# Word of the Week - Week 42 2015



## duncsuss (Oct 11, 2015)

When I mentioned that I had a few choice words for the former web hosting service, Henry invited me to take the reins this week. I couldn't let the opportunity to introduce some terms that William Shakespeare used to add a little spice to his dialogue. Never content to simply call somebody a scoundrel or knave, he would throw in an adjective or two (or three or four) to let the audience know which actor to target with their past-its-use-by-date produce.

First up: *pernicious* (adjective) 
1. causing insidious harm or ruin
2. deadly, fatal
3. evil, wicked

Second: *scambling* (adjective)
1. brawling, quarrelsome
2. carelessly done, makeshift, shoddy
3. irregularly spread out, scattered, rambling
4. awkwardly formed or executed

Third: *contumelious* (adjective)
1. (of behavior) scornful and insulting
2. insolent.

Thanks for sharing, Henry @SENC

Reactions: Like 2 | Great Post 1 | Funny 1


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## justallan (Oct 11, 2015)

I think I generally fit the bill on the first and third, but around here they just call me an A-hole.

Reactions: Funny 4


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## ripjack13 (Oct 11, 2015)

Duncan, in your scrambling to post up this weeks WotW it seems the number had been typed in wrong, So I fixed it to keep the pernicious Henry from becoming a lil contumelious...

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1 | Funny 1


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## SENC (Oct 11, 2015)

Great post! I have known and used pernicious, but scambling and contumelious are great additions! 

Allow me to try them in sentences:

@Tclem is a rather scambling human. (4th form, of course) 

I'm sure glad Matt was in charge of migration and propagation this weekend, rather than that contumelious little leprechaun.

Reactions: Thank You! 1 | Funny 3


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## duncsuss (Oct 11, 2015)

ripjack13 said:


> Duncan, in your scrambling to post up this weeks WotW it seems the number had been typed in wrong ...



Sorry -- thanks for fixing it. My scambling effort was indeed a result of my scramble to publish these Words of the Week.

Reactions: Like 1


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## duncsuss (Oct 11, 2015)

The Bard was quite fond of stringing several such adjectives together, wrapping up with a non-judgmental word like "whore-son" or "maggot". Try it out, I think you'll like it

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## David Hill (Oct 11, 2015)

Great words! Actually 2 that I use & the third will be.
Pernicious works for the condition that a few patients have--a truly evil anemia that has them scrambling between transfusions and medications. Contemelious is what some Docs have become trying to assimilate ICD 1o into their routine, causing them to scamble to complete charts in a timely manner.

Sorry just couldn't get them to work in my present woodworking environ.

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## duncsuss (Oct 11, 2015)

David Hill said:


> Great words! Actually 2 that I use & the third will be.



Note carefully the spelling of _scambling_ ... no 'r' in it, a different word than _scrambling_ 

_Prior to the Crimean War, field hospitals were a scambling assortment of tents, beds, and ditches. Though some Generals considered her attitude contumelious, Florence Nightingale brought order and method to the treatment of soldiers wounded in battle, reducing the pernicious effects of secondary infections._

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## David Hill (Oct 11, 2015)

@duncsuss thanks!
fixed! although both words fit well there.
amazing what the mind and spell check "see"

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