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151014 Ritzy Shoppers’ Zone

I don't want to make sweeping generalisations, but I suspect some of the wealthy shoppers who patronise these establishments are not only rich, but also "ritzy": 'Of a person: haughty, snobbish. Now rare', (OED). This is definitely one for a…
Del
October 15, 2014
zBlog Archives

141014 An Alternative Alternativist

Today's word was "alternativist", meaning: 'In the First World War (1914–18) and the Second World War (1939–45): a conscientious objector willing to carry out compulsory service as a non-combatant', (OED). This mannequin definitely struck me as alternative and she seems…
Del
October 14, 2014
zBlog Archives

131014 Heathrow’s Minuend

If one trolley is a subtrahend, then the stack of trolleys must be Heathrow's equivalent of a "minuend", which is: 'A quantity or number from which another (the subtrahend) is to be subtracted', (OED). Day #282 of a 365 project,…
Del
October 13, 2014
zBlog Archives

121014 Sort of Astrognosy

OK, so it's not "astrognosy" in the astronomical sense of the word ('Knowledge of the stars; the branch of astronomy concerned with the fixed stars', OED) but it's the coffee shop that has knowledge of the celeb. type of stars.…
Del
October 12, 2014
zBlog Archives

111014 Peever on Oxford Street

"Peever": 'The stone, piece of pottery, etc., used in the game of hopscotch. Also: the game of hopscotch itself', (OED). Given how busy Oxford Street was, it was brave of these men to choose it as their peever pitch ...…
Del
October 11, 2014
zBlog Archives

101014 End of Mooter Row

This is opposite the end of a street where the local lawyers have their offices aka Mooter Row, where "mooter" means: 'A speaker; a person who argues or engages in discussion; a lawyer who argues cases in a court of…
Del
October 10, 2014
zBlog Archives

091014 German Oriflamme

Not a very exciting pic, but the flag flying outside the German Embassy does have some similarities with an "oriflamme", which is: 'The sacred banner of St Denis, of red or orange-red silk, which from the 12th to the 15th…
Del
October 9, 2014
zBlog Archives

081014 Pie-Eyed

I always thought "pie-eyed" was a term used to describe someone who is drunk. And indeed it is, but it also has the meaning: 'Wide-eyed; gazing or staring blankly as a result of stupidity, exhaustion, love, etc.’(OED). I was unable…
Del
October 8, 2014
zBlog Archives

061014 Orage

Sometimes you just come across such a lovely word in the OED and IMHO, "orage" is one of them, meaning 'A violent or tempestuous wind; a storm', (OED). The day was so oragey that it was even cold and wet…
Del
October 6, 2014
zBlog Archives

051014 Misspeak

We use these to "misspeak" ('To murmur, grumble', OED). I hate mobile phones as I still haven't adapted to the idea of people being able to contact you wherever you are and whatever you're doing, which is why mine is…
Del
October 5, 2014
zBlog Archives

041014 Parti Pris

Of course, we won't find any "parti pris" ('A preconceived view; a bias or prejudice', OED) in the Saturday papers ... Day #273 of a 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by the OED word of the day.
Del
October 4, 2014
zBlog Archives

031014 Dead Demonifuge

Seeing that today's word was "demonifuge" ('A substance or medicine used to exorcize a demon; (also more generally) anything thought to give protection against evil spirits'), I thought I would snap the plant outside the front door which is supposed…
Del
October 3, 2014
zBlog Archives

021014 The Greeneland of Chelsea

Now I'm not suggesting for one minute that the area of World's End per se is a Greeneland ('The seedy, politically unstable, and dangerous world said to be the typical setting in the novels of Graham Greene', OED) but I…
Del
October 2, 2014
zBlog Archives

011014 Result of Mediatization

"Mediatization" means: 'In Germany under the Holy Roman Empire: the action of reducing a prince or state in position or power (see mediatize v. 1a); the condition of being mediatized. Now hist.', so when we see the former Kaiser serving…
Del
October 1, 2014
zBlog Archives

300914 Colonel Blimp

Today's word was "blimp": 'The type of person with old-fashioned or reactionary opinions and a pompous and peremptory manner, embodied in the character of Colonel Blimp (see etymology) and considered representative of a distinct or dominant group in British politics…
Del
September 30, 2014
zBlog Archives

290914 A Picaresque Estate

This is Grahame Tower on the South Acton Estate. Interestingly, all the blocks are named after authors such as Buchan, Jerome, Conrad, Galsworthy, Hardy, Carroll, Chesterton and - rather oddly IMHO - Charles Hocking. I must confess to never having…
Del
September 29, 2014
zBlog Archives

280914 Fernshaw Nassau

Today's word was "Nassau", which is: 'In golf: a three-part bet on the winner of the first nine holes, the second nine holes, and the match. More fully Nassau bet.’(OED). Fernshaw is a golf course in Australia and is also…
Del
September 28, 2014
zBlog Archives

270914 Birmingham’s belle époque

A trip down memory lane (that's an idiom - not a Bleeding London street) as the RPS meeting took me to Birmingham, which has changed beyond all recognition. I've got to be honest and say that there is absolutely nothing…
Del
September 27, 2014
zBlog Archives

260914 An Objective Correlative

Oh dear, love padlocks for the second time this week. It had to be these, though, since a love padlock is the perfect "objective correlative" (‘The physical equivalent or manifestation of an immaterial thing or abstract idea; spec. (and usually,…
Del
September 26, 2014