Seldom-used words - M to A

[oggbashan]

Every now & again, some Greek spokes-person (at one time, it was actress Melina Mercuri) tries to campaign for the return of the marbles. A casual glance at the state of the other bits of marble left would seem to indicate that the local Greeks couldn't care less about the damned things as they have done nothing whatsoever to preserve the remaining statuary from the industrial smog (acid rain, etc.) which is slowly dissolving the marble.

That the UK has them and, furthermore, has them well protected. But we could actually let them have a set of reproduction (casts) to put back on the temple (Parthenon, the temple of Athene), but nobody has bothered about it as far as I know.

The last idea was that the Greek Government was going to build a special museum at the foot of the Acropolis to house the marbles.

But they haven't got the money to protect the antique masterpieces they still have, so nothing came of it.

 

[AllardChardon]

Well, this uninformed American thought you were talking about marbles, you know, the kid's toy, all this time, just to find out the "marbles" are so huge, they must have their own section of the building to be housed, a place on my bucket list, for sure.

How funny!

Mother Hubbard - noun a loose usually shapeless dress

 

[Handley_Page]

Well, this uninformed American thought you were talking about marbles, you know, the kid's toy, all this time, just to find out the "marbles" are so huge, they must have their own section of the building to be housed, a place on my bucket list, for sure.

How funny!

Mother Hubbard - noun a loose usually shapeless dress

Allard, I urge you to take a look at the pictures of these wonderful carvings, even via Wiki. They date from about 500BC.

 

[oggbashan]

The last idea was that the Greek Government was going to build a special museum at the foot of the Acropolis to house the marbles.

But they haven't got the money to protect the antique masterpieces they still have, so nothing came of it.

I was wrong. TODAY'S News:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/wor...nment-unveils-new-home-for-Elgin-Marbles.html

 

[NaokoSmith]

Well, this uninformed American thought you were talking about marbles, you know, the kid's toy, all this time, just to find out the "marbles" are so huge, they must have their own section of the building to be housed, a place on my bucket list, for sure.

How funny!

Mother Hubbard - noun a loose usually shapeless dress

As a child, I actually thought that the Elgin marbles must be huge white marble balls - possibly diminishing slightly in size, lined up in a room in the British Museum.

(The British Museum is well worth going to. If the crowds get to you, head for the Japanese room where there are fewer visitors and nice benches to sit on while admiring pictures of the Floating World. Plan to eat elsewhere, as there are insufficient tables in the cafe and the food is overpriced.)

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, how interesting that we were just talking about Elgin's Marbles and they are in the news. I can see why the Greeks want them back, and I can also see why the Brits want to keep them, since they have been the better caretaker overall. It will be interesting to see what happens. Please keep me posted on developments, as this kind of news rarely is seen in America.

Naoko, thanks for the tip on the British Museum, but I have to get to England first. LOL I have found most cafes in museums have limited seating and overpriced food here, too. Captive audiences are the easiest ones to fleece.

Mother Carey's chicken - noun any of several small petrels; esp: STORM PETREL

 

[oggbashan]

...

Naoko, thanks for the tip on the British Museum, but I have to get to England first. LOL I have found most cafes in museums have limited seating and overpriced food here, too. Captive audiences are the easiest ones to fleece.

Mother Carey's chicken - noun any of several small petrels; esp: STORM PETREL

The Museum in Manchester has a great cafe with reasonably priced food, so much so that it is a favourite place for students to hang out.

While overpriced Museum cafe food can be a feature of large cities, museums in small towns and rural areas can have great local food. Earlier this year we were in East Sussex. We ate at three museum cafes on locally sourced food.

If in London, apart from the British Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum is well worth visiting. There are crowds in some parts, but both Museums are so large that there are areas where you can be almost alone with a whole gallery to explore.

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, I have read about the Victoria and Albert Museum and that is also on my bucket list, of course. Thanks for the information on the smaller museums and their excellent food. I have been known to pack a lunch, just in case the fare was too expensive or not to my liking.

mote(1) - verbal auxiliary, archaic: MAY

mote(2) - noun a small particle

 

[Weird Harold]

Mother Carey's chicken - noun any of several small petrels; esp: STORM PETREL

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/94/Mother_Carey_and_her_chickens_by_J_G_Keulemans_1877_%28frame_removed%29.jpg/440px-Mother_Carey_and_her_chickens_by_J_G_Keulemans_1877_%28frame_removed%29.jpg

Mother Carey is a supernatural figure personifying the cruel and threatening sea in the imagination of 19th-century English-speaking sailors. She was a similar character to Davy Jones (who may be her husband[1]).

The name seems to be derived from the Latin expression Mater cara ("Precious Mother"), which sometimes refers to the Virgin Mary.

...

Storm petrels (thought by sailors to be the souls of dead seamen) are called Mother Carey's Chickens. Giant petrels are known as Mother Carey's Geese.

http://www.neseabirds.com/graphics/spangenberg628wspgroupcropped2.JPG

Why The Name Storm-petrel
It is generally accepted that the name petrel refers to St. Peter because Storm-petrels appear to walk on the water when feeding as seen in the photograph above. This behavior is best observed on very calm seas. And Storm-petrel because the early sailors often saw these little birds just before a storm.

 

[AllardChardon]

Most fascinating, Harold, and thanks for the wonderful pictures, too. Petral from St. Peter and walking on water, who would have thought that was the case? Words and their usage, so enlightening.

mot - noun a pithy or witty saying

 

[CarlusMagnus]

mot - noun a pithy or witty saying

Directly from French; un mot is a word. Please don't pronounce that final consonant.

 

[NaokoSmith]

Directly from French; un mot is a word. Please don't pronounce that final consonant.

As when Jean Harlow mispronounced Margot Asquith's first name, and she replied: "The 't' is silent. As in Harlow."

 

[AllardChardon]

Ah, the French and their many silent letters (often all in a row).

moss-trooper - noun 1. one of a class of 17th century raiders in the marshy border country between England and Scotland 2. FREEBOOTER

 

[CarlusMagnus]

Ah, the French and their many silent letters (often all in a row).

It's better than the Russians—with their many sounded consonants (often all in a row, and with no intervening vowels)!

 

[AllardChardon]

Carlus, it is better than the Hawaiians, too, with all those vowels and no consonants! Language is a blast.

moss-back - noun 1.a. an old turtle with a mossy growth on its back b. a large sluggish fish c. a wild old range steer or cow 2. an extremely conservative person: FOGY

 

[oggbashan]

I have acquired another new-to-me slang dictionary.

It is a modern reprint of the 1811 Dictionary of the Vulgar Tongue: A Dictionary of Buckish Slang, University Wit and Pickpocket Eloquence.

Compiled originally by Captain Grose, and now considerably altered and enlarged with the modern changes and improvements by a Member of the Whip Club, assisted by Hell-Fire Dick, and James Gordon, Esqrs. of Cambridge; and William Soames, Esq. of the Hon. Society of Newman's Hotel.

According to the modern editor's introduction, one of the worst words is:

Nickumpoop, or nincumpoop - A foolish fellow, also one who never saw his wife's **** [Og's note - Cunt].

 

[NaokoSmith]

, that sounds like quite a book!

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, I agree with Naoko, what a find. I will look forward to you adding in bits from it here and there. Nincumpoop was one of my father's favorite words.

I must add this one for fun;

mosey - vi 1. to hurry away 2. to move in a leisurely or aimless manner: SAUNTER

 

[oggbashan]

New Dictionary 1811

Mopsey - A dowdy, or homely woman.

Mopsqueezer - A maid servant, particularly a housemaid. [Og's note: there were other meanings they couldn't print in 1811 Hint: Mop=penis]

Mopusses - Money

Moses - To stand Moses - when a man has another man's child fathered upon him, and he is obliged by the Parish to maintain it.

[Og's note: For every bastard child, the Parish worthies had to decide who the father was, or else the Parish would have to pay for the child's maintenance. Since Parish money was always in short supply, any suitable man would do. If the mother wouldn't say who the father was, the Parish worthies would consider any man she had been known to associate with, particularly if he had money. Their standard of 'proof' was very low. Many younger sons of the local gentry were obliged 'to stand Moses' if they had been seen with a village woman. Usually the amounts of money were small change to them, but a real imposition on a farm labourer.]

Moss - A cant term for Lead, since both were found on a roof.

Mossy Face = The mother of all Saints = The Mother of St Patrick = The Mother of all Souls. They all mean 'Cunt'.

 

[Handley_Page]

Nickumpoop, or nincumpoop - A foolish fellow, also one who never saw his wife's **** [Og's note - Cunt].

I have usually seen it spelt Nincompoop.
And it was a favourite expression of my Fathers, too.

 

[oggbashan]

I have usually seen it spelt Nincompoop.
And it was a favourite expression of my Fathers, too.

Me too. But apparently not in 1811.

 

[oggbashan]

Why it is a Condom.

I'm cheating slightly to get it in as an M, but from the 1811 Dictionary we get the real origin of a condom.

Machines = Mrs Philips Ware = Cundum

The dried gut of a sheep, worn by men in the act of coition, to prevent venereal infection; said to have been invented by one Colonel Cundum. These machines were long prepared and sold by a matron by the name of Philips, at the Green Canister, in Half-Moon Street, in The Strand. That good lady having acquired a fortune, retired from business; but learning that the town was not well served by her successors, she, out of a patriotic zeal for the public welfare, returned to her occupation; of which she gave notice by divers hand-bills, in circulation in the year 1776.

Cundum - also a false scabbard [protecting the decorated one] over a sword, and the oil-skin case for holding the colours of a regiment.

 

[AllardChardon]

Og, I certainly enjoy it, when you get a new book, because you share the most interesting tidbits of knowledge with us all. Thanks so much. I had to look up "machine", because my mind was struggling with it, but now I also understand the archaic use of that word. The information on "Standing Moses" is fascinating.

mosaic gold - noun 1. a yellow scaly crystalline pigment consisting essentially of stannic sulfide 2. ORMOLU

 

[AllardChardon]

Good day, everyone. I will be gone all day, but have a great one, anyway;

mortmain - noun 1.a. an inalienable possession of lands or buildings by an ecclesiastical or other corporation b. the condition of property or other gifts left to a corporation in perpetuity esp. for religious, charitable, or public purposes 2. the influence of the past regarded as controlling the present

I definitely like the last definition best.

 

[oggbashan]

Good day, everyone. I will be gone all day, but have a great one, anyway;

mortmain - noun 1.a. an inalienable possession of lands or buildings by an ecclesiastical or other corporation b. the condition of property or other gifts left to a corporation in perpetuity esp. for religious, charitable, or public purposes 2. the influence of the past regarded as controlling the present

I definitely like the last definition best.

As Henry VIII I did not like mortmain. The Church controlled a full third of land in England when my reign started. They didn't when my reign ended.

It can still have real repercussions in 21st Century England. Some land and properties still have a mortmain clause requiring the owner/owners to maintain and repair the local Church at their own cost. Since the 1930s it has been possible to remove that clause by a one-off payment, but for those lands/properties that didn't there can be a large liability payable at any time.