Astragal

[slemslempike]

I used to write down new-to-me words when I encountered them in books to look up later, and sometimes posted lists of what I had learned. I've sort of fallen out of the habit, but recently I learned the words "architrave" - the horiztonal top of the frame around a door or window - and "astragal", which is the bit on a pair of doors that overlaps one to the other, so they have to be closed in a specific order. I really like these words, but I don't think I'll get to use them often, which is why I'm posting. We have astragals at work, actually, but there's never really any need to talk about them. I draw the line at trapping my fingers so that if asked what happened I can say it happened in an astragal. Anyone learned any words recently?

Comments

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

I learned an alternative word for a horse's ankle bone, which I promptly forgot again. It was a melifluous word but presumably not one I'll need to use regularly.

[sam-t.livejournal.com]

I knew architrave but not astragal (which sounds rather nautical, I think), so thankyou for that one. I must have learnt some new words recently but I can't think of them, which is rather sad.

When I was writing software for breweries I learnt 'ullage', which sounds like it ought to be a mediaeval tax but in fact means 'beer which ends up not being sold to a customer' - usually used more specifically as 'some of an opened barrel of beer which a landlord has sent back because it seems to have gone off before its sell-by date and which we therefore need to test to see if we really do need to provide a refund'.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Oh, I like ullage. It is very satisfying to say.

Astragal does sound nautical. When I googled for it it was quite specific about shapes and the like, but my dad is in construction and says they use it more broadly there.

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

Helpful! ;)

[spiralsheep.livejournal.com]

;-P

[yiskah.livejournal.com]

Does it count as an astragal if it's a car door? Cause I ACTUALLY DID trap my finger in one of those a couple of days ago!

I have finally retained the knowledge of what 'synecdoche' means (I'm sure I've looked it up several times and instantly forgot the meaning).

[slemslempike.livejournal.com]

I think it should count! Well done on your injury.

I like the word synecdoche. I have just about retained the knowledge of the difference between synecdoche and metonym, which pleases me.

[sierra-le-oli.livejournal.com]

I used astragal this evening and am far too pleased about it. Thank you. :)

(It had injured itself, not me!)