Winter League Begins!

 Indoor Winter League starts Sunday, November 7!  

4 - 7 p.m. at the Logan Fieldhouse Gym (1500 Ranger Dr., La Crosse)

$10 per session, Register now!

We'll start off with examining the word "sned," which stumped even the dictionary last time (though it is included in the Scrabble dictionary...).  Synonyms/alternates were listed as "snathe," "sneed," and "snath."  However, it turns out that "sneed" is also nowhere to be found (at least not in any online or print dictionary that I looked in).  Here's what I did find:

SNATH (listed by Dictionary.com as an "unexplained variation of snead" from the 16th century):

The shaft or handle of a scythe.

In addition to the above definition, "snathe" has another meaning, according to Webster's Unabridged Dictionary:

SNATHE (akin to various Germanic words meaning "to cut," such as: Icelandic sneida, German schneiden, Anglo-Saxon besniden, Gothic sneidan, English snath, snithe)

To lop; to prune.

So, it seems that the word has something to do with cutting, possibly crudely rather than precisely, and the word/s is/are no longer used regularly.  Good to know.  Let's continue with some words that we might actually use.

OCTONARY (from Latin octonarius, "containing eight", which is ultimately from the Indo-European root octo, "eight"):

adjective:

1. Of or pertaining to the number 8.

2.Consisting of 8.

3. Proceeding by eight.

noun:

4. A group or set of eight (an ogdoad [wow, another good word]).

5. A stanza of 8 lines

6. A number in an octonary system (I assume from def. 3 above)

Also can be synonymous with OCTAL:

Of or pertaining to a number system with base 8, employing the numerals 0 through 7.

Interesting.

The above definitions are a compilation of the Random House Dictionary (2006) and the American Heritage Dictionary (2006).

I was expecting some good guess for "ignitron," but no one came forth.  Here's what you could've gotten right:

IGNITRON (word used in Electronics, coined in the 1930s from ignite + tron):

A rectifying cathode-arc vacuum tube with an auxiliary electrode projecting into a pool of mercury that conducts current when the anode is positive.

Okay, this issue's words are more useful, and modern, so hopefully there will be plenty of folks who think they know what they mean!

LOGY (also spelled LOAGY)

KRUNK

SCHMOOPY

Good luck - happy guessing!

treen, scandent, sned

Diving right into the answers you've been eagerly awaiting...

The first two definitions are from The Random House Webster's College Dictionary (1995).

TREEN  (Middle English and Old English adjective from before 1000 AD):  

1.  Small household objects, as utensils or dishes, made entirely of wood.

2.  Made of wood.

Check out the Encyclopedia Britannica's interesting discussion of this word at:

www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/690380/treen

From that, it seems that treen refers to specific items, and maybe not only wooden items either.  So make sure that you use it appropriately, so as to avoid confusion.  Especially when speaking with a specialist in antiquities of the Middle Ages.

Bleet! was the only person who responded this week, and in general his responses were pretty far off... but in the case of scandent he was closer, in that his response was more or less the exact opposite of the dictionary's definition:

SCANDENT  (from Latin scandere, meaning "to climb"):

Climbing, as a plant.

Sned was a little harder to find a definition of.  It wasn't in the Webster's College Dictionary at all, and a preliminary internet search yielded only minimal help:

SNED (from sneed):

To snathe.

See: snath

See what I mean?  I did look up those other words, and dug a little deeper...BUT I won't share the answers with you now.  I thought I'd see if, given these additional clues, any of you can come up with the answer.  So your first word for next week is actually all 3 of those.  I tossed a couple new ones in there, too, to keep the rest of you interested!   Good luck...keep warm!

SNEED/SNATHE/SNATH

OCTONARY

IGNITRON

Use them all in a sentence if you think you can...

Welcome back!  Note that, since this was the last set of words from our previous competition, I have gone ahead and included those old guesses in the discussions of the answers here, as well as the new comments.  This is your last chance to get off that easily, folks - and remember that you can e-mail me your responses if you'd prefer not to "comment" here!

Correct Answers:

Parosmia (from Greek osme, "smell" + par(a) in its meaning as "incorrect, abnormal"; a term in New Latin from pathology):

A disorder or distortion of the sense of smell.

K and BLE (previously) got this one right, pretty much!  Bleet's definition was a bit too broad, but on the right track.  JMJ's thought of "some sort of illness, mainly in the brain and that flows across some tissues" could apply to many things, but probably not this.  Van and Jeff both (previously) guessed blindness/loss of vision which was interesting, but not cigar this time, guys.

Jactitation (from Med. Latin iactitatio "false declaration" from Latin iactitare "to utter", freq. of iactare "to boast", in turn frequentative of iacere "to throw."):

1.  A false boasting or claim, especially one detrimental to the interests of another.

2. Extreme restlessness or tossing in bed, as can occur with some forms of acute disease.

(Above definition is from The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed.  Other sources defined the tossing/twitching/restlessness as having to do with psychiatric illness.)

Jeff (prev) guessed "utterance," interesting because I would've expected him to get this right!  Oh, well.  Other guesses were similar, including repetitive chattering, jabbering, and "impressions of people's voices" (from Van).  Apparently the doubly-frequentative nature of the word was obvious to all of you! K was the closest this time - good job!

Sabbatize (virtually unchanged from Middle English sabbatisen, Late Latin sabbatizare, and Greek sabbatizein):

To keep the Sabbath, or to keep as the Sabbath (when used with an object).

Both Van and Jeff (prev) guessed that this word meant "rest," which is close but not specific enough.  JMJ (prev) guessed "Celebrate the Sabbath?" which is again not exactly right but pretty close.

Okay, good job, guys.  K, you might be doing too well...no checking the answers before you take the test! Just kidding - I know you're just too smart.

This week's vocabulary items are all words that the game "Scramble" says are words, but that I have never heard of.  Of course, they do not accept "rebend," "erse," or "zen" as words, so I'm not sure about the judging.  I rebend stuff all the time.  Anyway, I like these words, and I hope you will, too:

TREEN

SCANDENT

SNED

Good luck, and have fun!

WWT #3.24 -- 5/13/03

Hey, there!  As promised, this is the last/final edition of the former WWT.  I've reprinted it pretty much verbatim here...just added a few words to make it understandable for the newly-initiated.  The beginning of it, therefore, is actually the answer section for the previous week's words (lissom, crawk, and haptic).  The words for you all to guess this week are at the end.  Enjoy:

WWT #3.24

5/13/03

A quiz:
1. The best meaning for “lissom” is:
a) svelte, comely
b) lithe and supple
c) full of cellulite and very arthritic
d) serpentine

2. One meaning for “crawk” is:
a) to utter a birdsound
b) a crow’s head on a hawk’s body
c) a hawk’s head on a crow’s body
d) a sham or trick

3. The correct meaning for “haptic” is:

a) happy but in a hidden way

b) eccentric, erratic, irregular

c) relating to touch and the sense of touch

d) very openly sad

LISSOM(E) (alternative form of “lithesome”)—answer “b,” though “a” is close (congrats to VAN for getting this one right, and also a nod to Brendan, Jill, and Jeff).
1. easily flexed: slender, lithe, limber.
2. quick and light in action: nimble.
Also: lissome (2) is an adverb meaning: in a lissome manner: supplely, nimbly.
(from Middle English “lithe, lith,” from Old English “lithe,” meaning “mild, gentle,” akin to Old Scottish “lithi,” meaning “mild, gentle;” Old High German “linidi;” Latin “lentus;” meaning “flexible, slow;” Welsh “llathr,” meaning “bright, smooth;” and Sanskrit “lata,” meaning “vine, liana.” Basic meaning: “flexible.”)

CRAWK (1) – answer “a” is closest to this first definition (great job JILL)
verb, imitative: to utter a harsh squawk
CRAWK (2)
noun; a sound-effects man who imitates animals (as for radio programs).

HAPTIC – “c” is the correct answer, as BRENDAN knew!
1. relating to or based on the sense of touch (“haptic impressions”)
2. characterized by a predilection for the sense of touch (“a haptic person”)
(From Greek “haptein,” meaning “to fasten.”)

Next week’s words, with a hint to start you off:

PAROSMIA (“As a haptic person, the parosmia did not debilitate him as much as it might have.”)
JACTITATION (“Mary’s jactitation sounded to Barb as a vulture’s crawk to an eagle.)
SABBATIZE (“Ron’s lissome wife made it difficult for him to sabbatize.”)

Have fun!

The WWT Returns

Welcome Back!  Or just Welcome!  ... to the new incarnation of Weekly Word Trivia!  To those of you not privy to the first version, this is a major change: a move into the 21st century, you could say (though the first version began in 2000).  This vocabulary challenge/questioning about words and our language started as a very basic e-mail exchange: I'd send an e-mail with the word of the week, people would send back their guesses as to what the words meant, and I'd compile the best and funniest responses, along with the right answers, and send it back to the list.  I'm hoping that this blog will be, well, a lot easier for me, but also a means to further the linguistic examination and exploration.  You'll get to read everyone's answers, and comment on whatever you want!  

But note: this only works (that is, it is only fun for me, and therefore for you) if people respond with their trivia guesses.  You don't have to respond every week; you don't have to be right; you don't have to be funny.  Maybe you even want to go for the "balderdash" strategy and try to throw everyone off of the correct definition with your well-crafted piece of b.s. (hint: use "of or pertaining to" in your definition).  Of course, if you give a really stupid answer, everyone will know, because this is a blog and the comments are public.  You will have to decide if this is something you are willing to risk (I clearly am, because I am writing this whole darn thing).

Look for these posts to come:

• The last issue of the old WWT to start us off...how much do you remember?
  
• New words of the last 4 years
• The archives! - I hope to get all of the old WWT issues up on here eventually, assuming that I can find them

Suggestions welcome: format, title, words, topics all open for comment!