-
Posts
14,007 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Forums
Stories
- Stories
- Story Series
- Story Worlds
- Story Collections
- Story Chapters
- Chapter Comments
- Story Reviews
- Story Comments
- Stories Edited
- Stories Beta'd
Blogs
Store
Help Center
Writing
Gallery
Events
Everything posted by Bill W
-
The verb "prolong" comes from the late Latin word prolongare, meaning "to lengthen" or "extend". It is formed from the late Latin prefix pro- ("forward," "forth") and the late Latin adjective longus ("long"), directly reflecting its meaning of making something last longer or stretch out. It was introduced during the late Middle English period via the Old French prolonguer. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb prolong was first used in English around 1425. The OED cites poet John Lydgate as the author of the earliest evidence for the word. Examples of "prolong" used in a sentence: "Additives are used to prolong the shelf life of packaged food." "High interest rates were prolonging the recession." "The drug that was meant to prolong her life was determined to have caused her death." "He's been in prison for 40 years and doesn't want to prolong the inevitable." "You go ahead and give up smoking or drinking or eating fat to try to prolong your life." "There is a big question for society about how much we want to spend on expensive drugs to prolong life." "You prolong the agony in the name of love."
-
And possibly a lot of booze as well.
-
The etymology of liquidate traces back t the Latin word liquidus, meaning "fluid, most, or clear". From this root, the word's meaning has branched into several distinct senses over time, including financial transactions and a euphemism for killing. 1570s: The earliest English use of liquidate meant "to reduce accounts to order" or "to set out clearly". This meaning, derived from the Latin idea of "making clear," is now obsolete. The related noun liquidation also appeared around this time in a legal context. 1755: The sense of "to clear away" a debt or obligation was first recorded. 1818: The financial sense of "converting assets into cash" began to appear, evolving from a 17th-century Scots Law usage referring to legally proven debts. 1924: The grim meaning of "to wipe out or kill," especially applied to people, emerged, possibly influenced by the Russian word likvidirovat. This euphemistic sense was notably used in communist writings during the 20th century. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb "liquidate" was first used in English around 1575. The earliest known evidence comes from Balfour's Practicks, with the entry on the Oxford English Dictionary website showing its usage in the late 1500s. Examples of the word "liquidate" in a sentence: Financial Context: To convert assets into cash: "She decided to liquidate her stock portfolio to pay for a new house." To close a company by selling its assets to pay debts: "After years of financial losses, the company was forced to liquidate." Debt context: To pay off or settle a debt: "He received a large sum of money to liquidate the old family claims." Elimination context: To do away with an organization: "The administration is dead set on liquidating our public lands as quickly as possible." To get rid of something or someone, often by killing (used especially in older or more dramatic contexts): "The movie is about a hitman hired to liquidate a powerful businessman."
-
Chris, you'd better start building or buying a large boat before it reaches 40 days in a row. Stock the boat full of supplies, and you can take your pets with you as well, but leave it to someone else to hit the zoos and round up the pairs of each animal species to take with them on a Carnival Cruise ship.
-
Actually, you didn't need AI for this purpose, since there are several products that have used a variation of the word "absolve". 1. AbSolve Glassware Cleaner: A general-purpose laboratory cleaner that removes DNA and RNase contamination from glassware and plasticware. 2. Absolve® Peracetic Acid Biocide: A chemical fogging biocide for sanitizing and disinfecting. 3. Absolve laundry solvent: A product used for removing greasy and oily stains during the pre-spotting process in dry cleaning. 4. Absolution Cosmetics: A French skincare brand whose name is a variation of the word. 5. Abosolv™ General Purpose Thinner: An epoxy thinner and cleaning solvent used for wood restoration projects. 6. Signature Absolve: An agricultural chemical, likely an adjuvant, used with herbicides and other pesticides.
-
The verb absolve originates from Latin (prefix ab- "from" + solvere "loosen") to form absolvere "loosen from", "set free", "acquit"). via the Old French absolvir, and entered English during the Middle English period (1150-1500).. In the religious sense, to be absolved means to be truly forgiven in the eyes of the Lord, which must feel like being set free. In a more mundane everyday usage, absolve can be used to describe being let off the hook, hence the word absolution. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb absolve was first used in English before 1475. The OED cites its earliest evidence from R. Higden's Polychronicon. Examples of the word "absolve" used in a sentence: "The jury's verdict of not guilty absolved the defendant of criminal responsibility for the theft." "The priest granted the penitent sinner absolution, absolving him from his sins." "The court ruling did not absolve the company of its obligation to address the damages caused by the pollution." "Admitting her mistake did not absolve her from the consequences, as the damage was already done." "She sought to absolve herself of the difficult task by delegating it to her assistant."
-
I'm afraid my running days are over. My exercise program is comprised of a nice long walk while doing my grocery shopping or walking around a paved loop at the local park without falling over, since it isn't level and meanders over some rolling terrain. I use my cane to keep upright and try not to trip anyone else on my way around the loop on those days when there are others there at the same time. I'm glad you got to spend some time with family and friends, even if you do have to waddle around until Christmas. Hell, get yourself a Santa suit 🎅 and you may be able to pick up some additional income, and then after Christmas you can volunteer to help shovel driveways and sidewalks ❄️ ☃️🌨️ until you've worked of the excess baggage, err I mean pounds or kg. Btw, the only reason I'm still up is I thought I'd wait for Myr to post today's Word of the Day before I turned in but I'm just about ready to call it quits and turn in anyway, because it's usually posted between 5:00 and 5:30 eastern time and it's now 5:50. Must be he's sleeping in this morning, so I'll bid you all goodnight, or good morning, and try to get some sleep. Adieu.
-
melancholia - Word of the Day - Sat Oct 4, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
There was a song "My Melancholy Baby", which was sung by many artists, such as Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald, although they didn't always sing all the lyrics and might have made some minor changes. The original lyrics by George A. Norton, 1912, goes as follows: Come, sweetheart mine Don’t sit and pine Tell me of the cares that make you feel so blue I’m sorry hun What have I done? Have I ever said an unkind word to you? My love is true And just for you I’d do almost anything at anytime Dear, when you sigh And when you cry Something seems to grip this very heart of mine Come to me, my melancholy baby Cuddle up and don’t be blue All your fears are foolish fancy, maybe Don’t you know that I’m in love with you? Every cloud must have a silver lining Just wait until the sun shines through And smile, my honey dear While I kiss away each tear Or else I shall be melancholy too Every cloud must have a silver lining Just wait until the sun shines through And smile, my honey dear While I kiss away each tear Or else I shall be melancholy Else I’ll be melancholy Or else I shall be melancholy too -
melancholia - Word of the Day - Sat Oct 4, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The term "melancholia" comes from the Greek words melas (μέλας), meaning "black," and kholé (χολή), meaning "bile". Literally translating to "black bile," the word originally described a medical condition believed by ancient Greeks to be caused by an excess of this humor, which they associated with sadness, irritability, and a gloomy disposition. The term entered English via Late Latin, melancholia, and Old French, melancolie, and while its meaning evolved from its humoral origins, it retained the association with a deeply negative and persistent state of mind. The term 'melancholia' first appears in On the Sacred Disease- a medical text attributed to Hippocrates from approximately 400 B.C. This book recognizes the 'sorrows, griefs, despondency, and lamentations' associated with the melancholy condition. Shift in meaning: As understanding of the humors declined, especially after the 18th century, the term "melancholia" evolved to describe a gloomy mental state rather than a literal imbalance of bile. Modern Usage: Today, the word is less common as a clinical term, with "depression" and other mood disorder terms taking its place, but it still carries its historical weight of profound sadness and gloom. Melancholy describes a pensive, thoughtful mood that involves deep, often quiet sadness or gloominess. It can be an intense feeling of sadness evoked by something, such as the melancholy cries of sheep, or a general tendency to be thoughtful and sad. While related to sadness, melancholy is more complex, often incorporating themes of nostalgia, longing, or a reflective, introverted state. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun melancholia was first used in Middle English before 1398. The dictionary cites an appearance in a translation by John Trevisa, a translator who was active before 1398. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "melancholy" first appeared in English in the Middle English period, with early evidence of its use as both an adjective and a noun dating back to the late 14th century. The earliest recorded evidence for the adjective and noun is from a1393. Examples of "melancholia" used in English: "He has such a sparkle in his eye, and a joyful face, but he had a lot of melancholia." "After his wife left, he fell into a deep, inexplicable melancholia." "The music created a sense of melancholia as the characters anticipated their inevitable separation." "And people looking for a dose of introspective melancholia at the end of the festival will have to choose between The National on the Other Stage, and James Blake, who plays in the Woodsies tent." Examples of "melancholy" used in a sentence: "I was deeply aware of his melancholy as he stood among the mourners." "The general watched the process with an air of melancholy." "It was in these hours of the late afternoon that Tom Mulligan felt most melancholy." "He fixed me with those luminous, empty eyes and his melancholy smile." -
I hope the spider's legs aren't course enough to strike the matchhead when it jumps, or else it better be fast enough to avoid the flames. If not, it will go out in a blaze of anonymity, unless its body accidently catches something else on fire, like the contents of your house!
- 851 replies
-
- 2
-
-
-
- deadly spiders
- nightmare spiders
- (and 4 more)
-
exaltation - Word of the Day - Fri Oct 3, 2026
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "exaltation" comes from the Latin verb exaltāre, meaning "to raise high" or "to elevate". It combines the prefix ex- (from, out of) with altus (high). The word entered English via Middle English exaltacioun, from the Old French exaltacion, and first appearing in the late 14th century to describe elevation in rank, power, or status, and later taking on astronomical and astrological meanings. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun exaltation was first used in English around 1386. The earliest evidence cited by the OED for the word is in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the verb exalt was first used in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with its earliest evidence dating to before 1400. The word is a borrowing from Latin, where it means "to lift up". Example of the word "exaltation" used in a sentence: "Her heart filled with exaltation when she saw the stunning view from the mountaintop." "The organization's mission involved the exaltation of education to improve society." “It was a feeling of exaltation. Artistic beauty. It was everything.” "Yet the collective spirit of the event — an exaltation of the feminine in its many expressions — felt authentic to Uchis’ work as an artist." "But Timur’s live performance added another otherworldly level of exaltation for which neither film nor deafening amplification can enhance." "Philosophical concepts used to address these topics have been implicitly determined by the colonizer through the exaltation of certain thinkers and the obscuring of others." -
foreboding - Word of the Day - Thu Oct 2, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The etymology of "foreboding" comes from the Old English word forebodian, meaning "to announce beforehand" or "foretell". It combines the prefix fore- (before) with the verb bode ("to announce," "to foretell"), which itself comes from the Old English bodian (to announce) and boda (messenger). The noun form foreboding first appeared in Middle English around the late 14th century, initially meaning "omen" or "portent" before evolving to its modern sense of a feeling that something bad will happen. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun foreboding was first used in English before 1387 . The earliest evidence is found in a translation by John Trevisa. The OED makes a distinction between the noun and adjective forms of the word: Noun: Earliest known use was in the Middle English period (1150–1500). The OED lists a citation from before 1387. Adjective: Earliest known use was in the late 1600s, with a citation from 1679. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb forebode was first used in English around 1540. The OED cites its earliest evidence for the verb in Destruction of Troy. It is important to distinguish the verb from the related noun forbode and the later verb bode. The noun forbode existed in English much earlier, in the Old English period (pre-1150). The modern verb bode ("to be an omen of") appeared later, in the 17th century. Examples of "foreboding" used in a sentence: "The dark, foreboding atmosphere of the abandoned house gave them chills". "She had a sense of foreboding that the news would be bad". "The old photograph exuded a sense of foreboding, as if it captured a moment of tragedy frozen in time". "A sense of foreboding gripped the coastal town as the hurricane approached". "The eerie silence in the mansion intensified the foreboding atmosphere". "As they walked into the haunted house, a wave of foreboding washed over them." "The dark, foreboding clouds gathered on the horizon, hinting at an approaching storm". -
The word "spleen" derives from the Ancient Greek word "splḗn", which means "spleen" or "milt. In Old English, the word was "milte," which is related to the German "Milz" and the Dutch "milt." The modern English word "spleen" is thought to have been adopted from Old French word "esplen", via the Latin word splen, around the 13th century. Interestingly, the Greek word "splḗn" was also used to describe a feeling of melancholy or ill humor, which is why the word "spleen" is sometimes used figuratively to express a state of ill-temper or melancholy, a concept rooted in ancient humoral medicine, which linked bodily humors, including black bile from the spleen, to temperament. The spleen is a spongy, highly vascular organ situated near the stomach in humans. It forms lymphocytes, produces antibodies, aids in destroying worn-out red blood cells, and filters bacteria and foreign particles from the blood. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun "spleen" was first used in English before 1300, during the Middle English period. The earliest citation the OED provides is from Vox & Wolf, a work dating from the late 13th century. Baudelaire used the term “spleen” to describe a kind of melancholy, profound boredom and overall dissatisfaction, often stemming from the tragedy of life. Baudelaire adopted the term from the English anatomical word, “spleen”, which is related to Hippocrates' theory of moods shifts stemming from bodily humours. Examples of "spleen" used in a sentence to refer to the organ: "The patient had a ruptured spleen and required immediate surgery". "An enlarged spleen can be a sign of an infection or blood disorder". "His injuries included a broken rib and a damaged spleen". Examples of "spleen" used in a sentence to refer to anger or bad temper (as in "vent your spleen"): "She used the newspaper as a platform to vent her spleen at the government". "He went for a long walk to clear his head and get rid of some of his spleen". "Instead of shouting, he wrote a letter to vent his spleen".
-
pensiveness - Word of the Day - Tue Sep 30, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The adjective pensive, which It describes someone who is thoughtfully sad, deeply in thought, or dreamily reflective, comes from the Old French pensif, meaning "thoughtful". This, in turn, comes from the Latine word pensāre "to consider" or "weigh". Pensāre itself is a frequentative form of the Latin verb pendere "to weigh" or "hang," from the Proto-Indo-European root (s)pen- "to draw, stretch, or spin". The suffix -ness was added to pensive to form the noun pensiveness. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun pensiveness was first used in English around 1425 during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest known example found in the writings of John Lydgate. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "pensive" was first used in English before 1393. The OED's earliest evidence comes from the writing of the poet John Gower. Specifically, it appears in Book 4 of his work Confessio Amantis. Examples of "pensiveness" used in a sentence: "Her pensiveness was evident as she gazed out the window, lost in thought." "In moments of pensiveness, she often wrote in her journal to express her feelings." "The somber music created a mood of quiet pensiveness throughout the room." "His pensiveness was not necessarily sadness, but a deep, quiet contemplation. Examples of "pensive" used in a sentence: "He was pensive for a moment before answering the question." "The long-range decision-making left the leaders feeling pensive." "The drops of rain outside the window made her pensive." "He stood with his arms folded, chin on his hand, in a pensive pose." -
sublimate - Word of the Day - Mon Sep 29, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word sublimate comes from the Latin verb sublimare, meaning "to elevate"; sublimare is also the ancestor of sublime. Sublimate itself once meant "to elevate to a place of dignity or honor" or "to give a more elevated character to," but these meanings are now obsolete. Around the 16th century, the term was adopted into alchemy and chemistry to describe the process of heating a solid into a vapor, which then cools to form a pure substance. The term later developed into a psychological concept, particularly through Sigmund Freud's work, describing the channeling of primitive impulses, such as sexual ones, into socially acceptable or more elevated activities. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the verb "sublimate" was first used in English before the year 1500, with the earliest evidence from the writings of the alchemist George Ripley. In the 1560s the use of the past-participle adjective "sublimated" in English to mean "purified" or "refined". Around 1600 the chemical and alchemical sense of sublimate emerges, referring to the process of heating a solid into a vapor and cooling it to extract pure substance. In the 1620s the noun form of "sublimate" first appears in English. Examples of "sublimate" used in a sentence: "The artist was able to sublimate her personal pain into incredibly powerful and moving works of art." "Dry ice sublimates at room temperature, a fascinating process to observe." "She learned to sublimate her competitive urges by channeling them into coaching a young team," "Over time, the ice on the comet's surface began to sublimate, creating its iconic tail." "Can she sublimate her ego for the good of the team?" "I try to sublimate this energy into productivity at work." "But I'll see if I can actually sublimate the tension into something creative." Examples of "sublimation" used in a sentence (as a physical process): "Dry ice is a classic example of sublimation, as it turns directly from a solid to a gas at room temperature." "When comets travel close to a star, the heat causes their ice to undergo sublimation, forming their tails." Examples of "sublimation" used in a sentence (as a psychological concept): "Rather than dwell on his grief, she used sublimation by donating her time to community service." "He channeled his restless energy into working on the project, a clear case of sublimation." -
quiescence - Word of the Day - Sun Sep 28, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The word "quiescence" comes from the Latin word quiescentia, meaning "rest" or "quietness". This noun quiescence comes from the Latin verb quiescere, meaning "to rest" or "to become quiet". Ultimately, this traces back to the Proto-Indo-European root *kweie-, which also means "to rest, be quiet". Definition of Quiescence A state of rest or inactivity, Dormancy or stillness, and A temporary lull or pause. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest recorded use of the noun quiescence in English was in 1625. The citation comes from the writings of the poet and clergyman John Donne. Quiescent is an adjective that means quiet, still, inactive, or in a state of rest or dormancy. It describes something that is not currently developing, functioning, or active. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective quiescent was first used in English in 1605. The first recorded use was by philosopher and statesman Francis Bacon, in a passage that references Aristotle: "... as Aristotle endeavoureth to prove, that in all motion there is some point quiescent..." Examples of "quiescence" and "quiescent" used in a sentence: Environmental: "The forest experienced a period of quiescence during the winter, with no growth or movement." Geological: "Mount Fuji is an active volcano, but it is currently in a phase of quiescence, meaning it is not erupting." Biological: "To survive the cold, the insect entered a dormant, quiescent state to conserve energy." Social: "The community's political quiescence allowed for a long period of peace and stability". Professional: "The tech industry was in a quiescent period after a boom, with fewer new innovations emerging". -
nostomania - Word of the Day - Sat Sep 27, 2025
Bill W commented on Myr's blog entry in Writing World
The etymology of nostomania combines the Greek word νόστος (nóstos), meaning "a return home", with the suffix -mania (from the Greek mania), meaning "madness" or "excessive enthusiasm. Thus, nostomania literally translates to a "madness for a return home," describing an overwhelming desire to return to one's home or familiar places. Nostomania is an extreme form of homesickness or a passionate longing for the familiar, similar to how "nostalgia" (from nostos and algos, meaning "pain") signifies a longing for the past. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the word nostomania in English was in 1835 in the Cyclopaedia of Practical Medicine. Examples of "nostomania" used in a sentence: "No matter how long he lived abroad, the old sailor's constant nostomania always pulling his thought back to his small costal hometown." "His intense nostomania for his childhood home in the country made it impossible for him to truly enjoy his city life, despite living there for years." "No matter how long charles lived in Los Angeles, the nostomania was always there, reminding him that New York was where he truly wanted to be." "The prolonged military deployment left the soldier with a deep nostomania, a constant longing for the familiar comfort of his hometown." "She suffered from nostomania, a maddening desire to return to the era of her youth, which made her reject all modern trends," -
Let's get technical, technical. I want to get technical. (to the tune of Olivia Newton-John's Physical)
-
The word frisson is borrowed from French in the 18th century, where it means "shiver" or "thrill". Its etymology traces back to the Old French word friçons (trembling), which itself ultimately derives from Latin. Interestingly, the Latin root is frictiō ("friction"), but this was mistakenly thought to be a derivative of frigēre ("to be cold"), leading to the meaning of "shiver" and "thrill". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word frisson was first used in English in 1777 in a letter by Horace Walpole, and it is a direct borrowing from the French frisson, which means "fever, illness; shiver, thrill". . Example of "frisson" used in a sentence: "As the suspenseful music swelled, a collective frisson of excitement ran through the audience." "There was a distinct frisson in the air as the two rival teams faced each other on the field." "The discovery of the ancient artifact gave the archaeologists a powerful frisson of anticipation." "She felt a slight frisson of fear when she realized how late it was." "The story was exciting, offering a delicious frisson of mystery and adventure."
-
Interesting comment, but waiting until Clint turns 18 will take 5 years and probably take us through Secrets 4 and Secrets 5. I think the boys will be worried about their careers by then and possibly a son or two. 😜
-
Small world. And I go to the one on Lexington.
-
en·nui /änˈwē/
-
The word ennui comes from French and originally meant "annoyance" or "vexation". It traces back to the Old French word enui, from the verb enuiier (or enuier), which in turn derives from the Late Latin inodiō ("hated"), the same root that gave English the word "annoy". English borrowed the term in the 17th century, and it evolved to describe a more specific kind of boredom: a feeling of listlessness, dissatisfaction, or apathy resulting from a lack of excitement or occupation. Evolution of the word: Late Latin: The root is the Late Latin phrase inodiō, meaning "hated". Old French: This evolved into the Old French word enui and the verb enuiier (to annoy). English: The word was borrowed into English in the 1660s as a direct loan from French, initially as ennui. Meaning shift: While its Latin and French roots are tied to "annoyance," the English usage shifted to a more profound sense of boredom, weariness, or apathy, particularly when life becomes too easy or monotonous. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun ennui was first recorded in English in 1758, though the word was used as a French term within English in the 1660s. The OED entry for ennui, n, also shows that the verb form of ennui appeared later, around 1804–1806. Examples of "ennui" in a sentence: "The endless hours spent in the office filled him with a deep sense of ennui." "A brief moment of joy was quickly replaced by his usual feeling of ennui." "Some people find a quick trip to a new city to be the perfect antidote to creative ennui." "She could feel the boredom and weariness, a dull ennui that settled over the quiet afternoon." "A brief surge of pure joy was quickly supplanted by his more usual ennui." "Her usual carefully-studied air of ennui had for a moment slipped." "Tony Hill," he said, covering his ennui with a coating of brightness.
-
Are you in Athens?
-
I'll meet up with you guys at the checkout.
