h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I think you've finally achieved the third level. Isn't this posted to the wrong thread?

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A37670367

I thought this might have something to do with the blockbuster bomb ie something with an enormous effect. n that case the block being busted was a city block destroyed by one bomb. The opposition would seem to agree with me:
blockbuster (plural blockbusters)

A high-explosive bomb used for the purposes of demolishing extensive areas, such as a city block.
Something, such as a film or book, that sustains exceptional and widespread popularity and achieves enormous sales, as opposed to a box office bomb.
A large firecracker type of fireworks; an M-80.

So, a film that does really well is a "blockbuster", whilst one that does really badly "bombs". Go figure.

RF

Yes, but if it 'goes down a bomb', then it is really popular.

Before the blockbuster - an American designed bomb so big it would 'bust' an entire block - there was the 'dambuster' - a British specialised bomb that would skip across the water before gently sinking into a dam and blowing it up.

Anyone who looked up 'bust' looking for a root, probably gave up reading all the variables. It is one of those words that has been used in many ways as slang and seems to have parallel British and US variations and come from at least two different sources - one being the Latin 'bustum' which got variations in the romantic languages that included funeral pyres and scorching, and one being a contraction of 'burst' just as 'cuss' is a contraction of 'curse'.

The American anthem talks about 'bombs busting in air'.

Online Etymology Dictionary -
bust (1)

1691, "sculpture of upper torso and head," from Fr. buste, from It. busto "upper body," from L. bustum "funeral monument, tomb," originally "funeral pyre," perhaps shortened from ambustum, neut. of ambustus "burned around," pp. of amburere "burn around, scorch," from ambi- "around" + urere "to burn." Sense development in It. probably from Etruscan custom of keeping dead person's ashes in urn shaped like the person when alive. Meaning "bosom" is 1819; busty is first attested 1944.

Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
Online Etymology Dictionary -
bust (2)

variant of burst, 1764, Amer.Eng. Originally "frolic, spree;" sense of "sudden failure" is from 1842. The verb sense of "to burst" is first attested 1806; the slang meaning "demote" (especially in a military sense) is from 1918; that of "arrest" is from 1953. Buster is 1850, Amer.Eng. slang (originally Missouri/Arkansas) for something that takes one's breath away, hence "a roistering blade."


~jwf~

I am now plagued with visions of exploding bosoms, which I suppose could cause simultaneous COMbustion in the beholders

Don't forget, at the other extremity, the here-to-fore unmentioned bustle!

~jwf~

I need some help to establish a new word.

The so-called 'progress' of mankind is largely due to our ability to simplify complex realities by using categories. We classify items, events, personalities, animals, stars, ideas and all sorts. We do it by size, shape, colour, birth method, function, date, number of legs or wheels, etc., usually all physical properties of a single distinction.

But the new 'science' of statistical analysis, especially when there's lots of data and a computer to manipulate it, has given us whole new ways to categorise and classify new found statistical facts which are usually not soley 'physical' properties.

So what we need is a new word that means 'class' or 'category' in terms of statistical analysis, which often shows us relationships between multiple factors such as time, gender, location, frequency, etc.

Now I know that the word statistics is often shortened to 'stats' so it seems obvious that no one wants to have to use a mouthful like the 'statistically analyzed subset'.

We know that stats can reveal a lot about many different subgroups within a broad survey but we have no real word to describe the various subsets derived by statistical analysis.

May I propose staticulate.
As both a verb and noun.

~jwf~

staticulate: (v) [pronounced to rime with the verb articulate]
(1) to render from assorted variables a percentile of probability - such as: '9 out of 10 dockers with mustaches born between 9am Tuesday and 3pm Thursday enjoy their beer with less foam and eat fewer crisps'

staticulate: (n) [pronounced to rime with chocolate or particulate]
(1) any obscure factoid rendered from complex data

It is important to recognise that all staticulations are based on research and sampling from hopefully sufficient numbers of examples to give creedence to the resulting staticulates. It is expected that the larger the sample group, the more reliable the findings will be and therefore more accurately projected onto other unsampled groups.

So a staticulate will represent somewhere between one and everyone; that is to say between one and about 7 billion possible variants. A sample of one proves nothing and a sample of 7 billion is impossible.
And of course with every newfound exception that arises there must be new variables to consider. Restaticulations as it were.


~jwf~

"I'm like a statistical survey: broken down by age and sex."

broken down by age and sex

Loved that, Ed.

Thank goodness! I've had a nagging feeling that I should have thought of a question for this thread all week.
Delighted to help, but I need some usage example first please<star

"staticulate: (n) [pronounced to rime with chocolate or particulate]
(1) any obscure factoid rendered from complex data "

Surely this would be a staticule! It would rhyme with reticule.

t.

I recently came up with

Capitulist n. One who would be a greedy money-grubbing swine, but is too easy to tap for a loan.

My favourite though is still

Episcoposcopy n. Staring at bishops.

The Lambeth Conference has finished!!

Anyway I thought Episcoposcopy was looking up a bishop...

t.

I like that better

I like this one as well...

Ninja loan (n). - No Income, No Job or Assets. A poorly documented loan made to a high-risk borrower.

...from here - http://www.nytimes.com/2007/12/23/weekinreview/23buzzwords.html

t.

Why aren't employees - or anyone else - ever said to be "gruntled" with their lot?

You'll find an answer on the World Wide Words website. Here's a link: http://www.worldwidewords.org/qa/qa-dis1.htm