Seldom-Used Words

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VThe next word came from my research;

opproprium - noun 1. something that brings disgrace 2.a. public disgrace or or ill fame that follows from conduct considered grossly wrong or vicious: INFAMY b. CONTEMPT, REPROACH

As far I as I understand it over here, the word is used to describe the general feeling of distrust, dislike, shame, etc., of a person for doing a particular thing (generally regarded as 'special'). A person defacing the War Memorial gets a load of opprobrium when caught.


this word could be used to describe the discourse nationally and on Lit forums when discussing politics.

I don't think that's how we have it, Rj.
 
Perspicacious:
adjective
1. having keen mental perception and understanding; discerning: to exhibit perspicacious judgment.
2. Archaic . having keen vision.

It's fun to say.
 
As far I as I understand it over here, the word is used to describe the general feeling of distrust, dislike, shame, etc., of a person for doing a particular thing (generally regarded as 'special'). A person defacing the War Memorial gets a load of opprobrium when caught.




I don't think that's how we have it, Rj.

There is a whole lotta contempt going on in the political threads, most unwarrented, most just because people are mule-like.
 
Yes, Rj, I might have to incorporate opproprium into my current word usage for the reasons you expressed. I immediately thought of Trump.

From my research;

spinster - noun 1. a woman whose occupation is to spin 2.a. archaic: an unmarried woman of gentle family b. an unmarried woman 3. a woman past the common age for marrying or one who seems unlikely to marry

It seems many woman, who worked the mills as spinsters, never married and that may be the basis for this term.
The term is far older than textile mills.

I think "spinster" became connected with "unmarried" because married women didn't have to spin thread to make a living; the husband provided the living. A married woman might spin thread, but it wouldn't have been her sole means of support.
 
The term is far older than textile mills.

I think "spinster" became connected with "unmarried" because married women didn't have to spin thread to make a living; the husband provided the living. A married woman might spin thread, but it wouldn't have been her sole means of support.

See also HERE.
 
Thank you, gentlemen. I suspected spinster was older than the textile industry and you have proven it.

piedmont - adj [Piedmont, region of Italy] lying or formed at the base of mountains
 
And not just Italy, we use Piedmont for the other side of the Appalachian chain from where you originate. It's French, of course, for 'foothill,' and we use it that way in English too.
 


nomophobia n., anxiety caused by being without one's mobile phone [from no + mo(bile) + phobia]




Okay; technically speaking, this is not a "Seldom-Used Word" (at least, according to the Oxford American Dictionary http://www.npr.org/blogs/thetwo-way...ts-out-yolo-as-oxford-dictionary-word-of-2012 ) but is actually a neologism.

Notwithstanding Oxford's assertion, I've certainly never previously heard or seen the word and I doubt many others have heard or seen it. It is an ad hoc phenomena— so typical of the English language.




 
Never heard of it...never even drove by...:rolleyes:

Hell, I've never even heard of Union College...

Founded in 1795 (and dating earlier), it is the 16th oldest college in the U.S. with many prominent graduates including a President and other well-known political figures, Nobel laureates, leading academics and business figures.

200px-UnionCollegeSeal.svg.png


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Union_College


 
It was facetious, trysail; I was letting the poster know I knew about the facility, and had figured out where he was, but thanks for the thought anyway.
 
What a charming campus. Thanks for contributing the link, Trysail.

pied-a-terre - noun a temporary or second lodging
 
What a charming campus. Thanks for contributing the link, Trysail.

pied-a-terre - noun a temporary or second lodging

I could do with a little pied a terre. a Little bolthole, if you will, away from the humdrum and risk of strokes.

pulchritudinous - adj - of great (physical) beauty. If my rusty old Latin is correct the etymology of the word comes from pulchra meaning beautiful.
 
Good day. everyone.

This one caught my interest;

pied - adj 1. having patches of two or more colors, as various birds and other animals: a pied horse. 2. wearing pied clothing

Origin: 1350–1400; Middle English; pie (with reference to the black and white plumage of the magpie) + -ed
 
As in a certain piped who visited Hamlin...
pie-bald also, though it more often refers to black and white biclored things.
And neither should be confused with pie-eyed, one of our many terms for intoxicatied.
 
I never got the connection of the Pied Piper with the colors of his coat, until I read that entry. Another ah-ha moment brought to you by your local dictionary.

piebald(1) adj - 1. of different colors a. spotted or blotched with black and white b. SKEWBALD 2. composed of incongruous parts: HETEROGENEOUS

piebald(2) - noun a piebald animal (as a horse)
 
I never got the connection of the Pied Piper with the colors of his coat, until I read that entry. Another ah-ha moment brought to you by your local dictionary.

piebald(1) adj - 1. of different colors a. spotted or blotched with black and white b. SKEWBALD 2. composed of incongruous parts: HETEROGENEOUS

piebald(2) - noun a piebald animal (as a horse)

How strange that we don't regard a cat or dog in those terms
 
I never got the connection of the Pied Piper with the colors of his coat, until I read that entry. Another ah-ha moment brought to you by your local dictionary.

piebald(1) adj - 1. of different colors a. spotted or blotched with black and white b. SKEWBALD 2. composed of incongruous parts: HETEROGENEOUS

piebald(2) - noun a piebald animal (as a horse)

Skewbald adj (of an animal) with irregular patches of white and another colour (properly NOT black). noun a skewbald animal.

Piebald is white and black.

Years ago we had an art student staying with us. Kate described herself as skewbald because she was covered with brown patches of melanin. After a few days we stopped noticing her distinctive appearance. She was herself, a witty, charming, intelligent and talented woman.

One of her friends was trying to describe Kate on our telephone to someone who was due to meet her and had never seen Kate. The description started "She's about five feet two, brown shoulder length hair..."

Kate interrupted her friend, pointing to her own face "...Oops!" said the friend. "You can't miss her. She's spotted like a brown and white dalmatian."
 
UMBRAGEOUS
1
a : affording shade
b : spotted with shadows
2
: inclined to take offense easily
— um·bra·geous·ly adverb
— um·bra·geous·ness noun

Examples of UMBRAGEOUS

<the estate's grounds include a delightfully umbrageous grove>
(Encountered in S.M.Stirling's Peshawar Lancers
 
Piebald all over the place. I found the entire pied/piebald experience truly enlightenling.

I had to add this for all the pirates that might be aboard;

pieces of eight - noun an old Spanish peso of eight reals
 
Since it was made of gold, it was used outside of Spanish territories as well, including the American west. The reals weren't as widely spread, and the peso often was literally cut into eight pieces, called "bits," to make smaller units. Hence "two bits" as a phrase for a quarter dollar.
 
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Thanks, Tio, for the additional information on reals and bits. Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar, was a favorite of mine as a child.

pièce de résistance - noun 1. the chief dish of a meal 2. an outstanding item
 
Thanks, Tio, for the additional information on reals and bits. Two bits, four bits, six bits, a dollar, was a favorite of mine as a child.

pièce de résistance - noun 1. the chief dish of a meal 2. an outstanding item

Actually, it's reales—and is pronounced in three syllables, with the accent on the second one: ray-AL-ace.
 
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