Seldom-used words - M to A

[CarlusMagnus]

…the coffins are being transported on gun caissons drawn by horses, rather than horse-drawn hearses. I've never been able to work out if that was because they were being honoured, or if it was because there was a shortage of hearses because of the huge number of funerals taking place at the time.

Caissons are a tradition in military funerals. JFK's body was born on a caisson in 1963. I'm reasonably sure that they could have had, for the asking, any hearse in the nation for that funeral. See the video at

http://www.history.com/topics/us-presidents/john-f-kennedy/videos/world-mourns-john-f-kennedy

The best shot of the funerary vehicle is at about 2:25 minutes.

 

[AllardChardon]

beachbum, Handley, and Og, thank you very much for providing the history behind the races. I know very little about the Boer Wars, but more today than yesterday.

Carlus, the use of the caisson at John F. Kennedy's funeral was because Jackie's insistence on the re-creation of Abraham Lincoln's funeral procession. I learned this from a new series, made for PBS, but rejected by them after completion. It was picked up by the Reelz Network. Another episode airs tonight and it's called The Kennedy Files. I can see why the Kennedy's might have put pressure on PBS to pull it at the last minute.

For the fun of it;

lily-livered - adj (1605) lacking courage: COWARDLY

 

[oggbashan]

Caisson is one of those words that are not the same in British and US English.

In British a caisson is a structure to keep water out while doing work under a water level, for example building a bridge pier.

A gun carriage is the British term for the US caisson. A limber is a two wheeled gun carriage for field artillery. A gun carriage as used for funerals is much larger, four wheeled, and used for heavy or siege artillery.

Caisson is from the French for a large chest and is used in the US for the box containing charges for a gun. The British caisson has the same French origin but a different meaning.

Perhaps the US usage came from the French support during the Revolutionary War?

 

[Tio_Narratore]

An American caisson isn't the gun carriage proper, but a, usually two-wheeled, ammunition cart that would be attached to a limber and drawn along with the gun. The usage predates the American Revolution, so I don't expect it derived from French support during the War.

American English also uses caisson to refer to watertight compartments for engineering, but these are more commonly known as coffer dams or just coffers.

 

[JackLuis]

-
-More modern funerals of former UK service personnel can have a volley fired over the grave - far cheaper and uses fewer men.

I was once part of a squad Honor Guard who fired a 21 gun salute at a funeral for a U.S. Army soldier who had died in service. A melancholy duty.

 

[oggbashan]

An American caisson isn't the gun carriage proper, but a, usually two-wheeled, ammunition cart that would be attached to a limber and drawn along with the gun. The usage predates the American Revolution, so I don't expect it derived from French support during the War.

American English also uses caisson to refer to watertight compartments for engineering, but these are more commonly known as coffer dams or just coffers.

Originally caisson was the ammunition chest resting on the two wheeled cart. But funerals use four-wheeled carriages whether caissons (US) or gun-carriages (GB).

We also use the term coffer dam, but they are usually for larger structures than caissons.

 

[oggbashan]

I was once part of a squad Honor Guard who fired a 21 gun salute at a funeral for a U.S. Army soldier who had died in service. A melancholy duty.

We reserve 21 gun salutes for Heads of State.

From Wikipedia:

United Kingdom

21-gun salutes mark special royal occasions throughout the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, referred to as a "Royal Salute" (in the British Empire it was reserved, mainly among colonial princely states, for the most prestigious category of native rulers of so-called salute states), unless rendered to the president or flag of a republic; nonetheless salutes rendered to all heads of state regardless of title are casually referred to as "royal" salutes.

A 21-gun salute at a reception in Jersey commemorating the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II

The number of rounds fired in a salute depends on the place and occasion. The basic salute is 21 rounds. In Hyde Park and Green Park an extra 20 rounds are added because they are Royal Parks. At the Tower of London 62 rounds are fired on royal anniversaries (the basic 21, plus a further 20 because the Tower is a Royal Palace and Fortress, plus another 21 'for the City of London') and 41 on other occasions. The Tower of London probably holds the record for the most rounds fired in a single salute — 124 are fired whenever the Duke of Edinburgh's birthday (62 rounds) coincides with the Saturday designated as the Queen's official birthday (also 62 rounds).

From here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/21-gun_salute

 

[JackLuis]

I stand corrected. (from WIki)

A gun salute is not to be confused with the three-volley salute often rendered at military funerals.

We were seven riflemen firing three volleys.

 

[oggbashan]

I stand corrected. (from WIki)



We were seven riflemen firing three volleys.

That is a traditional and honourable salute for a former serviceman.

21 guns is 21 timed discharges of artillery. The traditional British timing between discharges is by saying slowly:

"If I hadn't become a fucking gunner I wouldn't have to be here. Fire one (two)..."

Princess Charlotte 41 gun salute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABDSbOZj4Do

 

[Handley_Page]

That is a traditional and honourable salute for a former serviceman.

21 guns is 21 timed discharges of artillery. The traditional British timing between discharges is by saying slowly:

"If I hadn't become a fucking gunner I wouldn't have to be here. Fire one (two)..."

Princess Charlotte 41 gun salute:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABDSbOZj4Do

Listening to the sound track, I think some of the audience thought it was fireworks.
All that "Ooh -" and the inane chatter really annoys me!

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, Tio, JackLuis, and Handley, thank you for such an interesting conversation. I really enjoyed it.

lily(2) - adj (15c) resembling a lily in fairness, purity, or fragility <my lady's ~ hand - John Keats>

 

[AllardChardon]

A happy weekend wish to all.

I feel compelled to add this name;

Lilith - noun (1614) 1. a woman who in rabbinic legend is Adam's first wife, is supplanted by Eve, and becomes an evil spirit 2. a famous witch in medieval demonology

 

[CarlusMagnus]

A happy weekend wish to all.

I feel compelled to add this name;

Lilith - noun (1614) 1. a woman who in rabbinic legend is Adam's first wife, is supplanted by Eve, and becomes an evil spirit 2. a famous witch in medieval demonology

I often wonder if they are not one and the same.

 

[Handley_Page]

A happy weekend wish to all.

I feel compelled to add this name;

Lilith - noun (1614) 1. a woman who in rabbinic legend is Adam's first wife, is supplanted by Eve, and becomes an evil spirit 2. a famous witch in medieval demonology

I often wonder if they are not one and the same.

From Wiki:-
The character is generally thought to derive in part from a historically far earlier class of female demons (līlīṯu) in Mesopotamian religion, found in cuneiform texts of Sumer, Akkad, Assyria, and Babylonia.

 

[CarlusMagnus]

From Wiki:-
The character is generally thought to derive in part from a historically far earlier class of female demons (līlīṯu) in Mesopotamian religion, found in cuneiform texts of Sumer, Akkad, Assyria, and Babylonia.

I hadn't known that. It definitely makes sense---those were either the sources of the Hebrew creation myth or they came from sources the Hebrews also relied on.

 

[AllardChardon]

Carlus, I know what you mean.

Handley, I had heard about the līlīṯu before, but thank you for posting it here. If I learn any more about them, I will let you know.

ligure - noun (13c) a traditional precious stone that is probably the jacinth (hyacinth)

 

[AllardChardon]

Greetings, posters and readers.

lightwood - noun (1685) chiefly Southern: wood used for kindling; esp: coniferous wood abounding in pitch

 

[oggbashan]

Greetings, posters and readers.

lightwood - noun (1685) chiefly Southern: wood used for kindling; esp: coniferous wood abounding in pitch

That is an American usage only but reminds me that in 17th Century England it was quite normal for people to carry burning pieces of wood through the streets to relight their fires.

One unfortunate man was doing that in Warwick in a high wind. Sparks blew off his lighted brand and set fire to a thatched roof in the town. The burning thatched roof was then blown by the wind, and over one hundred houses burned.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Fire_of_Warwick

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, that was tragic. But thank you for posting the link, so that I can, at the very least, add the event to my brain.

lightsome(1) - adj (14c) 1. free from care: LIGHTHEARTED 2. AIRY, NIMBLE

lightsome(2) - adj (15c) 1. well lighted: BRIGHT 2. giving light

 

[AllardChardon]

Hello, everyone.

lightship - noun (1837) a ship equipped with a brilliant light and moored at a place dangerous to navigation

 

[oggbashan]

Hello, everyone.

lightship - noun (1837) a ship equipped with a brilliant light and moored at a place dangerous to navigation

Locally we still remember the Goodwin Lightship disaster:

http://www.nmmc.co.uk/index.php?/collections/featured_objects/goodwin_the_forgotten_tragedy

http://www.pprune.org/aviation-hist...-years-ago-wreck-south-goodwin-lightship.html

http://i30.photobucket.com/albums/c309/india42/ScreenShot2014-11-24at223443_zpsedcebfeb.png

One of the problems faced by lightships is that they have to stay in a fixed place, that by definition is dangerous.

The Goodwin Sands do not stay in one place. Over time they shift as a result of tidal action and storms. There is no firm anchoring place near the sands so traditional anchors would move in storm conditions. The South Goodwin lightship was moored with 'mushroom' anchors -designed for soft sea bed - and they weren't enough in the extreme weather.

In general, a mushroom anchor is the most common, great for softer seabeds. As the mushroom anchor digs in it buries and creates suction. For effective holding power the mushroom must remain embedded in mud or sand, otherwise storms with wind direction opposite the prevailing will cause the anchor to "spin out" and drag. For estimating the mushroom weight, multiply the boat length by 5-10 times as a good rule of thumb. On hard or rocky bottoms, heavy dead weight anchors such as massive concrete blocks are the norm.


http://www.securefixdirect.com/ekmps/shops/securefixdirect/images/200lbs-90kgs-mushroom-umbrella-permanent-anchor-mooring-vessel-boat-2030-p.jpg


From here:

http://www.jamestowndistributors.com/userportal/document.do?docId=1107

 

[Handley_Page]

I'd forgotten about the South Goodwin disaster.

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, yes, shifting sands are impossible to control. Living on the upper Sacramento, as I do, we see the sand beaches shift positions annually, with heavy rainfall years, like this one, moving more sand than normal. Thanks for the picture of the disaster and the mushroom anchor.

This word's definition took me by surprise;

lights - noun plural (12c) the lungs esp. of a slaughtered animal

 

[Handley_Page]

Og, yes, shifting sands are impossible to control. Living on the upper Sacramento, as I do, we see the sand beaches shift positions annually, with heavy rainfall years, like this one, moving more sand than normal. Thanks for the picture of the disaster and the mushroom anchor.

This word's definition took me by surprise;

lights - noun plural (12c) the lungs esp. of a slaughtered animal

Have you never heard the expression "Liver & lights" ?

 

[AllardChardon]

No, Handley, I never have heard that expression, but now I know what it means; otherwise, it would have left me wondering.

light-o'-love also light-of-love noun plural light-o'-loves also lights-of-love (1589) 1. PROSTITUTE 2. LOVER, PARAMOUR