Seldom-Used Words

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Hello Tio dearest. So nice to see you here. Thanks for explaining "half a plough". That would make one wonder...

pliske - noun chiefly Scot: TRICK, PRACTICAL JOKE
 
Good day, posters. Here is one that looked interesting;

Plimsoil mark - noun a load line or a set of load-line markings on an oceangoing cargo ship - also called Plimsoil line
 
Good day, posters. Here is one that looked interesting;

Plimsoil mark - noun a load line or a set of load-line markings on an oceangoing cargo ship - also called Plimsoil line

Oh, dear. I fear that's a misspelling or there's a "typo" in Plimsoll.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterline#Load_line

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Trysail, you are most correct. That is what I get for trying to read the tiny print in my dictionary without my glasses this morning. LOL I hope Samuel Plimsoll can forgive me, even though he is long gone.

This next set confused me in the past and now I can see why. Completely different definitions for the same spelled word, even if they are from different root words, make me crazy. No wonder they say English is difficult to learn, especially for the native speakers! LOL

plight(1) - vt to put or give in pledge: ENGAGE

plight(2) - noun a solemnly given pledge: ENGAGEMENT

plight(3) - noun CONDITION, STATE; esp: bad state or conditon syn PREDICAMENT
 
Trysail, you are most correct. That is what I get for trying to read the tiny print in my dictionary without my glasses this morning. LOL I hope Samuel Plimsoll can forgive me, even though he is long gone.

This next set confused me in the past and now I can see why. Completely different definitions for the same spelled word, even if they are from different root words, make me crazy. No wonder they say English is difficult to learn, especially for the native speakers! LOL

plight(1) - vt to put or give in pledge: ENGAGE

plight(2) - noun a solemnly given pledge: ENGAGEMENT

plight(3) - noun CONDITION, STATE; esp: bad state or conditon syn PREDICAMENT

If we look in a slightly different direction, we find, amazingly enough, that island and isle are from different roots.
 
deviltry- noun -archaic variant of devilry

devilry- noun -wicked activity, reckless mischief


I think both variants are delicious! :devil:
 
deviltry- noun -archaic variant of devilry

devilry- noun -wicked activity, reckless mischief


I think both variants are delicious! :devil:

diabolical - adj : Fiendish; wicked.
diabolic : old use
diabolus - Latin Origin : Devil. :devil:

yum.
 
Carlus, ss Johnny Carson used to say, "I did not know that." Thanks for the information.

Great entries, Emily and PayDay. Beelzebub is one of my favorites.

plication - noun 1. the act or process of folding or state of being folded 2. FOLD
 
phantasmagoria - noun -a sequence of real or imaginary images like that seen in a dream.

Apparently, it was originally the name of an 1802 London exhibition of optical illusions, produced mainly by magic lantern. How cool is that?! :)
 
phantasmagoria - noun -a sequence of real or imaginary images like that seen in a dream.

Apparently, it was originally the name of an 1802 London exhibition of optical illusions, produced mainly by magic lantern. How cool is that?! :)

And it was the name of Montreal's famous head shop, featuring appropriate apurtenances, accessories, music, and posters... Ah! Youth! I think I might have been there once or thrice in the...was that the sixties, man? Wow! Time flies when it goes so slowly...:confused::eek::D
 
And it was the name of Montreal's famous head shop, featuring appropriate apurtenances, accessories, music, and posters... Ah! Youth! I think I might have been there once or thrice in the...was that the sixties, man? Wow! Time flies when it goes so slowly...:confused::eek::D

;) I was looking into it a bit more and I guess Lewis Carroll wrote a poem with the same title. Project Gutenberg has it here for free. :)
 
A great find, Emily. Thanks for sharing.

plica - noun a fold or folded part; esp: a groove or fold of skin
 
I trust we will not ignore that word used in a decreasing number of artisans in the print trade: the PICA
It is slightly obscure because only a limited number of typographers used it. It's the equivalent of approximately 1/6th of an inch (about 12 point).
 
picaresque - (of a style of fiction) dealing with the episodic adventures of rogues, etc. (from Spanish picaresco)

Cervantes' Don Quixote was a satire on the picaresque novels then popular in Spain. Fielding's Tom Jones and Defoe's Moll Flanders were English picaresque novels.
 
Thank you, Og, for sharing the picaresque novel. I read Don Quixote in Spanish when in college, and it was very funny. Now I know why. Cervantes and Mel Brooks have a lot in common. LOL

pliant - adj 1. bending or folding easily: FLEXIBLE 2. easily influenced: YEILDING 3. SUITABLE, APT 4. ADAPTABLE
 
I trust we will not ignore that word used in a decreasing number of artisans in the print trade: the PICA
It is slightly obscure because only a limited number of typographers used it. It's the equivalent of approximately 1/6th of an inch (about 12 point).

And those of us who've reached a certain age recall two kinds of typewriters: pica and elite. The former produced 10 characters per inch, while the latter produced 12. I was very envied in college because my typewriter was a pica, while most were elite. So when the professor told us to write a six page typed paper, I needed to write only 5/6 as much as my colleagues needed to.
 
I trust we will not ignore that word used in a decreasing number of artisans in the print trade: the PICA
It is slightly obscure because only a limited number of typographers used it. It's the equivalent of approximately 1/6th of an inch (about 12 point).

And those of us who've reached a certain age recall two kinds of typewriters: pica and elite. The former produced 10 characters per inch, while the latter produced 12. I was very envied in college because my typewriter was a pica, while most were elite. So when the professor told us to write a six page typed paper, I needed to write only 5/6 as much as my colleagues needed to.

Yes, we did prefer pica in our undergrad days...

But Pica was also the name of the only rose wine (a Portuguese offering) available in our local liquor stores back in those days. We found it humourous as pica also referred to the practice of eating things not normally eaten, generally chalk or flaked paint.

Now that meaning of pica might get us a few plot bunnies as well. "Get that thing out of your mouth this instant, young lady; you know you're not supposed to eat strangers!"
 
Yes, we did prefer pica in our undergrad days...

But Pica was also the name of the only rose wine (a Portuguese offering) available in our local liquor stores back in those days. We found it humourous as pica also referred to the practice of eating things not normally eaten, generally chalk or flaked paint.

Now that meaning of pica might get us a few plot bunnies as well. "Get that thing out of your mouth this instant, young lady; you know you're not supposed to eat strangers!"

I can't wait to see the story you're going to write based on this...
 
Yes, we did prefer pica in our undergrad days...

But Pica was also the name of the only rose wine (a Portuguese offering) available in our local liquor stores back in those days. We found it humourous as pica also referred to the practice of eating things not normally eaten, generally chalk or flaked paint.

Now that meaning of pica might get us a few plot bunnies as well. "Get that thing out of your mouth this instant, young lady; you know you're not supposed to eat strangers!"

well, Tio. get on with it then !
 
I also preferred pica type, but am not known to eat chalk or flaked paint. The white paste, on the other hand, was delicious in Kindergarten! LOL

plethora - noun 1. a bodily condition characterized by an excess of blood and marked by turgescence and a florid comoplexion 2. SUPERFLUITY, EXCESS
 
Here yo go :D

Fun Times With Adverbs:

hereabout - hereabouts - adv: In this vicinity.
hereafter - adv: 1. After this; from here or now on. 2. In a future time or state.
hereby - adv: By this means.
herein - adv: In or into this.
hereof - adv: Of this.
hereon - adv: On this.
hereto - adv: To this document or matter.
heretofore - adv: Before this; previously.
hereunto - adv: Hereto.
hereupon - adv: 1. Immediately after this. 2. At or on this.
herewith - adv: 1. Along with this. 2. By this means; hereby.
 
Welcome, Qualified. Yes, I wondered if anyone would remark about being pliable. I am, both physically and mentally. hehe

Those are some great adverbs, PayDay.

pleonasm - noun the use of more words than necessary to denote mere sense (as in the man he said): REDUNDANCY; also: an instance or expample of such use of words
 
Welcome, Qualified. Yes, I wondered if anyone would remark about being pliable. I am, both physically and mentally. hehe

Those are some great adverbs, PayDay.

pleonasm - noun the use of more words than necessary to denote mere sense (as in the man he said): REDUNDANCY; also: an instance or example of such use of words


It strikes me that modern 'management-speak' is essentially "pleonasmic".
 
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