Showing posts with label barytonize. Show all posts
Showing posts with label barytonize. 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.)

Thursday, September 13, 2012

Gastromancy

Meaning: divination by the belly (referring to ventriloquism)

Usefulness: 1 (repurposed, this is an enormously useful word. For starters, my stomach can gastromantically divine all sorts of things - that it's time for elevenses, lunch, a martini, or all three.  However, it is more likely that I will use it to describe food: "Pork that good is unnatural: I suspect gastromancy.")

Logofascination: 1 (I have a thing for the -mancy list. I might need to limit myself to one a week.)

Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Barytonize

Meaning: The OED lists this as a word but does not define it; I shall write and complain.  In context, though, it's pretty clear we're talking about farting. Deep, profound, musical flatulence; sums up most of Rabelais, really. (Context below, if you don't believe me)

Usefulness: 1 (Particularly of meetings. To be exactly confusing you could say "This Urquhartian barytonizing must end. I call for a vote!")

Logofascination: 3 (juvenile fascination: 1)