Lexical Compendium
Wait... what is this? Sometimes I come across a word, phrase, idiom, quote, reference, bit of slang, person of interest, etc that either I don't know or I find amusing, interesting, etc. This is a collection of those items so that I can refer back to them in emails, texts, etc.
Recent Entries:
"...an effective plot must be 'unexpected but inevitable'..."
I came across this quote in the television series Mythic Quest. In that show, it was attributed to Aristotle, but I haven't been able to confirm this.
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References:
- IMDB: Mythic Quest Reference ID imdb-mythic-quest
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"I know enough to turn you inside out, old gal, you sockdologizing old man-trap."
"I know enough to turn you inside out, old gal, you sockdologizing old man-trap" was delivered just before Abraham Lincoln’s assassination in 1865 in the play Our American Cousin. The audience’s laughter at the joke provided the cover John Wilkes Booth needed to fire his shot.
Sockdologizing is 19th-century slang for something decisive, final, or conclusive, often referring to a telling blow in an argument or a finishing move.
The humor in the line comes from its exaggerated insult, aimed at a male character but framed in absurdly feminizing terms, culminating in man-trap, a term for a woman who ensnares men. To a 19th-century audience, this mix of ridicule and bombast landed as a sharp comedic moment.
I came upon this line while watching Manhunt.
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References:
- IMDB: Manhunt Reference ID imdb-manhunt
- The context behind the fatal punchline that obscured the Lincoln assassination - Washington Post Op-ed Reference ID the-context-behind-the-fatal-punchline-that-obscur
- Definition: sockdologer Reference ID definition-sockdologer
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"This sounds schemey. Redolent of thwart."
Something that the character Tom Wambsgans says in the television series "Succession," in Season 2, Episode 8.
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References:
- IMDB: Succession Reference ID imdb-succession
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"What ho! She bumps!"
I came across this bit of old-timey slang in the television show "The Artful Dodger." It means something like, "Wow! It works!"
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References:
- IMDB: The Artful Dodger Reference ID imdb-the-artful-dodger
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DSKY
An acronym for Display Keyboard (pronounced diskey). This was the interface that Apollo astronauts used to communicate with the computers on the Command and Lunar Modules.
I first came across this acronym while watching the television series For All Mankind.
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References:
- IMDB: For All Mankind Reference ID imdb-for-all-mankind
- Smithsonian: DSKY - A Smithsonian description and image of a DSKY. Reference ID smithsonian-dsky
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Floyd Hole
In the Venture Bros episode "Perchance to Dean," Dr. Venture introduces Dean to progressive rock (including one of my favorites, King Crimson!). He leaves Dean and comes back later to find that he's fallen unconscious. Dr. Venture screams, "He's fallen into a Floyd Hole!"
The term "Floyd Hole," now refers to the act of losing track of time while consuming media.
For example, "It's already 4PM?? I fell into a Floyd Hole watching YouTube!"
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References:
- Venture Bros: Perchance to Dream Reference ID venture-bros-perchance-to-dream
- Wikipedia: Pink Floyd Reference ID wikipedia-pink-floyd
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banoffee
Banoffee is a portmanteau combining the words "banana" and "toffee" and is often used in reference to Banoffee Pie, which seems to be a popular pie flavor in the UK.
I learned of this while watching a YouTube show: Food Tours: Finding the Best Afternoon Tea in London.
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References:
- YouTube: Food Tours: Finding the Best Afternoon Tea in London Reference ID youtube-food-tours-finding-the-best-afternoon-tea
- Wikipedia: Banoffee Pie Reference ID wikipedia-banoffee-pie
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chookas
The word chookas is Australian slang and something performers traditionally say to each other to wish luck before a show. It's similar to the expression "break a leg."
Chook is Aussie slang for chicken. One explanation for how chookas came to be used in the performing arts is that if there was a full house, the theater company could afford a chicken dinner.
Other sources seem to indicate that it was originally pronounced choogas was was an abbreviation of the phrase "cheers and good wishes."
I first came across the word chookas while watching Deadloch (S1, E6).
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References:
- stackexchange etymology possibilities Reference ID stackexchange-etymology-possibilities
- IMDB: Deadloch Reference ID imdb-deadloch
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devour feculence
Devour feculence is a "big word" way of saying eat shit.
The phrase was used in S2E9 of the Apple TV+ show Severence. Earlier in the show, the character Mr. Milchick receives a performance review that criticizes him for "using too many big words." The character, played by Tramell Tillman, is black and works for Lumon Industries. Lumon is operated like a cult and, as such, it is a very oppressive environment for most employees. Tensions between Mr. Milchick and Mr. Drummond grow to a head and upon being asked to apologize for his use of large words, he replies with "devour feculence."
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References:
- IMDB: Severence Reference ID imdb-severence
- Severence Wiki: Lumon Industries Reference ID severence-wiki-lumon-industries
- Definition: feculent Reference ID definition-feculent
- Screen Rant blog on "devour feculence" Reference ID screen-rant-blog-on-devour-feculence
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down to raisins
An expression coined by Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War. It means something similar as "seeing the light at the end of the tunnel." In other words, a task or period is reaching its end.
When Lincoln was asked where this phrase came from, he told the story of a little girl who ate too much and then followed that up with a dessert of raisins. She became sick and, eventually, was throwing up only the raisins. Thus, she knew that she was nearly done.
I came upon this phase while watching Manhunt, S1E6.
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References:
- Anecdotes About Abraham Lincoln - Got Dow to Raisins Reference ID anecdotes-about-abraham-lincoln-got-dow-to-raisins
- Mr. Lincoln's Whitehouse - The War Effort: Telegraph Office Reference ID mr-lincolns-whitehouse-the-war-effort-telegraph-of
- IMDB: Manhunt Reference ID imdb-manhunt
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