Word of the Day. Post it Here

flirt
/flərt/
verb

1. 1.
   behave as though attracted to or trying to attract someone, but for amusement rather than with serious intentions.
   "it amused him to flirt with her"

 

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hal·cy·on
/ˈhalsēən/
adjective

1. denoting a period of time in the past that was idyllically happy and peaceful.
   "the halcyon days of the mid-1980s, when profits were soaring"
   
   Similar:
   serene
   
   calm
   
   pleasant
   
   balmy
   
   tranquil
   
   peaceful
   
   temperate
   
   mild
   
   quiet
   
   gentle
   
   placid
   
   still
   
   windless
   stormless
   happy
   
   carefree
   
   blissful
   
   golden
   
   joyful
   
   joyous
   
   contented
   
   idyllic
   
   palmy
   
   flourishing
   
   thriving
   
   prosperous
   
   successful
   
   
   Opposite:
   stormy
   
   troubled
   
   

noun

1. 1.
   a tropical Asian and African kingfisher with brightly colored plumage.
   
   
2. 2.
   a mythical bird said by ancient writers to breed in a nest floating at sea at the winter solstice, charming the wind and waves into calm.

 

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I've been pondering today, the usage of ''in spite of'' vs. ''despite.''

Despite and in spite of are both prepositions meaning “regardless of,” “even though,” or “notwithstanding.” They can be used interchangeably.

• Despite is always written as one word.
• In spite of is always written as three words.

Personally, I like to use ''despite'' more often.

 

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ob·se·qui·ous
/əbˈsēkwēəs/
adjective

1. obedient or attentive to an excessive or servile degree.
   "they were served by obsequious waiters"

 

Fairly
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/fairly

One meaning is "Quite"
Another is "with emphasis"

So ,if I was to say someone was "fairly knackered" it would be ambiguous without the context. ie "quite knackered" or "really knackered"

Personally in the latter case I would emphasize the adjective and would not in the former.

I don't know if others would follow this method of distinguishing between the usages in spoken speech

"Fairly" can also mean "in a fair way"

 

Iatrogenesis
Iatrogenesis is defined as any injury or illness that occurs as a result of medical care (Taber's Cyclopedic Medical Dictionary 2005).

 

Think "iatros" is Greek for doctor

 

Haggard:
Tired or exhausted in appearance.

 

Has anyone done “knackered”? If not, perhaps you might oblige…..

 

As in Ted Haggard: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ted_Haggard

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Not looked up "knackered" but from memory I recall if a bull has had its testicals removed it was deemed to be "knackered"

Another meaning "of being exhausted" might be from the farmer "being exhausted" from "knackrting" a herd of bulls in a *knackers yard" to improve live stock

Had to look up the below

The Knocker, Knacker, or Tommyknocker (US) is a mythical, subterranean, gnome-like creature in Cornish and Devon folklore. The Welsh counterparts are coblynau. It is closely related to the Irishleprechaun, Kentish kloker and the English and Scottishbrownie. The Cornish described the creature as a little person 2 ft 0 in (0.61 m) tall, with a disproportionately large head, long arms, wrinkled skin, and white whiskers. It wears a tiny version of standard miner's garb and commits random mischief, such as stealing miners' unattended tools and food.

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Thanks.Yes I have had the derivation of knackered on my mind for some time.Over here a knacker is a common term of abuse or disrespect for a traveler or tinker.

 

Laiking

"Playing" in Yorkshire dialect

Heard this on the Brendan o'Connor radio show (RTE) who had Patrick Stewart as a guest(new book)

Art tha laikin aht = art thou coming out to play?

I recognized the word "laikin" as it is the same as " a leke" in modern day norwegian(meaning also to play)

Think he also said that "Lakers" were "Players**" in Elizabethan times (Patrick Stewart still works in the theatre)

**as in performers on the stage

 

Leftovers

1. Food remaining uneaten at the end of a meal, esp. when saved for later use.
2. Anything left or remaining from a larger amount;
   remainder.

 

This Wiki article seems to bring together most of these strands, based on the disposal of animal carcasses being the primary original meaning :https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Knacker

 

I thought in spite of meant to be spiteful, used in conjunction with a purpose or reason to be. I always used despite to convey a do it anyway, regardless of a reason or purpose not to. Slightly different usages, but similar.

 

That’s what I thought too, so we were both wrong.

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No

 

Words mean what I want them to mean

Ask Alice

 

Serendipity - ser•en•dip•ity

Definition - the occurrence and development of events by chance in a happy or beneficial way

It could be viewed as a fortunate stroke of serendipity that she stumbled upon a science forum, and made quite a few unplanned, yet pleasant connections.