Seldom-Used Words

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Yes, Handley, ooze is an odd word that does not bring forth pleasing pictures to the mind. But, I never knew it was good for tanning, until now.

oomph - noun 1. personal charm or magnetism: GLAMOUR 2. SEX APPEAL 3. VITALITY, ENTHUSIASM
 
I am posting this next word, because it has more definitions than I realized;

onus - noun 1.a. BURDEN b. a disagreeable necessity: OBLIGATION c. BLAME d. STIGMA 2. BURDEN OF PROOF
 
Yes, Handley, ooze is an odd word that does not bring forth pleasing pictures to the mind. But, I never knew it was good for tanning, until now.

oomph - noun 1. personal charm or magnetism: GLAMOUR 2. SEX APPEAL 3. VITALITY, ENTHUSIASM

I believe that the original referred to the auto-mobile. Oomph was a non-defined expression for acceleration and general speed. A car could be said to have "bags of oomph".



Definition of OOMPH
[Merriam -Webster]

1: personal charm or magnetism : glamour : (& spirited vigour )
2: sex appeal
3: punch, vitality

Examples of OOMPH

The plot of the story lacks oomph.
The truck doesn't have the oomph to haul the boat.

Origin of OOMPH
imitative of a sound made under exertion
First Known Use: 1936
 
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Handley, my dictionary says it is probably an imitation of an appreciative mm uttered by a man at the sight of an attractive woman, just so you know. I really don't know and don't have time right now to look it up on the net.

onomatopoeia - noun 1. the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it (as buzz, hiss) 2. the use of words whose sound suggests the sense
 
Here are an interesting pair of words with slightly different meanings;

onomastic - adj 1. of, relating to, or consisting of a name or names 2. of a signature: written in the handwriting of the author of a letter or document

onomastics - noun plural (but singular or plural in construction) 1.a. the science or study of the origins and forms of words esp. as used in a specialized field b. the science or study of the origin and forms of proper names of person or places 2. the system underlying the formation and the use of words esp. for proper names or of words used in a specialized field
 
In my reading tonight, I came across only second time I've seen used a marvelous onomatopoeic word, "tintinnabulation," reportedly invented by Edgar Allan Poe for his poem "The Bells," which is the only use of the word I can remember. A great word, though, for the tinkling sound of bells.
 
In my reading tonight, I came across only second time I've seen used a marvelous onomatopoeic word, "tintinnabulation," reportedly invented by Edgar Allan Poe for his poem "The Bells," which is the only use of the word I can remember. A great word, though, for the tinkling sound of bells.

The first book ever published on Church Change Bell Ringing was written and published by Fabian Stedman in 1668. It was titled Tintinalogia followed by the second book on the subject in 1677 called Campanologia.

Stedman through the principles he developed, was the first man to establish a mathematical basis for the development of change ringing. His bells didn't tinkle too much because they were heavy church tower bells often weighing up to a ton or so apiece.
 
sr71plt and ishtat, those are all great onomatopoeia words and thanks for adding them here. Edgar Allen Poe certainly had a way with words.

And I agree with you, Og, Miss West was one of the first real sex queens and I love her still. One of her famous sayings that I admire is, "An ounce of performance is worth pounds of promises."

I am adding this next O word to remind myself to use it in my writing;

onerous - adj 1. involving, imposing, or constituting a burden: TROUBLESOME (an ~ task) 2. having legal obligations that outweigh the advantages (~ contract)
 
Good day, everyone. And a Happy Sunday to you as well.

Here are a related group of words I found very interesting;

oneiric - adj of or relating to dreams : DREAMY

oneirocritical - adj of, relating to, or specializing in the interpretation of dreams

oneiromancy - noun divination by means of dreams

In my studies of Abraham Lincoln for my upcoming trip to Gettysburg for the 150th Anniversary of his famous address in November, I learned that Lincoln had lots of premonitory dreams that his wife, Mary Todd, would help him to interpret.
 
This is a new one for me;

onanism - noun 1. uncompleted coitus 2. MASTURBATION

I must look up the reason why Onan, son of Judah, got such a bad rap.
 
A little more on Onan from Wiki;

"Onan (Hebrew: "Strong") is a minor biblical person in the Book of Genesis Chapter 38, who was the second son of Judah. Like his older brother, Er, Onan was killed by Yahweh. Onan's death was retribution for being "evil in the sight of the Lord" through being unwilling to father a child by his widowed sister-in-law.

After Onan's brother Er was slain by God, his father Judah told him to fulfill his duty as a brother-in-law to Tamar, by giving her offspring. However, when Onan had sex with Tamar, he withdrew before climax and "spilled his seed [or semen] on the ground", since any child born would not legally be considered his heir. He disregarded the principle of a levirate union, so God slew him. (Genesis 38:3-10)"

I will always remember what Timothy Leary said about Jehovah on Johnny Carson long ago, but this is not a direct quote, he said something like, "God of the Old Testament was like a macho condominium owner."
 
This is a new one for me;

onanism - noun 1. uncompleted coitus 2. MASTURBATION

I must look up the reason why Onan, son of Judah, got such a bad rap.

Permit me, Madam, for I have puzzled similarly:

Biblical account

After Onan's brother Er was slain by God, his father Judah told him to fulfill his duty as a brother-in-law to Tamar, by giving her offspring. However, when Onan had sex with Tamar, he withdrew before climax[2] and "spilled his seed [or semen] on the ground", since any child born would not legally be considered his heir.[3] He disregarded the principle of a levirate union, so God slew him. (Genesis 38:3-10)


I guess sexual conduct was a different thing in those days.
 
Yes, Handley, the sin of wasting seed or semen obviously goes back a long ways. I wonder what God thinks about all the masturbating or semen wasting going on in the world today? I suppose women were not punished for masturbating as much, unless caught in the act, because there is no semen to waste.

onager - noun 1. a small pale-colored kiang with a broad dorsal stripe 2. an ancient and medieval heavy catapult
 
My newspaper this weekend mentioned a new word: 'Phubbing', which, at a guess, comes from 'Phone Snubbing', where the person on the phone (generally these days, a mobile) ignores or disregards another person.

This nation's source of guidance and politeness, Debretts, has recently pontificated on the subject.

So you can now complain if you get phubbed
 
Welcome, Noor, and thank you very much for the additional information. The part I found interesting was that the issue of Onan would not be considered his heir, but his brother's, and therefore, the reason for Onan wasting his semen.

Very nice NEW seldom-used word, Handley. I know I have been phubbed before.

omnium-gatherum - noun a miscellaneous collection of a variety of things or person: HODGEPODGE
 
Frabjous!

Etymology[edit]
Originally a nonce word in Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky; probably a blend of fair, fabulous, and joyous.
Adjective[edit]
frabjous (comparative more frabjous, superlative most frabjous)
(nonce-word) Fabulous, joyous; great, wonderful.  [quotations ▼]
Usage notes[edit]
Most frequently found as an exclamation or in the form "most frabjous".
 
Frabjous!

Etymology[edit]
Originally a nonce word in Lewis Carroll's Jabberwocky; probably a blend of fair, fabulous, and joyous.
Adjective[edit]
frabjous (comparative more frabjous, superlative most frabjous)
(nonce-word) Fabulous, joyous; great, wonderful.  [quotations ▼]
Usage notes[edit]
Most frequently found as an exclamation or in the form "most frabjous".

Chortle comes from the same source. It is probably a blend of chuckle and snort.

And one of Larry Niven's (a scence fiction author) planets is populated by a species named (by human explorers) frumious bandersnatch.
 
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A formerly common word I used today...

'Crass'.

I had to really think about it, and to my own astonishment, got it without using a thesaurus; it had apparently been up in there for quite some time. It was in the context of a woman describing a previous date to someone she really likes: "His behavior was crass."

The mental response is, in the story, "Who says that anymore?" or for that matter, wears a watch as a timepiece...
 
Welcome VeronicaGables and LenNeal.

Was anyone better at made-up words than Lewis Carol? Jabberwocky has always been one of my favorites for that very reason.

I used "crass", thanks to StellaOmega's wonderful editing, in my first novel, but then it is set in 1857, so archaic and seldom-used words work perfectly and are the main reasons behind this thread.

Thanks, Trysail, for the update on posts. I have an unfair advantage, because I post nearly every time, whereas others just add comments. But all interactions are appreciated and more than welcomed.

omnifarious - adj of all varieties, forms, or kinds
 
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