Showing posts with label 3:V. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3:V. Show all posts

Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Peterade

Meaning: in French, this now means backfire, but Cotgrave helpfully gives us the original definition:
Gunshot of farting; also, a horses kicking, winsing, or yerking out behind, accompanied, for the most part, with farting.
Usefulness: 1 (while not as obscure as barytonize, you now have a mildly confusing term for 'gunshot of farting'.)

Logofascination: 1 (No, really - fart is quite interesting, linguistically, as discussed here and in ensuing links, or here at the OUP blog, or you could have a look at a few words it has snuck into over here.)

Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Bibliotaph

Meaning: a book-burier - usually used metaphorically of someone who hides books or locks them away.

Usefulness: 2 (A name for someone who is obsessed with keeping their books immaculate.  If you spend time in rare book rooms and the like, you could use it of certain librarians. Carefully, if you'd like to continue spending time in rare books rooms.)

Logofascination: 1 (see that -taph on the end? That's the same taph that's in epitaph and cenotaph; making those connections is enormously satisfying. Well, for me.)