“The Wordnik Word of the Day for August 18, 2010 is gamashes
A protection for the shoes, hose, etc., from mud and rain, worn especially by horsemen in the seventeenth century. They appear to have been sometimes of the nature of boots and sometimes of the nature of leggings. Also gamaches.
‘Gamashes’ come from the Italian, ‘gamba,’ meaning ‘leg,’ and are also known as … [wait for it] …
’spatterdashes.’
Example:
‘By it are boots of all sizes, buskins, gamashes, brodkins, gambadoes, shoes, pumps, slippers, and every cobbled ware wrought and made steadable for the use of man.’ Gargantua and Pantagruel, by Francois Rabelais”
(tell the truth: how many of us woke up this morning expecting to see the words “brodkin,” “gambadoes,” “steadable,” and “spatterdashes” used in a sentence today?)
FLIGHT SUIT about 14 years ago
Don’t worry dude, just do what I do:
Break out the Andrea Dworkin quotes!
grapfhics about 14 years ago
at least my great circles are straight
Steve Bartholomew about 14 years ago
Why would a puffin be interested in sundials?
<95> about 14 years ago
Won’t give him the time of day, huh?
grapfhics about 14 years ago
ars gratia artis
Sisyphos about 14 years ago
Seriously, who’d want to mate with such an intellectual snob?!
luezer about 14 years ago
You give up too easily. Come back with “So you think I’m eloquent and complete, do you?”
Mad-ge Dish Soap about 14 years ago
Making love by the garden gate, Love is blind but the neighbors ain’t.
drbob456 about 14 years ago
Q: “Do you know what time it is in Montego Bay?”
A: “Gnomon.”
LocoOwl about 14 years ago
I’m still not sure what gnomonology is…. sigh.
There are days my ignorance exceeds my reach!
LocoOwl about 14 years ago
Great posts on the blog today!
Rotifer HEATHEN POTATO WE KNEW YE WELL Thalweg Premium Member about 14 years ago
Apropos of nothing in particular:
“The Wordnik Word of the Day for August 18, 2010 is gamashes A protection for the shoes, hose, etc., from mud and rain, worn especially by horsemen in the seventeenth century. They appear to have been sometimes of the nature of boots and sometimes of the nature of leggings. Also gamaches.
‘Gamashes’ come from the Italian, ‘gamba,’ meaning ‘leg,’ and are also known as … [wait for it] …
’spatterdashes.’
Example: ‘By it are boots of all sizes, buskins, gamashes, brodkins, gambadoes, shoes, pumps, slippers, and every cobbled ware wrought and made steadable for the use of man.’ Gargantua and Pantagruel, by Francois Rabelais”
(tell the truth: how many of us woke up this morning expecting to see the words “brodkin,” “gambadoes,” “steadable,” and “spatterdashes” used in a sentence today?)
Spatterdashes! The new spork!joefish25 about 14 years ago
I did!
Rotifer HEATHEN POTATO WE KNEW YE WELL Thalweg Premium Member about 14 years ago
What about “buskins?” Did you expect to see “buskins?”
jpozenel about 14 years ago
No wonder you never see confident looking puffins.
madbristowart about 14 years ago
Hey, I’ve gotten that line before and it hurts like hell.
rotts about 14 years ago
@ Rolfer Thalweg - let alone “Gargantua and Pantagruel”! Nice reference, BTW.
Ushindi about 14 years ago
I know I’M never going to mate with Teresa if she keeps making me look up words so I sort of know what’s going on…
sandboil about 14 years ago
Ushindi. My guess is that it’s Teresa’s call on whether she will allow you to mate with her. Nighthawks and Vlad might have a problem with you too.
sandboil about 14 years ago
Does this word have something to do with gnomes using sundials? I’m really confused.
zoomhey about 14 years ago
He’s huffin and a puffin for nothing.
CoBass about 14 years ago
@locoowl, @sandboil
A gnomon is the part of a sundial that cats the shadow. So, by extension, gnomonology would be the study of gnomons.
olmail about 14 years ago
once again i am thankful for google.
trekkermint about 14 years ago
it’s a cross dressing duck