Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The patroclinous émigré obtunded the conversation and showed a lack of noblesse oblige by uttering stultifying opinions on uxorial yakitori, animatics, henotheism, incunablulums, and rialtos.

patroclinous (Pat-ruh-KLY-nuhs) also patriclinous (-rih-) adj. Having inherited characteristics that more closely resemble the father's side than the mother's side.

émigré (EM-ih-Gray) n. One who has left a native country, especially for political reasons.

obtund (ob-TUND) tr.v. To make less intense; dull or deaden. —obtundent adj. —obtundity n.

noblesse oblige (noh-Bles-uh-Bleezh) n. The obligation of honorable, generous, and responsible behavior associated with high rank or birth.
from the MW calendar: In French, noblesse oblige means literally “nobility obligates.” English-speakers picked up the saying in the 19th century and soon transformed the phrase into a noun. Then, as now, “noblesse oblige” referred to the unwritten obligation of people with a noble ancestry to act honorably and generously to others. Later, by extension, it also came to refer to the obligation of anyone in a higher position to act respectably and responsibly toward others.
stultify (STUHL-tuh-Fie) v. 1. To cause to appear stupid, foolish, or absurdly illogical. 2. To impair, invalidate, or make ineffective. 3. To have a dulling effect on.

uxorial (uk-SAHR-ee-uhl, -SORE-, ug-ZAHR-, -ZORE-) adj. Of a wife; regarded as befitting a wife.

yakitori (Yeh-ki-TOR-ee, -TORE-ee) n. A dish of bite-sized marinated chicken pieces grilled on skewers.

animatic (An-uh-MAT-ik) n. A preliminary version of a television commercial in which animated cutout figures are used instead of live participants and real objects.

henotheism (HEN-uh-thee-Iz-uhm) n. Belief in one god without denying the existence of others.

incunabulum (In-kyuh-NAH-byuh-luhm) n. 1. a book printed before 1501. 2. A work of art or of industry of an early period.
from the MW calendar: The invention of the mechanized printing press in the 15th century revolutionized the way books were produced, dramatically increasing the number and variety of works to be published and distributed to readers. “Incunabulum” first appeared in English in the 19th century, referring retroactively to books produced in the first decades of printing press technology, specifically those printed before the year 1501—a date that appears to have been determined only arbitrarily. In Latin, incunabulum is the singular form of incunabula, which translates literally as “swaddling clothes” or “bands holding a baby in a cradle.” The “baby” in this case is a figurative one, referring to a book that was produced when the art of printing was still in its infancy.
rialto (ree-AL-toe, ray-AHL-) n. 1. A theatrical district. 2. A marketplace.

No comments:

The views expressed in this blog are not necessarily those of Blogger or Google. They don't often represent views held by friends and family of the author, his church or workplace, his wife or even himself.


A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds, adored by little statesmen and philosophers and divines. With consistency a great soul has simply nothing to do. He may as well concern himself with his shadow on the wall. Speak what you think now in hard words, and to-morrow speak what to-morrow thinks in hard words again, though it contradict every thing you said to-day. — 'Ah, so you shall be sure to be misunderstood.' — Is it so bad, then, to be misunderstood? Pythagoras was misunderstood, and Socrates, and Jesus, and Luther, and Copernicus, and Galileo, and Newton, and every pure and wise spirit that ever took flesh. To be great is to be misunderstood. --Ralph Waldo Emerson, "Self-Reliance"