Word of the day
Hogmanay – New Year’s Eve in Scotland. See also ‘first foot’ – the first person to enter a household in the New Year. By Hogmanay tradition a dark-haired person who crosses the threshold at midnight brings good luck.
(From Collins English Dictionary 1984)
LABYRINTHUS XXI
Showing posts with label Word of the Day. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Word of the Day. Show all posts
Tuesday, 31 December 2013
Wednesday, 25 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of the day
‘Noel’ – 1. another word for Christmas, especially as a refrain in carols and on Christmas cards.
2. a Christmas carol.
(from the Latin natalis meaning ‘a birthday’
‘Noel’ – 1. another word for Christmas, especially as a refrain in carols and on Christmas cards.
2. a Christmas carol.
(from the Latin natalis meaning ‘a birthday’
Tuesday, 24 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of the day
‘wassail’ – 1. spiced ale or mulled wine drunk during celebrations for Twelfth Night and Christmas Eve.
2. lively and noisy festivities involving the drinking of plentiful amounts of alcohol; revelry.
3. to drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way.
4. [with object] historical (in SW England) drink to (fruit trees, typically apple trees) in a custom intended to ensure a fruitful crop: it is the custom, in the cider districts of Sussex, to wassail the apple trees.
5. to go from house to house at Christmas singing carols.
(from Old Norse ves heill meaning ‘be in good health’)
‘wassail’ – 1. spiced ale or mulled wine drunk during celebrations for Twelfth Night and Christmas Eve.
2. lively and noisy festivities involving the drinking of plentiful amounts of alcohol; revelry.
3. to drink plentiful amounts of alcohol and enjoy oneself with others in a noisy, lively way.
4. [with object] historical (in SW England) drink to (fruit trees, typically apple trees) in a custom intended to ensure a fruitful crop: it is the custom, in the cider districts of Sussex, to wassail the apple trees.
5. to go from house to house at Christmas singing carols.
(from Old Norse ves heill meaning ‘be in good health’)
Monday, 23 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of the day
(from Collins English dictionary 1984)
‘carol’ – 1. a joyful hymn or religious song, especially one (a Christmas carol) celebrating the birth of Christ.
2. (archaic) an old English circular dance.
3. to sing carols at Christmas
4. to sing something in a joyful manner
(from Collins English dictionary 1984)
‘carol’ – 1. a joyful hymn or religious song, especially one (a Christmas carol) celebrating the birth of Christ.
2. (archaic) an old English circular dance.
3. to sing carols at Christmas
4. to sing something in a joyful manner
Saturday, 21 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of the day
(from Collins English dictionary 1984)
‘solstice’ – 1. either the shortest day of the year (winter solstice), marking the beginning of the astronomical winter, or the longest day of the year (summer solstice), marking the beginning of the astronomical summer.
2. either of the two points on the ecliptic at which the sun is overhead at the tropic of Cancer or Capricorn at the summer and winter solstices.
(from the Latin solstitium meaning literally ‘the (apparent) standing still of the sun’)
(from Collins English dictionary 1984)
‘solstice’ – 1. either the shortest day of the year (winter solstice), marking the beginning of the astronomical winter, or the longest day of the year (summer solstice), marking the beginning of the astronomical summer.
2. either of the two points on the ecliptic at which the sun is overhead at the tropic of Cancer or Capricorn at the summer and winter solstices.
(from the Latin solstitium meaning literally ‘the (apparent) standing still of the sun’)
Friday, 20 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of
the day (from Collins English dictionary 1984)
‘Yule’ – Christmas, the
Christmas season or Christmas festivities - in combination ‘Yuletide’.
(Old English geola originally a name of a pagan feast
lasting 12 days; related to Old Norse jol,
Swedish jul, Gothic jiuleis)Wednesday, 18 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of
the day
‘festive’ – 1. relating to
a festival, especially Christmas.
2. cheerful and jovially celebratory.
(from the Latin festivus, from festum, (plural) festa meaning
'feast')
Tuesday, 17 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of
the day
‘recipe’ – 1. a set of
instructions for preparing a particular dish, including a list of the ingredients
required. 2. something which is likely to
lead to a particular outcome.
(from the Latin recipere meaning to receive)
Monday, 16 December 2013
The Daily Maze
Word of the Day
‘Labyrinthus’ is the Latin term for labyrinth, from the Greek laburinthos (from Collins English dictionary 1984)
‘Labyrinthus’ is the Latin term for labyrinth, from the Greek laburinthos (from Collins English dictionary 1984)
***
‘labyrinth’ – 1. a complicated or irregular network of passages or paths in which it is difficult to find one’s way; a maze. 2. an intricate and confusing arrangement.
***
The Labyrinth, in Greek myth, was a huge maze constructed for King Minos in Crete by Daedalus to contain the Minotaur.
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