Short & Sweet Treats discussion

presentiment

PRONUNCIATION:
(pri-ZEN-tuh-ment)

MEANING:
noun: A sense that something is going to happen, especially something bad.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French pressentiment (premonition), from pressentir (to have a premonition), from Latin pre- (before) + sentire (to feel). Ultimately from the Indo-European root sent- (to head for or to go), that is also the source for send, scent, sense, sentence, assent, consent, and ressentiment. Earliest documented use: 1663.

USAGE:
"That the reader has a presentiment of what will happen doesn't necessarily impoverish its affecting mystery."
Ten White Geese; The New Yorker; Mar 11, 2013.

fungible

PRONUNCIATION:
(FUHN-juh-buhl)

MEANING:
adjective: Interchangeable.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin fungi (to perform in place). Earliest documented use: 1765.

NOTES:
When you lend someone a dollar bill, you don't care if he returns the same bill or a different one because money is fungible. Same with things such as gold, a cup of sugar, etc. However, if you lend someone your cell phone, you wouldn't be pleased if he returned a different phone even if it's exactly the same model. That would be an example of something nonfungible.

USAGE:
"Forbidden to own land for most of our two millennia of exile, we gradually became experts in accumulating capital, which is portable, easily inheritable, fungible, and expandable."
Ellen Frankel; Taking Stock; The Jerusalem Report (Israel); May 19, 2014.

ai·lu·ro·phile
noun
\ī-ˈlu̇r-ə-ˌfī(-ə)l, ā-\

Definition of AILUROPHILE

: a cat fancier : a lover of cats

Origin of AILUROPHILE

Greek ailouros cat
First Known Use: 1914

SEMIOPATHY

The tendency to read signs and translate them humorously into inappropriate or sarcastic meanings

Julia wrote: "SEMIOPATHY

The tendency to read signs and translate them humorously into inappropriate or sarcastic meanings

"

Guilty!

Julia wrote: "SEMIOPATHY

The tendency to read signs and translate them humorously into inappropriate or sarcastic meanings

"

I am guilty as well;)

deportment

PRONUNCIATION:
(di-PORT-ment)

MEANING:
noun: The manner in which one conducts oneself in public.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French déportement, from Latin deportare, from de- (away) + portare (carry). Ultimately from the Indo-European root per- (to lead, pass over), which also gave us support, comport, petroleum, sport, passport, colporteur (a peddler of religious books), rapporteur, Norwegian fjord (bay), and Sanskrit parvat (mountain). Earliest documented use: 1601.

USAGE:
"To etiquette expert Judi James, Kate's deportment contrasts pleasingly with other royals' fidgety stiffness."
Charlie Gillis; Queen Making; Maclean's (Toronto, Canada); May 2, 2011.

Great picture, Jen--although I'd hope they'd all throw their books at that woman kneeling! Lordy, what women have put up with!

Only positive I can think of with deportment schools is that the women would have good posture.

ZABERNISM

The abuse of military power or authority (WAY too much of this going on both in history and in the present!)

Ashley wrote: "Julia wrote: "SEMIOPATHY

The tendency to read signs and translate them humorously into inappropriate or sarcastic meanings

"

I am guilty as well;)"

Me too.

And my motto: If they had to make a sign, there must have been a problem. (I cringe to think of why some signs had to be posted..."Employees must wash hands before returning to work" is the one I see most often.

Marla wrote: "Ashley wrote: "Julia wrote: "SEMIOPATHY

The tendency to read signs and translate them humorously into inappropriate or sarcastic meanings

"

I am guilty as well;)"

Me too.

And my motto: If th..."

Many times I think of those signs as a company's protection against lawsuits. ;)

puissance

PRONUNCIATION:
(PWIS-uhns, PYOO-i-suhns)

MEANING:
noun: Power or strength.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Old French puissance (power), from Latin posse (to be able). Ultimately from the Indo-European root poti- (powerful, lord) which also gave us possess, power, possible, posse, potent, plenipotentiary, Italian podesta, and Turkish pasha (via Persian). Earliest documented use: 1420.

USAGE:
"If a recent negotiated deal between Washington and Tehran reaches fruition, Turkey will achieve its goal of limiting Kurdish puissance without firing a shot."
Linda S. Heard; Kurdish Rebel Action Tests Turkey-US Ties; Gulf News (Dubai); Jun 5, 2007.


Power of Fear in Single Power Jean-Jacques Crevecoeur

Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "Only positive I can think of with deportment schools is that the women would have good posture."

A teeny tiny part of me wishes I had had deportment classes, cuz wished I had posture half that good!

Marla wrote: "Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "Only positive I can think of with deportment schools is that the women would have good posture."

A teeny tiny part of me wishes I had had deportment classes, cuz wished I had postu..."

I also could use improvement on my posture especially after sitting at the computer!

QUAGSWAG

to shake back and forth

I am totally a Twattler! :D

I can twattle and quagswag :)

Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "I can twattle and quagswag :)"

And you sound so proud of yourself, Jen! :D

Marla wrote: "Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "I can twattle and quagswag :)"

And you sound so proud of yourself, Jen! :D"

Well, maybe not at the same time ;)

LOL! And another casserole is born :-)

NOCEUR

a person who stays up late

Jamie Lynn wrote: "So right now I should probably corrade supper."

That's what I do on a Sunday before I head to the grocery :)

Julia wrote: "NOCEUR

a person who stays up late

"

This is me!

The Japanese word ‘tsundoku’ means ‘buying a load of books and then not getting round to reading them’.

Great word, Laura :-) I like this image:



Have to say I never have done that--and when I moved to this retirement community, downsizing my bookcases was the biggest challenge. I kept my closest "friends" (books I've read more than twice) and now get any others from the library.

that just have been quite a challenge to downsize !

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "The Japanese word ‘tsundoku’ means ‘buying a load of books and then not getting round to reading them’."

Guilty! I have more books than I have time to read!

Jen ƸӜƷ wrote: "LaLaLa Laura wrote: "The Japanese word ‘tsundoku’ means ‘buying a load of books and then not getting round to reading them’."

Guilty! I have more books than I have time to read!"

I know! I have downsized myself over the years!

So much smarter to do it that way, Laura--just gradually. I'm really surprised to hear about so many people at my age who just WON'T let go of "things". Over the years, my children have taken all the items they loved, my friends took others, and I gave the rest to charity (garage sales are not for me!)

My friends are pretty much in awe of how easily I've let go of "things"--but they've all started going through their basements now :-) Thoreau has always been my guide:

I hear you, Julia, I don't really do the yard sale thing either, much rather get to Goodwill or another charity.

SCRIPPAGE

Your baggage and personal belongings

The difference in scrippage among children is the topic of the book Toy Stories: Photos of Children from Around the World and Their Favorite Things by Gabriele Galimberti. Here are two examples of the photos she took in over 50 countries:


Maudy Sibanda, aged 3, from Kalulushi, Zambia. Maudy was born in a hut in a small village close to Kalulushi. She grew up playing on the street with all the other children from the village. There is just a simple school there, children are in the same class from aged 3 to 10. In the village, there are no shops, restaurants or hotels, and just a few children are lucky enough to have some toys. Maudy and her friends found a box full of sunglasses on the street some weeks ago – and from that moment on, those sunglasses are their favourite toys.


Cun Zi Yi, aged 3, from Chongquing, China. Cun Zi Yi just turned three, and for her birthday she received a lot of gifts. She plays with everything and she can't choose her favourite toy. Her parents say she's really good at painting and that she will be an artist when she grows up.

I HIGHLY recommend this book--gave it to my grandchildren, and my son and his wife enjoyed it just as much. http://www.amazon.com/Toy-Stories-Pho...

degust

PRONUNCIATION:
(di-GUHST)

MEANING:
verb tr.: To taste or savor appreciatively.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin degustare (to taste), from de- (completely) + gustare (to taste). Ultimately from the Indo-European root geus- (to taste or choose), which also gave us choice, choose, gusto, ragout, and disgust. Earliest documented use: 1623.

USAGE:
"Within a decade, the first insects [beetles] crossed the western border of the Soviet Union to degust Ukrainian and Belarusan potatoes."
Laura Williams; The Bug That Brought Russia to its Knees; Russian Life (Montpelier, Vermont); Jul/Aug 2007.

LaLaLa Laura wrote: "The Japanese word ‘tsundoku’ means ‘buying a load of books and then not getting round to reading them’."

This is soooo me...and I'm even Japanese :D , but I don't know this word. But look at all these English words that I've never heard of :D

I've been busy and I'll be gone a lot of September, but I've missed my new words!

you have plenty of time to catch up if you wish, Marla! :)

Prinkle
(PRINK•ul)
Noun or verb depending upon use

-The flesh is said to prinkle when there is a tingling sensation, consequent upon a temporary suspension of the circulation.
(noun)
-A slight prickling, tingling or stinging sensation caused by lack of blood circulation.
"In the middle of the job interview, she felt a prinkle in her pudendum."
(verb)
-To experience or cause to experience a slight prickling or stinging sensation.

"My arm was prinkling when I awoke."

Prinkle, what a great word, it even sounds like it feels.

I wish I could remember all these cool words that we post here. I go back and look them up and then I can't find them.

Okay, I'm going to make a list of my favorite ones, so I can actually remember them! Starting NOW.

Sounds like a great idea, Marla! I know Julia has a book going of her favorite posts :)

Sure do :-) Mine is from the "Anything for a Laugh" thread, but great idea to do one for the words as well. Hmm--need to find another notebook!

prorogue

PRONUNCIATION:
(pro-ROHG)

MEANING:
verb tr.:
1. To discontinue a session of something, for example, a parliament.
2. To defer or to postpone.

ETYMOLOGY:
From French proroger (to adjourn), from Latin prorogare (to prolong or defer), from pro- (before) + rogare (to ask). Ultimately from the Indo-European root reg- (to move in a straight line, to lead or rule), which is also the source of regime, direct, rectangle, erect, rectum, alert, source, and surge. Earliest documented use: 1419.

USAGE:
"This sitting will be the last one before Parliament is prorogued."
Lee U-Wen; Cost of Catching Sports on TV a Hot House Topic; The Business Times (Singapore); Apr 12, 2014.

burgeon

DEFN
verb
begin to grow or increase rapidly; flourish.

"manufacturers are keen to cash in on the burgeoning demand"

synonyms: flourish, thrive, prosper, improve, develop

"Two, four, eight, the buds in their turn budded; and having budded were dosed almost to death with alcohol; consequently burgeoned again and having budded-bud out of bud out of bud-were thereafter-further arrest being generally fatal-left to develop in peace" - Brave New World

SCOPPERLOIT

Rude or rough play

Great gif, Julia! Perfect representation of the word!

Thanks, Jen--I never knew how you managed to get those video clips until Harry and Draco just turned up when I was searching images! :-)

PEENAGE

The act of complaining in a whiny voice

Yes, I would like some wine with my cheese :)