Dreadful

I have heard some dreadful news recently. It seems the horizon is bleak all around.

Bleak -- 1. exposed, bare, barren; 2. cold, cutting; 3. cheerless, dreary.
From Old Norse.

Dread -- v.t. to anticipate with great fear or anxiety.
adj. 1. causing great fear; terrible.
2. exciting awe.
n. 1. a terrifying feeling as of fear or danger.
2. awe.
From Old English.

Dreadful -- adj. awful, terrible.

Awe is an awful word. Or awesome. Depends on how you look at it. "Awesome" is bright and cheery, whereas "Awful" is dreadful!

Festooned

I like to use my pocket dictionary as a reference for these posts, but recently, I discovered that the definition for festoon in my pocket dictionary was different from the one in the grammarian’s dictionary. I prepared for my Toastmaster's meeting last week by looking up the word of the day, festoon.

My dictionary is Funk and Wagnell's Standard Dictionary, so there is no subtitle necessary, but the first page says "Your Perfect Pocket Guide to the English Language."

Inside it there is a definition for the word FESTOON.

As a noun it lists the meaning as, a bunch of flowers.

And as a verb it says to adorn with flowers.

So I put on a flowered dress and went to the meeting, thinking myself appropriately festooned. As Toastmaster for the Day, I even mentioned that I was festooned.

Then the grammarian stood up and gave the definition as to drape or adorn with draperies. I was nonplussed. I felt like I had shown up dishabille instead. I could've worn a drape!

Within the Realm of Possibility

Are your dreams within the Realm of possiblity. Are they realistic?

Is realm related to realistic?

It's kind of old-fashioned or science fictionish. Maybe mathematical, ie. the realm of imaginary numbers.

Which Realm do you occupy?

Interesting word. From Old French. Definition:

1. A kingdom or domain.
2. The scope or range of power or influence.

I like to use my pocket dictionary as a reference for these posts, but recently, I discovered that the definition for festoon in my pocket dictionary was different from the

Drenched

The word "drench" comes from Old English and means to soak or saturate.

Florida is know for its sudden drenching downpours!


Is it related to "quench?" They both come from Old English, but quench comes from a word that means to vanish. Quench means to reduce or eliminate, to cool or calm, to relieve or satisfy, as in "quench the thirst."

There is some overlap: you can quench a fire by drenching it.

And if you attempt to quench your thirst with a hose, you will get drenched.

To Extol the Verb, EXTOL

Let me extol the virtues of Forgetting. If you really want to hear about the virtues of forgetting, it is on Musinglog, which has a link over there on the right side of this page.

Extol is a wonderful word, an action word, that means to praise highly, exalt. I'm sure it comes from Latin.