Search found 910 matches

by Audiendus
Fri Sep 15, 2023 7:41 pm
Forum: Grammar
Topic: A Quandary
Replies: 4
Views: 6800

Re: A Quandary

This is a difficult one, but I think 'whomever' would be grammatically wrong in this case (no pun intended). "Whoever would listen" is a clause, with "whoever" as its subject, so it should be in the subjective form. The preposition "to" introduces that clause as a whole...
by Audiendus
Wed Sep 13, 2023 2:36 am
Forum: Res Diversae
Topic: Say When?
Replies: 3
Views: 4928

Re: Say When?

I asked her to walk the dog if I was back late. I think the problem here is that it seems to be grammatically equivalent to: "If I was back late, I asked her to walk the dog." where "If I was back late" is the antecedent, and "I asked her to walk the dog" is the conseq...
by Audiendus
Sun Sep 03, 2023 10:37 am
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Distasteful
Replies: 2
Views: 4582

Re: DISTASTEFUL

I think we use 'find' because we are referring to a direct subjective 'feel'. 'Consider' suggests more of an objective thought process, and 'deem' suggests a stipulation. Similarly, we might say "I find this weather depressing", but we would be unlikely to say "I consider/deem this we...
by Audiendus
Mon Aug 28, 2023 9:26 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Zodiac
Replies: 1
Views: 1676

Zodiac

zodiac

Usually applicable to astrology, but may also be used in astronomy, e.g. zodiacal light.

The adjective zodiacal is stressed on the second syllable, i.e. zo-DI-a-cal.
by Audiendus
Sat Aug 26, 2023 1:07 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Squire/esquire
Replies: 1
Views: 1625

Squire/esquire

squire/esquire

Two closely related words, interchangeable in some cases. Originally a young attendant to a knight; a shield/armour bearer. Later a country gentleman, a landowner. Finally, 'Esquire' (Esq) became a general courtesy title, equivalent to 'Mr' in the UK; this use is now old-fashioned.
by Audiendus
Tue Aug 01, 2023 11:13 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Muliebrity
Replies: 2
Views: 4751

Re: MULIEBRITY

I wonder whether the 'legitimacy' sense arose from the ambiguity (in earlier English) of the word 'wife'. Its old meaning was simply 'woman' – hence 'housewife', 'midwife' etc.
by Audiendus
Mon Jul 31, 2023 10:15 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Fainites
Replies: 2
Views: 1762

Re: Fainites

No, it is not a concession of defeat. It is a call for a temporary, perhaps momentary, cessation of play for some reason, so one cannot be 'out'.
by Audiendus
Sun Jul 30, 2023 9:45 pm
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Fainites
Replies: 2
Views: 1762

Fainites

fainites

Interjection (2 syllables: fain-ites)

(UK) A call for a truce in a children's playground game, e.g. chasing.

This word was commonly heard when I was at primary (grade) school in the 1960s. My parents' generation used the word 'pax' similarly.
by Audiendus
Sat Jul 29, 2023 11:54 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Blimp
Replies: 3
Views: 2021

Re: Blimp

3. (UK, offensive) A pompous person, someone given to bloviating.
Colonel Blimp was a cartoon character, a stereotype of a pompous and reactionary British army officer. The expression is still often used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colonel_Blimp
by Audiendus
Fri Jul 28, 2023 1:43 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Pedestrian
Replies: 5
Views: 5832

Re: Pedestrian

I think you mean "impassable". :wink:

("Impassible" was featured as a Good Word last year.)
by Audiendus
Sat Jul 22, 2023 11:19 pm
Forum: Res Diversae
Topic: A Nifty Zeugma
Replies: 3
Views: 9441

Types of rhyme

According to Wikipedia, three-syllable rhymes such as amorous and glamorous are called dactylic . Then there are four-syllable rhymes such as pleasurable and measurable . In British English, 'veterinary' is stressed only on the first syllable (not the first and fourth as in American English). So we ...
by Audiendus
Fri Jul 14, 2023 1:25 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: encore
Replies: 2
Views: 2145

Re: encore

I believe the French do not use "encore" in this sense. Instead they say "bis" (Latin for "twice").
by Audiendus
Tue Jul 11, 2023 3:43 am
Forum: Pronunciation
Topic: Merely observing . . .
Replies: 6
Views: 12504

Re: Merely observing . . .

What a surprise! You’re right. It’s a similar construction, but not at all the same thing. Now, maybe I can learn a new word which applies to my erroneous examples!
Antanaclasis?
by Audiendus
Fri Jul 07, 2023 12:01 am
Forum: Good Word Suggestions
Topic: Anorak
Replies: 1
Views: 2785

Anorak

anorak

1. A waterproof and windproof jacket, usually with a hood, designed to be worn in cold weather; a parka.

2. (Informal, UK) An unsociable person with an obsessively detailed interest in some hobby.

From Inuit (Greenlandic? Canadian?)
by Audiendus
Fri Jun 30, 2023 8:58 pm
Forum: Good Word Discussion
Topic: Adjacent
Replies: 5
Views: 2281

Re: Adjacent

Actually there are two different Latin verbs iacere, one (with a short first E) meaning 'to throw', and the other (with a long first E) meaning 'to lie (in a position)'. Wiktionary suggests that the two verbs are related, in that 'lie' has the idea of 'be thrown down'.

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