Which is not to be confused with "Inflationary Language". This is a perfect example of how a word can come to mean its exact opposite through use of other words when this word would have been, well, adequate. See sense 2c below.adequate, a.1. Equal in magnitude or extent; commensurate; neither more nor less. Obs.2. a. … Continue reading Word Inflation
Month: June 2007
A golden word
The noun was initially used by alchemists (as you'll read below), which I did not know. The etymology is from the sense of "attainment" rather than "skilled" which is not what I would have expected.adept, a. and n.A. adj. Completely versed (in); thoroughly proficient; well-skilled.B. n. [In med.L. adeptus was used subst. and assumed by … Continue reading A golden word
A scary thought.
You may already know my opinions on the most recent Lord of the Rings movies. If not, this will make them evident. (And if you want to actually read my opinion on one of them, you can find it here.) But I was reading along on a Tolkien board I visit and I ran across … Continue reading A scary thought.
Clean-up time
Last I checked, it was the second news item down the page on my library system's main page. They're going to go through their records and delete all the old cards that haven't been used in two years. There are pros and cons, and it's probably necessary for them to clean out their database to … Continue reading Clean-up time
John Doe is to fauna as ?? is to flora
"Well, all the jokes can't be good. You've got to expect that once in a while." ~ Groucho MarxadelasterBot.A provisional name for a plant of which the flowers are unknown, so that it cannot be as yet referred to its proper genus.
I take it all back.
I feel a bit badly using words in such quick succession. I feel somewhat that there ought to be a significant gap between the words I choose to put up here. Usually there is; sometimes I've read through 50 or 60 words to find another that I wanted to post about. This time it's two … Continue reading I take it all back.
Too good to pass up.
A strange word, seemingly little (if ever) used and a peculiar definition. How could I refrain? It even has an odd-ball alternate spelling. There aren't even any example quotations.adecastic(ke, a.Obs.‘One that will doe iust howsoeuer.’ Cockeram 1626.
Kill a bear, go to jail.
Okay, not quite. But this guy is still being fined for "not securing his campsite". Ridiculous. The man killed a bear with a log because it was coming after his six year-old son! Couldn't he have been cut a little slack? I mean, it was a small bear, but it was still a bear and … Continue reading Kill a bear, go to jail.
Fun x 2!
A couple of fun links from Toshi Station. The first answers that burning question that we've all been kept up at night pondering: What do the Powerpuff Girls' skeletons look like?And the other shows what kinds of fun the folks at Industrial Lights and Magic must have when they get to goof around.
Presented for your consideration.
Thank you, Rod Serling. I tend to confuse this word with "deduce", simply because of the similar appearance and pronunciation. Something I ought to work on, I suppose.adduce, v.To bring forward (verbally) for consideration, to cite, to allege.
Neh 