Search found 69 matches
- Thu May 08, 2014 9:52 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Lustration
- Replies: 3
- Views: 5036
Re: Lustration
Which reminds me of the lustrum which was the five-year period between the lustrations - the purification/expiation sacrifices -associated with the census in ancient Rome. And also, of course, the title of Robert Harris's second Cicero novel.
- Fri Apr 18, 2014 2:45 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Yooper
- Replies: 10
- Views: 12492
Re: Yooper
Well,now I know! And, thanks to a friend from Indiana, I also know what a Hoosier is. Any other funny regional names from the US that anyone would care to share? We in Australia have a couple: Queenslanders (like me) are Bananabenders and Western Australians are Sandgropers.
- Sat Apr 05, 2014 11:11 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Farded
- Replies: 1
- Views: 3710
Farded
I came across this word in a (not very good) translation of Nikos Katzanzakis' Christ Recrucified. I had to scuttle to the OED to discover what the translator meant by 'her farded lips' (I don't have a copy of the book in Greek. It would be interesting to know what the phrase was in the original). F...
- Fri Apr 04, 2014 8:03 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Slubberdegullion
- Replies: 3
- Views: 5234
Re: Slubberdegullion
Good heavens, no, Dr Goodword, I think that gratitude for this little gem should be compulsory!
- Tue Mar 25, 2014 5:35 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Grub
- Replies: 6
- Views: 12817
Re: Grub
So many lovely other uses for this word: we in Australia use the term 'grub' to describe a truly objectionable character (often applied to politicians, especially by each other). And, of course, many folk happily grub about in their gardens at weekends, which usually results in grubby hands. And hea...
- Tue Sep 10, 2013 2:39 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Kairos
- Replies: 13
- Views: 16741
Re: Kairos
Kairos ( καιρός) is also the modern Greek word for weather, time and season; whether the weather, the time or season is perfect, opportune or propitious for something, the word does not convey.
- Wed Aug 21, 2013 1:43 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Supine
- Replies: 15
- Views: 20649
Re: Supine
Don't forget the other meaning of supine (OED):
"failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence". Often (justifiably) used of governments and/or politicians.
"failing to act or protest as a result of moral weakness or indolence". Often (justifiably) used of governments and/or politicians.
- Thu Apr 11, 2013 7:20 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: HOGWASH
- Replies: 12
- Views: 14785
Re: HOGWASH
My husband's family, from the north of England, have the following idiosyncratic use for hogwash (albeit with slightly different spelling): many years ago, there was a boy of their acquaintance called Maurice Hogg. Now, Maurice had the reputation for being not very clean (a Tyneside version of Charl...
- Thu Mar 07, 2013 3:42 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: KISMET
- Replies: 13
- Views: 15608
Re: KISMET
There is, or used to be, a minor controversy about what the dying Admiral Nelson is supposed to have said to Captain Thomas Hardy after the Battle of Trafalger (1805). Mortally wounded, and being supported by Hardy, Nelson reportedly said, "Kiss me, Hardy." This was later bowdlerised - in ...
- Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:02 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: OSCITANCY
- Replies: 6
- Views: 8286
- Thu Dec 08, 2011 4:32 am
- Forum: Good Word Suggestions
- Topic: caliginous
- Replies: 3
- Views: 6686
caliginous
I found this lovely word in Alan Hollinghurst's The Stranger's Child. How exciting it is to find a word with which one is unfamiliar!
- Tue Nov 15, 2011 8:19 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: DOGMA
- Replies: 4
- Views: 5612
- Mon Oct 24, 2011 4:18 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: Cult
- Replies: 14
- Views: 16400
- Tue Oct 18, 2011 8:32 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: CALENDER
- Replies: 14
- Views: 14377
- Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:49 am
- Forum: Good Word Discussion
- Topic: HURRICANE
- Replies: 13
- Views: 14168