I’m Just Ducky Now!

First, many thanks to the fine folks at bartleby.com and their wonderful dictionary! And who knew that this Sunday afternoon I’d have a real need to know what both qiviut (the soft wool lying beneath the long coat of the muskox, valued for its use as a fiber) AND tomalley (the soft, green liver of cooked lobster, considered a delicacy) meant!  And if you know WHY I needed to know these things, I know what you were doing at 4 pm EDT on Sunday…the same thing that I was.  But I severely digress!

xebec

A small three-masted Mediterranean vessel with both square and lateen sails.

xiphisternum

The posterior and smallest of the three divisions of the sternum, below the gladiolus and the manubrium. Also called xiphoid, xiphoid process

This one wasn’t a new one for me, but I had to share.  I’ve just always loved that name “xiphoid process”…

xyster

A surgical instrument for scraping bones.

Well, the name SOUNDED like fun.  Not so much, I think now.  Sounds kind of “hurty”…

yapok

An aquatic opossum (Chironectes minimus) of tropical America, having dense fur, webbed hind feet, and a long tail.

yataghan

A Turkish sword or scimitar having a double-curved blade and an eared pommel, but lacking a handle guard.

ylem

A form of matter hypothesized by proponents of the big bang theory to have existed before the formation of the chemical elements.

yohimbine

A poisonous alkaloid, C₂₁H₂₆N₂O₃, derived from the bark of a tree, Corynanthe yohimbe, and formerly used as an aphrodisiac, a local anesthetic, and a mydriatic.

yottahertz

One septillion (10²⁴) hertz.

More like a lotta-hertz, yes?

zamindar

1. An official in precolonial India assigned to collect the land taxes of his district. 2. A landholder in British colonial India responsible for collecting and paying to the government the taxes on the land under his jurisdiction.

The taxman…ooohhhh it’s the taxman, yeah!  With apologies to John, Paul, George and Ringo…

zazen

Meditation as practiced in Zen Buddhism.

zibet

A civet cat (Viverra zibetha) of India and southeast Asia.

zoysia

Any of several creeping grasses of the genus Zoysia, native to southeast Asia and New Zealand and widely cultivated for lawns.

Actually, you see a lot of zoysia grass planted around where I live.  Nice-looking stuff, as grass goes.  I just think the name’s funny!

zyzzyva

Any of various tropical American weevils of the genus Zyzzyva, often destructive to plants.

Nope, I’m not making this one up.  It was the absolute last entry and, with a spelling like THAT, I had to include it!  BTW, it’s apparently pronounced “zz-v“, should you ever have occasion to use it.  Perhaps at the next party you attend…

Well, as soon as I hit “publish” I’ll have earned yet another button that I’ll have to figure out how to actually get onto this blog.  Perhaps I’ll get it all finally figured out in May ( since I’m sitting out NaBloPoMo this month) when I’ll have some time to play around with the features of this blog.  But only after finals are over, that is.

YIPPEE!!!!!!!!

.

Did we win at yesterday’s competition? More on this later…let’s get down to business first, shall we?

watap

A stringy thread made from the roots of various conifers and used by certain Native American peoples in sewing and weaving.

weir

1. A fence or wattle placed in a stream to catch or retain fish. 2. A dam placed across a river or canal to raise or divert the water, as for a millrace, or to regulate or measure the flow.

widdershins

In a contrary or counterclockwise direction: “The coracle whirled round, clockwise, then widdershins” (Anthony Bailey).

wirra

Irish Used to express sorrow or anxious concern.

witenagemot

An Anglo-Saxon advisory council to the king, composed of about 100 nobles, prelates, and other officials, convened at intervals to discuss administrative and judicial affairs.

wynn

An Old English rune having the sound and used in Old English and early Middle English writing.

And in keeping with a good rhyme, yes we did!!!  Win, that is!!!!!

As I mentioned yesterday, I’m posting from out of town and here’s the reason why…I’m in a competition today and hoping for a victory!!!! Wish us luck, OK?

And yes, the Time Hack post from just a few minutes ago registered as a Saturday entry so this is being posted now and thus I’m now off to bed to get a good night’s sleep so that I can do my very best in today’s competition!

valvulitis

Inflammation of a valve, especially a cardiac valve.

varroa

A reddish-brown, oval mite (Varroa jacobsoni) that is a parasite of honeybees.

vesica piscis

A pointed oval shape used in medieval Christian art as an aureole to surround a sacred figure.

view halloo

A strident call given during a fox hunt to indicate that the fox has been seen breaking cover.

virid

Bright green with or as if with vegetation; verdant.

volplane

1a. To glide toward the earth in an airplane with the engine cut off. b. To glide toward the earth with the engine cut off. Used of an airplane. 2. To make one’s way or go by gliding.

Today’s IJDN is also being brought to you on location in Ocean City, Maryland but more on all of that another time, OK?

ubiety

The condition of being located in a particular place.

ugsome

Disgusting; loathsome.

ullage

1. The amount of liquid within a container that is lost, as by leakage, during shipment or storage. 2. The amount by which a container, such as a bottle, cask, or tank, falls short of being full.

uranous

Of or relating to uranium, especially with valence lower than in comparable uranic compounds.

urus

An extinct wild ox (Bos primigenius) of Europe, northern Africa, and western Asia, believed to be the ancestor of domestic cattle. Also called aurochs.

uxorious

Excessively submissive or devoted to one’s wife.