Seldom-Used Words

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I lived for a while in one of these most famous healing spring places: Bath. Going shopping was like moving perpetually in a Jane Austen novel, LOL. But my favourite shop was the second-hand goods one (which also sold other things and was eventually busted by the police). It was at the end of a long row of beautiful bric-a-brac shops and had a big sign outside saying: "Antiques while you wait."

Pecadillo
A small, relatively unimportant offense or sin.

Peking man, that was a good one, Allard. I see Ben was a bit cheeky to you, but be grateful, that was as nothing to what he said to me in the Wish thread! I read it just before going on the school run and was completely convulsed with hysterical laughter the whole way - which I couldn't possibly have explained to any other parent.
 
Yes, indeed, Og, you have spoken highly of St. Winefride's Well before, but that is a nice picture, very lovely, and thanks so much for posting it. I figured the ess part of peeress probably went by the wayside with all the others. Waitress still hangs on here, though.

Naoko, California is much more tolerant of those "other things", for which I am eternally grateful. I was glad I could vote for such a thing, against all odds and the Feds! So many years later, they are still trying to sort the laws out to everyone's satisfaction, which hasn't happened yet. I keep saying once the 26th state comes on board, the Feds will be forced to back off. Until then, we are still part of the assault on state's right, a long-standing issue over here.

peep show - noun a small show or object exhibited that is viewed through an opening or a magnifying glass
 
3D Toy Theatre is a type of Peep Show:

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One of these features in a G K Chesterton Father Brown story...
 
I'd noticed the 2012 but was too shy to comment. I thought that there might be a hidden message there.
 
Very lovely, Og, what a wonderful surprise! I am so glad I posted peep show.

This one I thought I knew, but not entirely, and had to post it to illustrate how, once again, I completely missed the origin;

Peeping Tom - noun 1. a tailor of Coventry held to have peeped at Lady Godiva 2. often not cap: VOYEUR
 
Very lovely, Og, what a wonderful surprise! I am so glad I posted peep show.

This one I thought I knew, but not entirely, and had to post it to illustrate how, once again, I completely missed the origin;

Peeping Tom - noun 1. a tailor of Coventry held to have peeped at Lady Godiva 2. often not cap: VOYEUR

Legend has it that he went blind.
 
Very lovely, Og, what a wonderful surprise! I am so glad I posted peep show.

This one I thought I knew, but not entirely, and had to post it to illustrate how, once again, I completely missed the origin;

Peeping Tom - noun 1. a tailor of Coventry held to have peeped at Lady Godiva 2. often not cap: VOYEUR

Peeping Tom was a later invention added to the Godiva legend. I have written a story about Godiva http://www.literotica.com/s/godiva-1 and since then I have collected some Godiva souvenirs through eBay.

The citizens of Coventry have had a whole series of Godiva processions throughout the centuries. The clothing? that Godiva wears are some indication of public perception of nudity at the time. Some years she appeared fully clothed. Before 1914 the actress (and it HAD to be an actress, no Coventry housewife would dare) appeared in a body stocking, apparently naked. In the 1960s the Coventry lady WAS naked...

220px-Godiva_statue_Broadgate_Oct_2011.jpg


lady_godiva.jpg





A collection of Godivas:

lady-godiva.jpg


And the other way round:

Lady_Godiva_2008_07.jpg


A modern art work:

lady_godiva_by_mrnoxx-d39xgvp.jpg


Coventry created a giant Lady Godiva for the London Olympics Arts Project:

7672063400_5ab7ccf309_z.jpg
 
Thank you so much for posting Peep Show, Allard! Those were ... charming. I liked the three smokers by the car, ROFL, and the three flower maidens. The Easter ones may come in handy in a couple of weeks too!

:heart:
 
I just read up on Lady Godiva and poor ole Peeping Tom. Quite a story from long ago with no one really knowing whether she rode completely nude or not. She rode to protest taxes, possibly the horse tax in particular, and in my mind was an early resistor. I never knew that part of the story, either. The naked part had the greatest impact, not her protest, of course.

peel(3) - noun a medieval small massive fortified tower along the Scottish-English border

peel(4) - noun a usually long-handled spade-shaped instrument used chiefly by bakers
 
I just read up on Lady Godiva and poor ole Peeping Tom. Quite a story from long ago with no one really knowing whether she rode completely nude or not. She rode to protest taxes, possibly the horse tax in particular, and in my mind was an early resistor. I never knew that part of the story, either. The naked part had the greatest impact, not her protest, of course.

...

There are several odd things about the Lady Godiva story:

1. Coventry was a very small place at the time.
2. Lady Godiva was the owner of Coventry, not Earl Leofric.
3. Leofric and Godiva were significant charitable donors in the area. There is no evidence that Earl Leofric was an unreasonable or grasping overlord, nor anything other than a good husband to Godiva.
4. Lady Godiva, despite being Saxon, continued to be a major landowner after the Norman Conquest, when other Saxons were stripped of their land holdings.
5. She and her vassals were probably the major owners of horses in the Coventry area. Was she protesting, not against the population being taxed unfairly, but her own tax bill?
6. The earliest accounts make no mention of her being naked and Peeping Tom is certainly a later addition several centuries after her time.

But who cares what the truth of the story is? The legend has served Coventry well for nearly 1,000 years.
 
How true, Og, no matter what the details, Lady Godiva lives on, now as chocolate. The people of Coventry certainly knew a good thing when they saw it, or didn't see it, as the case may be. The picture of the pele tower is perfect. Thanks for enriching this thread as often as you do.

This could be confusing;

pedologist(1) - noun a specialist in child studies

pedologist(2) - noun a soil scientist
 
...

This could be confusing;

pedologist(1) - noun a specialist in child studies

pedologist(2) - noun a soil scientist

There is no confusion in British English.

Child studies are paediatrics and a specialist is a paediatrician.

A Soil scientist is just that. Here is their professional body.

'Ped' refers to feet - Pedestrian, Podiatry
 
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Hi Allard!
I am new to this thread, but here is a new word I encounterd today:

omphalopsychite - One who contemplates their naval

I thought it was amusing to find such a fancy word for navel gazing...

By the way, I've been enjoying this thread. I love word games and expanding my vocabulary. The discussions are interesting too.
 
On the pele towers, Og...

Since they seemed to largely be along borders, do you think their name has any relationship to the 'pale' or 'pallisade' as marking the enclosed, or home, territory?
 
Hi Allard!
I am new to this thread, but here is a new word I encounterd today:

omphalopsychite - One who contemplates their naval

I thought it was amusing to find such a fancy word for navel gazing...

By the way, I've been enjoying this thread. I love word games and expanding my vocabulary. The discussions are interesting too.

It comes from the Greek Omphalos - the navel. The link gives far more information.

Several places claim to be the Omphalos of the World. There are fewer claimants for the title Arsehole/Asshole of the World.
 
Hi Allard!
I am new to this thread, but here is a new word I encounterd today:

omphalopsychite - One who contemplates their naval

I thought it was amusing to find such a fancy word for navel gazing...

By the way, I've been enjoying this thread. I love word games and expanding my vocabulary. The discussions are interesting too.

Don't forget, Neko, the following euphonious variants...

Omphalophilia (love of navels) and

Omphalophobia (fear of navels)
 
Welcome, NekoParks, that was certainly a great word to post.

Og, I heard once that New Orleans was the vagina of the world, which made sense to me, but, again, I doubt any city wants to claim that name, either.

It is interesting that the navel is so sought after, though. The birthing mark must have great import in spiritual matters.

pediment - noun a triangular space forming the gable of a 2-pitched roof in classic architecture; also: a similar form used as a decoration
 
Welcome, NekoParks, that was certainly a great word to post.

Og, I heard once that New Orleans was the vagina of the world, which made sense to me, but, again, I doubt any city wants to claim that name, either.

It is interesting that the navel is so sought after, though. The birthing mark must have great import in spiritual matters.

pediment - noun a triangular space forming the gable of a 2-pitched roof in classic architecture; also: a similar form used as a decoration

Thank you for the welcome. I appreciate it.

When you mentioned NOLA, it reminded me of spicy food. Here is a fancy word for using onions for magic.

cromnyomancy - Magic or divination using an onion

Of course, an onion reminds me of that great scene between Donkey and Shrek.
 
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