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Franklin Cacciutto
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 3:17 pm
Post subject: alternate meanings |
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In a message dated 10/4/2004 1:06:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
fayeb8@yahoo.com writes:
Once again, The Washington Post published its yearly
contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate
meanings for various words.
And the winners are...
1. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight
you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a
flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.
6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which
you absent-mindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after
you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified demeanor assumed by a
proctologist immediately before he examines you.
13. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with
Yiddish expressions.
14. Pokemon (n), A Jamaican proctologist.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your
Soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (n.), the opening in the front of boxer shorts.
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raymond o'hara
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 9:11 pm
Post subject: Re: alternate meanings |
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"Franklin Cacciutto" <shadtree@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:g0O9d.26934$rh4.11871506@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
| Quote: | In a message dated 10/4/2004 1:06:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
fayeb8@yahoo.com writes:
Once again, The Washington Post published its yearly
contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate
meanings for various words.
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That is last years list. |
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Tony Cooper
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 9:16 pm
Post subject: Re: alternate meanings |
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On Sat, 09 Oct 2004 15:11:49 GMT, "raymond o'hara" <reoh@comcast.net>
wrote:
| Quote: |
"Franklin Cacciutto" <shadtree@earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:g0O9d.26934$rh4.11871506@news4.srv.hcvlny.cv.net...
In a message dated 10/4/2004 1:06:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
fayeb8@yahoo.com writes:
Once again, The Washington Post published its yearly
contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate
meanings for various words.
That is last years list.
Definition of "o'hara" = a non-possessive person. |
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Bloke
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Oct 09, 2004 10:34 pm
Post subject: Re: alternate meanings |
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On Sat, 09 Oct 2004 09:17:00 GMT, Franklin Cacciutto
<shadtree@earthlink.net> wrote:
| Quote: | In a message dated 10/4/2004 1:06:00 PM Eastern Daylight Time,
fayeb8@yahoo.com writes:
Once again, The Washington Post published its yearly
contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate
meanings for various words.
And the winners are...
1. Coffee (n.), a person who is coughed upon.
2. Flabbergasted (adj.), appalled over how much weight
you have gained.
3. Abdicate (v.), to give up all hope of ever having a
flat stomach.
4. Esplanade (v.), to attempt an explanation while drunk.
5. Willy-nilly (adj.), impotent.
6. Negligent (adj.), describes a condition in which
you absent-mindedly answer the door in your nightgown.
7. Lymph (v.), to walk with a lisp.
8. Gargoyle (n.), an olive-flavored mouthwash.
9. Flatulence (n.) the emergency vehicle that picks you up after
you are run over by a steamroller.
10. Balderdash (n.), a rapidly receding hairline.
11. Testicle (n.), a humorous question on an exam.
12. Rectitude (n.), the formal, dignified demeanor assumed by a
proctologist immediately before he examines you.
13. Oyster (n.), a person who sprinkles his conversation with
Yiddish expressions.
14. Pokemon (n), A Jamaican proctologist.
15. Frisbeetarianism (n.), The belief that, when you die, your
Soul goes up on the roof and gets stuck there.
16. Circumvent (n.), the opening in the front of boxer shorts.
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Can I suggest that "alternative" is the word you are looking for?
"Alternate" means 'succeed each other by turns'. So, for example, a
barcode has alternate black and white lines.
Seeing as this is an English usage group, we should strive for correct
usage. We can't have casual observers thinking we don't even
understand the meaning of common words.
Bloke. |
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Martyn
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 3:07 pm
Post subject: Re: alternate meanings |
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"Bloke" <mc_wanker@excite.com> wrote in message
news:thigm0hf8f529b4k3mtpqdbgh3df5i93vg@4ax.com...
| Quote: |
Can I suggest that "alternative" is the word you are looking for?
"Alternate" means 'succeed each other by turns'. So, for example, a
barcode has alternate black and white lines.
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I agree it should have been 'alternative'.
But if we're being picky surely a barcode just has black lines, on a white
background.
I've seen adverts similarly talking about a 'black and white' printer !
Martyn |
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Bloke
Guest
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| Posted: Mon Oct 11, 2004 3:09 pm
Post subject: Re: alternate meanings |
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On Mon, 11 Oct 2004 10:07:03 +0100, "Martyn" <bill@Microsoft.com>
wrote:
| Quote: |
"Bloke" <mc_wanker@excite.com> wrote in message
news:thigm0hf8f529b4k3mtpqdbgh3df5i93vg@4ax.com...
Can I suggest that "alternative" is the word you are looking for?
"Alternate" means 'succeed each other by turns'. So, for example, a
barcode has alternate black and white lines.
I agree it should have been 'alternative'.
But if we're being picky surely a barcode just has black lines, on a white
background.
I've seen adverts similarly talking about a 'black and white' printer !
Martyn
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Similar to the glass half full, glass half empty debate. |
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Odysseus
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 12:47 am
Post subject: Re: alternate meanings |
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Martyn wrote:
| Quote: |
"Bloke" <mc_wanker@excite.com> wrote in message
news:thigm0hf8f529b4k3mtpqdbgh3df5i93vg@4ax.com...
Can I suggest that "alternative" is the word you are looking for?
"Alternate" means 'succeed each other by turns'. So, for example, a
barcode has alternate black and white lines.
I agree it should have been 'alternative'.
But if we're being picky surely a barcode just has black lines, on a white
background.
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That's certainly how they're usually printed, but in most barcode
formats the spaces are no less significant than the bars. Sometimes
each symbol or coding element comprises a certain number of bars and
spaces taken together, while in other systems, the "interleaved"
ones, each group of bars or spaces is a distinct codon. Only in a few
formats are the spaces merely gaps whose size is unimportant.
--
Odysseus |
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Bloke
Guest
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| Posted: Tue Oct 12, 2004 9:27 am
Post subject: Re: alternate meanings |
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On Mon, 11 Oct 2004 18:47:32 GMT, Odysseus
<odysseus1479-at@yahoo-dot.ca> wrote:
| Quote: | Martyn wrote:
"Bloke" <mc_wanker@excite.com> wrote in message
news:thigm0hf8f529b4k3mtpqdbgh3df5i93vg@4ax.com...
Can I suggest that "alternative" is the word you are looking for?
"Alternate" means 'succeed each other by turns'. So, for example, a
barcode has alternate black and white lines.
I agree it should have been 'alternative'.
But if we're being picky surely a barcode just has black lines, on a white
background.
That's certainly how they're usually printed, but in most barcode
formats the spaces are no less significant than the bars. Sometimes
each symbol or coding element comprises a certain number of bars and
spaces taken together, while in other systems, the "interleaved"
ones, each group of bars or spaces is a distinct codon. Only in a few
formats are the spaces merely gaps whose size is unimportant.
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Nothing is off-topic at this group <grin>. Renaissance man is alive
and well and contributing to alt.english.usage
Bloke |
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