@Wilcey - why did we go to Merthyr Tydfil? Somewhere much closer to home is now just as "adnubilated" ('Darkened by clouds, clouded. Also fig.', OED) Day #326 of a 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by the OED…
DelNovember 26, 2014
Go-go girls -> snake euphemism -> "python": 'Greek Mythol. With capital initial. The serpent or monster killed by Apollo near Delphi; (hence poet.) any monstrous antagonist', (OED). Day #324 of a 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by…
DelNovember 24, 2014
Today's word was "obnoxious" and although it's often used to mean 'offensive', its original meaning was: 'Liable, subject, exposed, or open to a thing (esp. something actually or possibly harmful)', (OED). Being so used to the current definition, it was…
DelNovember 23, 2014
I screwed up today … finding a "petittoe" (meaning 'A pig's foot, esp. as an article of food; a pig's trotter', OED) should have been really easy, but I was so immersed in other things, that I forgot to check…
DelNovember 22, 2014
"Panem et circenses" ('Bread and circuses or (more generally) food and entertainment, regarded as typically satisfying the desires of the mass of the people; hence used allusively of anything which pleases and pacifies the people, thus helping a government to…
DelNovember 21, 2014
On seeing today's word, my brow definitely furrowed. How on earth was I going to find a "knavigation", which is 'A statement or story that is characteristic of a knave, esp. in being dishonest or fraudulent', (OED)? I'm not sure…
DelNovember 20, 2014
"Goddard's drops" are: 'A liquid medicinal preparation of uncertain composition, used in the treatment of a wide variety of disorders. Also Dr. Goddard's drops' (OED). I suppose the obvious choice should have been one of the exciting looking bottles on…
DelNovember 19, 2014
Although I'm no "maven": 'An expert, a connoisseur; a knowledgeable enthusiast, an aficionado’ (OED), I'm enjoying the works of those who are. Art week continues to showcase an amazing array of talent - some of it I just don't get,…
DelNovember 18, 2014
"Adipsia" is: 'Absence of thirst; lack or loss of the desire to drink; reluctance or refusal to drink' (OED). Haha! No chance! Day #317 of a 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by the OED word of the day.
DelNovember 17, 2014
Early morning at Heathrow, from where you can just see the "Proxima Centauri" ('A faint red dwarf star in the southern constellation Centaurus, which forms part of a three-star system with the binary star Alpha Centauri', OED) in the distance:-)…
DelNovember 16, 2014
"Philippic" meaning 'Of the nature of a bitter attack, denunciation, or invective; that is a philippic (sense B. 1); spec. relating to or designating the Philippics of Demosthenes and Cicero', (OED). It doesn't get any more philippic than this. Day…
DelNovember 15, 2014
Today's word was "pangram", meaning: 'A sentence or (occas.) verse containing every letter of the alphabet', and I thought it would be fun to make one up, but didn't actually get very far, so have resorted to that good old…
DelNovember 14, 2014
To no avail I shouted "proot", which is: 'A command to a donkey or mule to move faster',(OED). I had a feeling of deja-vu - it seems now that every time I drive down to see the elderly relative, there's…
DelNovember 13, 2014
Which is the odd-one-out? One of these three has never experienced "periclitation": 'The action of exposing a person or thing to danger; the condition of being exposed to danger; danger, hazard, etc.' (OED). Day #312 of a 365 project, where…
DelNovember 12, 2014
After my surprise on Sunday, I was relieved to see that the OED chose an appropriate word for today, namely "Armistice" ('Originally: a suspension of hostilities; a (short) truce, a ceasefire. Later chiefly spec.: a total suspension of hostilities formally…
DelNovember 11, 2014
The Christmas shopping (not mine, I hasten to add) has begun in earnest and it seems to be creating a retail-driven Phlegethon: 'Something regarded as resembling the mythical river Phlegethon; a river of fire, a seething torrent or turmoil', OED.…
DelNovember 10, 2014
Given that OED stands for the Oxford ENGLISH Dictionary, I was expecting some sort of remembrance word, as it was a particularly special occasion. But there was always the chance that the OED might go in the direction of the…
DelNovember 9, 2014
So this was a toughie since I needed to maintain my track record of depicting the OED word of the day, which today was "acyrology" meaning the 'Incorrect use of language', (OED), but I also wanted a pic of my…
DelNovember 8, 2014
"Mpret" = 'In Albania: a king, a monarch', (OED). A monarch sits on a throne and "throne" can be used euphemistically. Day #307 of a 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by the OED word of the day.
DelNovember 7, 2014