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Author Topic: Darkstorme's Word of the Day  (Read 5171 times)

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #40 on: September 16, 2010, 12:38:35 am »
Welcome to Rogue Week!  To start off, for the kleptomaniacs...

Pilfer

To steal, particularly small items, petty theft (pill-fur).  Usually employed especially when the act is repeated again and again.   So, yes, kleptomania. :)

Usage:
  • Strolling through the crowd of stevedores by the docks, Kell pilfered a purse here, lifted a wallet there - not so much because he needed the money, but just to stay in practice.
  • The fence had no end of pilfered goods for sale.  Small, easily-pocketed items.  He claimed he got them from "legitimate sources", of course.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #41 on: September 17, 2010, 02:08:38 am »
For those who prefer to put their points in Bluff...

Obfuscate

From the Latin "to darken", to obfuscate (ob-fuse-kate) means to confuse, bewilder, or stupefy, usually by making something more unclear.  Disguising a fact by hiding it among a fusillade of trivial information would be a good example of this kind of obfuscation.

The word can also be employed when physically obfuscating something - by shrouding it, partially covering it, darkening the lights around it, or any other means.

Something that obfuscates is said to be obfuscatory.  An object that obfuscates is an obfuscation (in the same way that something that distracts is a distraction).

In computer terms, code obfuscation refers to a practice of removing unnecessary whitespace from code (or adding random whitespace where it won't affect the output), changing variable names to random chains of letters, and other practices that ensure that code that by its nature will be visible to the end user (Java, Python, interpreted code) will still not be intelligible.

Usage:
  • Sweating a bit as more questions were directed his way, the council's representative attempted to obfuscate the fact that the authorities hadn't _quite_ caught the man yet.
  • The druid adjusted the branches, obfuscating the quicksand warning sign.  There.  No one could say they hadn't been warned.  He smiled grimly to himself, and strode off into the woods.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #42 on: September 18, 2010, 02:11:00 am »
And moving from a bluff to an out-and-out lie:

Subterfuge

A lie, deception, or other artifice - usually used as a means of evading something - a consequence, a rule, discovery of something you wish to keep concealed...

Usage:
  • The diplomat mopped his brow.  There was no way that the king could know that the "bandit raids" in the east of the kingdom had just been a subterfuge to conceal troop movements... still, he'd be happier when this was all over.
  • "Hey!  What are you doing up there?"  Tod winced, then forced a smile onto his face before turning around.  Time for a little bit of subterfuge.  "Exterminator, sir.  Looks like you've got a nest of gutter weasels!  Nasty ones, too."
Reference:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #43 on: September 19, 2010, 02:13:37 am »
And the escape!

Abscond

To swiftly and silently vanish into the night, to steal away, to avoid authorities or capture, to hide.  Also, to make off with or steal something.  And usually scamper off with it.  (Ab-skond)

Usage:
  • The ratman had absconded with Hlint's tax records.  Again!
  • The wanted posters were up all over Rael.  Discretion was the better part of valour; the party absconded into the forest.
Reference:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #44 on: September 21, 2010, 02:31:18 am »
A twofer today, because you missed out on my brilliance yesterday:

Bolthole

Either a means of escape, or a refuge to which one can escape.  In animal dens (or secret lairs) a bolthole is a second exit through which the animal (or individual) can escape if being invaded via the primary entrance.

The second meaning is equally applicable to rogues - a safe place, usually hidden and known only to the owner, where an individual can "hole up" and recover/recuperate/wait until pursuit has given up.  Pursuit such as, for example, irate former owners of various jewelry or other expensive and salable possessions.

Usage:
  • "Open up in there!  This is the guard!"  Verena leaped to her feet as the door in the other room was smashed in with a resounding crash and a splintering of wood.  She rolled under the bed and lifted the concealed trap door to her bolthole, pulled the door to behind her and crawled quickly down the tunnel to the alley behind the house.
  • Thomas relaxed in his bolthole, a small cabin deep in the Silkwoods.  He could wait here until the heat was off - he had supplies for a month.
References:
And if that doesn't work...

Pillory

A wooden restraint device for prisoners, through which the head and hands protrude, with the device locked around the wrists and neck.  Often confused with the stocks, which consists only of a pair of holes for the wrists or ankles.  "To pillory", the verb form, can mean to place someone in this restraint.

It can also mean to subject someone to public ridicule or savagely criticize them in a public forum - much as those who were/are locked into pillories are taunted, humiliated or abused by the crowd.

Usage:
  • Verena shifted uncomfortably, her back aching in the position forced onto her by the pillory.  Apparently the guard had known about her bolthole.
  • The new mayor was pilloried by his opponent after the dark elf attack, with claims that he hadn't done enough to prepare the town.
References:
 

Unknown User

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #45 on: September 21, 2010, 02:31:18 am »
Haven't seen posts here so Im kinda afraid of putting this up but What the heck?  So I love these new words because I can use alot of these in day to day life and amaze people.
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #46 on: September 22, 2010, 02:28:32 am »
And finally, for actions and operations undertaken in the dark of night (like this one, for example):

Clandestine

An adjective describing anything done in, with, or characterized by secrecy or concealment.  Originally derived from the latin for "secret" - so kind of a no-brainer there.  (Clan-dess-tin).

Usage:
  • The planned transfer of bank funds was a clandestine operation, to be performed in the dead of night - and even then, three false caravans were to depart at other points in the day.
  • The clandestine surveillance was proceeding exactly as planned; Tyra wasn't even aware she was being watched.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #47 on: September 23, 2010, 01:26:58 am »
Rogue week is over, but the words continue!

Egress

A simple word (ee-gress) with a variety of meanings.

As a verb, it can mean to issue forth or come out from, to become visible out of something, to exit or, in a celestial sense, to come out of eclipse.

As a noun, it can be the act of exiting, or the exit itself.  This latter meaning was popularized by P.T. Barnum, who had signs in his museum which indicated "this way to the Egress!" over a stylized bird.  Assuming that this was some sort of creature, visitors would let themselves be guided to the exit.

Usage:
  • Tom desperately sought egress from the building - but alas, there were guards posted at every door.
  • The egress from the maze was clearly marked on the map.  The only trouble was, Shiff had no idea where _he_ was.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #48 on: August 26, 2010, 02:45:04 am »
Akimbo

A word to do with posture (specifically the limbs), akimbo (ah-kim-bo) means to be bent outwards with the joint away from the body.  To stand akimbo is to stand with your hands on your hips, elbows bent out.

Usage:
  • She kicked in the door, strode in, and stood akimbo, surveying the room.
  • He sat, legs akimbo, fiddling with a piece of cured leather.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #49 on: August 27, 2010, 01:29:00 am »
Sometimes, writing these things up every day feels like tilting at windmills...

Quixotic

With its origin in Cervantes' character Don Quixote, (but pronounced very differently - the character is "kee-ho-tay", but the word is "kwiks-ah-tick"), the meaning of the word is styled after the character.  To say that a person is quixotic is to say that they are romantic to the point of impracticality, that their idealism overcomes their common sense, or even their sense of reality.  It can have redeeming features, however - a quixotic individual is often possessed of a certain romantic nobility, unrealistic expectations aside.

The character, Don Quixote, was a retired gentleman who imagined himself a knight, and imagined taverns as castles, innkeepers as kings, and windmills as rampaging giants for him to slay.  Despite this, he acted with nobility and good intentions, so the word has a somewhat mixed tone to it.

It's also a killer Scrabble word, if you ever get the chance to play it.

Usage:
  • The old man was quixotic, but harmless, and the children of the village always liked to listen to his tales.
  • Despite it lengthening his own sentence, Garral quixotically refused to rat out his comrades.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #50 on: August 28, 2010, 02:05:32 am »
Thank goodness for magic healing.  Otherwise, most adventurers would need some time to...

Convalesce

To convalesce (con-val-ess) is to recover (sometimes gradually) from an illness or shock.  The noun describing the period during which someone is convalescing is convalescence.  The person doing the convalescing is the convalescent.

Usage:
  • The cleric told the soldier to get plenty of bed rest while he was convalescing.
  • Ella knew she was supposed to stay in bed during her convalescence, but she just couldn't lie still for that long!
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #51 on: August 29, 2010, 02:38:06 am »
Rather than calling someone a rogue and confusing everyone, why not call him a...

Rapscallion

A rascal, usually of the mischievous or impish variety; alternately, a deceitful and untrustworthy individual, a scoundrel.  (Rap-skal-ee-un)

Usage:
  • Arkolio's a well-known figure, but watch yourself - he's a rapscallion.
  • The cleric of Prunilla sighed, noting the empty windowsill.  The children had made off with her fresh-baked pies again, the rapscallions.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #52 on: August 30, 2010, 02:40:08 am »
I hear this word has caused some whispers in high places...

Susurration

A whispering noise - indistinct voices or murmurs.  Speech or sound that has whisper-like qualities can be said (albeit quietly) to be susurrant.  (Sue-suh-ray-shun.)

Usage:
  • "That man is a fraud!"  As the shout echoed through the hall, a shocked susurration rippled through the crowd.
  • The conversation between the wizards was susurrant - Tommy couldn't make out what they were saying.

References:

 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #53 on: August 31, 2010, 02:42:18 am »
Now, to kick off Bard week - drumroll, please...

Syncopation

In music or rhythmic poetry, syncopation (sin-co-pay-shun) is emphasis or stress put on a normally weak beat or syllable.  It often makes for interesting rhythmic variation.

A rhythm in which syncopation is employed is said to be syncopated.

Usage:
  • The change in meter threw Therise for a second, but then she caught it - it was a syncopated passage, with the emphasis on the back beat.
  • Rubato, syncopation, irregular meter - the maestro shook his head.  He'd never understand this new music.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #54 on: September 01, 2010, 02:31:49 am »
For the intellectual Ilsaran bard...

Fugue

In music, a fugue (fewg) is a contrapuntal work that involves a central theme, built upon with counterthemes and repetition.  For a description of how to write a fugue (though by no means an exhaustive article on the subject), Wikipedia has done a decent job.  As a general rule, three or four-voice fugues are the norm, five-voice fugues are exceptional, and six or more voices is just showing off.  (In our world, J.S. Bach was fond of writing six voice fugues.)

A fugue can also describe a state of altered consciousness, much like a dream (a fugue state) or a dissociative disorder wherein the affected individual forgets who they are and can perform acts, seemingly fully conscious of what they are doing, only to have no memory of their actions upon recovering from the state.

Usage:
  • When Kell was concentrating, truly concentrating, on his exercises, it was as if he entered a fugue state, his feet and hands moving seemingly independent of his mind.
  • Andrew listened approvingly.  There was the return to the tonic, and... yes, it was a fugue.  Wait - a third recapitulation of the countertheme?  In a fifth voice?  Smart-aleck composers and their egos...
References:
 

Unknown User

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #55 on: September 01, 2010, 04:03:23 am »
Fugue in French also means to run away. Mon frère a fugué: My brother ran away from home. Just to add a bit more even if this is just for English.
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #56 on: September 02, 2010, 02:05:19 am »
Cadence

Not to be confused with cadenza (a virtuosic passage often left to the soloist's discretion in an accompanied work), cadence (kay-dense) can mean a number of things.

In music, a cadence is a series of chords (at least two) which ends a musical phrase.  Chord, in this case, is used relatively loosely, since as little as two notes can imply a cadence.

In poetry, cadence is the emphasis in a metrical "foot" of verse.

In speech, cadence is the rhythm and inflection of a speaking voice.

And finally, cadence can refer to any rhythmic movement (for instance, marching, walking, dancing).

Usage:
  • As the group sat around the fire, the easy cadence of Acacea's voice relaxed them all, letting them lose themselves in her words.
  • The choir finished the hymn to Toran with a ringing cadence, their joyful voices reverberating in the hall.
Reference:
P.S. - Incidentally, although he's fond of calling them V-I or V7-I or IV-I or V-VI, the terms for the notes of a scale are:
  • I - Tonic
  • II - Supertonic
  • III - Mediant
  • IV - Subdominant
  • V - Dominant
  • VI - Submediant
  • VII - Leading (Note, or Tone)
Now, I hear you asking, why is VI the Submediant?  It's not below III!  But it is as far below (sub) the Tonic as the Mediant is above it.  (This, incidentally, is also why the Subdominant is named as it is - it happens to be right below the Dominant, but it's also a fifth below the Tonic.)
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #57 on: September 03, 2010, 02:36:54 am »
Not everything in the Bard's arsenal is musical.  Some of it is...

Declamatory

A useful word when describing vehement or bombastic oratory, a declamatory (deh-clam-a-tory) speech would be one packed with emotion, sincerity, and, above all, emphasis.  It would also, likely, be well-practiced, right down to the hand gestures accompanying it.

Such a speech could also be called a declamation.  And the individual presenting it would be declaiming.

Usage:
  • "Rael's forces mobilized for war!", the town crier declaimed.
  • The speeches presented in the Hempstead debating society were generally declamatory, with passion far beyond what one might have associated with the topic at hand.  Still, the brandy was good.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #58 on: September 04, 2010, 02:36:59 am »
And voices rang out in song...

Choral

Though it sounds the same as "coral", one's a sometimes-asexual aquatic polyp, and the other describes music written for a choir, chorus, or other group of singers.

This should also not be confused with a chorale, which is a specific type of hymn which, itself, is choral.

And now that you're thoroughly confused...

Usage:
  • Daniella let the choir's voices flow over her.  She'd always liked the choral works in praise of Toran.
  • Choral music predominated in the shrines deep in the Forest of Fog - those who attended them were simple folk who often had no instruments.
References:
 

darkstorme

Darkstorme's Word of the Day
« Reply #59 on: September 06, 2010, 02:50:30 am »
I appear to have lost the rhythm a bit yesterday.

To make up for it, double-time!

Dissonance

As with many terms, this one can have multiple meanings.  First, its musical meaning (this is bard week, after all) - a dissonance (diss-oh-nance) is a set of notes that conflict, provide a discord, and don't neatly complement each other.  Technically, a dissonance is caused by notes being played simultaneously which are not overtones of one of the notes.  The opposite of a dissonance is an assonance, which are usually the sounds that people find pleasing.  Notes that make up a dissonance are dissonant.  Dissonance is often used in music to build tension (think the killer violins from Psycho), and their reduction to an assonance can be used to resolve it.

It's said, apocryphally, that Beethoven's maid would play a dissonant chord on the piano to wake him; he had to get up to provide the resolution or it would drive him nuts.

Dissonance can also mean a disagreement between individuals or groups to do with their actions, natures, or opinions.  Assonance, again, is the opposite.

Usage:
  • The enemies fell back, but still the bard advanced, the dissonant chords from his lute piercing their ears like knives.
  • A dissonant shriek from above made the party look up just as the harpies dropped down from their perch.
References:
And, to round us out:
Modal

Modal (moe(as in "larry, curly, and")-dal) music is music written in one of several musical modes (there will be a subsequent post explaining this fairly interesting concept.  If you don't want to read it, why are you reading this thread?)

In statistics, this word refers to the mode (the most common value in a distribution).

In grammar, a modal verb is one that expresses modality (that is, the nature of a subsequent verb).  For example, "can", and "will" are both modal verbs, since they alter subsequent verbs: "I can swim."

Finally (and least useful in a Layonaran sense), in computer science, a modal dialogue in a graphical user interface is one that suspends the remainder of the interface until the dialogue is resolved.

Usage:
  • The Goranites, technical in their music as in everything else, are famous for some of their modal compositions.
  • The music was in a dour mode, properly representing the mood of the mourners.
References:
 

 

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