Words I love

e-qua-nim-i-ty  –noun mental or emotional stability or composure, esp. under tension or strain; calmness; equilibrium.

Epiphany

–noun, plural -nies.

1. (initial capital letter) a Christian festival, observed on January 6, commemorating the manifestation of Christ to the gentiles in the persons of the Magi; Twelfth-day.

2. an appearance or manifestation, esp. of a deity.

3. a sudden, intuitive perception of or insight into the reality or essential meaning of something, usually initiated by some simple, homely, or commonplace occurrence or experience.

4. a literary work or section of a work presenting, usually symbolically, such a moment of revelation and insight.

And you thought those 12 Days of Christmas were just about merchandise!

–adjective capable of having the desired result or effect; effective as a means, measure, remedy, etc.: The medicine is efficacious in stopping a cough.

Origin:
1520–30; < L efficāci- (s. of efficāx) effectual.

(yes, this has its roots in my obsession with effect and affect!)

to make the form, nature, content, future course, etc., of (something) different from what it is or from what it would be if; to substitute another or others for something different;

I find this word to be interesting as it has received much attention in the media lately as some things in our culture are being made different, taking a new form if you will; not an entirely new form mind you, just a different one; and isn’t becoming different from what currently is what change is all about?

Recessionista n; originally used at Brigham young University in 2008; one who seeks name brand and designer fashions at thrift stores, such as Goodwill, Oxfam, and Salvation Army; sometimes is applied to those who seek to purchase status items at garage sales.

Socialismnoun

1. a political theory advocating state ownership of industry
2. an economic system based on state ownership of capital
3. a theory or system of social organization that advocates the vesting of the ownership and control of the means of production and distribution, of capital, land, etc., in the community as a whole.

I wonder, does the Bush legacy of bank ownership fit the definition of socialism? Linguists? Linguists? What do you think?

Mav”er*ick\ n. In the southwestern part of the united States, a bullock or heifer that has not been branded, and is unclaimed or wild;—said to be from Maverick, the name of a cattle owner in Texas who neglected to brand his cattle.

Earmark

Originally a cut or mark in the ear of sheep and cattle, serving as a sign of ownership; first recorded 1577 in figurative sense; in modernity, the term earmark has come to mean something set aside for a specific purpose, usually money, but it can be time (I will earmark 15 minutes a day to reflect on my daily gratitudes). With regard to earmarks and financial issues, the concept is to set aside funds for a special purpose. In an education bill for instance, specific funds may be set aside for the stated goal of replacing the roof of a certain school, or in a transportation bill, specific dollars are included to guarantee that railroad crossings in rural areas are upgraded for safety issues.

Like anything else, earmarks can be exploited and abused, but anyone who has seen a new traffic lights installed, upgrades to their emergency response system (911), or new fire trucks purchased for their community with money from the Federal Government has benefitted from earmarks.

a phrase actually, but it has words, and I do love it, so it fits the criteria of the goal …

slang for when someone tries to dress something up, but is still that something; I first heard this term on the 1980’s comedy “Designing Women” and have loved it ever since.

an idiomatic expression originating in the rural Southeastern United States, Mumanem refers to the family of another person, for instance instead of asking “And how are your mother, father, sister and brother” one asks “How are Mumanem?”