Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Parse = Government & Binding diagram!

PARSE, v. t. [pàrs; from L. pars, part, or one of the Shemitic roots, פרס, to divide, or פרש to spread.] In grammar, to resolve a sentence into its elements, or to show the several parts of speech composing a sentence, and their relation to each other by government or agreement.

SHOCK, v.t.

“Avoid every thing that can shock the feelings of delicacy.” (Noah Webster 1844 ADEL)

Monday, June 27, 2011

CRAMBO = Andre and Inigo Rhyme

CRAM'BO, n. A rhyme; a play in which one person gives a word to which another finds a rhyme. – Swift.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Closet

CLOS'ET-SIN, n. [cloz'et-sin.] Sin committed in privacy. – Bp. Hall.

ONOMASTICS TERM: Gentilitious

CHRIS´TIAN-NAME, n. The name given in baptism, as distinct from the gentilitious or surname.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

STEP- implies "orphan"

STEP'-CHILD, n. [step and child.] A son-in-law or daughter-in-law, [a child deprived of its parent.]
STEP'-DAME, n. A mother by marriage, [the mother of an orphan or one deprived.]
STEP'-DAUGH-TER, n. A daughter by marriage [an orphan daughter.]
STEP'-FA-THER, n. A father-in-law; a father by marriage only; [the father of an orphan.]
STEP'-MOTH-ER, n. A mother by marriage only; a mother-in-law; [the mother of an orphan.]
STEP'-SIS-TER, n. A sister-in-law, or by marriage, [an orphan sister.]

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

STATION < STANDING TO PRAY

STA´TION, n. [Fr. from L. statio, from sto, status; It. stazione; Sp. estacion.]
‎1. The act of standing.
Their manner was to stand at prayer … on which their meetings for that purpose received the name of stations. [Obs.] – Hooker.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Female spinner

SPIN'STER, n. [spin and ster.]
1. A woman who spins, or whose occupation is to spin. Hence,
2. In law, the common title by which a woman without rank or distinction is designated.
If a gentlewoman is termed a spinster, she may abate the writ. – Coxe.

Spelling as manners from NW the spelling reformer

SPELL'ING, n. ...
2. Orthography: the manner of forming words with letters. Bad spelling is disreputable to a gentleman.

Folk Etymology

SPAR'ROW-GRASS, n. A corruption of Asparagus.

Academics in Agriculture Metaphor

SOW, v. t. [pret. sowed; pp. sowed or sown. Sax. sawan; G. säen; D. zaajen; Sw. så; Dan. saaer; Russ. siyu; perhaps L. sevi. This word is probably contracted.]

4. To supply or stock with seed.
The intellectual faculty is a goodly field, and it is the worst husbandry in the world to sow it with trifles. – Hale.