Seldom Used Words (Cont'd)

[1sickbastard]

Quirt: noun
1. a riding whip consisting of a short, stout stock and a lash of braided leather.

verb (used with object)
2. to strike with a quirt.

 

[AllardChardon]

Sunday greetings.

I don't think this one has been posted before;

nous - noun MIND, REASON: as a. an intelligent purposive principle of the world b. the divine reason regarded in Neoplatonism as the first emanation of God

 

[Handley_Page]

Sunday greetings.

I don't think this one has been posted before;

nous - noun MIND, REASON: as an intelligent purposive principle of the world

It's also used to refer to the "intelligence" of a person:
"He's not got the nous for that", or
"Ain't you got the nous to work that out?"

 

[oggbashan]

Dict of Historical Slang, more abbreviations:

b and s - brandy and soda 1868 onwards

b.c. - A person bringing a wholly inadequate case for libel from circa 1870 'This bloody cat of a lawsuit' [Og's note, of course the b.c. could represent a stronger expression]

B-flat homey; B-flat poloney - A fat man; a fat woman especially in a fairground side show late C19 - C20

b.k's - Barracks - Military Officers who didn't want to reveal their profession referred to returning to b.k's. Up to 1864.

B.N.C. - Brasenose College, Oxford 'You were born in Brasenose (Brazen Nose) College' - i.e. you are impudent. B.N.C. is the short form.

b.t.m. - bottom C19 -C20

 

[AllardChardon]

Those initials are very interesting, Og, and much appreciated. B.N.C. is very funny.

noumenon - noun, pl noumena a ground of phenonmena that is unknowable by the senses but is conceivable by reason

 

[1sickbastard]

Swimmingly: adv without difficulty; with great success; effortlessly

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Those initials are very interesting, Og, and much appreciated. B.N.C. is very funny.

noumenon - noun, pl noumena a ground of phenonmena that is unknowable by the senses but is conceivable by reason

The plural is noumenona. And, tsk, the plural of phenomenon is phenomena. (Only two n's—not three.)

Much of mathematics consists of noumenona, one of which my ancient Webster's Collegiate (Fifth Edition) defines as "An object of purely rational apprehension; specif., with Kant, a nonempirical concept".

 

[AllardChardon]

Carlus, the tsk is well-deserved in the phenomena part of my post, which I did without my glasses this morn, but the plural part, noumena, is exactly what my dictionary says. Are both correct?

notum - noun a back part or surface of an animal

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Carlus, the tsk is well-deserved in the phenomena part of my post, which I did without my glasses this morn, but the plural part, noumena, is exactly what my dictionary says. Are both correct?l

That's very interesting. I've just consulted five dictionaries, and they vote for noumena, three to two. But there are definitely two solid votes for noumenona.

The word comes from Greek, which I've never studied. It's supposedly formed in parallel with the word phenomenon, whose plural is unquestionably phenomena. If the parallel holds, noumena should be correct.

 

[AllardChardon]

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Carlus, thank you very much for researching noumena and getting back to me. It is good to know both are correct.

note of hand - noun PROMISSORY NOTE

 

[Handley_Page]

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL!

Carlus, thank you very much for researching noumena and getting back to me. It is good to know both are correct.

note of hand - noun PROMISSORY NOTE

Would that be the same as a Bank of England note ?
[ "I promise to pay the bearer. . . ." ]

 

[oggbashan]

Would that be the same as a Bank of England note ?
[ "I promise to pay the bearer. . . ." ]

Yes. All bank notes are promissory notes.

 

[Weird Harold]

Whipper snapper
Meaning

A diminutive or insignificant person, especially a sprightly or impertinent youngster.

Origin

'Whipper snapper' is now a rather archaic term and, although you might hear it in black and white British films, those who are young and streetwise enough to actually be whipper snappers aren't likely to use it.

'Whipper snappers' were known by various names, all of them derived from the habit of young layabouts of hanging around snapping whips to pass the time. ...

 

[ishtat]

It's not "seldom used" but as we are on the N's the following famous definition by Dr Johnson must be included:

"Any thing reticulated or decussated, at equal distances, with interstices between the intersections."

So what is it?

 

[oggbashan]

It's not "seldom used" but as we are on the N's the following famous definition by Dr Johnson must be included:

"Any thing reticulated or decussated, at equal distances, with interstices between the intersections."

So what is it?

It is an overused word, and some examples are poorly used.

 

[AllardChardon]

The answer is network. Thanks for the little mystery, ishtat.

nota bene - used to call attention to something important

 

[AllardChardon]

Hello everyone. Here is today's offering;

nostrum - noun 1. a medicine of secret composition recommended by its preparer but usually lacking general repute 2. a questionable remedy or scheme: PANACEA

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Hello everyone. Here is today's offering;

nostrum - noun 1. a medicine of secret composition recommended by its preparer but usually lacking general repute 2. a questionable remedy or scheme: PANACEA

The word nostrum is the neuter nominative singular of the Latin adjective noster, meaning our. The preparer of the medicine sells it as our own.

 

[AllardChardon]

How interesting, Carlus, thanks for the added information. When I spotted nostrum and its definition in the dictionary this morning, my thoughts drifted to the snake oil charmers of the Old West and Martin Balsam as Mr. Meriweather in Little Big Man.

nosing - noun the usually rounded edge of a stair tread that projects over the riser; also: any of various similar rounded projections

 

[1sickbastard]

Atlatl: noun, A grooved stick used to increase power and distance when throwing a spear.

 

[1sickbastard]

Susurrus noun: A soft murmuring or rustling sound; a whisper.

 

[oggbashan]

Atlatl: noun, A grooved stick used to increase power and distance when throwing a spear.

The Australian Aborigines had a similar device but in some of their languages it was called a Woomera - later used for the missile testing range.

 

[1sickbastard]

The Australian Aborigines had a similar device but in some of their languages it was called a Woomera - later used for the missile testing range.

Thanks, I couldna remember Aborigine name for the thing. Atlatl is the Nahuatl (Aztec) word.

 

[oggbashan]

Thanks, I couldna remember Aborigine name for the thing. Atlatl is the Nahuatl (Aztec) word.

The Ancient Greeks also had a similar device for launching their javelins - but it was banned in Olympic Games.

 

[AllardChardon]

Nosing around, again, to see what has transpired in my brief absence and glad to see activity;

northing - noun 1. difference in latitude to the north from the last preceding point of reckoning 2. northerly progress