Posted on 11/03/2005 4:45:21 AM PST by secret garden
In order that we might all raise the level of discourse and expand our language abilities, here is the daily post of "Word for the Day".
catachresis \kat-uh-KREE-sis\ noun
1. use of the wrong word for the context
2. use of a forced and especially paradoxical figure of speech
Example sentence:
The paper printed a correction for the previous day's catachresis: dubbing a local artist-philanthropist a "socialist" when they meant "socialite."
Etymology: As you might have guessed, "catachresis" is a word favored by grammarians. It can be employed as a fancy label of disparagement for whatever uses the grammarian finds unacceptable. Thus could Henry Fowler, in the 1920s, call "mutual" in "our mutual friend" a catachresis. (Fowler preferred "common," but "mutual" does have an established sense which is correct in that context.) More often, "catachresis" is used for an unintentional misuse and is very close in meaning to "malapropism," which usually refers to an unintentionally humorous misuse of a word. "Catachresis" has been used to describe (or decry) misuses of words since at least 1550. The word comes to us by way of Latin from the Greek noun "katachrçsis," which means "misuse."
Rules: Everyone must leave a post using the Word for the Day in a sentence.
The sentence must, in some way, relate to the news of the day.
The Review threads are linked for your edification. ;-)
Practice makes perfect.....post on....
Review Thread One: Word For The Day, Thursday 11/14/02: Raffish (Be SURE to check out posts #92 and #111 on this thread!)
Review Thread Two: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/14/03: Roister
Review Thread Three: Word For The Day, Tuesday 1/28/03: Obdurate
WFB's attempt to emulate us ; ) No pushing at the door please!
Bless your heart (and your nose)
We have been living on leftovers, Sudafed, and NyQuil in this house :(
It's not just Biden it's that entire party which wants nothing more than to corrupt the little inncocent kids. If the American people really undestood the Democrats then they wouldn't be the second party in this country, they'd be an endangered species with a bounty on their heads.
9th Circus Court of Appeals Rides Again - Parents Don't Get To Control What Kids Learn About Sex
If people understood Democrats, there would be bounty on their heads.
Oxymoron alert?
Well they'd be as rare as an endangered species. And the people would insist on their extinction.
Of course I agree with you.
I just find it amuse that either you are I will always get pinged to a biden related post here. Seems everyone knows he boils our blood!!!!
I've been so trained to associate 'endangered' & 'protected' that it was difficult to think otherwise. It would be kinda cool if we had some good reason to make something extinct - say a deadly virius that was killing children (of course) only found in each and every specific type of wart hog - then send in hunters with finacial incentive to wipe 'em out. Good change of pace.
I saw that yesterday - and just scratched my head wondering what is in their heads.......
OK, here is your Biden rant....
He reminds me of Ted Baxter, he has all the class of a garden snake, his hubris is only exceeded by his incompetence, he is as genuine as a three dollar bill, he is an international embarrassment, and he has a Chia pet on top of his head. If Barbara Boxer and Patty Murray suddenly died, Joe Biden would be the dumbest person in the Senate. He is also a smug sanctimonious SOB.
LOL!!!!!!!!!
You forgot he is a plagarist, Ted Kennedy's lapdog.....nothing else I have to say is fit for print :)
I think the charges of plagiarism have really stung and he is trying to do something entirely original with religion,...the "Ninja Christian." Forget the "blessed are the meek - turn the other cheek - suffering servant" version of Christ. In Catholicism according to Joe, "Jesus is coming back and this time...he's armed!"
This word makes me think of Norm Crosby!
Hmm. Impacted spelling. Where's theDentist? He could probably do a catachrextraction for you.
Maybe I should call the grammaridontist....
I would. Otherwise you could find puns seeping out around the impaction site...
The punishing punituditry of a pundit could be a painful problem....
LOL!
Oh Please, oh please, Brer Biden, don't throw us in that briar patch!"
Good morning
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