a·poc·ry·phal (-pkr-fl)
adj.
1. Of questionable authorship or authenticity.
2. Erroneous; fictitious: "Wildly apocryphal rumors about starvation in Petrograd . . . raced through Russia's trenches" (W. Bruce Lincoln).
3. Apocryphal Bible Of or having to do with the Apocrypha.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Animadvert
an·i·mad·vert (n-md-vûrt)
intr.v. an·i·mad·vert·ed, an·i·mad·vert·ing, an·i·mad·verts
To remark or comment critically, usually with strong disapproval or censure: "a man . . . who animadverts on miserly patients, egocentric doctors, psychoanalysis and Lucky Luciano with evenhanded fervor" (Irwin Faust).
[Middle English animadverten, to notice, from Latin animadvertere : animus, mind; see an- in Indo-European roots + advertere, to turn toward; see adverse.]
intr.v. an·i·mad·vert·ed, an·i·mad·vert·ing, an·i·mad·verts
To remark or comment critically, usually with strong disapproval or censure: "a man . . . who animadverts on miserly patients, egocentric doctors, psychoanalysis and Lucky Luciano with evenhanded fervor" (Irwin Faust).
[Middle English animadverten, to notice, from Latin animadvertere : animus, mind; see an- in Indo-European roots + advertere, to turn toward; see adverse.]
Brickbat
brick·bat (brkbt)
n.
1. A piece, especially of brick, used as a weapon or missile.
2. An unfavorable remark; a criticism.
[brick + bat, piece of brick.]
Word History: The earliest sense of brickbat, first recorded in 1563, was "a piece of brick." Such pieces of brick have not infrequently been thrown at others in the hope of injuring them; hence, the figurative brickbats (first recorded in 1929) that critics hurl at performances they dislike. The appearance of bat as the second part of this compound is explained by the fact that the word bat, "war club, cudgel," developed in Middle English the sense "chunk, clod, wad," and in the 16th century came to be used specifically for a piece of brick that was unbroken on one end.
n.
1. A piece, especially of brick, used as a weapon or missile.
2. An unfavorable remark; a criticism.
[brick + bat, piece of brick.]
Word History: The earliest sense of brickbat, first recorded in 1563, was "a piece of brick." Such pieces of brick have not infrequently been thrown at others in the hope of injuring them; hence, the figurative brickbats (first recorded in 1929) that critics hurl at performances they dislike. The appearance of bat as the second part of this compound is explained by the fact that the word bat, "war club, cudgel," developed in Middle English the sense "chunk, clod, wad," and in the 16th century came to be used specifically for a piece of brick that was unbroken on one end.
tensegrity
Tensegrity (ten·sāˑ·gri·tē), Portmanteau of Tension and Integrity.
n an architectural principle in which compression and tension are used to give a structure its form. Conceived by R. Buckminster Fuller, it is used to create such structures as geodesic domes and boat sails.
Enlarge picture
The cell, held together by tensegrity.
tensegrity system,
n an interconnected network of structures which use tension and pressure in order to move or retain their shape.
n an architectural principle in which compression and tension are used to give a structure its form. Conceived by R. Buckminster Fuller, it is used to create such structures as geodesic domes and boat sails.
Enlarge picture
The cell, held together by tensegrity.
tensegrity system,
n an interconnected network of structures which use tension and pressure in order to move or retain their shape.
torus
to·rus (tôrs, tr-)
n. pl. to·ri (tôr, tr)
1. Architecture A large convex molding, semicircular in cross section, located at the base of a classical column.
2. Anatomy A bulging or rounded projection or swelling.
3. Botany The receptacle of a flower.
4. Mathematics A toroid generated by a circle; a surface having the shape of a doughnut. Also called tore2.
n. pl. to·ri (tôr, tr)
1. Architecture A large convex molding, semicircular in cross section, located at the base of a classical column.
2. Anatomy A bulging or rounded projection or swelling.
3. Botany The receptacle of a flower.
4. Mathematics A toroid generated by a circle; a surface having the shape of a doughnut. Also called tore2.
remunerative
re·mu·ner·a·tive (r-mynr--tv, -n-rtv)
adj.
1. Yielding suitable recompense; profitable.
2. Serving to remunerate.
re·muner·a·tive·ly adv.
re·muner·a·tive·ness n.
adj.
1. Yielding suitable recompense; profitable.
2. Serving to remunerate.
re·muner·a·tive·ly adv.
re·muner·a·tive·ness n.
Somatic
so·mat·ic (s-mtk)
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or affecting the body, especially as distinguished from a body part, the mind, or the environment; corporeal or physical. See Synonyms at bodily.
2. Of or relating to the wall of the body cavity, especially as distinguished from the head, limbs, or viscera.
3. Of or relating to the portion of the vertebrate nervous system that regulates voluntary movement.
4. Of or relating to a somatic cell or the somatoplasm.
[French somatique, from Greek smatikos, from sma, smat-, body; see soma1.]
so·mati·cal·ly adv.
adj.
1. Of, relating to, or affecting the body, especially as distinguished from a body part, the mind, or the environment; corporeal or physical. See Synonyms at bodily.
2. Of or relating to the wall of the body cavity, especially as distinguished from the head, limbs, or viscera.
3. Of or relating to the portion of the vertebrate nervous system that regulates voluntary movement.
4. Of or relating to a somatic cell or the somatoplasm.
[French somatique, from Greek smatikos, from sma, smat-, body; see soma1.]
so·mati·cal·ly adv.
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