Words for Today

One of my fave’s was word of the day yesterday.  Spondulicks, a noun meaning money or cash.

It has no certain, agreed-upon etymology, but a Greek origin sphóndylos (later also spóndylos) “vertebra, cervical vertebra” has been suggested (from the supposed resemblance of vertebrae to a stack of coins).

Sure, I can see it, can’t you?

Manqué
adjective
having failed, missed, or fallen short, especially because of circumstances or a defect of character; unsuccessful; unfulfilled or frustrated (usually used postpositively):

Preznint Terrorism Inspiring Shit for Brains is a human being manqué

Dumbledore
noun
a bumblebee

All this time I've thought he was just a beloved Harry Potter character. He's really a magic bee wizard!

Dégringolade
noun [dey-gran-gaw-lad]
a quick deterioration or breakdown, as of a situation or circumstance.

After the current White House resident moved in, the country as a whole experienced a cataclysmic dégringolade.

Cat’s-Paw
noun
a person used to serve the purposes of another; tool

I abso-fucking-lutely LOVE the etymology.

The term comes from a Le Singe et le Chat, “The Monkey and the Cat,” a fable by Jean de La Fontaine (1621–1695), the French poet and collector of fairy tales, in which a monkey persuades a cat to pull chestnuts out of hot coals that the chestnuts are roasting in and promises to share the chestnuts with the cat. The cat scoops the chestnuts one by one out of the coals, burning his paw in the process, while the monkey eats up the chestnuts. (source)

I only mention it but a cat would never allow him/herself to be used like that.
The Orange Embarrassment in the White House, on the other hand, is nothing more than Putin’s cat’s-paw.

Intellection
noun
the action or process of understanding; the exercise of the intellect; reasoning.

Intellection – something the Fetid Turd Emporer is totally, thoroughly incapable of.

Tripping
adjectiveproceeding with a light, easy movement or rhythm.

Sure, sure you can trip the light fantastic but it’s also a verb meaning…emmm, something about chasing rabbits, knowing you're going to fall, white knights talking backwards and red queens screaming “off with her head.”

Nisus
noun
an effort or striving toward a particular goal or attainment; impulse.

from Latin nīsus, a derivative of the verb nītī and meaning “a resting of one’s weight on the ground, planting one’s feet firmly, a strong muscular effort, pressure (of forces), an endeavor, strong effort.”

The accumulation of wealth into a few hands is the nisus of all bad governments ... “Ireland in 1832," The Metropolitan, Vol. 5, No. 18, October 1832

Yup.

Phlegmatic
adjective
adjective: (of a person) having an unemotional and stolidly calm disposition.


If I want to make it to the end of this horror show administration with sanity intact I gotta take on a phlegmatic mien.

Yeah, good luck to me on that!