Week Three! Instead of calling it Words for a Wednesday, perhaps it should be called Weird Words for a Wednesday this week. During a few heated matches of Words with Friends, my teenager manipulated tiles (in search of high score words) and came up with a few words that made us wonder if they were legitimate. The answer is yes, and you'll find them here today (and they're not actually weird).
Here are a few words to help you build your vocabulary and/or build your score in the games Scrabble or Words with Friends.
The first word is wadis. Yes, this is a real word.
Wadis: The plural form of wadi. Wadi: a valley, gully or stream bed in regions of southwestern Asia and northern Africa that is usually dry except during the rainy season (and often forms an oasis). Word origin: First known use 1828 for the Arabic word wādi.
Next is the word inarch. Any horticulturists or serious gardeners out there? Where are my wine industry readers? Did anyone see the movie, "Walking with the Clouds"? If so, this definition may remind you of an important scene in the movie.
Inarch: To graft a plant by uniting a growing branch to a stock without separating it from its parent stock; both continue growing independently. Word origin: This word dates back to early 17th century combining the words in + arch. I did not find a country of origin for this word. In fact, I found very little, so I took a quick internet journey over to see what Wikipedia might have.
Wikipedia showed only the term "inarch grafting" which redirected to the word grafting. Their description also added: "In most cases, one plant is selected for its roots and this is called the stock or rootstock. The other plant is selected for its stems, leaves, flowers, or fruits and is called the scion or cion."
As an individual who grew up in the Napa Valley and based on years of watching my Grandmother's creative gardening (she has roses that are very old!), I found the search for inarch to be quite enjoyable.
Finishing up this week, we have our two letter word. Today's word is xi.
Xi (or XI): The cardinal number that is the sum of ten plus one or/also the 14th letter of the Greek alphabet. (It is also the name of a river in China.) Plural version shown as xis. Word origin: 15th century; Greek from the word xei.
So there you have it! I hope you are growing your "vocab" or your scores ~ have a great week!
Sources: All definitions listed above were determined in part or entirety by researching definitions in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, The Free Dictionary by Farlex, or their online versions/websites. This week we also used information from Wikipedia.
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Words. Show all posts
Words for a Wednesday ~ February 8
Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Week Two!
Here are a few words to help you build your vocabulary and/or build your score in the games Scrabble or Words with Friends.
Our first word is brant. Does anyone know what this one is? I'm wondering if any hunters know...
Brant: A small goose about the size of a mallard having a black head, neck, and chest. These geese normally breed in Artic regions and spend winters along both coasts. The Brant along the Atlantic have light gray bellies, while those off the Pacific Coast have black bellies and were at one time considered a separate species. Word origin: 1535–45; short for brantgoose, brentgoose; akin to Old Norse brandgās, German Brandgans.
Our second word is tarn.
Tarn: The Free Dictionary by Farlex calls it "A small mountain lake, especially one formed by glaciers", while Merriam-Webster adds that it is a steep-banked (small mountain lake). Interesting variation. Word origin: Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse tjörn pool.
And finally, our third word is our two letter word for the week. How many times have you come across the word qi in a scrabble or word game? I've seen it (and used it) quite a bit. It can be worth a good number of points if strategically placed!
Qi: A variation of the word "chi". The circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent in all things; in traditional Chinese medicine the balance of negative and positive forms in the body, essential for good health. Qi/Chi is of central importance in some Eastern systems of medical treatment (as acupuncture) and of exercise or self-defense (as tai chi). Word origin: 1850; Chinese (Beijing) qì, literally, air, breath.
Sources: All definitions listed above were determined in part or entirety by researching definitions in the Encarta Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, The Free Dictionary by Farlex, or their online versions/websites. In addition, this week we used additional interesting information from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology online.
Here are a few words to help you build your vocabulary and/or build your score in the games Scrabble or Words with Friends.
Our first word is brant. Does anyone know what this one is? I'm wondering if any hunters know...
Brant: A small goose about the size of a mallard having a black head, neck, and chest. These geese normally breed in Artic regions and spend winters along both coasts. The Brant along the Atlantic have light gray bellies, while those off the Pacific Coast have black bellies and were at one time considered a separate species. Word origin: 1535–45; short for brantgoose, brentgoose; akin to Old Norse brandgās, German Brandgans.
Our second word is tarn.
Tarn: The Free Dictionary by Farlex calls it "A small mountain lake, especially one formed by glaciers", while Merriam-Webster adds that it is a steep-banked (small mountain lake). Interesting variation. Word origin: Scandinavian origin; related to Old Norse tjörn pool.
And finally, our third word is our two letter word for the week. How many times have you come across the word qi in a scrabble or word game? I've seen it (and used it) quite a bit. It can be worth a good number of points if strategically placed!
Qi: A variation of the word "chi". The circulating life energy that in Chinese philosophy is thought to be inherent in all things; in traditional Chinese medicine the balance of negative and positive forms in the body, essential for good health. Qi/Chi is of central importance in some Eastern systems of medical treatment (as acupuncture) and of exercise or self-defense (as tai chi). Word origin: 1850; Chinese (Beijing) qì, literally, air, breath.
Sources: All definitions listed above were determined in part or entirety by researching definitions in the Encarta Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Dictionary, The Free Dictionary by Farlex, or their online versions/websites. In addition, this week we used additional interesting information from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology online.
Words for a Wednesday ~ February 1
Wednesday, February 1, 2012
Week One!
Here are a few words to help you build your vocabulary and/or build your score in the games Scrabble or Words with Friends.
Our first word is platen. When I saw this played by an opponent in Words with Friends, I thought to myself, “Is that a real word?” Answer: yes indeed it is!
Platen: The roller in a typewriter or printer against which the type bar/print head strikes or the glass surface of a flatbed scanner. Word origin: from the French word platine, meaning metal plate. Who knew? (Did you?)
Our second word is woof. I’ll be honest. If that word was to come up in my house (currently), it would be safe to assume, it would be used in a playful way, creating the sounds of a dog barking (woof woof). However, there is a real meaning to the word!
Woof: woven fabric/the texture of a fabric or a basic or essential element or material.
Word origin: A combination of the Middle English word oof, from Old English ōwef, + wefan to weave.
And finally, our third word is a two letter word! (And might I add, worth a good number of points if strategically placed in a word game!).
Za: Slang for pizza. Word origin unknown. First known use circa 1970. (Note: I will add that I did find a bit of back and forth conversing online, debating whether or not there are additional definitions for this word, but at this time, all official dictionary/word sources showed only the definition mentioned here.)
Sources: All definitions listed above were determined in part or entirety by researching definitions in the Encarta, Merriam-Webster, and The Free Dictionary by Farlex, or their online versions/websites.
Here are a few words to help you build your vocabulary and/or build your score in the games Scrabble or Words with Friends.
Our first word is platen. When I saw this played by an opponent in Words with Friends, I thought to myself, “Is that a real word?” Answer: yes indeed it is!
Platen: The roller in a typewriter or printer against which the type bar/print head strikes or the glass surface of a flatbed scanner. Word origin: from the French word platine, meaning metal plate. Who knew? (Did you?)
Our second word is woof. I’ll be honest. If that word was to come up in my house (currently), it would be safe to assume, it would be used in a playful way, creating the sounds of a dog barking (woof woof). However, there is a real meaning to the word!
Woof: woven fabric/the texture of a fabric or a basic or essential element or material.
Word origin: A combination of the Middle English word oof, from Old English ōwef, + wefan to weave.
And finally, our third word is a two letter word! (And might I add, worth a good number of points if strategically placed in a word game!).
Za: Slang for pizza. Word origin unknown. First known use circa 1970. (Note: I will add that I did find a bit of back and forth conversing online, debating whether or not there are additional definitions for this word, but at this time, all official dictionary/word sources showed only the definition mentioned here.)
Sources: All definitions listed above were determined in part or entirety by researching definitions in the Encarta, Merriam-Webster, and The Free Dictionary by Farlex, or their online versions/websites.
Words With Friends - are you hooked?
Friday, January 27, 2012
It seems everyone is playing Words With Friends these days! Have you experienced it? Are you hooked?
Released in 2009 by Newtoy, Inc. (Now known as Zinga With Friends), Words With Friends is clearly one of the most popular and most talked about iPhone apps/games out there. Words is currently rated number three on the iTunes App Store’s Top 25 paid games list and has 3,904,088 “likes” on its Facebook Page, but moreover, friends everywhere are talking about Words With Friends!
148Apps.com Reviews calls it, “A must have for Scrabble Fans” and I agree. However, what I find comical is, even those who claim to hate playing the traditional Scrabble board game are hooked on this online game! Maybe it’s the friendly competition (one can have up to 20 games going at once), maybe it’s knowing there isn’t a rush to finish (the game waits, even if a player temporarily exits the app), or maybe it’s the convenience of being able to take it wherever (since most play on their phones). Whatever the reason is, people are loving this game!
Words is a Scrabble-like word building game that accepts 173,000 words for points. There are 104 tiles (breakdown below) and players may electronically shuffle their tiles for a new view, exchange tiles (even all at once) or pass on a turn (exchanging and passing earn zero points that round). It offers the same score building tiles such as double letter, double word, triple letter and triple word so players are always on the lookout for those available spaces.
Tile and point breakdown:
2 blank tiles - worth 0 points
E (13), A (9), I (8), O (8), T (7), R (6), S (5) - worth 1 point each
D (5), N (5), L (4), U (4) - worth 2 points each
H (4), G (3), Y (2) - worth 3 points each
B (2), C (2), F (2), M (2), P (2), W (2) - worth 4 points each
V (2), K (1) - worth 5 points each
X (1) - worth 8 points each
J (1), Q (1), Z (1) - worth 10 points each
To play Words, one must simply purchase an app or choose a free version (see options below) and download it to his or her preferred platform. Once the download is complete, players can quickly set up an account and choose a username. Then… game is on! One can choose to invite a friend to play using their username, play a “random” player, or log on to his or her Facebook account and play there.
As with many apps, there are occasional glitches or issues needing players to perform a recommended update or to restart their phone, but with the price being under one dollar, how serious can it be? Fans think it’s well worth the small price (financially and time-wise) to have to deal with an occasional issue.
I highly recommend Words With Friends. It’s enjoyable, competitive, and just plain FUN.
Helpful Words Links:
Ad-free for iPad or iPhone or iPod Touch $0.99 cents
Words with Friends Free with advertisementsWords with Friends Free Android MarketHelp and Support including a Learn to Play section
Words With Friends Facebook Page - “Like” the page for game news and friendly discussion and have the option to play from there as well. Be prepared to share some of your personal information, if you choose this option.
Here’s a little something extra to peek at for you techies out there. Words with Facebook: rocking a new kind of technology (with HTML5)
Finally, if you'd like to suggest a word for Words With Friends, click here!
Released in 2009 by Newtoy, Inc. (Now known as Zinga With Friends), Words With Friends is clearly one of the most popular and most talked about iPhone apps/games out there. Words is currently rated number three on the iTunes App Store’s Top 25 paid games list and has 3,904,088 “likes” on its Facebook Page, but moreover, friends everywhere are talking about Words With Friends!
148Apps.com Reviews calls it, “A must have for Scrabble Fans” and I agree. However, what I find comical is, even those who claim to hate playing the traditional Scrabble board game are hooked on this online game! Maybe it’s the friendly competition (one can have up to 20 games going at once), maybe it’s knowing there isn’t a rush to finish (the game waits, even if a player temporarily exits the app), or maybe it’s the convenience of being able to take it wherever (since most play on their phones). Whatever the reason is, people are loving this game!
Words is a Scrabble-like word building game that accepts 173,000 words for points. There are 104 tiles (breakdown below) and players may electronically shuffle their tiles for a new view, exchange tiles (even all at once) or pass on a turn (exchanging and passing earn zero points that round). It offers the same score building tiles such as double letter, double word, triple letter and triple word so players are always on the lookout for those available spaces.
Tile and point breakdown:
2 blank tiles - worth 0 points
E (13), A (9), I (8), O (8), T (7), R (6), S (5) - worth 1 point each
D (5), N (5), L (4), U (4) - worth 2 points each
H (4), G (3), Y (2) - worth 3 points each
B (2), C (2), F (2), M (2), P (2), W (2) - worth 4 points each
V (2), K (1) - worth 5 points each
X (1) - worth 8 points each
J (1), Q (1), Z (1) - worth 10 points each
To play Words, one must simply purchase an app or choose a free version (see options below) and download it to his or her preferred platform. Once the download is complete, players can quickly set up an account and choose a username. Then… game is on! One can choose to invite a friend to play using their username, play a “random” player, or log on to his or her Facebook account and play there.
As with many apps, there are occasional glitches or issues needing players to perform a recommended update or to restart their phone, but with the price being under one dollar, how serious can it be? Fans think it’s well worth the small price (financially and time-wise) to have to deal with an occasional issue.
I highly recommend Words With Friends. It’s enjoyable, competitive, and just plain FUN.
Helpful Words Links:
Ad-free for iPad or iPhone or iPod Touch $0.99 cents
Words with Friends Free with advertisementsWords with Friends Free Android MarketHelp and Support including a Learn to Play section
Words With Friends Facebook Page - “Like” the page for game news and friendly discussion and have the option to play from there as well. Be prepared to share some of your personal information, if you choose this option.
Here’s a little something extra to peek at for you techies out there. Words with Facebook: rocking a new kind of technology (with HTML5)
Finally, if you'd like to suggest a word for Words With Friends, click here!
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