A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
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- halfateabag
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A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
Only very slightly food orientated....! I have just found a word I have never come across before.... Geegaw. Had to go and look it up. Have you found a new word recently, you did not know the meaning of ?
- Badger's Mate
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
My most recent example was probably furlough
- halfateabag
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
Yes BM, I always thought that word was something to do with ploughing a field !
- Earthmaiden
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
I've heard of Geegaw, though I don't think it's not a word I would readily use.
I'm glad I wasn't alone with furlough. I spent a happy hour or so looking up its origins and discovered other words I didn't know with similar meanings from various roots. The English language is so fascinating!
I come across words I don't know quite often, there are also words I've known for years which are part of everyday language, whose meaning I always have to check before using!
I'm glad I wasn't alone with furlough. I spent a happy hour or so looking up its origins and discovered other words I didn't know with similar meanings from various roots. The English language is so fascinating!
I come across words I don't know quite often, there are also words I've known for years which are part of everyday language, whose meaning I always have to check before using!
- Stokey Sue
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
I knew gewgaws or geegaw from a teenage Georgette Heyer habit but I’d have had to think about it if it came up now
Furlough is an odd one - I knew the word because in the USA it is used to refer to a period of leave from the military but I never knew if it just meant the same as leave of absence or not, and Webster’s US English dictionary isn’t a lot of help, current use is different
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furlough
I’m sure many of the new words I learn are food related but struggling to think of one at the moment
And as this topic is not fully food related perhaps we could keep the discussion in the Chatterbox thread, I’ll move it if I can remember how to do it
As agreed previously
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4423&hilit=NAF
Furlough is an odd one - I knew the word because in the USA it is used to refer to a period of leave from the military but I never knew if it just meant the same as leave of absence or not, and Webster’s US English dictionary isn’t a lot of help, current use is different
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furlough
I’m sure many of the new words I learn are food related but struggling to think of one at the moment
And as this topic is not fully food related perhaps we could keep the discussion in the Chatterbox thread, I’ll move it if I can remember how to do it
As agreed previously
viewtopic.php?f=3&t=4423&hilit=NAF
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
Geegaw I have come across before, I'm not sure where, probably historic literature or interest in antiques.
Furlough I also had not heard used until the recent crisis.
The word that I had to look up most recently was petrichor. The smell of rain on dry ground. I read it in a book and had to look up its meaning. Fascinating, I never knew there was a word for that elusive scent we get when it rains, after it's been dry for ages. It seems that most people describe it as fresh, earthy or pleasant. I unfortunately smell it as a very slightly fishy smell! Who knew it had a name.
Furlough I also had not heard used until the recent crisis.
The word that I had to look up most recently was petrichor. The smell of rain on dry ground. I read it in a book and had to look up its meaning. Fascinating, I never knew there was a word for that elusive scent we get when it rains, after it's been dry for ages. It seems that most people describe it as fresh, earthy or pleasant. I unfortunately smell it as a very slightly fishy smell! Who knew it had a name.
- chihuahua8
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- Joined: Thu Aug 15, 2019 6:37 pm
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
My parents were both Salvation Army officers and as most of you will know the SA uses a great many military terms, one of which was 'furlough' used when referring to their annual leave. Apart from that I've never heard it used in any other situation. When the term started to be used in the present crisis, it took me back to my childhood. I wonder if the regular Army still use the term?
JeanT
JeanT
- PatsyMFagan
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
Stokey Sue wrote:
Furlough is an odd one - I knew the word because in the USA it is used to refer to a period of leave from the military but I never knew if it just meant the same as leave of absence or not, and Webster’s US English dictionary isn’t a lot of help, current use is different
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/furlough
I too had only ever heard of Furlough in the American context ... probably after watching endless episodes of NCIS
- MagicMarmite
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
I read a (crap btw) book last week that had furlough in it, I'd never heard of it until recently either!
- WWordsworth
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
I was aware of all those words
Geegaw, probably from "Call My Bluff" with Frank Muir and whatever the other team captain was called, cannot remember.
Furlough, I have come across it in historical novels several times. Usually in a military context.
Petrichor is a recent one for me, probably only heard it a couple of years ago or maybe I read something by Susie Dent.
Geegaw, probably from "Call My Bluff" with Frank Muir and whatever the other team captain was called, cannot remember.
Furlough, I have come across it in historical novels several times. Usually in a military context.
Petrichor is a recent one for me, probably only heard it a couple of years ago or maybe I read something by Susie Dent.
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
I've known googaw for ages, remembering it because it's a silly word for a silly object. Furlough, from JAG (the naval predecessor of NCIS) meaning paid leave whilst under inquiry, although I've not heard it before in the UK.
The government doing things "at pace" is meaningless as it means at any pace. Should be "apace" if they mean quickly, but perhaps they just mean in their own good time, whenever that might be...
Cooking terms, I look up but forget instantly. Maybe there should be cooking-word cross words with suitably informative clues? Or maybe a new glossary thread on here?
The government doing things "at pace" is meaningless as it means at any pace. Should be "apace" if they mean quickly, but perhaps they just mean in their own good time, whenever that might be...
Cooking terms, I look up but forget instantly. Maybe there should be cooking-word cross words with suitably informative clues? Or maybe a new glossary thread on here?
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
PatsyMFagan wrote:
I too had only ever heard of Furlough in the American context ... probably after watching endless episodes of NCIS
I love NCIS Patsy and started watching it many years ago when staying with American friends.
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
I also knew geegaws from the Georgette Heyers of my teens ... and wasn't Sergeant Troy on furlough when he set his cap at Bathsheba Everdene?
- liketocook
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Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
My maternal Grandmother used to refer to her costume jewellery as her "geegaws".
Furlough I'd only ever heard used in a military or American context.
Furlough I'd only ever heard used in a military or American context.
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
always known it as gewgaw rather than geegaw.
i regularly learn quite a few new words from susie dent's little bit in the radio times - which i usually forget. this one though, is one i remember -
(i knew what bumf was but didn't know its etymology.)
i regularly learn quite a few new words from susie dent's little bit in the radio times - which i usually forget. this one though, is one i remember -
The word ‘bumf’, useless or tedious material, is a shortening of ‘bumfodder’, ‘toilet paper’. Also known centuries ago as ‘arsewisp’.
(i knew what bumf was but didn't know its etymology.)
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
scullion wrote:always known it as gewgaw rather than geegaw.
i regularly learn quite a few new words from susie dent's little bit in the radio times - which i usually forget. this one though, is one i remember -The word ‘bumf’, useless or tedious material, is a shortening of ‘bumfodder’, ‘toilet paper’. Also known centuries ago as ‘arsewisp’.
(i knew what bumf was but didn't know its etymology.)
I knew the word, too, but love the explanation
- halfateabag
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- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2020 7:28 pm
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
Interesting read Scully, thanks for the lesson !
- PatsyMFagan
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- Joined: Tue Sep 19, 2017 2:38 pm
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
Well I never ... you learn something every day
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
I've come across a few, lately - I get the feeling the promulgator has strong feelings towards a well known politician. Anyway- this is one I like; probably because it sounds so pretentious - "Ipsidexitism."
Re: A showy 'trifle', a toy; a showy trinket, ornament
it's ipsedixitism - and not just because i say it is!
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