Thought it might be fun to radomly open a dictionary and see if there's a word on the page I either haven't heard of, or if I have, have never understood what it means (I used to be confused about burnished, still am about polity). Perhaps stupidly made this thread at 4 am as I head to bed, so will have my first new word tomorrow. Feel free to drop in your own. If you do, let us have a basic explanation, few lines, use it in a sentence, whatever. Expand your vocabulary, not your waistline! (Impossible in my case, to do the latter...)
Okay first word I came across is
Ouzel or ousel
This apparently is an old name for the blackbird
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a9/Common_Blackbird.jpg/440px-Common_Blackbird.jpg)
and comes from the old English, as explained by my friend the Big W...
Until about the 17th century, another name for the species was ouzel, ousel or wosel (from Old English osle, cf. German Amsel). Another variant occurs in Act 3 of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, where Bottom refers to "The Woosell cocke, so blacke of hew, With Orenge-tawny bill". The ouzel usage survived later in poetry, and still occurs as the name of the closely related ring ouzel (Turdus torquatus), and in water ouzel, an alternative name for the unrelated but superficially similar white-throated dipper (Cinclus cinclus).[10]
Interesting stuff!
Another new word tomorrow.
Today's word is
Dialectic
This looks as if it would have something to do with dialect, doesn't it? But no: a dialectic is apparently "logical debate by question and answer to resolve differences between two views." Bah! What's wrong with a good old fistfight? Last one vertical wins? Well anyway apparently that's what it is, so I guess we're talking about a debate very unlike the US Presedential ones, or the likes of the one Homer took part in to impress Marge. I mean - "Should we decrease the speed limit and slow down? No. Sure, a few lives may be saved but millions will be late!" It's hardly stunning rhetoric, is it?
(https://comb.io/2yW1l5.gif)
Today's word is
Crewel
Which is not a poor way of spelling cruel, but is, apparently, fine worsted yarn used in embroidery.
Well, I have to say then, don't I? Does a suicidal embroiderer shout "Goodbye crewel world!"?
Heh.
Today's word is brought to you by the letter C
Cagoule
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/02/Peter_Storm_vintage_cagoule_front.jpg/600px-Peter_Storm_vintage_cagoule_front.jpg)
Which is a lightweight, waterproof, hooded jacket. Who knew? Not me, that's for sure. Imagine: "It's raining Johnny, don't forget to take your cagoule!" Doesn't sound right, does it? Who comes up with these words? Can I find out? Indeed I can. It's from the French for balaclava or hood. So now you know. And so do I.
Today is all about the letter S
Both in the word and where it comes from.
Sangoma
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5e/Five-sangomas.jpg/440px-Five-sangomas.jpg)
This is a South African doctor or herbalist, a traditional healer. The word comes from the Zulu, apparently.