Weird Word Wednesday - Antepenultimate

 Antepenultimate

I know that this word is similar to another one I wrote about a few months ago, Penultimate. However, I just couldn't pass it up. Antepenultimate is making my head spin. 

Penultimate means second to last. Which I thought was odd, but I could justify it's use in certain situations. Antepenultimate, as you English Majors may have deduced noticing the prefix "ante", means third from the last.

WHY - EVER would someone use this word? Aside from no one knowing what you meant when you said it. And the fact that you would have to use a wordy explanation once you flopped out "antepenultimate", WHY? Just why?

Can ANYONE give me ANY instance where this word would be helpful or useful? Have any of you actually used the word "antepenultimate"? Is it JUST me? I can't even think of a situation where I explained that someone or something was third from the last. "Near the end" seems close enough.

Anyways, if you can come up with some great ways to work "antepenultimate" into a conversation, let me know!

 

an·te·pe·nul·ti·mate

 [an-tee-pi-nuhl-tuh-mit] 

adjective

1. third from the end.

2. of or pertaining to an antepenult. 

 

 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/antepenultimate

Weird Word Wednesday - Spanghew

SPANGHEW

This is a term that I think would be used more often if little boys were introduced to it. Two reasons that I think that are because first, it's fun to say, and second, it involves throwing things. I wouldn't tell them about the frog part though...

Definition: to throw violently into the air; especially, to throw (a frog) into the air from the end of a stick About the Word: Although it originally involved an unsavory pastime in which sticks were used to hurl frogs into the air, this word has had other meanings as well. For example, one 19th century report refers to a particular horse's insistence on "spang–hewing" its riders. (Spang, by the way, is a verb in its own right. It's mostly used in Scotland and means "throw" or "jump.")

http://www.merriam-webster.com/top-ten-lists/top-10-words-with-bizarre-meanings/spanghew.html

Weird Word Wednesday - Fribble

^{Today's weird word is fribble. I came across it when my screen saver was active. Usually, I know the words that it shows, but not this one. I was excited to see it, because I knew it was a great Weird Word Wednesday word. Fribble doesn't even show up in my spell check dictionary. It doesn't recognize it as a word, but it is in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, so it's definitely a word. I like the word because it sounds like a silly made up word, and can be used in place of "goof around". As in, "don't fribble" instead of "don't goof around".  I plan on using it regularly!}

^{Enjoy your new weird word, and please take some time to fribble now and then! =)}

^=J

^{http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fribble}

¹frib·ble

verb \ˈfri-bəl\

frib·bledfrib·bling

Definition of FRIBBLE

transitive verb: to trifle or fool away

intransitive verb

1: trifle

2obsolete : dodder

Examples of FRIBBLE

1. <somehow, he managed to spend the whole morning fribbling instead of doing his assigned work>

Origin of FRIBBLE

origin unknown

First Known Use: 1633

Related to FRIBBLE

Synonyms: doodle, fool around, fiddle (around), goof (around), hang about [British], kick around, mess around, monkey (around), play, potter (around), putter (around), trifle

Weird Word Wednesday - otiose

While pondering my frustrations with a male relative, I came across this wonderful word that is appropriate to describe him.

otiose - adjective
1.  producing no useful result: futile
2. being at leisure: idle
3. lacking use or effect:  functionless

"While listening to my sister I become angered by her husband's otiose lifestyle  which forces her to be the only adult in the household."

I am sure each of us knows an otiose person.  Now we can say it to their faces without them understanding!
S-)
 
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/otiose

oti·ose

adj \ˈō-shē-ˌōs, ˈō-tē-\

Definition of OTIOSE

1: producing no useful result : futile

2: being at leisure : idle

3: lacking use or effect : functionless

— oti·ose·ly adverb

— oti·ose·ness noun

— oti·os·i·ty noun

Examples of OTIOSE

1. <since you haven't read the book, I suppose that it would be otiose to inquire what you thought of it>

Origin of OTIOSE

Latin otiosus, from otium leisure

First Known Use: 1794

Related to OTIOSE

Synonyms: abortive, barren, bootless, empty, fruitless, ineffective, ineffectual, inefficacious, futile, profitless, unavailing, unproductive, unprofitable, unsuccessful, useless, vain

Antonyms: deadly, effective, effectual, efficacious, efficient, fruitful, potent, productive, profitable, successful, virtuous

Weird Word Wednesday - tittle

"I have been having pain in my hand while writing and tittles are actually causing me the most discomfort."

"My son prefers to make his tittles a circle instead of a dot".

Who knew?  The word for the dot above a lowercase “i” or “j” is called a tittle. It can also be used to mean a small piece of something, for example, "we could not find a tittle of common sense in her entire rant".

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/tittle 

tit·tle

noun \ˈti-t^əl\

Definition of TITTLE

1: a point or small sign used as a diacritical mark in writing or printing

2: a very small part

Weird Word Wednesday - Aglet

My weird word for today is Aglet. If you are between the ages of 5 and 11 and watch a certain popular American cartoon, you already know what it is. In fact, it was my sons, who roughly fall into that age category, that told me what it meant. I can't say that they have never come home and told me something fascinating that they learned at school only for me to reply with "I didn't know that." But this time, I looked at them suspiciously, like they were trying to trick me into believing the information. It happened as we were trying to get ready to leave the house. As they both sat down to put on their gym shoes, they simultaneously asked me the question. "Mom, do you know what this is called?" pointing to the hard plastic ends of their laces. I'm not sure if I EVER wondered what it was called, or even thought it might have a name. The grins on my sons' faces threw me. I thought, this is where they make some funny joke at Mom's expense. So, being the good sport that I am, responded and waited for the punch line. "Aglet" was all they said. I think I responded with something like "Really? How do you know that?" Then they went on to tell me about the show and even sang a song about it. It's quite catchy, I can hear it now "A - G - L - E - T, don't forget it". So now, YOU TOO know what most kids already know. The hard plastic end of your shoelace, is called an AGLET.


=J

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/aglet

ag·let

noun \ˈa-glət\

1: the plain or ornamental tag covering the ends of a lace or point

2: any of various ornamental studs, cords, or pins worn on clothing 

p.s. This photo was borrowed from:
http://www.wikihow.com/Raise-Awareness-of-the-Aglet

Weird Word Wednesday - Obfuscate

Any word that has a “bf” combination makes it into my book for being weird. I have heard of it before, but never really found a good opportunity to use it effectively.   

“Obfuscate” is a transitive verb meaning 1. To darken or make obscure & 2. To confuse.  You can change it into a noun as obfuscation, but I wouldn’t recommend using it after a glass of wine.  It gets more difficult to pronounce.   

“ I enjoy watching political debates but am annoyed by the rampant obfuscation.” 

S-)

 http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/obfuscate

ob·fus·cate

verb
\ˈäb-fə-ˌskāt; äb-ˈfəs-ˌkāt, əb-\

transitive verb

1

a : darken b : to make obscure <obfuscate the issue>

 

2

: confuse <obfuscate the reader>