Category: My Year of Words

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WEEK 11: Circumambient to Comeback (so pls do!)

circumambient: adj. surrounding; encompassing (circumambient gloom)

circumlocution: n. a roundabout way of speaking; the use of too many words

clammy: adj. covered with a cold, sticky moisture; old and damp

clottish: adj. foolish, silly

cloudburst: n. a sudden and very heavy rainfall

Cobar shower: n. a dust storm

cobble: v. 3. to mend; patch 4. to put together roughly or clumsily (they cobbled thier marriage back together)

cobbler: n. 1. one who mends shoes  2. a clumsy workman 3. a pie, and in Aust/NZ:  n. a wrinkled sheep that is difficult to shear

cock-a-hoop: adj. in a state of unrestrained joy or exultation

combative: adj. 1. capable of catching fire; inflammable  2. easily excited (his combative stare)

combustible: adj. 1. capable of catching fire; inflammable  2. easily excited (he had a combustible nature)

comeback: n. 4. a sheep breed to be suitable for wool or mutton

Okay – it’s been a few weeks since I felt my words warranted a sentence. This week was crying out for one. Enjoy!

Would my circumlocution be obvious if I was to tell you there was cock-a-hoop following the cloudburst that had put an end to the circumambient clamminess and washed away all signs of the Cobar shower that had dirtied the cobbler, making them look clottish.

Now please come back next week!

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WEEK 10 WORDS: Rough ‘C’s Ahead.

Chaos is amongst my list of ‘C’ words this week. Very, very fitting too given my life at the moment.

In no particular order:

Poor old sick mum, my very first book edits, my national conference registrar job gearing up on March 1 when registrations finally opened, RWA blog editor, e-Loop moderator…. I could go on.

Phew! No wonder I have that Linda Blair 360-degree head spin thing going on.

But I WILL NOT give up my Leap Year Word journey. Besides, I found some great words this week – both new and old favs, starting with…

caldron: n. a large kettle or boiler (perhaps ‘a caldron of emotions bubbling over’ might work for you.)

cavalier: adj. haughty, disdainful, offhand (he had a cavalier attitude)

celerity: n. speed; swiftness (used to compile this week’s blog post!)

censorious: adj. severely critical, fault-finding (pls don’t be! I should be in bed sleeping right now, not posting this!)

certitude: n. a sense of absolute conviction; certainty (that’s me!)

chafe: v. 1. to warm by rubbing 2. to irritate; annoy (also me! 🙂

chaos: n. utter confusion or disorder (me at the moment!)

chiffonier: n. a high chest of drawers (so much better than a tall boy and my new stand-up writing pod. I will post a pic soon.)

chimerical: adj. 1. unreal; imaginary 2. wildly fanciful (sleep!)

chivvy: v. to harass; worry; nag (what my conference team-mates probably think I do!)

And last but certainly not least, a long-time favourite of mine (well ever since I was going to be the next Danielle Steele or Nora Roberts. Yes… it has been a round a long time…)

chignon: n. a large rolled arrangement of hair worn at the back of a woman’s head (and a favourite in every second romance fiction novel back in the 70’s and 80’s, and always at the nape of the neck!)

Well, I’m outta here for this week.

‘C’ you next Sunday.

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Week 9 words: Let’s ‘C’ (with a tiny erotic twist!)

Hmmm, of course you popped over to learn about ‘C’ words and not the picture (or was it the erotic twist!)

No my usual style, that’s true, but hey, ‘C’ is for Chippendales. It is also for Chaos, a good ‘C’ word for me as bissextile day (see previous post!) approaches and my various writing responsibilities (forum moderator, conference registrar, author – and yes, I’m enjoying my first round of edits on House For All Seasons) converge.

So here are some ‘C’ words you might find interesting or useful. Starting with what could also be the collective noun for a bunch of erotic romance writers!!!

Cabal: n. a small group of secret plotters!!!

Okay… serious now.

Cabriole: n. 1. (furniture) a leg; curved, tapering, often ending in the form of an animal’s paw. Used by Chippendale (Calm down erotic writers. It’s the furniture Chippendales, not the male dancer Chippendales)

Cacography: n. 1. bad handwriting. opp. of calligraphy.

Cacophony: n. harsh sound, dissonance (my Dad’s always loved this so I made it my signature word)

Camiknickers: n. an undergarment combining camisole and panties (official erotica wear perhaps!)

Canary sassafras: n. a rainforest tree of the Aust. east coast, the bark of which was used  by early settlers as a tea substitute and tonic (I included this as I love saying ‘sassafras’)

Candied: adj. honeyed, sweet, flattering

Cantankerous: adj. Contrary (me as a child according to my dad!)

Captious: adj. apt to make much of trivial faults or defects; difficult to please.

Okay, back to ‘C’ for chaos. So ‘C’ you next week.