October 31, 2006
prescind
The Word of the Day for October 31, 2006 is:
prescind • \pri-SIND\ • verb
*1 : intransitive verb : to withdraw one's attention 2 : transitive verb : to detach for purposes of thought
Example sentence:
If we prescind from the main issue for a moment, there is much to be gained by studying some corollary questions.
Did you know?
"Prescind" derives from the Latin verb "praescindere," which means "to cut off in front." "Praescindere," in turn, was formed by combining "prae-" ("before") and "scindere" ("to cut" or "to split"). So it should come as no surprise that when "prescind" began being used during the 17th century, it referred to "cutting off" one's attention from a subject. An earlier (now archaic) sense was even clearer about the etymological origins of the word, with the meaning "to cut short, off, or away" or "to sever." Other descendants of "scindere" include "rescind" and the rare "scissile" ("capable of being cut").
Filed under Fun Words by Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
This is a classic Damn Interesting article which originally appeared on 12 April 2006
Citicorp Center in New YorkWith its distinctive forty-five degree diagonal crown, the Citicorp building is one of the most recognizable skyscrapers on the New York City skyline. At fifty-nine stories, it's the third tallest building in midtown Manhattan, and at the time of its completion it was the seventh-tallest building in the world. At ground level, the huge skyscraper almost seems to hover above Lexington Avenue, held aloft by four massive, 114-foot-tall stilts which are located at the center of each side rather than on the corners. This unusual architecture was one of necessity– the structure had to be built around the landmark St. Peter's Church– but the design left room for a serious engineering flaw which went completely unnoticed during its construction and initial use. Had the weakness not been... (More Inside)
Filed under Interesting Facts by Alan Bellows
October 30, 2006
officious
The Word of the Day for October 30, 2006 is:
officious • \uh-FISH-us\ • adjective
*1 : volunteering one's services where they are neither asked nor needed : meddlesome 2 : informal, unofficial
Example sentence:
Jane wanted to help her neighbors, but she was hesitant to offer assistance for fear of being perceived as officious.
Did you know?
Don't mistake "officious" for a rare synonym of "official." Both words stem from the Latin noun "officium" (meaning "service" or "office"), but they have very different meanings. When the suffix "-osus" ("full of") was added to "officium," Latin "officiosus" came into being, meaning "eager to serve, help, or perform a duty." When this adjective was borrowed into English in the 16th century as "officious," it carried the same meaning. Early in the 17th century, however, "officious" began taking on a negative sense to describe a person who offers unwanted help. This pejorative sense has driven out the original "eager to help" sense to become the predominant meaning of the word in Modern English. "Officious" can also mean "of an informal or unauthorized nature," but that sense isn't especially common.
Filed under Fun Words by Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
October 29, 2006
bonnyclabber
The Word of the Day for October 29, 2006 is:
bonnyclabber • \BAH-nee-klab-er\ • noun
: sour milk that has been thickened or curdled
Example sentence:
When Grandma was a little girl, one of her jobs was to feed the bonnyclabber to the chickens.
Did you know?
In Irish Gaelic, "bainne clabair" means "thickened milk." In English, the equivalent word is "bonnyclabber." Whether or not this bonnyclabber is "the bravest, freshest drink you ever tasted" (as the English Earl of Strafford enthused in 1635) or "would make a hungry parson caper" (to quote English poet Thomas Ward in 1716), it has been a part of country folks' diets for many a year. Today, you might see "bonnyclabber" as a recommended substitute for buttermilk in a recipe for Irish soda bread (complete with directions for making your own bonnyclabber). The American version of bonnyclabber, brought to U.S. shores by Scots-Irish immigrants, often goes one step further in the thickening process, to produce something more akin to cottage cheese.
Filed under Fun Words by Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day
October 28, 2006
Monster Rogue Waves
Giant waves breaking on the deck of the oil freighter Esso LanguedocFor centuries sailors have been telling stories of encountering monstrous ocean waves which tower over one hundred feet in the air and toss ships about like corks. Historically oceanographers have discounted these reports as tall tales– the embellished stories of mariners with too much time at sea. But in the last eleven years scientists have discovered strong evidence indicating that such massive rogue waves do exist. The phenomenon has become the subject of recent scientific study, but their origin remains a mystery of the deep.
About one ship is lost every week in the world's oceans, mostly due to poor seamanship or severe weather. But it now seems likely that at least a small percentage of sea disappearances are due to encounters with these destructive waves. Over the years experienced captains have made very credible reports... (More Inside)
Filed under Interesting Facts by Greg Bjerg