Saturday, April 9, 2011

tenterhooks \TEN-ter-hooks\, noun:

1. On tenterhooks, in a state of uneasy suspense or painful anxiety.
2. One of the hooks or bent nails that hold cloth stretched on a tenter.

Tenterhooks usually occurs in the idiomatic phrase "on tenterhooks," from the type of hook that that hold cloth stretched on a tenter.

soberchat

1. Having a conversation while not intoxicated. Generally used to postpone the remainder of a conversation until both parties are sober.
2. Putting off a conversation until everyone involved is capable of making good decisions.

Hey Maria, let's soberchat later, k? I don't want to profess my love for anyone tonight.

Trivia

In the popular Harry Potter books, what are galleons, sickles, and knuts?

• Coins—galleons are gold; sickles, silver; and knuts, bronze.

History

• War of Jenkin's Ear: Robert Jenkins' ear was cut off, which led to a war between Spain and England (1731)
• public library: America's first tax-supported public library was founded in Peterborough, New Hampshire (1833)
• US Civil War: Robert E. Lee surrendered to Ulysses S. Grant at Appomattox, ending the war (1865)
• Marian Anderson: gave a concert at the Lincoln Memorial; the DAR had canceled her appearance at Constitution Hall because she was black (1939)
• Saddam Hussein: statue of Iraqi dictator was toppled in Baghdad, signifying the end of the Baath regime (2003)
• Prince Charles: married Camilla Parker-Bowles (2005)

Birthdays

• Curly Lambeau (1898-1965): football coach who founded the Green Bay Packers
• Leon Blum (1872-1950): France's first Socialist premier
• Gregory Pincus (1903-1967): endocrinologist who helped develop the birth control pill
• Hugh Hefner (85): founder of Playboy magazine, greatest man alive
• Dennis Quaid (57): star of American Dreamz and Vantage Point; also, actors Jean-Paul Belmondo (78), Michael Learned (72), Paulina Porizkova (46), Cynthia Nixon (45), Leighton Meester (25), Kristen Stewart (21) and Elle Fanning (13)
• Jesse McCartney (24): singer, Beautiful Soul; and singers Paul Robeson (1898-1976), Hal Ketchum (58) and Albert Hammond, Jr. (31)