What gets wetter as it dries ??
Solution: Something you use after you bath.
Answer: A towel
Sunday 23 December 2012
Riddle 68
My first is twice in apple but not once in tart. My second is in liver but not in heart. My third is in giant and also in ghost. Whole I'm best when I am roast. What am I ??
Solution:Take out paper and pen and follow the instructions, check out the spellings or It is an animal or It is a mammal.
Answer: A pig
Riddle 67
My days are in the summer
When you'll eat me when I'm hot
In fact I'll even eat myself
Where battles tough are fought
But when you find me in a fight
'Twill be high in the sky
And if you catch me napping
I suggest you let me lie
When you're bad come to my house
From Ma get thoughts profound
Am I big or am I small ??
Some say I'm just a pound
Solution: It is man's best friend
Answer: Dog. Dog days, hot dog, dog pound, dog fight.
Riddle 66
There is one word that stands the test of time and holds fast to the center of everything. Though everyone will try at least once in their life to move around this word, but in fact, unknowingly, they use it every moment of the day. Young or old, awake or in sleep, human or animal, this word stands fast. It belongs to everyone, to all living things, but no one can master it. The word is ??
Solution: It is one of the force.
Answer: Gravity
Riddle 65
There once was a strange man who loved wordplay, he had a very important and successful business that would take insects shipments form all across the world and distribute them to zoos across the US.
Solution: The answer has ANT in it.
Answer:ImportANT
Monday 17 December 2012
Riddle 64
I am a box that holds keys without locks, yet they can unlock your soul.What am I??
Solution:You can find it in concert, in plays and theatre or this thing produce sound.
Answer: Piano
Riddle 63
It's true I bring serenity,
And hang around the stars
But yet I live in misery;
You'll find me behind bars
With thieves and villains I consort
In prison I'll be found
But I would never go to court,
Unless there's more than one
Solution:Read again as the answer is already in the text or Check out the spellings properly.
Answer: The letter S
Riddle 62
Three brothers share a family sport:
A non-stop marathon
The oldest one is fat and short
And trudges slowly on
The middle brother's tall and slim
And keeps a steady pace
The youngest runs just like a wind,
A-speeding through the race
"He's young in years, we let him run,"
The other brothers say
"Cause though he's surely number one,
He's second, in a way."
Solution: This thing is in something that wakes you up everyday or this thing is in something that his hanging on the wall.
Answer: The hands on the clock(hour, minute, second)
Riddle 61
Soft and fragile is my skin
I get my growth in mud
I'm dangerous as much as pretty
For if not careful, I draw blood
What am I ??
Solution: I am sharp.
Answer: A thorn
Friday 14 December 2012
Riddle 60
Kings and lords and Christians raised them
Since they stand for higher powers
Yet few of them would stand, I'm certain,
if women ruled this world of ours
What is it??
Solution: This thing is high in height or this thing is big in size
Answer: A tower
Riddle 59
Every dawn begins with me
At dusk I'll be the first you see
And daybreak couldn't come without
What midday centers all about
Daises grow from me,I'm told
And when I come, I end all cold
But in the sun I won't be found
Yet still, each day I'll be around
What am I ??
Solution: Read it properly as the answer is already given or check out the spellings properly and you will get the answer
Answer: The letter D
Riddle 58
Kings and queens may cling to power
and the jester's got his call
But, as you may all discover,
the common one outranks them all.
Solution: It looks like a letter
Answer: And ace or A( in a deck of cards)
Riddle 57
Reaching stiffly for the sky
I bare my fingers when it's cold
In warmth I wear an emerald glove
And in between I dress in gold
What am I ??
Solution: It is a living thing
Answer:A deciduous tree
Riddle 56
I drift with the current
down these long canals they've made
Tame, yet wild, I run elusive
Multitasking to your aid.
Before I came, the world was darker
Colder, sometimes, rougher, true
But though I might make living easy,
I'm good at killing people too.
What am I ??
Solution:This thing is present at every place or this thing is the reason for light to have.
Answer: Electricity or lightning
Riddle 55
One by one we fall from heaven
down into the depths of past
And our world is ever upturned
so that yet some time we'll last
Solution: People will use it instead of watch or this thing can be found on tables or this thing will last for 1 minute.
Answer: Sands in an hourglass
Riddle 54
I can be long, or I can be short.
I can be grown, and I can be bought.
I can be painted, or left bare.
I can be round, or square
What am I ??
Solution: Associate it with your body parts or the thing is something about your hands.
Answer: A fingernail
Riddle 51
A box without hinges, lock or key , yet golden treasure lies within. What is it ??
Answer: An egg
Riddle 48
I turn polar bears white
and I will make you cry.
I make guys have to pee
and girls comb their hairs.
I make celebrities look stupid
and normal people look like celebrities.
I turn pancakes brown
and make your champagne bubble.
If you squeeze me , I'll pop.
If you look at me, you'll pop.
Can you guess the riddle.
Answer:The answer to this admittedly lame riddle is,"No." The reason is that the question at the very end asks if you can guess the riddle and there is nothing that satisfies the requirements above.
Riddle 47
You saw me where I never was and where I could not be. And yet within that very place, my face you often see. What am I ??
Answer: A reflection
Riddle 46
I am , in truth, a yellow fork
From tables in the sky
By inadvertent fingers dropped
The awful cutlery.
Of mansions never quite disclosed
And never quite concealed
The apparatus of the dark
To ignore revealed
Answer: Lighting
Riddle 45
Whoever makes it, tells it not.
Whoever takes it, knows it not.
Whoever knows it, wants it not
What is it ??
Answer: Counterfeit money.
Riddle 44
As I went over London Bridge
I met my sister Jenny
I broke her neck and drank her blood
And left her standing empty
What is Jenny ??
Answer: A bottle of Gin
Riddle 42
What happens when you throw a yellow rock into a purple stream??
Answer: It makes a splash
Riddle 41
How far will a blind dog walk into a forest??
Answer: Halfway. After he gets halfway, he's walking out of the forest.
Riddle 40
It cannot be seen, it weighs nothing, but when put into a barrel, it makes it lighter. What is it ??
Answer: A holde
Riddle 39
Five hundred begins it, five hundreds end it,
Five in the middle is seen;
First of all figures, the first of all letters,
Take up their stations between.
Join all together, and then you will bring
Before you the name of an eminent king.
Answer: DAVID (Roman numerals)
D_V_ D
Riddle 38
Two is a corner,
1 in a room,
0 in a house, but 1 in a shelter. What am I ??
Answer: The letter r
Riddle 37
I build up castles,
I tear down mountains.
I make some men blind
I help others to see.
What am I ???
Answer: Sand
Riddle 36
What does man love more than life
Fear more than death or mortal strife
What the poor have, the rich require,
and what contented men desire,
What the miser spends and the spendthrift saves
And all men carry to their graves ??
Answer: Nothing
Riddle 35
At the sound of me, men may dream
Or stamp their feet
At the sound of me, women may laugh
Or sometimes weep
Answer: Music
Riddle 34
Three lives have I.
Gentle enough to soothe the skin,
Light enough to caress the sky,
Hard enough to crack rocks
Answer:Water
Riddle 33
You heard me before,
Yet you hear me again,
Then I die,
'Till you call me again.
Answer: An echo
Riddle 31
I am seen in the water
If seen in the sky,
I am in the rainbow,
A jay's feather,
And lapis lazuli
Answer: Blue
Riddle 30
My life can be measured in hours,
I serve by being devoured.
Thin, I am quick
Fat, I am slow
Wind is my foe
Answer: A Candle
Riddle 29
Each morning I appear
To lie at your feet,
All day I will follow
No matter how fast you run,
Yet I nearly perish
In the midday sun.
Answer: Shadow
Tuesday 11 December 2012
Riddle 28
Lighter than what
I am made of ,
More of me is hidden
Than is seen
What am I ??
Answer: Iceburg
Riddle 27
When set loose
I fly away,
Never so cursed
As when I go astray.
What am I ??
Answer: A fart
Riddle 24
If you break me
I do not stop working,
If you touch me
I may be snared,
If you loose me me
Nothing will matter
Answer
Riddle 23
All about, but cannot be seen,
Can be captured, cannot be held,
No throat, but can be heard
Answer: The wind
Riddle 22
When young, I am sweet in the sun.
When middle-aged, I make you gay.
When old, I am valued more than ever
Answer: Wine
Riddle 21
Half-way up the hill, I see thee at last, lying beneath me with thy sounds and sights -- A city in the twilight, dim and vast, with smoking roofs, soft bells, and gleaming lights.
Answer: The past. (Longfellow)
Answer: The past. (Longfellow)
Riddle 20
I have four legs but no tail. Usually I am heard only at night . What am I ??
Answer: A frog. The frog is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning "tail-less") and usually makes noises at night during its mating season.
Answer: A frog. The frog is an amphibian in the order Anura (meaning "tail-less") and usually makes noises at night during its mating season.
Riddle 19
I give you a group of three. One is sitting down, and will never get up. The second eats as much as is given to him, yet is always hungry. The third goes away and never returns.
Answer: Stove, fire, smoke
Answer: Stove, fire, smoke
Riddle 17
Ripped from my mother's womb,
Beaten and burned,
I become a blood thirsty killer.
What am I ??
Answer: Iron Ore
Beaten and burned,
I become a blood thirsty killer.
What am I ??
Answer: Iron Ore
Riddle 16
I am always hungry,
I must always be fed,
The finger I touch,
Will soon turn red.
What am I ??
Answer: Fire
I must always be fed,
The finger I touch,
Will soon turn red.
What am I ??
Answer: Fire
Riddle 15
You Throw away the outside and cook the inside. Then you eat the outside and throw away the inside. What did you eat ??
Answer.An ear of corn.
Answer.An ear of corn.
Riddle 14
What's black when you get it, red when you use it, and white when you're all through it ??
Answer: Charcoal.
Riddle 13
What English word has three consecutive double letters ??
Answer: Bookkeeper.An alternate, tricky, answer could be Woollen (where W is a "double u")
Answer: Bookkeeper.An alternate, tricky, answer could be Woollen (where W is a "double u")
Monday 10 December 2012
Riddle 10
The person who makes it, sells it. The person who buys it never uses it and the person who uses it doesn't know they are. What is it ??
Answer: A Coffin
Answer: A Coffin
Riddle 9
Think of words ending in -GRY. Angry and hungry are two of them.There are only three words in the English language.What is the third word ?? The word is something that everyone uses every day. If you have listened carefully, I have already told you what is it .
Answer: It states , " There are only three words in the English language. What is the third word ? " The third word of that phrase is of course "language." Don't get angry at me , I didn't make it up :)
Answer: It states , " There are only three words in the English language. What is the third word ? " The third word of that phrase is of course "language." Don't get angry at me , I didn't make it up :)
Riddle 8
What is in seasons, centuries and minutes but not in decades, years or days ??
Answer: The letter ' n'
Answer: The letter ' n'
Riddle 7
There was a green house. Inside the green house there was a white house. Inside the white house there was a red house. Inside the red house there were lots of babies.What is it ??
Answer: A Watermelon
Answer: A Watermelon
Riddle 6
At night they come without being fetched. By day they are lost without being stolen.What are they ??
Answer: The stars.
Answer: The stars.
Riddle 5
I never was, am always to be. No one ever saw me, nor ever will. And yet I am the confidence of all, To live and breathe on this terrestrial ball. What am I ??
Answer: Tomorrow or the future
Answer: Tomorrow or the future
Riddle 4
What always run but never walks, often murmurs, never talks, has a bed but never sleeps, has a mouth but never eats??
Answer: A river
Answer: A river
Riddle 3
I am the beginning of the end, and the end of time and space. I am essential to creation, and surrounded every place. What am I??
Answer: The letter e. End, timE, spacE , Every PlacE
Answer: The letter e. End, timE, spacE , Every PlacE
Riddle 2
It walks on four legs in the morning, two legs at noon and three legs in the evening. What is it ??
Answer: Man ( or woman). Crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult and uses two legs and a cane when they're old.
Answer: Man ( or woman). Crawls on all fours as a baby, walks on two legs as an adult and uses two legs and a cane when they're old.
Riddle 1
It is greater than God and more evil than the devil.The poor have it, the rich need it and if you eat you'll die. What is it>??
Answer: Nothing.Nothing is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the devil, the poor have nothing, the rich need nothing and if you eat nothing you'll die
Answer: Nothing.Nothing is greater than God, nothing is more evil than the devil, the poor have nothing, the rich need nothing and if you eat nothing you'll die
Sunday 9 December 2012
5 Color Words That Are Beautiful In More Than One Way
Primrose
Both a flower and a color, primrose literally meant "first rose" in Old French. The color was so called because the yellow rose is one of the earliest blooming roses in the Spring. What other stunning color comes from French?
Cerise
This burgundy-like red is called cerise. It comes from the French word of the same spelling meaning "cherry." It entered English in the 1850s describing this shade of cherry red. What color is named after a fictional character?
Celadon
The word celadon (for this lovely shade of greenish gray) comes from the name of character in the 1610 book "L'Astrée" by Honoré d'Urfé. The character Céladon was a sentimental lover who wore green clothes. The next color is also a flower with a very literal name.
Heliotrope
Heliotrope is a great word and a great color. Heliotrope literally meant "turn towards the sun" in Greek. Flowers that turned towards the sun became associated with this word. Since they were a vibrant purple, the color was also called heliotrope. The next color is a Latin lesson too.
Ecru
A shade of beige, ecru comes from the French word of the same spelling which meant "raw, unbleached." It came from the Latin root "crudus" meaning "raw" and the prefix "es-" meaning "thoroughly."
Both a flower and a color, primrose literally meant "first rose" in Old French. The color was so called because the yellow rose is one of the earliest blooming roses in the Spring. What other stunning color comes from French?
Cerise
This burgundy-like red is called cerise. It comes from the French word of the same spelling meaning "cherry." It entered English in the 1850s describing this shade of cherry red. What color is named after a fictional character?
Celadon
The word celadon (for this lovely shade of greenish gray) comes from the name of character in the 1610 book "L'Astrée" by Honoré d'Urfé. The character Céladon was a sentimental lover who wore green clothes. The next color is also a flower with a very literal name.
Heliotrope
Heliotrope is a great word and a great color. Heliotrope literally meant "turn towards the sun" in Greek. Flowers that turned towards the sun became associated with this word. Since they were a vibrant purple, the color was also called heliotrope. The next color is a Latin lesson too.
Ecru
A shade of beige, ecru comes from the French word of the same spelling which meant "raw, unbleached." It came from the Latin root "crudus" meaning "raw" and the prefix "es-" meaning "thoroughly."
If "dec" means ten, why is December the twelfth month ??
c.1000, from O.Fr. decembre, from L. December, from decem "ten"; tenth month of the old Roman calendar, which began with March. The -ber in four L. month names is probably from -bris, an adjectival suffix. Tucker thinks that the first five months were named for their
positions in the agricultural cycle, and "after the gathering in of the crops, the months were merely numbered."
If the word contains an element related to mensis, we must assume a *decemo-membris (from *-mensris). October must then be by analogy from a false division Sep-tem-ber &c. Perhaps, however, from *de-cem(o)-mr-is, i.e. "forming the tenth part or division," from *mer- ..., while October = *octuo-mr-is. [T.G. Tucker, "Etymological Dictionary of Latin"]
Do you know this contradictory word ??
Question :This word means both "to look over" and " to fail to notice."
Answer: Overlook
Answer: Overlook
What Does The Telephone Have To Do With The Word "Hello" ??
1883, alt. of hallo (1840), itself an alt. of holla, hollo, a shout to attract attention, first recorded 1588. Perhaps from holla! "stop, cease." Popularity as a greeting coincides with use of the telephone, where it won out over Alexander Graham Bell's suggestion, ahoy. Central telephone exchange operators were known as hello-girls (1889).
"Hello, formerly an Americanism, is now nearly as common as hullo in Britain (Say who you are; do not just say 'hello' is the warning given in our telephone directories) and the Englishman cannot be expected to give up the right to say hello if he likes it better than his native hullo. [H.W. Fowler, "A Dictionary of Modern English Usage," 1926]
The "dog" in hot dog:origins of classic American food names
Hamburger
These 4th of July classics actually derive their names from Africa, Asia, and other surprising locales. The word hamburger owes its origins to the German city of Hamburg. Historians believe that around the same time sausage-makers were refining their meat products, cooks in Hamburg served up a cooked version of steak tartare. Now what's up with the "dog" in hot dog??
Hot dog
The name was born when German immigrants in the United States began selling variations of sausages, some of which were thin and long, like dachshunds. Merchants with a morbid sense of humor started calling these "dachshund sausages." Over time, the phrase shortened into hot dog and the name stuck like ketchup. Learn the surprising source of "ketchup" in the next paragraph.
Ketchup
The common American condiment made of tomatoes and vinegar got its name from a very different sauce made in China. The word comes from the Malay word kichap, a brine of fish. American sailors added tomatoes to create the sauce we enjoy today. But what about ketchup's mortal enemy, mayonnaise??
Mayonnaise
We don't actually know where the weird word mayonnaise came from. There are two competing theories. One holds that it is named after Mahon, the city in Spain. However, the French contend that the word is a mutation of bayonnaise, from the French town Bayonne. Speaking of mayo and cabbage, what does the "cole" in cole slaw actually mean??
Coleslaw
Cole slaw was actually called cold slaw until the late 1800s. The word cole comes from the Dutch word for cabbage, kool. The word slaw has meant sliced cabbage since the late 1700s. The unusual word barbecue has an unusual origin to match. Find it on the next paragraph.
Barbeque
The word barbecue originated in a Native American language spoken in what is today Haiti. The Arawakan word barbakoa meant "framework of sticks." The contemporary meaning of "grill for cooking over an open fire" arose in the 1930s. Now find out what chili peppers have in common with the country of Chile.
Chilli
Like barbecue, the word chili comes from a Native American word. In this case the Central American language Nahuatl gave us the word xilli for pepper. In English it became chili. In fact the nation of Chile derives its name from a completely independent source and is the topic of scholarly dispute. There is no question however, where the soft drink cola gets its name.
Cola
The word cola actually comes from a tree, not a drink. It is named after the cola-nut tree, which is native to tropical western Africa. Colas were originally made with the dried leaves and nuts of cola tress, so both Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola took their names from their main ingredients. Have a happy Fourth of July!
These 4th of July classics actually derive their names from Africa, Asia, and other surprising locales. The word hamburger owes its origins to the German city of Hamburg. Historians believe that around the same time sausage-makers were refining their meat products, cooks in Hamburg served up a cooked version of steak tartare. Now what's up with the "dog" in hot dog??
Hot dog
The name was born when German immigrants in the United States began selling variations of sausages, some of which were thin and long, like dachshunds. Merchants with a morbid sense of humor started calling these "dachshund sausages." Over time, the phrase shortened into hot dog and the name stuck like ketchup. Learn the surprising source of "ketchup" in the next paragraph.
Ketchup
The common American condiment made of tomatoes and vinegar got its name from a very different sauce made in China. The word comes from the Malay word kichap, a brine of fish. American sailors added tomatoes to create the sauce we enjoy today. But what about ketchup's mortal enemy, mayonnaise??
Mayonnaise
We don't actually know where the weird word mayonnaise came from. There are two competing theories. One holds that it is named after Mahon, the city in Spain. However, the French contend that the word is a mutation of bayonnaise, from the French town Bayonne. Speaking of mayo and cabbage, what does the "cole" in cole slaw actually mean??
Coleslaw
Cole slaw was actually called cold slaw until the late 1800s. The word cole comes from the Dutch word for cabbage, kool. The word slaw has meant sliced cabbage since the late 1700s. The unusual word barbecue has an unusual origin to match. Find it on the next paragraph.
Barbeque
The word barbecue originated in a Native American language spoken in what is today Haiti. The Arawakan word barbakoa meant "framework of sticks." The contemporary meaning of "grill for cooking over an open fire" arose in the 1930s. Now find out what chili peppers have in common with the country of Chile.
Chilli
Like barbecue, the word chili comes from a Native American word. In this case the Central American language Nahuatl gave us the word xilli for pepper. In English it became chili. In fact the nation of Chile derives its name from a completely independent source and is the topic of scholarly dispute. There is no question however, where the soft drink cola gets its name.
Cola
The word cola actually comes from a tree, not a drink. It is named after the cola-nut tree, which is native to tropical western Africa. Colas were originally made with the dried leaves and nuts of cola tress, so both Pepsi-Cola and Coca-Cola took their names from their main ingredients. Have a happy Fourth of July!
Five English Words That Are Utterly Unique
Syzygy
Amazingly, the only English word with three Ys also happens to describe a rare astronomical event involving three heavenly bodies. A syzygy is the alignment of three celestial bodies in a straight line, commonly the Earth, the Sun and the Moon. Now, what is the only common English word to end in -mt??
Dreamt
A poet would appreciate how this past tense of dream possesses such a special quality -- the only word in regular English usage to end with -mt. We hear from people constantly who swear there must be another term ending in -mt. No one has ever actually offered a second example, however. Perhaps it exists in a dream. The next word is the exact opposite of -mt.
Tmesis
The sole term in the English language to begin with Tm- has an unusual meaning to match. Tmesis is the insertion of one or more words between the words that make up a compound phrase. For example: "what-so-ever" inserted in the middle of "whatever." You'll never guess what's next: the only word that contains X, Y, and Z.
Hydroxyzine
Only one word in all of English has an X, Y, and Z. Hydroxyzine is also the only word on this list that you may have swallowed at some point. This medication developed in the 1950s can help calm you down, prevent sneezing, and impress you with unique linguistic qualities. Our final word is more of a riddle: What is the only English term pronounced the same if you remove four letters??
Queue
Before it meant a line, a queue referred to the tail of a beast in medieval pictures and designs. The unusual spelling owes its origin to French, like so many words that look a little odd in English. Prior to the Frenchification of queue, Latin spelled it simply as coda. The duplication of U and E often feels like waiting in line: once you think you are almost there, the queue magically seems to repeat itself
Amazingly, the only English word with three Ys also happens to describe a rare astronomical event involving three heavenly bodies. A syzygy is the alignment of three celestial bodies in a straight line, commonly the Earth, the Sun and the Moon. Now, what is the only common English word to end in -mt??
Dreamt
A poet would appreciate how this past tense of dream possesses such a special quality -- the only word in regular English usage to end with -mt. We hear from people constantly who swear there must be another term ending in -mt. No one has ever actually offered a second example, however. Perhaps it exists in a dream. The next word is the exact opposite of -mt.
Tmesis
The sole term in the English language to begin with Tm- has an unusual meaning to match. Tmesis is the insertion of one or more words between the words that make up a compound phrase. For example: "what-so-ever" inserted in the middle of "whatever." You'll never guess what's next: the only word that contains X, Y, and Z.
Hydroxyzine
Only one word in all of English has an X, Y, and Z. Hydroxyzine is also the only word on this list that you may have swallowed at some point. This medication developed in the 1950s can help calm you down, prevent sneezing, and impress you with unique linguistic qualities. Our final word is more of a riddle: What is the only English term pronounced the same if you remove four letters??
Queue
Before it meant a line, a queue referred to the tail of a beast in medieval pictures and designs. The unusual spelling owes its origin to French, like so many words that look a little odd in English. Prior to the Frenchification of queue, Latin spelled it simply as coda. The duplication of U and E often feels like waiting in line: once you think you are almost there, the queue magically seems to repeat itself
Five English Words Without A Rhyme
Bulb
This funny word comes from the Ancient Greek word for "onion," bolbas. In the early 1800s, the word was applied to scientific instruments of a similar shape, including the thermometer bulb and the light bulb. It still hasn't found a word to rhyme with though. What other words do bards among us avoid??
Orange
This common fruit was first cultivated in Asia in 2500 B.C. The English word orange comes from the Persian word narana. Though they are tasty, they are not a poet's favorite fruit because the unusual word does not have an English rhyme. What more heavenly term lacks a rhyme??
Angel
Angel comes from the Greek word, angelos, which meant "messenger of God." However, its commonly confused cousin, angle, does have many rhymes. What word for a precious metal cannot find a rhyme?? Find it out in the nest paragraph !!
Silver
The word silver is from the Gothic word silubr. Its atomic symbol is Ag from the word argent, the Latin word for silver. Maybe if silver had a rhyme, it wouldn't be second to gold. You probably use the next word every day.
Month
The common -th ending takes on many different pronunciations, as in these other words without rhymes: depth, breadth, and width. These words share similar sounds, but none of them are perfect rhymes
This funny word comes from the Ancient Greek word for "onion," bolbas. In the early 1800s, the word was applied to scientific instruments of a similar shape, including the thermometer bulb and the light bulb. It still hasn't found a word to rhyme with though. What other words do bards among us avoid??
Orange
This common fruit was first cultivated in Asia in 2500 B.C. The English word orange comes from the Persian word narana. Though they are tasty, they are not a poet's favorite fruit because the unusual word does not have an English rhyme. What more heavenly term lacks a rhyme??
Angel
Angel comes from the Greek word, angelos, which meant "messenger of God." However, its commonly confused cousin, angle, does have many rhymes. What word for a precious metal cannot find a rhyme?? Find it out in the nest paragraph !!
Silver
The word silver is from the Gothic word silubr. Its atomic symbol is Ag from the word argent, the Latin word for silver. Maybe if silver had a rhyme, it wouldn't be second to gold. You probably use the next word every day.
Month
The common -th ending takes on many different pronunciations, as in these other words without rhymes: depth, breadth, and width. These words share similar sounds, but none of them are perfect rhymes
What's the link between these six words ??
Boabab
This six-part word riddle begins with the amazing-looking baobab tree of Madagascar. Also known as "upside-down trees," baobabs are famous for their swollen trunks and their fruit, called monkey bread. But don't get distracted by the tree; pay attention to the words.
Dachshund
As slender as the baobab is squat, dachshunds often have to settle for the simpler name "weiner dogs." The "dachs" in dachshund comes from a German word for badger, as the dogs have long been associated with hunting critters that live in tunnels. But do you see a theme between these words yet?
Yieldability
When you encounter a yield sign while driving, the idea is to slow down or stop so that another car can go. If you're a farmer, your fields yield crops. The question is, are the words yielding a pattern?
Hopscotch
The scotch in hopscotch actually meant scratch (as in scratching the lines for the game) in 1789 when the word was first recorded. Here's a hint about the riddle: the meaning of these six might be a distraction designed to keep you from seeing an answer that's in plain sight.
Youngberry
The youngberry is a hybrid of blackberries, raspberries and dewberries. Byrnes M. Young of Louisiana began concocting his namesake berry in 1905. It happens to be a hexaploid, but none of this has anything to do with the riddle you're trying to solve. The answer is waiting for you on the next paragraph.
Dumbfounded
So what secret meaning ties together baobab, dachshund, yieldability, hopscotch, youngberry and dumbfounded? Nothing. All six words begin and end with the same letter. The goal was to misdirect you with unusual trees, cute dogs, and more. Magicians call this legerdemain, or sleight of hand. If you figured this out before you reached dumbfounded, congratulations. Stay tuned for other brainteasers like this in the near future.
This six-part word riddle begins with the amazing-looking baobab tree of Madagascar. Also known as "upside-down trees," baobabs are famous for their swollen trunks and their fruit, called monkey bread. But don't get distracted by the tree; pay attention to the words.
Dachshund
As slender as the baobab is squat, dachshunds often have to settle for the simpler name "weiner dogs." The "dachs" in dachshund comes from a German word for badger, as the dogs have long been associated with hunting critters that live in tunnels. But do you see a theme between these words yet?
Yieldability
When you encounter a yield sign while driving, the idea is to slow down or stop so that another car can go. If you're a farmer, your fields yield crops. The question is, are the words yielding a pattern?
Hopscotch
The scotch in hopscotch actually meant scratch (as in scratching the lines for the game) in 1789 when the word was first recorded. Here's a hint about the riddle: the meaning of these six might be a distraction designed to keep you from seeing an answer that's in plain sight.
Youngberry
The youngberry is a hybrid of blackberries, raspberries and dewberries. Byrnes M. Young of Louisiana began concocting his namesake berry in 1905. It happens to be a hexaploid, but none of this has anything to do with the riddle you're trying to solve. The answer is waiting for you on the next paragraph.
Dumbfounded
So what secret meaning ties together baobab, dachshund, yieldability, hopscotch, youngberry and dumbfounded? Nothing. All six words begin and end with the same letter. The goal was to misdirect you with unusual trees, cute dogs, and more. Magicians call this legerdemain, or sleight of hand. If you figured this out before you reached dumbfounded, congratulations. Stay tuned for other brainteasers like this in the near future.
Eight Food Idioms That Are Right Under Your Nose
Nutshell
\The term "in a nutshell" refers to a shortened description, or a story told in no more words than can physically fit in the shell of a nut. But the origin of the term tests those limits with the most longwinded of tales. The ancient Roman encyclopaedist Pliny the Elder claimed that a copy of Homer's The Iliadexisted that was small enough to fit inside a walnut shell. Almost 2000 years later in the early 1700s the Bishop of Avranches tested Pliny's theory by writing out the epic in tiny handwriting on a walnut-sized piece of paper and lo and behold, he did it!
Beans
English speakers have been using the word "spill" to mean "divulge secret information" since 1547, but the spilling of beans in particular may predate the term by millennia. Many historians claim that secret societies in ancient Greece voted by dropping black or white beans into a clay urn. To spill thosebeans would be to reveal the results of a secret vote before the ballots had been counted. Kidney he lives, pinto he dies!
Pie
As many of us know from experience, it is not so easy to make a pie. A buttery crust can fall apart in the deftest of hands and around Thanksgiving many pumpkin "pies" might be more accurately deemed pumpkin "soups." On the other hand (or for our purposes) anyone can become an expert at eating a pie. Popularized in the U.S. in the late 1800s, the most notable use of pie to mean "simple and pleasurable" appears in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Apples
Apples and oranges refers to two incommensurable items, i.e. a comparison of things that cannot be compared. Though they are both fruits, apples and oranges are separated by color, taste, juiciness and 89.2 million years of evolution. The idiom first appeared as apples and oysters in John Ray's 1670 Proverb collection, and equivalent terms exist in many languages: "grandmothers and toads" in Serbian to "love and the eye of an axe" in Argentine Spanish.
Bananas
Not only does going bananas mean "to go crazy," the term can point to things for whichyou've gone bananas, or obsessions. According to lexicographer E.J. Lighter, going bananas refers to the term going ape often used in American popular culture in the second half of the 1900s. Apes were seen as crazy by the mid-century media, and what do apes eat? Bananas!
Tea
Though English is spoken all over the world, there are certain idioms that recall its, well, Englishness. Popularized in British Edwardian slang, cup of tea originally referred to something pleasant or agreeable. The negative usage as in not my cup of tea arose during World War II as a more polite way to say you didnt like something. "You dont say someone gives you a pain in the neck," explained Alister Cooke in his 1944 Letter from America. You just remark, he's not my cup of tea.'"
Cheese
Perhaps the savoriest idiom on this list, the word cheese can refer to a person or thing that is important or splendid as well as to the delicious dairy product. The usage is thought to have origins in Urdu, from the Persian chizmeaning "thing." In common usage, "the big cheese" is a person of importance or authority, and cheese is often associated with smiling, based on the "say cheese" method of posing for pictures.
Eggshells
Our final idiom is also our most delicate:walking on eggshells or taking great care not to upset someone. The term is thought to have originated in politics when diplomats were described as having the remarkable ability to tread so lightly around difficult situations, it was as though they were walking on eggshells. In a nutshell, we hope you go bananas with these food idioms. Whether or not they're your cup of tea, these terms are easy as pie to use and they'll make you the big cheese of any conversation! So go ahead and spill the beans, it's just like apples and oranges.
\The term "in a nutshell" refers to a shortened description, or a story told in no more words than can physically fit in the shell of a nut. But the origin of the term tests those limits with the most longwinded of tales. The ancient Roman encyclopaedist Pliny the Elder claimed that a copy of Homer's The Iliadexisted that was small enough to fit inside a walnut shell. Almost 2000 years later in the early 1700s the Bishop of Avranches tested Pliny's theory by writing out the epic in tiny handwriting on a walnut-sized piece of paper and lo and behold, he did it!
Beans
English speakers have been using the word "spill" to mean "divulge secret information" since 1547, but the spilling of beans in particular may predate the term by millennia. Many historians claim that secret societies in ancient Greece voted by dropping black or white beans into a clay urn. To spill thosebeans would be to reveal the results of a secret vote before the ballots had been counted. Kidney he lives, pinto he dies!
Pie
As many of us know from experience, it is not so easy to make a pie. A buttery crust can fall apart in the deftest of hands and around Thanksgiving many pumpkin "pies" might be more accurately deemed pumpkin "soups." On the other hand (or for our purposes) anyone can become an expert at eating a pie. Popularized in the U.S. in the late 1800s, the most notable use of pie to mean "simple and pleasurable" appears in Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.
Apples
Apples and oranges refers to two incommensurable items, i.e. a comparison of things that cannot be compared. Though they are both fruits, apples and oranges are separated by color, taste, juiciness and 89.2 million years of evolution. The idiom first appeared as apples and oysters in John Ray's 1670 Proverb collection, and equivalent terms exist in many languages: "grandmothers and toads" in Serbian to "love and the eye of an axe" in Argentine Spanish.
Bananas
Not only does going bananas mean "to go crazy," the term can point to things for whichyou've gone bananas, or obsessions. According to lexicographer E.J. Lighter, going bananas refers to the term going ape often used in American popular culture in the second half of the 1900s. Apes were seen as crazy by the mid-century media, and what do apes eat? Bananas!
Tea
Though English is spoken all over the world, there are certain idioms that recall its, well, Englishness. Popularized in British Edwardian slang, cup of tea originally referred to something pleasant or agreeable. The negative usage as in not my cup of tea arose during World War II as a more polite way to say you didnt like something. "You dont say someone gives you a pain in the neck," explained Alister Cooke in his 1944 Letter from America. You just remark, he's not my cup of tea.'"
Cheese
Perhaps the savoriest idiom on this list, the word cheese can refer to a person or thing that is important or splendid as well as to the delicious dairy product. The usage is thought to have origins in Urdu, from the Persian chizmeaning "thing." In common usage, "the big cheese" is a person of importance or authority, and cheese is often associated with smiling, based on the "say cheese" method of posing for pictures.
Eggshells
Our final idiom is also our most delicate:walking on eggshells or taking great care not to upset someone. The term is thought to have originated in politics when diplomats were described as having the remarkable ability to tread so lightly around difficult situations, it was as though they were walking on eggshells. In a nutshell, we hope you go bananas with these food idioms. Whether or not they're your cup of tea, these terms are easy as pie to use and they'll make you the big cheese of any conversation! So go ahead and spill the beans, it's just like apples and oranges.
Six Words That Can Ruin Your Sentence
Actually
Crutch words are words that we slip into sentences in order to give ourselves more time to think, or to emphasize a statement. Over time, they become unconscious verbal tics. Most often, crutch words do not add meaning of a statement. "Actually" is the perfect example of a crutch word. It is meant to signify something that exists in reality, but it is more often used as a way to add punch to a statement (as in, "I actually have no idea").
Literally
This adverb should be used to describe an action that occurs in a strict sense. Often, however, it is used inversely to emphasize a hyperbolic or figurative statement: "I literally ran 300 miles today." Literally is one of the most famously used crutch words in English.
Basically
This phrase is used to signal truth, simplicity, and confidence, like in "Basically, he made a bad decision." It should signify something that is fundamental or elementary, but too often this word is used in the context of things that are far from basic in order to create a sense of authority and finality.
Honestly
This crutch word is used to assert authority or express incredulity, as in, "Honestly, I have no idea why he said that." However, it very rarely adds honesty to a statement
Like
The cardinal sinner of lazy words like is interspersed in dialogue to give a speaker more time to think or because the speaker cannot shake the habit of using the word. Like should describe something of the same form, appearance, kind, character, or amount. But, very often, it is used involuntarily in conversation, just like um
Obviously
This word should signify an action which is readily observable, recognized, or understood. Speakers tend to use it, however, to emphasize their point with regards to things that arent necessarily obvious: "Obviously he should have thrown the ball to first base."
Crutch words are words that we slip into sentences in order to give ourselves more time to think, or to emphasize a statement. Over time, they become unconscious verbal tics. Most often, crutch words do not add meaning of a statement. "Actually" is the perfect example of a crutch word. It is meant to signify something that exists in reality, but it is more often used as a way to add punch to a statement (as in, "I actually have no idea").
Literally
This adverb should be used to describe an action that occurs in a strict sense. Often, however, it is used inversely to emphasize a hyperbolic or figurative statement: "I literally ran 300 miles today." Literally is one of the most famously used crutch words in English.
Basically
This phrase is used to signal truth, simplicity, and confidence, like in "Basically, he made a bad decision." It should signify something that is fundamental or elementary, but too often this word is used in the context of things that are far from basic in order to create a sense of authority and finality.
Honestly
This crutch word is used to assert authority or express incredulity, as in, "Honestly, I have no idea why he said that." However, it very rarely adds honesty to a statement
Like
The cardinal sinner of lazy words like is interspersed in dialogue to give a speaker more time to think or because the speaker cannot shake the habit of using the word. Like should describe something of the same form, appearance, kind, character, or amount. But, very often, it is used involuntarily in conversation, just like um
Obviously
This word should signify an action which is readily observable, recognized, or understood. Speakers tend to use it, however, to emphasize their point with regards to things that arent necessarily obvious: "Obviously he should have thrown the ball to first base."
Friday 7 December 2012
The Real-world Things That Define These Uncommon Colors
The greenish-blue hue of teal has become a common presence in corporate offices. The name derives from a much more natural source: the colors that surround the eye of the Common Teal, a duck that thrives in Europe and Asia. Now, how about a color with one of the goofiest names in existence?
Periwinkle is the name of a plant and a sea snail, but the color is linked to the cool blue flower of the vine-like evergreen. The word derives from the Latin "pervincire," to entwine. What's the origin of an equally fancy color term, vermilion?
The odd reddish portions of this crystal are a nasty mix of mercury and sulfur. If vermilion, another name for this color, reminds you a little of the word "worm," congratulations. Vermilion derives from a term meaning larva because ingredients for a related dye came from the crushed bodies of insects.
Imagine living in a place where the water is such a vibrant blue that a color is named after the aquatic sight. Capri is described as a blue between azure and cyan. It is also a Mediterranean island off the coast of Italy.
The color burgundy is described as a grayish red-brown to dark blackish-purple, but here a picture may convey the meaning of the word with more zest and efficiency.The classic wine and the hue share the same name origin: a region in the center of France.
Periwinkle is the name of a plant and a sea snail, but the color is linked to the cool blue flower of the vine-like evergreen. The word derives from the Latin "pervincire," to entwine. What's the origin of an equally fancy color term, vermilion?
The odd reddish portions of this crystal are a nasty mix of mercury and sulfur. If vermilion, another name for this color, reminds you a little of the word "worm," congratulations. Vermilion derives from a term meaning larva because ingredients for a related dye came from the crushed bodies of insects.
Imagine living in a place where the water is such a vibrant blue that a color is named after the aquatic sight. Capri is described as a blue between azure and cyan. It is also a Mediterranean island off the coast of Italy.
The color burgundy is described as a grayish red-brown to dark blackish-purple, but here a picture may convey the meaning of the word with more zest and efficiency.The classic wine and the hue share the same name origin: a region in the center of France.
Light Up Your Language For The Festival Of Lights
In Judaism, the Hanukkah holiday is the "festival of lights." Lasting 8 days, the holiday commemorates the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem in 165 BCE. Once the Temple was won, the Jews found only enough oil to keep the eternal flame of the menorah lit for one day. According to legend, the miracle of Hanukkah occurred when that small amount sustained the menorah's light for eight days, in order for more oil to be made. Fittingly, hanukkah literally means "a dedicating" in Hebrew.
As is the case with many languages, there are certain sounds in Hebrew that just don't exist in English. The first letter of Chanukah, the modern Hebrew letter chet, makes a sound called a "voiceless velar fricative," a chin the back of the throat similar to the Scottish pronunciation of loch. The classical Hebrew pronunciation had a softer ch sound, represented by the H instead of Ch inHanukkah. The modern Hebrew pronunciation has a harder Ch sound represented by the Ch instead of H inChanukah. Today both spellings exist side by side.
The Hanukkah Menorah (also called thehanukiah) is a candelabrum with 9 branches. Eight of the candles represent each night of Hanukkah, while the ninth (the shammes) is used to light the others. The original menorah in the biblical Temple of Jerusalem had only 7 branches, representing the 7 branches of human knowledge and the 7 days of biblical creation. The Hanukkah Menorah has a more specific purpose, representing the 8 nights of the holiday. Translated from the Hebrew, menorah means "candlestick."
Originally from the Aramaic shemash, meaning "to serve," shammes means "attendant" in modern Hebrew. The shammes is the ninth candle on the Hanukkah Menorah, used to light the candles representing each night. The Hanukkah candles are lit from right to left, mirroring the direction in which Hebrew is read. On the first night of Hanukkah the menorah will have only two candles, the shammes and the right most candle. On the last night, a full menorah will display all 9.
In Jewish history, Hanukkah and the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem is the work of the Maccabees, an ancient family of Jewish leaders who rebelled against their colonizers. After years of oppression under King Antiochus Epiphanes, Judas Maccabaeus led a rebel army against Antiochus and reclaimed not only the Temple but Jewish freedom. The name Maccabee is derived from the Hebrew maqqabh meaning "hammer" and was given to Judas and the rebels in honor of their fortitude.
So, you've lit the menorah, retold the story of Hanukkah, and now dinner is in the oven. What happens now? It's time to play dreidel! The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top bearing the Hebrew letters (nun, gimel, hei, shin). The letters on the faces of the dreidel form an acronym for the phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Sham meaning "a great miracle happened there" referring to Israel and the Temple of Jerusalem. Children spin the dreidel and win or lose based on the letter facing up when the top stops spinning.
So, playing dreidel sounds fun, but what are you playing for? Hanukkah gelt, of course! A piece of Hanukkah gelt is a chocolate coin usually wrapped in gold foil, designed for children to gamble with during a game of dreidel. Gelt is Yiddish, derived from the Old High German, for "money."
If you don't have a sweet tooth, you might think latkes are the most delicious part of Hanukkah. A latke is a potato pancake made from shredded potato and fried in oil, often served with applesauce or sour cream. Like "gelt," "latke" is a Yiddish word derived from the Russian latka meaning "pastry." The oil in which latkes are fried represents the oil that kept the menorah burning in the story of Hanukkah.
As is the case with many languages, there are certain sounds in Hebrew that just don't exist in English. The first letter of Chanukah, the modern Hebrew letter chet, makes a sound called a "voiceless velar fricative," a chin the back of the throat similar to the Scottish pronunciation of loch. The classical Hebrew pronunciation had a softer ch sound, represented by the H instead of Ch inHanukkah. The modern Hebrew pronunciation has a harder Ch sound represented by the Ch instead of H inChanukah. Today both spellings exist side by side.
The Hanukkah Menorah (also called thehanukiah) is a candelabrum with 9 branches. Eight of the candles represent each night of Hanukkah, while the ninth (the shammes) is used to light the others. The original menorah in the biblical Temple of Jerusalem had only 7 branches, representing the 7 branches of human knowledge and the 7 days of biblical creation. The Hanukkah Menorah has a more specific purpose, representing the 8 nights of the holiday. Translated from the Hebrew, menorah means "candlestick."
Originally from the Aramaic shemash, meaning "to serve," shammes means "attendant" in modern Hebrew. The shammes is the ninth candle on the Hanukkah Menorah, used to light the candles representing each night. The Hanukkah candles are lit from right to left, mirroring the direction in which Hebrew is read. On the first night of Hanukkah the menorah will have only two candles, the shammes and the right most candle. On the last night, a full menorah will display all 9.
In Jewish history, Hanukkah and the rededication of the Temple of Jerusalem is the work of the Maccabees, an ancient family of Jewish leaders who rebelled against their colonizers. After years of oppression under King Antiochus Epiphanes, Judas Maccabaeus led a rebel army against Antiochus and reclaimed not only the Temple but Jewish freedom. The name Maccabee is derived from the Hebrew maqqabh meaning "hammer" and was given to Judas and the rebels in honor of their fortitude.
So, you've lit the menorah, retold the story of Hanukkah, and now dinner is in the oven. What happens now? It's time to play dreidel! The dreidel is a four-sided spinning top bearing the Hebrew letters (nun, gimel, hei, shin). The letters on the faces of the dreidel form an acronym for the phrase Nes Gadol Hayah Sham meaning "a great miracle happened there" referring to Israel and the Temple of Jerusalem. Children spin the dreidel and win or lose based on the letter facing up when the top stops spinning.
So, playing dreidel sounds fun, but what are you playing for? Hanukkah gelt, of course! A piece of Hanukkah gelt is a chocolate coin usually wrapped in gold foil, designed for children to gamble with during a game of dreidel. Gelt is Yiddish, derived from the Old High German, for "money."
If you don't have a sweet tooth, you might think latkes are the most delicious part of Hanukkah. A latke is a potato pancake made from shredded potato and fried in oil, often served with applesauce or sour cream. Like "gelt," "latke" is a Yiddish word derived from the Russian latka meaning "pastry." The oil in which latkes are fried represents the oil that kept the menorah burning in the story of Hanukkah.
Thursday 6 December 2012
7 Wacky Words Born In The USA
The U.S. may have won independence from Britain, but the English can gloat that Americans still speak a language named after them. American English, however, has spawned more than a few amazing words - including lollapalooza, "an extraordinary thing, person, or event." Our next term has a history as unusual as it is tragic
Sockdolager, meaning a "decisive blow or remark," is the product of an American fad to mix and match Latin roots and slang to create new, often silly, words. Partly derived from sock, to punch, and possibly from doxology, the end of a service, sockdolager was one of the last words Lincoln heard before he was assassinated.
Catawumpus, "confused or diagonal," seems to have its origin in the South or Midwest in the 1840s. Think of the phrase kitty-cornered and you'll see a shared origin between kitty- and cata-. The source of wumpus, on the other hand, may just be a funny-sounding mystery. The next term may be the funniest sounding word in all of English . . .
Hornswoggle means "to trick or hoax." It would be a deception for us to say we know the exact origin of hornswoggle, but its first known appearance in 1829 was in the U.S. Now, is "foofaraw" an actual word, or are you being hornswoggled??
A foofaraw is either "a great fuss about something insignificant" or "an excessive amount of decoration." The term comes from the American West and is a mutation of the Spanish fanfaron, meaning "show-off." Are you ready for us to top the silliness of foofaraw?
One of the most common words on this list, discombobulate sounds like something from a cartoon. It was first recorded as "discombobracate," then "discomboobulate." They all mean exactly what they sound like: "to confuse or upset." Our next and final term is what you might call someone who makes you feel discombobulated.
We hope that bumptious, "offensively self-assertive," is the sockdolager that dicombobulates you to the point of feeling catawumpus. These lollapaloozas of English speak for themselves. If you feel hornswoggled by any foofaraw, you just may want to absquatulate.
Sockdolager, meaning a "decisive blow or remark," is the product of an American fad to mix and match Latin roots and slang to create new, often silly, words. Partly derived from sock, to punch, and possibly from doxology, the end of a service, sockdolager was one of the last words Lincoln heard before he was assassinated.
Catawumpus, "confused or diagonal," seems to have its origin in the South or Midwest in the 1840s. Think of the phrase kitty-cornered and you'll see a shared origin between kitty- and cata-. The source of wumpus, on the other hand, may just be a funny-sounding mystery. The next term may be the funniest sounding word in all of English . . .
Hornswoggle means "to trick or hoax." It would be a deception for us to say we know the exact origin of hornswoggle, but its first known appearance in 1829 was in the U.S. Now, is "foofaraw" an actual word, or are you being hornswoggled??
A foofaraw is either "a great fuss about something insignificant" or "an excessive amount of decoration." The term comes from the American West and is a mutation of the Spanish fanfaron, meaning "show-off." Are you ready for us to top the silliness of foofaraw?
One of the most common words on this list, discombobulate sounds like something from a cartoon. It was first recorded as "discombobracate," then "discomboobulate." They all mean exactly what they sound like: "to confuse or upset." Our next and final term is what you might call someone who makes you feel discombobulated.
We hope that bumptious, "offensively self-assertive," is the sockdolager that dicombobulates you to the point of feeling catawumpus. These lollapaloozas of English speak for themselves. If you feel hornswoggled by any foofaraw, you just may want to absquatulate.
Discover Nine Novel English Neologisms Now !!
The slang term 'nerd' means an intelligent but single-minded person, obsessed with a certain hobby or pursuit, e.g. a computer nerd. But the word that has been the bane of so many elementary schooler's existence was actually invented by their king: none other than Dr. Seuss himself! The word first appeared in print in Seuss's 1950 picture book, If I Ran the Zoo, though Seuss's 'nerd' is a small animal from the land of Ka-Troo, not a pale kid with glasses taped together.
The origin of this word may add some unexpected irony to the well-known internet browser. Originally coined by Jonathan Swift in his 1726 novel Gulliver's Travels, Yahoo refers to the brutish race of homo sapiens ruled by the Houyhnhnm, a noble race of speaking horses. Swift's Yahoo's display all of the vices of humanity with none of the virtues, thus it makes sense that the word has come to mean 'a course or brutish person.' If you say 'yahoo' loud enough you might be moved to experience our next neologism
.Lewis Carroll coined this funny term for a gleeful chuckle in his 1872 novel, Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In the novel, the word appears in a verse poem titled "The Jabberwocky," in which Alice finds a book that can only be read using a mirror. The old man in the poem "chortles in his joy" when his son beheads the terrible monster. Today the word is widely thought to be a combination of 'chuckle' and 'snort.'
Utopia is the title of Sir Thomas More's whimsical and satirical book written in 1516. More envisions a perfect society situated on an island that he names Utopia. Developing the word from the Greek topos for 'place,' More choose the prefix ou- or u- meaning 'not' or 'no.' Thus the name Utopia quite literally means no place at all. Even though More might have his reservations about the achievability of a perfect world, our next neologism might be the closest thing to a perfect sound.
The American poet and author Edgar Allen Poe coined this onomatopoetic word in his 1849 poem "The Bells." The poem was published shortly after Poe's death, and though the four sections of the piece become progressively darker as Poe describes four different types of bells, 'tintinnabulation' characterizes the joyous sound of silver sleigh bells, foretelling "a world of merriment." The word is derived from the Latin tinniremeaning 'to ring' combined with the instrumental suffix 'bulum.'
Do you feel like nobody groks you? Don't worry, Robert A. Heinlein does. In his 1961 best-selling science fiction novel, Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein coined the term to mean an understanding so thorough that "the observer becomes a part of the observed--to merge, blend, intermarry, lose identity in group experience." But in common usage the term means to communicate sympathetically or to 'drink in' understanding.
Though you might not want to build a house there, anyone with a computer has a stake in cyberspace. Coined by the science fiction writer William Gibson, 'cyberspace' first appeared in a 1982 short story. The word combines the terms 'cybernetics' (the use of mechanical and electronic systems to replace human function) and 'space' (an area or realm). Together they form 'cyberspace,' the realm of electronic communication or virtual reality. If you've ever thought 'virtual reality' was a bit of an oxymoron, you might be familiar with our final neologism
"The deal sounds great, but what's the catch?" Have you heard something like this? Then you'd better hope the catch isn't a Catch-22. The phrase represents a frustrating situation in which one is trapped by contradictory regulations or conditions.Catch-22 is the title and central problem of Joseph Heller's 1961 novel, and in Heller's context the catch represents a simultaneously dangerous and idiotic military regulation that maddens the poor characters tangled in his Catch-22.
The origin of this word may add some unexpected irony to the well-known internet browser. Originally coined by Jonathan Swift in his 1726 novel Gulliver's Travels, Yahoo refers to the brutish race of homo sapiens ruled by the Houyhnhnm, a noble race of speaking horses. Swift's Yahoo's display all of the vices of humanity with none of the virtues, thus it makes sense that the word has come to mean 'a course or brutish person.' If you say 'yahoo' loud enough you might be moved to experience our next neologism
.Lewis Carroll coined this funny term for a gleeful chuckle in his 1872 novel, Through the Looking Glass, the sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. In the novel, the word appears in a verse poem titled "The Jabberwocky," in which Alice finds a book that can only be read using a mirror. The old man in the poem "chortles in his joy" when his son beheads the terrible monster. Today the word is widely thought to be a combination of 'chuckle' and 'snort.'
Utopia is the title of Sir Thomas More's whimsical and satirical book written in 1516. More envisions a perfect society situated on an island that he names Utopia. Developing the word from the Greek topos for 'place,' More choose the prefix ou- or u- meaning 'not' or 'no.' Thus the name Utopia quite literally means no place at all. Even though More might have his reservations about the achievability of a perfect world, our next neologism might be the closest thing to a perfect sound.
The American poet and author Edgar Allen Poe coined this onomatopoetic word in his 1849 poem "The Bells." The poem was published shortly after Poe's death, and though the four sections of the piece become progressively darker as Poe describes four different types of bells, 'tintinnabulation' characterizes the joyous sound of silver sleigh bells, foretelling "a world of merriment." The word is derived from the Latin tinniremeaning 'to ring' combined with the instrumental suffix 'bulum.'
Do you feel like nobody groks you? Don't worry, Robert A. Heinlein does. In his 1961 best-selling science fiction novel, Stranger in a Strange Land, Heinlein coined the term to mean an understanding so thorough that "the observer becomes a part of the observed--to merge, blend, intermarry, lose identity in group experience." But in common usage the term means to communicate sympathetically or to 'drink in' understanding.
Though you might not want to build a house there, anyone with a computer has a stake in cyberspace. Coined by the science fiction writer William Gibson, 'cyberspace' first appeared in a 1982 short story. The word combines the terms 'cybernetics' (the use of mechanical and electronic systems to replace human function) and 'space' (an area or realm). Together they form 'cyberspace,' the realm of electronic communication or virtual reality. If you've ever thought 'virtual reality' was a bit of an oxymoron, you might be familiar with our final neologism
"The deal sounds great, but what's the catch?" Have you heard something like this? Then you'd better hope the catch isn't a Catch-22. The phrase represents a frustrating situation in which one is trapped by contradictory regulations or conditions.Catch-22 is the title and central problem of Joseph Heller's 1961 novel, and in Heller's context the catch represents a simultaneously dangerous and idiotic military regulation that maddens the poor characters tangled in his Catch-22.
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