Words

It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one, part two, part three, part four and part five.

xenodochiophobia

the fear of foreign hospitality (worry about foreign hotels)

Xenodochium
n.

(a) (Class. Antiq.) A house for the reception of strangers. (b) In the Middle Ages, a room in a monastery for the reception and entertainment of strangers and pilgrims, and for the relief of paupers. [Called also Xenodocheion.]

Knobstick
n.

1. One who refuses to join, or withdraws from, a trade union. [Cant, Eng.]

2. A stick, cane, or club terminating in a knob; esp., such a stick or club used as a weapon or missile; a knobkerrie.

effulgence \i-FUL-juhn(t)s\, noun:
The state of being bright and radiant; splendor; brilliance.
[Webster 1913 Suppl.]

divaricate
To diverge at a wide angle; spread apart.

It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one, part two, part three, part four and part five.

faineantise

[F.] do-nothing-ness; indisposition to do anything; indifference, inactivity

fa·vo·ni·an (fÉ™-vō‘nÄ“-É™n)
adj.

1. Of or relating to the west wind.
2. Mild; benign.

klazomania

compulsive shouting; thus klazomaniac, one who shouts compulsively.

zenzizenzizenzic

the eighth power of a number

zwischenzug

[G.] in chess, a temporizing move (i.e., a delay in capturing, usually via a check)

oblivionize

[fr. L. oblivion-, forgetfulness + -ize]
now rare to consign to oblivion

It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one, part two, part three and part four.

mancinism

the condition of being left-handed

macroverbumsciolist

nonce word 1) a person who is ignorant of large words
2) a person who pretends to know a word, then secretly refers to a dictionary.

mastigophorer

obs. a fellow worthy to be whipped.

matutolypea

getting up on the wrong side of the bed.

CNN has the link to a Mental Floss story about the etymology of some common words. I found it quite interesting. Here is an excerpt and a link:

1. Dunce

Dictionaries don’t play fair, and John Duns Scotus is proof.

The 13th/14th-century thinker, whose writings synthesized Christian theology and Aristotle’s philosophy, was considerably less dumb than a brick. Unfortunately for Scotus, subsequent theologians took a dim view of all those who championed his viewpoint.

These “Scotists,” “Dunsmen,” or “Dunses” were considered hairsplitting meatheads and, eventually, just “dunces.”

2.(slipping a) Mickey

When you have to drug somebody against their will (hey, you gotta do what you gotta do), it just wouldn’t sound right to slip ’em a Ricardo, a Bjorn, or an Evelyn. It’s gotta be a Mickey.

At the turn of the 20th century, Mickey Finn was a Chicago saloon owner in one of the seediest parts of town — and he fit right in.

Finn was known for serving “Mickey Finn Specials,” which probably included chloral hydrate, a heavy sedative. After targeted customers passed out, Finn would haul them into his “operating room” and liberate them of all valuables (including shoes).

Never a Host of the Year candidate, this Mickey seems to have thoroughly earned his legacy, so don’t hesitate to use it the next time you drug and rob your own customers.

It is vocabulary time again. Here is part one, part two and part three.

tem·er·ar·i·ous (tÄ•m‘É™-râr‘Ä“-É™s)

adj. Presumptuously or recklessly daring

Ten·tig·i·nous
a.

[L. tentigo, -inis, a tension, lecherousness, fr. tendere, tentum, to stretch.]

1. Stiff; stretched; strained. [Obs.] Johnson.

2. Lustful, or pertaining to lust. [Obs.] B. Jonson.

U·ri·na·tor

n.[L., from urinari to plunge under water, to dive.]
One who dives under water in search of something, as for pearls; a diver.

u·su·fruct (yÅ«‘zÉ™-frÅ­kt‘, -sÉ™-)
n.

The right to use and enjoy the profits and advantages of something belonging to another as long as the property is not damaged or altered in any way.