1word1day | Entries tagged with m

Tuesday, Sep. 5, 2023

Melee (noun, adjective)
me·lee [mey-ley, mey-ley, mel-ey]

noun
1. a confused hand-to-hand fight or struggle among several people.
2. confusion; turmoil; jumble: the melee of Christmas shopping.

adjective
3. Games. of or relating to close-range or hand-to-hand combat, especially in video games and role-playing games, but also in some other tabletop games: I don't enjoy playing melee jobs like Monk or Warrior—I prefer to snipe from afar with an archer or even a mage. // You can choose any melee weapon type, but most players prefer daggers since the polearm was nerfed in an expansion last year.

WORDS RELATED TO MELEE
brawl, brouhaha, clash, fracas, free-for-all, ruckus, scrimmage, scuffle, skirmish, tussle, affray, broil, brush, fray, row, ruction, rumpus, set-to, to-do, words

See synonyms for melee on Thesaurus.com

ORIGIN: First recorded in 1640–50; from French mêlée “quarrel, mixture”; see origin at medley

HOW TO USE MELEE IN A SENTENCE
In fact, Clark fell back first from her blows, losing his cap, tie, and badge in the melee.
DR. KING GOES TO HOLLYWOOD: THE FLAWED HISTORY OF ‘SELMA’ | GARY MAY | JANUARY 2, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST

It was Orlando vs. Justin in an Ibiza melee with two highly unlikely opposing parties.
THE BLOOM-BIEBER BRAWL WE DIDN’T KNOW WE NEEDED | KEVIN O’KEEFFE | DECEMBER 29, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

They made one last charge for the airport, and when the riot police blocked them again a melee ensued.
MEXICAN PROTESTERS LOOK TO START A NEW REVOLUTION | JASON MCGAHAN | NOVEMBER 21, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

The Kurds entered a buffer zone on the Turkish border and in the melee at least four protestor were wounded.
KOBANI STILL STANDS AGAINST ISIS AND ALL ODDS. BUT FOR HOW LONG? | JAMIE DETTMER | OCTOBER 12, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

But Silva, hapless Silva, got his merely for tangling with the Colombian goalkeeper in a clumsy melee of limbs.
BRAZIL AND COLOMBIA BRING THE UGLY GAME | TUNKU VARADARAJAN | JULY 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

simplyn2deep

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023

Maudlin (adjective)
maud·lin [mawd-lin]

adjective
1. tearfully or weakly emotional; foolishly sentimental: a maudlin story of a little orphan and her lost dog.
2. foolishly or mawkishly sentimental because of drunkenness.

OTHER WORDS FROM MAUDLIN
maud·lin·ism, noun
maud·lin·ly, adverb
maud·lin·ness, noun
un·maud·lin, adjective
un·maud·lin·ly, adverb

WORDS RELATED TO MAUDLIN
mawkish, mushy, romantic, sentimental, syrupy, weepy, bathetic, befuddled, confused, cornball, drippy, gushing, histrionic, insipid, lachrymose, schmaltzy, slush, soap, soapy, soppy

See synonyms for maudlin on Thesaurus.com

ORIGIN: 1500–10; special use of Maudlin, Middle English Maudelen « Late Latin Magdalene < Greek Magdalen? Mary Magdalene, portrayed in art as a weeping penitent

HOW TO USE MAUDLIN IN A SENTENCE
In another series, drafting a fantasy football team by the side of a fallen comrade could be sentimental, even borderline maudlin.
THE MVPS OF SLEAZE ARE BACK: FXX'S 'THE LEAGUE' UPS THE DEGENERATE ANTE | EMILY SHIRE | SEPTEMBER 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Whenever the script seems ready to surrender to maudlin excess, Gosling and McAdams are there to pull it back.
A LOVE LETTER TO ‘THE NOTEBOOK,’ A MELODRAMA THAT COMMITS TO ITS SENTIMENTALITY | TEO BUGBEE | JUNE 26, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Williams interviewed and profiled four D-Day veterans, showing his sensitive side without ever seeming maudlin.
HILLARY CLINTON’S NETWORK MASSAGE | TOM SHALES | JUNE 10, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

Also, beyond incompetence, he was meant to be weak, vain and maudlin.
WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO WATCH THE BEATLES BECOME THE BEATLES—NIK COHN REMEMBERS | NIK COHN | FEBRUARY 9, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

This is a book that cries out like one of his maudlin ditties to be edited.
HATCHET JOB OF THE YEAR 2014 SHORTLIST ANNOUNCED | THE TELEGRAPH | JANUARY 19, 2014 | THE DAILY BEAST

calzephyr

Mobula - noun.

Mobula is a genus of rays known for their frequent, flying breaches! They are sometimes called devil rays", flying mobula, or flying rays.

The short video below shows off their flying behaviour--they're so cool!

Watch on YouTube

calzephyr

Mardo - noun

The mardo, or yellow-footed antechinus (Antechinus flavipes) is a small, shrew-like Australian marsupial.

While unremarkable in appearance, both male and female mardos have a short lifespan, particularly males. Male mardos are famous for their unique sexual behaviour--they have sex for up to nine hours and expire.

By Benjamint444 - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

calzephyr

Marasca - noun.

The marasca cherry is a bitter fruit cultivated mainly in Croatia, but it's also found in Italy, Slovenia, Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Although marascas are distilled into maraschino liqueur, they shouldn't be confused with maraschino cherries used for a garnish. Maraschino cherries are indeed made from real cherries, although sweet ones.

Public Domain, Link

simplyn2deep

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023

Mordant (adjective, noun, verb)
mordant [ mawr-dnt ]

adjective
1. sharply caustic or sarcastic, as wit or a speaker; biting.
2. burning; corrosive.
3. having the property of fixing colors, as in dyeing.

noun
4. a substance used in dyeing to fix the coloring matter, especially a metallic compound, as an oxide or hydroxide, that combines with the organic dye and forms an insoluble colored compound or lake in the fiber.
5. an adhesive substance for binding gold or silver leaf to a surface.
6. an acid or other corrosive substance used in etching to eat out the lines, areas, etc.
7. Music. mordent.

verb (used with object)
8. to impregnate or treat with a mordant.

OTHER WORDS FROM MORDANT
mor·dant·ly, adverb
un·mor·dant, adjective
un·mor·dant·ly, adverb

WORDS RELATED TO MORDANT
acerbic, biting, caustic, sardonic, scathing, acid, bitter, cutting, mean, sharp, acerb, cynical, disparaging, disrespectful, poignant, pointed

See synonyms for mordant on Thesaurus.com
OTHER WORDS FOR MORDANT
1. cutting, stinging, acerbic, scathing.

ORIGIN: First recorded in 1425–75; late Middle English, from Middle French, present participle of mordre “to bite,” ultimately derived from Latin mordere; see -ant

HOW TO USE MORDANT IN A SENTENCE
Remove the fabric from the mordant and place it in the dye bath.
MAKE NATURAL FABRIC DYE WITH VEGETABLE SCRAPS|NATALIE WALLINGTON|SEPTEMBER 5, 2021|POPULAR-SCIENCE

This is your mordant liquid, which removes finishing chemicals from your fabric and makes the dye adhere better to the cloth.
MAKE NATURAL FABRIC DYE WITH VEGETABLE SCRAPS|NATALIE WALLINGTON|SEPTEMBER 5, 2021|POPULAR-SCIENCE

Yet, it fit so well with the mordant tenor of the game that I felt no compulsion to try to better Curdin’s fate.
‘MUNDAUN’ OFFERS THE RARE CHANCE TO SMOKE A PIPE WHILE TALKING TO THE SEVERED HEAD OF A GOAT|CHRISTOPHER BYRD|MARCH 26, 2021|WASHINGTON POST

More than anything else he is cheery—mordant and ironic at times, but undauntedly optimistic.
THE STACKS: GRATEFUL DEAD I HAVE KNOWN|ED MCCLANAHAN|AUGUST 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Such seemingly effortless—and mordant—improvisation can be a marvel to behold.
THE STACKS: ROBIN WILLIAMS, MORE THAN A SHTICK FIGURE|JOE MORGENSTERN|AUGUST 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST

Mischievous, more bite than bark in the sense that it was mordant with minimal rhetoric, Heaney was not genteel.
ROBERT PINSKY: THE COMEDY OF SEAMUS HEANEY|ROBERT PINSKY|OCTOBER 1, 2013|DAILY BEAST

"Mordant" is the word I think I want to describe his conversation.
ROBERT BORK, RIP|DAVID FRUM|DECEMBER 20, 2012|DAILY BEAST

I like that the emotional lives of women are tinged with a kind of mordant humor for the most part.
BROADWAY'S COMEBACK KID|KEVIN SESSUMS|NOVEMBER 2, 2011|DAILY BEAST

In some cases the mordant is added to the dye liquid; in others the material is previously treated with it before being colored.
PHILIPPINE MATS|HUGO H. MILLER

Lime is sometimes used as a mordant but the straws are usually first treated with kolis leaves.
PHILIPPINE MATS|HUGO H. MILLER

The king sent him back the picture, mordant epigrams appeared in the journals, and Reynolds scoffed at him in his Discourses.
THE HISTORY OF MODERN PAINTING, VOLUME 1 (OF 4)|RICHARD MUTHER

His mordant reply to the questioning pay-clerk was: "Yes, I am a mason."
THE STONES OF PARIS IN HISTORY AND LETTERS, VOLUME I (OF 2)|BENJAMIN ELLIS MARTIN

The first act seemed gay and lively, with a sort of mordant raillery in it with which the audience was unfamiliar.
THE ENGLISH STAGE|AUGUSTIN FILON

sallymn

mediagenic [mee-dee-uh-jen-ik]

adjective:
having qualities or characteristics that are especially appealing or attractive when presented in the mass media

Examples:

One reason for the teal successes at federal level was that the candidates were so impressive - mediagenic professional women. (Michelle Grattan, Will 'teals' strike Libs another blow in state elections?, Canberra CityNews, August 2022)

Thirty years after Memphis’s debut, heavily hyped parties, elaborate publicity campaigns, mediagenic portraits and expensive, impractical furniture are stock elements of the design scene. (Alice Rawsthorn, Postmodern, but Not Especially Proud of It, The New York Times, September 2011)

He is charismatic and mediagenic, does good work in the community, and has a compelling life story—the sort of person who makes television producers giddy. (Michael C Zusman, Gregory Gourdet’s Highly Anticipated Haitian Restaurant Has Started Off With More Misses Than Hits, Willamette Week, November 2022)

Origin:

First recorded in 1970–75; media1 + -genic' (Dictionary.com)

calzephyr

Morion - noun.

Morion is a bonus word with multiple meanings!

Originally I thought it was just this type of helmet worn used in Spain during the early 1500s to early 1600s.

By Jorge Barrios - Own work, Public Domain, Link

Then, it turns out it's also a genus of ground-dwelling beetles, such as the Morion monilicornis pictured below.

By xpda - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, Link

Annnnnnd it's also a kind of smoky, brown-grey quartz.

By Dario Crespi - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, Link

simplyn2deep

Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2022

Multifarious (adjective)
mul·ti·far·i·ous [muhl-tuh-fair-ee-uhs]

adjective
1. having many different parts, elements, forms, etc.
2. numerous and varied; greatly diverse or manifold: multifarious activities.

OTHER WORDS FROM MULTIFARIOUS
mul·ti·far·i·ous·ly, adverb
mul·ti·far·i·ous·ness, noun

WORDS RELATED TO MULTIFARIOUS
assorted, divers, diversified, manifold, many, miscellaneous, multiple, multitudinous, myriad, numerous, varied, various

See synonyms for multifarious on Thesaurus.com

ORIGIN: 1585–95; < Late Latin multifarius many-sided, manifold, equivalent to Latin multifari(am) on many sides + -us adj. suffix (see -ous); see multi-, bifarious

HOW TO USE MULTIFARIOUS IN A SENTENCE
The couple, I realized, were a living example of brand synergy, finding a productive intersection between Posey’s business acumen and Padilla-Brown’s multifarious projects and experiments.
MEET THE RENAISSANCE MAN OBSESSED WITH MUSHROOMS|DOUG BIEREND|MARCH 10, 2021|OUTSIDE ONLINE

Now that we have gotten over these multifarious horribles, we are obliged to ponder the bigger picture.
GAY MARRIAGE VS. THE FIRST AMENDMENT|JAMES POULOS|AUGUST 22, 2014|DAILY BEAST

In many great novels, the multifarious content necessitates a certain largesse of form.
C.E. MORGAN: ‘LIGHT IN AUGUST’ IS FAULKNER’S GREAT AMERICAN NOVEL|C.E. MORGAN|AUGUST 16, 2012|DAILY BEAST

This book intimately and expertly covers his multifarious activities during each of these great crises.
INSIDE KISSINGER'S BRAIN|ANDREW ROBERTS|JUNE 15, 2009|DAILY BEAST

calzephyr

Mirepoix - noun.

Mirepoix (mir-pwah) is a good word to learn as the weather gets chillier. It refers to a trio of veggies that form an excellent base for many dishes--celery, onion, and carrots in a 1:2:1 ratio.

Allegedly coined in the 18th century after the Duke of Mirepoix, mirepoix becomes pincage when tomato paste is added.

Bonus word: In Italian, this mixture is called sofrito, but contains garlic, bell peppers, and tomatoes in addition to celery, onion, and carrots.

calzephyr

Mogote - noun.

Mogotes (pronounced muh-goh-tee) are usually rounded, steep hills made of limestone, marble, or dolomite. They're easy to spot because they are usually found in tropical places and surrounded by flat plains.

By Own work (but not mine) - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Vinalesvalley1.jpg, Public Domain, Link

sallymn

mumblecore [muhm-buhl-kawr]

noun:
a genre of film or television typically characterized by naturalistic dialogue, a small budget, relatively unknown actors, and a plot focused on interpersonal relationships; a genre of narrative film focusing primarily on the intimate lives of young characters and featuring scenes of ample dialogue and minimal action

Examples:

The pathbreaking Amazon original series has been battered by scandal and missteps, and its movie-length finale ditches its onetime star and morphs from mumblecore dramedy to an entirely more bombastic genre. (Spencer Kornhaber, Transparent Ends With an Act of Musical Trolling, The Atlantic, September 2019)

Gerwig made a big impression early on in several microbudget, semi-improvised movies with director Joe Swanberg, so she was lumped in with the unfortunately named 'mumblecore' movement of movies where hipsters jammed in coffee shops and nothing much happened. (Chris Hewitt, Now's the perfect time to catch up with inventive writer/director/actor Greta Gerwig, Star Tribune, August 2020)

The tiny/arty film movement known as 'mumblecore' has built an entire bemused worldview out of the perspective of overeducated, undermotivated twentysomething guys who can't commit to a declarative statement, let alone a career or girlfriend. (Chris Hewitt, Grow up! Film and TV coddle the man-child, Entertainment Weekly, October 2007)

One of the guiding lights of the character-driven, relationship-obsessed mumblecore film movement and a longtime favorite of the Maryland Film Festival, Swanberg will be in Baltimore this weekend for the latest installment in the MFF’s 'Behind the Screens' series. (Chris Kaltenbach, Director Joe Swanberg to discuss how streaming services have changed film at the Parkway, The Baltimore Sun, November 2017)

Origin:

mumble + -core; said to have been coined in 2005 by Eric Masunaga, a sound editor at the South by Southwest festival (Dictionary.com)

Though the word can be traced back to 2005, it has become widely used only in the latter part of 2007. It’s a film genre whose name reflects the low esteem in which it is held by critics. In August, the International Herald Tribune said, "Specimens of the genre share a low-key naturalism, low-fi production values and a stream of low-volume chatter often perceived as ineloquence. Hence the name: mumblecore."

You might add ultra-low budgets, independent production, improvised dialogue and non-professional actors to the list of features. The genre, the article went on to say, is more a loose collective or even a state of mind than an actual aesthetic movement. However, it has been getting a lot of attention recently and has been named a Hot Genre by Rolling Stone magazine. The Fort Worth Star-Telegram of Texas reflected the uncertainty about its enduring value in a catchline in a story on 4 November about the Lone Star International Film Festival: "Mumblecore: The future of cinema or just really annoying nonsense?" Among the mumblecore films most often mentioned are Funny Ha Ha and Hannah Takes the Stairs. (World Wide Web)

sallymn

munificence [myoo-nif-uh-suhns]

noun:
the quality of being exceedingly generous; liberality in bestowing gifts; extremely liberal and generous of spirit

Examples:

Spending money freely demonstrated generosity to one's friends and supporters. This munificence was an expression of the dignity of the noble estate, emphasizing the gulf in values between those who fought and those who worked, even if the latter happened to be wealthier than the former. (Richard Abels, Chivalry Is a Medieval Ethos That Has Evolved Over Time, The New York Times, July 2013)

A testament to Harwich's civic pride, the enthusiasm of the local volunteers and munificence of the supporting businesses. (James Dwan, Antiques expert Tim Wonnacott to cut ribbon at new museum in Harwich, Harwich and Manningtree Standard, August 2021)

This is what happens when the main architects of the campaign are people whose encounter with the masses are patrimonial and clientelist, forever looking at them either as servers or as recipients of their munificence and mercy. (Antonio Contreras, Clueless and naive elitism, The Manila Times, April 2022)

Have no scruple in accepting my offer; our property is derived from the Emperor; we do not own a penny that is not the result of his munificence. Is it not gratitude to him to assist his faithful soldiers? (Honore de Balzac, Vendetta)

Upon the arrival of the superintendent, a murmur of joy and affection was heard; Fouquet, full of affability, good humor, and munificence, was beloved by his poets, his artists, and his men of business. (Alexandre Dumas, Ten Years Later)

Origin:

'quality of giving or bestowing liberally or lavishly,' early 15c, from Old French munificence, from Latin munificentia 'bountifulness, liberality, generosity,' from stem of munificus 'generous, bountiful, liberal,' literally 'present-making,' from munus 'gift or service; function, task, duty, office' + unstressed stem of facere 'to do' (from PIE root dhe- 'to set, put'). (Online Etymology Dictionary)

Munificent was formed back in the late 1500s when English speakers, perhaps inspired by similar words such as magnificent, altered the ending of munificence. Munificence in turn comes from munificus, the Latin word for 'generous,' which itself comes from munus, a Latin noun that is variously translated as 'gift,' 'duty,' or 'service.' Munus has done a fine service to English by giving us other terms related to service or compensation, including municipal and remunerate. (Merrian-Webster)

med_cat

A margin call occurs when the value of securities in a brokerage account falls below a certain level, known as the maintenance margin, requiring the account holder to deposit additional cash or securities to meet the margin requirements.

Margin calls only happen in accounts that have borrowed money to purchase securities.

Source and more info: www.bankrate.com/investing/what-is-margin-call/

simplyn2deep.livejournal.com

Tuesday, Feb. 08, 2022

Mutable (adjective)
mu·ta·ble [myoo-tuh-buhl]

adjective
1. liable or subject to change or alteration.
2. given to changing; constantly changing; fickle or inconstant: the mutable ways of fortune.
3. Computers. (in object-oriented programming) of or noting an object having properties whose values can change while the object itself maintains a unique identity.

OTHER WORDS FROM MUTABLE
mu·ta·bil·i·ty [myoo-tuh-bil-i-tee] mu·ta·ble·ness, noun
mu·ta·bly, adverb
hy·per·mu·ta·ble, adjective
hy·per·mu·ta·bly, adverb
non·mut·a·ble, adjective
non·mut·a·bly, adverb
un·mu·ta·ble, adjective

WORDS RELATED TO MUTABLE
alterable, erratic, fickle, fluctuating, inconstant, mercurial, unreliable, vacillating, variable, wavering

See synonyms for: mutable / mutability on Thesaurus.com
OTHER WORDS FOR MUTABLE
1. changeable, variable.
2. unstable, vacillating, unsettled, wavering, unsteady.

OPPOSITES FOR MUTABLE
2. stable.

Origin: First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English, from Latin mutabilis, equivalent to muta(re) “to change” + -bilis -ble

HOW TO USE MUTABLE IN A SENTENCE
After just two episodes, it’s hard to get a sense of how mutable The Problem’s format will be.
THE PROBLEM WITH JON STEWART COULD BE GREAT, IF IT EVER CATCHES UP TO THE PRESENT|JUDY BERMAN|SEPTEMBER 30, 2021|TIME

Warnecke, however, is skeptical about inferring phylogenetic relationships from viral sequences, which are notoriously mutable.
DNA’S HISTONE SPOOLS HINT AT HOW COMPLEX CELLS EVOLVED|VIVIANE CALLIER|MAY 10, 2021|QUANTA MAGAZINE

I knew vaguely that the history was slow and unremarkable during centuries of rural village life, then tumultuous and mutable as the area was enveloped by the burgeoning city.
IN LONDON, LOOKING BACKWARD TO MOVE FORWARD|HENRY WISMAYER|MARCH 5, 2021|WASHINGTON POST

In McAfee’s work, formal portraits become as mutable and dynamic as makeshift cellphone footage.
IN THE GALLERIES: PERSONAL AND POLITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON THE PAST|MARK JENKINS|FEBRUARY 19, 2021|WASHINGTON POST

Vortices can be remarkably stable, and yet they are also surprisingly mutable.
AN UNEXPECTED TWIST LIGHTS UP THE SECRETS OF TURBULENCE|DAVID H. FREEDMAN|SEPTEMBER 3, 2020|QUANTA MAGAZINE

The mutable-Earth sign of Virgo is about negotiating virtue and vice.
YOUR WEEK: WHAT THE STARS HOLD|STARSKY + COX|SEPTEMBER 4, 2011|DAILY BEAST

calzephyr77.livejournal.com

Mistletoe - adjective

We all know what mistletoe is--the bit of festive greenery we smooch under at Christmastime, but apparently it's origin is a little surprising! Take it away Merriam-Webster:

Mistletoe is a combination of mistel--which itself was once used as a name for the shrub—and the Old English word for "twig," tān. (The loss of the final "n" in the modern form, mistletoe, is from confusion with another tān, the plural of toe.) The exact origin of mistel is as equivocal as the origin of the kissing tradition associated with mistletoe. The word is thought to derive from one of two earlier words: Germanic mist (a word for "dung") and Germanic mash ("a mixture of malt and water that forms wort to make beer and whiskey"). The etymological argument for mist is based on the fact that mistletoe is spread by the droppings of birds that have eaten the berries, whereas mash suggests the stickiness of the shrub's berries. Whatever the case may be, we believe we have at least temporarily dispelled the romance of being caught under the mistletoe and its berries.

Ew! It's worth noting that all parts of the American and European variety of mistletoe are toxic, so keep an eye on kids and pets if you have it in your home.

Bonus trivia: a mistletoe decoration is called a kissing-bough, Christmas-bough or mistletoe-bough

The Mistletoe Seller By Adrien Barrère

simplyn2deep.livejournal.com

Tuesday, Nov. 23, 2021

Monger (noun, verb)
mon·ger [muhng-ger, mong-]

noun
1. a person who is involved with something in a petty or contemptible way (usually used in combination): a gossipmonger.
2. Chiefly British. a dealer in or trader of a commodity (usually used in combination): fishmonger.

verb (used with object)
3. to sell; hawk.

OTHER WORDS FROM MONGER
mon·ger·ing, noun, adjective

WORDS RELATED TO MONGER
dealer, hawker, merchant, peddler, trader

See synonyms for: monger / mongered / mongering on Thesaurus.com

Origin: First recorded before 1000; Middle English (noun); Old English mangere, equivalent to mang(ian) “to trade, act as a monger” (ultimately from Latin mango “salesman”) + -ere -er1; cognate with Old Norse, Old High German mangari

HOW TO USE MONGER IN A SENTENCE
I didn’t know until I went into Bedford Cheese Shop that you could have the monger pick out some cheeses for you based on what you tell them, and they will serve it to you on a plate in a beautiful presentation with a bunch of fixings.
ARTISANAL AMERICAN CHEESE WAS FINALLY ON TOP OF THE WORLD, AND THEN THE WORLD FELL APART|JAYA SAXENA|OCTOBER 5, 2020|EATER

“Anyone who takes up this struggle against the regime is labeled a neo-con and a war monger,” he said.
WHITE HOUSE DEBUNKS IRAN NUCLEAR EXPLOSION, BUT IRAN DENIES PLANTING STORY|DAN EPHRON|JANUARY 29, 2013|DAILY BEAST

This is standard fare for Levin, who is truly a hate monger.
OBAMA'S GEORGE BUSH PROBLEM|MARK MCKINNON|OCTOBER 4, 2009|DAILY BEAST

Today salted cod—baccalà—is available in many supermarkets and your fish monger should carry it.
SALT COD, SCAMPI, FILET OF GROUPER|THE DAILY BEAST|DECEMBER 23, 2008|DAILY BEAST

simplyn2deep.livejournal.com

Tuesday, Nov. 2, 2021

Mishpocha (noun)
mish·po·cha (listen to pronunciation here) [mish-paw-khuh, -pookh-uh]

noun
1. an entire family network comprising relatives by blood and marriage; clan: I see you invited the whole mishpocha.

Origin: First recorded in 1855–60; from Yiddish mishpokhe, from Hebrew mishpa?ah “family, clan

sallymn.livejournal.com

merrythought [mer-ee-thawt]

noun:
(British English) the wishbone or furcula of a fowl, the forked bone between the neck and breast of a bird.

Examples:

Again, all birds that can fly possess a 'merrythought', or furculum; and such is not found in the Pterodactyl. (H N Hutchinson, Extinct Monsters)

They had a chicken and a dish of ham between them, and he was feeding her with the merrythought... (Hugh Walpole, Judith Paris)

My uncle was in high good- humour, and especially always joking with Nora and the captain. It was, "Nora, divide that merrythought with the captain! see who'll be married first." (W M Thackeray, The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon)

Bless my drumsticks and merrythought, I shant be so cold and hungry, please God, this time to–morrow night. (Richard Doddridge Blackmore, Cradock Nowell: A Tale of the New Forest)

Origin:

'wishbone of a fowl's breast,' c. 1600, from merry + thought. So called from the sport of breaking it between two persons pulling each on an end to determine who will get a wish he made for the occasion (the winner getting the longer fragment). (Online Etymology Dictionary)

It's the forked bone between the neck and breast of a bird. But that's the wishbone, I almost hear you cry. Indeed it is, but merrythought is the older term for that part of a turkey, chicken or other fowl served at table.

Wishbone was created in America; from the evidence, it seems to have appeared sometime around the 1850s, but has since taken over everywhere. But merrythought was still the more common term in America and Britain until about 1900. Here's an American example, from Mrs Goodfellow’s Cookery as it Should Be, published in Philadelphia in 1865:

Remove the merrythought and neck bones next, this you will accomplish by inserting the knife and forcing it under the bones, raise it and it will readily separate from the breast.

The name of wishbone comes, of course, from the folk custom in which two people hold its ends and pull, the one left with the longer piece making a wish. Merrythought refers to an older version of the custom, in which it is assumed that the one left with the longer piece will get to marry first. So the bone-pulling ceremony resulted in what were euphemistically called 'merry thoughts' among those taking part. This explains the reference in Jack Hinton, the Guardsman, an 1843 novel by the Irish writer Charles Lever: "Simpering old maids cracked merry thoughts with gay bachelors". (World Wide Words)

calzephyr77.livejournal.com

If you have heard this old nursery rhyme, you probably didn't think too much about Mother Hubbard:

Old Mother Hubbard
Went to the Cupboard,
To give the poor Dog a bone;
When she came there,
The Cupboard was bare,
And so the poor Dog had none.

But, did you know that a Mother Hubbard is also a piece of clothing inspired by the nursery rhyme? Mother Hubbards are long, wide and loose-fitting dresses with long sleeves and a high neck. They are extremely modest and developed during Victorian times.

Alas, the Mother Hubbard has a negative connotation as well--colonizers and missionaries introduced the style to "civilize" BIPOC people, so aghast were they at nudity. The Mother Hubbard lives on in various designs, however, mostly notably the Hawaiian muumuu.

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Style: Daydream for Librarian's Dream by nornoriel

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Page generated Jun. 8th, 2025 09:37 am

Word of the Day!

Entries tagged with m

Tuesday word: Melee

Tuesday word: Maudlin

Thursday Word: Mobula

Wednesday Word: Mardo

Wednesday Word: Marasca

Tuesday word: Mordant

Sunday Word: Mediagenic

Wednesday Word: Morion

Tuesday word: Multifarious

Wednesday Word: Mirepoix

Wednesday Word: Mogote

Sunday Word: Mumblecore

Sunday Word: Munificence

Friday phrase: Margin Call

Tuesday word: Mutable

Mistletoe

Tuesday word: Monger

Tuesday word: Mishpocha

Sunday Word: Merrythought

Friday Phrase: Mother Hubbard

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June 2025

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