Word of the Day – indie

indie

Pronunciation /ˈɪndi/
adjective
1 (of a pop group, record label, or film company) not belonging or affiliated to a major record or film company.
1.1 Characteristic of the deliberately unpolished or uncommercialized style of small independent pop groups.
noun
1 A small independent pop group, record label, or film company.
1.1 mass noun Indie music regarded as a genre.

Origin
1920s (first used with reference to film production): abbreviation of independent.

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The artwork of the indie record release was considered unprofessional by many.

flat

(excerpt from much larger list of definitions)
…
1.1 usually flats – An area of low level ground, especially near water
…
1.3 A shoe with a very low heel or no heel.
…

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Maggie meandered in her flats along the flats beside the river.

Author’s note: This blog is serving as something of an archive of Words of the Day. It wasn’t the first place where I contributed such words and illustrations. The “Internet Book Database of Fiction” http://ibdof.com/viewtopic.php?f=1793&t=1434

I was not the original word poster, but had been doing the posts there for a long time. Unfortunately, the server suffered some kind of software meltdown and from August 2020 until today, the forum was not accessible. This note is to celebrate that the forum is back and these words, beginning with today’s will be there.

incurable

Pronunciation /ɪnˈkjʊərəb(ə)l/
adjective
1 (of a sick person or a disease) not able to be cured.
1.1 (of a person or behaviour) unable to be changed.

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It is my fervent hope that hate is not incurable.

griff

Pronunciation /ɡrɪf/
noun
mass noun – informal, dated
News or reliable information.

Origin
Late 19th century abbreviation of the slang term griffin ‘a betting tip’, of unknown origin.

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Got no griff for ya today, but lots of speculation is flying around.

Forfend

Pronunciation /fɔːˈfɛnd/
verb
[with object]
1 archaic Avert or prevent (something evil or unpleasant)
2 (also forefend)
US Protect (something) by precautionary measures.

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A guard at the door may forfend disaster, but only if he shouts his warning alert early enough.

ventil

Pronunciation /ˈvɛntɪl/
noun
Music
1 A valve in a wind instrument.
2 A shutter for regulating the airflow in an organ.

Origin
Late 19th century from German, from Italian ventile, from medieval Latin ventile ‘sluice’, from Latin ventus ‘wind’.

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Tony thought it mean
And did not think it keen
To find his Sax’s ventil
Was blocked up by a lentil.

tomography

Pronunciation /təˈmɒɡrəfi/
noun
mass noun
A technique for displaying a representation of a cross section through a human body or other solid object using X-rays or ultrasound.

Origin
1930s from Greek tomos ‘slice, section’ + -graphy.

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Tomography is rarely used to scan cats or toes.

tortoise

Pronunciation /ˈtɔːtəs/ /ˈtɔːtɔɪz/
noun
A slow-moving typically herbivorous land reptile of warm climates, enclosed in a scaly or leathery domed shell into which it can retract its head and thick legs.

Origin
Late Middle English tortu, tortuce from Old French tortue and Spanish tortuga, both from medieval Latin tortuca, of uncertain origin. The current spelling dates from the mid 16th century.

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Like a tortoise, some good work takes time to arrive. Poor work may also take its time.

Words Matter

WordOfTheDay

violence

Pronunciation /ˈvʌɪəl(ə)ns/
noun

Behavior involving physical force intended to hurt, damage, or kill someone or something.

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Mob violence is frightening, despicable, and causes harm well beyond the damage, injury and death that are the obvious direct results.

When it is an attempt to un-do the will of a democratic election, mob violence is also insurrection and cannot be tolerated, ignored or pardoned.

No Illustration today.

creaking

Pronunciation /ˈkriːkɪŋ/
adjective
1 Making a harsh, high-pitched sound when being moved or when pressure or weight is applied.
2 Showing weakness or frailty under strain.
noun
mass noun
Harsh, high-pitched noise made when something is being moved or when pressure or weight is applied to it.

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My creaking knees
Do not me please
Louder than a door’s hinge
After last night’s binge.

But aches beyond the head
Cannot keep me in my bed
For I must get to work instead,
Though the prospect gives me dread.