To reef a sail, roll it up on itself and bundle the material along a boom or mast. This reduces its effective area, which, apparently, proves useful in high winds. I learned of this word in the Friday NY Times Crossword Puzzle of December 1, 2023. Reefing reduces the area of a sail, usually by folding or …
Author Archives: Michael
Fantods
The creeps. I saw it in the Sunday NY Times Crossword Puzzle of January 22. a state of extreme nervousness or restlessness; the willies; the fidgets (usually preceded by the) “Definition of Fantod.” In Dictionary.Com, n.d. https://www.dictionary.com/browse/fantods.
Trypophobia
“Trypophobia brings on feelings of disgust or fear when you see patterns with lots of holes. Sunflowers, honeycombs, sponges and seedy fruits can cause this response.”
George Will and Armor Against Evidence
“The scary sincerity of the unhinged whose delusions armor them against evidence.”
Hazel Scott
I am not sure why Hazel Scott was never on my radar, but today’s Candorville comic let me know about her. Scott was a virtuosa classical and jazz pianist (YouTube) who also fought for civil rights and against McCarthyism (Wikipedia).
Ahab and a Post-Decapitation Whale Head
“thou has dived the deepest…. Where unrecorded names and navies rust, and untold hopes and anchors rot; where in her murderous hold this frigate earth is ballasted with bones of millions of the drowned.”
Darbies
“Clap the darbies on me.”
Ult, Inst, and Prox
“With reference to yours of the 14th ultimo”
Cruft
Definition of cruft.
Open Casket Job
“He probably wouldn’t have been an open casket job even if he’d reached his natural expiration date.”