STAMPEDE

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Slava
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STAMPEDE

Postby Slava » Wed Oct 17, 2012 11:05 pm

As this word of the day has been referred to in another post, but has not as yet made an appearance here at the Agora, here is Wednesday's GWotD, in case you haven't gone to the home page:

• stampede •


Pronunciation: stæm-peedHear it!

Part of Speech: Noun, Verb

Meaning: A sudden rush of a large number of animals or people, trampling anything in its way.

Notes: This word may be used as a noun or a verb. "People stampeded through the doors of the store on Black Friday," works as well as, "There was a stampede when the doors of the store opened on Black Friday". The Calgary Stampede is actually a rodeo that has been held in Canada since 1912.

In Play: We don't encounter stampedes every day, but they do occur in modern urban life occasionally: "There is a stampede of people to buy each new version of the iPod." We usually hear a thunderous stamping of many hooves or feet when we use today's Good Word: "When the bell rang for recess, the children stampeded to all doors leading outside."

Word History: Today's Good Word came from south of the border, from Mexican Spanish estampida "stampede" from estampar "to stamp, press, pound". Late Latin apparently borrowed this word from the same Germanic root that yielded English stamp and step. The underlying Proto-Indo-European word must have contained a Fickle N (N would become M naturally before P.) The Greek word stembein "to trample, misuse" derives from the same word. French and Spanish added an epithetical E before all words beginning in S followed by a consonant: ST, SC became EST, ESC. The S later dropped out of French (estamper "do down" became étamper "to stamp"), but Spanish retained it. (Let's not all stampede to thank William Hupy at once, but calmly proceed to show him our gratitude for suggesting today's Good Word.)

LukeJavan8
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Re: STAMPEDE

Postby LukeJavan8 » Thu Oct 18, 2012 11:36 am

I put my comment on 'gridlock', but perhaps is should be
here instead. I commented that the biggest 'stampede'
around here seems to occur at the time the high schoolers
get out. I have two high schools (one private, the other
public) within two blocks of me. It is utter mayhem for
at least a half hour when the last bell rings. The five
o'clock rush is next, but seems more controlled.
-----please, draw me a sheep-----

MTC
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Re: STAMPEDE

Postby MTC » Thu Oct 18, 2012 2:11 pm

stampede: civil reaction to "Please pass the hat."

from The Apocrypha of MTC

Perry Lassiter
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Re: STAMPEDE

Postby Perry Lassiter » Fri Oct 19, 2012 1:33 pm

May said apochrypha be found online? Inquiring minds and all that.
pl

MTC
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Re: STAMPEDE

Postby MTC » Sat Oct 20, 2012 11:34 am

In answer to your question, Perry, there is nothing online. For some time, however, I have been compiling a satirical dictionary, something like The Devil's Dictionary by Bierce. When my scratchings reach a critical mass I may try to have them published. In the meantime I occasionally practice online.

Philip Hudson
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Re: STAMPEDE

Postby Philip Hudson » Mon Dec 03, 2012 1:28 am

The greatest stampede is the extravaganza sponsored yearly by Calgary, Alberta, Canada. You won't get stamped on unless you are one of the rodeo contestants, but you surely will be entertained and amused. While I have had the opportunity to work in Calgary, I have never had the privilege of attending the Stampede. Alas, I probably never will.

Us rednecks pronounce stampede, stomp-EED.
It is dark at night, but the Sun will come up and then we can see.


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