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Saturday, June 29, 2024

In other words, bigs and bits

  • Big Ĕrus, noun. A name standing for the “Bible Industrial Complex,” or network of organizations that seek to shape, control, and profit from the publication and distribution of the word of God. (Ĕrus or Erus is Latin for master, owner, proprietor.)
  • Big Eva, noun. A name standing for the network of large evangelical organizations and conferences that seeks to shape the thinking and strategy of evangelical churches (especially American churches).
  • Big Pharma, noun. A name standing for large, prosperous pharmaceutical firms collectively, understood as a business group having major economic, political, and/or social influence.
  • bits and bobs, phrase. (Chiefly British) Small objects or parts of something, often miscellaneous and unrelated.
  • churchkind, noun. All biblical churches collectively, considered as a group; “the church” generically (kind = a group of individual objects, things, of the same nature or character, or classified together because they have traits in common). [Thanks to Eric Chapman.]
  • construe, noun. The act of construing; something that is construed; an interpretation.
  • crescentic, adjective. growing, increasing, gaining size; crescent-shaped.
  • devoir, noun. duty, responsibility; a formal act of civility or respect.
  • dominic, noun. Priest, preacher, man of God (from Latin Dominicus, meaning “of the Lord”). Capitalized, often a male given name.
  • eyewinker, noun. Anything that enters or irritates the eye and causes blinking.
  • flummery, noun. Empty or meaningless talk; deceptive or blustering speech.
  • gamble, verb. To play at any game of chance for money or other stakes.
  • gambol, verb. (Chiefly British) To skip about, as in dancing or playing; frolic.
  • gubbertushed, adjective. Buck-toothed; having large projecting or disorderly teeth.
  • hank, verb. To form into coils of rope; to fasten with a rope, as a gate.
  • heuristic, adjective. Of or relating to a usually speculative formulation serving as a guide in the investigation or solution of a problem.
  • milk, adjective. Giving milk.
  • mumpsimus, noun. Adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy (cf. sumpsimus).
  • naïf, noun. A naive or inexperienced person.
  • nobble, verb. To outdo or get the better of by devious means; also, to incapacitate (a racehorse) especially by drugging.
  • paynim, noun, Paganism; heathendom; a pagan; a heathen.
  • refection, noun. Refreshment with food and drink, or for the mind and spirit; a light meal or repast.
  • skiplagging, noun. The practice of purchasing a ticket for a flight with a layover at one’s true destination, getting off at the layover point, and skipping the last leg of the flight.
  • sumpsimus, noun. Adherence to or persistence in using a strictly correct term, holding to a precise practice, etc., as a rejection of an erroneous but more common form (cf. mumpsimus).
  • swicy, adjective. (Informal) Sweet and spicy; flavor combining sweet and spicy.
  • transumpt, noun. (Chiefly Scottish) A copy of a writing or legal document; (especially) an exemplified copy.
  • tutelage, noun. The act of guarding, protecting, or guiding; office or function of a guardian; instruction; teaching; guidance.
  • zacate, noun. Forage of grassy plants; herbage.

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