WARNING: this posting has a quickly passing R rating
I have always loved words and I mean always. And now the R rating. I know this to be the case since I was photographed as a two-year-old sitting buck naked on the big boy toilet reading a book. Still have the photo although for the life of me I can't imagine why. Then again, I have no idea why I still have, treasure, and use the dictionary I received for my Bar Mitzvah in 1962 - Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (G&C Merriam Co., 1959), which also includes "Abbreviations" (10 pages), "Arbitrary Signs and Symbols" (2 pages), "Biographical Names" (43 pages), "A Pronouncing Gazetteer" (76 pages), "A Pronouncing Vocabulary of Common English Given Names" (7 pages), "Vocabulary of Rhymes" (5 pages), "Orthography - American and British" (3 pages), "Punctuation, Compounds, Capitals, Etc." (8 pages), "Preparation of Copy for the Press" (3 pages) and "Colleges and Universities in the United States and Canada" (15 pages). And all of this squeezed into a 3-inch-thick volume self designated as having "thin pages" plus letter thumb tabs and gilt edges – still shiny after 58 years. The best part is I still have an interest in actually reading it - but not on the toilet. So, here are a few of my favorites from pages 1-30, meaning that this will be a LONG-term project. Feel free to share which you like.
-A-
I have always loved words and I mean always. And now the R rating. I know this to be the case since I was photographed as a two-year-old sitting buck naked on the big boy toilet reading a book. Still have the photo although for the life of me I can't imagine why. Then again, I have no idea why I still have, treasure, and use the dictionary I received for my Bar Mitzvah in 1962 - Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary (G&C Merriam Co., 1959), which also includes "Abbreviations" (10 pages), "Arbitrary Signs and Symbols" (2 pages), "Biographical Names" (43 pages), "A Pronouncing Gazetteer" (76 pages), "A Pronouncing Vocabulary of Common English Given Names" (7 pages), "Vocabulary of Rhymes" (5 pages), "Orthography - American and British" (3 pages), "Punctuation, Compounds, Capitals, Etc." (8 pages), "Preparation of Copy for the Press" (3 pages) and "Colleges and Universities in the United States and Canada" (15 pages). And all of this squeezed into a 3-inch-thick volume self designated as having "thin pages" plus letter thumb tabs and gilt edges – still shiny after 58 years. The best part is I still have an interest in actually reading it - but not on the toilet. So, here are a few of my favorites from pages 1-30, meaning that this will be a LONG-term project. Feel free to share which you like.
-A-
Abdominous - having a large belly.
Abecedarian – one learning the alphabet; one teaching the rudiments of learning.
Abreaction – the removal of a complex or suppressed desire, as by talking it out.
Absonant - discordant; contrary; unreasonable.
Absterge – to clean as by wiping.
Abulia – loss of willpower.
Acidulous – slightly sour.
Adjuvant - helping; an assistant.
Adz/Adze - a cutting tool having a blade set at right angles to the handle.
Akimbo – with the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward.
Algophobia – morbid fear of pain.
Alluvium – soil, sand, gravel or similar material deposited by running water.
Almoner - one who dispenses alms for another.
Altruism – regard for a devotion to the interest of others.
Amanuensis – one employed to write from dictation, or to copy manuscript; a secretary.
Ambsace - double aces, the lowest throw at dice; the least thing or particle possible.
Absonant - discordant; contrary; unreasonable.
Absterge – to clean as by wiping.
Abulia – loss of willpower.
Acidulous – slightly sour.
Adjuvant - helping; an assistant.
Adz/Adze - a cutting tool having a blade set at right angles to the handle.
Akimbo – with the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward.
Algophobia – morbid fear of pain.
Alluvium – soil, sand, gravel or similar material deposited by running water.
Almoner - one who dispenses alms for another.
Altruism – regard for a devotion to the interest of others.
Amanuensis – one employed to write from dictation, or to copy manuscript; a secretary.
Ambsace - double aces, the lowest throw at dice; the least thing or particle possible.
BONUS:
This actually happened. While we were waiting for some medical tests to be taken, a young office assistant came in and informed us: "the lobotomist will be here shortly." Neither of us said a word. First time I was glad to have blood taken.
I had no idea AKIMBO had such a specific definition! Not what I'd been picturing all these years. Always liked the word but apparently never looked it up.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the post and glad the lobotomist didn't show up!