Comments for My Favorite Word

Comment on Eyeballing by BigH829

BigH829 — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:22:46 +0000

“Eyeball” is also used in the Southern U.S. as a term meaning, “to look at in a menacing or contemptuous manner.”

It is heard frequently when a parent is disciplining a child. If the child glares back at his or her parent, the parent may interpret it as an act of defiance. Should that be the case, the child will be admonished with something like, “Don’t you EYEBALL me!”

Another frequent usage is the gerund form (as Andras puts it above) to describe someone gazing at a person or object with envy, desire, or lust. I can still hear my mother saying, “I see you eyeballing that cookie jar.” That statement, of course, carried the unspoken warning that looking at the cookie jar was the only thing I should consider!

Comment on announcement by daisydeadhead

daisydeadhead — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:36:18 +0000

Foofaraw

Hey Evan, sorry to hear you have been ill. Come by and visit if you get a chance. I look pretty much the same, and you should recognize me. (Go Buckeyes!)

Comment on Cake by cakebreak

cakebreak — Sun, 11 May 2008 05:43:55 +0000

i like the way the “cake” sounds in cake

and if you whisper it quietly enough, it almost sounds like a prayer

Comment on Nepenthe by Ladygwyneth

Ladygwyneth — Tue, 06 May 2008 18:55:14 +0000

The only place I have ever seen the word “nepenthe” used was E.A. Poe’s, “The Raven” — “Respite, respite and nepenthe” — two vocabulary words in one line of poetry! Because of Poe, I learned a lot of words at the age of 9 or so that I would otherwise not have learned until much later.

Comment on Linoleum by murmurings

murmurings — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 20:42:31 +0000

Wow. This is one of my favorite words too, but I didn’t think there were too many of us. I like eum words too, but the two ls put this one over the top. Museum is a good word, but linoleum? A great word!

Comment on Nepenthe by humann

humann — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 16:20:16 +0000

I’ve read a little about this word before. I think most scholars have concluded that it refers to some sort of early opiate.

Comment on Schadenfreude by wordgnome

wordgnome — Tue, 08 Apr 2008 14:36:51 +0000

http://www.wordgnome.com/2008/02/schadenfreude.html

Comment on Phosphene by darsh019

darsh019 — Fri, 04 Apr 2008 20:55:15 +0000

it sounds pungent.

Comment on Condiments by capt2duck

capt2duck — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:45:04 +0000

We need some refinement here. Salt and Pepper are more seasonings. To be truly a condiment, a flavoring product must be prepared like dijon mustard, horseradish (not made from horses or radishes), steak sauce, Tabasco ™, etc

George
Thiells, NY

Comment on Dooper by capt2duck

capt2duck — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 02:38:03 +0000

Probably a corruption of the Polish word “dupa” which means, well, the part of you anatomy, (posterior) which you scratch. Your buttocks.

So that Irish lady had a Polish or Ukrainian friend.

Could also be related to “pooper” which is slang for that part of your body used for pooping.

Comment on Pneumonoultramicroscopic silicovolcanoconiosis by Kotsengkuba

Kotsengkuba — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 10:18:08 +0000

i learned this world from my engish teacher when i was in fourth year high-school. from then on pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovulcanoconiosis has been my favorite word

though i never had any use of the word except from bragging to my friends. i can pronounce the word without breathing.

Comment on Deoxyribonucleic Acid by freight88

freight88 — Thu, 27 Mar 2008 02:32:31 +0000

We had a map painted on the wall in kindergarden. It was indian names for USA locations. One lake is named: Chargoggagoggmanchogaggogg Chaubunakungamaug

Do a search, I swear it is true!