DISSERT

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Dr. Goodword
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DISSERT

Postby Dr. Goodword » Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:42 pm

• dissert •

Pronunciation: dis-sêrtHear it!

Part of Speech: Verb, intransitive.

Meaning: To converse for a long while, to speak (or write) at length on a subject.

Notes: Today's Good Word is the verb down at the bottom of dissertation. Dissertations were originally lengthy conversations, not written tracts proving that you have learned the lessons toward your PhD well. Today only the noun dissertation is used widely but the adjective, dissertative, and the personal noun, dissertator, are still in service and at our disposal when necessity calls.

In Play: What better dessert to follow an evening meal than a pleasant dissertation with your friends: "We all retired to the study after dinner and disserted on the current political situation until midnight." We should ignore the fact that this word has become somewhat archaic and use it boldly in everyday conversations: "Buzzy, I don't want to have to waste time disserting on why you have to mow the lawn; I just want you to do it!"

Word History: Today's Good Word was borrowed from the Latin verb dissertare "to discuss", comprising dis- "apart, un-" + serere "to join, connect". The root ser- turns up in several other Latin words borrowed by English either directly or via French, including insert and consort, referring to different types of connections. With an M suffix, it appears in sermon "discourse, speech", to which English gave a religious turn. Latin sors "fate, fortune" turns up in English sorcerer, a person whom many in the past believed could have an important impact on their fate.
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Perry
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Postby Perry » Wed Jan 16, 2008 12:59 pm

Just disserts - a lecture from the bench. :wink:
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous

Bailey
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Postby Bailey » Wed Jan 16, 2008 4:47 pm

Jist disserts-the highlights

mark not-my-druthers-want-desserts Bailey

Perry, I can't believe it, you changed your sigline. Good one.

Today is the first day of the rest of your life, Make the most of it...
kb









Perry
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Posts: 2306
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 9:50 am
Location: Asheville, NC

Postby Perry » Thu Jan 17, 2008 4:22 pm

Ya'll were having all of the fun with the tagline graveyard, so I finally came around.
"Time is nature's way of keeping everything from happening all at once. Lately it hasn't been working."
Anonymous


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