I wonder when this term died? I've never heard it before. Are there any recent uses of it?AfghanistanismU.S. colloq.Preoccupation (esp. of journalists) with events far distant, as a diversion from controversial issues at home (see quots.).
Month: November 2007
Trust me.
A short little word, apparently obsolete, with a variety of general and specific meanings.affy, v.Obs.1. trans. To trust, confide (a thing to a person); but from the beginning refl. To confide oneself, trust to, on, or in.2. intr. (by omission of refl. pron.) To confide, trust, rely, put trust. Const. in, rarely on.3. trans. To … Continue reading Trust me.
No! Not the face!
The origin of this word is from an Old French word meaning to hit someone in the face. The literal meaning didn't come over to English, but I like the emphasis placed on the severity via the analogy.affront, v.1. To insult (a person or thing personified) to his face, to treat with avowed or open … Continue reading No! Not the face!
Bwahahaha!
Simply too funny to pass up. There's not much here, but I laughed. That below is all there was, no alternate spellings, pronunciation, citations; there was nothing else in the entry.affricke bird‘A coward, one in gay cloathes.’ Cockeram 1626.----------------Listening to: King's X - Dogman - 06 - Fool Youvia FoxyTunes
It’s really "funny". Really.
What is? The "Blog" of "Unnecessary" Quotation Marks, of course. I haven't read all the posts, but the most recent couple pages worth that I scanned quickly seem clean. Funny too, not just "funny".----------------Listening to: Metallica - Metallica - 05 - Wherever I May Roamvia FoxyTunes
Just don’t spit when you do it.
Sounds to me like it ought to be the opposite of "lubricant". I guess not.The first phonetics word!affricate, n.Phonetics.A close combination of an explosive consonant or ‘stop’ with an immediately following fricative or spirant of corresponding position, as in Ger. pf, z (= ts). Also called affricative.----------------Listening to: Kenny Wayne Shepherd Band - Trouble Is... … Continue reading Just don’t spit when you do it.
Thanks be to God.
Thanksgiving yesterday was a good day. Spent most of the afternoon and evening with friends.I've been thinking a bit about Thanksgiving and find it odd (though not necessarily bad, I guess) that people without a faith in God still celebrate Thanksgiving. Christmas, oddly enough, is easier to understand with all the secular hoopla that's been … Continue reading Thanks be to God.
License to pun
We've all heard someone make a pun on "a frayed knot/afraid not", yeah? Turns out it's not just a stupid joke, the words really are connected.affray, v.Obs. or arch.1. To disturb, or startle, from sleep or quiet, as a sudden noise does; passing into the sense of alarm, as the effect of such startling. arch.b. … Continue reading License to pun
Soundly on the noggin.
When my brothers and I used to cut up in church, my mother would do this with her knuckle. Got my attention, let me tell you. What a great word.affrap, v.Obs. rare.To strike, strike against. (With or without object expressed.)----------------Listening to: Kenny Wayne Shepherd - Live On - 12 - Live Onvia FoxyTunes
I can see the connection to crossing rivers.
I hadn't thought of the words deriving from the sense of "forward", but it makes sense now that I've been told.afford, v.orig. To further, promote; hence achieve, manage to do, manage to give, have the power to give, give what is in one's power, supply, yield.1. To forward or advance to or towards completion: hence, … Continue reading I can see the connection to crossing rivers.
Neh 