We’re almost at the end! Here’s episode 19 (days 91 to 95), the penultimate summary of my 100 day challenge to find words I don’t know. I’m scraping words from https://randomword.com/ and each day picking one that I find interesting and which is also in the OED.
Day
Date
Word
Meaning
91
Thursday 30 January
tonitruone **
musical instrument that imitates sound of thunder
92
Friday 31 January
sponsalia
espousals, marriage
93
Saturday 1 February
rhopalic
verse in which each word contains one syllable more than the preceding one
Episode 18 (days 86 to 90), the antepenultimate summary of my 100 day challenge to find words I don’t know. I’m scraping words from https://randomword.com/ and each day picking one that I find interesting and which is also in the OED.
Day
Date
Word
Meaning
86
Saturday 25 January
belomancy **
divination by means of arrows
87
Sunday 26 January
orf
an infectious disease of sheep and goats caused by a poxvirus
Episode 17 (days 81 to 85) of my 100 day challenge to find words I don’t know. I’m scraping words from https://randomword.com/ and each day picking one that I find interesting and which is also in the OED.
Day
Date
Word
Meaning
81
Monday 20 January
squarrose **
having scales sticking out at right angles
82
Tuesday 21 January
rheid
a substance which deforms by viscous flow when below its melting point
83
Wednesday 22 January
cicisbeo
the male companion of a married woman
84
Thursday 23 January
slype
a covered way or passage, leading from the transept of a cathedral or monastic church and the chapter-house
Episode 16 (days 76 to 80) of my 100 day challenge to find words I don’t know. I’m scraping words from https://randomword.com/ and each day picking one that I find interesting and which is also in the OED.
Day
Date
Word
Meaning
76
Wednesday 15 January
fiacre
a small four-wheeled carriage for hire; a hackney-coach
77
Thursday 16 January
sipe
to percolate or ooze through
78
Friday 17 January
guereza
an Ethiopian monkey (Colobus guereza) with long hair and a bushy tail
Episode 15 (days 71 to 75) of my 100 day challenge to find words I don’t know. I’m scraping words from https://randomword.com/ and each day picking one that I find interesting and which is also in the OED.
Day
Date
Word
Meaning
71
Friday 10 January
zenzizenzizenzic
the square of a square of a square number; the eighth power of a number
So today is “Happy Birthday to Me” day and here’s the traditional birthday meme. Enjoy!
Have you ever been camping? Yes, many times, although not since my teens.
What terrifies you? Dementia; cancer.
Do you like makeup? Not a lot, which is why I never wear any.
What piercings do you have? One, somewhere you don’t want to know about!
Do you fear thunder and lightning? No; thunderstorms are fun.
Do you feel you had a happy childhood? No, I didn’t have a happy childhood, for all sorts of reasons.
Do you go to church every Sunday? No. It’s probably almost 40 years since I went to church on a Sunday.
Do you go in a fast food place or just use the drive thru? Neither; I don’t do fast food.
Do you use the word “hello” daily? Who doesn’t?
Do you like to wear perfume/cologne? No, but I do sometimes wear aftershave.
Have you ever slept with someone at least 5 years older or younger? Yes, she was 9 years older than me (32 to my 23); I learnt a lot and it was fun.
What would you name your future children? Nebuchadnezzar PearDrop and Nefertiti CherryPie. (Oh come on! You mean you didn’t expect a stupid answer?)
Do you wear glasses/contacts? Yes, I’ve worn glasses since I was about 14 and I’ve never wanted to switch to lenses.
Do you have a creed? Yes: “Treat others as you would like them to treat you”.
Do you hold grudges? I try not to; I can think of only two which are mostly still there; both are over 40 years old.
Which are better black or green olives? Both are good; black are better.
Do you have any strange fears? Not that I can think of.
Do you have any strange interests? Don’t think I have any of them either.
Are you envious of anyone? Not really, and certainly not in an overwhelming way.
Is anyone envious of you? I’d say they were fools if they were.
Any specific textures that bother you? The fuzz on peach skin.
Do you ever go barefoot when you’re outside? Yes, quite often in the garden or on the beach.
Can you say the alphabet backwards? Of course.
Favourite pair of shoes you wear all the time? Yes, although I don’t wear shoes often these days, mostly trainers. But I’ve worn the same pair of Clarks deck shoes for well over 10 years (I had them ages before I retired); they’re just so comfortable.
Do you believe in ghosts? Probably maybe.
Do you wear rings? Yes, six of various sorts.
How would you describe your style? Haphazard casual.
What would you say if the person you love/like kissed another girl/boy? Why would I need to say anything? Why comment on something perfectly normal?
Have you ever been in a car accident? Yes, four. Luckily none of them serious. And, no I wasn’t driving (‘cos I don’t).
Are you very sensitive to smell? I have quite a good sense of smell, but it isn’t sensitive in that there are lots of smells it it recoils from other than ordure.
Do you believe in aliens? Possibly maybe.
What’s your most common mistake? Being truthful; people really don’t like it!
When was the last time you had a portrait taken by a photographer?Laura Dodsworth, October 2016.
Have you ever sat on a roof top? Yes, quite a few times.
Do you like going on airplanes? Yes, I quite like the actual flight (though I used not to) but I hate all the airport hassles.
Do you ever write in pencil any more? Old programmers always write in pencil.
Do you like to organize? I suppose so, I just do it naturally.
Dinosaurs or dragons? Always dragons.
Do you believe in god(s)? No.
Have you ever laid on your back and watched cloud shapes go by? Many times.
Can you curl your tongue? No; that’s a gene I didn’t inherit.
Opinions on sex before marriage? Where’s the problem?
Have you ever been handcuffed? No.
What do you label yourself as? Village idiot.
How did you get your worst scar? Appendectomy in my late 20s; I think they let the trainees loose on me: huge scar and big blanket stitches to close it.
Do you take vitamins daily? Only vitamin D.
Do you have freckles? No.
Have you ever been to a strip club? No; why would I?
Do you believe in auras? I don’t know; they seem incredibly unlikely but then so do so many things.
An angel appears out of heaven and offers you a lifetime supply of the alcoholic beverage of your choice. “Be brand-specific” it says. What are you going to choose?Adnams Dry Hopped Lager or Adnams Ghost Ship.
I must find something a bit more exciting for next year (assuming the Kindly Ones permit me to continue to exist that long).
Episode 14 (days 66 to 70) of my 100 day challenge to find words I don’t know. I’m scraping words from https://randomword.com/ and each day picking one that I find interesting and which is also in the OED.
Day
Date
Word
Meaning
66
Sunday 5 January
pubarche
the first appearance of pubic hair
67
Monday 6 January
quinticlave **
upright brass-wind instrument like a keyed bugle
68
Tuesday 7 January
tentiginous
lust-provoking
69
Wednesday 8 January
wherret
a sharp blow, particularly a box on the ear or slap on the face
This year our Ten Things series, on the tenth of each month, is concentrating on things which are wackier than usual, if not by much. From odd road names to Christmas carols by way of saints and scientists. So here goes with January …
Episode 12n (days 61 to 65) of my 100 day challenge to find words I don’t know. I’m scraping words from https://randomword.com/ and each day picking one that I find interesting and which is also in the OED.
Day
Date
Word
Meaning
61
Tuesday 31 December
rudenture
architectural moulding in the shape of a rope
62
Wednesday 1 January
libanomancy **
divination by the burning of incense
63
Thursday 2 January
limaciform
having the form of a slug
64
Friday 3 January
breviloquence
brevity of speech
65
Saturday 4 January
gambrel
crooked stick used by butchers for hanging carcasses
** My favourite of the words presented.
Next episode in a few days!
Eccentric looks at life through the thoughts of a retired working thinker
