51吃瓜 of the Day
More about nimiety
Nimiety is a bit much, literally. It comes from the Late Latin noun 苍颈尘颈别迟腻蝉 (inflectional stem 苍颈尘颈别迟腻迟-) 鈥渆xcess, overabundance,鈥� a derivative of the adjective nimius 鈥渆xcessive, immoderate.鈥� Nimius in its turn is a derivative of the adverb and noun nimis 鈥渢oo much, unduly; an excessive amount or degree.鈥� 狈颈尘颈别迟腻蝉 first appears in the 惭别迟补尘辞谤辫丑艒蝉脓蝉 (鈥淭ransformations鈥�) of Lucius Apuleius, who may have coined the word. Apuleius was a Roman satirist and Epicurean philosopher who was born in Madaurus in North Africa and lived in the 2nd century a.d. His 惭别迟补尘辞谤辫丑艒蝉脓蝉 is a bawdy, picaresque novel, the only ancient Roman novel to survive intact. St. Augustine of Hippo (a.d. 354-420), also from North Africa, disliked Epicureanism (most ancients did because of its atheism) and derisively renamed Apuleius鈥� 惭别迟补尘辞谤辫丑艒蝉脓蝉 the Asinus Aureus (鈥淕olden Ass鈥�), an alternative title that has persisted till this day. Nimiety entered English in the first half of the 16th century.
how is nimiety used?
But of course there were problems of upkeep, and an oppressive feeling of nimiety, or too鈥恗uchness. I have suffered from it all my life鈥攖oo many possessions, too many books, too much to eat and drink.
The additions to the template may be broadly inconsequential … but the execution is unrivalled鈥攖he humorous animations, the high-contrast vistas, the nimiety of customization options. Video games have been this detailed before, but rarely to such unwaveringly joyous effect.
nimiety
frazil
noun
ice crystals formed in turbulent water, as in swift streams or rough seas.
More about frazil
The relatively uncommon noun frazil 鈥渋ce crystals formed in turbulent water, as in swift streams or rough seas,鈥� comes from Canadian French frasil (also frazil, fraisil), an extension of French fraisil 鈥渃oal cinders, coal dust.鈥� French fraisil is an alteration of Vulgar Latin adjective facilis 鈥減ertaining to a torch or firebrand,鈥� a derivative of the Latin noun fax (inflectional stem fac-) 鈥渢orch, light.鈥� It is unsurprising that frazil first appeared in the Montreal Gazette in the winter of 1888.
how is frazil used?
Sea ice begins as tiny, needle-shaped crystals, about a tenth of an inch long, known as frazil.
First the wind churns up the surface, and the spray and droplets freeze into frazil. Murphy describes this as a collection of聽鈥渟picules,鈥� or聽needle-shaped pieces.
frazil
handsel
noun
a gift or token for good luck or as an expression of good wishes, as at the beginning of the new year or when entering upon a new situation or enterprise.
More about handsel
The noun handsel 鈥渁 token given at New Year鈥檚 for good luck; a payment or reward,鈥� is used mostly in Scotland, Ireland, and Northern England. Handsel comes via Middle English hansel(l)e, hancel, handsell (and several other variant spellings). The Middle English forms come from Old English handselen 鈥渕anumission,鈥� which literally means 鈥渉and-gift鈥� (the Old English noun selen 鈥済ift鈥� is akin to the verb sell). The Middle English forms were influenced by Old Norse handsal 鈥渉andshake, handclasp (for sealing a purchase or a promise).鈥� Handsel entered English before 1000.
how is handsel used?
A handsel is a gift made to celebrate a new beginning, as a coin might be placed in the pocket of a freshly-tailored coat.
It was the principal day of the whole year for making trials and forecasts of the future. Every visitor to the house received a “handsel,” i.e. a gift.
handsel