Seldom-Used Words

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My dictionary says it is an alternate of parcel, which makes sense, sort of.

Og, both of the dances you posted were impressive. The dance steps were somewhat complicated, and the dancers' performances showed poise, balance, grace, and a quickness of step that anyone would find appealing to watch, now or then. The solo dance was much harder and very entertaining. Thank you so much, once again.

pasquinade - noun 1. a lampoon posted in a public place 2. satirical writing: SATIRE
 
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Makes me wonder how man & woman ever got together with that kind of performance.

When the Waltz was introduced, many people thought that it was shocking, because the man held the woman - around the waist!

Before the waltz, holding a woman's (gloved) hand was the height of sexual titillation allowed in a dance that could be suitable for Ladies. Almack's Rooms in London took a long time to allow the waltz to be played, and at first only married people could dance a waltz, then only ladies who had been presented at Court.

Of course the peasants' dances had much more physical contact.
 
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Happy Easter Sunday to you all.

Og, the information on Almack's Rooms was very interesting, indeed. I had no idea the waltz was such a shocking dance at first. You are a wonderful wealth of knowledge that I appreciate very much. Thank you, again.

paschal lamb - noun 1. a lamb slain and eaten at the Passover 2. in caps: a. CHRIST b. AGNUS DEI
 
Happy Easter everyone! This chocolate library seems like an appropriate 'egg' to bring on here for us all.

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It's getting a mite warmer now, and I am even thinking I could prune the roses at last. I'll wait a day or two to make sure.

Perlite - a volcanic glass formed by the hydration of obsidian. Much used in gardens apparently, so perhaps Allard won't consider it a seldom used word? but it's a good excuse to sneak in and leave this chocolate 'egg' for you all.
 
April Fool's Day, huh? I still think it is a better time to begin the year than January 1st, so I suppose I am an April Fool at heart.

Very nice, Naoko. Yes, perlite is not so seldom-used, especially this time of year, but who cares? Not me!

pas de deux - noun a dance or figure for two performers

pas de trois - noun a dance or figure for three performers
 
Good day, posters.

parvis also parvise - noun 1. a court or enclosed space before a building (as a church) 2. a single portico or colonnade before a church
 
Edward, And that reminds me of the good ole days of tuck n roll naugahyde. My best friend always asked if the hyde was from a male or female nauga.

No need to apologize, Handley, any word, any time, is my rule of thumb here. That is a nice one. I might just have to use it in book 2. The only problem with using such seldom-used words for current novels is that the average vocabulary of Americans is decreasing and most won't even pick up a dictionary to investigate, added to that online dictionaries can be inadequate.

parvenu - noun one who has recently or suddenly attained to wealth or power and has not yet secured the social position appropriate to it: UPSTART
 
Edward, And that reminds me of the good ole days of tuck n roll naugahyde. My best friend always asked if the hyde was from a male or female nauga.

No need to apologize, Handley, any word, any time, is my rule of thumb here. That is a nice one. I might just have to use it in book 2. The only problem with using such seldom-used words for current novels is that the average vocabulary of Americans is decreasing and most won't even pick up a dictionary to investigate, added to that online dictionaries can be inadequate.

parvenu - noun one who has recently or suddenly attained to wealth or power and has not yet secured the social position appropriate to it: UPSTART

I like the idea of an athlete being Polydispic rather than dehydrated.
 
esurient

PRONUNCIATION:
(i-SOOR-ee-uhnt)

MEANING:
adjective: Hungry; greedy.

ETYMOLOGY:
From Latin esurire (to be hungry), from edere (to eat). Ultimately from the Indo-European root ed- (to eat, to bite) that has also given us edible, comestible, obese, etch, fret, edacious, prandial, and postprandial.

Clan Rathskeller By Kevin Hearne said:
Decembers in Arizona are decidedly cool, but not what I would call cold. People shop at outdoor malls like Tempe Marketplace wearing nothing but a light sweater, and they utterly fail to slip on black ice or lose toes to frostbite, because those dangers don’t exist in the desert. For similar reasons, they fail to get inhaled by ravenous yeti or snacked on by esurient cephalopods. One would think they’d also be safe from the attentions of sociopathic kobolds, but I discovered, to my chagrin on a Monday night, that this was not the case.

I'm finding that I like The Iron Druid Series as much for the vocabulary stretch as for the hack'n'slash fantasy. :p
 
I like the idea of an athlete being Polydispic rather than dehydrated.

I like the idea that athletes can pronounce and spell Polydispic. There is a perception that excellence in sport doesn't fit with intelligence.

The only sportswomen I have encountered as friends have been very good at sport, if not of Olympic standard, but academically outstanding.
 
I like the idea that athletes can pronounce and spell Polydispic. There is a perception that excellence in sport doesn't fit with intelligence.

It's a stereotype, and (as for most stereotypes) there are good reasons that underlie it. Think of all the athletes whose comments on their most recent games are sought by sportscasters (many of whom are themselves former athletes). They treat us to statements like "Well, we made some mistakes, and when you're playing a team as good as (insert your favorite here), you just can't afford to make mistakes."

The only sportswomen I have encountered as friends have been very good at sport, if not of Olympic standard, but academically outstanding.

Of course. You probably wouldn't form a friendship with one of the stereotypic female athletes. And all of this is true of male athletes, too.
 
At my children's elementary school, which is walking distance from my house, they gave out an annual award to the Scholar/Athlete and my daughter won it her last two years for the girls. I thought it was very impressive for this little local school to advocate physical fitness, competition, and intelligence all at the same time.

parure - noun a matched set of jewelry or other ornaments
 
Being a woman who did this four times, I had to post this next word;

parturition - noun the act or process of giving birth to offspring
 
Good day, everyone. Here is a word I thought I knew, until I read the definition;

partisan or partizan(1)- noun 1. one that takes the part of another: SUPPORTER 2.a. a member of a body of detached light troops making forays and harassing an enemy b. a member of a guerrilla band operating within enemy lines

partisan or partizan(2) - noun a weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries with long shaft and broad blade
 
Good day, everyone. Here is a word I thought I knew, until I read the definition;

partisan or partizan(1)- noun 1. one that takes the part of another: SUPPORTER 2.a. a member of a body of detached light troops making forays and harassing an enemy b. a member of a guerrilla band operating within enemy lines

partisan or partizan(2) - noun a weapon of the 16th and 17th centuries with long shaft and broad blade

The Yugoslav Partizans during WW2 were a serious threat to the occupying German troops.

The British Army officers embedded with some of the Partizans were sometimes appalled at the brutality and cruelty of the Partizans - but they were responding in kind to the Nazis' actions against the local civilians.

The Partisan as a weapon was one of a number of polearms. The Halberd was intended for infantry to attack horsemen. The Partisan was more useful defending a wall against attackers climbing on ropes.

Polearms.jpg
 
Og, that is very interesting and thank you for posting the picture, but I cannot read all the names of the weapons very well. Would you list them for me, so I can look them up and learn a little more, please?

parti pris - noun a preconceived opinion: PREJUDICE
 
Og, that is very interesting and thank you for posting the picture, but I cannot read all the names of the weapons very well. Would you list them for me, so I can look them up and learn a little more, please?

...

Left to Right:

Poleaxe; Bardiche; Bill; Glaive; Partizan; Halberd; Pike.

The illustrated Partizan and Halberd are ceremonial ones, unlike the others which are for use.
 
Thank you very much, Og. You are so attentive. I looked up polearm, but it was not in my dictionary. It is one of those words that explains itself, anyway. Poleax was there, though. Poniard is one I missed, while in that section, and has been in my research into an attempt to kill Napolean III in June of 1857 by a man named Mazzini. A very interesting Italian revolutionary, Guiseppe Mazzini...

Parthian - noun 1. of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient Parthia or its people 2. of or relating to a shot fired while in real or feigned retreat
 
Poniard is one I missed, while in that section, and has been in my research into an attempt to kill Napolean III in June of 1857 by a man named Mazzini. A very interesting Italian revolutionary, Guiseppe Mazzini...

Parthian - noun 1. of, relating to, or characteristic of ancient Parthia or its people [B]2.[/B] of or relating to a shot fired while in real or feigned retreat


Would that be the shot fired by a capitulating ship, in order that it would not be said of her Captain, "never fired a shot". ?
 
Would that be the shot fired by a capitulating ship, in order that it would not be said of her Captain, "never fired a shot". ?

No.

The Parthians made a practice of feigned retreat or rout while actually remaining focused. They would fire their arrows at the enemy chasing them, then turn as one to attack again.

That tactic was decisive for the Normans at the Battle of Hastings.
 
Thank you very much, Og. You are so attentive. I looked up polearm, but it was not in my dictionary. It is one of those words that explains itself, anyway. Poleax was there, though. ...

If you look carefully, you can see that the Halberd has the characteristics of the poleaxe, bill and pike. In the hands of a skilled user it was a supreme infantry weapon in its day.

The Yeomen of the Guard still carry halberds - and practise with them.
 
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