The Death of Fissiparous and Other Words: A Dictionary of Words & Phrases on the Verge of Extinction

apostrophize

uh-PAWS-truh-faiz

noun

reference to a personified thing or idea or to a person or persons not present

1887George MacDonaldHome AgainHe worshiped what he called thoughts, would rave about a thought in the abstract, apostrophize an uncaught idea.1902Henry Seton MerrimanThe Vultures'There is only one man in Warsaw who would apostrophize the gods like that,' he said. The speaker was Prince Martin Bukaty.1903James Cox My Native Land After an actor has been beheaded, he has been known to pickup the false head and apostrophize it while making his exit from the stage.

Labels: George MacDonald, Henry Seton Merriman, James Cox

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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pluvial

PLOO-vee-uhl

adjective

related to rain; characterized by an abundance of rain; an effect caused by rain

1868George MacDonaldThe Seaboard ParishBut as I have now seen how matters are with the elements, and have had a good pluvial bath as well, I think I will go home and change my clothes.1999Dave FreerThe ForlornThe surveyors hadn't been aware that the planet had millennia-long alternating pluvial and dry cycles.

Labels: Dave Freer, George MacDonald

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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sophism

SAW-fi-zuhm

noun

a false argument often crafted to deceive

1849Charles Kingsley Yeast: A ProblemBut poor truth-seeking Lancelot did not see what sex had to do with logic; he flew at her as if she had been a very barrister, and hunted her mercilessly up and down through all sorts of charming sophisms, as she begged the question, and shifted her ground, as thoroughly right in her conclusion as she was wrong in her reasoning, till she grew quite confused and pettish. 1867George MacDonaldUnspoken SermonsIt is reproach. Then he reproaches them that they had not seen God, when no man hath seen God at any time, and Paul says no man can see him! Is there here any paradox? There cannot be the sophism: 'No man hath seen God; ye are to blame that ye have not seen God; therefore all men are to blame that they have not seen God!' If we read, 'No man hath seen God, but some men ought to have seen him,' we do not reap such hope for the race as will give the aspect of a revelation to the assurance that not one of those capable of seeing him has ever seen him!1905Jack LondonThe War of the ClassesMr. O'Neil is right, and that this is no sophism it is the intention of this article, among other things, to show.

Labels: Charles Kingsley, George MacDonald, Jack London

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Entry By: CJ Cooney
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