Search found 1146 matches
- Wed Mar 27, 2024 7:15 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Insult
- Replies: 5
- Views: 276
Re: Insult
Cole Porter was a clever man. I can't put the music to the words, but the words are fine.
- Mon Mar 25, 2024 5:37 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Insult
- Replies: 5
- Views: 276
Re: Insult
Certainly an interesting hypothesis, Brogine. The verb needs to sound more dynamic. I will have to consider this one over time! No argument that some generalities can be valid - certainly as generalities. Also interested to read that sally (forth) is from the original root that spawned salire, to le...
- Mon Mar 25, 2024 5:21 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Eccentric
- Replies: 5
- Views: 2835
Re: Eccentric
Well Barbara, you certainly don't sound crazy to me. And really, even eccentricity (or Slava's eccentrality) seem a little beyond the activities you describe. It all sounds thoroughly normal although certainly more adventurous than most. Good luck with it all and do continue to have fun despite the ...
- Thu Mar 21, 2024 7:35 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Eccentric
- Replies: 5
- Views: 2835
Re: Eccentric
So Barbara, do you need more or less money than you currently have, in order to be considered eccentric? Is a crazy person more or less wealthy than an eccentric one?
- Thu Mar 21, 2024 7:26 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Obfuscate
- Replies: 1
- Views: 161
Re: Obfuscate
Isn't obfuscation generally a deliberate or intended obscuring? Otherwise we should surely use obscure. Am I right? 'Your use of long Latin based words tends to obscure your meaning' suggests gentle advice to find clearer words. But when it obfuscates your meaning, it suggests you are deliberately d...
- Thu Mar 21, 2024 7:13 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Commemoration
- Replies: 5
- Views: 53747
Re: Commemoration
Well done all round. The team there has certainbly provided much joy to a lot of people, and yes, we have learned a fair bit on the journey. Thank you, team.
- Mon Mar 18, 2024 10:50 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Bigfoot
- Replies: 5
- Views: 4661
Re: Bigfoot
The context of your Canadian quote, bnj, suggests a meaning like "stomping on". Sort of similar to The Good Doctor's meaning 3. But there are so many better words that don't carry mystery or ambiguity in their meanings. I would call it sloppy usage.
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 6:19 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Hypocorism
- Replies: 3
- Views: 264
Re: Hypocorism
Cobber is old fashioned, but it is a generic name for a man whose name you don't know but with whom you are passing the time of day. "G'Day, Cobber." Equivalent of Jimmy in Scotland, Jacques in France and Tommy (I think) in England of the first world war era.
- Thu Mar 14, 2024 4:59 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Bathos
- Replies: 1
- Views: 366
Re: Bathos
Well, meaning 2. is the one I am familiar with. Comedians and comic writers use bathos in humour. "I was beaten by the world champion, the national champion, last year's winner and my own failure to turn up in time for the start." It is a very useful technique for adding colour and interes...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:35 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Meritocracy
- Replies: 2
- Views: 217
Re: Meritocracy
This is a modern word (that is, it was invented in my lifetime). It was very popular in the days of Harold Wilson and Edward Heath in post-war England. It was not applied to government so much as to everyday life. It was used to start to dismantle the class system that so pervaded British society, b...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:14 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Luftmensch
- Replies: 4
- Views: 728
Re: Luftmensch
Presuming Leo wrote the Preface, we can credit him with excellent writing skills. Simple, clear and informative. Bravo. Certainly not a luftmensh.
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:08 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Deodorant
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3259
Re: Deodorant
It's odd - even paradoxical - that deodorants are usually scented. But you can't call them descents or descent(d)ants because they are already taken.
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 9:02 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Hypocorism
- Replies: 3
- Views: 264
Re: Hypocorism
I was greeted this morning by a passing stranger who called me cobber. I have to say that these days, even in Australia, that is pretty unusual. But if I had responded "Thanks for that hypocorism", I guess I would have garnered a less affectionate title. Presumably even hostile ones are hy...
- Wed Mar 13, 2024 8:53 pm
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Lambaste
- Replies: 2
- Views: 240
Re: Lambaste
Nice word. I wonder whether a lambaste is more aggressive than a castigation. Presumably castigate and chastise are related, but I would rather be chastised than castigated. There's no shortage of synonyms here though - reprimand, tell off, dress down, and dozens more. I think we need a list of them...
- Wed Mar 06, 2024 7:45 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Dust-up
- Replies: 1
- Views: 278
Re: Dust-up
If its first use was late 19th century, its orgin would likely be from Boxing which was codified by the Marquess of Queensbury in about 1867. Of course unregulated boxing has happened for millenia. But either way, early fights would have certainly raised some dust. That is surely more likely the ori...