New word

topic posted Thu, June 18, 2009 - 12:44 PM by  DuckAmuck
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I learned a new word today… abstemious.

Turns out, it's a very fitting word for me to know. I am very abstemious. I used to just call myself "square." Now I can use a bigger word and impress people with my knowledge of words.

w00t.
posted by:
DuckAmuck
Illinois
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  • Re: New word

    Thu, June 18, 2009 - 12:57 PM
    according to my source (Wiktionary) abstemious and square (in the slang sense) AREN'T the same thing at all. abstemious describes someone who practices moderation. a square is a lockstep conformist dullard.
    • Re: New word

      Thu, June 18, 2009 - 1:04 PM
      YOU try being the only sober at a party – all the time – and see what the other party folks think of you.

      I say I'm abstemious because I do enjoy a margarita or two every other month, roughly.
      They say I'm square because I only enjoy a margarita or two every other month. And don't smoke anything fun.
    • Re: New word

      Fri, June 19, 2009 - 3:46 AM
      My first thought is that it would relate to abstaining, which would be not doing anything at all, rather than moderation.

      However, I checked dictionary.com and they show the following options to be either moderate or abstaining completely.

      ab⋅ste⋅mi⋅ous  /æbˈstimiəs/ Show Spelled Pronunciation [ab-stee-mee-uhs] Show IPA
      –adjective 1. sparing or moderate in eating and drinking; temperate in diet.
      2. characterized by abstinence: an abstemious life.
      3. sparing: an abstemious diet.


      --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Origin:
      1615–25; < L abstēmius, equiv. to abs- abs- + tēm- (base of tēmētum intoxicating drink) + -ius -ious

      Related forms:

      ab⋅ste⋅mi⋅ous⋅ly, adverb
      ab⋅ste⋅mi⋅ous⋅ness, noun


      Synonyms:
      ascetic, abstinent, temperate, nonindulgent.

      Dictionary.com Unabridged
      Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
      • Re: New word

        Sun, June 21, 2009 - 7:52 PM
        As soon as I read the word,"abstemious", I immediatly thought, "ascetic," Need I say more?
        • Re: New word

          Mon, June 22, 2009 - 11:30 AM
          heh… that was kinda my point when I said I used to call myself "square."

          I have more fun hanging out with drunks than with actually being drunk…
          • Em
            Em
            offline 12

            Re: New word

            Sun, June 28, 2009 - 5:14 PM
            I agree. A New Years Eve party and I was the designated, I never laughed so hard. I also made a note to myself of how idiotic I must also be when drunk. The best part was that I've never been such a hit, they thought everything I said was laugh out loud funny. It wasn't. Must be why comics perform after 9:00PM in bars...musicians too, come to think of it.

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