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.
Caledonian Orogeny
When Great Briton's two halves were slammed together.
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References:
- Caledonian Orogeny - Encyclopedia of Geology (Second Edition), 2021 Reference ID caledonian-orogeny
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canard
A canard is false or unfounded statement/story.
It literally comes from the French canard meaning "duck." There's a French idiom that goes "vendre un canard à moitié" and means "to sell half a duck," in other words, to swindle someone. Over time this evolved to mean something more like a "false report."
There's a second use of this word in the aviation industry where it's a bit of jargon which describes a configuration in which a small forewing is placed ahead of the craft's main wings.
In the early 1900s French aviation engineers built a plane with these small forewings that was reminiscent of a duck and they started calling these planes "avions canard."
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References:
- Definition: canard Reference ID definition-canard
- Word of the Week: Canard Reference ID wow-canard
- Wikipedia: Canard (aeronautics) Reference ID wikipedia-canard-aeronautics
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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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Christian Zionism
An ideology that, in a Christian context, supports the concepts of Zionism (Jewish people returning to the "Holy Land").
Joe Biden considers himself a Zionist.
Mike Huckabee (nominated in Nov 2024 as the US Ambassador to Israel by the forming Trump administration) considers himself to be an "unapologetic, unreformed Zionist."
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References:
- Wikipedia: Christian Zionism Reference ID wikipedia-christian-zionism
- 'I am a Zionist': How Joe Biden's lifelong bond with Israel shapes war policy - A Reuters article from shortly after the start of the Israel-Hamas war in 2023. Reference ID i-am-a-zionist-how-joe-bidens-lifelong-bond-with-i
- The Times of Israel: Biden stands by identification as a Zionist Reference ID the-times-of-israel-biden-stands-by-identification
- Aljazeera: Who is Mike Huckabee, the US evangelical, pro-settlement envoy to Israel? Reference ID aljazeera-who-is-mike-huckabee-the-us-evangelical
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COINTELPRO
Short for Counter Intelligence Program, COINTELPRO was a series of covert operations conducted by the FBI from 1956 to 1971 (when it was exposed). Its primary goal was to disrupt, discredit, and neutralize civil rights organizations, political activists, and other groups deemed "subversive" by the government. Targets included Martin Luther King Jr., the Black Panther Party, and anti-Vietnam War protestors.
Though I had some knowledge of the illegal tactics used by the FBI during this era, I first came across the term COINTELPRO after listening to the second season of SNAFU with Ed Helms.
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References:
- S2 E1 of SNAFU with Ed Helms: The Citizens' Commission to Investigate the FBI Reference ID s2-e1-of-snafu-with-ed-helms-the-citizens-commissi
- FBI Records: The Vault -- COINTELPRO Reference ID fbi-records-the-vault-cointelpro
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compunction
Compunction is the feeling of guilt that follows the doing of something bad.
The word comes from the Latin compungere, meaning "to prick severely," i.e. a prick of conscience.
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References:
- Etymology: compunction Reference ID etymology-compunction
- Definition: compunction Reference ID definition-compunction
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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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djent
Djent, pronounced "duh-jent", is a subgenre of progressive metal music characterized by guitar riffs that produce a percussive, and rhythmic sound. The term is derived from the sound the guitar makes when playing it in this fashion, resembling a "djent" noise. Duh-jent. Duh-duh-duh-jent. Duh-duh-jent. Duh-jent. Puh-keng-keng-keng.
When I recently saw my nephew, he was wearing a Meshuggah shirt. I asked him what genre they were and he replied djent which, of course, I had to have him further explain what that meant. Meshuggah are considered pioneers of the djent sound.
The phrase "pick up a pancake" is sometimes used when describing this sound, but I haven't been able to figure out why. Perhaps the way the guitar pick is held? Perhaps that the sound is so strong that it could literally pick up a pancake?
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References:
- YouTube: If 'djent' was added to the OED Reference ID youtube-if-djent-was-added-to-the-oed
- Meshuggah Band Website Reference ID meshuggah-band-website
- Definition: djent (Urban Dictionary) Reference ID definition-djent-urban-dictionary
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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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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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