The Challenging Word Tag

Part One

The Words and Guesses 

1)ashram (AHSH rum) a metal implement for stirring up the hot coals and ash of a fire

2)bicameral (bye KAM ur ul) a double-lensed camera

3)chiaroscuro (kyah ruh SKYOOR oh) a kind of pasta

4)dap (dap) when you are tapping something with an object, and the accidentally drop the object you have "dapped" whatever surface you dropped the object onto.

5)ex post facto (eks post FAK toh) "after the facts," in other words, "in light of the evidence" perhaps it is a phrase commonly used in court :-)

6)floccinaucinihilipilification --yes this is a real word!-- (floks ee nos ee nih hil ee pil ih fih KAY shun)I have no guess for this one; all I can say is it must have been made up by someone with way too much time on their hands.  I mean, honestly, think how much time it takes just to say the word. 

7)gyre (jire) an instrument similar to a lyre but shaped a bit differently

8)horripilation (ho rip uh LAY shun) it refers to when a shiver runs down your spine

9)izzat (IZ ut) the sound produced by an alien ray gun

10)jehu (JEE hyooh) it is a contraction of the two words "gee" and "you" when spoken very quickly.  For example "Jehu (or gee, you) didn't know the word "jehu" stands for gee, you?" 

11)kinesics (kih NEE siks) the scince of dogs (or the science of "K9s")

12)Lustrum (LUS trum) the noun form of the word lustrus--it describes a kind of shiny light.

The Real Definitions:

1)Ashram: A Hindi word meaning: "a hermitage, religious retreat, place for religous instruction or excercise."

2)Bicameral: Derived from Latin.  It is "a term used to describe a legislative system consisting of two houses, an upper and lower, like the Senate amd the House of Representatives, which together constitute the U.S. Congress."

3)Chiaroscuro: Derived from Latin.  It is "the use and effect of gradations of light and shade in a picture, esp. when there is a pronounced contrast."

4)Dap: From Middle English.  Meaning "to fish by letting bait bob up and down on the surface of the water."

5)Ex post facto: A Latin phrase meaning "retroactive;" lit. translated as "from something done later."

6)Floccinaucinihilipilification: This word exists solemnly in British English dictionaries; it is a jocular concoction of Latin nouns, and it means "trifle" or "nothing." 

7)Gyre: From Greek and Latin, meaning "a ring, a cirle, or a circular or spiral turn or movement."

8)Horripilation: From Latin, meaning "gooseflesh, the bristleing of one's skin produced by fright or horror or just extreme cold."  (In other words "goose bumps.")

9)Izzat: From Hindi, Persian, and Arabic, meaning "personal dignity, honor, self-respect, prestige, credit,or reputation."

10)Jehu: Derived from a Biblical discription of king Jehu, and means a fast driver; (according to 2 Kings 9:20 "...[Jehu] driveth furiously,").

11)Kinesics: From Greek, meaning "the study of body language, body movements and gestures as a method of communication without speech."

12)Lustrum: From Latin, meaning "a period of five years."

I tag the first four people who comment.  (Anyone elso who would like to do this tag is welcome to as well.)

Voila; c'est finis.

~Ariel