D is for . . .deer . . .deerhound

.
Image and definition 'sampled' from: 
Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language; copyright 1989.


Back to the animals . . .a 'two-fer' this time...

deer, n., pl,  deer, (occasionally) deers. 1. any
 of several ruminants of the family Cervidae, most of
 the males of which have solid, deciduous horns or
 antlers. ...

...and

deer-hound, n, one of a Scottish breed of large dogs
 having a shaggy, gray, or brindled coat.


A mention of deer (or "occasionally deers") seems appropriate at this time of year as the species Rangifer tarandus, reindeer, comes easily to mind now.

While deerhound reminds me of an old British mystery tale, featuring the mysterious moors surrounding a medieval castle.


Next up . . .the letter 'E ... e '..!!



...tom...

C is for . . .cone.

.
Image and definition 'sampled' from: 
Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language; copyright 1989.


For all you geometry and math fans out there...

cone, n., v. coned, con-ing --n  1. Geom. a solid whose surface is generated by a line passing through a fixed point and a fixed plane curve not containing the point, consisting of two equal sections joined at s vertex.  2. a plane surface resembling the cross-section of a solid cone. ...

 

Good gawd . . .the definitions above make me feel like I am back in my high school geometry class.

The definitions continue on ...including mentions of machined mechanical parts, fruits of plants, specialized cells in the eye "sensitive to color and intensity of light", ice cream, and more. More than you would ever want to know about cones..!!

As promised . . .not an animal this time. See you at my next post for the letter 'D'..!!

...tom...

B is for . . .bighorn.

.
Image and definition 'sampled' from: 
Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language; copyright 1989.

Tonight's random selection and submission for your (and my) edification...

big-horn, n., pl  -horns, (esp. collectively)  -horn. a wild sheep, Ovis canadensis, of the Rocky Mountains, with large curving horns. Also called Rockey Mountain bighorn, Rocky Mountain sheep.

Lewis and Clark are often credited with the discovery of bighorns. But they had been described before ...as early as 1540 by the Spanish conquistador Francisco Vásquez de Coronado. They truly must have been an astonishing sight for transplanted Europeans.


More to come . . .and maybe not an animal next time..!!


...tom...

A is for . . .alpaca.

.
It is easy to let a blog lay fallow. With all the distractions of real life and other online activities ...sometimes a blog post is the last item on a long list of 'things to do'.

This serves as the inspiration for a simple, silly posting activity to perhaps get me back here more often.

I have always been fascinated by the small line drawings or 'pictures' found in ink and paper dictionaries. Strange animals, small maps, unfamiliar objects, odd plants ...as a young reader finding these diminutive icons they were most often a glimpse of something new to me.


This series of posts will share random selections of these small pictures 'sampled' from Webster's Encyclopedic Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language; copyright 1989. A "$79.95 Value" according to a tag on the inside the dustcover's front flap  ...I picked it up recently for $6.99 plus tax at a local Half Price Books outlet. Boy did I hoodwink (v.t. 1. to deceive or trick.) them..!!


Tonight's random selection and submission for your (and my) edification...

al-pac-a  n. 1. a domesticated, South American animal of the genus Lama, having long, soft, silky hair or wool, related to the camels, resembling a llama, and believed to be a variety of the guanaco.

 I know . . .pretty exciting..!!

Stay tuned for my next entry . . .I hope to at least make it through the alphabet once. We shall see.


...tom...

How to write a love letter...

...
" OK, OK. I confess. This book is not really about 'how to write a love letter'. I am just shamelessly throwing myself at the web search engine spiders.

Perhaps my sticky net caught you also my dear reader. If it did perhaps you are searching for the perfect words to reveal your heart's anguished desire to claim that of another. If you are on such a mission ...I envy you.

I envy you that feeling of your bursting heart that has so muddled your thoughts that you are having trouble embellishing 'I love you..!!' When perhaps that is all your desired one really needs to read ...and to hear. "


The above is the intro to a review of Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See I wrote more than five years ago and then published at Epinions dot com.


With some eight hundred-plus reviews and essays published at the site . . .it is perhaps not unthinkable I would have forgotten I had already reviewed this book.


Interestingly ...I found my reaction to the book as I reread it recently almost exactly as I described it way back when. It is reassuring, I suppose, to find my gut reaction essentially unchanged.


Check the review, and the book, out. You may find a few tips and phrases that might serve you well today. He/she need never know you stole them from another's heart..!!




...tom...

Smurfs vs Obama

...
One of the features I really like about the Mozilla Firefox browser is the auto-spellcheck function. It is nice to see misspelled words politely underlined in red to let you know something is amiss.

But I do find some of its idiosyncrasies (Firefox spellcheck used right there..!!) to be amusing.

Photo credit: Mary Shaw

Photo credit: villagevoice.com

The Firefox spell-check function will offer the correct spelling of 'Smurfs' . . .but not 'Obama'..??

They cannot 'push' the spelling of Obama into their online spellcheck dictionary..??


Too funny.



...tom...
.

How to write a love letter...

...
A review I wrote a couple of years ago on Epinions.

Somehow, it seems appropriate right now, given the season...


Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See

OK, OK. I confess. This book is not really about 'how to write a love letter'. I am just shamelessly throwing myself at the web search engine spiders.

Perhaps my sticky net caught you also my dear reader. If it did perhaps you are searching for the perfect words to reveal your heart's anguished desire to claim that of another. If you are on such a mission ...I envy you.

I envy you that feeling of your bursting heart that has so muddled your thoughts that you are having trouble embellishing 'I love you..!!' When perhaps that is all your desired one really needs to read ...and to hear.

Image source: Wikimedia Commons

Other People's Love Letters: 150 Letters You Were Never Meant to See are the random samplings of love letters collected from ordinary people with ordinary lives yet extraordinary loves. We all know that no flame burns as hot as the one in our own heart. We all know that no pain stabs as cruelly as that felt in our own broken heart. Luckily many of us are driven to tell each other just that. Just as luckily, we often find the written word an empowering way to 'speak our heart'.

Those extremes, and every feeling in between, are captured between the covers of this book. Editor Bill Shapiro first read a love letter not meant for his eyes when ...

.

.

Read the rest at the review page on Epinions dot com.



...tom...
.

100 words almost everyone confuses & misuses

...
The large precinct room was open and claustrophobic at the same time. Large, solid columns spaced too close together told you immediately this was not modern construction. Old worn chairs butted up against too-small desks piled too high with papers, folders, and open, crumb-filled donut boxes. From the overflowing trashcans it was hard to tell when the cleaning crew had last been through.

From a desk near the back the tired (even at this early hour) police captain pointed a bony finger at a sergeant and beckoned him over.

Murphy, get over here..!!

Yes cap'n..??

Whadda ya mean 'yes cap'n'..?! Give me your report, damn it..!!

Sorry captain.

He quickly jabbed both hands into his pockets. One eventually found and drew out a wrinkled sheet of paper; the other came out empty, going to his forehead to wipe a thin film of sweat from his furrowed brow.

We done what you ordered, captain. Me and Lebowski rounded up all the (his eyes dropped to the crumpled paper and he slowly, almost moving his lips, read the words...) we rounded up the '100 words almost everyone confuses & misuses'. I got the list of 'em right here.


A wordle of the words used in: 100 words almost everyone confuses & misuses
Image courtesy of wordle.net



He stuck the sheet out toward his captain, but when he showed no interest Murphy pulled his hand back. He waited impatiently, his eyes had the look of a dog's eyes, waiting for a reward after obeying a command.


The captain slumped deeper into his chair, if that was possible. This was really the best man I had for this job..?? he thought.



Read the rest of my review of 100 words almost everyone confuses & misuses at my review page at Epinions.com.


...tom...

Talking nonsense

...
Sorry, no deep analysis of 'talking nonsense' to follow. Just an observation.


An old (circa 2006) thought found while reading on Epinions dot com:

"I originally had a lot more to say, but a lot of it makes less sense than what I just typed, so I should just stop here."




Damn it people..!! That is why we read on the Internet: to find nonsense..!! Quit self-censoring your thoughts..!!


Talking nonsense, posting nonsense . . .opposite sides of the same coin...


...tom...
.

OMG ... I have...

...
Oh my gawd..!!

Three straight 'picture posts'..!!

.

I have turned into a . . .gasp ...'photoblog'..!!


For someone who likes to think he can turn a phrase (even if laboured to do so) or recognize a good phrase elsewhere . . .this is almost embarrassing to me.


. . . ...sigh...


...tom...
' and no..!! No dang photos this post..!!'
.

' Say what..?!? ' Number 4

...

Previous 'say what' posts ... where I discuss and link various 'unique phrases' I have found while reading online.


Say What #3, Mar 2009

Say What #2, Feb 2009

Say What #1, Sep 2008



Time again for yet another entry in the 'unique phrase' series.

I have not been spending much time reading widely on the net recently. So most of my recent 'unique phrases' come from my participation at Epinions dot com.


To recap: what makes a 'unique phrase'..?? Well, it has to be at least two words. A one word phrase makes no sense, right..?? These unique phrases also have to be made up of real words, though I will stretch the definition for a word or phrase that still would be recognizable for most readers.

As I have stated earlier, there continue to be new or 'nearly new' phrases coined out here on the web every day ...or so it seems to the observant reader.


As I stated in my earlier post two word 'unique' phrases earn a gold medal, three words a silver, and four word unique phrases draw a bronze medal.


So once again, let's see what we have found recently.



Unique phrases I have crafted or discovered:





No results found for "true water whisperer"

"Which brings us to water’s ability to read. Firstly, not only is the good doctor a master scientist and a true water whisperer, he’s also clearly a wizard at the subtleties of language, able to divide it up into positive and negative with no trouble."

From a review of a book, the title of which I will not give the attention to note, that purports to be a scientific treatise on the 'memory' of water molecules. Yikes..!! What can pass for science these days..!!

---

No previous results found for "mediocre minutes and inspired moments"

"Though overall this is an enjoyable enough film, it's an odd mixture of mediocre minutes and inspired moments."

OK, OK. So I am going 'off label' with this one. But it is such a nice phrase I could not resist. I can always tell myself the article 'and' does not count...

From yet another Epinions review, this one of the film Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian. Definitely one worth the read.

---

No results found for the phrase "bomb squad reply"

"By the way, nice 'bomb squad' reply there. Ya know, 'defusing' the moment..."

A comment at an Epinions review. This one was actually coined by me.

My thought was that the writer responding politely to a challenging comment, instead of arguing back at them, was similar to a bomb squad defusing a potential explosive device. But in this case, the situation was 'defused' by not arguing a point. Classy solution to a situation that happens all the time online.

---

Two results found for "chihuahua on sedatives"

"If The Terminator was a pitbull at the onset of the series, this movie is sort of like a chihuahua on sedatives."

As you might guess, a review of the latest Terminator film, Terminator Salvation. Obviously the writer had no love for action and thrills found in this latest Terminator film.

---

Once again, just the latest update on my little web reading-n-writing obsession. Looking forward to sharing more once again on down the road.

Hey, as always, if you have any examples of your own please share them in a comment..!!


...tom...
.

...:smiliemoment:...

...

I thought I might make a permanent record of the origin of the ...:smiliemoment:..., a 'phrase' that I use occasionally ... OK, maybe frequently, on the web.

I have always disliked using ordinary emoticons or static/animated smilies. Regular text/character emoticons just seemed a little goofy to me. So I generally did not use them.

When I did . . .things seemed to go wrong. In fact, I was once taken to task for using an emoticon/smilie to inadequately deflect the true meaning of a post on a message board. The poster replied with their own silly little post filled with silly jabs and pokes at me and then posted a smilie at the end.

Image source: schoschie via flickr dot com

Their point was that a smilie did not always mitigate the content of a post.


At that moment I invented my own silly ...:smiliemoment:... Which could be embedded with a descriptive statement. ...:likethissmiliemoment:...

So now when I am just teasing, I can leave a ...:justteasingsmiliemoment:...

If I am saying something so 'outrageous' and so jokingly that it should not need explanation that I am kidding it would result in ...:donotmakemeuseasmiliemoment:...


Part of the 'fun' (or torture) of others reading a ...:smiliemoment:... is deciphering or 'parsing' the hidden message in it. ...:ifyouknowwhatimeansmiliemoment:... At least some have told me they find it interesting.


Over time, the need for a 'quick' smilie evolved into a shorter version. Namely the ...:minism:...


Anyway. So now I use them all over the web, even for audiences that may not know what they mean.

But at least now if you see me leaving a ...:smiliemoment:... somewhere you now might have a better idea of what it means and why I use them.


Next lesson: sleeper's/...tom...'s use of ...smalllol...


...tom...

A collection of more text emoticons than I ever suspected existed...
.

' Say what..?!? ' Number 3

...

Previous 'say what' posts ... where I discuss and link various 'unique phrases' I have found while reading online.

Say What #2, Feb 2009

Say What #1, Sep 2008





What defines a 'unique phrase'..?? Well, it has to be at least two words. A one word phrase makes no sense, right..?? These unique phrases also have to be made up of real words, though I will stretch the definition for a word or phrase that still would be recognizable for most readers.

With more and more bloggers every day . . .I am sure more and more unique phrases will continue to be created and shared across the web


So again, as I stated in my earlier post two word 'unique' phrases earn a gold medal, three words a silver, and four word unique phrases draw a bronze medal.

See, that is all kinda cool. Come along with me. Lets see what shiny baubles we have found this time.



Unique phrases I have crafted or discovered:





No results found for "feeling autopsied"

Not even the place where I found it. What is up Google..??

"This book left me feeling autopsied." From an Epinions review of a Patricia Daniels Cornwell novel featuring Dr. Kay Scarpetta, ... a renown(sic) forensic pathologist. Apparently some of the medical descriptions were a bit over the top...

Two results found for "poise of emptiness."

From another Epinions review: "They have to be to fix such poise of emptiness."

The writer was describing a book that captures that island of Cuba in photographs. As the author of the review notes: "There's no depth, no momentum" to the pictures of the book. A wonderful phrase and a wonderful review.

No results found for "cooing idiocy"

A comment on yet another Epinions review: " ... she has neither 'hardened' to the point of detached coldness nor 'softened' to mere cooing idiocy as many people we've encountered seem to in the professional animal care industry."

The comment was addressing the idea that some animal shelter workers become 'cold and hard' by their work while others go to the opposite extreme of "cooing idiocy"

Two results found for "with wincing beauty"

Yet another Eps review: "They're authentic emotions encountered on the rollercoaster of feelings during life ... displayed ... with wincing beauty."

These words are from a review of the film Marley and Me, describing the experience of viewing the film.

Just another example of the quality of writing found on Epinions.

Once again, just the latest update on my little web reading-n-writing obsession. Looking forward to sharing more once again on down the road.

Hey, if you have any examples of your own please share them in a comment..!!


...tom...
.

' Say what..?!? ' Number 2

...

I have previously talked about 'unique phrases' I have found online. My September 2008 post listed just a few.

Since then I have been trying to note and 'save' others that I have found.

What defines a 'unique phrase'..?? Well, it has to be at least two words. A one word phrase makes no sense, right..?? These unique phrases also have to be made up of real words, though I will stretch the definition for a word or phrase that still would be recognizable for most readers.

With more and more bloggers every day . . .I am sure more and more unique phrases will continue to be created and shared across the web


So again, as I stated in my earlier post two word 'unique' phrases earn a gold medal, three words a silver, and four word unique phrases draw a bronze medal.

See, that is all kinda cool. Come along with me. Lets see what shiny baubles we have found this time.



Unique phrases I have crafted or discovered:





One result found for "steeped in heartaches"

The writer is describing a young Otis Redding and the sound of his youthful voice: And he sounded very experienced, steeped in heartaches despite that young age. A beautiful phrase to my ears.

Three results found for "bring the grump"

From a personal e-mail exchange. I had noted that I was already 'bothered' by the actions of a third party and thus probably 'brought a grumpy disposition' to the next stupid thing they had said/did. The uses Google found seem to refer to particular individuals or characters rather than an attitude. So a unique thought with several thinly-related web uses.

Two results found for "Seussian season"

One by a writer on Epinions dot com, a consumer reviews site. Commenting on reading a Dr. Seuss book, the writer said: "In fact, you could say it was the beginning of a long Seussian season at our house." when her daughter fell "hook, line and sinker" in love with the book. Another beautiful, unique phrase.

One result found for "ghetto days of dial-up"

A thought by Alison Stewart, Click Chick at midweek.com while describing her cell phone connection to the Internet while using GPRS (say what..?!?). A truly unique 'ghetto' phrase.

Anyway, just the latest update on my little web reading-n-writing obsession. Looking forward to sharing more once again on down the road.

Hey, if you have any examples of your own please share them in a comment..!!


...tom...
.

PEBKAC

...

I am not a 'help desk' worker, never have been one.

But I have tried, more than a few times, to help co-workers or my kids drill their way through a computer problem or two. I do not think I made things much worse than they already were...


But when I saw this cartoon on teh intertubes recently:




...I just had to laugh.

I am sure I will be thinking 'PEBKAC' about many things I see online going forward.



...tom...
.

Postpone your love bomb's explode

...

It is always a little scary to go dumpster-diving into your e-mail account's spam folder. But sometimes you are missing a message someone swears they sent you ... so there you are. Time to lift the lid and start digging through the garbage.

Image source: stumptownpanda via flickr dot com

I would not be so upset with spam in general if they would not get so personal ...why they gotta bring my wife into it..??

"Your wife need attention? Solve all the problems with IT"

What..?!? This 'businessman' has been hacking her e-mails to her friends or eavesdropping on water-cooler conversations with her friends at work..?? How come I gotta here this from you..??


Other peeps think my girlfriends are suffering...

"You want to impress your girlfriend tonight?"

Another perv wonders the same thing in an earlier e-mail.


While many just keep it uncomplicated, not worrying whether my love is a wife or a girlfriend. But somehow they all know I need to make her happier:

"Make your hammering fantastic 8N907"
"Hey, are you the guy who cannot make love?"
"Make sure that you made your woman happy tonight"
"Give your lady crazy enjoyment"
"For those who want to satisfy their women"


And hey . . .when they start pointing out my possible ...'shortcomings':

"Worried that tiny size will get you down?"
"The longer your tool is, the longer your fun in bed lasts"
"Do you want enlarge yours penis?"
"Make it reach your knee"
"Natural large hose maker"
"Wanna get a larger boner?"
"Power up your package"
"Put on inches instantly"
"Easiest way to gain mass"
"Be happy with measurements"

. . .well hey, that is the last straw, you bastards..!!


Geezus. Why doncha just come over and kick sand in my face..?? After all this you want me to click your e-mail open and read your message, eager to 'turn (my) bedroom life into a volcano of pleasure' by sending my money to you..?!?

Fat chance. Which just happens to be my wife's answer to my desire to 'put (my) doughnut in her oven tonight.'


Anyway, my thanks to Adger, Anibal, Antoinette, Aldridge, Alain, Adan, Adolf, Alair, Adlai, Alic, Alastair, Alfy, Alfonso, Adair, Aditya, Al (Al Davis for crying out loud..!!) Albie, Abram (you all noticing a pattern here..??) and all the rest.


Now get the hell out of my e-mail account..!!


...tom...
.

OK . . .why..??

...

All Junky Pages Intentionally Illogical & Inconsistent

scepticism enjoy vote confiner playacting preferentially floodlit Neil zygotic beneficial Savoy yo amativeness Georgia unobtrusively egocentrically slyly globulous benchwarmer quadrennia cob midsummer Chiapas jeep loft caesium tonically headwind incredulously recondite grisly Passamaquoddy neonatology overspent matchwood millibar shibboleth chew Ellice spend derisiveness glutei sweeping jack indemnity miffy grantee Beerbohm misshape malted transpacific layette estimably enunciator stance sizzlingly devastator solemnization electrochemical pinnacle Lauren chauvinistically timeserver castigation Tunis marathoning pedagogics monogamy burial Alberta psychosomatic Adolph conduct unprepossessing Cronus reveler relief perishable destructible seriffed futurist mightily Cucuta voraciously oatcake manumission defector crawly eloper Odin attunement extremeness rumbler soiree compressibility voluntarily serrated unbelievingly
...

..??

Literally hundreds (if not thousands) of pages each with a couple of thousand words listed. All unrelated, all 'real' words ...not gibberish, all correctly spelled ...from a quick skim through anyway.

Image source: Daino 16 via stock.xchng

Just one of those silly things that makes me go 'hmmm..?!?'


...tom...
.

' Say what..?!? '

...


I guess it is kind of a geeky thing to do. Look for phrases that are unique in the online world. The artificial arbiter or 'gate' that I use for this 'unique' label is, of course, the ubiquitous Google dot com.

What defines a 'unique phrase'..?? Well, it has to be at least two words. A one word phrase makes no sense, right..?? Besides, that is just making up words anyway. I mean not that there is anything wrong with that. Hell, urbandictionary dot com is all about making up shi ...err, stuff.

You would think with all the millions of monkeys, like you and I, pounding on all our keyboards out there on the web ... you would think everything that could be said would have already been said. But not true ... thank gawd.


Unique two word phrases are worth more than three or four word phrases to me. I mean, obviously the more words you start stringing together the more likely you are to craft a new phrase. But much longer than four just gets silly ... so I try to notice and identify only two-, three-, and four-word phrases. Think of it as gold, silver, and bronze medal-worthy.


I see at least one other user on the web has chased this pig before. In 2005 Bella posted about her own created 'unique phrase': "Born mechanical witness" Indeed, to this day it remains the only web-use of the phrase. ( Though some would quibble with her use of 'born' rather than 'borne'. But the latter also remains a unique phrase so I will not hate on her... )

See, that is kinda cool. Hey, I told you it was geeky...



Unique phrases I have crafted or discovered:





No results found for "blush without modesty"

A phrase I used in an e-mail to a newly-wed whom I had previously teased about blushing. I simply shared the thought: 'may you always blush without modesty' in a reply. Batta-boom ...an unintended 'unique phrase'..!!

No results found for "beasts and bores"

Another e-mail exchange. In suggesting that the recipient had surely handled worse online exchanges, I said: "You have handled much bigger beasts and bores than I."

Results 1 - 2 of 2 for "berserking children"

One by a writer on Epinions dot com, a site I actively participate at by reading and writing reviews. I admit I stretch a bit with this one by allowing the use of 'berserking' ...but hey, it is my game so I can play as I like..!!

Results 1 - 2 of 2 for "expectation in every sentence"

Another writer at Epinions. Just a beautiful phrase, especially in context at the review.

Anyway, just a brief introduction to my little web reading-n-writing obsession. I would have more ... but I have never really saved them anywhere. Now that I have this soapbox of a blog perhaps I can remember to save them to add here.


Hey, if you have any examples of your own please share them in a comment..!!


...tom...
.

' Alphabet for Beginners ': letters to live by...

 
...
William Hone was a political firebrand in the early days of nineteenth century merry old England. While his efforts in promoting the goals of the London Corresponding Society in parliamentary reform and other political efforts have faded over the years he did publish some works of long-lasting value.




In addition to a number of political pamphlets authored and published, Hone also produced some general consumption literature. One of his books is titled:

The Year Book of Daily Recreation and Information, concerning Remarkable Men and Manners, Times and Seasons, Solemnities and Merry-makings, Antiquities and Novelties: forming a Complete History of the Year

Yes, that is quite the mouthful. Perhaps that is why 'Poor Richard's Almanack' is remembered and this one not so much...


Included in 'The Year Book' is an "Alphabet for Beginners", perhaps best described as a secular credo for living based on traits identified by the 26 letters of the alphabet.

Such homilies as:

B e just to others, that you may be just to yourself.

N ever take credit; and, as far as possible, avoid giving it.

R evenge a wrong by forgiving it.

and other familiar and not so familiar advice are included.


It is pretty amazing that so many of the ideas might still be found applicable today, nearly two hundred years later. Perhaps basic human nature changes little over the years and through the generations.


hat tip: Neatorama


...tom...
.

Do Not Be Taking Urban Dictionary seriously...

...
The idea that anyone would take the unfiltered content posted to urbandictionary dot com seriously is crazy to me. A disclosure at the bottom of their web pages notes: "Urban Dictionary is not appropriate for all audiences." No duh.


A recent article in the NY Times Magazine online noted the value of the iconic Oxford English Dictionary in seeking ". . .guidance in the finer points of usage..." for words and phrases, a task well served by the O.E.D.

As an example of the hazards out there on the web for the linguistically-challenged writer, the writer notes the Urban Dictionary 'usage' given for the slang rotflmao: "A chatroom abbreviation used mainly by imbeciles, usually in response to something mildly, often very mildly, amusing. People who use this type of shorthand should be avoided like the Spanish flu."

Well, yeah. But the more expected definition is given first: "Rolling on the floor laughing my ass off."

Either you want to say that or you do not.


Urban Dictionary is full of prank, pornographic, and downright stupid definitions. An online O.E.D. it is not. Unless you are trying to understand your teen daughter's 15 y/o boyfriend I am not sure why you would want to believe much, if anything, found on UD.


Hat tip to: A.Word.A.Day newsletter