by Heather on September 7, 2010
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary
This Vest-Pocket word can be used literally to denote billowing ashes and smoke or figuratively to suggest something veiled by an obscuring and murky haze.
Match Smoke by Andrew Magill
Fuli’ginous, a. smoky; sooty.
Word in the Wild: The plume issuing from Gunung Pinatubo struck Saraswati as being rather ominous, so she decided to review her findings in the lab rather than carry on into the crater that day. She could only hope the data would be less fuliginous than the ashes billowing from the volcano.
You can find a complete listing of the Word Blog’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary entries and learn more about where they come from here.
by Heather on August 8, 2010
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary
Well, it’s been a diuturnity since I last posted, but the radio silence is finally over. I’ve finished my publishing program (woo hoo!), and I’m glad to be blogging again. So without further ado here’s this week’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary, which is all about radio silence.
Elin′guid, adj. unable to speak.
Word in the Wild: By the end of Morag’s pitch detailing how the company could recoup costs by training the rats in the basement to run the photocopy machines, the CEO was positively elinguid.
You can find a complete listing of the Word Blog’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary entries and learn more about where they come from here.
by Heather on July 5, 2010
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary
I’ve spent the long weekend living it up: I rode my bike up to Kleinburg, checked out the McMichael Collection, ate extremely well, and I’m taking today off work. This is certainly the perfect word to describe my decadent 5-day weekend.
Dap′atical, adj. sumptuous in living.
Word in the Wild: Edgar was trying to pinch his pennies and draw in the purse strings, but could he help it if he liked the finer things? Valet parking, dapatical cuisine, the best vintages…
You can find a complete listing of the Word Blog’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary entries and learn more about where they come from here.
by Heather on June 25, 2010
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary
I’ve been flipping through a full-colour cookbook of vegetarian pasta dishes this afternoon, trying to think of what to make for dinner. I suspect that has biased my choice of Vest-Pocket Vocabulary this week.
Ciba′rious, adj. relating to food; eatable.
Word in the Wild: Most of the time my coworkers and I talk about cibarious topics on the subway. We should probably start packing bigger lunches.
Next time you’re out for dinner and your meal is lack lustre and your host asks you about your meal, but you don’t want to offend*, you can confidently say “It’s cibarious, thank you!”
__________
*This won’t work if your host also reads this blog. You’ve been warned.
You can find a complete listing of the Word Blog’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary entries and learn more about where they come from here.
by Heather on June 17, 2010
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary
Biblioma′nia, n. a rage for curious books.
Word in the Wild: Recent studies show that readers of the Word Blog suffer disproportionately from bibliomania.
You can find a complete listing of the Word Blog’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary entries and learn more about where they come from here.
by Heather on June 12, 2010
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary
Ap’ophthegm, n. a wise saying.
Word in the Wild: Yogi Berra never seemed to run out of apophthegms.
You can find a complete listing of the Word Blog’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary entries and learn more about where they come from here.
by Heather on May 10, 2010
Lexical Vexations
rout 1. n. a terrible defeat; 2. a rabble or mob; 3. a disturbance.
route n. path, road, course.
Words in the Wild: Despite intensive training the Mighty Slugs suffered a crushing rout at their first cricket match of the season. And to add insult to injury the players had to put up with the mockery of the winners as they all inched forward on the only route back into town.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
Want to turn the tables and show the English language who’s who? You have until May 31, 2010, to take up the gauntlet of the Vest-Pocket Challenge and earn your chance to be entered in a draw for a fabulously bookish prize package.
by Heather on May 3, 2010
Lexical Vexations
I found this lexical vexation in the book I’m working on at the moment. Could be it was just a typo, but since it has cropped up twice so far, I thought I’d add it to our growing list of vexations.
taught v. past tense form of to teach.
taut adj. tightly drawn, without slack.
Words in the Wild: Henry thought he’d taught Scribbles to walk properly on her lead, but she was charging ahead at such a pace that the leash was taut and he was pretty sure his arm was separating from his shoulder.
Still vexed? You can find a complete list of the Word Blog’s lexical vexations here.
Want to turn the tables and show the English language who’s who? You have until May 31, 2010, to take up the gauntlet of the Vest-Pocket Challenge and earn your chance to be entered in a draw for a fabulously bookish prize package.
by Heather on April 29, 2010
Vest-Pocket Vocabulary
So we’ve made it to the end of the alphabet again, and you now have all the words you’ll need to participate in the Vest-Pocket Challenge! Good luck, fellow verbivores, and have fun!
Zythep’sary, n. a house where malt liquor is brewed.
Word in the Wild: I’m meeting up with Caroline and Saima at a zythepsary in the distillery district that afternoon. If you’re free, you’re welcome to join us.
You can find a complete listing of the Word Blog’s Vest-Pocket Vocabulary entries and learn more about where they come from here.
