Category Archives: new word

June 15, 2014 · 9:24 pm

New words to live by: “Al-Gore-rhythm”

It is the second full weekend of the month and time again for a new word to live. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but might need to be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. Today’s New Word is a merging of two words: quagmire and muffin. Without further chattering, and in honor of the “father” of the Internet, Al-Gore-rhythm is the new word for this month:

Al-Gore-rhythm =
a set of strictures by conservatives for solving a problem in a finite number of steps by blaming it all on Al Gore.

Conservatives have a problem with loyalty of today’s youth.

Al Gore speaks to the youth about an issue, such as climate change a/k/a global warming.

Al Gore is undermining respect for authority by encouraging them to ask questions.

Example, In 2009 when Glenn Beck accused Al Gore of trying to create a Hitler Youth-type movement by encouraging young kids to ask questions of their parents about global warming. In short, blame Al Gore for undermining family values by encouraging the youth to think and question.

Or put another way, Al Gore is the conservatives’ straw man and boogeyman all rolled into one.

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May 3, 2014 · 5:54 pm

New words to live by: “trumpmuffin”

It is the first weekend of the month and time again for a new word to live. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but might need to be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. Today’s New Word is a merging of two words: quagmire and muffin. Without further chattering trumpmuffin is the new word for this month:

Trump, v. to surpass, outdo, excel.

Muffin, n. small, cup-shaped quick breads made with cornmeal, wheat flour, or something similar and baked in a muffin pan creating a series of cuplike breads. Slang., an “attractive” person. Example:, a stud muffin = attractive male.

Trumpmuffin, n. 1) a person who feels the need to outdo the previous person. Example: tell the biggest fish story. 2) a person who has to get the last word in. 3) a person who has to get the last word in regardless of being right or wrong, and is often wrong. Example: Donald Trump is a trumpmuffin (particularly when you consider his hair) regardless of whether he is right or wrong when he speaks.

Use in a sentence: “Don is such a trumpmuffin,” Gail said, getting in the last word in her group of friends.

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April 13, 2014 · 9:31 pm

New words to live by: “Biercism”

A young Ambrose Bierce

A young Ambrose Bierce

“Cynic. A blackguard whose faulty vision sees things as they are, not as they ought to be.”
–Ambrose Bierce

Biercism, n. dry wit on par with that of Ambrose Bierce.

Old biercism (original): Love, n. A temporary insanity curable by marriage or by removal of the patient from the influences under which he incurred the disorder. This disease, like caries and many other ailments, is prevalent only among civilized races living under artificial conditions; barbarous nations breathing pure air and eating simple food enjoy immunity from its ravages. It is sometimes fatal, but more frequently to the physician than to the patient.

Modern biercism: Love, n. a meeting of the mind and the loins, one hopes somewhere around the heart. A volatile mixture often given to displays of insanity, vitriol, and occasionally violence. The world seems turned upside down by love – and often is. You fall in love and fall out of love, but the violence appears to be less to the shins, knees, hands, arms, or back, and more to the internal organs.

[Editor’s note: one might consider this both a new word to live byand a Devil’s Dictionary entry all mashed up (or rolled up) into one. In our continuing quest to revisit a classic, or even a curiosity from the past and see how relevant it is, we continue with The Devil’s Dictionary by Ambrose Bierce. Originally published in newspaper installments from 1881 until 1906. You might be surprised how current many of the entries are.

Click on Devil’s Dictionary in the tags below to bring up the other entries. Click on new word or new words below to see some other new words, such as congressed or obsurd or fogget or awfulizer. Words that should be in the modern lexicon, but aren’t … yet.]

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March 1, 2014 · 5:32 pm

New words to live by: “awfulizer”

It is the first weekend of the month and time again for a new word to live. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but should be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. The new word for March is awfulizer. This is a combination of the wore awful and the suffix “-izer” or sometimes “-iser,” as in someone who makes something happen. For example, a compromiser is some who makes compromises.

awful, n. 1. unpleasant, extremely bad; ugly. 2. terrible; dreadful; inspiring fear.

It can also mean inspiring awe, as in awful majesty of the ocean or solemn reverence, but in those cases most people tend toward the word awesome.

In this case, an awfulizer is someone inspiring fear, dreadfulness, and can be extremely unpleasant to be around. Maybe a haiku can help illustrate the new word’s meaning.

The awfulizer
catastrophizes all things,
her coworkers said.

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February 9, 2014 · 8:42 pm

New words to live by: “obsolute”

It is the second weekend of the month and time again for a new word to live. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but should be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. The new word for February is obsolute. This is a combination of obsolete and absolute.

Obsolete, adj. has several variations of meanings, but in general means: no longer in general use or fallen into disuse or a discarded or outmoded type, even something out of date.

Absolute, adj. also has several variations of meanings ranging from free from imperfection, complete or perfect.
2. not mixed or adulterated, pure.
3. complete or outright, such as an absolute lie; an absolute denial.
4. free from restriction or limitation.
5. unrestrained or unlimited by a constitution, counterbalancing group, etc.

Obsolute, adj. something completely or thoroughly no longer in general use.
2. a pure, unadulterated discard.
3. a complete or outright outdated mode of thinking, believing, speaking, or reasoning.

Examples: Often something obsolute is still believed or held by a few. An obsolute religion, an obsolute lie. Creationism or Intelligent Design are examples of an obsolute idea. Belief that President Obama was born in Kenya is an obsolute lie. Belief that the earth is flat is an obsolute belief.

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January 4, 2014 · 10:35 am

New words to live by: “fogget”

It is the first weekend of the month and time again for a new word to live. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but should be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. The new word for January is fogget. This is a combination of fog and forget.

fog, n. has several meanings, from a meteorological condition to a metaphorical one. For example:

1. a cloud-like mass or layer of minute water droplets or ice crystals near the surface of the earth, appreciably reducing visibility.

2. a darkened state of the atmosphere, or the diffused substance that causes it.

3. a state of mental confusion or unawareness.

forgetful, n. means apt to forget, and forget, v. means to fail or cease to remember.

Fogget, v. means to apt to have a vague sense of where somebody or something is. You don’t cease to remember, but you don’t completely remember either.

For example, with three children under the age of five, Alice was always foggetting where she put the kids’ extra diapers, pacifiers, and sundry other accoutrements of babyhood and toddlerdum. She knew she had them; she just wasn’t sure exactly where she or one of her kids had left the object inducing the crisis of the moment. She could only hope that at some point the foggetting, like the baby’s need for strained peas, would pass.

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December 8, 2013 · 10:06 pm

New words to live by: “n3-n5 / n5-n3”

It is the first weekend of the month and time again for a new word to live. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but might need to be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. This month’s New Word is not so much a word as phrase that looks almost like a code or a chess notation. It refers to the placement of the letter “n” in two words. When placed in the third position of the word, we have a beloved holiday icon of good deeds, giving, and good will to all. When placed in the fifth position of the word, we have a reviled icon of misdeed, misgivings, and misanthropic intentions. The “word” for December is n3-n5. To turn Santa into Satan, take the “n” from the third letter position and move it to the fifth letter position.

n3-n5, v: To turn Santa into Satan, take the “n” from the third letter position and move it to the fifth letter position. To turn something good into something bad.

Example: “With his actions, Chuck has completely n3-n5ed the holidays for all of us.”

Of course, you can have the reverse:

n5-n3, v: Turning Satan into Santa. Turning something bad into something good.

Example: After stealing all the trappings of Christmas from Whoville, When the Grinch hears the Whos still singing on Christmas morning, he is n5-n3ed about the holiday.

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November 3, 2013 · 4:34 pm

New words to live by: “quagmuffin”

It is the first weekend of the month and time again for a new word to live. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but might need to be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. Today’s New Word is a merging of two words: quagmire and muffin. Without further chattering quagmuffin is the new word for the month of November:

Quagmire, n. 1) an area of boggy or soggy ground, a bog. 2) a situation too easy to get into too hard to get out of.

Muffin, n. small, cup-shaped quick breads made with cornmeal, wheat flour, or something similar and baked in a muffin pan creating a series of cup-like breads.

Quagmuffin, n. 1) a food, particularly at parties or around the holidays, you are cajoled into trying and then find difficult to swallow and say something complimentary about while the host or cook looks expectantly at you. Quagmuffin can apply to any food, though originally believed to have started with muffins or cupcakes. 2) the way your mouth feels once you have bitten into the quagmuffin.

Example: Bob cajoled Sam into trying his wife’s newest holiday creation: the crabtastic cupcake. Bob took a bite and immediately felt his mouth had bitten a quagmuffin, especially when Sam stood nearby, expectantly waiting for Bob to say something good.

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October 6, 2013 · 8:46 pm

New words to live by: “acopalypse”

Time for the monthly installment: New words to live by. This month’s word is an example of a portmanteau word in which two other words are combined to form a new, third word.

The two words used:
Cop, n. U.S. slang for police officer, starting in the 1840 – 50 time frame. Believed to be short for copper, which is also slang for police officer. Believed by some to refer to the copper buttons on police uniforms. More likely a formation of the verb cop (meaning to take or steal, and still in use in phrases such as “cop a plea”) and the suffix -er, turning a verb into a noun, and then later dropped.

Apocalypse, n. originally a prophetic revelation — particularly in Jewish or Christian writings — in which a cataclysm brings about the final clash of good and evil, in which good is supposed to win.

The new word:
Acopalypse, n. A condition in which the truth is never know and the facts are never revealed. This condition can apply to society, to politics, to religion, or to a general feeling is which the trappings of order are maintained, but the actions creating these trappings and even the results flowing from these trappings are absurd. Example: the recent federal government shutdown. Franz Kafka’s novel The Trial could be considered an example of an acopalyptic novel.

[Editor’s note: other new words to live by can be found by clicking on the tag “new word” or “new words.”]

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September 7, 2013 · 9:07 am

New words to live by: “elastation”

First Saturday of the month and it’s time for a new word. This is a word or phrase not currently in use in the U.S. English lexicon, but might need to be considered. Other words, such as obsurd, crumpify, subsus, flib, congressed, and others, can be found by clicking on the tags below. This month’s new word is:

elastation, n. = rubbery, slippery, idiotic intellectualization of reality.

An elastation can also be bent back on itself as needed and while others may recognize the contradictory absurdity of your elastation, you probably done.

For example, recent comments by Fox talking heads who attacked President Obama for not saying he would ask for Congressional approval before attacking Syria should the Syrian army use chemical agents on its opposition, and then when President Obama did seek Congressional support, attacking him for going back on his word.

Another elastation is the owner of a coal company saying only God can create global warming. After all, if God made the coal and man is made in God’s image, then couldn’t God be doing global warming with coal through man?

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