Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Pith \Pith\, v. t. (Physiol.)
To destroy the central nervous system of (an animal, as a frog), as by passing a stout wire or needle up and down the vertebral canal. [1913 Webster] Pith off! |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
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Here's one of my favorite words.
de·fen·es·trate [dee-fen-uh-streyt] –verb (used with object), de·fen·es·trat·ed, de·fen·es·trat·ing. to throw (a person or thing) out of a window. The opportunity to use it comes up surprisingly often. |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
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cleave: to adhere closely; stick; cling
and cleave: to cut off; sever As best I know the only word in English that is its own antonym. |
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Which way is up?
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
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And, yes, it's in the dictionary: ain't: contraction of • am not; are not; is not - AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :) - Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9) |
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is the next Chiquita
Join Date: Feb 2005
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Last edited by Banana : 2011-04-11 at 16:05. Reason: Ooo, looks like someone's having a case of Monday! |
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is the next Chiquita
Join Date: Feb 2005
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*headdesk*
No, I meant to say "of" instead of "off". I fail. |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: May 2004
Location: oaktown
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I think cleave can be used solo for cut-- you can cleave your bonds, or cleave the fatted calf (root of cleaver, after all). "Cleave to" seems to be the preferred construction for attaching, however. I'm very curious how we got from one to the other, and which came first.
That which doesn't kill you weakens you slightly and makes you less able to cope until you're completely incapacitated |
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Rocket Surgeon
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: The Canadark
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Wth apologies to addabox (you just reminded me, that's all! )
Discrete: Separate. Distinct. Discreet: Unobtrusive. Or: Having good judgement in conduct and speech. |
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Antimatter Man
Join Date: May 2004
Location: that interweb thing
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Cosmonaut: |ˈkäzməˌnôt; -ˌnät| noun : a Follower of Yuri Gagarin
see also Astronaut and Taikonaut Today's Google Doodle animates on mouseover in honour. |
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Which way is up?
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
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As opposed to:
Argonauts: a group of heroes who accompanied Jason on board the ship Argo in the quest for the Golden Fleece. …which are effectively a group of smallish octopus argonaut: a small floating octopus, the female of which has webbed arms like sails and secretes a thin, coiled, papery shell in which the eggs are laid. - AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :) - Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9) |
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Which way is up?
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
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letter: 1 a character representing one or more of the sounds used in speech; any of the symbols of an alphabet; 2 a written, typed, or printed communication, esp. one sent in an envelope by mail or messenger
The English language is full of words like this. One word, multiple meanings. Drives me bats! I also love the "to, too, two" crap we have ensconced ourselves with. And speaking of ensconced… ensconce: establish or settle (someone) in a comfortable, safe, or secret place I am settled into my secret place. Woot! - AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :) - Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9) |
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Veteran Member
Join Date: Jan 2005
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Apparently there is a word for that entire class of words: contronym http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contronym And "sanction" (which is on the list) was the word that I couldn't remember. I think they were discussing it on NPR during the Libya thing. (How was that for a meta-post?) |
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is the next Chiquita
Join Date: Feb 2005
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That's cool find, ezkcdude. Seeing the list made me gape in awe. We've been using all those words in both senses and honestly I didn't think twice about it.
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Formerly Roboman, still
awesome Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
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So many people use "literally" wrong that they're (figuratively) damaging the word. There's a classic Oatmeal comic about "literally." I'd post it, but it'd apparently make kscherer puke. and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong |
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Which way is up?
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
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figurative: departing from a literal use of words; metaphorical |
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Which way is up?
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location: Boyzeee
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Saturday: the day of the week before Sunday and following Friday, and (together with Sunday) forming part of the weekend; also, a day I don't work, so Woot!
I thought about posting Friday but I didn't want to drum up another Rebecca Black thread derailment. - AppleNova is the best Mac-users forum on the internet. We are smart, educated, capable, and helpful. We are also loaded with smart-alecks! :) - Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God. (Mat 5:9) |
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Member
Join Date: Dec 2005
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lie: be in or assume a horizontal or resting position on a supporting surface; rest flat on a surface
The verb lie (‘assume a horizontal or resting position’) is often confused with the verb lay (‘put something down’), giving rise to incorrect uses such as he is laying on the bed (correct use is he is lying on the bed) or why don't you lie the suitcase on the bed? (correct use is why don't you lay the suitcase on the bed?). The confusion is only heightened by the fact that lay is not only the base form of to lay, but is also the past tense of to lie, so while he is laying on the bed is incorrect, he lay on the bed yesterday is quite correct. |
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¡Damned!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
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prevarication: - intentionally vague or ambiguous
ambiguity - unclearness by virtue of having more than one meaning |
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Formerly Roboman, still
awesome Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: Portland, OR
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709, you ruined my joke. I was going to say
Night Lies n. — bitchin' song by Bang Camaro but then you ruined everything. (It's actually not that great of a song. So that was a white lie about "Night Lies." ) and i guess i've known it all along / the truth is, you have to be soft to be strong |
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¡Damned!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
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Sorry. "white lies" just seemed kind've meh. And not entirely accurate.
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¡Damned!
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Purgatory
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So, so many ways to go with that. |
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