Wednesday Word of the Day

Taradiddle \ tar-uh-DID-l \  , noun;

 

1.

Informal . a small lie; fib.

2.

Informal . pretentious nonsense.

 

Origin:

Taradiddle  builds on the term diddle , "to cheat or swindle" or "a deception," however, the origin of the first element, tara , is uncertain. It entered English in the late 1700s.  dictionary.com

~What a fun word!  It sounds vaugly dirty, but can be used in public without appearing to be a potty mouth.  LOL

Let's see, using it in a sentence...

"Geez, Lily, it was just a taradiddle.  It certainly wasn't a whopper of a lie, heck, it doesn't even really count as a white one." 

 

Wednesday Word

The Letter

Thomas Wilmer Dewing  (1851–1938)

holograph \HOL-uh-graf, -grahf, HOH-luh-\, adjective:

1. wholly written by the person in whose name it appears: a holograph letter.

noun:
1. a holograph writing, as a deed, will, or letter.

Ex:
“An unexpectedly thoughtful young man," said Chase, straightening the frame of (Queen Victoria's holograph letter. Originally, he had planned to put the Emerson autograph between those of Longfellow and Tennyson but then he had had second thoughts about keeping a valuable letter addressed not so much to him as the Secretary of the Treasury and so, with a sad heart, he handed it over to the Treasure archives...
-- Gore Vidal, Lincoln: A Novel, 1984

Holograph entered English in the 18th century from the Greek holos + graph, meaning "whole written." ~ www.dictionary.com

So, in retrospect, this work of are could have been called The Holograph.  Also, when I write love letters to Hubby, I'm actually writing love holographs.  LOL  Interesting, but it doesn't have quite the same punch as the word letter. 

Wednesday Word

I almost skipped over this word today until I read the last definition...

Scabrous \SKAB-ruhs\, adjective:

1. full of difficulties.
2. having a rough surface because of minute points or projections.
3. indecent or scandalous; risqué; obscene: scabrous books.

Scabrous is related to the common word scab. Both terms come from the Latin word scaber meaning "rough."  via dictionary.com

There's no doubt in my mind that some folks out there would consider the picture above indecent or scandalous, while others would see it as obscene.  I, myself, find it beautiful, touching, artistic and yes, perhaps a touch risqué.  It seems possible that my issue is not so much with the word scabrous (though I'm not crazy about the sound) but the adding of risqué to the definition.  

Here's the definition of risqué...

Daringly close to indelicacy or impropriety; off-color: a risqué story.

 

Indelicate not indecent

Off-color is certainly true

And I would add my own words to this definition - tantalizing, sexy, naughty.

To link risqué with scabrous, devalues the word risqué.

 

More than likely mindset plays a big part in the use of these words.  If someone were to call me or my writing scabrous, I'd feel some offense.  But call me risqué and I'll smile happily for days.

 

Wicked Wednesday...

~Whew~ Do I need some of the heat above!  Warm water, sunshine and wicked kisses all good for beating back the below zero weather in my neck of the woods.  ;)


Word of the Day

word-hoard \WURD-hawrd\, noun:

A person's vocabulary.
 ~dictionary.com

~Hmm, do you have a large or small word-hoard?~

Wednesday Word of the Day...

 Amygdaliform \uh-MIG-duh-luh-fawrm\, adjective:

Shaped like an almond.

~What a huh?  Seems like it would be easier to just say "hey, you're shaped like and almond."  Then duck out of the way of a fist!~

Amygdaliform derives from the Greek amygdale, "almond." -form is the common suffix denoting "in the shape of." A portion of the human brain is known as the amygdala, named for its resemblance to almonds.  ~dictionary.com

Also, a quick Happy Birthday Holler to my wonderful hubby...you're looking sexier than ever, my love!

Wicked Wednesday...

Skin to skin wickedness, the covers tossed carelessly about - nothing between them hampering the tingling pleasure of touch.  Just the way she like it...

A Day in the Life of Serena 
 
Song of the Day:  Anything Goes by Guns & Roses.  This picture made me think of the song...I bet anything does go in that scene!

Currently Reading:  Unwrapped by Erin McCarthy, Donna Kauffman & Kate Angell

Currently Writing:  Nothing but focus on editing.  Editing:  The Submission

Word of the Day:  Bildungsroman \BIL-doongz-roh-mahn\, noun:

A type of novel concerned with the education, development, and maturing of a young protagonist.

~Whatshuh?  I can honestly say this is a word I've never even imagined was a word...~

Quote of the Day:  There is no trap so deadly as the trap you set for yourself.

Raymond Chandler

Wicked Wednesday...

Hands hidden, sultry peepers and a possible grin tucked into that coat...yeah, she's got wicked on her mind!

Wednesday Word

Vamp \vamp\, verb:

1. To patch up; repair.
2. To give (something) a new appearance by adding a patch or piece.
3. To concoct or invent (often followed by up): He vamped up a few ugly rumors to discredit his enemies.
4. To furnish with a vamp, especially to repair (a shoe or boot) with a new vamp.

noun:
1. The portion of a shoe or boot upper that covers the instep and toes.
2. Something patched up or pieced together.

~I love how different words can be used.  Above is the definition of Vamp, but I've also used it to describe ones attitude....My she's vampy.~

A Day in the Life of Serena 
 
Song of the Day:  Her Strut by Bob Seger & The Silver Bullet Band

Currently Reading:  Unstoppable: Love with the Proper Stranger/Letters to Kelly by Suzanne Brockmann

Currently Writing:  Blogging and wool gathering of ideas.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve (or save) the world and a desire to enjoy (or savor) the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.

E.B. White
The author of Charlotte's Web was born on this day in 1899.

Wednesday Word of the Day

Spruik \sprook\, verb:

To make or give a speech, especially extensively; spiel.

~For Burgess or Dugger over at Shapeshifter Seductions.  Either, I'm sure, could make it sound sinful!~

Spruik is Australian slang that arose in the early 1900s. It is of unknown origin. ~dictionary.com

A Day in the Life of Serena 
 
Song of the Day:  Take the Money and Run by The Steve Miller Band

Currently Reading: Hold on Tight by Stephanie Tyler.  ~Whew~ This series has some sexy heroes!  ;)

Currently Writing:  Plotting werewolf series.  Tyr & Ela's story is up first.  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  Happiness consists in getting enough sleep. Just that, nothing more.

Robert A. Heinlein
~Having had significant sleep issues in the past, I will agree with this whole-heartily!~ 

Wednesday Word of the Day

Cicatrix \SIK-uh-triks\, noun:

1. New tissue that forms over a wound.
2. Botany. A scar left by a fallen leaf, seed, etc.

Okay, so this interesting word just showed up in my email and I felt compelled to share.  How to use it in a fun sentence?  Oh, I know...  "Hey baby, nice looking cicatrix you got there."  LOL

Cicatrix is derived from the Latin word cicatrix meaning "scar." The Latin word has no clear origin. ~dictionary.com

A Day in the Life of Serena 
 
Song of the Day:  Hello Texas by Jimmy Buffet off the Urban Cowboy soundtrack.  Silly note, when I moved to Texas the year I turned eleven, I listened to this song as we crossed over the boarder from Oklahoma.  Funny the things we remember so vividly.  :)

Currently Reading: It's All Greek To Me by Katie MacAlister (just finished, this is a must read!) Now on to Time Out by Jill Shalvis (another of my not to be missed authors.)

Currently Writing:  The Submission (rewrites).  Editing:  The Submission

Quote of the Day:  I'm not young enough to know everything.

J.M. Barrie

 

Wednesday Word of the Day

Profluent \PROF-loo-uhnt\, adjective:

Flowing smoothly or abundantly forth.

~Ha!  There are many a day when I would love to be profluent.~

Profluent is derived from the Latin word prōfluere, which meant "to flow forth." ~dictionary.com

A Day in the Life of Serena

Song of the Day:  I Feel The Earth Move by Carole King

 

Currently Reading:  Deadly Sins by Lora Leigh 

 

Currently Writing:  Ideas and plot for werewolf story.  Editing:  The Submission 

 

Awesome New Find:  AutoCrit  http://www.autocrit.com/index.php  I've been trying out the free version to see if this would be a useful thing for me and so far I'm loving it!

Wednesday Word of the Day

 

Pettifog \PET-ee-fog\, verb:

1. To bicker or quibble over trifles or unimportant matters.
2. To carry on a petty, shifty, or unethical law business.
3. To practice chicanery of any sort.

~Now isn't this a word!  I would never have put this word with the definition, it reminds me more of Southern belles and puffy skirts...not bickering and shiftiness.~

Pettifog comes from the Middle Dutch word voeger meaning one who arranges things and the word petty meaning insignificant. ~dictionary.com

A Day in the Life of Serena

Song of the Day:  She by Green Day  "She... She screams in silence.  A sullen riot penetrating through her mind"  You know what I love about this band?  Meaningful poetry set to loud, driving rock music.  Yep, a fabulous combination, IMHO.  :)

 

Currently Reading:  More Than a Mistress by Mary Balogh.  A fabulous historical with strong main characters.  An enjoyable read, for sure.

 

Currently Writing:  Ideas and plot for werewolf story.  Editing:  The Submission - still working through those "was'" or would that be "was-i?"  That one's for you Darling Diva!  lol

 

Quote of the Day: 
Imagination is the golden-eyed monster that never sleeps. It must be fed; it cannot be ignored.

- Patricia A. McKillip

 
.

Wednesday Word of the Day

Tramontane \truh-MON-teyn\, adjective:

1. Being or situated beyond the mountains.
2. Beyond the Alps as viewed from Italy; transalpine.
3. Of, pertaining to, or coming from the other side of the mountains.
4. Foreign; barbarous.

noun:
1. A person who lives beyond the mountains: formerly applied by the Italians to the peoples beyond the Alps, and by the latter to the Italians.
2. A foreigner; outlander; barbarian.
3. A violent, polar wind from the northwest that blows in southern France.

~I love coming across words I've never heard of before.~

Tramontane comes from the Latin word trānsmontānus which meant beyond the mountains. It is made of three roots: mont meaning mountain, trans meaning over, and -an, a suffix denoting "coming from."  ~ dictionary.com  

A Day in the Life of Serena

Song of the Day:  Kryptonite by 3 Doors Down (yep, I'm still on this one...the music has an underlying darkness that suits my mood lately.)

 

Currently Reading:  Slow Ride by Erin McCarthy

 

Currently Writing:  Friday's Shapeshifter blog & work on a werewolf idea I have brewing  Editing:  The Submission  

Wednesday Word of the Day

Cordate \KAWR-deyt\, adjective:

1. Heart-shaped.
2. (Of leaves) heart-shaped, with the attachment at the notched end.

~A perfect word for around Valentine's Day!~

Related to core, cordate comes from the Latin word for heart, cor, and the suffix -ate which forms an adjective from a noun.  ~ Dictionary.com

A Day in the Life of Serena

Song of the Day:  As A Blonde by Selena Gomez  -  Darling Diva so enjoys this singer that I hear it quite often.  It's a fun song, but I always change it to As A Redhead ~ LOL  

 

Currently Reading:  Hot for the Holiday's Anthology

 

Currently Writing:  A Talbot's Peak short story (Hawke & Ally)  Editing:  The Submission 

 

Wednesday Word of the Day

Piacular \pahy-AK-yuh-ler\, adjective:

1. Expiatory; atoning; reparatory.
2. Requiring expiation; sinful or wicked.

~Sinful or wicked...yep that's me, piacular!  muahahahah~

Piacular is derived from two Latin roots: pia, which is related to the word pious, and a variation of the suffix -cule which denotes a diminutive nouns, like particle.  - Dictionary.com

~~~ 

A Day in the Life of Serena

Song of the Day:  Sundown by Gordon Lightfoot.  Again, I awoke with this tune in my head.  How different from yesterday's fare...

Quote of the Day:  We are of opinion that instead of letting books grow moldy behind an iron grating, far from the vulgar gaze, it is better to let them wear out by being read.

- Jules Verne

Currently Reading:  Wish You Were Here by Amy Garvey

Currently Writing: More work on Friday's Shapeshifter Seduction blog.  Join us for the Cupid's Choice Blog Hop.  Editing:  The Submission 

Yummy Food Find: Ham wrapped pickles.  Ham slices topped with cream cheese of choice (I like a good plain) and rolled around a full size pickle.  Slice it in rounds and serve as an appetizer.

Wednesday Word of the Day

neoterism \nee-OT-uh-riz-uhm\, noun:

1. An innovation in language, as a new word, term, or expression.
2. The use of new words, terms, or expressions.

~Ha, I do this a lot!  Of course my family looks at me like I'm slightly cracked, but shoossh-ala-banger, who isn't slightly cracked in some way these days?  *wink*~ 

Gotta made up word of your own?  I'd love to hear it.  :)

**Though it did not come into English usage until the late 1800s, neoterism originally comes from the Greek word neōterismós which meant "an attempt to change." ~~info found at Dictionary.com  

Wednesday Word of the Day

Cimmerian \si-MEER-ee-uhn\, adjective:

1. Very dark; gloomy; deep.
2. Classical Mythology. Of, pertaining to, or suggestive of a western people believed to dwell in perpetual darkness.

~I'd love to use this word in my writing, must consider what the best way would be...~

Like gasconade, cimmerian was originally a toponym. It referred to the Cimmerii, an ancient nomadic people who live in Crimea, according to Herodotus. ~~info found at Dictionary.com

Wednesday Word of the Day

solecism \SOL-uh-siz-uhm\, noun:

1. A breach of good manners or etiquette.
2. A nonstandard or ungrammatical usage, as unflammable and they was.
3. Any error, impropriety, or inconsistency.

~LOL, so many of the character's in the fictitious town of Talbot's Peak, found over on my group blog Shapeshifter Seductions, suffer from this affliction a time or two.  They are also a heck of a lot of fun...so bring on the solecism.  ;)~ 

Solecism was originally a toponym for people from the Greek city of Cilicia where a corrupt form of Greek was spoken. It came to mean "a mistake in speaking or writing" in Middle French in the 1500s. The sense of "a breach in manners" was recorded in the early 1600s.  ~info from dictionary.com~

Wednesday Word of the Day

 
calvous \KAL-vuhs\, adjective:

Lacking all or most of the hair on the head; bald.

~Mmm, a big, brawny, sensitive yet strong, calvous hero.  So delish!~

Calvous is derived from the Latin word calvus which meant simply “bald.”

Wednesday's Words...

"I'm beautiful in my way
'Cause God makes no mistakes
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Don't hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you're set
I'm on the right track, baby
I was born this way"    
                                 ....Born This Way by Lady Gaga

Kudos to Lady Gaga for her wonderful words of acceptance.

And to my Darling Diva...You were right, I love the song, thanks for asking me to listen!

Wednesday Word of the Day

boscage \BOS-kij\, noun:

A mass of trees or shrubs.

~She lured the snarly wolf into the boscage with her scent, but kept him there with her soft skin and the look in her eye.~

Boscage comes from the Middle French word boscage, from the roots bosk meaning “a small wood or thicket” and -age, a suffix that denotes a general noun, like voyage and courage.