Search found 60 matches
- Thu Mar 12, 2009 12:49 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Ravel
- Replies: 8
- Views: 14153
Re: 3)
I have always known Ravel as the french composer and orchestrator, known for "Bolero" and "Pictures at an Exhibition" among others. I agree, Boléro is a wonderful piece of music. I have to say, though, I think Modest Mussorgsky would quarrel with you over your attribution of his...
- Wed Mar 11, 2009 10:45 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Ravel
- Replies: 8
- Views: 14153
3)
I have always known Ravel as the french composer and orchestrator, known for "Bolero" and "Pictures at an Exhibition" among others.
- Wed Feb 25, 2009 2:21 pm
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: DEFALCATION
- Replies: 7
- Views: 10494
DEFALCATION
noun: the fraudulent appropriation of funds or property entrusted to your care but actually owned by someone else A topical word, actually seen in a job posting on the FDIC's web site as follows: Under law, FDIC may not employ any person who has: .... 3) demonstrated a pattern or practice of defalca...
- Fri Feb 20, 2009 12:27 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: PROCRASTINATE
- Replies: 5
- Views: 8337
Re: from CHRIS STEWART (e-mail today)
My motto is "Never put off till tomorrow what you can get out of doing altogether."our motto is "never put off till tomorrow what you can put off to the next day".
- Mon Jan 19, 2009 4:04 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: DECADENCE
- Replies: 2
- Views: 5679
Re: DECADENCE
French inherited the word from Medieval Latin decadentia "decay, deterioration" It sounds like the Latin word for a cavity (as in tooth decay -- or caries as dentists are wont to say). On the other hand, decadence could be a state of being that takes 10 years to get into. An odd thing, la...
- Mon Sep 29, 2008 12:44 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: BAILOUT
- Replies: 3
- Views: 6655
Re: BAILOUT
Stargzer, is this origin of bail related to the name of the little crossbar that sits on top of the wicket in the game of cricket?A different bail has a different etymology:
(etc.)
- Wed Sep 24, 2008 10:32 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: ERSTWHILE
- Replies: 16
- Views: 23043
original topic
Now that we have heard a bit of history from Stargzer and the erstwhile Dr. Language, perhaps we ought to return to our original subject.
(There must be a word for the uncontrollable urge to keep internet discussion threads on track -- how about antigoradigressomania?)
(There must be a word for the uncontrollable urge to keep internet discussion threads on track -- how about antigoradigressomania?)
- Mon Sep 22, 2008 5:31 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: ERSTWHILE
- Replies: 16
- Views: 23043
- Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:38 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: PARASTATAL
- Replies: 8
- Views: 12802
Re: PARASTATAL
• parastatal • Now Congress has decided to create a similar parastatal to bail out Wall Street financial institutions. In this context, this word could be mistaken for peristaltic , which has to do with digestion, as in "the peristaltic agency responsible for swallowing up failed institutions....
- Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:07 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: ERSTWHILE
- Replies: 16
- Views: 23043
Re: ERSTWHILE
I guess that sense is still available in the phrase "to while away."• erstwhile •
While comes from Old English hwil, which goes back to an ancient root kwei- "to rest, be quiet".
- Thu Sep 18, 2008 9:03 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: ERSTWHILE
- Replies: 16
- Views: 23043
- Wed Sep 17, 2008 9:03 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: JITTER
- Replies: 5
- Views: 8853
Hey, that could work!Wally, would try to convince the Pointy-haired Boss that he was leading a project to download images of flappers in action on company time to test network bandwidth limits and PC load capacity.
- Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:54 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: DICTIONARY
- Replies: 4
- Views: 7730
- Tue Sep 16, 2008 9:52 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: JITTER
- Replies: 5
- Views: 8853
- Mon Sep 15, 2008 12:26 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: JITTER
- Replies: 5
- Views: 8853
"jitter" in engineering is very specific
It seems the usage of "jitter" as a singular noun is owned by electronics engineers. But the definition is usually understood as much more specific than the very general definition provided by onelook: noun : small rapid variations in a waveform resulting from fluctuations in the voltage s...