I took Jan's last three weeks off and visited dad from 21 to 31. Once arrived, I
had two days to move around freely in town before being boxed in for the rest of
the vacation due to the NCP (Novel Coronavirus Pneumonia). With not much else to
do, I made good progress with the dictionary. By the time I came back, I was two
pages ahead of schedule.
While making a list out of the 31 pages of notes on Feb 10, it struck me that I
should not force progress. Variations can lead to frustration for lack of
progress sometimes and complacency and laxity of discipline in other times.
Maybe I should finish exactly one page a day. No more and no less.
OK. Here are a few words from that short list.
- agent provocateur: pl. agents provocateurs. A person employed to associate
with suspected individuals or groups with the purpose of inciting them to
commit acts that will make them liable to punishment.
I have been particularly susceptible to this. Often, I feel I have to erupt
when someone, a coworker, my wife, etc., gives me a hard problem that I feel
responsible somehow. This has been a weakness. I have to think about
Epictetus's idea of an educated man.
- agin: Chiefly Upper Southern U.S. prep. 1. Against 2. Opposed to: I'm agin
him. 3. Next to; besides; near 4. By or before (a specific time)
conj. By the time that.
Reginal note: "I am agin him." Opposed to him and all that he stands for.
At work, people from a tribal culture often make me feel that they are vying
for status instead of discussing problems. Now I can tell them that I am agin
them, i.e., them and what they stand for.
- aglet: n. 1. A tag or sheath, as of plastic, on the end of a lace, cord, or
ribbon to facilitate its passthing through eyelet holes.
I never thought there would be such a word. It reminded me of "It's easier for
a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the
kingdom of heaven." from the Bible.
- ain't: Nonstandard 1. Contraction of am not. 2. Used also as a contraction for
are not, is not, has not, and have not.
I would love to be able to use this word more often.
- alienable: Law adj. Transferable to the ownership of another.
- alienate: Law To transfer (property or a right) to the ownership of another,
especially by an act of the owner rather than by inheritance.
- alienee: n. One to whom or to which ownership of property is transferred.
- alienation of affection: n. Law The wrongful or injurious act of interfering
with an affectionate relationship so that one person loses affection for the
other.
'Alien' has so much more law terms derived from it than what we are called as
immigrants. The last I can accuse my aunt and grandma with on mom's behalf.
- alee: adv. At, on, or to the leeward side.
- amidships also amidship: adv. Midway between the bow and the stern.
These ushered in a slew of words for the locations on a ship. The following
are from Wikipedia: Funnel, Stern, Propeller and Rudder, Portside (the right
side is known as starboard), Anchor, Bulbous bow, Bow, Deck, and Superstructure.
- albuminria: n. The presence of albumin in the urine, sometimes indicating
kidney disease.
Dad's checkups in the past showed this and he had kidney problems.
- Alamo: A church built after 1744 as part of a Spanish mission in San Antonio
Texas, and converted to a fort in 1793. During the Texas Revolution against
Mexican rule it was beseiged by the Mexican army (Feb 24 to Mar 6, 1836), who
killed all 187 members of the Texas garrison.
The word 'alamo' can also refer to a cottonwood akin to the poplar tree we had
in Beijing.
- Alcatraz: The island has been known as "the Rock."
- The al- in alcohol indicates the word's of Arabic descent, as is the case with
algebra and alkali, al- being the Arabic definite article, corresponding to
"the" in English. The word alcohol is derived from Medieval Latin through
Arabic.
Although the reading progressed well, I had a hard time focusing on making the
list. So having more time doesn't mean that I can get things done more timely.
Distractions seem to have a way to get to me.
