Fun With Webster

As a high school student, I was often accused, in an ambiguous way, of being a word-monger. While my friends were out cruising Wal-Mart parking lot, I was usually at home, "cuddled up with a good dictionary." As mundane as that may sound, it did have its brighter moments. I broke away from Webster long enough to write in my journal, but noticed that much of what I wrote was mindless drivel. So-- That in mind, I opened up that linguistic little goldmine, and searched for the word "drivel."

DRIVEL- 1. To talk stupidly and carelessly. 2. To waste or fritter away in a childish fashion....

Which led me to:

Fritter- [which was put off momentarily to read "frippery-" (no, not "be careful of the ice, its frippery") but: Cast off clothes, trifling, tawdry].

FRITTER- 1. To spend or waste, bit by bit, on trifles, or without commensurate return. So what the heck was "commensurate"!?

COMMENSURATE- 1. Equal in measure or extent. Oh, I knew that!")

Okay, I could stop there. I knew what "equal" was, what "measure" was, and what "extent" was. But then I couldn't remember what the original bloody word was!

And what was I talking about? Oh. Yeah. Mindless Drivel.

MINDLESS- 1. Destitute of mind or consciousness.

Which led me to:

DESTITUTE- 1. Lacking something needed or desirable.

And then, realizing this little game could continue indefinately, it made me a bit of a loon, and I nearly detonated altogether...of course, if one detonates, one can't very well be "altogether" can one?

Yours in linguistics,
Jae

Fun With Webster