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12 Dec 00 - 11:12 AM (#355701) Subject: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Peter T. Stray, v.i., n.: from ASTRAY, ME, from Old French, estrayer, from Late Roman estravagare, extra (out of bounds)+vagare (to wander) 1. Wander, go aimlessly, deviate from the right way or from virtue, get separated from flock or companions or proper place. 2. Strayted domestic animals; strayed thing or person (waifs and strays); electrical interference. 3. Scattered; sporadic, occurring or met with now and then or casually or unexpectedly (e.g., a few stray instances, lucky enough to find a stray taxi) hit by a stray bullet); Phys. wasted or unwanted (e.g. eliminate stray magnetic fields). "He comes in and sits down and looks at me and I almost pity him. It is the same old thing. He still carries around with him the piercing grief of his long lost love, but in such an obviously theatrical fashion that he always reminds me of a sword swallower who gave up halfway through the act." - from an unfinished novel. |
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12 Dec 00 - 11:20 AM (#355705) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: catspaw49 Well Christ on a crutch............I knew it. Even your stray thoughts are far more thought provoking and intellectual than mine..........And I had such high hopes for this too....................I mean, like, for me a stray thought might be, "I wonder why the hell my nuts itch in the morning." Oh well..............Beautifully written Peter.........I'll go back and read it again while I scratch.............. Spaw |
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12 Dec 00 - 11:24 AM (#355708) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: MMario ohmagawd- coffee all over the keyboard. The combo of Peter T and 'Spaw is just too much! |
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12 Dec 00 - 11:40 AM (#355719) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: katlaughing Whaddya wanna bet he didn't even have to copy that from a dictionary?! Ah, Peter, I know we hounded you mercilessly, but it WAS WORTH IT!!! For you and for Spaw's ready witfilled comments! You guys make a great team!! But, we already knew that! Purr-fect and THANK YOU!!!! Stray on in any ole' time, darlin'.... luvyakat |
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12 Dec 00 - 11:49 AM (#355726) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Peter T. Yeah, right. Concise Oxford English Dictionary (the 6th edition. 1976, edited by J.B. Sykes, the most brilliant editor ever). The Concise Oxfords have gone downhill ever since. yours, Peter T. |
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12 Dec 00 - 11:55 AM (#355732) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Mrrzy Hmmm - wonder if Extravagant is related, then... it seems awfully close to Extra + vagare... and I don't have a dictionary here! Wouldn't have related extravagant and stray, personally - thanks, Peter! Creep - Exorbitant means "makes your eyeballs pop out of your head" if you want to think about it... |
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12 Dec 00 - 11:58 AM (#355734) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: SINSULL Spaw, Wash your hands when you're done! Thank you Peter. I think. |
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12 Dec 00 - 12:02 PM (#355737) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Peter T. OED says extravagant comes from the same root. As does extravaganza....(Mudcat is a daily extravaganza)....yours, Peter T. |
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12 Dec 00 - 02:58 PM (#355874) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: catspaw49 Going with some of these definitions here, I'm glad Mudcat isn't exorbitant, which would bring extravagant to a new level. Spaw |
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12 Dec 00 - 03:12 PM (#355882) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Bert I suppose that, after several of these 'stray' thoughts have been released into the ether, we will eventually be subjected to feral ones. |
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12 Dec 00 - 09:13 PM (#356092) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Little Neophyte Well I must admit I kind of looked like a 'sword swallower who gave up halfway through the act' myself after imagining the vision of Catspaw scratching his itchy balls. Little Neo |
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12 Dec 00 - 11:02 PM (#356149) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: katlaughing Ewww....just think of those claws, Bonaphyte!:-)
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13 Dec 00 - 05:30 PM (#356714) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Sourdough Reading the stray definitions reminded me what an extraordinary thing a dictionary is. Just thinking of what I would come up with if someone asked me the meaning(s) of "stray" boosted my apprciation up another notch. A while back I read "The Madman and the Professor" about the psychotic murderer who played a key role in the development of the first edition of the Oxford English DIctionary. If it isn't a best seller, it ought ot be. Not only was the tre story gripping, the insight into the creation of a reference book I use a dozen times a week was fascinating. I liked the book so much I gave a copy to someone who edits a lot of my manuscripts. Sourdough |
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14 Dec 00 - 06:01 AM (#357052) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Gervase Listen, if Spaw had claws he'd do what my cat does and lick his nuts. At least he did until I had the vet take 'em off. That look of hurt and outrage will haunt me forever... |
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14 Dec 00 - 10:27 AM (#357095) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: catspaw49 Yeah Gervase, it has a real impact on some cats. We used to have one we called Terrible Tom, now we call him Sam Spade.........He just lays in the breadbox and stares at us. Spaw |
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14 Dec 00 - 11:09 AM (#357108) Subject: RE: Stray Thought for the Day: Dec 12, 00 From: Gervase I reckon it'd have a pretty big impact on me, too, if some bastard in a white coat whipped me nadgers off without so much as a by-your-leave. It's a pretty drastic cure for pissing the bed (which is the crime for which the cat was being 'treated')! |