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1word1day2012-11-05 11:03 pm
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Entry tags:
purlicue
purlicue or purliecue ((ˈpərlə̇ˌkyü)
1. The space enclosed by the extended forefinger and thumb.
2. The summarizing section of a discourse; a review or recital of a series of sermons or addresses.
3. A dash or flourish at the end of a word (similar to curlicue); any trifle or oddity; peculiarities or oddities of manner.
The first definition refers to the space between finger and thumb, not to the webbing of the hand.
"A spang and a purlicue" was a measurement used when playing marbles (a 'spang' is the width of a belt buckle).
Etymology: Its origin is most often listed as the Scots word pirlie (twisted, having a tendency to curl up). Seen in dictionaries from the 1840s and later, and at least one reference from as far back as 1808.
1. The space enclosed by the extended forefinger and thumb.
2. The summarizing section of a discourse; a review or recital of a series of sermons or addresses.
3. A dash or flourish at the end of a word (similar to curlicue); any trifle or oddity; peculiarities or oddities of manner.
The first definition refers to the space between finger and thumb, not to the webbing of the hand.
"A spang and a purlicue" was a measurement used when playing marbles (a 'spang' is the width of a belt buckle).
Etymology: Its origin is most often listed as the Scots word pirlie (twisted, having a tendency to curl up). Seen in dictionaries from the 1840s and later, and at least one reference from as far back as 1808.