This boon is anathema aka You can take your favors and scram!

The first word is one of my favorites, and I really enjoy using it, and the second word is one that I heard the other day. One of the people in my class said it, and it struck me that my professor, who is French, might not have had any idea what that meant, and it's a less-than-common word, so I thought I'd share!

Let's ROCK!

First word!

BOON!

boon
noun \ˈbün\
Definition of BOON
1
: benefit, favor; especially : one that is given in answer to a request
2
: a timely benefit : blessing

Examples of BOON

1. "The couple's generous donation was a great boon to the charity's fund-raising campaign."
2. "He is a softhearted man who finds it hard to deny any boon, whether it be for friend or stranger."

Synonyms: advantage, aid, asset, benefit, help

Antonyms: disadvantage, drawback, encumbrance, hindrance, impediment, minus

Origin of BOON
Middle English bone prayer, request, the favor requested, from Old Norse bōn request; akin to Old English bēn prayer, bannan to summon — more at ban
First Known Use: 12th century

12th Century!


-1107—The Chinese engineer Wu Deren combines the mechanical compass vehicle of the South Pointing Chariot with the distance-measuring odometer device.
-1130–1138: Papal schism, Pope Innocent II vs. Antipope Anacletus II.
-1185-First record of windmills.

*What is going on here!? The Chinese do some fancy shmancy combinification** of instruments, and then Catholic Church is all confused about who the heck is going to be pope! I mean, they seriously even named one of them the Anti-Pope! I wonder if the return of the Anti-Pope will mark the beginning of the End of Church Days...teehee!

Whoever made windmills was really smart. Harnessing the wind was a major boon for the people of the 12th Century. Or maybe he/she was a doofus and just wanted to watch the mills go round and round all day. OH, HISTORY'S MYSTERIES!!*

Second Word!

ANATHEMA!

anath·e·ma
noun \ə-ˈna-thə-mə\
Definition of ANATHEMA
1
a : one that is cursed by ecclesiastical authority b : someone or something intensely disliked or loathed —usually used as a predicate nominative
2
a : a ban or curse solemnly pronounced by ecclesiastical authority and accompanied by excommunication
b : the denunciation of something as accursed
c : a vigorous denunciation : curse

Examples of ANATHEMA

1. That politician is anathema to conservatives.
2. Those ideas are an anathema to me.

The word is, as far as my experience is concerned, not used in as harsh a manner as the definition would suggest. It has always struck me as something that is simply opposite or totally unlike the mindset of someone, rather than a curse. I may be incorrect, however. Either way, you'll recognize what the person is trying to say if you ever encounter this word.

Synonyms: curse, ban, execration, imprecation, malediction, malison, winze [Scottish]
Antonyms: benediction, benison, blessing

Origin of ANATHEMA
Late Latin anathemat-, anathema, from Greek, thing devoted to evil, curse, from anatithenai to set up, dedicate, from ana- + tithenai to place, set — more at do
First Known Use: 1526

1526!

-The first official translation is made of the New Testament of the Bible into Swedish (cf. 1541).
-The first complete printed translation of the New Testament into English by William Tyndale arrives in England from Germany in the spring. It had been printed in Worms, Germany.
-Gunsmith Mastro Bartolomeo Beretta establishes the Beretta Gun Company, which is still in business today, making it one of the oldest corporations in the world.

*There is really not much to say except for the fact that it's hilarious that people felt the need to start producing guns after religion started spreading. After all, it wasn't the Church that did it, because violence and murder is completely anathema to Church ideology! Isn't that right!?

Right?

...right?...


*

Well, there's that! Hope you all feel a bit more educated and lighthearted. Have a fantastic day.

Later!

Words between the * are subject to heavy scrutiny.

**combinification is definitely NOT a word

Sublime Melancholy aka You look like a sad angel...

Okay, so it's been a while since I updated, and I miss it for sure. I have a bit of time this weekend, well today at least, because I took off the weekend to write that big ass paper. Got it done yesterday, and even though I've got more stuff to do today, I miss sharing with you guys and hearing what you think, so I'm gonna do this!

Ready to get kickin'!?

First word!

SUBLIME!

sub·lime adj \sə-ˈblīm\
sub·lim·er
sub·lim·est

Definition of SUBLIME

1 a : lofty, grand, or exalted in thought, expression, or manner
b : of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth
c : tending to inspire awe usually because of elevated quality (as of beauty, nobility, or grandeur) or transcendent excellence

— sub·lime·ly adverb
— sub·lime·ness noun

Examples of SUBLIME

"He composed some of the most sublime symphonies in existence."

"Just enjoy the sublime beauty of the canyon."

Synonyms: amazing, astonishing, astounding, awesome, awful, eye-opening, fabulous, miraculous, portentous, prodigious, staggering, stunning, stupendous, marvelous, surprising, wonderful, wondrous

Antonyms: base, debased, degenerate, degraded, ignoble, low

Origin of SUBLIME

Latin sublimis, literally, high, elevated
First Known Use: circa 1567

Circa 1567!

-24 July – Mary, Queen of Scots, is forced to abdicate and replaced by her 1-year-old son James VI.
-September 29 – The Second War of Religion begins in France when the Prince of Condé and Gaspard de Coligny fail in an attempt to capture King Charles IX and his mother at Meaux. The Huguenots do capture several cities (including Orleans), and march on Paris.
-The Rugby School, one of the oldest public schools in England, is founded.

*First of all, Mary, Queen of Scots, is replaced by her 1 year old son? I have only one thing to say about that:



Of course, when the Huguenots found out about this, they done froke out! "A baby as a king? What's next, us trying to take Paris!? HAHAHAHAHA!


Hey, Pierre, I've got an idea..."

Then, the English built a school. Hooray school! And considering it's been around so long, clearly, the education obtained from that school is sublime. *


Second word!

MELANCHOLY!

mel·an·choly noun \ˈme-lən-ˌkä-lē\

plural mel·an·chol·ies

Definition of MELANCHOLY

1 a : an abnormal state attributed to an excess of black bile and characterized by irascibility or depression
b : black bile
c : melancholia
2 a : depression of spirits : dejection
b : a pensive mood

Examples of MELANCHOLY

"The bleakness of winter sometimes gives me cause for melancholy."

Synonyms: blue devils, blues, dejection, depression, desolation, despond, despondence, despondency, disconsolateness, dispiritedness, doldrums, dolefulness, downheartedness, dreariness, dumps, forlornness, gloom, gloominess, glumness, heartsickness, joylessness, sadness, miserableness, mopes, mournfulness, oppression, sorrowfulness, unhappiness

Antonyms: bliss, blissfulness, ecstasy, elatedness, elation, euphoria, exhilaration, exuberance, exultation, felicity, gladness, gladsomeness, happiness, heaven, intoxication, joy, joyfulness, joyousness, jubilation, rapture, rapturousness


Origin of MELANCHOLY

Middle English malencolie, from Anglo-French, from Late Latin melancholia, from Greek, from melan- + cholē bile — more at gall
First Known Use: 14th century

14 Century!

-Louis the Great of Hungary (king: 1342–1382) King of Hungary, Croatia, Dalmatia, Jerusalem, Sicily and Poland from 1370. He led campaigns From Lithuania to Southern Italy, From Poland to Northern Greece. He had the greatest military potential of the century with his enormous armies.(Often over 100,000 men)

-Robert the Bruce, King of Scotland, victor in the First War of Scottish Independence against invasion by the Kingdom of England (1274–1329).

*The peoples of Hungary, Croatia, Dalmatia (which was the first and only state inhabited solely by dogs), Jerusalem, Sicily and Poland never had the chance to be melancholy in the 14th century. They were too busy getting PWN'D by this guy:


Louis the Great of Hungary. I mean, just look at him. He screams badass.

Of course, Robert the Bruce was always a melancholy and whiny nincompoop, because Scotland has the most depressing weather. I guess he thought it was the strong English presence that made it so unbearable, and kicked their asses back from whence they came! BOOYAH!*

So yeah. There's that. I hope you're not feeling sublimely melancholy, or even ordinarily melancholy. Chin up on this Sunday evening, my friends! See you soon.

Disclaimer: As always, all information between the * is open and should be subjected to severe scrutiny! :P

Future plans aka things are a-changin'!

Because of the large load of work that is being piled on me by school, and the necessity for me to spend more time studying my French so that I can pass the advanced classes I'll be taking in the fall, this blog will not be focused on as much.

There will be no post tonight, and from now on I think I'll do 1 word every day instead of two. It's time consuming more than difficult, and time is just not that abundant. I hope you understand, and I really appreciate the support you all have been giving me.

Sorry again, and I'll see you soon!

Preternaturally Surreal aka OH MY GOD WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING!?

Disclaimer: Any and all 'figuring,' done by myself using the factual information for the dates below, is subject to severe scrutiny and highly likely to be completely fictitious.

Two more words for ya! The first of which is not a word I've ever really heard in speech, but I have read it a number of times in literature, and you're likely to encounter it while reading. The second is a word I heard on the radio this morning to describe the situation in Libya, spoken by a reporter as a direct witness to the violence and chaos that is happening there right now.

Everybody ready!?

First word!

PRETERNATURAL!

pre·ter·nat·u·ral
adj
\ˌprē-tər-ˈna-chə-rəl, -ˈnach-rəl\
Definition of PRETERNATURAL
1 : existing outside of nature
2 : exceeding what is natural or regular : extraordinary
3 : inexplicable by ordinary means; especially : psychic

— pre·ter·nat·u·ral·ly \-ˈna-chə-rə-lē, ˈnach-rə-, ˈna-chər-\ adverb
— pre·ter·nat·u·ral·ness \-ˈna-chə-rəl-nəs, -ˈnach-rəl-\ noun

Examples of PRETERNATURAL

1. She has a preternatural ability to charm people.
2. There was a preternatural quiet in the house.

Related to PRETERNATURAL

Synonyms: aberrant, aberrated, abnormal, anomalous, atypical, especial, exceeding, extraordinaire, extraordinary, freak, odd, peculiar, phenomenal, exceptional, rare, singular, uncommon, uncustomary, unique, unusual, unwonted

Antonyms: common, customary, normal, ordinary, typical, unexceptional, unextraordinary, usual

Origin of PRETERNATURAL
Medieval Latin praeternaturalis, from Latin praeter naturam beyond nature
First Known Use: 1580

1508!

-February – Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor attacks Venice.
-June 6 – Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a 3-year truce and cede several territories to Venice.
-December – Michelangelo Buonarroti begins work on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel.

Alright, you ready for some figuring?

Here's what I figure. I figure Maximilian I wanted to be a badass. You know, to make up for some other deficiencies... Well anyways, he says to his friend, "Hey, what should I do to prove to everyone that I'm super fly?" His friend says "Attack Venice! They're half-way underwater anyways." It cannot be verified by historical documents whether or not his friend said this jokingly or seriously. Or at all.

So Maximilian marches over to Venice with his army, gives the place his famous hoo-hah! one-two punch! Aaaand he fails. Hard. He's gotta give up land and stuff. In your face, MAX! Of course, he got super mad at his friend, so his friend was sent away. In his time away, he discovered that he loved to paint. Michaelangelo thought to himself, "Hey, you know what would be totally epic!? Lots of money, women, and wine! But since I can't have that, I'll just paint a ceiling." And so he did.

Second word!

SURREAL!

sur·re·al
adj \sə-ˈrē(-ə)l also -ˈrā-əl\
Definition of SURREAL
1 : marked by the intense irrational reality of a dream; also : unbelievable, fantastic
2 : surrealistic

— sur·re·al·i·ty \(ˌ)sə-rē-ˈa-lə-tē\ noun
— sur·re·al·ly adverb

Examples of SURREAL

1. The whole thing was completely surreal.

"Surreal" is used to describe something that would seem too fantastical to be real, but is actually happening. People often describe traumatic or extreme situations as "surreal".

Origin of SURREAL
back-formation from surrealism
First Known Use: 1937

1937!

-January 23 – In Moscow, seventeen leading Communists go on trial, accused of participating in a plot led by Leon Trotsky to overthrow Joseph Stalin's regime and assassinate its leaders.
-January 31 - The Soviet Union executes 31 people for alleged Trotskyism.
-March 21 – The first successful flying car, Waldo Waterman's Aerobile, makes its initial flight.
-April 17 – The animated short Porky's Duck Hunt, directed by Tex Avery for the Looney Tunes series, featuring the debut of Daffy Duck, is released.

So, in January 1937, some serious stuff was happening. You had the Communists killing people they used to be allies with, all because of some guy name Trotsky. No haha's there. But then! But THEN! BUT THEN! Some guy named Waldo Waterman... *snicker*... came back from the future, becasue he BUILT A FLYING CAR!! I remember I used to think that it would hit 2000 and all the rolling cars would just be flying cars the next day. I was so dumb when I was 20, Pfft! Oh, the wisdom that comes with being 21.

So this guy built a flying car to escape from the evil Trotskying Communistas at Starbucks, but he got bored on his flight, so he drew a cartoon about a pig hunting a duck. This guy had some serious issues. I mean, not only do pigs not hunt ducks, but they sure as hell don't wear flannel, either! Pigs only wear solid colors, and anyone with half a care knows that! Ridiculous.

Waldo Waterman...*snicker*... you fail at life! Except for the flying car thing. That's pretty damn sweet.

Here's to you, Waldo Waterman...*snicker*

Epitome of Hyperbole aka

These two words were chosen because I used the word epitome today at work, and someone didn't know what it was, so I explained it. I was then reminded of a comedy stand up routine by Brian Regan, which he titled Epitome of Hyperbole. Make sure to listen to the pronunciations on the Merriam-Webster website, and you'll find the explanation at the end more humorous.

Maybe.

First word!

EPITOME!

epit·o·me noun \i-ˈpi-tə-mē\
Definition of EPITOME

1 a : a summary of a written work
b : a brief presentation or statement of something
2 : a typical or ideal example : embodiment (the British monarchy itself is the epitome of tradition — Richard Joseph)
3 : brief or miniature form —usually used with in

— ep·i·tom·ic or ep·i·tom·i·cal adjective

'The golden rule is often cited as the epitome of moral conduct: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you” '
"The prestigious prep school prides itself on being widely regarded as the epitome of tradition and old-fashioned values."

Related to EPITOME

Synonyms: abstract, breviary, brief, capsule, conspectus, digest, encapsulation, summary, inventory, outline, précis, recap, recapitulation, résumé (or resume also resumé), roundup, rundown, run-through, sum, summa, summarization, summing-up, sum-up, synopsis, wrap-up

Origin of EPITOME

Latin, from Greek epitomē, from epitemnein to cut short, from epi- + temnein to cut — more at tome
First Known Use: 1520

*The second meaning of 'epitome' is generally the form that 'epitome' takes when being used.*

Second Word!

HYPERBOLE!

hy·per·bo·le noun \hī-ˈpər-bə-(ˌ)lē\
Definition of HYPERBOLE

: extravagant exaggeration (as “mile-high ice-cream cones”)

— hy·per·bo·list noun

“Enough food to feed a whole army” is a common example of hyperbole.

Origin of HYPERBOLE

Latin, from Greek hyperbolē excess, hyperbole, hyperbola, from hyperballein to exceed, from hyper- + ballein to throw — more at devil
First Known Use: 15th century

So, Brian Regan said that after a show once, an audience member came up and informed him that he had "literally mispronounced every word," to which Brian Regan responded, "Well, if that isn't the epi-tome of hyper-bowl..."

I cracked up when I saw it. Maybe you have to see it or hear it to truly appreciate. I know how that is sometimes. Anyways, I figured I'd give you a video clip from that stand up special, because he's hilarious and I love his stuff.



Hope you enjoyed it. Later!

Ethereal Rebuke aka I got yelled at, but it lacked some oomph!

So, I Google Image searched "ethereal rebuke," and I got Mark Ruffalo. And you know, at first I thought, "What the- Why in the world did I get Mark Ruffalo? Think about though. This guy looks like he couldn't possibly give a rebuke of any substance. He's got this "I'm always a little bit high" vibe going on, and I think if someone did something wrong, he'd be more inclined to hug them than rebuke them.

Let's get the show on the road!









First word!

ETHEREAL!

ethe·re·al adj \i-ˈthir-ē-əl\
Definition of ETHEREAL

1 a : of or relating to the regions beyond the earth
b : celestial, heavenly
c : unworldly, spiritual
2 a : lacking material substance : immaterial, intangible
b : marked by unusual delicacy or refinement (this smallest, most ethereal, and
daintiest of birds — William Beebe)
c : suggesting the heavens or heaven
3 : relating to, containing, or resembling a chemical ether

— ethe·re·al·i·ty noun
— ethe·re·al·i·za·tion noun
— ethe·re·al·ize transitive verb
— ethe·re·al·ly adverb
— ethe·re·al·ness noun

Examples of ETHEREAL

"The windows give the church an ethereal glow."

"Charisma is an ethereal attribute that every performer should have."

Synonyms: bodiless, immaterial, formless, incorporeal, insubstantial, nonmaterial, nonphysical, spiritual, unbodied, unsubstantial

Antonyms: bodily, corporeal, material, physical, substantial

First Known Use of ETHEREAL

1513!

-March 27 – Juan Ponce de Leon becomes the first European definitely known to sight what is now the territory of the United States (specifically Florida), mistaking it for another island.
-April 2 – Juan Ponce de Leon and his expedition become the first Europeans known to visit Florida, landing somewhere on the east coast.
-December – Louis XII makes peace with the Pope and Spain.

Juan Ponce de Leon saw land in the New World for the first time, and the ethereal sensation that overcame was one of total WIN! His happiness permeated so strongly across the world that Louis XII didn't even have the heart to keep on fighting with his neighbors, Spain. And they all lived happily ever after.


What's that?

They didn't live happily ever after?

Pfft! Killjoy.


Second word!

REBUKE!

1re·buke verb \ri-ˈbyük\
re·bukedre·buk·ing

Definition of REBUKE

transitive verb
1 a : to criticize sharply : reprimand
b : to serve as a rebuke to
2 : to turn back or keep down : check

— re·buk·er noun

Examples of REBUKE

"The father was forced to rebuke his son for the careless ways he had adopted since arriving at college."
"He strongly rebuked the girl for playing with matches."

Related to REBUKE

Synonyms: admonish, chide, reprimand, reproach, reprove, tick off, burn one's ears, get after, get on
Antonyms: cite, commend, endorse

Origin of REBUKE

Middle English, from Anglo-French rebucher, rebouker to blunt, check, reprimand
First Known Use: 14th century

14th CENTURY!

-The Scots win the Scottish Wars of Independence.
-The transition from the Medieval Warm Period to the Little Ice Age.
-Beginning of the Renaissance in Italy.

Hooray for the Scots! They take their independence until the 1600's when James VI, King of Scots, takes the English throne. Hooray for Italy, starting the Renaissance, which was totally cool! And hooray for-

Wait...

BOO to Mother Nature, for making it cold and going all Little Ice Age. I rebuke you, Mother Nature, and I dare you to do something about it!



NO! Nonononononono! I was kidding. Kidding. Joking. It was a jokey joke. I love you Nother Nature!

Hehe.

Don't hurt meee...

Archaicly Pious aka Sorry, Mr. Churchman, we don't need you anymore!

Before we start, I just wanted to make a clarification. It's my fault, because I've failed to properly explain some of the words, but the one that I've seen people having trouble with was 'indubitable' and it's adverb form 'indubitably.' You can say that something is indubitable:

"Their victory was indubitable." Their victory was undoubtable.

Or, you can say that something was/is/will be 'indubitably' something else:

"Their victory was indubitably expected." In this case, 'indubitably' is modifying/describing the word 'expected.'

Hopefully that cleared up some confusion. I'm going to try to include some examples, because the last thing I want to happen is for you to use a word that I shared and have someone look at you funny, or something. :D

Let's get started.

First word!

ARCHAIC!

ar·cha·ic adj \är-ˈkā-ik\
Definition of ARCHAIC

1: having the characteristics of the language of the past and surviving chiefly in specialized uses (an archaic word)

2: of, relating to, or characteristic of an earlier or more primitive time : antiquated (archaic legal traditions)

3 capitalized : of or belonging to the early or formative phases of a culture or a period of artistic development; especially : of or belonging to the period leading up to the classical period of Greek culture

4: surviving from an earlier period; specifically : typical of a previously dominant evolutionary stage

5 capitalized : of or relating to the period from about 8000 b.c. to 1000 b.c. and the North American cultures of that time

ar·cha·i·cal·ly adverb
See archaic defined for English-language learners »

Examples of ARCHAIC

"The company needs to update its archaic computer systems."

"The man has some archaic notions about the proper social role of women."

Synonyms: antiquated, obsolete, dated, démodé, demoded, fossilized, kaput (also kaputt), medieval (also mediaeval), moribund, mossy, moth-eaten, neolithic, Noachian, outdated, outmoded, out-of-date, outworn, passé, prehistoric (also prehistorical), rusty, Stone Age, superannuated

Antonym: New, modern

Origin of ARCHAIC

French or Greek; French archaïque, from Greek archaïkos, from archaios
First Known Use: 1832

1832!

- May 7 The Treaty of London creates an independent Kingdom of Greece. Otto of Wittelsbach, Prince of Bavaria is chosen King. Thus begins the history of modern Greece.
- May 11 Greece is recognized as a sovereign nation; the Treaty of Constantinople ends the Greek War of Independence in July.
-August 17 China ceases production of iron shuriken.

When the Greeks moved into the modern era, the Chinese figured out that Herakles was finally dead (or so they thought!) and decided to stop making the archaic iron shuriken, Herakles's only weakness.

Also, Herakles is the Greek name of...



HERCULES! HERCULES!


Second word!

PIOUS! (so you know, pious is almost always used with regards to its religious or loyalty meanings. I don't think I've ever heard it used otherwise.)

pi·ous adj \ˈpī-əs\
Definition of PIOUS

1 a : marked by or showing reverence for deity and devotion to divine worship
b : marked by conspicuous religiosity
2: sacred or devotional as distinct from the profane or secular : religious
3: showing loyal reverence for a person or thing : dutiful
4 a : marked by sham or hypocrisy
b : mrked by self-conscious virtue : virtuous
5 : deserving commendation : worthy (a pious effort)

pi·ous·ly adverb
pi·ous·ness noun

Examples of PIOUS

They lived a quiet, pious life.

I'm tired of hearing politicians making pious pronouncements about their devotion to the people.

Synonyms: constant, dedicated, devoted, devout, down-the-line, fast, good, loyal, faithful, staunch (also stanch), steadfast, steady, true, true-blue

Antonyms: disloyal, faithless, false, fickle, inconstant, perfidious, recreant, traitorous, treacherous, unfaithful, untrue

Middle English, from Latin pius
First Known Use: 15th century

MORE 15th CENTURY!? Damn!

-1425: Catholic University of Leuven (Belgium) founded by Pope Martin V.

Clearly, this was done in an attempt to spread the "piety" that was so prevalent in the church back then.

Don't worry, though! This guy did something awesome!

-Pal Engjëlli (1416-1470) was an Albanian Catholic clergyman, Archbishop of Durrës and Cardinal of Albania who in 1462 wrote the first known sentence in Albanian.

I mean, seriously, imagine being the first person to write a sentence ever written in a language. I bet that guy was super fly for the rest of his life.


Alright! I hope you enjoyed these words. I found a few more today, since I was running out of some. I think I'm going to stick with these posts for now, because I want to do these every day and it's hard to fit the other, more broadly informational posts in, even with no school during Spring Break.

It's ridiculous how much work I have. I just want to be lethargic, but the teachers have given me an indubitably ludicrous load of homework, which is leaving an indelible mark on my time. I have the voracious urge to rant about it, but the resulting diatribe would create a cacophony. ;P

Later!