screed

Use this forum to suggest Good Words for Professor Beard.
Bailey
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screed

Postby Bailey » Tue Jan 16, 2007 4:40 pm

screed (skrd)
n.
1. A long monotonous speech or piece of writing.
2.
a. A strip of wood, plaster, or metal placed on a wall or pavement as a guide for the even application of plaster or concrete.
b. A layer or strip of material used to level off a horizontal surface such as a floor.
c. A smooth final surface of a substance, such as concrete, applied to a floor.


[Middle English screde, fragment, strip of cloth, from Old English scrade, shred.]
I use this at work a lot, While building a floor we need to screed a section of concrete or even sand by dragging a length of 2X to level it before we add the next layer, after curing it of course.
I can see using it as "I would answer you but I don't want to be screeded to your grade."

mark can-laugh-at-himself Bailey

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









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gailr
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Postby gailr » Tue Jan 16, 2007 8:44 pm

Interesting, Bailey. I was familiar with the first meaning but unaware of the others.

The American Heritage definition then references screde/scrEade/shred;
Shred gives
NOUN: 1. A long irregular strip that is cut or torn off.
2. A small amount; a particle: not a shred of evidence.
How did "long irregular strip" become "smooth final surface of a substance"?

-gailr

Bailey
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Joined: Tue Mar 21, 2006 7:51 pm

Postby Bailey » Tue Jan 16, 2007 10:31 pm

homophonic contranym??????

mark janus Bailey

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










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