Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Word For The Day, Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2005 - solidus
dictionaries ad nauseum | Thanksgiving Day, November 24, 2005 | secret garden

Posted on 11/24/2005 5:06:28 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".

solidus • \SAH-luh-dus\ • noun
1 : an ancient Roman gold coin introduced by Constantine and used to the fall of the Byzantine Empire
2 : a mark / used typically to denote "or" (as in and/or), "and or" (as in straggler/deserter), or "per" (as in feet/second)

Example sentence:
In her latest thriller, the author manipulates her readers into believing there are two killers until the final page, where she connects their two names with a solidus.

Etymology: Call it a solidus, or call it a slash/diagonal/slant/virgule—whatever you call it, you are bound to run into this useful mark with some regularity. These days, one place the mark is commonly seen is in Internet addresses (http://www.merriam-webster.com, for example), but the history of the word "solidus" takes us back to a time well before computers. The ancient Roman emperor Constantine the Great borrowed the Latin term for "solid" ("solidus") for the gold coin that was the successor to the aureus. And in Medieval Latin, "solidus" designated the shilling. Before the introduction of decimal coinage, abbreviations of the shilling ("s," "sh," or "shil") were used. Eventually, the abbreviations were replaced with the simple symbol "/," which became known as a solidus.


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 Threads:

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!


TOPICS: Word For The Day
KEYWORDS: family; friends; pumpkinpie; thanksgiving; turkey
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 last
To: Texan5

That's funny!!!!


81 posted on 11/24/2005 2:44:40 PM PST by Gabz
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]

To: Texan5

Nicely done. A+. We're on our way downtown now that we are properly stuffed.


82 posted on 11/24/2005 3:42:31 PM PST by secret garden (Happy Thanksgiving!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 69 | View Replies]

To: Texan5

It is supposed to hit the teens here by morning. Want to trade?


83 posted on 11/24/2005 3:43:55 PM PST by secret garden (Happy Thanksgiving!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 72 | View Replies]

To: secret garden

Happy Thanksgiving/Turkey Day (how's that for a solidus?).


84 posted on 11/24/2005 10:10:56 PM PST by MoochPooch (A righteous person worries about his or her behavior, an extremist about everyone else's.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: xsmommy

Not too far off. I did get the tape of White Christmas out and watched it again last night. Bing and Rosemary still ended up together at the end again this year.


85 posted on 11/25/2005 3:06:28 PM PST by VRWCmember
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 59 | View Replies]

To: MoochPooch

Very nice. A for you.


86 posted on 11/25/2005 3:46:09 PM PST by secret garden (Let's go Predators!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 84 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-8081-86 last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
General/Chat
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson