Word here and there

[Tom's House]

I enjoy Paul Whybrow's posts for the things I learn — especially words that may be familiar but are new for me. I've been around a long time. As a young man I spent a lot of time browsing around in dictionaries, looking up this word or that and the etymologies that went along with them. But I find that I have lately grown unaccustomed to encountering brand-new (to me) words. So it is with delight that I learn that a clowder of cats is a group of them — if there really is any such thing. I had thought of cats as solitary beings, as in "like a one-eyed cat looking in a seafood store." I have also learned that among falcons there is one variety known as a kestrel, and that a dongle is computer-speak for an auxiliary device. Hoo-hah, Paul. Keep 'em coming!

 

[Geoff]

Not forgetting the cartoon finale of Paul’s posts too!

 

[Paul Whybrow]

I sometimes wonder if any intelligence I have is merely a repository of largely useless and obsolete information—the scrapings from the bottom of the oven!

On the subject of groups of cats, did you know that a congregation of kittens, born of one mother, is called a 'kindle'? This isn't the inspiration for the Kindle ereader, which comes from the old Norse word for setting something alight.

 

[Amber]

Regardless of how you feel about American politics.. or politicians... or extremely pale holier than thou lego men... this editorial written by George Will is full of clever words and phrases:

Washington Post George Will Editorial

After it was published, the word 'oleaginous' became the most searched for word... must have been that day.