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zBlog Archives

zBlog Archives

310514 Yada yada pre Facebook

For the youngsters amongst you, this is how news was communicated before Facebook - just as public, just as humiliating and just as much "yada yada" ("indicating (usually dismissively) that further details are predictable or evident from what has preceded:…
Del
May 31, 2014
zBlog Archives

300514 The altiloquence of the Sun

This isn't a perfect example of "altiloquence" ('The quality of being loud, elevated, pompous, or high-flown in manner or expression. Also: speech, language, writing, etc., characterized by this.’, OED) but in the absence of a politician, it was the next…
Del
May 30, 2014
Bleeding Chelsea

SW3 Y

Yeoman's Row Firmly in Knightsbridge, much of Yeoman’s Row is currently under building wraps as major construction work takes place. One of the things I noticed is that Yeomen’s Row is one of the cleanest streets in SW3. Maybe there…
Del
May 30, 2014
zBlog Archives

290514 Paludamentum Denisae

The Roman generals may have tolerated all sorts of hardships in their conquering of Europe, but I'm pretty sure they didn't get the sort of rain we've had today, they would have had the sense to about turn and head…
Del
May 29, 2014
zBlog Archives

280514 Domino’s Ploce

"Ploce" - 'The repetition of a word in an altered or more expressive sense, or for the sake of emphasis' (OED) - is something I frequently use, but not something that is easy to photograph. So finding a pic to…
Del
May 28, 2014
zBlog Archives

270514 Confused by girl’s mercury

I don't know whether it's because I'm not yet running at full steam, but I found today's word somewhat confusing. "Girl's mercury" is 'The male of either of two plants of the genus Mercurialis, M. tomentosa and M. annua, formerly…
Del
May 27, 2014
zBlog Archives

2601514 A Pair of Nothingarians

Gradually emerging from this wretched bug that's been plaguing me, I wasn't taking the risk of venturing outdoors in the rain to seek a nothingarian ('A person who has no (clear) religious belief or political affiliation', OED). A great shame…
Del
May 26, 2014
zBlog Archives

250514 Rafferty’s rules

Thankfully, a nice easy "word" today - "Rafferty's rules": 'No rules at all; a system in which there are no rules.' (OED). Well there aren't any rules at McBarrett Towers, so while I'm sniffling and overdosing on LemSip, MisterMac is…
Del
May 25, 2014
zBlog Archives

240514 Toilet-papering the banisters

A rather nasty flu-bug has attacked and I didn't feel inclined to toilet-paper the town. To "toilet-paper" is a verb that has recently been added to the OED and it means 'To cover (a building, trees, etc) with toilet paper,…
Del
May 24, 2014
zBlog Archives

230514 Feeling nettled

I was not prepared to literally nettle myself today ('To beat or sting (a person or animal) with nettles', OED) but I was certainly metaphorically nettled by Westminster's 'simple and easy way to park'. The instructions are appalling and it…
Del
May 23, 2014
zBlog Archives

220514 Typical motifeme

Fairy tales would not be the same without the treasure chest based motifeme ('In the study of folk tales: a story element, as a character, event, incident, circumstance, etc., usually one common to tales from many different sources' , OED).…
Del
May 22, 2014
zBlog Archives

210514 Modern Day Mensur

Mensur - 'The distance between two duellers', (OED). Even in Austria, not an easy word to populate, but the election process could arguably be seen as a modern-day mensur practice. Day #141 of a 365 project, where the daily pic…
Del
May 21, 2014
zBlog Archives

200514 Hot diggety dog

Hot diggety dog - 'An exclamation of joy or surprise' (OED). No explanation required. Day #140 of a 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by the OED word of the day.
Del
May 20, 2014
zBlog Archives

190514 Daily Disjune

Daily disjune ('The first meal of the day; breakfast', OED). Day #139 of a 365 project, where the daily pic is informed by the OED word of the day.
Del
May 19, 2014
zBlog Archives

180514 Balletomane at Abney

Hangover Hill should have been today's suggestion in Bleeding London, since the troops were all slightly fragile following last night's capers. But there is no such street and instead, we tripped to Abney Park cemetery. I was looking for evidence…
Del
May 18, 2014
zBlog Archives

170514 Catford’s Chemin de Fer

As chemin de fer is used 'Chiefly in French contexts: a railway', (OED), perhaps today's post should be entitled chemin de few du chat. Fab day in Bleeding London, starting with a trip to the pre-fab estate in Catford, a…
Del
May 17, 2014
zBlog Archives

160514 Saeva indignatio

WIP - words to follow. Edit to add words: Saeva indignatio means: ‘"Savage indignation", a feeling of contemptuous rage at human folly. Originally, and in later use often with reference or allusion to Swift's epitaph', (OED). And I suspect the…
Del
May 16, 2014