MISCELLANEOUS ‘STUFF’

© - Tom Hyland - 2-27-10


As I am writing, I frequently use the Encarta World English Dictionary, and its Thesaurus, which are embedded in ‘WORD.’

I often discover ‘stuff’ I never heard of before. Just for fun, I decided to copy and paste some, for your perusal.

Let me know what you think - OK?

Dead cat bounce - n -

An apparent recovery from a major decline in stock prices resulting from speculators rebuying stock that they previously sold rather than from a genuine upturn in the market (slang).

Now, isn’t that interesting? A slang term that obviously the ‘inside traders’ know, but the general public is probably well unaware. Makes one wonder just how much manipulation of stock prices exist even to this day. Remember the ‘crash’ of 29? Buying on margin, was supposedly the ‘culprit’ - then ‘they’ changed the rules - yet, we just had another ‘crisis’ which the government ‘Bailed Out’ both the Big Players, as well as the Banks.

Dactylic hexameter - n -

A line of verse consisting of six feet, the fifth of which is a dactyl, the first four dactyls or spondees, and the sixth a spondee or trochee.

If that ain’t a ‘crock’ of bull-crap, I don’t know what is! Clear as mud, right? Now, all we have to do is look up three more words - dactyl, spondee, and trochee!

How I ever made it to age 69 without knowing about this ‘crap’ I’ll never know! No wonder English is so difficult to learn!

De Broglie wave-length - n -

The wavelength of the wave associated with the motion of an atomic or subatomic particle de Brogie wave that produces diffraction.

DUH! What is - diffraction?

Diffraction - n -

The bending or spreading out of waves, for example, of sound or light, as they pass around the edge of an obstacle or through a narrow aperture.

Aren’t you now totally illuminated?

Diffusionism - n -

The theory that similarities in tools, practices, or other features between cultures, result from their being spread from one culture to another, rather than being arrived at independently.

I always thought that it was Aliens, or Spacemen, that gave the Egyptians, Aztecs, Incas, and Mayans the knowledge to build pyramids?

Digamy - n -

A second marriage that, unlike bigamy, is legal because the first husband or wife is dead, or has been divorced (formal).

So, if you’re a Digamist - it’s OKAY!


Digerati - npl -

People who have or claim to have a sophisticated expertise in the area of computers, the Internet, and the World Wide Web.

And we thought they were GEEKS!

Digestif - n -

An alcoholic drink, for example, a brandy or liquer, drunk after a meal supposedly to help the digestion of food.

So - if you ever need a rhyme for Mastiff - you got it!


So, we did a couple of da’s, de’s, di’s - let’s see what do gives us:

Doxastic - n -

The branch of logic that deals with belief.

Adj. = relating to belief.

Doxorubicin - n -

An antibiotic, obtained from a bacterium, that is used to treat many types of tumors.

Doxycycline - n -

An antibiotic derived from tetracycline that is used to treat many diseases, especially diarrhea in travelers, and acne.

Doyen - n -

A man who is the most experienced and respected member of a group or profession.

Doyenne - female version of the same thing.


There you have it - just one dozen new words, or terms, that were before perhaps - totally foreign to us.

Another ‘goofy’ idea from yours truly ...


© - TKH.