35 Fossil Words

35 Fossil Words 35 Fossil Words 35 Fossil Words By Mark Nichol Some of the most intriguing words in the English language are what linguists call fossil words, so named because they are artifacts from another era and survive only in isolated usage. Here is a list of some of our language’s fossil words with definitions and the idiomatic phrases in which they appear: 1. Ado: bother over unimportant details (â€Å"without further ado† or, more rarely, â€Å"much ado about nothing†) 2. Amok (or amuck): in an uncontrolled manner (â€Å"run amok†) 3. Bandy: hit, pass, or toss around, or discuss lightly or employ off-handedly (â€Å"bandy about†); bowed (â€Å"bandy-legged†) 4. Bated: restrained or deducted (â€Å"wait with bated breath†) 5. Batten: lumber for flooring or for sealing or strengthening a joint or a flexible object such as a sail (â€Å"board and batten†); to provide or fasten with battens, or to fasten (â€Å"batten down the hatches†) 6. Beck: summons (â€Å"at (one’s) beck and call†) 7. Bygones: what has passed or is in the past (â€Å"let bygones be bygones†) 8. Craw: stomach or crop (â€Å"sticks in (one’s) craw†) 9. Deserts: excellence or worth, or what is deserved or merited (â€Å"just deserts†) 10. Dint: force or power (â€Å"by (sheer) dint of†) 11. Dudgeon: indignation (â€Å"high dudgeon†) 12. Eke: accomplish or get with difficulty (â€Å"eke out†) 13. Fettle: state of health or fitness (â€Å"in fine fettle†) 14. Fro: away or back (â€Å"to and fro†) 15. Hale: sound or very healthy (â€Å"hale and hearty†) 16. Hither: near or adjacent, or to this place (â€Å"hither and yon†) 17. Immemorial: before memory or tradition (â€Å"time immemorial†) 18. Jetsam: what is cast overboard from a ship (â€Å"flotsam and jetsam†) distinguished from flotsam, a word denoting what floats from the wreckage of a ship (that term is used elsewhere than in the phrase â€Å"flotsam and jetsam† and so is not listed separately here) 19. Ken: range of knowledge, perception, or understanding, or view or range of vision (â€Å"beyond (one’s) ken†) 20. Kith: friends, neighbors, or relatives (â€Å"kith and kin†) 21. Loggerhead: blockhead (â€Å"at loggerheads,† meaning blocked, or stalled, by stubbornness); also, a type of turtle 22. Mettle: quality, or vigor or strength of, temperament (â€Å"test (one’s) mettle†) 23. Neap: a weak tide (â€Å"neap tide†) 24. Offing: the near future (â€Å"in the offing†); also, the deep ocean as seen from the shore 25. Petard: a container of explosives for breaching or breaking a barrier (â€Å"hoist by (one’s) petard†) 26. Shebang: everything that is pertinent (â€Å"the whole shebang†) 27. Shrift: confession (â€Å"short shrift,† with the idea that a condemned person is given little time to confess sins) 28. Sleight: stratagem, dexterity (â€Å"sleight of hand†) 29. Thither: more remote, or to that place (â€Å"hither and thither†) 30. Turpitude: depravity (â€Å"moral turpitude†) 31. Ulterior: beyond what is openly expressed (â€Å"ulterior motive†); also, farther, or more distant, or what is on the farther side 32. Vim: robustness (â€Å"vim and vigor†) 33. Wreak: bring about or cause (â€Å"wreak havoc†) 34. Wrought: manufactured, ornamented, or shaped, or excited (â€Å"wrought iron†) 35. Yore: the far past (â€Å"days of yore†) Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:50 Idioms About Legs, Feet, and Toes15 Types of DocumentsConversational Email

Dealing With Woodpecker and Sapsucker Tree Issues

Dealing With Woodpecker and Sapsucker Tree Issues Many woodpeckers and sapsuckers are tree bark-feeding birds with unique clinging feet, long tongues, and specialized beaks. These beaks are designed to help with communicating the possession of territory to rivals and locating and accessing sap and  insects. This is done mostly by rapid drumming  and pecking noisily on tree trunks with their beaks. There is a big difference between the two birds. Sapsuckers Versus Woodpeckers The insect-eating woodpecker (family Picidae) has a long tongue - in many cases as long as the woodpecker itself - that can be quickly extended forward to capture insects from the inner and outer bark. Woodpeckers explore decaying cavities on trees and spots that have active insect activity. Woodpeckers tend to feed only on dead or dying wood and are generally considered harmless to a tree.  They do not feed on  tree sap  like their sap-sucking cousins, which can seriously damage trees.   You can tell the difference between the birds that have been visiting your trees by the holes they leave behind.  Sapsuckers have a tendency to  form lots of small holes in horizontal lines. This allows for sap to flow out when they are feeding. Meanwhile, the holes left behind by woodpeckers are larger and can be found in different spots up and down a tree.   The sapsucker is a serious tree pest. The most common sapsucker in North America, also the most destructive, is the American yellow-bellied sapsucker. The bird is one of four true sapsuckers in the family Sphyrapicus.   The American yellow-bellied sapsucker can attack, kill trees, and seriously degrade wood quality. Sapsuckers are migratory and can affect different tree and shrub species on a seasonal basis throughout eastern North America.  It spends summers in Canada and the northeastern United States and migrates to the southern states in the winter. Trees in Danger Certain tree species, like birch and maple, are particularly susceptible to death after being damaged by yellow-bellied sapsuckers. Wood decay, stain fungi, and bacteria may enter through the feeding holes. A USFS study concludes that when a red maple has been fed on by a sapsucker, its mortality rate goes up to 40 percent. Gray birch is even higher, at a 67 percent mortality rate. Hemlock and spruce trees are other food  favorites but seem more impervious to sapsucker damage. The death rate for these trees is at one to three percent. How a Woodpecker Feeds A woodpecker searches the surfaces of tree trunks and branches for wood-boring beetles, carpenter ants, and other insects. The pecking style they use for feeding is very different than their territorial drumming, which is done mainly in the spring of the year. When looking for insects, only a few pecks at a time are made. Then, the bird explores the resulting hole with its specialized bill and tongue. This behavior continues until an insect is found or the bird is satisfied that one is not there. The woodpecker may hop a few inches away and peck at another place. The bark holes created by this feeding activity often occur randomly  as the bird explores with pecking up, down, and around a tree trunk. This pecking style, for the most part, does not harm the tree. However, it can be a problem when a bird decides to visit wood siding, wooden eaves, and window frames. Woodpeckers can become destructive to property, especially wood cabins that are near mixed urban and woodland zones. How a Sapsucker Feeds Sapsuckers attack living wood to get at the sap inside. They often return to the tree to increase the size of the holes for more, fresh sap. Insects, especially those attracted to the sweet sap exuding from sap holes, are often captured and fed to the young during the breeding season. Repeated attacks of feeding  sapsuckers  can kill a tree by  girdling,  which occurs when a ring of bark around the trunk is severely injured.   In the United States, yellow-bellied sapsuckers are listed and protected under the  Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Taking, killing, or possessing this species is illegal without a permit. How to Repel Sapsuckers To discourage sapsuckers from feeding on your yard  tree, wrap hardware cloth or burlap around the area of attack. To protect buildings and other outside personal property,  place lightweight plastic bird-type netting over the area. Visual control using  toy plastic twirlers  fastened to the eaves, aluminum foil, or brightly-colored plastic strips are somewhat successful in  repelling birds by movement and reflection. Loud noises can also help but may be inconvenient to maintain over an extended period of time.   You can also smear on a sticky repellent.  Deer repellent  is also said to discourage feeding when sprayed on the tapped area. Remember that birds may choose another nearby tree for future tapping. It may be better to sacrifice the tapped and already damaged tree in favor of the loss of another tree due to future tapping damage. Source Rushmore, Francis M. Sapsucker. U.S.D.A. Forest Service Research Paper NE-136, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 1969.

Introduction to the Framers of the Constitution Research Paper

Introduction to the Framers of the Constitution - Research Paper Example Limited government is the key approach of doing away with the abuse of power. It is impossible for the government to work and serve citizens with unlimited power. Thomas Jefferson states â€Å"That government is best which governs the least because its people discipline themselves†. This is why there is the creation of a limited government with guidelines on how ought to act (Hanson, 22). A government that is limited has a positive effect on society. One is that it is less expensive compared to unlimited government. The less the citizens look at the government to solve their issues, the less tax they have to pay. It is the citizens who pay for programs like salaries and benefits of employees (Kelman, 49). A limited government lowers the waste, inefficiency, and fraud. It is hard to keep track of what goes on when there are so many agencies. Bureaucracy makes the thing run slow, accountability lacks and having many agencies, commissions and departments lead to duplication of services, which sometimes are not necessary (Samples, 192). A limited government sees the value of economic and individual freedom. Having a less government power means there is less intrusion into the lives of citizens. The more the freedom from government regulations, the more choices people can be able to make at a personal and economic level. People are able to live their life the way they see fit and not what the government thinks is fit (Samples, 195). Another positive effect is that a limited government offers freedom in the marketplaces. The less there is government participation in the market, the more businesses thrive and make an innovative and competitive atmosphere. Innovation and competition are the key drivers of consumer freedom, offering goods at all prices.  Ã‚  

The effects of advertising on children Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

The effects of advertising on children - Essay Example This "The Effects of Advertising on Children" essay outlines the impact of the ad on the children, their behavior, eating disorders and bad habits. Almost all food and beverage companies are using television advertisements aiming to target the children. (McGinnis et al., 2006) These advertisements include: TV commercials, product placement, and character licensing in order to persuade children to consume low nutrient foods with more high calories, sugar, salt, and fattening foods like cereals, hamburgers, French fries, pizza, and hot dogs among others. Mc Donald’s, KFC, and Burger King are only some of the companies that widely use advertisements on TV, billboards, and even on the newspaper. Some of these kids also hear these advertisements on the radio. Advertisers have a convincing way of making fast food advertisements look extremely delicious and appetizing. On the other hand, fast food companies know how to make their food taste better by adding high sugar, salt, and fat contents. (Well, n.d.) The combination of television, radio, and print advertisements together with the good tastes of these foods make children crave for more each day. Unconsciously, fast food restaurants become the brand and food preferences of these children. Thus, affecting their health negatively. Based on a research study, there is a possible correlation between childhood obesity and sugary foods advertisements on the television. Another study shows that fast-food consumption is strongly associated with the sudden increase in weight and insulin resistance.

Nationalism Essay -- Politics, Political Process, China

Nationalism is a term used to define the sense of belonging among the people living in a nation. In general terms, it is what makes a nation, different components assembling the political process. Unionizing a nation and welcoming the people as being part of it in exchange for political loyalty is a form of nationalism. It can be used for liberation, popular sovereignty, economic development, and self-worth. Yet it can also be used to diminish the self-worth of the nation and the people itself creating ethnic and national superiority among the prestigious. This differs among various nations, emphasizing and focusing on China, India and Japan. The composition and size of a population varies from country to country and it’s an important component when nationalism because it makes-up it’s political process. The population can effect the political decisions and the government’s ability to provide the needs of the people living in that nation (Charlton, 2010, 21). In India, the population is rapidly increasing specifically in cities in which they are becoming developed due to the reproduction of its residents and migration from rural areas. Many leave their villages to increase their opportunities to provide for their families and themselves although some end up living in slums and on the sidewalks (Charlton, 2010, 23). Even though this may be the case, many Indian citizens still reside in their rural communities. The distribution in India throughout its regions and states is one factor of nationalism. Some areas are more populated than others due to the biological conditions such as that formation of land and weather which plays a role among farming systems, family structures and regional cuisines (Charlton, 2010, 51). Another reas... ..., making them inferior and unequal to men. Women have recently began taking the roles of bring revenue to the households. Women have also taken leadership in certain departments that contribute to the economic growth of the nation (Charlton, 2010, 80). The involvement of women within the Japanese society has taken a great toll, improving living standards and demographic changes. This has decline the rate of marriage as well as the birth of children. Although traditional customs of gender and adapted customs from abroad are conflated, Japan is still trying to create gender equality. Even though this may be the case, Japan is still among the lowest ranked throughout worldwide in gender inequality. Women still haven’t been given the authority to take control of political tasks, therefore suggesting that gender inequality still exists in Japan (Charlton, 2010, 80). Nationalism Essay -- Politics, Political Process, China Nationalism is a term used to define the sense of belonging among the people living in a nation. In general terms, it is what makes a nation, different components assembling the political process. Unionizing a nation and welcoming the people as being part of it in exchange for political loyalty is a form of nationalism. It can be used for liberation, popular sovereignty, economic development, and self-worth. Yet it can also be used to diminish the self-worth of the nation and the people itself creating ethnic and national superiority among the prestigious. This differs among various nations, emphasizing and focusing on China, India and Japan. The composition and size of a population varies from country to country and it’s an important component when nationalism because it makes-up it’s political process. The population can effect the political decisions and the government’s ability to provide the needs of the people living in that nation (Charlton, 2010, 21). In India, the population is rapidly increasing specifically in cities in which they are becoming developed due to the reproduction of its residents and migration from rural areas. Many leave their villages to increase their opportunities to provide for their families and themselves although some end up living in slums and on the sidewalks (Charlton, 2010, 23). Even though this may be the case, many Indian citizens still reside in their rural communities. The distribution in India throughout its regions and states is one factor of nationalism. Some areas are more populated than others due to the biological conditions such as that formation of land and weather which plays a role among farming systems, family structures and regional cuisines (Charlton, 2010, 51). Another reas... ..., making them inferior and unequal to men. Women have recently began taking the roles of bring revenue to the households. Women have also taken leadership in certain departments that contribute to the economic growth of the nation (Charlton, 2010, 80). The involvement of women within the Japanese society has taken a great toll, improving living standards and demographic changes. This has decline the rate of marriage as well as the birth of children. Although traditional customs of gender and adapted customs from abroad are conflated, Japan is still trying to create gender equality. Even though this may be the case, Japan is still among the lowest ranked throughout worldwide in gender inequality. Women still haven’t been given the authority to take control of political tasks, therefore suggesting that gender inequality still exists in Japan (Charlton, 2010, 80).

The Killer Angels: an Inside Look at the Battle of Gettysburg

The Killer Angels: An Inside Look at the Battle of Gettysburg The Killer Angels written by Michael Shaara, is a historical fiction novel that describes in great detail the events that took place during the battle of Gettysburg. In the forward we are given an in depth view of each of the main characters and key figures of the battle. For instance, we are told that that General Robert Edward Lee is an honest man with no vices who does not believe in slavery, he is also suffering from heart trouble. He leads the confederate army. And then we have Colonel Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain who has a brother, Thomas, who serves in the Twentieth Maine as an aide to his brother. The story begins on June 29th, 1863 with the introduction of a spy for the Confederate army. He comes to General Longstreet with information about the whereabouts of the Union army, who to Longstreet’s surprise, are nearby. This causes the Confederate army to reposition at Gettysburg. The battle begins on July 1st when the Confederates attack some of the Union army in the hills nearby Gettysburg. General Lee believes that the Confederates should be able to win this battle and engages the union armies utilizing varying tactics, he attacks the Union army’s left and right flanks and then attempts to divide they’re central strength to win the battle that way. But this method fails, the Union Army gained the upper hand when during the first day of battle they retreated and secured most of the higher ground giving them a fatal advantage. The story mainly follows the Confederates and General Lee as the protagonist, and it tells us what went wrong for them during this battle. We are given a detailed depiction of war tactics used during this time, and how the Union Army was able to win the battle by taking a defensive position on the higher hills of Gettysburg. The fact that the Union Army had higher ground coincides with the weapons that were utilized by both armies. Because the key losses that occurred took place when Chamberlain’s men ran out of ammunition and were successful only by charging their enemy with bayonets and when Pickett’s men attempted to charge the center strength of the Union army, I would say that momentum and visibility were key factors in a battle with the weapons that were available to them. It is also apparent that Lee’s heart problems seem to be affecting his decision- making throughout the story. Perhaps he has become more foolhardy with his own mortality so tangible. The amount of death and losses that the Confederates suffer seem to echo the thoughts he has of himself. It becomes quite apparent that the Confederate army will fail after General Longstreet’s continual insistence that they should swing southeast towards Washington, D. C. and take a defensive position. If General Lee had heeded Longstreet’s advice, perhaps the Confederate Army could have won the Civil War. In conclusion, The Killer Angels is a book that uses great detail and epic dialogue to describe the events that took place at the battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. It gives us a closer look at the tactics and strategies utilized by our forefathers during that time period and not only allows us a glimpse of the personalities of some of the key leaders of the Civil War but shows us how these personalities influenced this battle.

The Causes of Poverty in the United States - Free Essay Example

Sample details Pages: 3 Words: 993 Downloads: 8 Date added: 2019/04/16 Category Society Essay Level High school Tags: Poverty Essay Did you like this example? Even though the U.S. is arguably the richest country in the world, a considerable part of its population suffers from the problem of poverty. The current paper explores the causes of such poverty. It is demonstrated that there exists a variety of contributory causes that together frequently lead the poor to preserving their socioeconomic status quo or becoming even poorer. One of the significant causes of poverty is the lack of access to college education. Generally speaking, the access to higher education is restricted to individuals who come from the middle socioeconomic class or higher, which is due to high tuition costs that colleges and universities charge. Although there is a possibility of gaining a loan to pay ones tuition, it is difficult to impossible to obtain such a loan for a representative of the lower socioeconomic class, since the loan-providing organizations are frequently unwilling to trust them to pay their debts. As a result, it becomes practically impossible for these individuals to obtain high-quality education, which means that they are generally restricted to unskilled jobs. Don’t waste time! Our writers will create an original "The Causes of Poverty in the United States" essay for you Create order Naturally, the low wages for the persons selling their unskilled or low-skill labor constitute another contributing cause to the problem of poverty in the United States. While prices continue to grow constantly as part of inflation, the salaries of low-skilled workers rarely follow. In addition, there is such a problem as structural unemployment (Harvey 10-16); due to the ongoing globalization, many businesses choose to use offshore labor that is more cost-efficient (in other words, cheaper) and transfer their manufacturing facilities to other countries. As a consequence, there is a dearth of low-skilled jobs in the U.S., and those few positions that are available are not well-paid and do not propose any social benefits. Because of this, unskilled workers, even if they manage to find a job, rarely manage to make enough money to cover all their expenses. In addition, there is another problem that contributes to poverty in the United States of America, namely, the lack of affordable housing, as well as the generally high expenses related to housing. This problem is especially severe for those who do not have a place to live of their own. The high costs of rent consume a significant part of their salaries, and they have little money left to cover food, health care expenses, childbearing costs, and so on. In this population, single mothers perhaps suffer the most, being subjected to a high probability of not having an appropriate place to live. When it comes to those who own a house, an apartment, or other type of real estate, the high housing bills still consume a significant part of their salary; furthermore, if they are faced with unemployment, paying the bills becomes nearly impossible, and these individuals face the possibility of losing their home. After that, the chances of their finding employment plummet down even more, and the re is little hope left for them to find some other housing and job, and return to the normal life without significant external assistance. Another issue plaguing those of low socioeconomic class is the extremely high expenses associated with health care (DeNavas-Walt et al. 22-28). Low-skilled jobs rarely, if ever, come with a social package, and the need to cover a wide array of other expenses deprive individuals employed at such jobs of the possibility to purchase medical insurance. It is clear that paying for health care services out-of-pocket is also rarely an option for these people. As a result, these people tend to be deprived of an opportunity to use medical services, and often have poor health, which further restricts their access to employment. While the market economy continues to harm the poor in a variety of ways, such as the market-driven globalization and the resulting structural unemployment, high tuition costs, and unaffordable housing and health care services, the government also fails to protect the representatives of the lower class from the hardships they are forced to endure, instead exacerbating the situation further. For instance, the government may engage in the distribution of wealth from the poor to the rich, e.g., by levying sales tax on consumer goods and providing various types of subsidies for large businesses. It is also paramount that there is a lack of welfare programs in the U.S., or programs that are aimed at providing adequate employment for the poor. In contrast, the criminalization of poverty also takes place (Geraghty 195; Reiman and Leighton 118-132). The cancellation of welfare programs is often followed by increases in the prison population, which is due to the fact that the poor who are une mployed have no way to make money honestly, and are forced to engage in crime to survive. This means that the costs to fund welfare programs are effectively redirected to funding prisons. In addition, the U.S. penal system often tends to convict poor for other minor misconducts, and their inability to pay high fines frequently leads to imprisonment (Geraghty 198-201). In this respect, it should be noted that the U.S. has the largest prison population in the world (National Research Council 335). Clearly, these phenomena may be considered a failure of the government to address the problem of poverty (Reiman and Leighton 11-25). All in all, it should be stressed that a considerable part of the U.S. population suffers from poverty that may be attributed to a number of causes which contribute to the impossibility of the poor to overcome their hardships. Such causes include the lack of access to college education, low wages for the unskilled labor, the dearth of affordable housing, expensive health care, as well as the failure of the government to deal with the problem of poverty (which includes the criminalization of poverty, the cancellation of social welfare programs, and the distribution of income from the poor to the rich). These causes need to be addressed if the problem of poverty in the U.S. is to be overcome.