Starting With.. Trivia

1. While I was stranded on the island during "Castaway", I might have seen some tomenta. Do you have any idea what they might be?

From Quiz Tom Hanks Teaches Vocabulary

Answer: hairlike growth on a plant

While I was stranded, I had time to look at the plants. Some plants are a bit fuzzy. I looked into it and learned that fuzzy stuff is called tomenta. The tomenta can act as an insulation to keep the plant from becoming too hot and also protect it from getting direct sunlight.

From Quiz Correspondingly, Correspondences Corrodiate

Answer: Coriander

Coriander refers to the Coriandrum sativum plant. The terms coriander, coriander seeds, and cilantro are used a bit differently worldwide. In the United States, coriander refers to the dried seeds of the plants, while internationally, the dried seeds are referred to as coriander seeds. Americans call the leaves and stem cilantro, whereas the rest of the world calls the leaves and stems simply coriander. Records show coriander has been in use since at least 5000 BCE; Romans used it to add flavor to bread.

From Quiz She's Fine

Answer: shell

The shell of a tortoise is made up of two parts, the carapace and the plastron. The carapace is the harder part, and is made up of plates called scutes. The plastron is the belly area, and is connected to the carapace by the bridge.

From Quiz How qui-zzical!

Answer: 5 years

A quinquennium is a period of 5 years. A 25th birthday is called a quadranscentennial. A 50th birthday would be a semicentennial or quinquagenary. A 75th birthday is called a dodranscentennial. All of these are technical terms, not widely used, thank goodness. "Silver", "Gold", "Platinum" etc. are much nicer. Believe it or not, septaquintaquinquecentennial has been used for an 175th anniversary - good grief!

From Quiz What a Load of Hyper!

Answer: Hyperbole

A hyperbole is a statement not meant to be taken literally, but is a deliberate exaggeration meant to emphasise or to create an effect. In 2011, Julia Gillard, the then Prime Minister of Australia, famously mispronounced hyperbole as "hyper-bowl". Are you sure you know the correct pronunciation?

From Quiz Are You Having "Fun"?

Answer: fundamental & fundament

Fundamentals are of central importance that make things exist and work. Silicon chips and transistors are fundamental components of a computer. Cells are fundamental components of a living being. Atoms are fundamental components of a matter.

From Quiz I Have an Arch

Answer: Archipelago

A cluster of islands is called an archipelago. The countries of Indonesia, Japan and the Philippines are all archipelagos.

From Quiz Talk a Blue Streak

Answer: Bluebell

Bluebells, also referred to as wood hyacinths sometimes, are of two native varieties. The Hyacinthoides non-scripta are native to England and France and commonly found in the woods. The Spanish variety is known as Hyacinthoides hispanica.

From Quiz Look at the "Moon" First

Answer: moon

There are other meanings of moon beyond the realm of astronomy, including the one mentioned in the question, as well as to gaze or think sentimentally, and to show one's buttocks in a public place in disrespect or as a prank.

From Quiz Do You Want to "Win"?

Answer: windpipe

The windpipe or trachea is a respiratory tube connecting the voice box (larynx) to the lungs, where air passes through the throat before entering the lungs during inhaling and after exiting the lungs during exhaling.

From Quiz Add to ad

Answer: adverb & verb

An adverb is a word that modifies an adjective, a verb or another adverb and frequently ends in "ly".

From Quiz Men Have Got a Lot to Answer For!

Answer: The end of menstruation

Men have got to remember that during the female menopause, women are always right! All joking aside, the majority of women go through a whole host of symptoms and emotions when they reach the "change of life". The menopause is when menstruation ceases and women are no longer able to have children as their ovaries stop producing eggs.

From Quiz Pigout on this One

Answer: Pigalle

This public square and the surrounding neighborhood was named for Jean-Baptiste Pigalle (1714-1785) a famous French sculptor. It has been compared to New York's Times Square or visa-versa. The song "Pigalle' may be attributed to two sources. Georges Ullmer in 1944 wrote "Pigalle". In subsequent years it was recorded by Jean Sablon, Charles Dumont, Franck Pourcel, Paul Anka, Bing Crosby, and Petula Clark. Chevalier wrote his version in 1946 with a different melody and lyrics.

From Quiz Never Assume

Answer: Assets

An asset is something owned by a person or company having value and available to meet debts and commitments. Cash on hand would be a valuable asset.

From Quiz Words Starting With Up

Answer: uppercase

According to the 'Webster's Dictionary', the first known use of the word "uppercase" occurred in 1738. The origin of "uppercase" and "lowercase" has to do with the original arrangement in typesetting. During the early days of printing, letter blocks were stored in drawers called cases. By convention, the case containing capital letters was located above the one containing small letters.

From Quiz Polysyllabic Passion

Answer: Polyester

Polyester is a synthetic material; polysemous has to do with multiple meanings; a polysaccharide is a complex carbohydrate; "polytacky" isn't a word.

From Quiz A Quiz In Which 'She' Appears

Answer: sheep

"Sheep," well, it turns out that they are pretty complex and plentiful. There are, it seems, well over two hundred breeds of sheep in the world. All sheep (ruminant mammals) have a thick coat of fleece and are extremely hardy with hoofs divided into two toes. "Sheepskin" is what makes the inside of your slippers so comfortable and warm. "Sheepskin" refers to the hide of a sheep. There is an American card game, Moose, in which 'to pull a sheepskin' is a phrase which refers to tricking another player by putting down a misleading card for a particular play. "Sheer" can be a verb for to swerve rather wildly, or it can refer to semi-transparent and flimsy materials. "Sheer" has as well a meaning grounded in architecture pertaining to ships. "Sheet" may be a sheet of music, or of paper. It may also be what you put on your bed at night. It is additionally a village in Hampshire.

From Quiz The "Cat" Always Comes First

Answer: catfight

Instead of throwing fist or punching, women often pull hair, scratch, shred shirts, and slap. Many women purposely catfight or wrestle by using a light coated oil or mud for entertainment.

From Quiz Words That Start with INTER

Answer: interim

During the interim of Windows 7 coming, we should try to limit downloads on our computers.

From Quiz With Pen in Hand

Answer: penalty

The word "penalty" comes from the word for "pain" and means a punishment imposed or incurred for a violation of law or rule... ("Penguin Macquarie Dictionary" 1986) Penlite: This is a battery-operated torch (flashlight for those in USA) about the size of a fountain pen. Penally: This is a rarely used adverb meaning 'in a penal manner'. (It is more common to use the word 'punitively' but that word doesn't fit my criteria!) Pencel: This is "a small, narrow streamer borne at the top of a lance - also known as a pennoncel."

From Quiz The Long of It

Answer: House

A longhouse is a a tribal communal dwelling particularly of the Iroquois of North America. The adjective "long" has evolved from the Middle English spelling of "lang", but originally derives from the Indo-European root "del". "House" derives from the Old English "hus" meaning 'dwelling or shelter'.

From Quiz The Short of It

Answer: Hand

Shorthand is an abbreviated form of writing. While Isaac Pitman introduced his shorthand method to the world in 1837, Samuel Pepys used a method of abbreviated writing in his account of the Great Fire of London in 1666.

From Quiz "A" Spaced Out Quiz To A Muse

Answer: Abet

"Abet" originated from a Latin word meaning to bait through an Old French word meaning to entice. Originally then, the person "abetting" was not the assistant but the instigator. It is interesting that the initiative passed to the person being "abetted" when the word passed into English. Although some dictionaries designate "abet" in the sense of "entice" as the origin of "bet", others consider the origin unknown.

From Quiz Get a Good Tan!

Answer: tandem

You'll look sweet upon the seat of a bicycle built for two.

From Quiz Belly Up to the 'Bar'

Answer: Barabbas

The rest of the words are NOT people. 'Barathea' is a type of fabric. 'Barbican' is a tower at a gate or bridge. 'Barranca' is a deep gully or arroyo.

From Quiz "Ex"actly Right!

Answer: loathing

The original meaning of execrate is to invoke a curse upon someone, the opposite of consecrate (make sacred or bless). Attested in English since the mid-16th century, the verb comes from the Latin "exsecrari", formed by the prefix "ex-" (out) and "sacrare" (devote to). The verb eventually came to mean loathe or detest utterly - feelings you would undoubtedly cultivate if you called a curse upon someone or something. As is often the case with words of Latin origin, execrate is generally used in formal contexts, such as literature or high-quality journalism. If you were feeling forgiveness, you would probably excuse someone or something, while greed would drive you to exploit them, and curiosity to examine them.

From Quiz Help, I'm Feeling "Ill"

Answer: deceptive

The adjective illusory means based on or producing illusion, and is thus synonymous with deceptive. Although both words are of Latin origin, illusory tends to be used in more formal (higher-register) contexts, such as literature, science, and journalism, while the use of deceptive is more generalized. A specialized use of this word is found in US contract law: "illusory promise" is one that courts will not enforce as a contract. First used in English in 1631, illusory comes from Late Latin "illusorius" (mocking) an adjective derived from the verb "illudere" ("in-" + "ludere", which means play or trick) meaning mock. Illusive, often confused with elusive, has a very similar (though not identical) meaning to illusory.

From Quiz Vocabulary: Living in "Sin"

Answer: sincere

Some sources claim that the word sincere comes from the Latin words "sine" (without) and "cera" (wax). The story goes that during the Renaissance years, many dishonest sculptors would cover up mistakes, cracks or chips in their works with coloured wax and that ethical sculptors would label their works "sincera" (without wax). However, etymologists (people who study the origin and history of words) disclaim this origin, stating that the word sincere actually comes from the Latin word "sincerus", meaning pure, clean or true. So while the story about the use of wax may be true, the word sincere does not mean "without wax".

From Quiz No Pro, All 'CON-'

Answer: CONcourse

Concourses occur when roads or pathways converge into a centralized spot, so you would be very likely to traverse a concourse if you head to a transit terminal. Airports, train stations, and bus terminals are good examples of these since they operate with people coming and going from different directions and means. The Grand Central Station concourse in New York City, for example, can connect people to the trains leading out of the city, the subway system, the streets outside, and even adjacent buildings.

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Last Updated Dec 21 2024 5:55 AM

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