That’s right, kids! An educational thread! Get your mouse away from that Back button on your browser. Since most of you probably spend more time here in a day than at dictionary.com in a month/year, this thread will probably do you some good.

For those who want to participate in the education of the forum masses, the objective here is to post one word per day, or perhaps even more than one per day if you so wish, but no double posting (yes, I had to say that), provided with a definition (or definitions, if it has more than one), and preferably in a clean and readable format. If you want to use the word in a sentence as an example, feel free to do so. You may copy and paste from a dictionary site or put the definition in your own words.

As well, commonly misspelled words, idioms, obscure words, and words that just sound funny can also go in this thread. Short grammar and punctuation tidbits can also be posted here.

And if this thread turns into spam, of course I'll move it.

Let the lessons begin.



albumen (noun)

al·bu·men

The white of an egg.

bamboozle
to trick or deceive somebody through misleading statements or falsehoods

I didn't really know the meaning until a minute ago, but apparently I bamboozle a lot.

By the way, I prefer http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/features/dic...ionaryhome.aspx to http://www.dictionary.com

oh yay, a thread for us loquacious english fanatics! here's one:

ennui (än-'wE): basically a 50cent word for boredom or lack of motivation. derived from french enui: annoyance.

Tokage wishes to take a leave of absence from her job due to overwork and ennui.

fusillade
1. A discharge from a number of firearms, fired simultaneously or in rapid succession.
2. A rapid outburst or barrage: a fusillade of insults.

Edit- With the criminal saying his last words, the firing squad let out a fusillade upon the poor soul.

Ahh, yes, that one is nice, too. The more sources the kids can use, the better.



ferule (noun)

fer·rule

An instrument (such as a cane or stick) used in punishing children.

weird instead of wierd
allowed instead of aloud (for most cases here)
enough instead of enuff
though instead of tho
cause instead of cos, coz, cuz, etc
my instead of mah --> if you can type 60 letters per minute, you can produce 30 my but only 20 mah!

v yes, gay does not mean what you think it means, kids

I would like to define two words right now. One of them is a word I like to use and the other is a word that has been used out of context to describe something stupid.

Let's start with the latter.

Gay:
As an adjective:
1.Of, relating to, or having a sexual orientation to persons of the same sex.
2.Showing or characterized by cheerfulness and lighthearted excitement; merry.
3.Bright or lively, especially in color: a gay, sunny room.
4.Given to social pleasures.
5.Dissolute; licentious.

As a noun.
1.A person whose sexual orientation is to persons of the same sex.
2.A man whose sexual orientation is to men: an alliance of gays and lesbians.


Now for a word I like to use.

Ambiguous:
Adjective.
1. Open to more than one interpretation: an ambiguous reply.
2. Doubtful or uncertain: “The theatrical status of her frequently derided but constantly revived plays remained ambiguous” (Frank Rich).

Does everyone understand?

ecclesiastical (eh·klee·zee·as·ti·kuhl):
1 : of or relating to a church especially as an established institution
2 : suitable for use in a church


derived from: Middle English, from Late Latin ecclesiasticus, from Late Greek ekklEsiastikos, from Greek, of an assembly of citizens, from ekklEsiastEs

i just like to say it. XD has a nice roll off the tongue

Below lists the most common uses of each word. Please note the differences between:

they're (contraction of 'they are')
Ex. Mr. X and Mrs. Z died. They are dead.

there
Ex. The bus is over there.

their (possessive form of 'they')
Ex. Mr. X and Mrs. Z own a red wagon. The red wagon is their wagon.

Stockholm syndrome

Stock·holm syn·drome

noun
hostage’s sympathy for captor: a condition experienced by people who have been held as hostages for some time in which they begin to identify with and feel sympathetic toward their captors

[Late 20th century. Named for Stockholm, Sweden, where a bank employee taken hostage in a robbery became attached to one of her captors.]

@Thieves: I heard about that incident in history last year. Interesting syndrome.

[B]napiform{/B]

na·pi·form

adjective
turnip-shaped: shaped like a turnip in being conical at one end and spherical at the other

[Mid-19th century. Coined from Latin napus “turnip” + -form.]

Prisioner of Patriarchy
1. Female
2. Idiot

grok: to understand

^sounds like a grunt.



phantasmagoria

phan·tas·ma·go·ri·a (plural phan·tas·ma·go·ri·as) or phan·tas·ma·go·ry (plural phan·tas·ma·go·ries)

noun
1. bizarre images: a series or group of strange or bizarre images seen as if in a dream

2. ever-changing scene: a scene or view that encompasses many things and changes constantly

[Early 19th century. From French fantasmagorie “art of making optical illusions,” from fantasme (see phantasm), possibly on the model of allégorie “allegory.”]

DINGUS

din·gus

n. Slang

1. An article whose name is unknown or forgotten.
2. A person regarded as stupid.

succedaneum (noun)

suc·ce·da·ne·um

A substitute.

xyloid

xy·loid

adjective
relating to wood: relating to or resembling wood

Fräulein

Fräu·lein

1. Used as a courtesy title in a German-speaking area before the name of an unmarried woman or girl.
2. Used as a form of polite address for a girl/young woman in a German-speaking area.

oblation \uh-BLAY-shuhn; oh-\, noun:
1. The act of offering something, such as worship or thanks, especially to a deity.
2. (Usually capitalized) The act of offering the bread and wine of the Eucharist.
3. Something offered in a religious rite or as a charitable gift.

You probably won't be able to find this in any dictionary, but I had to say it:
SUPER-KALA-FRAGELISTIC-EXPI-ALLA-DOSHUS

It's that word from Merry Poppins. I think if I can remember the film properly, if you could say it, you could be truley happy!

corrections:
the word is supercallifragilisticexpialidocious
the nanny is Mary Poppins
and it's truly without the e

< nitpicker

we can see

OK! So I'm not the best speller in the world! Don't need to rub it in my face!
OH, and it must be, what?, erm......seven years since I last saw the film.
So don't go on about it to me.

I may have refrained from correcting you if this weren't the word-of-the-day/educational thread. We don't want to teach the public a new yet misspelled word, do we? And I've never seen Mary Poppins in my life.

in·cor·ri·gi·ble

adjective
1. impossible to change: impossible to correct or reform
incorrigible cynics
2. unruly and unmanageable: very difficult to control or keep in order

noun
somebody or something that is impossible or very difficult to change

Here is one of my personal favorites as it relates to one of my favorite characters, the Saiyan Prince Vegeta

nefarious

: flagrantly wicked or impious : EVIL
synonym see VICIOUS
- ne·far·i·ous·ly adverb

This is a good thread whereas an adept vocabulary is absent in the youth of today.

I'm not conveying that all youth has no knowledge of a dictionary just that they do not seem to care.

Here's a word we can all relate to from time to time!

schadenfreude (noun)

scha·den·freu·de

Pleasure derived from the misfortunes of others.

abattoir

ab·at·toir
n.

1. A slaughterhouse.
2. Something likened to a slaughterhouse: “The hand of God and mankind's self-inflicted blows seem equally heavy... giving a strong cumulative impression of the world as an abattoir” (Manchester Guardian Weekly).

Funny Word of the Day:

foofaraw (noun)

foo·fa·raw

1. Excessive or flashy ornamentation.
2. A fuss over a trifling matter.

Word: gregarious
gre·gar·i·ous
adj.
1.Seeking and enjoying the company of others; sociable.

2.Tending to move in or form a group with others of the same kind: gregarious bird species.

3.Botany. Growing in groups that are close together but not densely clustered or matted.

1.gre·gari·ous·ly adv.
2.gre·gari·ous·ness n.

Synonyms: affable, clubby, companionable, convivial, cordial, extroverted, fun, outgoing, sociable, social

succotash: okay, how many of you have said a la Sylvester the Cat, "Sufferin' Succotash!" and had no idea to what you were referring?

Derived from Narraganset msíckquatash boiled corn kernels...it's lima or shell beans and green corn cooked together... mm..sounds...uh....tasty...


...not...

Main Entry: anime
Pronunciation: 'a-n&-"mA, 'ä-nE-
Function: noun
Etymology: Japanese, animation, short for animEshiyon, from English
: a style of animation originating in Japan that is characterized by stark colorful graphics depicting vibrant characters in action-filled plots often with fantastic or futuristic themes

^ LOL!!!

haha...good word!

I agree.



quid pro quo (noun)

An equal exchange or substitution. [derived from Latin]

funny..."the principal of quid pro quo in alchemy" just doesn't have the same ring in Aru's lil speech...

Word: alchemist
al·che·mist
noun

1. A practitioner of alchemy.
2.one who was versed in the practice of alchemy and who sought an elixir of life and a panacea and an alkahest and the philosopher's stone

Haha, nor will it ever.



masticate (verb)

mas·ti·cate

1. To chew (food).
2. To grind and knead (rubber, for example) into a pulp.

Word of Advice = Do not use this word in public in spoken form. People will think you are saying something else. Click spoiler tag to see scenario:



Don't let that happen to you, too, kids.

i remember learning that word in freshman english, our teacher said it and explained it and everyone thought it was the funniest damn thing... we started calling our teacher (mr. shirley) "Shirley the Masticator" and it stuck for the whole year. i bet mr. shirley was sorry he ever taught us that word... *laughs*

logrolling

log·roll·ing
n.
1. The exchanging of political favors, especially the trading of influence or votes among legislators to achieve passage of projects that are of interest to one another.
2. The exchanging of favors or praise, as among artists, critics, or academics.

The equivalent of "You scratch my back and I'll scratch yours."

::edit::
@tokage: He had it coming. A freshman teacher should know better....

Poor teacher.

belligerent

bel·lig·er·ent

adj.

1.Inclined or eager to fight; hostile or aggressive.

2.Of, pertaining to, or engaged in warfare.

noun.
1.One that is hostile or aggressive, especially one that is engaged in war.

bel·liger·ent·ly adv.

Synonyms: belligerent, bellicose, pugnacious, contentious, quarrelsome
These adjectives mean having or showing an eagerness to fight. Belligerent refers to a tendency to hostile behavior: A belligerent reporter badgered the politician. Bellicose and pugnacious suggest a natural disposition to fight: “All successful newspapers are ceaselessly querulous and bellicose” (H.L. Mencken). A good litigator needs a pugnacious intellect. Contentious implies chronic argumentativeness: “His style has been described variously as abrasive and contentious, overbearing and pompous” (Victor Merina). Quarrelsome suggests bad temper and a perverse readiness to bicker: “The men gave him much room, for he was notorious as a quarrelsome person when drunk” (Stephen Crane).

avatar- an incarnation...how do you put that in a sentence?

Main Entry: NASCAR dad
Part of Speech: noun
Definition: a Caucasian working-class father
Example: Soccer mom, meet NASCAR dad.
Etymology: based on the stereotype that this person would watch NASCAR events
Usage: slang

cowabunga

Part of Speech: interjection
Definition: an exclamation of delight or satisfaction
Etymology: from Chief Thunderthud on the Howdy Doody Show

halcyon- peaceful. undisturbed

capricious

ca·pri·cious

part of speech: adjective
definition: given to sudden changes: tending to make sudden and unpredictable changes

malapropism (noun)

mal·a·prop·ism

1. Ludicrous misuse of a word, especially by confusion with one of similar sound.
2. An example of such misuse.

word: gas up
n. pl. gas·es or gas·ses

1.
a.The state of matter distinguished from the solid and liquid states by relatively low density and viscosity, relatively great expansion and contraction with changes in pressure and temperature, the ability to diffuse readily, and the spontaneous tendency to become distributed uniformly throughout any container.

b.A substance in the gaseous state.

2.A gaseous fuel, such as natural gas.

3.Gasoline.

4.The speed control of a gasoline engine. Used with the: Step on the gas.

5.A gaseous asphyxiant, irritant, or poison.

6.A gaseous anesthetic, such as nitrous oxide.
a.Flatulence.
b.Flatus.

7.Slang. Idle or boastful talk.

8.Slang. Someone or something exceptionally exciting or entertaining: The party was a gas.

v. gassed, gas·sing, gas·es or gas·ses
v. tr.

1.To treat chemically with gas.

2.To overcome, disable, or kill with poisonous fumes.

v. intr.
1.
To give off gas.

2.Slang. To talk excessively.

Phrasal Verb:
gas up
1.To supply a vehicle with gas or gasoline: gas up a car; gassed up before the trip.

ahahaha^
easy word from our dumb La teacher : palatial - big mignificent

attenuate
(verb)
1: To make thin or slender
2: to make thin in consistency
3: to lessen the amount of force, magnitude, or value of