Dr John Maunder sunlive.co.nz Groundhog Day, February 2, is a popular tradition in the United States. It is also a legend that traverses many centuries, its origins clouded in the mists of time with ethnic cultures and animals awakening on specific dates. CNN reported on the 2nd of
The word for today is… spindrift (noun) – 1 : sea spray especially : spray blown from waves during a gale 2 : fine wind-borne snow or sand Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Spindrift first set sail in the mid-18th century under Scottish command. During its first voyage, it was known by the Scottish moniker
One of the problems with large organisations, including city councils, is they inevitably treat people as numbers. This applies not just to the public, but also to their own staff. A typical example is when the chief executive, usually an accountant or lawyer, has an engineering project that s/he
The word for today is… effusive (adjective) – 1 : marked by the expression of great or excessive emotion or enthusiasm effusive praise – 2 archaic : pouring freely – 3 : characterized or formed by a nonexplosive outpouring of lava effusive rocks Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : We’ve used “effusive” in English to describe excessive
The word for today is… vulcanize (transitive verb) : to subject to vulcanization Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Vulcanization involves heating rubber in combination with sulfur. The Roman god Vulcan (whose Greek counterpart is Hephaestus) was the god of fire and of skills that used fire, such as metalworking. So when Charles
The word for today is… ad hominem (adjective)) – 1 : appealing to feelings or prejudices rather than intellect 2 : marked by or being an attack on an opponent’s character rather than by an answer to the contentions made Source : Merriam -Webster Etymology : Ad hominem literally means “to the person” in
Gerry To turn a blind eye Lit: to deliberately overlook something We seem to be having a few nautical phrases lately and this one, of course, was first formulated during the Battle of the Copenhagen in 1801. Vice-Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was second in command of the fleet that was
Chris Sellars I tried to write an article explaining the nature of truth and falsehood. I stopped writing and gave up after exceeding my word allocation four fold. It may have to be the theme for a book that I will probably never write. I will sum up though that
The word for today is… eclectic (adjective) 1 : composed of elements drawn from various sources 2 : selecting what appears to be best in various doctrines, methods, or styles Source : Merriam – Webster Etymology : Eclectic comes from a Greek verb meaning “to select” and was originally applied to ancient philosophers who were
Paul C Paul C is a Registered Surveyor and a Fellow of the NZIS. After qualifying, he ran his own practice for 10 years before he was asked to join the Planning Tribunal for an initial 5-year term. He stayed for 32. The Tribunal became the Environment Court where he
The word for today is… gibbous (adjective) – 1a : marked by convexity or swelling, 1b of the moon or a planet : seen with more than half but not all of the apparent disk illuminated 2 : having a hump : humpbacked Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : The adjective “gibbous” has its origins in the Latin
Lady Wellington One thing that’s been bothering me for years is the fact that the older generations can’t seem to figure out what is a joke and what isn’t, or be able to tell fact from fiction especially on the internet. As someone who has grown up
The word for today is… haptic (adjective) 1 : relating to or based on the sense of touch 2 : characterized by a predilection for the sense of touch a haptic person Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Haptic (from the Greek haptesthai, meaning “to touch”) entered English in the late 19th century as a
The word for today is… amok (adverb) 1 : in a violently raging, wild, or uncontrolled manner 2 : in a murderously frenzied state Source : Merriam-Webster Etymology : Print evidence of amok in English was first recorded in the 1600s, when the word was used as a noun meaning “murderous frenzy.” Visitors to
Gerry Son of a Gun Lit: a bachelor, a rogue, a cad or a bit of a chancer This phrase has a long history but it is possibly another nautical term harking back to the days of sail, when seamen would often smuggle women friends on board naval vessels. Whilst
The word for today is.. ream (noun, verb) noun (n.) measure of paper ream (v.) to enlarge a hole Source : Online Etymology Dictionary Etymology : Noun – mid-14c., from Old French reyme, from Spanish resma, from Arabic rizmah “bundle” (of paper), from rasama “collect into a bundle.” The Moors brought manufacture of
