# Words I've learned because of my Kindle



## Leslie

I've never been one to look up words in the dictionary while I am reading, mostly because the dictionary was never handy. I'd just puzzle out the word and keep on going. But, because of the look up feature in the Kindle, I _have_ been looking up words and I've learned quite a few new ones, to my surprise! On this thread I thought people might want to share their new vocabulary additions...

Today at lunch, I learned *flamen* which comes from Roman history and is "a priest serving a particular deity." I read it in *The Reincarnationist* by M.J. Rose, a book that is currently available for free at Amazon (link to the book and an interesting article by the author on this page).

L


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## Mike D. aka jmiked

I learned *irruption* a few days ago. It was in a James Blish SF novel from the fifties, and shows up in Mark Twain's Innocents Abroad, as well as H. P. Lovecraft and a Thousand Nights and a Night.

I thought it was poor proofing until I looked it up.

ir·rupt (-rpt)
intr.v. ir·rupt·ed, ir·rupt·ing, ir·rupts
1. To break or burst in.
2. Ecology To increase rapidly and irregularly in number:

Ya gotta love being able to just type a word into the search field and have it search the dictionary as well as everything else.


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## Newbie Girl

Funny you should bring this up, Leslie:  What you said could have come from me.  My first "oldie but goodie" book was 'Little Women'.  Knew I had read it before but I'm thinking it was a "young person" version- sure don't remember all the unknown words...or how very LONG it is.  LOL.  One day I decided to start looking up words and it is just the coolest thing- I feel so SMART!  I've always had an expanded vocabulary because I read a lot and so it continues- yippee!  I've had my Kindle about 2-3 weeks and I'm so in love- carry him with me everywhere I go, my family just rolls their eyes- they are SOOOO jealous, I think.


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## colleen

Shizu said:


> There's so much I can't list.


I'm with you Shizu! (hey, that rhymes!!!)

Seriously I use it frequently. I am reading Gone With The Wind right now. My sister first read it when she was about 12 or 13 (and has probably read it at least 50 times since). I find myself looking up a word or two in each chapter - I love the convenience of the built in dictionary. At the same time I am in awe of my sister's vocabulary at such a young age!! (She always was the smarty-pants of the family!)

BTW, the pic of your puppy is TOO precious!!!


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## Shizu

colleen said:


> I'm with you Shizu! (hey, that rhymes!!!)
> 
> Seriously I use it frequently. I am reading Gone With The Wind right now. My sister first read it when she was about 12 or 13 (and has probably read it at least 50 times since). I find myself looking up a word or two in each chapter - I love the convenience of the built in dictionary. At the same time I am in awe of my sister's vocabulary at such a young age!! (She always was the smarty-pants of the family!)
> 
> BTW, the pic of your puppy is TOO precious!!!


Thanks Colleen.  Maybe I'll put a bigger picture of him in the pet thread.


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## Guest

I learned a new word, too. Kindler. I now refer to myself as a Kindler. I looked it up and it wasn't in the dictionary, but with all of us Kindler's out here, one of these days it will be!


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## Vegas_Asian

Since I am going back and reading the classics (jane austen and so forth) I've been coming across a great numbe of words not so commonly used in the US or in mordern casual english diction.


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## oddsoxx

I came across the word "coruscated" today in this sentence..."...then, indeed, his eyes suddenly coruscated, and he turned to me almost excitedly." It means his eyes suddenly flashed. Love that look up feature.


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## Kirstin

I learned *apocryphal* tonight!

definition: (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.

If everyone knew this word but me - I apologize for my interuption.


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## Ann in Arlington

Kirstin said:
 

> I learned *apocryphal* tonight!
> 
> definition: (of a story or statement) of doubtful authenticity, although widely circulated as being true.
> 
> If everyone knew this word but me - I apologize for my interuption.


As in "the pictures of Kindle 2 on Boy Genius are apocryphal" 

Ann


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## Jen

Ann Von Hagel said:


> As in "the pictures of Kindle 2 on Boy Genius are apocryphal"
> 
> Ann


Exxxxcelent.


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## sjc

COLLEEN:  Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase?  I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times...  I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up.  

I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window."  

Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

I occasionally would take the time to pull out the dictionary when reading dead tree books.With my Kindle I have lost count of the word looked up, 2 today; of course I can't recall either of them. Luv that feature of the Kindle.   I wish I had kept a list now.

Linda


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## Leslie

sjc said:


> COLLEEN: Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase? I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times... I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up.
> 
> I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window."
> 
> Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.


I do!! LOL

L


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## Kirstin

sjc said:


> COLLEEN: Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase? I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times... I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up.
> 
> I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window."
> 
> Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.


HA! I found Gone with the Wind: http://feedbooks.com/author/297

I couldn't remember where I'd downloaded it from. And YES - I remember that skit.


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## Gertie Kindle

sjc said:


> I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window."
> 
> Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.


Oh, yes I do!!! I think it's one of the best things CB & Family ever did. Dinah Shore is in it too. She plays Melanie/Melody. You can watch it on youtube. It's in two parts. There's also Tim Conway as the little old fireman with Harvey Korman. Another one of my favorites.


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## chynared21

sjc said:


> COLLEEN: Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase? I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times... I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up.
> 
> I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window."
> 
> Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.


*OMG...that was one of my favorite skits of hers!!! I used to love that show ))*


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## Gertie Kindle

chynared21 said:


> *OMG...that was one of my favorite skits of hers!!! I used to love that show ))*


Another favorite, also on youtube, is Tim Conway's elephant story. Vicki Lawrence's comeback is classic!!!!


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## colleen

pusillanimous - lacking courage or conviction; marked by contemptible timidity.

From Gone With The Wind.  I had NO idea what it meant!!!  LOVE that dictionary look up feature!


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## Newbie Girl

SJC- I know what you are talking about on the Carol Burnett show- it was hysterical!  "Gone with the Wind" is my favorite book of all time.  I too have a very old copy and too funny:  I JUST finished it again right before I got my Kindle.  Was going to make it my first download (seemed appropriate) but couldn't find it.  That being said, I didn't really know what I was doing (being a newbie and all) and I would guess it is out there somewhere on a free site.


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## colleen

sjc said:


> COLLEEN: Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase? I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times... I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up.
> 
> I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window."
> 
> Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.


Are you kidding me Of COURSE I remember that Carol Burnett skit! SOOOO funny!!! I love Carol Burnett. When I was a little girl (age 5 or so) we lived with my grandparents for a couple of years while my folks were saving for a bigger house. Every Saturday night was bath night, and we 3 girls would hurry through it so that we could be squeaky clean and parked on the living room floor in front of the TV to watch Carol Burnett. Those were the days! (wait, that's a different show)

I got Gone With The Wind off of the feedbooks.com site for FREE!!!!! So far I've noticed maybe 3 or 4 typos (apostrophes missing), but otherwise it's wonderful.


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## Leslie

All of you can relive those happy memories, thanks to YouTube.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aRMZ4ePmMM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TjhtxfSMIWk

Part 1 and 2. It's close to 20 minutes long to watch the whole thing, but worth it.

L


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## Kirstin

I'm almost ashamed to admit how many words I've looked up while reading Dreams of My Father...  I feel illiterate.


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## pidgeon92

Kirstin said:


> I'm almost ashamed to admit how many words I've looked up while reading Dreams of My Father... I feel illiterate.


I just read a book like that.... The Senator's Wife. I enjoyed the book, I see the reviews on Amazon are mixed. I've always liked Sue Miller's books.


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## Leslie

pidgeon92 said:


> I just read a book like that.... The Senator's Wife. I enjoyed the book, I see the reviews on Amazon are mixed. I've always liked Sue Miller's books.


I haven't read a Sue Miller book in years. Thanks for the reminder, Pidgeon, I'll add this to my ever expanding list of samples.

L


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## Angela

The first word I had to look up on the kindle was - *bifurcated*

*bifurcate* v. divide into two branches or forks.

The word was in the very first sentence of the _The Color of Magic_.

"First roared through the bifurcated city of Ankh-Morpork."

I looked up the definition and realized immediately that this city had a river dividing it!


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## Xia

Angela said:


> The first word I had to look up on the kindle was - *bifurcated*
> 
> *bifurcate* v. divide into two branches or forks.
> 
> The word was in the very first sentence of the _The Color of Magic_.
> 
> "First roared through the bifurcated city of Ankh-Morpork."
> 
> I looked up the definition and realized immediately that this city had a river dividing it!


Angela - I'm currently reading _The Colour of Magic_, too! And I also used the look up feature to look up that very same word!


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## Angela

Xia said:


> Angela - I'm currently reading _The Colour of Magic_, too! And I also used the look up feature to look up that very same word!


I thought it was funny that it was in the very first sentence of the book!


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## Guest

Whoo Hoo. Learning from Pratchett. I so envy you getting to fall in love with the Discworld. It falls into my "boy, I wish I could read them again for the first time" category.


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## Angela

LuckyRainbow said:


> Whoo Hoo. Learning from Pratchett. I so envy you getting to fall in love with the Discworld. It falls into my "boy, I wish I could read them again for the first time" category.


LOL
I went to the Prachett website and I was amazed a the number of books that are part of Discworld! I just hope that once I get into them a ways, I can get them all on Kindle! It is going to drive me crazy if I get hooked on these and then can't find them!!


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## Kirstin

Angela said:


> LOL
> I went to the Prachett website and I was amazed a the number of books that are part of Discworld! I just hope that once I get into them a ways, I can get them all on Kindle! It is going to drive me crazy if I get hooked on these and then can't find them!!


argh! I've downloaded the first book The color of Magic based on your recomendations. Only $1.98. I have to stop reading Kindleboards!!


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## Angela

Kirstin said:


> argh! I've downloaded the first book The color of Magic based on your recomendations. Only $1.98. I have to stop reading Kindleboards!!


LOL... I know what you mean!! Larry announced to me this afternoon that there would be no more extra spending allowed until after the first of the year... Thank goodness I have a balance on my Amazon Gift Card!!


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## Kirstin

Angela said:


> LOL... I know what you mean!! Larry announced to me this afternoon that there would be no more extra spending allowed until after the first of the year... Thank goodness I have a balance on my Amazon Gift Card!!


and I have requested Amazon gift cards for Christmas from everyone!


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## Guest

Kirstin said:


> argh! I've downloaded the first book The color of Magic based on your recomendations. Only $1.98. I have to stop reading Kindleboards!!


The Discworld is a special and wonderful place. You will have a hard time leaving it. Luckily, it looks like most of them are on Kindle including the Tiffany Aching ones. Those are young adult, but I love them more in some ways. It could be the uterus effect.


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## Yollo

hey, I learned a word the other day. Not from my Kindle though....still NOT HERE. Ack!

Perserverate - to dwell on, think intensely about.


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## Angela

Kimblee said:


> hey, I learned a word the other day. Not from my Kindle though....still NOT HERE. Ack!
> 
> Perserverate - to dwell on, think intensely about.


As in "I am dwelling on my Kindle and thinking intensely about it."


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## Yollo

Angela said:


> As in "I am dwelling on my Kindle and thinking intensely about it."


Or as in, I am perseverating about whether or not I should go check the "Where's my stuff?" page one more time.


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## Angela

Kimblee said:


> Or as in, I am perseverating about whether or not I should go check the "Where's my stuff?" page one more time.


Oh go on... go check!! I check on mine every couple of hours or so until it got here!!


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## Yollo

Angela said:


> Oh go on... go check!! I check on mine every couple of hours or so until it got here!!


Hahah. I went and checked....

Must keep telling myself it will be here soon. It's only been 1 week. 1 to 2 more to go. Breathe in. Breathe out. Surf Kindle Boards some more.


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## Mikuto

Today I learned the word somnambulism, from The Zombie Survival Guide. It means sleepwalking


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## sjc

Supposedly:  My late Uncle Manual (my father's brother in law) is credited as the originator of the word: discombobulated.


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## Yollo

^ Love that word. Use it all the time.


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## chynared21

sjc said:


> Supposedly: My late Uncle Manual (my father's brother in law) is credited as the originator of the word: discombobulated.


*One of my favorite words ;-p*


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## Kirstin

sjc said:


> Supposedly: My late Uncle Manual (my father's brother in law) is credited as the originator of the word: discombobulated.


I use this word all the time!! It is even fun to say!


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## sjc

Hey all...forgot about this post:

Colleen:  Thanks for Gone with the Wind freebie

Everyone:  Thanks for reminiscing about the Carol Burnett skit...Gone with the Wind; it was a hoot.

Discombobulated:  Yes, confirmed (as far as my father is aware) Uncle Manuel Palumbo--  his late brother in law, was credited as the originator of the word.  I use it all the time.


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## Gertie Kindle

sjc said:


> Supposedly: My late Uncle Manual (my father's brother in law) is credited as the originator of the word: discombobulated.


It's a great word. I once saw it used in a legal brief.


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## Leslie

Yesterday I learned *enmity* - a feeling or condition of hostility, hatred, ill will, animosity, antagonism.

L


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## Ann in Arlington

Leslie said:


> Yesterday I learned *enmity* - a feeling or condition of hostility, hatred, ill will, animosity, antagonism.
> 
> L


As in "I must admit to enmity toward those who don't respect my Kindle."


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## Leslie

Ann Von Hagel said:


> As in "I must admit to enmity toward those who don't respect my Kindle."


Yes! Exactly... "I feel an enmity towards those who call the Kindle ugly or poorly designed."


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## Leslie

Two words today:

*orrery* - an apparatus for representing the positions, motions, and phases of the planets, satellites, etc., in the solar system. Named for Charles Boyle, Earl of Orrery, for whom it was first made.

*
supernal* - of or relating to the sky or heavens; the word was used to refer to a character's blue eyes.


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## Dori

Can't think of a specific word right now, but sure have learned a lot about textiles from these boards.  One thread in particular.


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

ersatz - made or used as a substitute, typically inferior one, for something else not real or genuine.


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## Angela

quintillion - a thousand raised to the power of 6. a million raised to the power of 5... in other words, a really, really, really big number!


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## Leslie

*adamantine* - rigidly firm


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

This is a great learning thread. Many of the words here I didn't have a clue what the meaning was. My challenge will be remembering them.   Chalk up another PRO in the Kindle column of Pros/Cons.

Linda


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## Mikuto

I learned a few from the last short story I read. The author had a particular way with words. 

Ululate: howl or wail as an expression of strong emotion, typically grief. 

Hydrocephalus: A condition in which fluid accumulates in the brain, typically in young children, enlarging the head and sometimes causing brain damage. 

Scrofula: chiefly historical, a disease with glandular swellings, probably a form of tuberculosis.


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## Ann in Arlington

Have you ever seen the Free Rice site: http://www.freerice.com/

It started out as just a vocabulary game: if you know the meaning of the word you win 10 grains of rice for the hungry. The more words you know the harder they get. It keeps score by levels. The higher level words are pretty obscure. You drop a level if you miss a word but pay attention because they tell you the correct meaning and it'll come up again in a few more words. You really do learn! They've also added math, history, and geography games too. It can be nearly as addicting as this board as you try to get just . . . one . . . more . . . level.

Ann
(oh, and no using Kindle to look up words while you're playing!!)


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## Linda Cannon-Mott

Ann Von Hagel said:


> Have you ever seen the Free Rice site: http://www.freerice.com/
> 
> It started out as just a vocabulary game: if you know the meaning of the word you win 10 grains of rice for the hungry. The more words you know the harder they get. It keeps score by levels. The higher level words are pretty obscure. You drop a level if you miss a word but pay attention because they tell you the correct meaning and it'll come up again in a few more words. You really do learn! They've also added math, history, and geography games too. It can be nearly as addicting as this board as you try to get just . . . one . . . more . . . level.
> 
> Ann
> (oh, and no using Kindle to look up words while you're playing!!)


Ann that is what I did at work prior to Kindleboards. I love it!

Linda


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## Angela

I am finding that a lot of the words I look up aren't there! I am assuming the Terry Prachett made up his own words for Discworld!!


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## Lotus

I remember looking up "flannel" when I was reading the Eric Clapton autobiography. I knew what it meant (in this case, it was a British colloquialism meaning waffle or nonsense talk, with an undertone of intentionally misleading the listener), I was just testing out the dictionary. Unfortunately, the dictionary could offer me no definition (not even the definition that it's a type of fabric).


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## Leslie

*picaresque* - of or relating to an episodic style of fiction dealing with the adventures of a rough and dishonest but appealing hero.

It was in an editorial in the New York Times describing politics in Chicago: "Even by Chicago's picaresque standards, Tuesday's developments are mind-boggling..."


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## Ann in Arlington

Leslie said:


> *picaresque* - of or relating to an episodic style of fiction dealing with the adventures of a rough and dishonest but appealing hero.


I wouldn't have used 'dishonest'. . . ._Don Quixote de la Mancha_ has always to me been THE example of a picaresque novel. And Quixote is definitely NOT dishonest. Also the origin of the term Quixotic, but that has more to do with his eccentricity. . . .

Ann


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## Poi Girl

Too many words to list, but I use it all the time. Loves it!


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## Avalon3

You're saying you learned the words because there's a built in dictionary in Kindle.  If you saw the same word in a DTB you wouldn't have looked up the meaning in a DTB dictionary or Googled the word?

I'm a Scrabble player.  Words fascinate me.  If I was reading a DTB and came across a word I didn't know I would look it up in a dictionary or Google it.

I learned the word RONIN in my current  Kindle book December 6 by Martin Cruz Smith.  

It's not an acceptable word in my Scrabble Players dictionary.  Kindle's dictionary defined it as a Japanese word.

a wandering samurai who had no lord or master.

I think more people look up the words because of the build in dictionary.


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## Leslie

Avalon3 said:


> You're saying you learned the words because there's a built in dictionary in Kindle. If you saw the same word in a DTB you wouldn't have looked up the meaning in a DTB dictionary or Googled the word?


No, I wouldn't. I usually don't have a dictionary handy and if I'm reading a book, I'm not at the computer. I'd just puzzle out the meaning and continue on. Because it is so easy to look them up with the Kindle, I do. I find that my "puzzled out" meaning is usually about 60% correct. I'd have the gist of what it means, but not an accurate definition. Not anymore!

L


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## Avalon3

Leslie said:


> No, I wouldn't. I usually don't have a dictionary handy and if I'm reading a book, I'm not at the computer. I'd just puzzle out the meaning and continue on. Because it is so easy to look them up with the Kindle, I do. I find that my "puzzled out" meaning is usually about 60% correct. I'd have the gist of what it means, but not an accurate definition. Not anymore!
> 
> L


There are times when the definiton isn't in the Kindle dictionary. If I really want to know I'll highlight it and look it up later.


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## thresel

I learned "throttle" in P.D.James The Private Patient.  It means to choke to death.  My mother used to threaten to throttle me, hopefully she didn't know the real meaning. I look up a lot of words, am not too impressed with the dictionary.  Often the words I look up are not included.  I am hoping that eventually a better dictionary will become available.


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## Leslie

Avalon3 said:


> There are times when the definiton isn't in the Kindle dictionary. If I really want to know I'll highlight it and look it up later.


I have yet to find a word that's not in the dictionary and I look up some pretty obscure words. In fact, the person who said earlier that "flannel" wasn't in the dictionary...I just looked it up and there it was, with three definitions: 1) fabric; 2) British - washcloth; and 3) British - informal bland fluent talk (which I think was the definition the OP was looking for). So I am not quite sure why some people are having problems with the dictionary. I certainly am not.

L


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## thejackylking #884

Leslie said:


> *picaresque* - of or relating to an episodic style of fiction dealing with the adventures of a rough and dishonest but appealing hero.
> 
> It was in an editorial in the New York Times describing politics in Chicago: "Even by Chicago's picaresque standards, Tuesday's developments are mind-boggling..."


Ain't that the truth. I'm from Illinois and we haven't had a governor in a couple of decades that hasn't had some cloud of suspicion over his head. Blagoivitch will wind up going to prison and keep George Ryan company. Before him we had Thompson who was always under investigation as well. Now we have Obama in the White House, I'm quite sure he'll bring some Chicago style politics to the office. While everyone sees politics as corrupt Chicago has it's own special brand of corruption. Sort of like Chicago style deep dish pizza.


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## katiekat1066

Kick me if this isn't completely on topic.... 

Has anyone looked at/bought an alternate dictionary for the Kindle? It's something I've been meaning to give a bit of thought. I have to admit that the word snob in me is leaning towards this:









Although the part of me that buys un-abridged dictionaries like mad (I have 7 ranging over almost 100 years) likes this one but decries the price of $34.02:










Any thoughts?

Katiekat


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## Angela

I may have to download a sample just to see how it works!


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## Leslie

katiekat1066 said:


> Kick me if this isn't completely on topic....
> 
> Although the part of me that buys un-abridged dictionaries like mad (I have 7 ranging over almost 100 years) likes this one but decries the price of $34.02:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any thoughts?
> 
> Katiekat


Isn't this the dictionary that comes with the Kindle?

L


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## Ann in Arlington

Leslie said:


> Isn't this the dictionary that comes with the Kindle?
> 
> L


Yep. . . .(just looked it up on my Kindle. . . .)

ann


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## katiekat1066

OK, I thought it was the cheaper version. DUH!  It's the NyQuil making me dumb, that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it.

Katiekat


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## Betsy the Quilter

thejackylking said:


> Ain't that the truth. I'm from Illinois and we haven't had a governor in a couple of decades that hasn't had some cloud of suspicion over his head. Blagoivitch will wind up going to prison and keep George Ryan company. Before him we had Thompson who was always under investigation as well. Now we have Obama in the White House, I'm quite sure he'll bring some Chicago style politics to the office. While everyone sees politics as corrupt Chicago has it's own special brand of corruption. Sort of like Chicago style deep dish pizza.


I heard on the news tonight that Illinois holds the record for gubernatorial incarcerations with three, soon to be four.

Betsy


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## pidgeon92

Betsy the Quilter said:


> I heard on the news tonight that Illinois holds the record for gubernatorial incarcerations with three, soon to be four.


We're *#1*


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## mumsicalwhimsy

Ahh, yes.  Land of Lincoln.  
Florida gets grief for their hanging chads.
Illinois.... we elect crooks.


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## Betsy the Quilter

From the Washington Post:
"...while Illinois holds the nation's highest gubernatorial incarceration rate. Three of the past eight governors have spent time in jail or prison. Blagojevich would bring the number to four."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/12/09/AR2008120902778_pf.html

I think Maryland (my home state) only has had one so far...

Betsy


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## thejackylking #884

And yet we elect a new president from *The Chicago area*. Do you really think he isn't corrupt too? That's why people from southern Illinois don't claim Chicago. As far as I'm concerned it can break off and become it's own state.


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## pidgeon92

thejackylking said:


> And yet we elect a new president from *The Chicago area*. Do you really think he isn't corrupt too? That's why people from southern Illinois don't claim Chicago. As far as I'm concerned it can break off and become it's own state.


I don't want to start a flaming skirmish, but no, I don't think Barack Obama is corrupt. I honestly believe he could become one of our greatest Presidents, ever. I've listened to his podcasts for years, his YouTube addresses in the last few weeks, and I feel he is doing his best to be transparent in this transition. Only time will tell, as it has with our current President.


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## thejackylking #884

I'll just agree to disagree then and let it drop.


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## Guest

Hey, corrupt presidents are nothing new. Don't you think there was a reason Clinton did not move back to Arkansas after his time in office? Well, at least other than the fact that he wanted to let Hillary have her way.


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## ScottBooks

I want this as my dictionary. 







I find the included dictionary quite limited.


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## mumsicalwhimsy

exegesis - critical explanation or interpretation of a text. esp of scripture
early 17th cent from Greek exgsis, from exgeisthai 'interpret"


----------



## Leslie

ScottBooks said:


> I want this as my dictionary.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> I find the included dictionary quite limited.


I just clicked to get it on the Kindle for you!


----------



## quiltlvr

This isn't about a specific word I've learned but a funny thing that started happening after using my kindle: I was finishing up a dtb and I found my thumb looking for the scroll wheel to look something up!


----------



## thejackylking #884

now that's funny.


----------



## Angela

quiltlvr said:


> This isn't about a specific word I've learned but a funny thing that started happening after using my kindle: I was finishing up a dtb and I found my thumb looking for the scroll wheel to look something up!


----------



## sebat

9 time out of 10, when I look up a word on my Kindle it isn't there. Has anybody else had this problem?



Ann Von Hagel said:


> *Have you ever seen the Free Rice site: http://www.freerice.com/*
> 
> It started out as just a vocabulary game: if you know the meaning of the word you win 10 grains of rice for the hungry. The more words you know the harder they get. It keeps score by levels. The higher level words are pretty obscure. You drop a level if you miss a word but pay attention because they tell you the correct meaning and it'll come up again in a few more words. You really do learn! They've also added math, history, and geography games too. It can be nearly as addicting as this board as you try to get just . . . one . . . more . . . level.


Ok....this was cool. Need to go back an play some more. I got to level 35 before I miss one. Educational and for a good cause.


----------



## Leslie

sebat said:


> 9 time out of 10, when I look up a word on my Kindle it isn't there. Has anybody else had this problem?


No. I've never had this problem. Every single word I have looked up has been there and I have looked up a few obscure words. I really don't understand why people are having this dictionary problem. The dictionary that comes with the Kindle is a decent one.

Are you sure you haven't disabled it in settings or something?

L


----------



## sebat

Leslie said:


> No. I've never had this problem. Every single word I have looked up has been there and I have looked up a few obscure words. I really don't understand why people are having this dictionary problem. The dictionary that comes with the Kindle is a decent one.
> 
> Are you sure you haven't disabled it in settings or something?
> 
> L


I just checked. My primary dictionary is listed as: New Oxford American Dictionary. It's not disabled.

I wish I could remember what the words were or even what book they were in. It has happened to me at least 4 times. I finally quit using it.


----------



## Leslie

sebat said:


> I just checked. My primary dictionary is listed as: New Oxford American Dictionary. It's not disabled.
> 
> I wish I could remember what the words were or even what book they were in. It has happened to me at least 4 times. I finally quit using it.


So odd...I have not had a word failure yet.

L


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Maybe we need a thread "Words that weren't in my Kindle dictionary"  or "Words I couldn't learn because of my Kindle Dictionary" LOL!

Seriously, if you can't find a word, post it here, I'd love to know what words aren't available.  Maybe we can make a list and send it to Amazon.

Betsy


----------



## sebat

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Maybe we need a thread "Words that weren't in my Kindle dictionary" or "Words I couldn't learn because of my Kindle Dictionary" LOL!
> 
> Seriously, if you can't find a word, post it here, I'd love to know what words aren't available. Maybe we can make a list and send it to Amazon.
> 
> Betsy


That's a good idea. I'll try to remember it in the future .


----------



## Angela

sebat said:


> I just checked. My primary dictionary is listed as: New Oxford American Dictionary. It's not disabled.
> 
> I wish I could remember what the words were or even what book they were in. It has happened to me at least 4 times. I finally quit using it.


I have had some of the same issues. Some words are there, some are not.


----------



## pidgeon92

I've had words the dictionary could not look up..... It just lists the other words on the line.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

pidgeon92 said:


> I've had words the dictionary could not look up..... It just lists the other words on the line.


I did notice that when you highlight the line to look up a word in it, it does not necessarily list words like "a", "the", "for", "of". And it doesn't list proper nouns either. But my experience has been that if the word is available to click on, you can find a definition.

Ann


----------



## sebat

thejackylking said:


> And yet we elect a new president from *The Chicago area*. Do you really think he isn't corrupt too? That's why people from southern Illinois don't claim Chicago. As far as I'm concerned it can break off and become it's own state.


When someone asks me where home is, I always tell them Southern Illinois, never just Illinois. 
You're right it should be a state. Just give us a star already!


----------



## Guest

I have had a few problems with words I tried to look up. Most of them had foreign origins (Yiddish, German or French). When this happened I was able to find the definitions by using the web browser. It actually worked pretty well.


----------



## sebat

LuckyRainbow said:


> I have had a few problems with words I tried to look up. Most of them had foreign origins (Yiddish, German or French). When this happened I was able to find the definitions by using the web browser. It actually worked pretty well.


Now that you say that, one of my words was French.


----------



## MonaSW

One of the odd things I have run across is that when I look up a word it isn't in the dictionary, but if I search for it, it is.


----------



## Leslie

*gawp* - informal stare openly in a stupid or rude manner. "What are you gawping at?" In the story I am reading, "I'm *gawping* like a landed trout."


----------



## Leslie

*bowyer* - a person who makes or sells archers' bows.

TIP: Here's something I just realized that I didn't know before. Definitions may spread over more than one page. In this case, the sentence was, "beauty in him, I will call you a bowyer and"

The words that the dictionary looked up were: *beauty*, *him*, *will*, *call*, and *bowyer*. Bowyer (the word I wanted) was on the second page. When I didn't see it immediately on the list, I thought I had my first missing word, but when I went to the next page, voila! There it was.

L


----------



## Leslie

*discommode* - formal; cause (someone) trouble or inconvenience. "I am sorry to discommode you."


----------



## Leslie

*burin* - a steel tool used for engraving in copper or wood.

I am learning a bucketful of new words today!


----------



## Leslie

*redingote* - a man's double-breasted topcoat with a full skirt.


----------



## mumsicalwhimsy

Did anyone besides Brassman know about the 18th century origin of "amateur" ?
He posted it as an aside....  I learned something new.


----------



## thejackylking #884

sebat said:


> When someone asks me where home is, I always tell them Southern Illinois, never just Illinois.
> You're right it should be a state. Just give us a star already!


I always do the same thing. I'm constantly reminding people that Chicago is a city in Illinois, Illinois is not a city in Chicago. What area are you from? I'm about an hour NE of St. Louis.


----------



## Leslie

*calumny* - the making of false and defamatory statements in order to damage someone's reputation; slander.


----------



## Leslie

*effulgent* - shining brightly; radiant; emanating joy or goodness.


----------



## sebat

thejackylking said:


> I always do the same thing. I'm constantly reminding people that Chicago is a city in Illinois, Illinois is not a city in Chicago. What area are you from? I'm about an hour NE of St. Louis.


Spent the first 37 years of my life in Southern Illinois. I'm not there anymore but my family lives in the little Egypt area, less than an hour north of the tip, up I-57


----------



## Angela

These were all from last night...

*dhou* - n. a lateen-rigged ship with one or two masts, used in the Indian Ocean.

*derring-do * - n. dated, humorous action displaying heroic courage.

*beatifically*, beatific - adj. blissfully happy

The dictionary did not show a definition for the word *dessicating*. There have been many others that don't show up when a line is highlighted, but I would have to go back and read the whole book again to find them! I am beginning to think that Terry Pratchett makes up his own words!!


----------



## Leslie

If it is indeed spelled *dessicating* in the story, no wonder the dictionary couldn't find it. The correct spelling is *desiccating*. 
*
desiccate* - remove the moisture from, esp. food, typically in order to preserve it. *Desiccated* coconut.

L


----------



## Dori

abattoir  from In Her Name.    Happy for the search feature as this book is going to send me to the dictionary often.


----------



## Leslie

*abattoir* - slaughterhouse, right? (going from memory here)


----------



## Leslie

*incommode* - formal inconvenience (notice, similar to discommode from earlier in the day. Same author, different book).


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Leslie, what the heck book are you reading!!??  

Ann


----------



## Leslie

Ann Von Hagel said:


> Leslie, what the heck book are you reading!!??
> 
> Ann


I am re-reading *Frost Fair*, by Erastes, because I have been asked to write a review of it. It is very good....I highly recommend it. It is not for sale at Amazon but you can buy it here, just choose the mobi format and transfer to your Kindle with the USB (or email it).

I'll post a link to my review when it is done.

L


----------



## Guest

Dori said:


> abattoir from In Her Name. Happy for the search feature as this book is going to send me to the dictionary often.


This word is the reason I no longer play Scrabble with Jim. He got it on triple word score, emptied his tray and got me to challenge it. ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!


----------



## thejackylking #884

thejackylking said:


> I always do the same thing. I'm constantly reminding people that Chicago is a city in Illinois, Illinois is not a city in Chicago. What area are you from? I'm about an hour NE of St. Louis.


I know where you're at then. Currently I'm in Germany.


----------



## Guest

LuckyRainbow said:


> This word is the reason I no longer play Scrabble with Jim. He got it on triple word score, emptied his tray and got me to challenge it. ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!


Yes... I _forced_ you to challenge it....Muahahaha


----------



## sjc

Scrabble, scrabble...did I read SCRABBLE...LuckyRainbow and Jim; are you holding out on me?


----------



## Guest

sjc said:


> Scrabble, scrabble...did I read SCRABBLE...LuckyRainbow and Jim; are you holding out on me?


I love Scrabble. LR hates it.


----------



## KBoards Admin

LuckyRainbow said:


> This word is the reason I no longer play Scrabble with Jim. He got it on triple word score, emptied his tray and got me to challenge it. ARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHH!!!


One of my 11-year-old daughters landed the word QUIZ on a triple-word square the other night. I forget how many points it was, but we were sure it was a high-water mark for our family.


----------



## sebat

thejackylking said:


> I know where you're at then. Currently I'm in Germany.


I'm currently in Honolulu. We are both a long way from home.


----------



## Dori

Leslie said:


> *abattoir* - slaughterhouse, right? (going from memory here)


You nailed it Leslie, Congrats.


----------



## Linda Cannon-Mott

*Cuneiform* - denoting or relating to the wedge-shaped characters used in the ancient writing systems of Mesopotamia, Persia and Ugarit surviving mainly impressed on clay tablets.

Linda


----------



## Angela

Here is a word that the dictionary has no definition for - corruscated

*plastron* - n. 1. a large pad worn by a fencer to protect the chest. historical a lancer's breast covering. 2. an ornamental front of a women's bodice or shirt consisiting of cooful material with lace or embroidery.


----------



## Angela

*phaeton* - n. historial a light, open, four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage, a vintage touring car.


----------



## Guest

I recently looked up that same word, Angela.


----------



## Angela

LuckyRainbow said:


> I recently looked up that same word, Angela.


Benjamin Button?


----------



## Guest

Yup.


----------



## Guest

Check out Guitar Bird
He knows all the words


----------



## Leslie

*orison* - an archaic word for prayer


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Angela said:


> Here is a word that the dictionary has no definition for - corruscated


Are you reading the Color of Magic?

Betsy


----------



## Leslie

Angela said:


> Here is a word that the dictionary has no definition for - corruscated


Once again, the dictionary can't find misspelled words...

*coruscate* - poetic/literary (of light) flash or sparkle; the light was coruscating from the walls.


----------



## Angela

Betsy the Quilter said:


> Are you reading the Color of Magic?
> 
> Betsy


I was... I am now reading _The Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Other Tales of the Jazz Age_

I found lots of word in TCoM that I had to look up.


----------



## Angela

*widdershins* - adv. chiefly Scottich in a direction contrary to the sun's course, considered as unlucky; counterclockwise.


----------



## Avalon3

Barista: a person who serves in a coffee bar.


----------



## Leslie

Today's word:

*manumit* -- historical release from slavery; set free.


----------



## Cowgirl

Avalon3 said:


> Barista: a person who serves in a coffee bar.


Would you recommend this book? I love the cover and it sounds like something I would like....


----------



## Avalon3

Cowgirl said:


> Would you recommend this book? I love the cover and it sounds like something I would like....


Yes, I liked the book and would recommend it. I bought it as a DTB and gave it to my girlfriend. She liked it too. I bought all of the books in the series for my Kindle.


----------



## Avalon3

I like the built in dictionary that came with the Kindle and don't plan on changing it. I'm a serious Scrabble player and found one of the Scrabble words that wasn't defined in The Oxford American Dictionary. The word was LIMBIC. I knew it was a word defined in my Official Scrabble Players Dictionary. I used the web to search for a better definition and picture.











I hope Amazon will eventually have the Scrabble Players Dictionary available for the Kindle. I would have it as a regular Kindle book and not have it take the place of the Oxford.

LIMBIC: pertaining to a system of the brain [adj]


----------



## katiekat1066

Distelfink - a stylized Goldfinch often used in Pennsylvania Dutch folkart
Wasn't in the dictionary, but turned on the whispernet  and got it out of Wikipedia.

Katiekat


----------



## MonaSW

Susurration "A soft, whispering or rustling sound; a murmur." (Not found in Kindle dictionary.)


----------



## Seamonkey

I'm reading Mark Twain's _Innocents Abroad_ and have had fun looking up various words he uses or place names and a surprising number are right there in the dictionary, but I had the biggest laugh and it has happened a couple of times.. I click on lookup for a sentence and the sentence includes the word "wonder" or "wonders" and the definitition is all about Stevie Wonder.. not a thing about the actual word wonder.

Actually it makes me smile.

Lynn


----------



## MineKinder

Wow, that sound cool! I can't wait, I love learning new words!


----------



## Linda Cannon-Mott

*Dirk* - a short dagger

*Cottar* - farmer;laborer

*Punctilio* - a fine or petty point of conduct or procedure


----------



## chiffchaff

deracine - (adj) uprooted or displaced from one's geographical or social environment; (noun) a person who has been or feels displaced.  Used in the book Middlesex to describe city kids in the woods: "our deracinated feet stomped along in the mud"

bowdlerize - remove material that is considered improper or offensive from a text or account, esp. with the result that it becomes weaker or less effective (from the name of Dr Thomas Bowdler, who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare - the original CleanFlicks, apparently!)


----------



## chiffchaff

oh, and one more:
quotidian - of or occurring every day; ordinary or everyday, esp. when mundane


----------



## chiffchaff

Avalon3 said:


> Barista: a person who serves in a coffee bar.


thanks for posting about this! I saw it in this thread earlier today, thought it looked interesting, and one click later was reading it. Am about halfway through and it's great fun. Kindles are wonderful things!


----------



## Chad Winters

contumacy: 
stubborn refusal to obey or comply with authority, esp. a court order or summons.
ORIGIN Middle English : from Latin contumacia 'inflexibility,' from contumax (see contumacious ).

This was a new one for me that I came across in


Its the 500th anniversary or something like that...so one website is Blogging Thru the Instituteshttp://www.reformation21.org/calvin/ over a year. Its been on read someday list for awhile so I'm taking this as a way to make me do it


----------



## Avalon3

I learned both of these words from "Grave Consequences".



Planchette noun
a small board supported on casters, typically heart-shaped and fitted with a vertical pencil, used for automatic writing and in seances.

Epergne noun
an orntamental centerpiece for a dining table, typically holding fruit or flowers.


----------



## traceyreads

Here is my latest lookup:  

Folderal - ornamental objects of no great value.

I love the look up feature!


----------



## Leslie

*autodidactic* self-taught

"Abraham Lincoln was an autodidactic lover of men."


----------



## Leslie

*jeremiad* -- a long, mournful complaint or lamentation; a list of woes.

*cavil* -- make petty or unnecessary objections; "They caviled at the cost."
*
disquisition* -- a long or elaborate essay or discussion on a particular subject; "Nothing can kill a radio show quicker than a disquistion on intertextual analysis."


----------



## Encender Vaquero

Hibbing: One who, or that which, hibs.


----------



## Encender Vaquero

Hughtopia - The place where Leslie is Mrs. Jackman.


----------



## Chad Winters

Leslie said:


> *autodidactic* self-taught
> 
> "Abraham Lincoln was an autodidactic lover of men."


given Leslie's preference for reading genre......I hope this isn't a quote from one of her books


----------



## ScottBooks

Leslie said:


> *autodidactic* self-taught


This must mean you've never looked at my Amazon profile! I wonder if I should be hurt?


----------



## VMars

I learned: 

Peripatetic: walking or traveling about, moving from place to place.   This word was referring to Walt Disney in a biography and how his father could'nt live in one place for long.


----------



## Leslie

Encender Vaquero said:


> Hughtopia - The place where Leslie is Mrs. Jackman.


Ah.....

L


----------



## Leslie

Chad Winters said:


> given Leslie's preference for reading genre......I hope this isn't a quote from one of her books


Actually, it was from *The Intimate World of Abraham Lincoln* by C.A. Tripp. I read the sample but didn't buy the book.

L


----------



## Leslie

Today's words:

*prevaricate* - speak or act in an evasive way

*hegemony* - leadership or dominance, esp. by one country or social group over others


----------



## V

pidgeon92 said:


> I honestly believe he could become one of our greatest Presidents, ever. I've listened to his podcasts for years, his YouTube addresses in the last few weeks, and I feel he is doing his best to be transparent in this transition.


Words are inexpensive; actions aren't. Ignore the words and, if I may slightly decontextualize the reference _follow the money_, "follow the actions" and "follow the stem to the roots, not the flowers." So far, I'll respectfully disagree with your assessment.

Well, I may have to qualify "words are inexpensive" to "words are inexpensive to politicians" since words sure as hell aren't inexpensive on some of the Amazon books clockin' in at $14+ for Kindle versions.

*To the topic at hand*, anyway, I forgot there _was_ a dictionary on the Kindle  I've had a lifelong love-affair with etimology so it's not too often I run across words I don't know -- though sometimes I have to break them down into roots before I remember what they mean, and colloquial and idiomatic usages are always iffy.

There are two that have me stumped, though. They're from a book that -- to add insult to injury -- I've _lost_ (picked it up within a day or two of getting my K1, read it, reorganized my Kindle file structure, _somehow lost the damn thing_ and didn't realize it for about 6 months). It's a phrase burned into my brain from weeks of on-again/off-again research: _the stinking *tambaldian quixar* of his eyes_.

I _sorta_ figured out "quixar" but "tambaldian" has me flummoxed.


----------



## Esther

If you read Elizabeth George's Inspector Lynley Mystery books you find lots of new vocabulary words.  Thank goodness for the lookup feature of the Kindle.  
Here are just a few from the latest one I've read: Playing for the Ashes

cicatrix--scar of healed wound, scar on the bark of a tree  (try working this one into a conversation)

straitened -- characterized by poverty

fulgent -- shining brightly

insouciance -- indifference

aegis -- protection, support

tenebrous -- shadowy, obscure   (this is used often!)

dipsomania -- alcoholism  (shouldn't this be tipsomania  )

opprobrium -- harsh criticism

chary -- wary  (why not just use wary ?)


----------



## Encender Vaquero

I am chary of providing aegis to the straitened dipsomaniacs, lest I suffer further, the fulgent opprobium of the insouciant, resulting in a tenebrous cicatrix on my soul.


----------



## V

Esther said:


> chary -- wary (why not just use wary ?)


etymology for chary: Middle English chari, concerned, sorrowful < Old English cearig, sorrowful < cearu, caru, care; change of sense by assoc. with care

etymology for wary: ware + -y -> ware (prudent, cautious, on one's guard) y (full of, having quality or condition of)

chary has a greater implication of caution ( such as frugality: not giving freely; sparing ) (such as not taking chances; careful ) while wary implies a root of knowledge.

One may be wary of a person's background and thus be chary regarding them.

(it's 3:30am, hope this made sense)


----------



## DD

sjc said:


> COLLEEN: Did you get gone with the wind off of any of the freebie sites or was it a purchase? I have the hardcover and have read it and reread it countless times... I have looked for it on some free sites but gave up.
> 
> I so love the spoof skit on Carol Burnett when she strolls down the stairs as Scarlett with a curtain rod dress and the late great Harvey Korman compliments her dress and she says "just something I saw hanging in the window."
> 
> Oops dating myself you probably have no clue as to what I am talking about.


Hello, baby boomer here. I know exactly what you're talking about. Funny, funny skit.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Encender Vaquero said:


> I am chary of providing aegis to the straitened dipsomaniacs, lest I suffer further, the fulgent opprobrium of the insouciant, resulting in a tenebrous cicatrix on my soul.


<backing away slowly> You are, in some ways. . . a very scary fellow. . . . .

Ann


----------



## chocochibi

teraflop - (computer science) a unit for measuring the speed of a computer system
trillion floating point operations per second
computer science, computing - the branch of engineering science that studies (with the aid of computers) computable processes and structures
unit, unit of measurement - any division of quantity accepted as a standard of measurement or exchange; "the dollar is the United States unit of currency"; "a unit of wheat is a bushel"; "change per unit volume"
megaflop, MFLOP, million floating point operations per second - (computer science) a unit for measuring the speed of a computer system


----------



## Encender Vaquero

Ann Von Hagel said:


> <backing away slowly> You are, in some ways. . . a very scary fellow. . . . .
> 
> Ann


Scary, moi??  I'm a big loveable teddy-bear!


----------



## Esther

Encender Vaquero said:


> I am chary of providing aegis to the straitened dipsomaniacs, lest I suffer further, the fulgent opprobium of the insouciant, resulting in a tenebrous cicatrix on my soul.


  
Use it or lose it as they say.



V said:


> (it's 3:30am, hope this made sense)


 Chary/wary--Interesting difference.


----------



## Encender Vaquero

Esther said:


> Use it or lose it as they say.


...s'how I roll, dawg.


----------



## Britt

*Scimitar*. From the context I could tell that it's obviously some sort of weapon, but I had never heard the name of it before. It's "a short sword with a curved blade that broadens toward the point, used originally in Eastern countries." (I came across it in Arabian Nights, so that makes sense!)


----------



## kevindorsey

Prana!  Upanishards!


----------



## Kind

Angela said:


> *phaeton* - n. historial a light, open, four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage, a vintage touring car.


I guess that's where the car Phantom came from.


----------



## pomlover2586

too many words......not enough brain power LOL


----------



## stargazer0725

*cachou*: A pleasant smelling lozenge sucked to mask bad breath

*sapphic*: Of or characterized by homosexual relations between women


----------



## busy91

*Hoick * v: Lift or pull abruptly or with effort.

*Oeuvre * n: The works of a painter, composer or author regarded collectively.


----------



## crebel

busy91 said:


> *Hoick * v: Lift or pull abruptly or with effort.


That's definitely a new one - I thought it was something you did to clear phlegm from your throat!


----------



## ConnieK

Love this feature of the Kindle!

My word of the day from American Wife -

*Zoroastrianism* - a monotheistic pre-Islamic religion of ancient Persia founded by Zoroaster in the 6th century.


----------



## Latjoe

Ooh, I have one!  (hand waving wildly in the air)-:  from Newsweek:

bourse:  a stock market in a non-English-speaking  country, esp. France - Bourse (capitalized) the Paris Stock Exchange.  

Kathie


----------



## Encender Vaquero

Latjoe said:


> Ooh, I have one! (hand waving wildly in the air)-: from Newsweek:
> 
> bourse: a stock market in a non-English-speaking country, esp. France - Bourse (capitalized) the Paris Stock Exchange.
> 
> Kathie


But instead of bulls & bears, they have a Snail & Truffle market.


----------



## kevindorsey

I've heard people say Kindalicious.  Its definitely something they learned while having the Kindle


----------



## Kind

Add Kindleholic to the list although I'm sure it's been mentioned.


----------



## Leslie

Here's an example of a word I thought I knew. In pre-Kindle days, I wouldn't have looked it up, just gone on reading with the Leslie-definition in my mind. But, because I can look words up, I did...and as usual, I was sort of right, but not completely. So once again, I learned something. Thanks Kindle dictionary!

*avuncular* of or relating to an uncle. SPECIAL USAGE: kind and friendly toward a younger or less experienced person: _an avuncular manner_.

"My" definition encompassed the "kind and friendly" part, but I didn't realize it had anything to do with an uncle. Interesting...

L


----------



## Britt

*Uglification* - came across it in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

Its meaning is obvious, but I'd never actually heard that form of the word before. I burst out laughing when I read it!


----------



## Leslie

This is the book I am reading now.



I have a feeling I'll learn lots of new words. Here are three, right off the bat:

*dauphin* - son of the King of France

*cuirassier* - a cavalry soldier wearing a cuirass

*cuirass* - a piece of armor consisting of breastplate and backplate fastened together


----------



## DD

Leslie said:


> This is the book I am reading now.
> 
> 
> 
> I have a feeling I'll learn lots of new words. Here are three, right off the bat:
> 
> *dauphin* - son of the King of France
> 
> *cuirassier* - a cavalry soldier wearing a cuirass
> 
> *cuirass* - a piece of armor consisting of breastplate and backplate fastened together


Sounds good just from the words! Historical fiction? I love it!


----------



## DD

Here's a new one to me from the book I just finished, The Lion's Game by Nelson DeMille:

*précis* (pronounced pray-see) is a type of summarizing written in the writer's own words about a text source.


----------



## Latjoe

oligodendrocyte - a glial cell similar to an astrocyte but with fewer protuberances . .. (Oooh, that explains it perfectly!)  

(from a Newsweek article.  I certainly wouldn't have run for the dictionary if I was reading a paper version).

Kathie


----------



## Chad Winters

Latjoe said:


> oligodendrocyte - a glial cell similar to an astrocyte but with fewer protuberances . .. (Oooh, that explains it perfectly!)
> 
> (from a Newsweek article. I certainly wouldn't have run for the dictionary if I was reading a paper version).
> 
> Kathie


"oligo" as a prefix means less or fewer


----------



## Leslie

Chad Winters said:


> "oligo" as a prefix means less or fewer


You know that and I know that (because I know we are both health care professionals) but realistically, it is not intuitive. Silly words.

L


----------



## kyliedork

brumous (adjective) = filled or abounding with fog or mist; hazy; misty.


----------



## Leslie

*execrate* - feel or express great loathing for: _they were execrated as dangerous and corrupt_.

*cabal* - a secret political clique or faction: _a cabal of dissidents_. (This was another word that I "sort of" knew but didn't really know.)

*mendicant* - given to begging; also, of or denoting one of the religious orders that originally relied solely on alms: _a mendicant friar_.


----------



## Chad Winters

Leslie said:


> You know that and I know that (because I know we are both health care professionals) but realistically, it is not intuitive. Silly words.
> 
> L


That's why I threw that in as a little tidbit because you may not pick it up from the definition itself


----------



## Latjoe

I love this thread!

*factitious*: artificially created or developed . . made by human skill or efffort

*tenebrous*: dark; shadowy or obscure

*opprobrium*: harsh criticism or censure

Kathie


----------



## Leslie

*anchorite* - a religious recluse

*arrack* - an alcoholic liquor typically distilled from the sap of the coconut palm or from rice

*Brumaire* - the second month of the French Republican calendar (1793-1805), originally running from October 22 to November 20.

French Republican calendar? I never heard of that. So I did a little more searching and found all the months:

The Republican calendar year began at the autumn equinox and had twelve months of 30 days each, which were given new names based on nature:

* Autumn:
o Vendémiaire (from Latin vindemia, "grape harvest") Starting 22, 23 or 24 September
o Brumaire (from French brume, "fog") Starting 22, 23 or 24 October
o Frimaire (From French frimas, "frost") Starting 21, 22 or 23 November
* Winter:
o Nivôse (from Latin nivosus, "snowy") Starting 21, 22 or 23 December
o Pluviôse (from Latin pluvius, "rainy") Starting 20, 21 or 22 January
o Ventôse (from Latin ventosus, "windy") Starting 19, 20 or 21 February
* Spring:
o Germinal (from Latin germen, "germination") Starting 20 or 21 Mar
o Floréal (from Latin flos, "flower") Starting 20 or 21 Apr
o Prairial (from French prairie, "pasture") Starting 20 or 21 May
* Summer:
o Messidor (from Latin messis, "harvest") Starting 19 or 20 June
o Thermidor (or Fervidor) (from Greek thermon, "summer heat") Starting 19 or 20 July
o Fructidor (from Latin fructus, "fruit") Starting 18 or 19 August

Who knew? Thank you Kindle dictionary and Wikipedia!


----------



## kevindorsey

Got to brush up on:

Effulgent, Undulation, Countenance, Corroboration.


----------



## Leslie

*fiacre* - a small four-wheeled carriage for public hire. Named after the Hotel de St. Fiacre in Paris, where such vehicles were first hired out.










*ormolu* - a gold-colored alloy of copper, zinc, and sometimes, tin, cast into desired shapes and often gilded, used esp. in the 18th century for decorating furniture and making ornaments.










*propitiate* - win or regain the favor of (a god, spirit, or person) by doing something that pleases them: _the pagans though it was important to propitiate the gods with sacrifices_.

*epistolary* - relating to or denoting the writing of letters or literary works in the form of letters: _an epistolary novel_.


----------



## Kind

Leslie said:


> *arrack* - an alcoholic liquor typically distilled from the sap of the coconut palm or from rice


Nice .... sounds good to me.


----------



## aaco

I recently finished The Brief, Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.  It was a compelling book, and it had a lot of Spanish terms and phrases.  Since I can't speak or read Spanish, it would have been nice to have those terms and phrases defined in the dictionary, too.  Perhaps something for future iterations of the Kindle...


----------



## Leslie

More words! This book is unbelievable...LOL

*bluchers* - strong leather half-boots or high shoes. Named after G.L. von Blucher, Prussian general. (Not Frau Blucher, Leslie comment! LOL)

*shako* - cylindrical or conical military hat with a brim and a plume or pom-pom.

*colloquy* - a conversation: _they broke off their colloquy at once; an evening of sophisticated colloquy._


----------



## MonaSW

Marching bands also wear shakos.


----------



## Leslie

MonaSW said:


> Marching bands also wear shakos.


I never knew that. Thank you, Mona!


----------



## MonaSW

You're welcome! My boyfriend used to be a in marching band, or I wouldn't have known that either.


----------



## Avalon3

Here's a word I found while reading Andew Britton's Assassin.

a type of electric coil [n -S]

A *solenoid* is a coil of insulated or enameled wire wound on a rod-shaped form made of solid iron, solid steel, or powdered iron. Devices of this kind can be used as electromagnets, as inductors in electronic circuits, and as miniature wireless receiving antennas.










How it was used in the book.
This was perhaps the riskiest part, as the cylinder had to be picked twice: once, to deactivate the alarm, and again to unlock the *solenoid* bolt.


----------



## KindleKay (aka #1652)

I recently read "An Abundance of Katherines" and that book had, quite literally, a word on each page that I looked up.  I could never remember them all.  Plus it had several that had a link to a dictionary in the back of the book.  The Kindle setup worked nicely for that.  

It was a nice read and I think I got it on the bargain or freebie thread a while back...


----------



## Leslie

*tocsin* - an alarm bell or signal


----------



## Latjoe

(from a memoir written by a woman who was born a slave in 1813, escaped & became a fugitive & finally got her legal freedom)

*trow* . . . think or believe (archaic) e.g., "This is strange, I trow". Origin Old English, truwian, to trust.

Kathie


----------



## parakeetgirl

Ann in Arlington said:


> Have you ever seen the Free Rice site: http://www.freerice.com/
> 
> It started out as just a vocabulary game: if you know the meaning of the word you win 10 grains of rice for the hungry. The more words you know the harder they get. It keeps score by levels. The higher level words are pretty obscure. You drop a level if you miss a word but pay attention because they tell you the correct meaning and it'll come up again in a few more words. You really do learn! They've also added math, history, and geography games too. It can be nearly as addicting as this board as you try to get just . . . one . . . more . . . level.
> 
> Ann
> (oh, and no using Kindle to look up words while you're playing!!)


Thank you for posting this...you're right, it is very addictive and it's nice to know that I'm making a positive contribution at the same time.


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## Leslie

*holt* - the den of an animal, especially that of an otter

*concupiscent* - filled with sexual desire; lustful

*puttee* - a long strip of cloth wound spirally around the leg from ankle to knee for protection and support

*plimsoll* - (also plimsole) (British) a light rubber-soled canvas shoe, worn esp. for sports (we'd call them sneakers).


----------



## Leslie

*spiv* - British, informal. A man, typically characterized by flashy dress, who makes a living by disreputable dealings.

*hostler* - (also ostler). Historical. A man employed to look after the horses of people staying at an inn.

*assize* - (usually assizes). Historical. A court that formerly sat at intervals in each county of England and Wales to administer the civil and criminal law. In 1972, the civil jurisdiction of assizes was transferred to the High Court and the criminal jurisdiction to the Crown Court.


----------



## Latjoe

*rill:* a small stream. A shallow channel cut in the ground by running water.

*picaresque:* of or relating to an episodic style of fiction dealing with the adventures of a rough and dishonest but appealing hero

Kathie


----------



## Leslie

*sinecure *- a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit


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## Susan in VA

katiekat1066 said:


> Kick me if this isn't completely on topic....
> 
> Has anyone looked at/bought an alternate dictionary for the Kindle? It's something I've been meaning to give a bit of thought. I have to admit that the word snob in me is leaning towards this:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Although the part of me that buys un-abridged dictionaries like mad (I have 7 ranging over almost 100 years) likes this one but decries the price of $34.02:
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Any thoughts?
> 
> Katiekat


I just saw this thread.... I have the Oxford Concise next to my bed and have used it for years while reading, and would love to have it on Kindle! But this link doesn't work, and Amazon isn't showing it as available for Kindle.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

*Crepuscular:* pertaining to twilight

and

*Horripilation:* gooseflesh (goosebumps).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Leslie

Susan in VA said:


> I just saw this thread.... I have the Oxford Concise next to my bed and have used it for years while reading, and would love to have it on Kindle! But this link doesn't work, and Amazon isn't showing it as available for Kindle.


The New Oxford American Dictionary, 2nd ed (copyright 2005) is the dictionary on my K2. I believe it is the same on the K1.

L


----------



## Susan in VA

Leslie said:


> The New Oxford American Dictionary, 2nd ed (copyright 2005) is the dictionary on my K2. I believe it is the same on the K1.
> 
> L


It is indeed on my K2 as well. But I'd rather have the Oxford Concise; I have both in DTB and prefer that one... just personal preference, not a complaint.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Leslie said:


> *sinecure *- a position requiring little or no work but giving the holder status or financial benefit


Exactly the opposite of being a KindleBoards moderator! LOL


----------



## Betsy the Quilter

Ann in Arlington said:


> Exactly the opposite of being a KindleBoards moderator! LOL


Harvey doesn't pay you? 

Betsy


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

BTW, the one downside of having 4,100 books on my Kindle is I cannot use the dictionary anymore. A word is looked up on the Kindle 1, as is the seach function, across a Library of Congress set of books. It takes up to 20 minutes for a search and , believe it or not, 40 minutes for a look up. But I don;t spell check on the Kindle when I use it to edit, which is best done in a *crepuscular* timesetting when the cool breeze *horripilates* the soul. lol. (Always use it in a sentence).

Edward C. Patterson


----------



## Aravis60

omnibus- I thought it was strictly a form of transportation, not a volume containing several works in one.


----------



## Betsy the Quilter




----------



## Leslie

*covert* - (as a noun, not an adjective) a shelter or hiding place, a thicket in which game can hide. Leslie note: I have heard of covert operations, but I was not familiar with "the quail flying out of the covert."

*numinous* - having a strong religious or spiritual quality; indicating or suggesting the presence of a divinty; _the strange, numinous beauty of this ancient landmark._

*pinnace* - HISTORICAL a small boat, with sails or oars, forming part of the equipment of a warship or other large vessel.

In this picture, the pinnace is the little ship to the left.


----------



## Ann in Arlington

Here's a picture from Wikipedia. . . .since L's Gutenberg one isn't showing up.










This is apparently a larger pinnace.

Ann


----------



## Leslie

*trictrac* - (historical) a form of backgammon. Late 17th cent, from French, from the clicking sound made by game pieces

*xebec* - (historical) a small three-masted Mediterranean sailing ship with lateen and sometimes square sails. Leslie note: I actually knew xebec from playing Scrabble, but this is the first time I've ever seen it in a book.


----------



## Sweet-P

I love being able to look up words spontaneously!

My new word for today:

_hagiography: adulatory writing about another person, the writing of the lives of saints, a biography idealizing its subject._

How's that for a unique word! Kindle is making me SMART


----------



## drenee

saprophyte - Biology, a plant, fungus, or microorganism that lives on dead or decaying organic matter.


----------



## Edward C. Patterson

Gee, I though *hagiography* was a book about famous withches. he he I couldn;t resist.

Edwrd C. Patterson


----------



## russr19

Despotic : a ruler or other person who holds absolute power, typically one who exercises in a cruel or oppressive way.


----------



## Leslie

*coxcomb* - (dated) a vain and conceited man; a dandy

*kickshaw* - (archaic) a fancy but insubstantial cooked dish, esp. one of foreign origin
*
thurifer* - an acolyte carrying a censer


----------



## jpmorgan49

"Have you skinned your Kindle"?  Thank God WE know what that means. 
jp


----------



## Annalog

The thread about first book read on the Kindle reminded me that one of the reasons I have noted words looked up while reading the Kindle was to post them on this thread. After being away from home for months, I then could not find this thread and forgot about it.

Starting with words from the first book I read on the Kindle:

*lascar* - n. DATED a sailor from India or Southeast Asia.

*moiety* - n. FORMAL or TECHNICAL each of two parts into which a thing is or can be divided. (I knew the Anthropological definition but not this one.) However, the specific usage in the book required looking the phrase up on-line.

*moiety of property* - half ownership, multiple individual owners.


----------



## Annalog

I did not note any words in the second book, but the third book had a couple.

*fantod* - n. INFORMAL a state or attack of uneasiness or unreasonableness. "Thinking about it gave him the fantods."

*caldo* - clear broth soup (Spanish)

EDIT: The next eight books did not have any lookup words noted. That covers the 11 books read on the Kindle the first month I had it.


----------



## Malweth

na na na na na na na na...

*bat·man* /'batmən/

* n. (pl. *-men*) dated (in the British armed forces) an officer's personal servant.
ORIGIN: mid 18th cent. (originally denoting an orderly in charge of the _bat horse_ 'packhorse' that carried the officer's baggage): from Old French *bat* (from medieval Latin *bastum* 'packsaddle') + *MAN*.


----------



## Digital Tempest

Good one, Malweth.  

I've come across a few that I wasn't familiar with:

ratiocination (noun) - The process of logical reasoning
logorrhea (noun) - Pathologically incoherent, repetitious speech.
pari passu (adverb) - At an equal pace or rate.


----------



## 3boysnagirl

ptarmigan - n. a northern grouse of mountainous and Artic regions, with feathered legs and and feet and plumage that typically changes to white in winter.

Which led me to look up...

grouse - n. a medium to large game bird with a plump body and feathered legs.

From Going Rogue by Sarah Palin.


----------



## BTackitt

3boysnagirl said:


> ptarmigan - n. a northern grouse of mountainous and Artic regions, with feathered legs and and feet and plumage that typically changes to white in winter.


Ah.. You must never have read the Clan of the Cave Bear series, ptarmigan is mentioned many times, and with much more detail about them than what you were given.
Oh, and please, if this sparked your interest in the series, please do NOT watch the Darryl Hannah movie based on the books.. it was the 80's.


----------



## Annalog

Malweth said:


> ...
> *bat·man* /'batmən/
> 
> * n. (pl. *-men*) dated (in the British armed forces) ...


Very nice Malweth!
How did you get the pronunciation guide? Did you type it, capture from Kindle, Kindle app, online source, other source? When I tried to capture definitions from my K2, the pronunciation guide was left out. TIA, Anna


----------



## 3boysnagirl

BTackitt said:


> Ah.. You must never have read the Clan of the Cave Bear series, ptarmigan is mentioned many times, and with much more detail about them than what you were given.
> Oh, and please, if this sparked your interest in the series, please do NOT watch the Darryl Hannah movie based on the books.. it was the 80's.


Thanks! I'll check that out when/if it comes to Kindle!


----------



## Malweth

Annalog said:


> Very nice Malweth!
> How did you get the pronunciation guide? Did you type it, capture from Kindle, Kindle app, online source, other source? When I tried to capture definitions from my K2, the pronunciation guide was left out. TIA, Anna


I just read it from my K1 and typed it out!!


----------



## sebat

I not sure if I learned this word because of my Kindle or because of Thumper!

*charybdis* - a dangerous whirlpool in a narrow channel of the sea, opposite the cave of the sea monster Scylla.


----------



## Annalog

Malweth said:


> I just read it from my K1 and typed it out!!


I was particularly impressed by the 'ə' in '/'batmən/'.


----------



## Malweth

Annalog said:


> I was particularly impressed by the 'ə' in '/'batmən/'.


Yeah, I had to turn the keyboard upside-down. 

Ok... I actually copied the schwa from Wikipedia and the small dot (syllable separator) from "character map" in Windows. I do these sorts of things often for technical writing (greek letters, et al.)... which is why I much prefer LaTeX publishing.


----------



## Annalog




----------



## Annalog

*cul·ly* /ˈkəlē/

_n._ (_pl._ *-lies*) BRIT., INFORMAL (often as a form of address) a man; a friend.
<*ORIGIN*> mid 17th cent. (denoting a person who is imposed upon): of unknown origin.

*chthon·ic* /ˈTHänik/ (also chtho·ni·an /ˈTHōnēən/

_adj._ concerning, belonging to, or inhabiting the underworld: _a chthonic diety._
<*ORIGIN*> late 19th cent.: from Greek _*Khthōn*_ 'earth' + IC.

*ga·nef* /ˈgänəf/

_n._ a variant spelling of GONIF.

*gon·if* /ˈgänəf/ (also gon·iff, gan·ef)

_n._ INFORMAL a disreputable or dishonest person (often used as a general term of abuse).
<*ORIGIN*> mid 19th cent.: from Yiddish _*ganev*_, from Hebrew _*gannābh*_ 'thief'.
*
ro·ta* /ˈrōtə/

_n._
*1* CHIEFLY BRIT. a list showing when each of a number of people has to do a particular job: _a cleaning rota._ Compare with ROSTER.
*2* (the Rota) The supreme ecclesiastical and secular court of the Roman Catholic Church.

<*ORIGIN*> early 17th cent.: from Latin, literally 'wheel'.

*spin·ney* /ˈspinē/

_n._ (_pl._ *-neys*) BRIT. a small area of trees and bushes.
<*ORIGIN*> late 16th cent.: shortening of Old French _*espinei*_, from an alteration of Latin _*spinetum*_ 'thicket', from _*spina*_ 'thorn'.


----------



## Leslie

Thanks for reviving this thread!

*pel·lu·cid* (p-lsd)
adj.
1. Admitting the passage of light; transparent or translucent. 
2. Transparently clear in style or meaning: pellucid prose.

*hoyden, hoiden* [ˈhɔɪdən]
n
a wild boisterous girl; tomboy


----------



## Annalog

Leslie said:


> Thanks for reviving this thread!


You are welcome! Some more words from the same book:

*bar·ken·tine* /ˈbärkənˌtēn/ (BRIT. bar·quen·tine)

_n._ a sailing ship similar to a bark but square-rigged only on the foremast.

<*ORIGIN*> late 17th cent.: from BARK3 on the pattern of _brigantine_.

*car·rack* /ˈkarək/

_n._ a large merchant ship of a kind operating in European waters in the 14th to the 17th century.

<*ORIGIN*> late Middle English.: from Old French _*caraque*_; perhaps from Spanash _*carraca*_, from Arabic, perhaps from _*karākīr*_, plural of _*kurkūra*_, a type of merchant ship.

*scrof·u·la* /skrȯfyələ/

_n._ CHIEFLY HISTORICAL a disease with glandular swellings, probably a form of tuberculosis. Also formerly called KING'S EVIL.

<*DERIVATIVES*> *scrof·u·lis* /-ləs/ _adj._
<*ORIGIN*> late Middle English.: from medieval Latin, diminutive of Latin _*scrofa*_ 'breeding sow' (said to be subject to the disease).

*ob·lo·quy* /ˈäbləkwē/

_n._ strong public criticism or verbal abuse: _he endured years of contempt and obloquy_.
<SPECIAL USAGE> disgrace, esp. that brought about by public abuse: _conduct to which no more obloquy could reasonably attach_.

<*DERIVATIVES*> *ob·lo·qui·al* /äbˈlōkwēəl/ _adj._ *ob·lo·qui·ous* /äbˈlōkwēəs/ _adj._ 
<*ORIGIN*> late Middle English.: from late Latin _*obloquium*_ 'contradiction', from latin _obloqui_, from _ob-_ 'against' + _loqui_ 'speak'.


----------



## Leslie

*demimondaine* - n. a woman considered to belong to the demimonde.

*demimonde* - n. (in 19th c. France) the class of woman considered to be of doubtful morality and social standing. From the French, _demi-monde_, literally 'half-world.'


----------



## The Hooded Claw

*quid⋅nunc*
[kwid-nuhngk]
-noun
an inquisitive person; a gossip or busybody.
Origin:
1700-10; from Latin _quid nunc_ what now?

I'm reading a book from the late 1700s, "The Surprising Adventures of Baron Munchausen", and ran into the above word. I'd never heard of it before.


----------



## chipotle

Some British slang from Sophie Kinsella's Remember Me?:

sarky - sarcastic
bolshy - combative, I guess like a Bolshevik?
skint - having little or no money


----------



## redshift1

Try Foucault's Pendulum for a treatise on obscure words that are not in casual dictionaries.


----------



## BTackitt

Phlogiston:
_n._ A substance supposed by 18th century chemists to exist in all combustible bodies, and to be released in combustion.

(while reading Lost World, by Michael Cricton (sp)


----------



## hsuthard

Excoriate:
–verb (used with object),-at·ed, -at·ing.
1. to denounce or berate severely; flay verbally: He was excoriated for his mistakes.
2. to strip off or remove the skin from: Her palms were excoriated by the hard labor of shoveling.

(from Ellen Fisher's excellent contemporary romance "All I Ever Wanted")


----------



## The Hooded Claw

I'm re-reading an old favorite, a science fiction novel by A. Bertram Chandler called "The Big Black Mark" Available here: http://www.webscription.net/p-692-the-big-black-mark.aspx

The book includes the sentence "All hands, the senior officers especially, were now required to dedigitate." I don't remember seeing the word at all from previous readings (I've read the book numerous times, the first when I was sixteen years old). But now I tried looking it up using my Kindle's built-in dictionary. Nothing. Trying "digitate" in an online dictionary got me "having digits or fingerlike projections". What that means when you put a "de" in front of it was beyond me. I then tried googling "dedigitate", and found it easily in The Urban Dictionary. I'll decline to put a link here, and definitely not the definition. Don't look it up if you're easily offended (Not that bad, but I doubt it would make it onto television). I'm surprised old A. Bertram Chandler got that one past the editors, they must have glossed over it as I evidently did several times over the years (My guess is that this is my fourth time reading the book).


----------



## NogDog

The Hooded Claw said:


> I'm re-reading an old favorite, a science fiction novel by A. Bertram Chandler called "The Big Black Mark" Available here: http://www.webscription.net/p-692-the-big-black-mark.aspx
> 
> The book includes the sentence "All hands, the senior officers especially, were now required to dedigitate." I don't remember seeing the word at all from previous readings (I've read the book numerous times, the first when I was sixteen years old). But now I tried looking it up using my Kindle's built-in dictionary. Nothing. Trying "digitate" in an online dictionary got me "having digits or fingerlike projections". What that means when you put a "de" in front of it was beyond me. I then tried googling "dedigitate", and found it easily in The Urban Dictionary. I'll decline to put a link here, and definitely not the definition. Don't look it up if you're easily offended (Not that bad, but I doubt it would make it onto television). I'm surprised old A. Bertram Chandler got that one past the editors, they must have glossed over it as I evidently did several times over the years (My guess is that this is my fourth time reading the book).


Well, I just had to look it up, and came across this English-to-German translation page, which cracked me up for some reason: http://syn.dict.cc/english-german/Dedigitate.html


----------



## The Hooded Claw

usufruct

(n.)  the right of enjoying all the advantages derivable from the use of something that belongs to another, as far as is compatible with the substance of the thing not being destroyed or injured. 


Read this one in Mesopotamia, by Gwendolyn Leick.  I'd have bet a large amount of money this wasn't a real word, I'd certainly had never encountered it before.


----------



## CaroleC

The Hooded Claw said:


> usufruct
> 
> (n.) the right of enjoying all the advantages derivable from the use of something that belongs to another, as far as is compatible with the substance of the thing not being destroyed or injured.


I am not a lawyer (so pardon my lack of knowledge) but one often hears a lot about usufruct here in Louisiana. Apparently Louisiana law is based loosely on Napoleonic Code, and I am told this is why usufruct shows up so often in wills here. For example, if a husband dies he will often leave some money, equities, etc to his children, but in usufruct so that his widow can benefit from the dividends/interest while she survives. Until she dies, the children cannot touch the property and the widow cannot spend or destroy the property. However she has the benefit of the income from it.

A friend of mine is an heir but his inheritance is tied up in usufruct (so for now he has nothing he can spend, though technically it is his.).


----------



## The Hooded Claw

CaroleC said:


> I am not a lawyer (so pardon my lack of knowledge) but one often hears a lot about usufruct here in Louisiana. Apparently Louisiana law is based loosely on Napoleonic Code, and I am told this is why usufruct shows up so often in wills here. For example, if a husband dies he will often leave some money, equities, etc to his children, but in usufruct so that his widow can benefit from the dividends/interest while she survives. Until she dies, the children cannot touch the property and the widow cannot spend or destroy the property. However she has the benefit of the income from it.
> 
> A friend of mine is an heir but his inheritance is tied up in usufruct (so for now he has nothing he can spend, though technically it is his.).


I've known of people in that situation, though never heard this term applied to it. The mother of one of my friends was benefiting from the right to live in a house owned by her second husband (my friend's stepfather) for her lifetime. When she had to be put into a care facility, she lost right to use of the house, and my friend had to move her stuff out and vacate in a ridiculously short period of time. Now I know what that was called, but I hadn't made that connection to the word. Thanks!

In the book I'm reading, it is talking about how ancient priests and religious officials sometimes personally benefited from the use of temple lands as a right of their office.


----------



## CaroleC

I may be wrong (not being a lawyer) but I don't think it is legally called "usufruct" in states other than Louisiana, because they are common law states and not states with laws based on Napoleonic code. I had never heard the term elsewhere but it is often heard here. I think there are some very subtle differences but a lawyer would explain them better than I ever could.

And then, the word probably has more colloquial meanings besides its strict legal meanings.

That makes a lot of sense that the priests would benefit from the land in usufruct.

Edited to add: Aha! Wikipedia to the rescue: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usufruct


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## Nicolas

Actually, it's as the Wikipedia says, usufruct derives from the latin word "ususfructus" or "usus at fructus". Because France had a legal system loosely based on the Roman heritage (called "reception") and Napoleon particularly had a soft spot for the Roman emperors' legacy, the Code Civil (or Code Napoleon) heavily involved Roman civil law elements. That's why Luisiana's law also has two thousand years old roots.

You'd be amazed how advanced legal system the Romans had and how they managed to infuse law with fundamental principles like ethic (mus, mores), customs (fas) and equilibrium, lawfulness (ius).


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## BTackitt

Someone was looking for this thread, so bumping it.


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## CNDudley

Ah! A thread worth revisiting.

Came across this in Trollope's BARCHESTER series:

eleemosynary: of, relating to, or dependent on charity


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## Chad Winters

empennage (pronounced /ˌɑːmpɨˈnɑːʒ/ or /ˈɛmpɨnɪdʒ/)  (also known as the tail or tail assembly) of most aircraft gives stability to the aircraft, in a similar way to the feathers on an arrow. Most aircraft feature empennage incorporating vertical and horizontal stabilising surfaces which stabilise the flight dynamics of pitch and yaw,as well as housing control surfaces.


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## Annalog

I looked these up recently after finding them in _Snuff_ by Terry Pratchett:

*conker*
n. (BRIT.) the hard shiny dark brown nut of a horse chestnut tree.
<SPECIAL USAGE> (conkers) [treated as singular] a children'sgame in which each child has a conker on the end of a string and takes turns trying to break another's with it.
<ORIGIN> mid 19th cent (a dialect word denoting a snail shell, with which the game, or a similar form of it, was originally layed): perhaps from CONCH, but associated with (and frequently spelled) CONQUER in the 19th and early 20th centuries: an alternative name was conquerors.

*prognathous*
adj. (esp. of a person) having a projecting lower jaw or chin.
<ORIGIN> mid 19th cent. from PRO 'before' + Greek _gnathos_ 'jaw' + OUS.

*gaff*3
n. (BRIT., INFORMAL) a house, apartment, or other building, esp. as being a person's home. <ORIGIN> 1930s: of unknown origin.


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## CNDudley

Annalog said:


> *prognathous*
> adj. (esp. of a person) having a projecting lower jaw or chin.
> <ORIGIN> mid 19th cent. from PRO 'before' + Greek _gnathos_ 'jaw' + OUS.


Ooh! Good one. The opposite of the one I noted in another thread, where Jane Austen called one guy "considerably underhung."

"Underhung" meant "having a receding chin." Waiting for these to show up on an SAT:

prognathous:underhung as... 
(A) happy:sad
(B) pugnacious:underdog
(C) punchy:loopy
(D) prognosis:understanding


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## Chad Winters

CNDudley said:


> Jane Austen called one guy "considerably underhung."


ouch.....


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## The Hooded Claw

"*Pergola*"

An archway in a garden or park consisting of a framework covered with trained climbing or trailing plants.

Read it this evening in "The Chinese Parrot". I'd never encountered the word before, though gardens aren't a usual reading topic for me.


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