Steve Martin Standing Up Flashcards
soubrette
sou•brette (so͞o‑brĕt′)
n.
1.
a. A saucy, coquettish, intriguing maidservant in comedies or comic opera.
b. An actress or a singer taking such a part.
2. A young woman regarded as flirtatious or frivolous.
French, from Provençal soubreto, feminine of soubret, conceited, from soubra, to leave aside, from Old Provençal sobrar, to be excessive, from Latin superāre, from super, above; see uper in Indo-European roots.
mimeograph
mim•e•o•graph (mĭm′ē‑ə‑grăf′)
n.
1. A duplicator that makes copies of written, drawn, or typed material from a stencil that is fitted around an inked drum.
2. A copy made by this method of duplication.
❖ v. mim•e•o•graphed, mim•e•o•graph•ing, mim•e•o•graphs
v. tr.
To make (copies) on a mimeograph.
❖ v.intr.
To use a mimeograph.
Originally a trademark.
epistemology
e•pis•te•mol•o•gy (ĭ‑pĭs′tə‑mŏl′ə‑jē)
n.
The branch of philosophy that studies the nature of knowledge, its presuppositions and foundations, and its extent and validity.
Greek epistēmē, knowledge (from epistasthai, epistē-, to understand: epi-, epi- + histasthai, middle voice of histanai, to place, determine; see stā- in Indo-European roots) + -logy.
e•pis′te•mo•log′i•cal (-mə-lŏj′ĭ-kəl) adj.
e•pis′te•mo•log′i•cal•ly adv.
e•pis′te•mol′o•gist n.
ontology
on•tol•o•gy (ŏn‑tŏl′ə‑jē)
n.
The branch of metaphysics that deals with the nature of being.
on•tol′o•gist n.
pragmatism
prag•ma•tism (prăg′mə‑tĭz′əm)
n.
1. Philosophy A movement consisting of varying but associated theories, originally developed by Charles S. Peirce and William James and distinguished by the doctrine that the meaning of an idea or a proposition lies in its observable practical consequences.
2. A practical, matter-of-fact way of approaching or assessing situations or of solving problems.
existentialism
ex•is•ten•tial•ism (ĕg′zĭ‑stĕn′shə‑lĭz′əm, ĕk′sĭ‑)
n.
A philosophy that emphasizes the uniqueness and isolation of the individual experience in a hostile or indifferent universe, regards human existence as unexplainable, and stresses freedom of choice and responsibility for the consequences of one’s acts.
syllogism
syl•lo•gism (sĭl′ə‑jĭz′əm)
n.
1. Logic A form of deductive reasoning consisting of a major premise, a minor premise, and a conclusion; for example, All humans are mortal, the major premise, I am a human, the minor premise, therefore, I am mortal, the conclusion.
2. Reasoning from the general to the specific; deduction.
3. A subtle or specious piece of reasoning.
Middle English silogisme, from Old French, from Latin syllogismus, from Greek sullogismos, from sullogizesthai, to infer: sun-, syn- + logizesthai, to count, reckon (from logos, reason; see leg- in Indo-European roots).
specious
spe•cious (spē′shəs)
adj.
1. Having the ring of truth or plausibility but actually fallacious: a specious argument.
2. Deceptively attractive.
Middle English, attractive, from Latin speciōsus, from speciēs, appearance; see spek- in Indo-European roots.
fallacious
fal•la•cious (fə‑lā′shəs)
adj.
1. Containing or based on a fallacy: a fallacious assumption.
2. Tending to mislead; deceptive: fallacious testimony.
fal•la′cious•ly adv.
fal•la′cious•ness n.
zeitgeist
Zeit•geist (tsīt′gīst′, zīt′‑)
n.
The spirit of the time; the taste and outlook characteristic of a period or generation: “It’s easy to see how a student. . . in the 1940’s could imbibe such notions. The Zeitgeist encouraged Philosopher-Kings” (James Atlas).
German : Zeit, time (from Middle High German zīt, from Old High German; see dā- in Indo-European roots) + Geist, spirit; see poltergeist.
Aquarius
A•quar•i•us (ə‑kwâr′ē‑əs)
n. In all senses also called Water Bearer.
1. A constellation in the equatorial region of the Southern Hemisphere near Pisces and Aquila.
2.
a. The 11th sign of the zodiac in astrology.
b. One who is born under this sign.
Middle English, from Latin, water carrier, the constellation Aquarius, from aqua, water; see aqua.
macramé
mac•ra•mé (măk′rə‑mā′)
n.
Coarse lace work made by weaving and knotting cords into a pattern.
French, from Italian macramè, from Turkish makrama, towel, from Arabic miqrama, embroidered veil, from qarama, to gnaw, nibble; see qrm in Semitic roots.
contrarian
con•trar•i•an (kən‑trâr′ē‑ən)
n.
One who takes a contrary view or action, especially an investor who makes decisions that contradict prevailing wisdom, as in buying securities that are unpopular at the time.
contrarian adj.
psychedelic
psy•che•del•ic (sī′kĭ‑dĕl′ĭk)
adj.
Of, characterized by, or generating hallucinations, distortions of perception, altered states of awareness, and occasionally states resembling psychosis.
❖ n.
A drug, such as LSD or mescaline, that produces such effects.
psyche 1 + Greek dēloun, to make visible (from dēlos, clear, visible; see dyeu- in Indo-European roots) + -ic.
psy′che•del′i•cal•ly adv.
monochrome
mon•o•chrome (mŏn′ə‑krōm′)
n.
1.
a. A picture, especially a painting, done in different shades of a single color.
b. The art or technique of executing such a picture.
2. The state of being in a single color.
3. A black-and-white image, as in photography or on television.
Medieval Latin monochrōma, from feminine of Greek monokhrōmos, of one color: mono-, mono- + khrōma, color.
mon′o•chrome′, mon′o•chro′mic (-krō′mĭk) adj.
