Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Here Comes the Rain Again and Wednesday Word of the Week

So, here we are... Wednesday.

I have decided to do a weekly feature!!

The Wednesday Word of the Week!

With the help of Maxwell Nurnberg's fabulous vocabulary book "for people who don't need one", called 'I Always Look up the Word Egregious', I am going to share a word with you each week! 

The beauty of this book is that it gives the meaning/definition and then gives you the background of the word, and examples of usage.

In light of recent politicos (<cough> NY Gov. Spitzer <cough>) having to fall on their swords...

I give you the first Wednesday Word of the Week:

Immolation:

- a sacrifice

(from the latin mola, a millstone) Molars, the name of the grinding teeth, is derived from the same word.  The Latin word mola came to mean the thing ground, a kind of grain or meal.  In accordance with prescribed ritual, Roman priests sprinkled this finely groun grain, with a portion of salt added, over a sacrificed animal's head.  By another transfer of meaning, the word immolatio, literally "the act of spreading the ground grain", was applied to the sacrifice itself.

Modern usage in a sentence:  His self-destruction was an exemplary one, and can even be understood as a self-sacrifice, a self-immolation for the benefit of others. (NY Times)

So, there you are... expanding your minds and vocabulary one word at a time!  LOL  Tell one tell all!!! 

Nothing much else going on here, hope you are all doing well.  I seem to have some laryngitis now, so I am trying not to talk much.  So far, so good.

be well,
Dawn

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's pouring here in PA.  I think we'll soon need an ark!  Enjoy your day.
Missie

Anonymous said...

Beautiful day here. Well night.
Gaz xxx
PS, one more sleep to go

Anonymous said...

It is nasty here in PA too, as Missie said.  I love the last pic ~ I love sharks but don't know that I would want to "tickle" one!  LOL  Love the word, hadn't heard of it before but you put it to good use in the sentence.  I am going to like this series.
Lisa

Anonymous said...

lol thx now if you could expand my memory I might be able to retain it.

Anonymous said...

No rain here...but we are due for some--so they say.  I've never seen a shark laugh before, until now!  LOL  Julie :) P.s.  That Spitzer is one goofy dude.  That "grimace" he made was weird--he looks part alien or something.  Julie

Anonymous said...

That bottom picture of the shark is hilarious! It really looks like it is laughing as a guy tickles it. I think I'd keep my hands at more a distance from those teeth. Yikes.

Thanks for expanding my vocabulary...for a minute. (That's how long it will take me to forget the word.) --Cin

Anonymous said...

I see all your Pa. buddies checking in with huge amounts of rain.  Yep, 2 days of monsoon raining.  Love expanding my vocabulary.  I didn't know the meaning of immolation.  LOL at your example.  HUGS  Chris

Anonymous said...

I like the new feature.  I can always use a new word or two.
Traci

Anonymous said...

Cool.  I always thought that word had something to do with fire for some reason.  :/

Russ

Anonymous said...

We play this game at work. It gives a word and three choices of the meaning. It's fun.....great idea Dawn.
hugs,
Ellen

Anonymous said...

love those pictures! fun entry thanks!
love,natalie

Anonymous said...

I really like this idea!!! Keep up the "gud" work!! Love2U Sharon

Anonymous said...

Hi Dawn,
Love the word -- immolation -- but as far as Spitzer is concerned, shouldn't it be "immoral-ation"?!?
Best,
Marty

Anonymous said...

Immolation gotta use that word.

Anonymous said...

Ooooo we are going to expand our vocabulary in your journal ~ I'm impressed xx  Sorry to hear you have laryngitis

Jenny

http://journals.aol.co.uk/Jmoqueen/MyLife

Anonymous said...

What a seasonal word, since we are in the month where we remember Christ's sacrifice for us.
Lori