Month: December 2020

loud

happy-clappy – Refers to any Christian congregation that is extremely enthusiastic, loud, and musical. More…

stentor – Homer introduced Stentor, a very loud herald, in the Iliad—which gives us stentor, “person with a loud voice,” and stentorian, which originally meant “loud, booming.” More…

rodomontade – Meaning loud bragging, it got its name from Rodomonto, a loud bragging Moorish king of epics. More…

thersitical, clamant – To be thersitical is to be loudmouthed or foulmouthed; clamant is loud and insistent. More…

The Tizard Mission

Though the British made major scientific advances during World War II, by September 1940, they were mired in the Battle of Britain and unable to produce the new military technology that could help them win. Taking a gamble, prominent British scientist Henry Tizard led a mission to give Britain’s secret military research to the US in the hope that it would be developed faster there—and that the US would share the results with Britain. It worked. What critical object did Tizard bring with him? Discuss

Halcyon Days

The ancient Greeks called the seven days preceding and the seven days following the Winter Solstice the “Halcyon Days.” Greek mythology has it that Halcyone (or Alcyone), Ceyx’s wife and one of Aeolus’s daughters, drowned herself when she learned her husband had drowned. The gods took pity on her and transformed them both into kingfishers. Zeus commanded the seas to be still during these days, and it was considered a period when sailors could navigate in safety. Today, the expression “halcyon days” has come to mean a period of tranquility, often used as a nostalgic reference to times past. Discuss

"…and Bob's Your Uncle."

“Bob’s your uncle” is an expression used in British English. It typically concludes a simple set of instructions and is equivalent to “you’re all set.” The phrase first appeared in print in the 1930s, and its origins are unclear. It may have been derived from the saying “all is bob,” which means “all is well.” Some theories point to specific “Bobs” who may have inspired the phrase. One such candidate, British Prime Minister Robert Cecil, appointed his nephew to what prestigious post in 1887? Discuss