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Category: Word Wednesday

Salient: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

Salient is another one of those words favored by lawyers probably owing to it being such a concise word in a legal context. I have lost count of the number of times a judge has said to me, “Mister Bentley, pray tell me the salient points of your argument,” and this is usually following his reading of my written argument. The judge is not giving counsel the “brush-off.” He or she is asking counsel to articulate the main points so it can be entered into the court record. However, experienced counsel will also know that this question may also signify the judge codifying the message to the effect the argument has no merit whatsoever! Enough reminiscing – this is what Merriam-Webster has to say [the…

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Parkour and B-boying: Word Wednesday

Two words today as I just could not resist looking up parkour and B-boying after yesterday’s wonderful article by NicNac.  I was a tad surprised to find any entries at all but here they are: Merriam-Webster has this to say about parkour: parkour noun par·kour \pär-ˈku̇r, ˈpär-ˌku̇r\ Popularity: Bottom 30% of words Definition  : the sport of traversing environmental obstacles by running, climbing, or leaping rapidly and efficiently Origin and Etymology of parkour French, alteration of parcours course, route, from Medieval Latin percursus, from Latin percurrere to run through, from per- + currere to run First Known Use: 2002 So now you know! Good old M-W says this about B-boying: B–boying noun B–boy·ing \ˈbē-¦bȯi-iŋ\ Popularity: Bottom 10% of words Definition of B–boying : break dancing…

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Discombobulate: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

I do love the English language and discombobulate is such a funny-sounding word. When I first heard it way back in school, I really did believe it was a made up word. I was delighted to find it there in the dictionary. Merriam-Webster says this about it: discombobulate verb dis·com·bob·u·late \ˌdis-kəm-ˈbä-b(y)ə-ˌlāt\ Popularity: Top 40% of words Definition of discombobulate discombobulate discombobulating transitive verb : upset, confuse <inventing cool new ways to discombobulate the old order — Kurt Andersen> discombobulation noun Examples of discombobulate in a sentence <our grandmother seems a bit discombobulated by all of this birthday fuss> Origin and Etymology probably alteration of discompose First Known Use: circa 1916 The Facebook comments are often illuminating or humorous – Suzanne Alexander · Foothill College Reading…

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Bamboozle: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

Bamboozle – now that is a word and a half! Merriam-Webster as usual – verb bam·boo·zle \bam-ˈbü-zəl\ Popularity: Top 40% of words Simple Definition  : to trick or confuse (someone) Full Definition of bamboozle transitive verb 1 : to deceive by underhanded methods : dupe, hoodwink 2 : to confuse, frustrate, or throw off thoroughly or completely <a quarterback bamboozled by an unexpected defense> bamboozlement  noun Examples in a sentence <bamboozled by con men into buying worthless land in the desert> <she’s completely bamboozled by the latest changes in the tax code> Did You Know? In 1710, Irish author Jonathan Swift wrote an article on “the continual Corruption of our English Tongue” in which he complained of “the Choice of certain Words invented by some…

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Unctuous: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

Unctuous is a word you don’t hear every day but I bet you know the type of person it describes. Straight to it then, here is what Merriam-Webster has to say: adjective unc·tu·ous \ˈəŋ(k)-chə-wəs, -chəs, -shwəs\ Popularity: Top 10% of words Simple Definition of unctuous —used to describe someone who speaks and behaves in a way that is meant to seem friendly and polite but that is unpleasant because it is obviously not sincere Perhaps the word describes some politicians we all know? Full Definition 1 a : fatty, oily b : smooth and greasy in texture or appearance 2 : plastic <fine unctuous clay> 3 : full of unction; especially : revealing or marked by a smug, ingratiating, and false earnestness or spirituality unctuously…

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Serendipity: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

Serendipity is one of my all-time favorite words. Say it, savor it. It sounds like its meaning. Merriam-Webster has this to say: Serendipity noun ser·en·dip·i·ty \ˌser-ən-ˈdi-pə-tē\ Popularity: Top 1% of lookups Simple Definition of serendipity : luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for No wonder it is in the top 1% of look ups. It’s such a cool word. Full Definition of serendipity : the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for; also : an instance of this Examples of serendipity in a sentence As they leapfrog from South Africa to Singapore in search of local delicacies, the authors prove again and again that serendipity is the traveler’s strongest ally: many…

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Banausic: Word Wednesday (Improve Your Word Power)

Banausic is a new one on me. I did not have the foggiest what it meant before I saw it on the Merriam-Webster ‘Word of the Day.’ I don’t think it’s a word I will be using often – it’s quite ugly, don’t you think? 🙂 Here is what it means: banausic adjective buh-NAW-sik Definition : relating to or concerned with earning a living — used pejoratively; also : utilitarian, practical Examples “At the far end was a wooden board on which were hung saws, chisels, knives and other banausic instruments of the trade.” — Sebastian Faulk, Human Traces, 2005 “That story is followed by a brilliant allegory of reality TV and the cult of personality, Rumours About Me, in which a simple company man…

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Puddled: Word Wednesday

A dip into British slang today. The word puddled is one I haven’t heard in a long time but was brought to my notice by Tony Bushell and his excellent anorthernsoulweb blog. As fellow northerners (North of England), Tony and I heard this said so many times during our formative years. So, for today I need to take you to a new source and that is peevish.co.uk: Adj. 1. Confused. See ‘puddle’. 2. Eccentric, insane. And puddle? Noun. A mess, a confused state. E.g.”Sorry, I’ve been in a bit of puddle since the party. I drank far too much.” You can follow how it was used back in the UK. Usually in reacting to a statement that you disagreed with as in, “You’re puddled!” Some…

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Otiose: Word Wednesday – Improve Your Word Power

Otiose is the choice for today’s Word Wednesday and, as is often the case, the word came to me as I was writing a piece elsewhere. Otiose is a word much-used by judges and lawyers and is often used as a device to spell out that the argument being advanced, legal or on the facts, is a load of baloney. So professionally polite! Merriam-Webster says this: adjective oti·ose \ˈō-shē-ˌōs, ˈō-tē-\ Popularity: Bottom 50% of words Definition of otiose 1 : producing no useful result : futile 2 : being at leisure : idle 3 : lacking use or effect : functionless otiosely adverb otioseness noun otiosity \ˌō-shē-ˈä-sə-tē, ˌō-tē-\ noun Examples of otiose in a sentence <since you haven’t read the book, I suppose that it…

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Rigmarole: Word Wednesday

“Well that was a right old rigmarole,” must have been said by millions in all English speaking countries. It’s such a quaint word but so effective. Merriam-Webster has this to say: rigmarole noun rig·ma·role \ˈri-gə-mə-ˌrōl, ˈrig-mə-\ Popularity: Bottom 50% of words Simple Definition of rigmarole : a long, complicated, and annoying process, description, etc. Source: Merriam-Webster’s Learner’s Dictionary Bottom 50 percent! Oh my! It deserves to be on the tip of everybody’s tongue 🙂 Full Definition of rigmarole 1:  confused or meaningless talk 2:  a complex and sometimes ritualistic procedure Examples of rigmarole in a sentence We had to go through the rigmarole of installing, registering, and activating the software before we found out it wouldn’t work. He just told us what to do without…

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