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#vocabulary

4 posts3 participants0 posts today

I know a lot of contronyms, like table (put up for discussion | remove from discussion) and cleave (split apart | adhere together). I didn't know that livid was one until I read a sentence in Beyond the Vanishing Point by Ray Cummings:

❝The blood drained suddenly from his face and lips, leaving them livid.❞

So the #contronym can mean both flushed (bruised or angry) or pallid. I'd only encountered the first meaning before. #usage #vocabulary #contranym

Spotted in my RSS feeds: The Bluesky Dictionary. “Can Bluesky say every word in the English language?” The site looks like it’s been running since August 5. It’s trying to track and see how much of the English language has been used on Bluesky. (42% so far, according.) Information panels include newest words, posts with new words, and words the program has seen/logged.

https://rbfirehose.com/2025/08/08/the-bluesky-dictionary/

ResearchBuzz: Firehose | Individual posts from ResearchBuzz · The Bluesky Dictionary | ResearchBuzz: Firehose
More from ResearchBuzz: Firehose

A quotation from Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr.

I would never use a long word, even, where a short one would answer the purpose. I know there are professors in this country who "ligate" arteries. Other surgeons only tie them, and it stops the bleeding just as well.

Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809-1894) American poet, essayist, scholar
Lecture (1867-11-06), “Scholastic and Bedside Training,” Introductory Lecture, Harvard University School of Medicine

Sourcing, notes: wist.info/holmes-sr-oliver-wen…

#TIL a new-to-me word:

VILIPEND.

Isn't it delightful?!

It means "to express scornfully one's low opinion of" someone or something.

Example sentence:

I experience a likely unhealthy amount of Schadenfreude anytime I read an article or hear a report vilipending the fascist regime of vile misogynist and racist Donald Trump and his sycophantic ilk.

And there's your #WordOfTheDay, y'all. Happy learning!

#vocabulary
#grammar
#linguistics
#language

Chloe is back with another Hebrew lesson!

Meet my highly trained security expert who takes her job VERY seriously.

As you can see, she's been rigorously trained in the art of... well, being adorable while I teach Hebrew.

Don't let her size fool you - this elite security professional has mastered the advanced techniques of tail wagging, treat detection, and strategic nap positioning during filming.

Today she's helping me teach you the Hebrew word for security, and trust me, she knows what she's talking about! 😂

Important note: Don't confuse the Hebrew word for security I teach in this video with the word for promise, which is /hav-ta-'khah/ הַבְטָחָה

They sound almost the same and are written almost the same - just with an /h/ sound instead of an /a/ sound at the beginning.

Chloe says attention to detail matters in both security work AND Hebrew learning! 🎯