Seldom-Used Words

[Handley_Page]

Quasimodo

[In sense 1 f. L quasi modo, the first wds of the introit for this day.
In sense 2 f. the name of the hunchback in Victor Hugo's novel Notre-Dame de Paris.]
1 In full Quasimodo Sunday. The Sunday after Easter, Low Sunday.
2 Surfing. An act of riding on a wave in a crouched position with one arm forward and one arm back.

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Excerpted from Oxford Talking Dictionary
Copyright © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[AllardChardon]

Handley, I like the surfing definition best. Hermosa Beach looms large in my thoughts.

quarterstaff - noun a long stout staff formerly used as a weapon and weilded with one hand in the middle and the other between the middle and the end

[oggbashan]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

...

quarterstaff - noun a long stout staff formerly used as a weapon and wielded with one hand in the middle and the other between the middle and the end

The use (and abuse) of a quarterstaff was one of the arts I was taught when a Boy Scout. Mine were made of seasoned ash, six feet long and two inches diameter, marked with feet and inches for use as a ruler, and the polished one was carried when on church parade.

Og

[AllardChardon]

The polished quarterstaff went parading. That is a great visual, Og.

quartermaster - noun 1. a petty officer who attends to a ship's helm, binnacle and signals 2. an army officer who provides clothing and subsistence for a body of troops

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by oggbashan

The use (and abuse) of a quarterstaff was one of the arts I was taught when a Boy Scout. Mine were made of seasoned ash, six feet long and two inches diameter, marked with feet and inches for use as a ruler, and the polished one was carried when on church parade.

Og

~You lucky blighter. It had stopped when I was a scout.

[oggbashan]

Originally Posted by Handley_Page

~You lucky blighter. It had stopped when I was a scout.

Even in my day it was uncommon. My Scout troops were old fashioned even in the 1950s and early 1960s. (And non-PC militaristic - My Gibraltar troop of Air Scouts were shown over and had short flights in many military aircraft including WW2 relics such as the Wellington and Lancaster, because one of our troop was the son of the Air Officer Commanding; my father's influence got us on board many RN ships where we were shown and allowed to fire the anti-aircraft guns and even shown the loading and firing drill in the 15 inch gun turrets of HMS Vanguard; my Australian troop were trained in the use of rifles, Owen sub-machine guns, mortars and mountain artillery. It was an optional subject but boys being what they were, we all took it. Our Assistant Scoutmaster was a retired ANZAC major.)

My Australian Scout Uniform included the wide-brimmed 4 dented hat, the scout staff (quarterstaff) and sheath knife. Until we had passed 2nd class we could only carry a clasp knife. The sheath knife was a badge of merit. Once we had axemanship, which in Australia in those days included selecting, felling and preparing a tree for use in Pioneer Bridge-Building, we could choose to wear a machete or a hand axe on our belt, with or without the sheath knife. The bridge had to be built strongly enough to be used by a Landrover, so choosing a suitable tree wasn't that easy.

My UK troop made a point of going to weekend camps on foot, taking everything on a hand-pulled Trek Cart. I can't imagine modern Health and Safety regulations allowing 12 boys to pull a Trek Cart for 10 to 15 miles each way on rural roads close to Greater London. The Risk Assessment paperwork would rule it out. As for competitive Trek Cart races? Imagine the Royal Tournament Field Gun races with a Trek Cart across the "ravine" instead of the gun - I was usually the 100lb chassis carrier as I was the largest Scout.

Modern Scouts don't have the opportunities I had, but some of our leaders regretted the lack of opportunities compared with those they had had during World War 2 as messengers between ARP positions during Air Raids. British Scouts died "on active service" in WW2.

I think that Scouting changed beyond recognition when they altered the age requirements. In my day you were a Scout until you were 16, then a Senior Scout until 18, and a Rover Scout from 18 to 21. A troop with a range of ages from 11 to 18, particularly with a couple of Rover Scouts helping the Scoutmaster could do far more than a troop whose oldest Scout is 14 or 15.

Og

[trysail]

Originally Posted by oggbashan

Even in my day it was uncommon. My Scout troops were old fashioned even in the 1950s and early 1960s. (And non-PC militaristic - My Gibraltar troop of Air Scouts were shown over and had short flights in many military aircraft including WW2 relics such as the Wellington and Lancaster, because one of our troop was the son of the Air Officer Commanding; my father's influence got us on board many RN ships where we were shown and allowed to fire the anti-aircraft guns and even shown the loading and firing drill in the 15 inch gun turrets of HMS Vanguard; my Australian troop were trained in the use of rifles, Owen sub-machine guns, mortars and mountain artillery. It was an optional subject but boys being what they were, we all took it. Our Assistant Scoutmaster was a retired ANZAC major.)

My Australian Scout Uniform included the wide-brimmed 4 dented hat, the scout staff (quarterstaff) and sheath knife. Until we had passed 2nd class we could only carry a clasp knife. The sheath knife was a badge of merit. Once we had axemanship, which in Australia in those days included selecting, felling and preparing a tree for use in Pioneer Bridge-Building, we could choose to wear a machete or a hand axe on our belt, with or without the sheath knife. The bridge had to be built strongly enough to be used by a Landrover, so choosing a suitable tree wasn't that easy.

My UK troop made a point of going to weekend camps on foot, taking everything on a hand-pulled Trek Cart. I can't imagine modern Health and Safety regulations allowing 12 boys to pull a Trek Cart for 10 to 15 miles each way on rural roads close to Greater London. The Risk Assessment paperwork would rule it out. As for competitive Trek Cart races? Imagine the Royal Tournament Field Gun races with a Trek Cart across the "ravine" instead of the gun - I was usually the 100lb chassis carrier as I was the largest Scout.

Modern Scouts don't have the opportunities I had, but some of our leaders regretted the lack of opportunities compared with those they had had during World War 2 as messengers between ARP positions during Air Raids. British Scouts died "on active service" in WW2.

I think that Scouting changed beyond recognition when they altered the age requirements. In my day you were a Scout until you were 16, then a Senior Scout until 18, and a Rover Scout from 18 to 21. A troop with a range of ages from 11 to 18, particularly with a couple of Rover Scouts helping the Scoutmaster could do far more than a troop whose oldest Scout is 14 or 15.

Og

Wow! O tempora! O mores!

That explains a portion of your catholicity of knowledge and erudition.


There is a real social and cultural loss that has occurred as far too many children are raised in hermetic insulation from nature and ( for lack of a better word ) tinkering. Basic mechanical and survival skills are only being learned and practiced by a small set of the population— primarily those located in rural areas. It's a shame.

A human being should be able to change a diaper, plan an invasion, butcher a hog, conn a ship, design a building, write a sonnet, balance accounts, build a wall, set a bone, comfort the dying, take orders, give orders, cooperate, act alone, solve equations, analyze a new problem, pitch manure, program a computer, cook a tasty meal, fight efficiently, die gallantly. Specialization is for insects.

-Robert A. Heinlein
"The Notebooks of Lazarus Long"
Time Enough For Love

[AllardChardon]

Have I mentioned how wonderful the gentlemen posting on this thread are, lately? If not, please allow me the moment to express my pleasure. I truly enjoy the personal stories a few of these words elicit and you so graciously share.

I knew this word, but not the correct spelling;

quandary - noun a state of perplexity or doubt: DILEMMA

[secretme]

floccinaucinihilipilification

IPA: [flok-suh-naw-suh-nahy-hil-uh-pil-uh-fi-key-shuhn]


–noun
Rare . the estimation of something as valueless (encountered mainly as an example of one of the longest words in the English language).


I learned it as the longest non-medical-term word in English during a party game at one point. Real problem with it was no one was able to use it in a sentence without it sounding contrived.

Saying, "that's worthless" is just way more efficient than trying to use this monster of a mouthful. Probably why it isn't used any longer. I'd love to find a book somewhere that actually made use of this word in a sentence for practical purposes other than just to say it used the longest English word. It's out there somewhere...

[AllardChardon]

If I ever run across it, Secretme, I will let you know;

This one's second definition is the one I know best;

qualm- noun 1. a sudden attack of illness, faintness, or nausea 2.a. a sudden misgiving or fear b. an emotional pang: TWINGE 3. COMPUNCTION, SCRUPLE

[Handley_Page]

Dretch: A really bad night's sleep: a nightmare.

[AllardChardon]

This one is new to me, even though it may be quite old;

quale - noun a property considered as an object of experience especially in abstraction from a physical entity

[JackLuis]

A new word, Limerence.

"limerence is the ultimate, near obsessional form of romantic love."

Read about it here.

It sounds dangerous.

[AllardChardon]

Jack Luis, I am currently watching The Tudors and I immediately thought of good ole Henry. I know a man who is still obsessing over me, ten years later.

quaich or quaigh - noun (chiefly Scottish) a small shallow drinking vessel with ears for use as handles

[Tio_Narratore]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

Jack Luis, I am currently watching The Tudors and I immediately thought of good ole Henry. I know a man who is still obsessing over me, ten years later.

quaich or quaigh - noun (chiefly Scottish) a small shallow drinking vessel with ears for use as handles

quacksalver noun. Charlatan; Quack.

(and why do you make me think of Joni Mitchell's Cactus Tree, Allard?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-3Xv4JhiFo )

[AllardChardon]

Tio, on this computer, at the moment, I was unable to view the YouTube clip, my apologies. I will try again, later, I promise.

Which form is used more often these day?

quaff - verb to drink deeply or repeatedly

quaff - noun a deep drink

[Tio_Narratore]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

Tio, on this computer, at the moment, I was unable to view the YouTube clip, my apologies. I will try again, later, I promise.

Which form is used more often these day?

quaff - verb to drink deeply or repeatedly

quaff - noun a deep drink

je n'sais pas, Mme Chardon, but perhaps one might

quaff a quaff from a quaigh.

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

This one is new to me, even though it may be quite old;

quale - noun a property considered as an object of experience especially in abstraction from a physical entity

quale /kweli/ n. Pl. [L, neut. sing. of qualis of what kind.]
A property, a quality; a thing having certain qualities.

---------------------------------------------------------
Excerpted from Oxford Talking Dictionary
Copyright © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

[AllardChardon]

Here is one I must add, even though it is RARELY-used anymore;

quadroon - noun a person of quarter Negro ancestry

[AllardChardon]

Thanks to Lewis Carroll, I knew about the second definition of this word;

quadrille - noun a 4-handed card game popular in the 18th century

quadrille - noun a square dance for four couples made up of five or six figures, chiefly in 6/8 or 2/4 time; also the music for this dance

quadrille - adj marked with squares or rectangles

[Handley_Page]

Zoilist:

A superior who takes a delight in picking holes in your work.

[AllardChardon]

Thanks for the great word, Handley.

This one is too good to pass up and reminds me of Ben Hur;

quadriga - noun a chariot drawn by four horses abreast

[Tio_Narratore]

quadrature noun. 1. a configuration in which two celestial bodies have a separation of 90 degrees; either of two points on an orbit in a middle position between the syzgies. 2. the process of finding a square equal in area to a given area.

[AllardChardon]

Here is a word with three definitions, but I am only going to post the last;

quadrate - vi AGREE, CORRESPOND

[Handley_Page]

Originally Posted by AllardChardon

Here is a word with three definitions, but I am only going to post the last;

quadrate - vi AGREE, CORRESPOND

quadrate /kwdret/ v. M16. [L quadrat- pa. ppl stem of quadrare:
1 v.t. Make square.
b Math. Square (a circle etc.).
2 v.i. Square, agree, correspond, conform, (with).
b v.t. Make conformable (to). rare.
3 v.t. Artillery. Place correctly or adjust (a gun) on its carriage.

quadrate Also quadrat. See also QUADRAT. LME. [
L quadratum use as n. of quadratus pa. pple of quadrare to square.


---------------------------------------------------------
Excerpted from Oxford Talking Dictionary
Copyright © 1998 The Learning Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved.