Search found 3352 matches

by Perry Lassiter
Mon Feb 05, 2018 12:48 am
Forum: Etymology
Topic: Theory
Replies: 5
Views: 36286

Re: Theory

Reviewing this ancient text, I note that no one juxtaposed thea with theater, which obviously relates to viewing more than to God or gods, though deus ex machina was popular in some ancient plays as well as in todays pyrotechnics.
by Perry Lassiter
Mon Feb 05, 2018 12:39 am
Forum: Etymology
Topic: New Verbing?
Replies: 4
Views: 21861

Re: New Verbing?

Whether to convert nouns to verbs is a long running argument. I remember first bumping into it in Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe series. Wolfe has strong opinions about words. One that stands out is his repeated stance of abhoring the use of "contact" as a verb. Today, it's almost essential, as th...
by Perry Lassiter
Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:35 pm
Forum: Spelling
Topic: Lede
Replies: 2
Views: 15420

Re: Ledef

I'm pretty sure "lead" as the introductory sentence for a news article comes from the idea of a leading sentence as the one that opens the first paragraph (aka "graph"). In coversation it can be expanded the opening paragraph or two as in "How do you propose to lead into the...
by Perry Lassiter
Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:24 pm
Forum: Etymology
Topic: People named after colors.
Replies: 3
Views: 70608

People named after colors.

Surnames mostly evolved logically: John's son to Johnson, and Joe the blacksmith to Joe Smith. But whence come the last names that are also colors? White, Black, Green, Redd, Brown, an d any others that may come to mind? Anyone do research on these?
by Perry Lassiter
Sat Feb 03, 2018 11:20 pm
Forum: Idioms
Topic: The man on the Clapham omnibus
Replies: 4
Views: 55097

Re: The man on the Clapham omnibus

Man on the street...
Flyover country (outside the DC Beltway, Midwest)
John Doe
by Perry Lassiter
Thu Feb 01, 2018 5:54 pm
Forum: Spelling
Topic: Lede
Replies: 2
Views: 15420

Lede

When did the opening sentence in a straight news article change from lead to lede, as in burying the lede?
by Perry Lassiter
Sat Jan 27, 2018 3:37 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Gimcrack
Replies: 5
Views: 8693

Re: Gimcrack

I think it's not gimcrack corn, but Jim or Jimmy, or possibly Jimmie. The next line is "My Johnny's gone away." It's almost a nonsense rhyme with a catchy tune. I always heard it "Jimmy," probably to balance "and I." To word it "Jim" ignores the "and"...
by Perry Lassiter
Sat Jan 27, 2018 3:16 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Moot
Replies: 3
Views: 6639

Re: Moot

Thanks, Doc. Clears up a lot.
by Perry Lassiter
Sun Jan 21, 2018 9:06 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Mores
Replies: 3
Views: 5771

Re: Mores

Yet I understand that "s'mores" are among the most popular Girl Scout cookies...
by Perry Lassiter
Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:15 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Harass
Replies: 7
Views: 23397

Re: Harass

Donded is a new one for me. I mostly read "seconded," but don't hear it...
by Perry Lassiter
Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:05 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Interfulgent
Replies: 2
Views: 5168

Re: Interfulgent

Probably an in-law by marriage...
by Perry Lassiter
Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:04 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Temulent
Replies: 6
Views: 11517

Re: Temulent

I'm too timid to be temulent...
by Perry Lassiter
Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:02 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: kakistocracy
Replies: 2
Views: 5324

Re: kakistocracy

Following the prez's use ofthe word...
by Perry Lassiter
Sun Jan 14, 2018 12:00 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Soloecal
Replies: 2
Views: 5435

Re: Soloecal

I at one point majored in speech at college. Both there and in high school speech classes, we were taught to develop the "midwestern" accent, which supposedly was neutral. The "southern" accent is very real, but no southerner I know thinks tv and movies get it right.
by Perry Lassiter
Wed Dec 20, 2017 11:12 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Christmas-tree
Replies: 2
Views: 5091

Re: Christmas-tree

I have also seen the term applied as a noun in several contexts referring to an elaborate instrument display, as in an airliner cockpit. I believe I've also seen it in places like steam control or even nuclear control rooms. And doesn't it also show up in the space program?

Go to advanced search