Blog will live again

Yeah, I kind of lost interest in this. But I'm going to use it for its original intended purpose again, which was to write down words I learn in books I read, once I look them up. I am going to be reading Holmes first.

Hiatus until Monday or maybe Tuesday

lets say next monday/tuesday, not this one

Sanctimonious

Definitions:

Princeton says: 

(excessively or hypocritically pious) "a sickening sanctimonious smile"

Webster says:

1

: hypocritically pious or devout <a sanctimonious moralist><the king's sanctimonious rebuke — G. B. Shaw>

2

obsolete : possessing sanctity : holy

— sanc·ti·mo·nious·ly adverb

— sanc·ti·mo·nious·ness noun

My input:

Pronunciation:  Sanc as in sanctuary. Ti as in tit, or Ti mothy. Mon sounds like moan,  rhymes with phone. I rhymes with tree. Ous sounds the same as it does in glorious. 

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

holier-than-thou, pietistic, pietistical, pharisaic, pharisaical, self-righteous

Thoughts: 

I find it interesting that the word was used to mean close to the opposite of what it does now. Lesss confusing than constellate, anyway.

I'm just going to skip Saturdays from now.

This stuff is time consuming!

Elide

Foreword:

For some reason when I saw this word, I thought of the part of Firework in this video at 0:40 

There's also another song that reminds me of this word... but I can't remember atm. (at the moment)

Definitions:

Princeton says:

(leave or strike out) "This vowel is usually elided before a single consonant"

Webster says:

transitive verb

1

a : to suppress or alter (as a vowel or syllable) by elisionb : to strike out (as a written word)

2

a : to leave out of consideration : omit

b : curtail, abridge

My input:

I'll probably use this as a substitute for omit.

Pronunciation: El sounds like ill, rhymes with mill, fill. Ide rhymes with slide, sounds like lied.  

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

Princeton has none, so I assume their definition has a nuance that omit does not.

Ambisinister, Ambisinistrous

Foreword:

Something different for the first word today.

This word... I don't know if it's an official one! I can't find it on webster or princeton. It was on dictionary.com though. I don't get why that would be the case. I kind of wonder if it's a troll that put this up! Well, new words are always being made.

Definitions:

–adjective

clumsy or unskillful with both hands.

Pronunciation: Am as in... am, amber. Bi as in Ambidextrous, blister (minus the l),  Sinister sounds like sinister. Sin as in sin, sounds like cin in Cincinnati. Ister rhymes with sister, blister (I have one :p)

Dictionary.com entry with audio

Synonyms: 

none really, but clumsy could be one.

Oh shi-

only 1 hour left. Double post tomorrow instead.

Captious

Definitions:

Princeton says:

(tending to find and call attention to faults) "a captious pedant"

Webster says:

1

: marked by an often ill-natured inclination to stress faults and raise objections <captious critics>

2

: calculated to confuse, entrap, or entangle in argument <a captious question>

My input:

The Webster definition seems better in this case, as multiple definitions I have seen say that the word captious has the connotation of annoying faultfinding. Although, the way princeton's definitions work, the same entry is there for faultfinding, so it does make sense that a nuance would be lost.

Pronunciation: Cap as in cap, capture, captcha. Tious sounds like xious in obnoxious. (which captious encapsulates)  Alternately, Ti is the sh sound, like shoot, and ious sounds like ess in heiress. 

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

faultfinding

Viand

Definitions:

Princeton says:

viand (a choice or delicious dish)

Webster says:

1

: an item of food; especially : a choice or tasty dish

2

plural : provisions, food

My input:

simple word today.

Pronunciation: Vi as in violet, vivacious. And sounds like end.  

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

none listed! I'm surprised delicacy or something wasn't listed.

Inundate

Definitions:

Princeton says:

(fill quickly beyond capacity; as with a liquid) "the basement was inundated after the storm"; "The images flooded his mind"
and
(fill or cover completely, usually with water)

Webster says:

1

: to cover with a flood : overflow

2

: overwhelm <was inundated with phone calls>

Pronunciation: In as in in, Un as in that same sound I can't figure out what common word it's in! Sounds enough like en though, as in then. Date as in... date. Rhymes with eight, freight, appreciate, great.

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

Princeton 1  flood,  swamp
               2  submerge

Indolent

Foreword:

I thought I posted this yesterday. Oh well.

Definitions:

Princeton says:

 (disinclined to work or exertion) "an indolent hanger-on"

and

((of tumors, e.g.) slow to heal or develop and usually painless) "an indolent ulcer"; "leprosy is an indolent infectious disease"

Webster says:

1

a : causing little or no painb : slow to develop or heal <indolent tumors> <indolentulcers>

2

a : averse to activity, effort, or movement : habitually lazyb : conducive to or encouraging laziness <indolent heat>c : showing an inclination to laziness <an indolent sigh>

Pronunciation: In (stressed) as in in. Dol as in dole, (banana) doleful, the dle in candle, ent sounts like the int and ent in intelligent.

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

faineant, lazy, otiose, slothful, work-shy

Cacoethes

Foreword: 

I usually try to look for words that are unusual yet easy to use in everyday conversation, or particularly unusual or commonplace meaning yet rarely used. This post is a word of the day on dictionary.com though. I chose it because I like how strange it looks, rather than indolence. (should I make indolence an entry?)

Definitions:

Princeton says:

(an irrational but irresistible motive for a belief or action)

Webster says:

an insatiable desire : mania

Dictionary.com says:

An irresistible urge; mania.

Pronunciation: Cac as in cackle, rhymes with tack, track. O as in oh, troll, toll, foe, grow. E as in tree. Thes as in thesis. 

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

mania, passion

Thoughts: 

I like how every source listed mania. Princeton did in synonyms.

Omphaloskepsis

Definitions:

Princeton says:

(literally, the contemplation of one's navel, which is an idiom usually meaning complacent self-absorption)

Webster says:

contemplation of one's navel as an aid to meditation

My input: 

I think the definition of navel-gazing helps here.

useless or excessive self-contemplation

Wikipedia's article on the word is also useful for more info about this word. " It is well known in the usually jocular phrase directed towards egotism and self-absorbed pursuits: "contemplating one's navel" or "navel-gazers". This criticism is also often leveled at professions which are interested in themselves: movies about Hollywood, for example, or television shows about television writers...  it [also] refers to... concentration on a single issue."

Pronunciation: Om as in om nom nom, or on, with an m instead of an n. Pha has that same uh sound that I can never figure out what other words have in it. :( I have to figure that out. Lo as in low, fellow, bellow. Skep as in skeptic (sceptic). Sis as in sister. 

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

navel-gazing

day off

2 posts tomorrow

Mercurial

Definitions:

Princeton says:

• (liable to sudden unpredictable change) "erratic behavior"; "fickle weather"; "mercurial twists of temperament"; "a quicksilver character, cool and willful at one moment, utterly fragile the next"
• (relating to or under the (astrological) influence of the planet Mercury) "the Mercurial canals"
• (relating to or having characteristics (eloquence, shrewdness, swiftness, thievishness) attributed to the god Mercury) "more than Mercurial thievishness"
• (relating to or containing or caused by mercury) "mercurial preparations"; "mercurial sore mouth"

Webster says: (adjective)

1: of, relating to, or born under the planet Mercury

2: having qualities of eloquence, ingenuity, or thievishness attributed to the god Mercury or to the influence of the planet Mercury

3: characterized by rapid and unpredictable changeableness of mood <a mercurial temper>

4: of, relating to, containing, or caused by mercury

(noun)

a pharmaceutical or chemical containing mercury

My input:

I wonder how this relates to the element of the same name.

Pronunciation: .

Mer as in merchant, summer. Cur as in cure, curious. I as in the e sound in tree, key. Al rhymes with bull.

Webster audio

Synonyms: (for the first Princeton definition) 

erratic, fickle, quicksilver

Ataraxia

Foreword:

Yes, I do like Fate/Stay Night.

Definitions:

Princeton says:

(peace of mind)

Webster says: (it was in their medical dictionary)

calmness untroubled by mental or emotional disquiet

Pronunciation: At as in at. A as in... it's the same sound I couldn't find for my first post. I still can't. Rax as in racks. I as in Ian, rhymes with parsimony, alimony, symmetry, tree. A as in uh, the u sound in crumb, fun, lust. 

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

none listed

This isn't the actual post for today. I thought these words were funny.

Constellate

Definitions:

Princeton says:

• (scatter or intersperse like dots or studs) "Hills constellated with lights"
• (come together as in a cluster or flock) "The poets constellate in this town every summer"
• (form a constellation or cluster)

Webster says: 

1

: to unite in a cluster

2

: to set or adorn with or as if with constellations

My input:

This is a weird word, if Princeton is correct. One definition is to scatter, and one definition is to come together. It seems like an antonym for constellate is constellate.

Pronunciation: Con as in concentrate. Stell rhymes with bull. Ate as in... ate, or eight.

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

dot, stud (1st princeton definition)
cluster,  flock, clump

Thoughts:
I wonder how many words have accepted definitions that are opposite of each other. I imagine archaic words could change that way. An example similar to that is how stink and stench just meant how someone smelled, but it has become negative. Even the word smell can be negative, as in "you smell".

Inculcate

Foreword: 

(nothing to say, really)

Definitions:

Princeton says: 

teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions; "inculcate values into the young generation"

Webster says: 

to teach and impress by frequent repetitions or admonitions

My input: 

I wonder who took the definition from the other guy :p

Pronunciation: 

In as in in. Cul as in cull. Cate as in... Catelyn. (Rhymes with hate)

Apparently there are two accepted pronunciations, in regards to which syllable is stressed. 

Webster one and two

Synonyms: 

instill, infuse

Thoughts: 
I say throw everyone for a loop and stress the third syllable, hehe. But I prefer stressing cull because cull is a cool word. Cull story bro.

Facile

Foreword:
This word has a similar meaning (to one of the definitions) in French. I do not know if it has the same connotations, though. All I knew was that it meant "easy".

Definitions: 

Princeton says: 

• arrived at without due care or effort; lacking depth; "too facile a solution for so complex a problem"
• performing adroitly and without effort; "a facile hand"
• eloquent: expressing yourself readily, clearly, effectively; "able to dazzle with his facile tongue"; "silver speech"

Webster says:

1

a (1) : easily accomplished or attained <a facile victory> (2): shallow, simplistic b : used or comprehended with easec : readily manifested and often lacking sincerity or depth<facile tears>

2

archaic : mild or pleasing in manner or disposition

3

a : ready, fluent <facile prose>b : poised, assured

My input:
1) effortlessly easy.
2) eloquent

Pretty self explanatory

Pronunciation: 

Fa as in fat. Cile is pronounced like sel in tassel.

Webster audio

Synonyms: 

eloquent, fluent, silver, silver-tongued, smooth-spoken

Princeton only provides synonyms for its third definition, so it seems that there are no synonyms for the exact connotation of the first two definitions. Or else, Idk.

Thoughts: 

The first two definitions of the Princeton one seem to be pretty much the same thing.

I did not expect the pronunciation to be what it is, because of the French word.

I missed yesterday.

I'll make two posts today to make up for it.

Legerity. An example of how thesauruses can be misleading.

Foreword:
This word showed up when I looked up speed in a thesaurus. However, I decided to look up the definition of it, to see whether it was quite the same thing. It does not seem so!

Definitions:
Webster says: alert facile quickness of mind or body
Princeton says: the gracefulness of a person or animal that is quick and nimble
My input: I think Princeton puts it better, by using the word gracefulness. I think I'll do facile next, for those of you who did not learn any French.

Pronunciation:
le as in the French le. ger as in geriatric, sounds like jer in Jerry. it as in... it. y as in happy.
Webster audio
(I can't figure out a word that has le in it with that sound, or even one that e sound in it right now. Tell me if you can think of one)

Synonyms:
agility, lightness, lightsomeness, nimbleness

really? Lightsomeness is an acceptable word? Sounds weird.

I am sad to find this out.

Apparently Webster thinks that an acceptable pronunciation for leg is layg. :(

I'd like your input. Also, I thought of something that could cause problems for this blog

I wonder which dictionary/dictionaries to use for these posts. For now I will use whatever one is convenient for me. The two choices that seem best are Princeton's word net web, which is the first thing google uses, or the Merriam Webster site. But then, I am only basing that on their popularity, and that they show up first in google.

The Webster site has the advantage of providing an audio pronunciation of the word, while the Princeton site shows synonyms in a manner superior to a standard thesaurus, like thesaurus.com.

What happens when I find a word that is simply a synonym of a common word? Do I post it, or look for a new word to use for that day? Maybe I should make two posts a day, one of each type. I will probably do that, if I have the time. If not, I will probably just do the former... However, I have decided that I will also look at multiple definitions and piece together what makes the word different than it's synonyms, if anything. I will also provide synonyms that I deem accurate, after looking up the definition for each synonym given on the Princeton site. (eventually I will trust them to be correct. Eventually I will actually do that, as well. I found that this takes a lot longer than I would guess)

I think I will make a few posts to do with certain books/book series. When I find a word in a book I am reading that I have to look up, I will add it to a new post, or edit a former post to include that. This will work in place of having words from genres, as I initially did. (that was a post from my other blog, which evolved into something more than a word a day)

Beginning. Words I found in fantasy books.

So I suppose I will post whenever I learn a new word. This will serve the dual purpose of perhaps teaching people new words, and of helping me to review and permanently remember the new words. This post will be pertaining to words in fantasy literature. There are plenty of words I encounter that I do not know in these types of books.