielding its power in English since the 15th century, "potentate" comes from the Late Latin potent-, meaning "powerful." Other descendants of potent- in English include "potent" itself, "impotent," and omnipotent," as well as the archais "armipotent" and very rare "bellipotent" (meaning, respectively, "mighty in battle" and "mighty in war"). Even"power" and "powerful" can be traced back to potent-
Page-A-Day calendar
www.pageaday.com
Workman Publishing
Saturday, 18 December 2010
Croesus
adj: a very rich man
There's no doubt that Stan makes a good salary - but he is not a Croesus.
Did You Know?
The original Croesus was a sixth-century B.C. king of Lydia, an ancient realm in what is now Turkey. Croesus conquered many surrounding regions, grew very wealthy, and became the subject of legends. In one legend, he was visited by Solon, the wise Athenian lawgiver. (Historians say this isn't chronologically possible, but it makes a good story.) Solon supposedly told Croesus, who thought he had everything: "Account no man happy before his death." Besides being a generic term for someone extremely wealthy, the name shows up in the phrase, "rich as Croesus."
Page-A-Day calendar
www.pageaday.com
Workman Publishing
There's no doubt that Stan makes a good salary - but he is not a Croesus.
Did You Know?
The original Croesus was a sixth-century B.C. king of Lydia, an ancient realm in what is now Turkey. Croesus conquered many surrounding regions, grew very wealthy, and became the subject of legends. In one legend, he was visited by Solon, the wise Athenian lawgiver. (Historians say this isn't chronologically possible, but it makes a good story.) Solon supposedly told Croesus, who thought he had everything: "Account no man happy before his death." Besides being a generic term for someone extremely wealthy, the name shows up in the phrase, "rich as Croesus."
Page-A-Day calendar
www.pageaday.com
Workman Publishing
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