Monthly Archives: January 2005

Catacomb

Posted on January 31, 2005 by Ron

PRONUNCIATION: (KAT-uh-kom) http://wordsmith.org/words/catacomb.mp3 MEANING: (noun) 1. Often catacombs. An underground cemetery consisting of chambers or tunnels with recesses for graves. 2. An underground burial place. ETYMOLOGY: Probably French catacombe, from Old French, from Late Latin catacumba. No blood pressure or … Continue reading →

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Dehisce

Posted on January 30, 2005 by Ron

PRONUNCIATION: (di-HIS) http://wordsmith.org/words/dehisce.mp3 MEANING: (verb intr.) 1. To burst open, as the pod of a plant. 2. To gape. ETYMOLOGY: When a peapod is ripe after a long wait and bursts open, it’s yawning, etymologically speaking. The term dehisce comes … Continue reading →

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Diagnosis

Posted on January 30, 2005 by Ron

Making rounds one morning, a doctor points out an X-ray to a group of medical students. “As you can see,” she says, “the patient limps because his left fibula and tibia are radically arched. The drug if consumed with proper … Continue reading →

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Bird Watching

Posted on January 25, 2005 by Ron

A few fraternity brothers needed to fill a science requirement in order to graduate, so they spent weeks studying for the final. The day of the exam arrived and they were more than ready for the test. The teacher pulled … Continue reading →

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Betise, plural betises

Posted on January 2, 2005 by Ron

PRONUNCIATION: (bay-TEEZ) http://wordsmith.org/words/v.mp3 MEANING: (noun) 1. Stupidity, foolishness; 2. A foolish remark or action. ETYMOLOGY: From French bêtise (stupidity, nonsense), from bête (foolish, beast), from Old French beste (beast), from Latin bestia. A related French term is bête noire (literally, … Continue reading →

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Akimbo

Posted on January 1, 2005 by Ron

PRONUNCIATION: (uh KIHM bow) http://wordsmith.org/words/akimbo.mp3 MEANING: (adverb, adjective) Having the hand on the hip and the elbow turned outward; set in a bent position. With hands on hips and elbows bent outward. ETYMOLOGY: From the Middle English “in kenebowe” which … Continue reading →

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