Word of the day

[Richard Ruck]

Another 'borrowed' word today :

fioritura

• noun (pl. fioriture) Music an embellishment of a melody, especially as improvised by an operatic singer.
— origin Italian, literally ‘flowering’, from fiorire ‘to flower’.

[Richard Ruck]

voussoir

• noun Architecture - a wedge-shaped or tapered stone used to construct an arch.
— origin early 18th cent: via French from popular Latin volsorium, based on Latin volvere ‘to roll’. The word, borrowed from Old French, was also used for a time in late Middle English.

[Richard Ruck]

seconde

• noun Fencing - the second of eight parrying positions.
— origin early 18th cent.: from French, feminine of second ‘second’.

[englishangel]

seconde

• noun Fencing - the second of eight parrying positions.
— origin early 18th cent.: from French, feminine of second ‘second’.

Ah, I have used this one. I fenced at University.

Not very well, difficult at 9am on a Saturday with a hangover.

[Richard Ruck]

seconde

• noun Fencing - the second of eight parrying positions.
— origin early 18th cent.: from French, feminine of second ‘second’.

Ah, I have used this one. I fenced at University.

Not very well, difficult at 9am on a Saturday with a hangover.

Sounds dangerous!

I don't think 9 a.m. on a Saturday existed when I was at University....

[englishangel]

It only lasted until Easter of my first year. then I moved out of digs and into a bedsit where I had to look after myself. All Saturday morning vanished then.

[Richard Ruck]

ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.
— origin late 19th cent. (originally Scots in the sense ‘proceed warily’): from ca' (variant of the verb call) and canny.

[Great Plum]

Well, at least it's a British word...

[Richard Ruck]

Well, at least it's a British word...

At long last.......

[Katharine]

ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.

I think I do that some days, when I am on a go slow!! Now I know a word for it, thank you.

[englishangel]

ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.

I think I do that some days, when I am on a go slow!! Now I know a word for it, thank you.

I bet Barbara will find something to say about it as well.

It doesn't apply to me at work, but I definitely limit housework as much as possible.

Ca'canny aboot t'hoose?

[Euterpe13]

ca'canny

• noun [mass noun] Brit. dated- the policy of deliberately limiting output at work.
— origin late 19th cent. (originally Scots in the sense ‘proceed warily’): from ca' (variant of the verb call) and canny.

Isn't this working to rule ? dear to the hearts of Shop Stewards everywhere. Known in french as " déplacement d'air..."

Not something that I have ever tried - too dense and brainwashed into the Karoshi society...

[sejintenej]

"pale"

adj. describing complexion when pupil at Christs Hospital is confronted by master bearing cane or slipper. Vb to describe change from ruddy (often inebriated) appearance upon such happening.

n. - Racist. a barrier erected to keep Irish out (cf Hadrians Wall erected to keep Scottish out). Hence "beyond the pale" - totally unacceptable

[Richard Ruck]

I imagine that quite a few of us already knew this one :

divertimento

• noun (pl. divertimenti or divertimentos) Music - a light and entertaining composition, typically one in the form of a suite for chamber orchestra.
— origin mid 18th cent. (denoting a diversion or amusement): Italian, literally ‘diversion’.

[Richard Ruck]

Someone at OUP likes Italy, it seems :

seicento

• noun [mass noun] [often as modifier] the style of Italian art and literature of the 17th century: Florentine seicento painting.
— derivatives
seicentist noun.
— origin Italian, ‘600’, shortened from mille seicento ‘1600’, used with reference to the years 1600–99.