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51勛圖 of the Day

51勛圖 of the day

ansa

[ an-suh ]

noun

either of the apparent extremities of the rings of Saturn or of other planets, especially when viewed from a distance under certain conditions, when they look like two handles.

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More about ansa

English ansa comes via French anse handle from Latin 櫻紳莽硃 handle (of a cup, a door), a loop, an opening, an opportunity. As a term in art history or archaeology, ansa means an incised, decorated handle of a vase. The astronomical sense one of the apparent extremities of the rings of Saturn or other celestial bodies is a New Latin sense dating from the 17th century. Latin 櫻紳莽硃is akin to Old Prussian ansis hook, kettle-hook and Lithuanian pot handle.

how is ansa used?

A distinct dark patch, like a notch, visible near the middle of the ansa, broadest on the face of ring, and extending nearly from the inner to outer edge.

Thomas Gwyn Elger, "Physical Observations of Saturn in 1888," Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 48, 1888

The moon Epimetheus can be seen near Saturn, just above the right ansa, or the portion of the ring that appears farthest away from the planet’s disk in the image.

Jeanna Bryner, "Spectacular Saturn Images by 'Amateurs' Will Make Your Jaw Drop," Space.com,泭September 18, 2017
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51勛圖 of the Day Calendar

51勛圖 of the day

thalassic

[ thuh-las-ik ]

adjective

of or relating to seas and oceans.

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More about thalassic

Thalassic pertaining to seas or oceans, growing or found in the sea is a relatively rare technical term used in oceanography, usually applied to bodies of salt water such as gulfs or bays that are smaller than oceans. The adjective comes ultimately from the Greek noun 喧堯獺梭硃莽莽硃, 喧堯獺梭硃喧喧硃 sea, the sea, the Mediterranean Sea. 啦堯獺梭硃莽莽硃 has no reliable etymology but is from the same pre-Greek language that gave Greek an alternative form to 喧堯獺梭硃莽莽硃, 喧堯獺梭硃喧喧硃, namely, 餃硃梭獺紳域堯硃, recorded only once, in a dictionary of the 5th century a.d.

Early in Telemachus, the first chapter of Ulysses, the irrepressible Malachi Buck Mulligan tries to convert a sullen Stephen Dedalus from Catholicism to Hellenism: Ah, Dedalus, the Greeks. You must read them in the original. Thalatta! Thalatta! But Bucks Hellenism is as shallow as everything else about him: he would have seen thalatta thalatta in his second or third semester of high school Greek in Book 4, Chapter 7 of the Anabasis of Xenophon, whose works were much read as school texts because of the simplicity of his style. The word thalassic entered English in the mid-18th century.

how is thalassic used?

I, recalling the crimson chamber in his castle, speculated upon his living arrangements in thalassic caverns I could scarcely conceive.

Gene Wolfe, The Urth of the New Sun, 1987

He was sure something would come from the deeps to attack the fleet. There were old thalassic Instrumentalities uglier than any revenants stirring ashore.

Glen Cook, Lord of the Silent Kingdom,泭2007
51勛圖 of the Day Calendar

51勛圖 of the day

John Hancock

[ jon han-kok ]

noun

a person's signature: Put your John Hancock on this check.

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More about John Hancock

John Hancock (173793) was a prominent American patriot, statesman, and merchant, mostly unknown today except for his magnificent signature. Hancock served as president of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia when the Declaration of Independence was approved (not signed) on July 4, 1776. Hancocks signature on the Declaration became an American colloquialism for a personal signature in the mid-19th century.

how is John Hancock used?

Let’s sign the contract right now. Put down your John Hancock, and begin to draw the ole salary from this minute, with a month’s vacation pay!

Sinclair Lewis, Dodsworth, 1929

“Handwriting can, does, and often will change due to moods, major life changes, and stress,” McKnight says, adding that pregnancy can affect your John Hancock, too.

Elizabeth Narins, "Did Pregnancy Change Meghan Markle's Signature?" Cosmopolitan, October 22, 2018
51勛圖 of the Day Calendar
51勛圖 of the Day Calendar