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Bill W

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Everything posted by Bill W

  1. The word "queasy" has uncertain etymological origins, but it likely comes from a Scandinavian source like Old Norse "Kveisa" (meaning "boil" or "bowel pain") or is influenced by Old French coisier (meaning "to hurt") and Anglo-French "queisier," which itself might stem from the same Germanic root as "kveisa". It entered the English language around the 15th century, and referred to a feeling of nausea or unsettled stomach. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the adjective "queasy" was first used in English around 1450. Specifically, the OED's earliest evidence is from the Middle English period, in the text Practica Phisicalia, a recipe book by John of Burgundy, although some date his works to between 1338 and 1390. The word appears in Middle English texts as "coisy," "coysy," "queisy," and "qwesye." Examples of using "queasy" in a sentence: "It made me a bit queasy, as these things tend to do,’ he said." "The board ride made me a little queasy." "She complained of a queasy stomach." "He feels queasy about taking the test." "She had the queasy feeling that she was being watched." "If public speaking makes you queasy, practice reading in front of supportive friends or family members." "For example, if you always eat pepperoni pizza before your cardio workouts, and you always end up feeling a bit queasy, it might be time to try a different pre-workout meal."
  2. The word "obsession" origninates from the Latin word obsessio, meaning "a besieging or blockade," It is derived from the past participle of the verb obsidere, which means "to besiege, occupy, or sit opposite to." This Latin root is composed of ob (against) and sedere (to sit). The Oxford English Dictionary identifies the earliest evidence of the use of "obsession" in English as being from 1548 in Hall's "Vnion". The word obsession has a long history in the English Language. In the1510s it Initially referred to the "action of besieging" (now an obsolete meaning). Around 1600 the meaning shifted to encompass the "hostile action of an evil spirit." In the 1670s it gained a more general sense referring to "the action of anything which engrosses the mind," The psychological sense of obsession, referring to a persistent, intrusive thought or idea, developed later, around the 1880s, and in 1901 the psychological sense officially emerged, defining it as an "idea or image that intrudes on the mind of a person against his will". Examples of "obsession" used in a sentence: "He was fascinated by the actress and tracking her every move had become an obsession." "She has an obsession about cleanliness." "Her concern about cleanliness approaches the level of obsession." "Money has become an obsession for him." "An obsession with home ownership is one of the causes of the financial crisis, he says." "I've created this love of food that is almost an obsession." Examples of other forms of the word, using obsessive and obsessed in a sentence: "Many dancers are obsessive about their weight." "He is an obsessive workaholic who never stops thinking about his job." "The new therapy is supposed to help people control their obsessive thoughts. "He's obsessed with Taylor Swift and collects anything and everything connected with her." "Mankind has always been obsessed by power." "She is obsessed with personal hygiene." "The author of the book seems to be obsessed with sexual perversity and death."
  3. The word "resilience" originates from the Latin word "resilire," meaning "to jump back" or "to recoil." The Latin verb "resilire" is derived from "salire," meaning "to leap". This Latin root is also the basis for words like "sally" and "somersault". In essence, the core meaning of resilience, both etymologically and in its modern usage, is the ability to bounce back from adversity or a challenging situation. Today, resilience is used in a wide range of fields, including psychology, sociology, engineering, and ecology, to describe the capacity to withstand and recover from challenges. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first use of the word "resilience" in the English language was in 1626, in Francis Bacon's Sylva Sylvarum. The OED defines this early usage as "an act of rebounding or springing back; rebound recoil." While the initial usage was related to physical rebounding, the meaning of resilience has evolved. The OED indicates that a second definition, associated with elasticity, was added in 1824. The Oxford English Dictionary indicates that the word "resilient" was first used in English in the mid-1600sm specifically in 1644. The OED's earliest example is from the writings of John Bulwer, a medical practitioner and writer. Examples of "resilience" and "resilient" used in a sentence: "But as the day went on they started to find some resilience." "Almost 200 Californians turned out for tips on how to build resilience." "Family therapists may be their best allies in passing on resilience." "Cold temperatures cause the material to lose resilience." "The rescue workers showed remarkable resilience in dealing with the difficult conditions." "That speaks to what has been a theme of this year – the resilience of this team." "Even my doctors were surprised at how resilient I was during and after treatment." "We realized how resilient these women and children had to be." "In the study, resilient people were easily comforted by positive memories of their deceased partner."
  4. Bill W

    Chapter 13 S3

    Anton, yes, Devin is impatient, but I don't believe that he would put Mac or either family at risk. He just doesn't like to wait for certain things, such as having control over his own body. I think he'll be fine, and people seem to change once they have children, so maybe he'll learn patience one they have a son. As far as Preston is concerned, I'm not sure what the deal is. There's a fine line between showing interest in someone or just being nosy, I still feel that Preston likes the boys and just wants to know more about them to sate his curiosity, with no ulterior motive, although I could be wrong. I have a feeling that he's just a lonely academic who has found a connection to the boys, especially Mac (Michael).
  5. The word "infidelity" originates from Latin and French, ultimately deriving from the Latin word "infidelis," meaning "unfaithful" or "disloyal. It entered the English language around the 15th century. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known use of the noun "infidelity" in English is from 1509, in the writings of Alexander Barclay, a poet and clergyman. The core meaning revolves around a breach of faith or loyalty, initially in religious contexts ("unbelief") but later extending to interpersonal relationships, particularly romantic ones. Examples of "infidelity" in a sentence: "As a result of their infidelity, the people descended into moral and spiritual corruption." "I like books about atheism and infidelity and general neuroticism much more." "George ignored his partner's infidelities." "I divorced him for infidelity." "Napoleon on the other hand spoke of her in his will with marked tenderness, and both excused and forgave her infidelity to him." "His infidelity to his wife and his harshness towards his son Carlino are blemishes on a splendid career, but he more than expiated these faults by his tragic end." Synonyms for infidelity: unfaithfulness, cheating [informal], adultery, betrayal
  6. Bill W

    Spiders

    I've found surprises like that as well, but I chose not to take such extreme measures and blow a hole in the porcelain receptacle. A little toilet paper over the offending and unwanted guest and a quick flush works just fine to eliminate the problem.
  7. Bill W

    Chapter 13 S3

    That might mean the old taste buds are going and you need more extreme foods to wake them up.
  8. Bill W

    Chapter 13 S3

    Well, Devin and Mac had a week to spend with their families, so that will give Devin a little time to heal and enjoy Thanksgiving. I've already made a slip and giving away a hint about a second Thanksgiving celebration, and we know that Lonny and Clint will be joining the boys for the football game on the Saturday after Thanksgiving, so we have that to look forward as well. After that, there will be Christmas and New Year's celebrations, so there's a lot to look forward to, plus who knows what new or unexpected challenges they might face.
  9. Bill W

    Chapter 13 S3

    Thanks for the cooking tips. One thing I noticed with my family and with my in-laws, as they got older they ate more sweets. It didn't make a difference what it was, along as it was sweet, and Mac's dad seems to be the same way.
  10. Bill W

    Chapter 13 S3

    Devin got his way and doesn't have to worry about not being able to transition into small animals again, so hopefully his recovery will go well. I'm sure you've all probably surmise that he'll probably take an active role in making his recovery happen as quickly as possible. Oh, and Lee, he'll have a week before the next football game, so that should be enough time for him to heal, right? 🙃
  11. Bill W

    Chapter 13 S3

    I hope you enjoy them. 👨‍🍳
  12. Opined is derived from Latin opinari ‘think, believe’. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the verb opine was first used in English around 1450, during the Middle English period, and cites the writing of John Capgrave, a prior of Bishop's Lynn, theologian, and historian, as the earliest evidence for the use of "opine". Examples of "opined" in a sentence. “The man is a genius,” he opined. "Many people opine that the content of Web pages should be better regulated." "You can opine about any subject you like." "We have done some research on age trends and I have opined on the subject earlier." "The critic opined that the movie was a masterpiece." "The case got registered but was opined to be extremely weak for any conviction of the culprits in a court of law." "One scientist opined that research simply cannot go on if any more controls are introduced."
  13. Bill W

    Chapter 13 S3

    I think Mike is probably just as happy to avoid that place just so he doesn't have to listen to her. 🤪
  14. Chapter 13 – Devin’s Operation Devin and I got up early on Friday and walked to the dining hall for breakfast, as we normally would. Devin didn’t eat as much as usual this morning, though, because he was excited, and maybe a little nervous about finally getting the operation to remove the titanium plates and screws from his shoulder. After we finished eating, I walked to my class and Devin went back to the house to wait until it was time to go to the hospital. As the appointment ho
  15. I don't know how I overlooked responding to this post earlier, unless I never hit the "add comment", but I appreciate your response and I'm glad you enjoyed this story.
  16. The word "ostentatious" traces its roots back to Latin, ultimately steming from the verb "ostendere," meaning "to show" or "to display." This verb is a frequentative form of "tendere," meaning "to stretch," suggesting an outward and often exaggerated display, or from the Latin word "ostentātus" (meaning "displayed" or "shown"), along with the English suffix "-ious." The word evolved through Middle French "ostentacion," and into Middle English as "ostentacioun," thus acquiring the sense of pretentious or vulgar display intended to impress others. The adjective "ostentatious" was first used in the English language in the late 1500s, specifically in 1590, in the writings of William Segar, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. Examples of ostentatious in a sentence: "London at the time was a curious mixture of ostentatious wealth hiding harrowing poverty." "There is status in ostentatious display." "That first house was horribly ostentatious." "The pulpit is not the place for ostentatious display of one's skill." "They do not consider their own large, ostentatious houses common." "The ostentatious wealth of the new rich only served to highlight the destitution of the rest of society."
  17. And that's 70.5 hot dogs in buns, so he had to do a lot of chewing , not deep throating @chris191070 🤪 Back in the 1980s I, and my family, lived in an old farm house, and during one storm a bolt of lightning struck our well. It not only burned out the pump on the well, but the surge of electricity burned our multiple electrical appliances, including a microwave and two TVs. The loud clap of thunder and everything going black at the same time definitely caused us all to jump, although we didn't look this happy. I'm glad I had good homeowner insurance at the time that covered most of the cost for the items we lost. 😲
  18. The word comes pandemic comes from ancient Greek — pan (meaning "all") and demos (meaning people), or simply put — all the people. Of course, people across the globe suffer from the seasonal flu, and many die from it. But it isn't considered a pandemic because it is generally harmless to the healthy. The difference between epidemic and pandemic are as follows: an epidemic is a disease outbreak that is rapidly spreading in a limited region. A pandemic is an epidemic that is actively spreading to multiple regions across the globe. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "pandemic" was first used in English in the mid-1600s. Specifically, the OED's earliest evidence for the word "pandemic" is from 1659 in the writings of J. Rogers. At this time, the word was primarily used as an adjective, often in a general sense meaning "universal" or "widespread". The noun form of "pandemic," referring to "a pandemic disease; an outbreak of such a disease," is recorded by 1832. Examples of pandemic used in a sentence: "Companies should prepare for a pandemic flu the way they would for a blizzard." "The idea that this flu could reach pandemic proportions is a chilling thought." "Experts warned of the impending threat of a global pandemic if the virus was not contained. "They feared a new cholera pandemic." "Even in the East plague was confined to more or less clearly localized epidemics; it showed no power of pandemic diffusion." "In short, if we regard the history of this disease as a whole, it appears to have lost such power from the time of the Great Plague of London in 1665, which was part of a pandemic wave, until the present day."
  19. The Secret Author Short Story contests is imminent. More story prompts on Gay Authors is also imminent.
  20. Imminent comes from minent, from Old French imminent, from Latin imminēns, imminent-, present participle of imminēre, to overhang : in-, in; see IN-2 + -minēre, to jut, threaten. Don't confuse "eminent" and "imminent". They are both adjectives, but they describe different things. "Eminent" refers to comeone or something that is famous, respected, and outstanding, often within a specific field. "imminent" describes something that is about to happen, likely in the near future. The adjective "imminent" was first used in English in the early 1500s. The Oxford English Dictionary records its earliest use in 1528 in the writing of Stephen Gardiner, theologian, administrator, and bishop of Winchester. It is a borrowing from the French "imminent" (14th century), which itself comes from the Latin "imminens". Examples of "imminent" used in a sentence: "The principal's arrival at the meeting is imminent." "These patients are facing imminent death." "We are awaiting their imminent arrival." "The hurricane's arrival on shore is imminent." "This isn’t the first time a world leader constructed a wall between himself and those he deemed imminent threats." "It emphasised that there was'absolutely no information or intelligence' suggesting an imminent threat." "After five days in the hideout, the rebels told them a new attack was imminent."
  21. Ludicrous comes from Latin ludicrus (probably from ludicrum ‘stage play’) + -ous. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word ludicrous was first used in English in the early 1600s. The OED's earliest recorded evidence for "ludicrous" is from 1619 in the writings of Thomas Gataker. During the 17th century and most of the 18th century the word ludicrous meant "pertaining to play or sport". The modern sense of "ridiculous" or "provoking laughter or deserving to be laughed at" developed later, around 1782. Examples of "ludicrous" in a sentence: "To say that he did not know what was going on is ludicrous." "It would be ludicrous if it were otherwise." "The plot mechanics are ludicrous and tedious." "It would be ludicrous of me to criticize any one of them." "This crazy award also opens the path for similar ludicrous claims." "Now we have both sides hurling insults at one another and coming up with more and more ludicrous claims." "As soon as you read the official explanations, you just know something ludicrous has taken place."
  22. Bill W

    Spiders

      That’s Wild: Barfing Spiders Many spiders rely on injecting venom into their prey from little openings in their fangs. But a new study finds that one common spider, the feather-legged lace weaver (Uloborus plumipes), has a more novel approach to subduing its next meal: vomiting all over it. The upchucked toxins, applied after the victim has been wrapped in silk, are apparently just as lethal as other spiders’ venom. You could even say this spider’s barf is worse than its bite.
  23. The word "superfluous" origninates from the Latin word "superfluus," meaning "overflowing" or "running over." This Latin term itself is a combination of "super" (meaning "over" or "more") and "fluere" (meaning "to flow"). Therefore, etymologically, "superfluous" literally translates to "flowing over" or having more than is needed. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "superfluous" was first used in English in the 15th century, before 1450. The OED's earliest evidence for the word comes from the writings of John Arderne. Examples of "superfluous" used in a sentence: "Why do we have superfluous, but potentially deadly vestiges like the appendix or wisdom teeth?" "Unnecessary, superfluous comments waste time and try the patience of participants." "To recount in detail their last night almost would be superfluous." "The drama of the race was almost superfluous." "Of course we are all against unnecessary regulation and superfluous administrator. "Thousands of hours of collective practice have rendered this skill superfluous."
  24. Bill W

    Chapter 12 S3

    No, you didn't miss anything and I screwed up, but typically Bailey gets along well with Mac, except when he'd transitioned into Bear on another occasion, which should be well in the past. When Mac did that, Bailey barked and even growled at Bear, which really confused Preston. He couldn't figure out why she was acting like that, since she'd always seemed to love Bear. As I said, the boys must emit a different scent as Bear.
  25. Connotation is from medieval Latin connotatio, "a marking along with", from connotare "mark in addition." According to the Oxford English Dictionary, connotation was first used in English in the mid- 1500s. Specifically, the OED's earliest documented use is from 1532, in the writings of Thomas More. Examples of connotation used in a sentence: "Ostensibly neutral, each of these words has a positive connotation in the American political lexicon." "The word 'childlike' has a connotation of innocence." "For her, the word “family” has a connotation of 'love and comfort'. "Forest fires gained a negative connotation because of cultural references to uncontrolled fires that take lives and destroy homes and properties. "A word's connotation is the feeling or idea that it suggests beyond its literal meaning." "Typically, the word "home" has a positive and warm connotation." "To avoid the connotation of correctness, I would use the word principles rather than rules."
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