Seldom-Used Words

[AllardChardon]

A very Happy St. Patrick's Day to All.

Here are a couple of entries rarely used;

prettify - vt to make pretty

prettification - noun the act, process, or result of prettifying

[Tio_Narratore]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

A very Happy St. Patrick's Day to All.

Here are a couple of entries rarely used;

prettify - vt to make pretty

prettification - noun the act, process, or result of prettifying

As in "He found her prettifying petrifyng?"

[AllardChardon]

Tio dear, I saw the connection between prettification and petrification and thought about how they are worlds apart.

pretermission - noun OMISSION

[Tio_Narratore]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

Tio dear, I saw the connection between prettification and petrification and thought about how they are worlds apart.

pretermission - noun OMISSION

Not necessarily, dearest Allard; after all, a prettified lady does have the potential for stiffening a man, either with fear or with lust.

[AllardChardon]

I suppose so, Tio. Here is one in keeping with that train of thought;

preterminal - adj occurring before death

[Tio_Narratore]

In my field, we usually use antemortem to cover that. Perimortem for around the time of death, and, of course, post-mortem for after that event.

[AllardChardon]

Yes, Tio, but I am in the Ps not the As. hehe

pretensionless - adj UNPRETENTIOUS

[Tio_Narratore]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

Yes, Tio, but I am in the Ps not the As. hehe

pretensionless - adj UNPRETENTIOUS

OK, dear; I'll hold on to perimortem until you move up to the pers... You do seem to be going back to front in your Englisches Worterbuch...

[AllardChardon]

Yes, Tio darling, this has always been a back-asswards affair (meaning the thread, not our unbetrothal).

[Tio_Narratore]

Yes, my darling partner in unwedlock; our relationship has always (well, mostly) been up front.

[CarlusMagnus]

Originally Posted by Tio_Narratore

OK, dear; I'll hold on to perimortem until you move up to the pers... You do seem to be going back to front in your Englisches Worterbuch...

I prefer holding on to a perineum myself.

[Tio_Narratore]

Originally Posted by CarlusMagnus

I prefer holding on to a perineum myself.

They tend to be a little hard to take hold of, and it takes a partner of a particular temperment to enjoy that kind of pinch. I find tickling more productive than holding for that feature of the dermatological anatomy.

[AllardChardon]

"Perineum tickling," asks the unspouse, "how did I miss that?"

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

"Perineum tickling," asks the unspouse, "how did I miss that?"

'Cos you weren't watching ?

[Tio_Narratore]

Originally Posted by Handley_Page

'Cos you weren't watching ?

Very few people keep their eye on their own perineum, HP, it does require an extraordinary degree of flexibility. However, I do remember her asking in between giggles, "what's that you're doing, Tio? It tickles!"

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by Tio_Narratore

Very few people keep their eye on their own perineum, HP, it does require an extraordinary degree of flexibility. However, I do remember her asking in between giggles, "what's that you're doing, Tio? It tickles!"

[/ off topic]
Do not take the term "watching" too literally, Tio.
Or maybe use a mirror ?

[/on topic]

[AllardChardon]

Just so you know, gentlemen, my feet are the most ticklish things on my body, followed by my sides below the ribs to the hips and the back of my neck. Lots of tickle spots even without the perineum.

It is no small wonder why I have difficulty with usage of this word, considering the definitions.

pretension - noun 1. an allegation of doubtful value 2. a claim or an effort to establish a claim 3. a claim or right to attention or honor because of merit 4. ASPIRATION, INTENTION 5. PRETENTIOUSNESS, VANITY

[AllardChardon]

Good day to all, I hope you have a great one;

prest money - noun obsolete money advanced to men enlisting in the British army or navy

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

Good day to all, I hope you have a great one;

prest money - noun obsolete money advanced to men enlisting in the British army or navy

I suspect that it was originally "Pressed" Money, particularly for the old Navy.

[oggbashan]

Originally Posted by Handley_Page

I suspect that it was originally "Pressed" Money, particularly for the old Navy.

And they weren't given 'real' money, just drafts on the Treasury, which could only be cashed in London when there were funds available.

They had to be exchanged/sold to local traders in Portsmouth, Chatham or other naval ports for a large commission. Royal Navy sailors were underpaid, paid late, and then cheated of some of their money by the Admiralty's system. That was still true as late as the 1930s when some of the Navy mutinied over cuts in their already inadequate pay.

[AllardChardon]

I find that to be very interesting, Og, considering the strength of the Empire relied so heavily upon the Navy. Is there any reason why sailors were treated so badly for so long, other than being somewhat dispensable, I mean?

This one is too good to pass up;

prestidigitation - noun SLEIGHT OF HAND, LEGERDEMAIN

[oggbashan]

Sailors were usually out of sight of their government paymasters. It is remarkable how much professionalism they showed at sea given their poor pay and living conditions.

However, historically, soldiers of the British Army were equally badly treated until the First World War. Some contend that they are still underequipped for the roles they are expected to do.

During the Peninsular War Wellington was very rude about the quality of his troops (but did his best to ensure that they were at least paid). However he was even ruder about the calibre of his generals who were appointed by the government. When Prime Minister he admitted that the leaders of his parliamentary opponents "were a shocking lot of bad hats." He was nearly as rude about his own supporters.

[trysail]

Originally Posted by oggbashan

During the Peninsular War Wellington was very rude about the quality of his troops (but did his best to ensure that they were at least paid). However he was even ruder about the calibre of his generals who were appointed by the government. When Prime Minister he admitted that the leaders of his parliamentary opponents "were a shocking lot of bad hats." He was nearly as rude about his own supporters.

Wellington was more than rude. He once described British troops as the "scum of the earth."

[trysail]

bracken • n.,
1. A widespread, often weedy fern (Pteridium aquilinum) having large, triangular, pinnately compound fronds and often forming dense thickets.
2. An area overgrown with this fern.

[Middle English braken, probably of Scandinavian origin...]




The word was used in a recently aired rebroadcast episode of Sherlock Holmes ( Jeremy Brett ).

[AllardChardon]

Og, so why the mistreatment of any troops, army or navy? Was it such a normal occurrence that no one complained until the 1930s?

Trysail, bracken is probably the stuff we have all over the place around here, but I didn't know the name. We have lots of horsetail, too.

Prester John - noun a legendary medieval Christian priest and king