Bill W

Chapter 27 – Multiple Tasks to Complete By the time we arrived back to the house on New Year’s Day, we'd missed out on watching the Rose Parade on TV. However, the first of the football bowl games had just started, which made Dad happy, and since Devin and I had managed to get a little more sleep on the ride home, we decided to watch the game with him. Before we did that, though, I asked Mom what she was going to do. “I’ll just watch something on the TV in the kitchen. I’ll also

Flavescent comes from Latin, stemming from the verb flāvēscere ("to turn yellow") and flāvēscēns, the present participle (turning yellow), the both derive from flāvus ("yellow"), meaning the word literally describes something that is becoming or turning yellow. It's an adjective, first appearing in English around the 1850s, used for things like leaves in autumn or certain plants, indicating a yellowish hue. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective flavescent was first used in English in the 1850s, with the earliest evidence found in the writings of botanist Asa Gray in 1853. The verb "flavescate" exists, but it's largely obsolete, with its adjectival form, "flavescent," used to describe things becoming yellow, like autumn leaves or certain plant diseases (flavescence). Examples of "flavescent" used in a sentence: "During fall in New England, it's magical to walk through the park and admire the flavescent leaves flutter to the ground." "As I hiked through the forest, the path was covered in a thick coating of flavescent leaves." "The old parchment developed a flavescent tint during the time it spent on the bookshelf." "A flavescent mist hung over the marshlands, giving the dawn an eerie beauty." "Within minutes the miniature oasis was no more, a flavescent smudge of decay against the sickly, pallid earth." "Each fall, the leaves on the big tree in my yard turn a flavescent hue, in sharp contrast with the orange and reddish colors of the leaves in nearby trees."

The word "partisan" comes from French (partisan) and Italian (partigiano) roots, meaning "of a part or a or part or party", ultimately from the Latin pars (part), evolving from a term for a faction member to a zeaalous supporter, then to a guerrilla fighter (a "party" of "irregular troops), and also to a type of polearm weapon (partigiana). Its journey reflects its core idea: being part of a group, whether a political faction, military unit, or cause. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "partisan" (referring to a supporter of a party/cause) first appeared in English shows evidence from as early as 1542, with the earliest written evidence found in a 1555 translation by Richard Eden. The military sense (a fighter in a detachment) emerged later, around the 1690s and the adjective form, initially in a military context, comes from 1708. Examples of "partisan" used in a sentence: "So what was it that seemingly turned him into a Democratic partisan?" "Special interest groups and partisan politics have blocked all efforts at reform since 1986." "The partisan warfare flamed up most fiercely in the latter days of October in Russia." "He then spent the better part of World War II as a partisan with a group of other fugitives." "Alexander Mackenzie, is decidedly partisan. Meanwhile an active and bitter partisan warfare opened." "And then most neutrals will become partisans for the team that give them more aesthetic pleasure." "You feel it from the hugely partisan support the team are receiving, but it is also there in the desire and focus of their team." Examples of "partisanship" used in a sentence: "Politics and partisanship came close to taking his life." "These wars pass into history under a cloak of partisanship." "They promoted partisanship above respect for the popular will." "Her reliably fierce partisanship was the least of the qualities required for a divided country."

My first priority is my current unfinished story Secrets (3 volumes) and any other story are on hold for now, as I deal with other issues. But thank you for your interest in that series.

The word histrionic comes from Latin, derived from histrio (actor) and -icus (pertaining to), meaning "of or pertainig to actors" and was likely borrowed from the ancient Etruscan language. It entered English around the 1640s from Late Latin histrionicus, pertaining to actors or acting. Its meaning shifted from literal stage performance to describing exaggerated, overly emotional, or dramatic behavior in everyday life, reflecting the melodramatic style of ancient Roman actors known for pantomime. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word histrionic first appeared in English in the early 1600s, with the earliest known use found in 1627 in the writings of P. Forbes, though its related form, the adjective histrionical, dates back to the mid-1500s (around 1553). The term comes from Latin, meaning "pertaining to an actor," and was used to describe something theatrical or dramatic. The sense of exaggerated or overly emotional behavior, often for attention (as in "histrionics") developed in the 1820s. Examples of "histrionic" used in a sentence: "His histrionic oratorical style sometimes distracts from his message." "Clarissa's quiet apotheosis is offered as an alternative to histrionic theatrics." "And you risk being labeled as having a narcissistic or histrionic personality disorder." "Histrionic hoots and whistles fool them into thinking that another predator is invading their turf." "She lacks the vocal palette and histrionic range of the great spellbinders, so she's never going to vibrate the rafters of a big arena." "Dependent personality disorder frequently occurs in tandem with other personality-based mental illness, such as borderline, histrionic, and avoidant personality disorders."

Thank you for leaving such a sweet comment.

Welcome @ArtisticStories. I'm sure that you'll find plenty of stories that you'll enjoy on this site and that you'll find this a friendly, helpful, and welcoming commnunity.

Thank you for your kind comment and I'm glad you've enjoyed the start to this story. I intend to get back to it, but situations beyond my control are currently make that impossible. I intend to get back to this as soon as my situation improves.

Aberration comes from Latin aberrātiō, meaning "a wandering away, distraction", derived from aberrāre, combining ab- ("away from") and errāre ("to wander, stray, err"). Its core idea, rooted in movement from a path, entered English in the 16th century, first used in a theological sense before expanding to describe deviations from norms, mental states, optical focuses, or celestial positions (astronomical aberration). According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun "aberration" was first used in English in the late 1500s, with the earliest evidence found in 1588, in the writings of R. Some, meaning a wandering or straying. By the 1730s, it gained the meaning of "deviation from the normal type" (e.g., in optics), and by the 18th century, it was used in astronomy (aberration of light) and for mental/moral deviations. Examples of "aberration" used in a sentence: "Typical aberrations that can impact imaging performance include astigmatism, chromatic aberration, and spherical aberration." "The student sitting in the back of the classroom spoke up, which was an aberration from her unusual introverted behavior." "Even though Janice has a medical aberration which causes her to blink constantly, she is still a very attractive woman." "Since I did not properly adjust my camera settings, all of my pictures have a blurry aberration on them." "Deciding to use watercolors instead of his typical acrylics led the artist to create a painting that was an aberration in the context of his portfolio." "If your goal is to reduce the likelihood of an aberration occurring in your experiment, then you need to carefully read all the instructions before beginning the procedure."

So, a spider's heart is in its butt. Interesting.

The wwhord assailant comes from the Old French assaillant, meaning "one who attacks", derived from the ver assaillir ("to jump on", "attack", "assail"). This, in turn, comes from the Latin assaliō, combining ad ("to, toward") and salīre ("to leap"). So, an assailant literally means someone who "leaps at" or "jumps on" another, evolving from physical attack to include verbal or mental attacks as well. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) and other sources, the word "assailant" first appeared in English in the early 1500s, with the OED citing its earliest known use as 1523 in a translation by John Bourchier, a borrowing from the French assaillant. The word assailant was used to describe "one who assails" or attacks, with an earlier English word assailer, which existed from around 1400. Examples of "assailant" used in a sentence: *"The pattern of wounds suggests that three assailants took part: one confronted him from the front while the others struck from the left and right." *"Despite video evidence showing the unprovoked attack, Oliva was barred from suing his assailants because Section 1983 doesn’t apply to federal officials." *"Less than two months on, and still bearing the scars from the attack on his face, he describes his recovery as "incredible" - and says he even hopes to encounter his assailant again." *"Armed assailants had attacked the vessel, run by Greek firm Latsco Marine Management, as it was travelling to South Africa from India on Thursday with 24 crew members aboard." *"Alistair said he saw around a dozen people inside this enclosed buffet counter in coach G and they were "trying to close up the shutters" to protect themselves from the assailant."

Thank you, @Jean87. I'm glad you enjoyed this slightly unusual story.

The word vitriol comes from Medieval Latin vitriolum, derived from Late Latin vitreolus ("glassy") and ultimately from Latin vitrum ("glass"), and it entered Middle English via the Old French vitriol. Early alchemists observed that metallic sulfates (like blue vitriol for copper sulfate or green vitriol for iron sulfate) formed shiny, glass-like crystals, and this term was extended to concentrated sulfuric acid, known as "oil of vitriol," due to its corrosive, glass-eating properties. Because sulfuric acid eats away at things, the word "vitriolic" came to mean harshly critical or full of bitterness, much like the acid burns. This led to the figurative meaning of vitriol as bitter, scathing speech or notes. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun vitriol first appeared in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500j), with the earliest recorded use found in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer around 1386. It originally only referred to substances like "green vitriol" (iron sulfate) or "blue vitriol" (copper sulfate), used in alchemy and medicine. It later expanded to include the sense of "bitter, caustic, or harsh" feelings/speech, attested first in 1769, referencing the corrosive nature of the chemical. The adjective "vitriolic" (harshly condemnatory) emerged in the late 17th century (around 1670). Examples of "vitriol" used in a sentence: "It was almost as if the judge's words were spraying vitriol on her face." "It starts out as debate and ends up full of hate, name-calling and vitriol." "He was shocked by the vitriol in Washington and by his own poor judgment." "His lengthy speech was full of political vitriol." "Julie Gilbert recalls some of the vitriol in her new book." "They have both had a big fat load of smug vitriol heaped upon their heads." "They think they can replace their own responsibility for the failures they delivered with personal bile and vitriol directed at me."

The word imitate comes from the Latin imitātus, the past participle of imitārī, meaning "to copy, portray, or follow as a model", originating from the same root as the word image, suggesting a core idea of making a likeness or copy. It entered English in the mid-1500s, likely as a back-formation from imitation or directly from Latin, to describe following someone's actions or mannerisms, with older English words like æfterhyrigan existing before it. Imitative is primarily an adjective, describing something that copies or mimics another thing (like "imitative art") or someone inclined to copy (like "imitative children"), but it can also function as a noun in specific contexts, often relating to sounds (like "the imitative of a rooster"). It modifies nouns, indicating characteristics like being unoriginal, derivative, or echoing something else, with related forms including the adverb imitatively and noun imitativeness. The English verb "imitate" first appeared in the 1530s, with the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) pinpointing the earliest known use to 1534 in the writings of Sir Thomas More, though general use spans the mid-1500s, borrowing from the Latin imitātus. The adjective "imitative" first appeared in English in the late 1500s, with the Merriam-Webster citing 1584 and the Oxford English Dictionary noting 1573 as its earliest known use, found in the text Life Virgil. . It describes something inclined to copy or designed to resemble an original, like "Man is an imitative being". Examples of "imitative" used in a sentence: *"One of the most surprising things I noticed was how imitative I was." *"The absence of a mouth makes no difference and serves to prove the smile is not imitative." *"In many ways, the work shows Rheinberger's classical leanings, with its substantial use of imitative counterpoint." *"The earliest efforts of his art (the Eclogues) reproduce the cadences, the diction and the pastoral fancies of Theocritus; but even in these imitative poems of his youth Virgil shows a perfect mastery of his materials." *"Their technical ability was incomparablethough in grace of decorative conception they yielded the palm to the Japaneseand the representative specimens they bequeathed to posterity remained, until quite recently, far beyond the imitative capacity of European or Asiatic experts."

The word "accountable" comes from Old French "acontable", meaning "liable to be called to account," derived from "aconter" ("to count, reckon") and the Latin computare ("to calculate"). It entered English around the 14th century, initially for financial matters (giving a count of money/debts) but soon expanded to mean being able to explain or justify one's actions, combining the core idea of "counting" or "answering for" with the suffix "-able," meaning "capable of being". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "accountable" first appeared in Middle English around c. 1400, with its earliest documented use found in the writings of poet William Langland in "Piers Plowman" (around 1387-1399), meaning "answerable," or "able to be counted or explained". Examples of "accountable" in a sentence: "The police must be accountable to the publice and be seen to be so." "But you have to be accountable for your actions." "If you are going to hold schools accountable you should hold them accountable for progress." "This case should be pursued and if she is guilty she must be held accountable." "He is thus received into the religion of Zoroaster, and is henceforth considered morally accountable for his acts." "A wife may hold property and make contracts as if she were single, and neither husband nor wife is accountable for the acts of the other."

The word "allegation" comes from Latin allegatio ("a sending, dispatching"). stemming from allegare ("to send for, to send on a mission, bring forth, produce in evidence"), combining ad- ("to") and legare ("to send as a representative, depute"). It entered English via Old French (alegacion) and Middle English (allegen). While originally about bringing someone or something forward in a formal court (like a representative), its meaning shifted to the act of formally stating something, often with the implication that proof is lacking. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun allegation first appeared in English during the Middle English Period (1150-1500), with the earliest known evidence dating back to 1402. It came from French and Latin, building on the verb 'allege' (around 1300) and evolving into related forms like 'alleged' (c. 1425) and 'allegedly' (1823). Examples of "allegation" used in a sentence: "The police are investigating allegations that the mayor has accepted bribes." "The mayor denies the allegations (that have been made) against him." "There have been allegations of fraud in the city government." "I hope you have proof, because you're making a serious allegation." "I have received a letter accusing me of not clearing up after my dog, I wish to refute the allegation." "They were probably responsible for the allegation, made by a Carmelite, called Latemar, that John was conspiring against his nephew." "According to Bale and Foxe her husband turned her out of doors, but in the privy council register she is said to have "refused Kyme to be her husband without any honest allegation."

I hope this is AI generated, because who would do this to that poor dog?

The word "irritate" comes from the Latin irritare, meaning to excite, provoke, or annoy. The Latin word itself is likely derived from a Proto-Italic root rito-, related to being "stirred". It entered English in the 1530s with the meaning of "to rouse to action," with the sense of "to annoy" or "make impatient" emerging in the 1590s. The related noun irritation came into English even earlier, in the mid-15th century, from Old French and Latin. The verb irritate first appeared in English in the 1530s (e.g., Thomas Elyot, 1531), however, according to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the the earliest recorded use was in 1605, in a work called Answ. Supposed Discov. Rom. Doctr. The verb irrite (from French) was used from around 1450, during the Middle English period. The meaning shifted from "stimulate" (1530s) to "annoy" (1590s). The noun irritation was recorded in the late 1500s (around 1589), and the adjective irritated around the late 1500s (1595). Examples of "irritate" used in English: "Harsh soaps can irritate the skin." "The other passengers were irritated by the child's rudeness." "It's his arrogance that really irritates me." "I'm not a psychic healer, I just said that to irritate my mother." "I hereby resolve not to let the faults of others irritate me." "To Neil's surprise, all this had begun to irritate Dr Barbara." "An interesting, sometimes alarming, sometimes irritating, sometimes frustrating book - just the thing for seminar discussion texts." "People are irritated with the woman for seemingly ' having given up ' and she is discussed disparagingly within the family."

@wildone, on your questionaire, don't forget to ask if they have alligator skin or doe skin. It makes a huge difference when you want to cuddle tight.

Bellicose comes from the Latin adjectiv4 bellicosus ("of war", "warlike", or "fond of war"), and was derived from bellum ("war") and the suffix -osus ("full of" or "abounding in"), meaning "full of war" or "abounding in war" (eager to fight). It entered English in the 15th century, describing someone aggressive, inclined to fight, or hostile, and shares roots with words like "belligerent" (an aggressive nation or person engaged in war or conflict) and "antebellum" (before the war). According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective bellicose first appeared in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest recorded use around 1432–50 in Higden's "Polychronicon". Examples of "bellicose" used in a sentence: "I've known many fighters, and most of them tend to be rather bellicose." "And people in charge of both governments have become more bellicose by the day." "Kholodov is a bear of a man, both friendly and bellicose, so their actions toward him have been comparatively cautious." "Never in peacetime, perhaps, have the statements of our government officials been more relentlessly bellicose." "In public he wasn't boisterous or bellicose – who did he need to impress with hard-guy posturing?" "These fervent and brutal but impractical dreamers were followed by hard-headed but less bellicose traders."

The word "warped" comes from the verb "warp", rooted in Old English (weorpan "to throw" / wearp "the foundation threads of a loom") and Proto-German (warpo) and ultimately from a Proto-Indo-European root (werb- "to turn, bend, or twist"). It initially referred to the lengthwise threads (warp) in weaving, but evolved to describe anything bent, twisted, or distorted (like wood) and metaphorically, a mental or moral deviation, with its modern "-ed" form appearing in Middle English around the 1460s. Warp also has a nautical meaning "a towline for moving a ship) and warping (pulling a ship). Warp also has a Sci-Fi meaning a "time warp" or faster-than-light travel (the bending of spacetime). According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "warped" first appeared in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest known evidence found around 1460 in the text Promptorium Parvulorum. Examples of "warped" used in a sentence: "The window was warped by the dampness and it wouldn't shut." "It seems they have a strangely warped sense of what they think is funny as well." "It was a state of mind where reason appeared to turn in on itself; became warped." "I suppose I shouldn't be laughing about death - perhaps I've got a warped mind/sense of humor!" "His obituary pointed out that he used his position to enrich himself through a web of smuggling and warped business deals." "This is more usually caused by discs that are not sitting correctly on the hub or that have been warped by excessive heat." "Thankfully the fashion gurus have stopped short of the tightly laced stays that warped the ribs of our great grandmothers." "Rotors get warped due to several reasons most common being overtorquing or unevenly torquing the lug nuts with an impact wrench."

And as long as @drpaladin mentioned withers: The term withers derives from Old English wither ("against'), because the withers are the part of a draft animal that pushes against a load.

The word "withering" comes from the verb "wither", which evolved from Middle English widderen ("to dry up, shrivel"), possibly an alteration of wederen ("to expose to weather"), linking it to the word "weather". It ultimately stems from Old English wiþerian, meaning "to resist" or "struggle against," and Proto-Germanic roots meaning "against" or "separate," suggesting a core sense of drying out or being worn down by conditions. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "withering" was first used in English in the late 1500s, with the earliest evidence found in the writings of E.K. in 1579. The word is formed within English from the verb "wither" and the "-ing" suffix. "Withered" (adjective) appeared earlier (1488), while the adverb "witheringly" appeared later (1815). Examples of "withering" first used in English: "She is a patient one, and dismissed me with a withering glance." "Grandmother’s withering hands were once strong but have now shriveled up to almost nothing." "The scorching summer sun caused the withering grass to become brown and limp." "His head tender with such thoughts, he trod through the withering blossoms to the Mission." "The daily firings produced by the withering economy offered loopholes of opportunity for a young man who kept his eyes open." "The ideology of inclusion is withering away, to be replaced by a revival of survival-of-the-fittest capitalism."

The word "overhaul" comes from the nautical term for slackening a rope by pulling in the opposite direction. This action allowed sailors to pull the rigging apart for thorough inspection and repair. Over time, the term evolved to mean a thorough examination and repair of anything, not just ropes. Today, it means to examine thoroughly and repair, renovate, or revise something completely, such as an engine or a system. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "overhaul" was first used in English in the early 1600s, with slightly different dates for the verb and the noun forms. The earliest known use of the noun overhaul is from 1611, in the writing of R. Finch. The earliest known use of the verb overhaul is from 1626, used by Captain John Smith in a nautical context, meaning to slacken ropes or dismantle rigging for inspection. By the 1700s, the meaning extended to examining and repairing various equipment. By the 1900s, it settled into its modern use for a "significant repair" or "revision," as seen in phrases like "overhauling an engine". Examples of "overhaul" used in a sentence: ""Now the courts are forcing a thorough overhaul of that old order." "They had to overhaul their original plans due to the weather." "Lawmakers are overhauling the welfare program and instituting new regulations." "The county tore down the dilapidated factory a year ago to overhaul the space for updated commercial use." "The government said it wanted to overhaul the employment training scheme." "The study says there must be a complete overhaul of air traffic control systems."