28 February 2007
Bee Afraid
First the frogs and now the bees. What does it take for us to learn? click title for article
26 February 2007
Word Of The Day
colporteur \KAHL-por-ter\ noun : a peddler of religious books
Example sentence: When she was working as a colporteur, Lena found some people to be more receptive to her offerings than others.
Did you know? In 19th-century America, the word "colporteur" (a French borrowing meaning "peddler") came to be used especially of door-to-door peddlers of religious books and tracts, and it has carried that specific sense into the 21st century. The word traces to the Latin prefix "com-" ("together") plus the verb "portare" ("to carry"), two elements that were brought together to create "comportare" ("to bring together"). Middle French speakers tucked that word into their linguistic pack as "comporter" ("to carry" or "to peddle"), giving rise to "comporteur." Over time, perhaps influenced by the phrase "porter a col" ("to carry on one's back or neck"), the term's spelling shifted to the form now used.
Example sentence: When she was working as a colporteur, Lena found some people to be more receptive to her offerings than others.
Did you know? In 19th-century America, the word "colporteur" (a French borrowing meaning "peddler") came to be used especially of door-to-door peddlers of religious books and tracts, and it has carried that specific sense into the 21st century. The word traces to the Latin prefix "com-" ("together") plus the verb "portare" ("to carry"), two elements that were brought together to create "comportare" ("to bring together"). Middle French speakers tucked that word into their linguistic pack as "comporter" ("to carry" or "to peddle"), giving rise to "comporteur." Over time, perhaps influenced by the phrase "porter a col" ("to carry on one's back or neck"), the term's spelling shifted to the form now used.
22 February 2007
Word Of The Day
lese-majeste \layz-MAJ-uh-stee\ noun
1 a : a crime (as treason) committed against a sovereign power b : an offense violating the dignity of a ruler as the representative of a sovereign power
*2 : a detraction from or affront to dignity or importance
Example sentence: Some family members view Ty's criticism of his grandfather as an act of lese-majeste.
Did you know? "Lese-majeste" (or "lese majesty," as it is also styled in English publications) comes into English by way of Middle French, from the Latin "laesa majestas," which literally means "injured majesty." The English term can conceivably cover any offense against a sovereign power or its ruler, from treason to a simple breach of etiquette. "Lese-majeste" has also acquired a more lighthearted or ironic meaning, that of an insult or impudence to a particularly pompous or self-important person or organization. As such, it may be applied to a relatively inoffensive act that has been exaggeratedly treated as if it were a great affront.
1 a : a crime (as treason) committed against a sovereign power b : an offense violating the dignity of a ruler as the representative of a sovereign power
*2 : a detraction from or affront to dignity or importance
Example sentence: Some family members view Ty's criticism of his grandfather as an act of lese-majeste.
Did you know? "Lese-majeste" (or "lese majesty," as it is also styled in English publications) comes into English by way of Middle French, from the Latin "laesa majestas," which literally means "injured majesty." The English term can conceivably cover any offense against a sovereign power or its ruler, from treason to a simple breach of etiquette. "Lese-majeste" has also acquired a more lighthearted or ironic meaning, that of an insult or impudence to a particularly pompous or self-important person or organization. As such, it may be applied to a relatively inoffensive act that has been exaggeratedly treated as if it were a great affront.
21 February 2007
Shall We Dance?
Pregnancy hormone reverses MS damage
11:51 21 February 2007NewScientist.com news service
Roxanne Khamsi
A hormone produced during pregnancy could reverse some of the neurological damage associated with multiple sclerosis, a mouse study suggests.
The finding could help explain why women with MS suffer fewer symptoms during pregnancy. And the results suggest that the hormone - prolactin - might one day be used to treat people with the disorder.
Multiple sclerosis involves the destruction of the sheath of fatty tissue called myelin that normally protects nerve cells. The loss of this protective layer disrupts nerve signalling and leads to symptoms including loss of coordination. click title for article
20 February 2007
Word Of The Day
quail \KWAIL\ verb
1 : to give way : falter
*2 : to recoil in dread or terror : cower
Example sentence: Even though she quailed at the thought of rejection, Gwen asked Marcel out to dinner.
Did you know? "Flinch," "recoil," and "wince" are all synonyms of "quail," but each word has a slightly different use. When you flinch, you fail to endure pain or to face something dangerous or frightening with resolution ("she faced her accusers without flinching"). "Recoil" implies a start or movement away from something through shock, fear, or disgust ("he recoiled at the suggestion of stealing"). "Wince" usually suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction to something ("she winced as the bright light suddenly hit her eyes"). "Quail" implies shrinking and cowering in fear ("he quailed before the apparition").
1 : to give way : falter
*2 : to recoil in dread or terror : cower
Example sentence: Even though she quailed at the thought of rejection, Gwen asked Marcel out to dinner.
Did you know? "Flinch," "recoil," and "wince" are all synonyms of "quail," but each word has a slightly different use. When you flinch, you fail to endure pain or to face something dangerous or frightening with resolution ("she faced her accusers without flinching"). "Recoil" implies a start or movement away from something through shock, fear, or disgust ("he recoiled at the suggestion of stealing"). "Wince" usually suggests a slight involuntary physical reaction to something ("she winced as the bright light suddenly hit her eyes"). "Quail" implies shrinking and cowering in fear ("he quailed before the apparition").
19 February 2007
Go Naked
Over the past two years, location-awareness technology has been spreading from hand-held digital compasses onto cellphones, laptops, dashboards, and even dog collars, often to comedic effect.
This month, GTX Corp. launched a line of Xplorer Smart GPS shoes that transform sneakers into a wearable LoJack system. Late last year, designer Isaac Daniel introduced a limited-edition GPS shoe, complete with a built-in distress button. click title for article
18 February 2007
Word Of The Day
grok \GROCK\ verb : to understand profoundly and intuitively
Example sentence: No matter how many times I try to explain it, my grandmother just can?t grok what a blog is and why anyone would want to read one.
Did you know? "Grok" may be the only English word that derives from Martian. Yes, we do mean the language of the planet Mars. No, we're not getting spacey; we've just ventured into the realm of science fiction. "Grok" was introduced in Robert A. Heinlein's 1961 science fiction novel _Stranger in a Strange Land_. The book's main character, Valentine Michael Smith, is a Martian-raised human who comes to earth as an adult, bringing with him words from his native tongue and a unique perspective on the strange, strange ways of earthlings. "Grok" was quickly adopted by the youth culture of America and has since peppered the vernacular of those who grok it, from the hippies of the '60s to the computerniks of the '90s.
Example sentence: No matter how many times I try to explain it, my grandmother just can?t grok what a blog is and why anyone would want to read one.
Did you know? "Grok" may be the only English word that derives from Martian. Yes, we do mean the language of the planet Mars. No, we're not getting spacey; we've just ventured into the realm of science fiction. "Grok" was introduced in Robert A. Heinlein's 1961 science fiction novel _Stranger in a Strange Land_. The book's main character, Valentine Michael Smith, is a Martian-raised human who comes to earth as an adult, bringing with him words from his native tongue and a unique perspective on the strange, strange ways of earthlings. "Grok" was quickly adopted by the youth culture of America and has since peppered the vernacular of those who grok it, from the hippies of the '60s to the computerniks of the '90s.
15 February 2007
Word Of The Day
imprimatur \im-pruh-MAH-toor\ noun
1 : a license to print or publish especially by Roman Catholic episcopal authority
*2 : sanction, approval
Example sentence: The organization has been meeting on campus without the university's imprimatur.
Did you know? "Imprimatur" means "let it be printed" in New Latin. It comes from Latin "imprimere," meaning to "imprint" or "impress." In the 1600s, the word appeared in the front matter of books, accompanied by the name of an official authorizing the book's printing. It was also in the 1600s that English speakers began using "imprimatur" in the general sense of "official approval." The Roman Catholic Church still issues imprimaturs for books concerned with religious matters (to indicate that a work contains nothing offensive to Catholic morals or faith), and there have been other authorities for imprimaturs as well. For example, when Samuel Pepys was president of the Royal Society, he placed his imprimatur on the title page of England's great scientific work, Sir Isaac Newton's _Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy_, in 1687.
1 : a license to print or publish especially by Roman Catholic episcopal authority
*2 : sanction, approval
Example sentence: The organization has been meeting on campus without the university's imprimatur.
Did you know? "Imprimatur" means "let it be printed" in New Latin. It comes from Latin "imprimere," meaning to "imprint" or "impress." In the 1600s, the word appeared in the front matter of books, accompanied by the name of an official authorizing the book's printing. It was also in the 1600s that English speakers began using "imprimatur" in the general sense of "official approval." The Roman Catholic Church still issues imprimaturs for books concerned with religious matters (to indicate that a work contains nothing offensive to Catholic morals or faith), and there have been other authorities for imprimaturs as well. For example, when Samuel Pepys was president of the Royal Society, he placed his imprimatur on the title page of England's great scientific work, Sir Isaac Newton's _Mathematical Principles of Natural Philosophy_, in 1687.
13 February 2007
Word Of The Day
billet-doux \ bill-ee-DOO\ noun : a love letter
Example sentence: Poor George spent hours laboring over a billet-doux, only to have his girlfriend toss it aside and demand, "Where are my roses?"
Did you know? The first recorded use of the French word "billet doux" (literally, "sweet letter") in an English context occurs in John Dryden's 1673 play _Marriage a-la-Mode_. In the play, Dryden pokes fun at linguistic Francophiles in English society through the comic character Melanthe, who is described by her prospective lover Rodophil as follows: "No lady can be so curious of a new fashion as she is of a new French word; she's the very mint of the nation, and as fast as any bullion comes out of France, coins it immediately into our language." True to form, Melanthe describes Rodophil with the following words: "Let me die, but he's a fine man; he sings and dances en Francais, and writes the billets doux to a miracle."
Example sentence: Poor George spent hours laboring over a billet-doux, only to have his girlfriend toss it aside and demand, "Where are my roses?"
Did you know? The first recorded use of the French word "billet doux" (literally, "sweet letter") in an English context occurs in John Dryden's 1673 play _Marriage a-la-Mode_. In the play, Dryden pokes fun at linguistic Francophiles in English society through the comic character Melanthe, who is described by her prospective lover Rodophil as follows: "No lady can be so curious of a new fashion as she is of a new French word; she's the very mint of the nation, and as fast as any bullion comes out of France, coins it immediately into our language." True to form, Melanthe describes Rodophil with the following words: "Let me die, but he's a fine man; he sings and dances en Francais, and writes the billets doux to a miracle."
09 February 2007
Word Of The Day
hoodwink \HOOD-wink\ verb : to deceive by false appearance : dupe
Example sentence: The dishonest art dealer hoodwinked Edward, convincing him to pay top dollar for a relatively worthless painting.
Did you know? A now-obsolete sense of the word "wink" is "to close one's eyes," and "hoodwink" once meant to cover the eyes of someone, such as a prisoner, with a hood or blindfold. ("Hoodwink" was also once a name for the game of blindman's buff.) This 16th-century term soon came to be used figuratively for veiling the truth. "The Public is easily hood-winked," wrote the Irish physician Charles Lucas in 1756, by which time the figurative use had been around for almost a century and a half. Two hundred and fifty years later, this meaning of the word hasn't changed a wink: "The American public has been hoodwinked and fleeced," wrote Theodore Wolff, for example, in the _Iowa State Daily_ on July 6, 2006.
Example sentence: The dishonest art dealer hoodwinked Edward, convincing him to pay top dollar for a relatively worthless painting.
Did you know? A now-obsolete sense of the word "wink" is "to close one's eyes," and "hoodwink" once meant to cover the eyes of someone, such as a prisoner, with a hood or blindfold. ("Hoodwink" was also once a name for the game of blindman's buff.) This 16th-century term soon came to be used figuratively for veiling the truth. "The Public is easily hood-winked," wrote the Irish physician Charles Lucas in 1756, by which time the figurative use had been around for almost a century and a half. Two hundred and fifty years later, this meaning of the word hasn't changed a wink: "The American public has been hoodwinked and fleeced," wrote Theodore Wolff, for example, in the _Iowa State Daily_ on July 6, 2006.
07 February 2007
Word Of The Day
avoirdupois \av-er-duh-POYZ\ noun
1 : the series of units of weight based on the pound of 16 ounces and the ounce of 16 drams
*2 : weight, heaviness; especially : personal weight
Example sentence: Michael's ample avoirdupois can be blamed on his fondness for rich sauces and fattening cheeses.
Did you know? When "avoirdupois" first appeared in English in the 15th century, it carried a meaning of "goods sold by weight," which is also the meaning of its Middle English predecessor, "avoir de pois." That term derives from an Anglo-French phrase meaning "goods of weight." Today, "avoirdupois" most commonly refers to the system of weight measurement used for general merchandise, in which the pound is equal to 16 ounces, the ounce 16 drams, and the dram 27.344 grains. (Some other weight systems are apothecaries' weight, used to measure pharmaceutical items, and troy weight, used for precious metals.) It was Shakespeare, in his play _Henry IV_ (1597), who first used "avoirdupois" to mean "heaviness."
1 : the series of units of weight based on the pound of 16 ounces and the ounce of 16 drams
*2 : weight, heaviness; especially : personal weight
Example sentence: Michael's ample avoirdupois can be blamed on his fondness for rich sauces and fattening cheeses.
Did you know? When "avoirdupois" first appeared in English in the 15th century, it carried a meaning of "goods sold by weight," which is also the meaning of its Middle English predecessor, "avoir de pois." That term derives from an Anglo-French phrase meaning "goods of weight." Today, "avoirdupois" most commonly refers to the system of weight measurement used for general merchandise, in which the pound is equal to 16 ounces, the ounce 16 drams, and the dram 27.344 grains. (Some other weight systems are apothecaries' weight, used to measure pharmaceutical items, and troy weight, used for precious metals.) It was Shakespeare, in his play _Henry IV_ (1597), who first used "avoirdupois" to mean "heaviness."
05 February 2007
Word Of The Day
concinnity \kun-SIH-nuh-tee\ noun : harmony or elegance of design especially of literary style in adaptation of parts to a whole or to each other
Example sentence: Julia maintains that no modern play can rival the concinnity of the classical Greek tragedies.
Did you know? The Romans apparently found perfect harmony in a well-mixed drink. The cocktail in question was a beverage they called "cinnus," and so agreeably concordant did they find it that its name apparently inspired the formation of "concinnare," a verb meaning "to place fitly together." "Concinnare" gave rise to "concinnus," meaning "skillfully put together," which in turn fermented into "concinnitas." English speakers added the word to our mix in the 1500s as "concinnity."
Example sentence: Julia maintains that no modern play can rival the concinnity of the classical Greek tragedies.
Did you know? The Romans apparently found perfect harmony in a well-mixed drink. The cocktail in question was a beverage they called "cinnus," and so agreeably concordant did they find it that its name apparently inspired the formation of "concinnare," a verb meaning "to place fitly together." "Concinnare" gave rise to "concinnus," meaning "skillfully put together," which in turn fermented into "concinnitas." English speakers added the word to our mix in the 1500s as "concinnity."
04 February 2007
Quote
``Film critics said I gave a voice to the fear we all have: that we'll reach a certain point in our lives, look around and realize that all the things we said we'd do and become will never come to be - and that we're ordinary.'' -Anne Bancroft
Word Of The Day
purport \per-PORT\ verb
*1 : to have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming (something implied or inferred); also : claim
2 : intend, purpose
Example sentence: The authors purport to offer irrefutable proof of a conspiracy, but in reality their book gives us nothing but unproven conjecture.
Did you know? The verb "purport" may be more familiar nowadays, but the noun "purport" (a synonym of "gist," as in "gave the purport of her speech in a few words") is a bit older. The noun passed into English from Anglo-French in the mid 1400s. Anglo-French also had the verb "purporter" (meaning both "to carry" and "to mean"), which itself combined the prefix "pur-" ("thoroughly") and the verb "porter" ("to carry"). But English speakers apparently waited another seven decades to employ the verb. The first recorded use of "purport" as a verb doesn't appear until 1528.
*1 : to have the often specious appearance of being, intending, or claiming (something implied or inferred); also : claim
2 : intend, purpose
Example sentence: The authors purport to offer irrefutable proof of a conspiracy, but in reality their book gives us nothing but unproven conjecture.
Did you know? The verb "purport" may be more familiar nowadays, but the noun "purport" (a synonym of "gist," as in "gave the purport of her speech in a few words") is a bit older. The noun passed into English from Anglo-French in the mid 1400s. Anglo-French also had the verb "purporter" (meaning both "to carry" and "to mean"), which itself combined the prefix "pur-" ("thoroughly") and the verb "porter" ("to carry"). But English speakers apparently waited another seven decades to employ the verb. The first recorded use of "purport" as a verb doesn't appear until 1528.
03 February 2007
Word Of The Day
askance \uh-SKANSS\ adverb
1 : with a side-glance : obliquely
*2 : with disapproval or distrust : scornfully
Example sentence: "How demurely the little urchins look at him askance as he surveys them when they are all seated, with a glare of the eye peculiar to beadles!" (Charles Dickens, _Sketches by Boz_)
Did you know? Etymologists have been scratching their heads over the origin of "askance" for centuries. Sources from Italian and Old Norse, among other languages, have been suggested, but, today, dictionary editors look askance at all of these explanations and simply label the word "origin unknown." What we do know is that the word was first used in English in the mid-16th century with the meaning "sideways" or "with a sideways glance," and that writers over the years have used the suggestion of someone looking askance at something to express a number of feelings from disapproval and distrust to jealousy.
1 : with a side-glance : obliquely
*2 : with disapproval or distrust : scornfully
Example sentence: "How demurely the little urchins look at him askance as he surveys them when they are all seated, with a glare of the eye peculiar to beadles!" (Charles Dickens, _Sketches by Boz_)
Did you know? Etymologists have been scratching their heads over the origin of "askance" for centuries. Sources from Italian and Old Norse, among other languages, have been suggested, but, today, dictionary editors look askance at all of these explanations and simply label the word "origin unknown." What we do know is that the word was first used in English in the mid-16th century with the meaning "sideways" or "with a sideways glance," and that writers over the years have used the suggestion of someone looking askance at something to express a number of feelings from disapproval and distrust to jealousy.
So Sorry
Word verification has been turned on due to comments left by trolling idiots. Do you think the idiots think just because their comments were left in posts from April or August that no one will know? Do you think idiots think?
02 February 2007
ExxonMobil announces record 2006 profits of almost 40 billion
dpa German Press Agency
Published: Thursday February 1, 2007
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
