As I was saying in part one……..We all remember this famous quote from Forest Gump……my box of chocolates is filled with words.. …….NEW words which I have never heard before. They roll around on my tongue like a chocolate cherry cream out of my box of sweets. Here are some of my favorite words that I especially like because of their history …..
‘to be Masted‘: Traditionally, on a naval vessel, (when all vessels were wind-driven) the captain would stand at the main mast of that vessel when holding mast. The crew, who by custom did not speak with the captain, could speak to him directly at these times.
It also refers to the naval punishment of tying a sailor to a mast and lashing him with a whip. In today’s Navy, this treatment has been modified to a tongue ‘lashing’. In today’s naval tradition, ‘to be masted’ is a non-judicial punishment, wherein a disciplinary hearing is held and a commanding officer studies and disposes of cases involving those in his command.
Fortalice: A small fortress. A small castle-like fort. Many castles were built with defense as a first priority when choosing the location and the architecture of the structure.
Posit: to place, put or set. that which is posted. to lay down or assume as a fact. (The mother of ‘posting’ in today’s cyber-world?)
Machinate/Machinations: to contrive or devise artfully or with evil purpose. Crafty schemes, plots, intrigues.
I’ll be ‘positing’ more to this series of favorite words. Feel free to send me some of yours!!