Posted on 03/01/2006 6:08:32 AM PST by VRWCmember
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".
quintessence • \kwin-TESS-unss\ • noun
1. the fifth and highest element in ancient and medieval philosophy that permeates all nature and is the substance composing the celestial bodies
2. the essence of a thing in its purest and most concentrated form *
3. the most typical example or representative
* Indicates the sense illustrated in the example sentence.
Other forms:
quin·tes·sen·tial /"kwin-t&-'sen(t)-sh&l/ adjective
quin·tes·sen·tial·ly adverb
Example sentence:
"Do not shorten the morning by getting up late; look upon it as the quintessence of life, as to a certain extent sacred." (Arthur Schopenhauer, Counsels and Maxims)
Did you know?
Long ago, when people believed that the earth was made up of four elements -— earth, air, fire, and water —- they thought the stars and planets were made up of yet another element. In the Middle Ages, people called this element by its Medieval Latin name, "quinta essentia," literally, "fifth essence." Our forebears believed the quinta essentia was essential to all kinds of matter, and if they could somehow isolate it, it would cure all disease. We have since given up on that idea, but we kept "quintessence," the offspring of "quinta essentia," as a word for the purest essence of a thing. Modern physicists have given "quintessence" a new twist—they use it for a form of so-called "dark energy," which is believed to make up 70 percent of the universe.
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
Review Thread Four: Word For the Day, Friday 7/25/03: Potation
Review Thread Five: Word For the Day, Monday 8/19/03: Stolid
Review Thread Six: Word for the Day, Tuesday 11/09/2004: Peripatetic (Post #125 may be my best anagram post ever)
Here is my example with WFTD.
Nancy Pelosi has practically trademarked the phrase "culture of corruption" in her criticisms of the Republican Party, but the Chicago Democrat Party Crime Syndicate is the quintessence of political corruption.
Ex-Democratic boss in Ill. gets prison
No pushing at the door please!
Happy Humpday Everybody!
Ah, WFTD. The quintessence of fun while you learn.
Gold/Bronze/Silver?
Great usage of the word, even if it doesn't quite technically meet the qualifications for a grade (supposed to be related to a news item, etc.) but I'd still give it an A+.
Mik takes silver (you and Sasha Cohen).
You're so easy. ;) That's why we like you.
Dick Morris, quintessence [definition #3] of toadies.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1587549/posts?q=1&&page=1#1
hola
where is the PMS pic that embodies my quintessence??? ; )
Good morning!!!!
I received a quintessential example of "out of the mouths of babes" in my email this morning....I've been waiting for the class to open so I can share!!!
Subject: Somebody raised their child correctly.
One day a 6 year old girl was sitting in a classroom. The teacher
was going to explain evolution to the children.
The teacher asked a little boy: Tommy do you see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Tommy, do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
TEACHER: Go outside and look up and see if you can see the sky.
TOMMY: Okay. (He returned a few minutes later) Yes, I saw the sky.
TEACHER: Did you see God up there?
TOMMY: No.
TEACHER: That's my point. We can't see God because he isn't there.
Possibly he just doesn't exist.
A little girl spoke up and wanted to ask the boy some questions.
The teacher agreed and the little girl asked the boy: Tommy, do you
see the tree outside?
TOMMY: Yes.
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy do you see the grass outside?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Did you see the sky?
TOMMY: Yessssss!
LITTLE GIRL: Tommy, do you see the teacher?
TOMMY: Yes
LITTLE GIRL: Do you see her brain?
TOMMY: No
LITTLE GIRL: Then according to what we were taught today in school,
she possibly may not even have one!
(You Go Girl!)
FOR WE WALK BY FAITH, NOT BY SIGHT" II CORINTHIANS 5:7
Don't forget to pass this on! I love this one. Everyone should send
this to everyone they know, especially today with prayer restricted
in schools.
According to my computer models (and CJ) we are still about two weeks premature for a PMS Alert.
frighteningly accurate....
mods are on hairtrigger zots this AM.
Yeah, I was about to summon the VK on the idiot with his "I've had it with this president" thread, and the mods had booted it by the time I hit the reply button. That was probably about a 35 second response from the time the thread was posted to zotting. Possibly a world record.
exactly the same one i tried to respond to, to the same effect!
I'm going to go off topic today. Yesterday, my second grandchild (first grandson) was born, and I am the quintessence of happiness.
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