facetious (adjective)§
Playfully jocular; humorous. (AHD)
Playfully jocular; humorous. (AHD)
Treating serious issues with deliberately inappropriate humor; flippant. (NOA)
Joking or jesting often inappropriately. Meant to be humorous or funny; not serious. (MW)
Joking or jesting often inappropriately. Meant to be humorous or funny; not serious. (MW)
Used to describe speech that is meant to be funny but that is usually regarded as annoying, silly, or not proper. (BD)
Said of a person or remark, etc., intending or intended to be amusing or witty, especially unsuitably so. (CHM)
Not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be funny or to appear clever. Not seriously meaning what you say, usually in an attempt to be humorous or to trick someone. (CD)
Not serious about a serious subject, in an attempt to be funny or to appear clever. Not seriously meaning what you say, usually in an attempt to be humorous or to trick someone. (CD)
Saying things that are intended to be clever and funny but are really silly and annoying. (LDOCE)
If you say that someone is being facetious, you are criticizing them because they are making humorous remarks or saying things that they do not mean in a situation where they ought to be serious. Jocular, joking, amusing, or trying to be jocular, especially at an inappropriate time. Not meant to be taken seriously or literally. Lacking serious intent; concerned with something nonessential, amusing, or frivolous. (CDC)
Cleverly amusing in tone. It has come to describe a joke with a little drop of sarcasm. It used to simply mean funny and witty, but now it often implies that someone is being inappropriately funny about a serious topic. (VC)
Cleverly amusing in tone. It has come to describe a joke with a little drop of sarcasm. It used to simply mean funny and witty, but now it often implies that someone is being inappropriately funny about a serious topic. (VC)
Characterized by or given to pleasantry or joking, now especially when inappropriate or flippant; witty, humorous, amusing. Of an utterance, composition, action, etc. or of a person, his or her qualities, etc. (OED)
factitious (adjective)§
Artificially created or developed. (NOA)
factitious (adjective)§
Artificially created or developed. (NOA)
Artificial rather than natural. (CD)
Deliberately contrived rather than developing naturally. Insincere; false. (CHM)
Produced by humans rather than by natural forces. Formed by or adapted to an artificial or conventional standard. Produced by special effort; sham; not genuine. (MW)
Produced by humans rather than by natural forces. Formed by or adapted to an artificial or conventional standard. Produced by special effort; sham; not genuine. (MW)
Artificial rather than natural. Not natural, genuine, or spontaneous; forced or artificial; contrived; sham. Made; manufactured. (CDC)
Not produced by natural forces; artificial or fake. (VC)
Produced artificially rather than by a natural process. Lacking authenticity or genuineness; sham. (AHD)
Produced artificially rather than by a natural process. Lacking authenticity or genuineness; sham. (AHD)
Made to happen artificially by people rather than happening naturally. (LDOCE)
Made by art, in opposition to what is made by nature. (JDO)
Made by art, in distinction from what is produced by nature; artificial; sham; formed by, or adapted to, an artificial or conventional, in distinction from a natural, standard or rule; not natural. (WUD)
Not genuine, intrinsic, natural, or spontaneous; inauthentic; artificially created or developed; made up for a particular occasion or purpose; arising from custom, habit, or convention. Made by human beings, often in imitation of something natural; artificial; manufactured. (OED)
Medicine: Of a disorder, symptom, etc., feigned or self-induced by a patient, especially, in later use in psychiatry, solely in order to obtain medical attention. (OED)
Medicine: Of a disorder, symptom, etc., feigned or self-induced by a patient, especially, in later use in psychiatry, solely in order to obtain medical attention. (OED)
See: Munchausen Syndrome
faff (verb and noun)§
faff (verb and noun)§
Chiefly British
verb
To spend time in ineffectual activity. (OD)
To make a fuss over nothing. (MW)
To dither or fuss. (CDC)
To act in a fussy, uncertain way, not achieving very much; to dither. (CHM)
To fuss, to dither; to waste time in an unproductive or dithering manner; also, to spend time on an overly complicated, time-consuming, or annoying task or activity. Often in to faff about, to faff around. (OED)
Grok: A very British informal term that means to waste time doing unimportant or fiddly things instead of getting on with what you are supposed to be doing; to fuss or potter about inefficiently; to mess around or dither. It carries a mild sense of irritation at unnecessary hassle or delay. You will hear it a lot in the United Kingdom and Commonwealth countries, but rarely in American English, where people might say mess around, dawdle, or futz around instead. (Grok)
noun
A great deal of ineffectual activity. (OD)
Something that takes a lot of effort or causes slight problems. (CD)
A thing that is awkward or time-consuming to do. (CDC)
A state of unnecessary agitation or excitement; chiefly in in a faff. Overly complicated, time-consuming, or annoying work or activity; an instance of this. (OED)
falderal also folderol (noun)§
Trivial or nonsensical fuss; a showy but useless item. (NOA)
Nonsense. A useless ornament or accessory; trifle. (MW)
Foolishness; nonsense. A trifle; a gewgaw. (AHD)
Any kind of flippant nonsense. (CHM)
Foolish language, behavior, or ideas; nonsense. (BD)
A showy but worthless trifle or trinket. Foolish nonsense. (CDC)
Unnecessary actions or words that have little meaning and make something seem more important or complicated than it really is. (CD)
Nonsensical talk or writing. Something of little value or significance. Nonsense or trivial foolishness. Later, it came to have the additional meaning cheap, showy trifle or gewgaw. (VC)
Nonsense. (WUD)
A confused mixture. (CD)
A confused mixture; jumble; hodgepodge. (CDC)
An assortment or a medley; a conglomeration. (AHD)
A motley assortment of things. A pile of odds and ends or a random assortment of stuff. A disorganized mix of things that don't fit together. (VC)
An assortment or a medley; a conglomeration. (AHD)
A motley assortment of things. A pile of odds and ends or a random assortment of stuff. A disorganized mix of things that don't fit together. (VC)
A mass formed confusedly of several ingredients; a medley. (JDO)
A mass composed of various materials confusedly mixed; a medley; a mixture. (WUD)
A mass composed of various materials confusedly mixed; a medley; a mixture. (WUD)
A confused group; a medley, mixture, hotchpotch. Of material things or of persons, or of immaterial things. (OED)
See: flotsam and jetsam
fatwa or fatwah or fatwā (noun)§
Arabic
A legal opinion or decree handed down by an Islamic religious leader. (MW)
A ruling on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized authority. (NOA)
A fatwa is a religious order issued by a Muslim leader. A non-binding judgment on a point of Islamic law given by a recognized religious authority. A religious and legal decree or edict issued by a council of religious leaders. An Islamic religious decree issued by the ulama. (CDC)
A formal legal opinion or decree issued by a Muslim authority. (CHM)
A legal opinion or ruling issued by an Islamic scholar. (AHD)
Religious edict. (Christopher Hitchens writing in Vanity Fair)
An official statement or order from an Islamic religious leader. (CD)
An official statement or order from an Islamic religious leader. (CD)
A ruling on a point of Islamic law that is given by a recognized authority. (VC)
A formal ruling or interpretation on a point of Islamic law given by a qualified legal scholar. Fatwas are usually issued in response to questions from individuals or Islamic courts. Though considered authoritative, fatwas are generally not treated as binding judgments; a requester who finds a fatwa unconvincing is permitted to seek another opinion. (EB)
A formal ruling or interpretation on a point of Islamic law given by a qualified legal scholar. Fatwas are usually issued in response to questions from individuals or Islamic courts. Though considered authoritative, fatwas are generally not treated as binding judgments; a requester who finds a fatwa unconvincing is permitted to seek another opinion. (EB)
A formal, authoritative ruling on a point of Islamic law; a scholarly opinion given, typically in writing, by a mufti or other Muslim juridical authority in response to a question posed by an individual or a court of law. (OED)
fecalized environment (noun)§
Grok: An environment, whether a physical space, surface, water body, or ecological compartment, that has become extensively contaminated with human or animal feces or their microbial constituents, resulting in elevated concentrations of fecal indicator organisms, for example, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, and/or enteric pathogens, for example, Salmonella, Shigella, Clostridioides difficile, norovirus, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, to levels that substantially increase the risk of fecal-oral disease transmission or environmental persistence of enteric pathogens. The term is most commonly applied in public-health, clinical, veterinary, and environmental contexts to denote a breakdown of sanitary barriers sufficient to render routine hygiene measures inadequate for preventing infection. (Grok)
fecalized environment (noun)§
Grok: An environment, whether a physical space, surface, water body, or ecological compartment, that has become extensively contaminated with human or animal feces or their microbial constituents, resulting in elevated concentrations of fecal indicator organisms, for example, fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, and/or enteric pathogens, for example, Salmonella, Shigella, Clostridioides difficile, norovirus, Giardia, Cryptosporidium, to levels that substantially increase the risk of fecal-oral disease transmission or environmental persistence of enteric pathogens. The term is most commonly applied in public-health, clinical, veterinary, and environmental contexts to denote a breakdown of sanitary barriers sufficient to render routine hygiene measures inadequate for preventing infection. (Grok)
Karin McQuillan referring to Africa: "In plain English: Shit is everywhere. People defecate on the open ground, and the feces is blown with the dust – onto you, your clothes, your food, the water. A doctor warned us the first day of training: Do not even touch water. Human feces carries parasites that bore through your skin and cause organ failure." (Karin McQuillan, What I Learned in the Peace Corps in Africa, AmericanThinker.com, 2018, shamefully since removed)
Note: Seems hotly debated on the internet as to the cause: Culture, poverty, etc. In fact, here is an interesting alternative view: Senegal Is Not A Shithole, (TheAmericanConservative.com, 2018). I love this line: There is no cultural commitment to open defecation. But my question is: How hard is it to build latrines?
Note: Seems hotly debated on the internet as to the cause: Culture, poverty, etc. In fact, here is an interesting alternative view: Senegal Is Not A Shithole, (TheAmericanConservative.com, 2018). I love this line: There is no cultural commitment to open defecation. But my question is: How hard is it to build latrines?
fed slop (noun)§
Grok: A derogatory term for information, narratives, or media content believed to be deliberately disseminated by United States federal government agencies, especially the FBI, CIA, or broader deep state, their proxies, or compliant mainstream outlets with the intent to mislead, distract, pacify, or manipulate public opinion. The term is typically employed to reject establishment explanations of controversial events, for example, political scandals, high-profile deaths, election irregularities, in favor of alternative or conspiratorial interpretations. It functions as a marker of institutional distrust and has gained currency primarily on platforms such as X since approximately 2024. (Grok)
Note: The government lies; always and repeatedly. And all government departments. If this was not confirmed for you during the governmental response to the Covid pandemic, then this website is not for you.
fiddle (verb)§
Grok: Child sexual abuse; euphemism for inappropriate touching or molestation; pedophilia. To touch a person, especially a child, inappropriately or in a sexually abusive way; to molest. (Grok)
To abuse sexually, usually a child. (Green's)
Note: As of late 2025, I can find no definition for this usage in any well-known reference sources. The OED does define kiddie-fiddler, but that is as close as they get. So for now, fiddle remains slang for child molestation.
fiduciary (noun or adjective)§
A relationship wherein one party imposes special trust and confidence in another party, usually involving the holding or managing of money or other property. Also refers to the party in whom the special trust and confidence is placed. So, one who acts on behalf of another, putting that person’s interests first and certainly ahead of their own. (RM)
Of or relating to a duty of acting in good faith with regard to the interests of another. One, such as an agent of a principal or a company director, who has a duty of acting in good faith with regard to the interests of another. (AHD)
Relating to the responsibility to take care of someone else's money in a suitable way. Relating to the responsibilities of a person or organization that manages property or money belonging to another person or organization. A person or organization who is responsible for managing money or property for another person or organization. (CD)
A person who occupies a position of such power and confidence with regard to the property of another that the law requires him to act solely in the interest of the person whom he represents. Examples of fiduciaries are agents, executors and administrators, trustees, guardians, and officers of corporations. They may be contrasted with persons in an ordinary business relationship, in which each party is free to seek purely personal benefits from his transactions with the other. (EB)
Of or relating to a duty of acting in good faith with regard to the interests of another. One, such as an agent of a principal or a company director, who has a duty of acting in good faith with regard to the interests of another. (AHD)
Relating to the responsibility to take care of someone else's money in a suitable way. Relating to the responsibilities of a person or organization that manages property or money belonging to another person or organization. A person or organization who is responsible for managing money or property for another person or organization. (CD)
A person who occupies a position of such power and confidence with regard to the property of another that the law requires him to act solely in the interest of the person whom he represents. Examples of fiduciaries are agents, executors and administrators, trustees, guardians, and officers of corporations. They may be contrasted with persons in an ordinary business relationship, in which each party is free to seek purely personal benefits from his transactions with the other. (EB)
A fiduciary relationship exists when one party, known as the fiduciary, assumes a position of trust and confidence, obligating them to prioritize the interests of another party, the principal or beneficiary, particularly in matters involving the management of property, assets, or decision-making authority. This relationship imposes legal duties that demand the fiduciary act solely for the benefit of the principal, subordinating personal gain or conflicting interests. (Groki)
fiefdom (noun)§
An area over which someone exercises control as or in the manner of a feudal lord. An area over which a person has control. (MW)
fiefdom (noun)§
An area over which someone exercises control as or in the manner of a feudal lord. An area over which a person has control. (MW)
An area over which a person has control. (BD)
A piece of land held as a fief. Any area of influence autocratically controlled by an individual or organization. (CHM)
A territory or sphere of operation controlled by a particular person or group. (OD)
A territory or sphere of operation controlled by a particular person or group. (OD)
An area, organization, or part of an organization that someone has complete control over. (LDOCE)
The estate or domain of a feudal lord. An organization or department over which one dominant person or group exercises control. (AHD)
The estate or domain of a feudal lord. An organization or department over which one dominant person or group exercises control. (AHD)
An area of land, especially one that is rented and paid for by work. An area or type of activity that is controlled by someone. (CD)
In feudal Europe, the property owned by a lord. An area over which a person or organization exerts authority or influence. Anything under a person's complete control or authority. (CDC)
The domain controlled by a feudal lord. An organization that is controlled by a dominant person or group. (VC)
Grok: A domain, department, territory, or sphere of responsibility within a larger organization, institution, or system that is controlled by an individual or small group with a high degree of autonomy, often to the point of operating as a semi-independent entity. The term typically implies entrenched personal authority, resistance to external oversight or integration, and the prioritization of local interests, loyalties, or power structures over the goals or cohesion of the broader entity. It carries a pejorative connotation, evoking the feudal origins of the word while criticizing bureaucratic fragmentation, siloed decision-making, or the creation of personal empires within hierarchical structures. (Grok)
filth (noun)§
Acronym
FILTH: Failed in London, try Hong Kong.
Used of one who is attempting to resuscitate their career, stalled in London, in the Far East. (Green's)
Grok: A colloquial or humorous term that was historically used to describe British expatriates who, after failing to succeed professionally or socially in London, would move to Hong Kong to try their luck there. This phrase captures a particular aspect of British colonial history where Hong Kong was seen as a place where one could start anew or climb the social ladder in a different environment. It should be noted that while the term has a light-hearted or satirical tone, it also reflects on the colonial attitudes and the mobility of the British Empire's expatriate community. Today, the term might be considered somewhat outdated or even offensive, reflecting a bygone era of colonial administration and the stereotypes associated with it. (Grok)
fintech (noun)§
Computer programs and other technology used to support or enable banking and financial services. (NOA)
Products and companies that employ newly developed digital and online technologies in the banking and financial services industries. A business that uses or creates such technologies. (MW)
Abbreviation for financial technology, the business of using technology to offer financial services in new ways. (CD)
Digital technology used to support banking and financial services. (CDC)
Grok: A colloquial or humorous term that was historically used to describe British expatriates who, after failing to succeed professionally or socially in London, would move to Hong Kong to try their luck there. This phrase captures a particular aspect of British colonial history where Hong Kong was seen as a place where one could start anew or climb the social ladder in a different environment. It should be noted that while the term has a light-hearted or satirical tone, it also reflects on the colonial attitudes and the mobility of the British Empire's expatriate community. Today, the term might be considered somewhat outdated or even offensive, reflecting a bygone era of colonial administration and the stereotypes associated with it. (Grok)
fintech (noun)§
Computer programs and other technology used to support or enable banking and financial services. (NOA)
Products and companies that employ newly developed digital and online technologies in the banking and financial services industries. A business that uses or creates such technologies. (MW)
Abbreviation for financial technology, the business of using technology to offer financial services in new ways. (CD)
Digital technology used to support banking and financial services. (CDC)
Financial technology, especially digital and online technology used to support banking and other financial activities such as investment services, pensions, insurance, etc.; the branch of economic or commercial activity concerned with this. Also, a company which uses or provides this technology. (OED)
Financial technology, commonly known as FinTech, encompasses the deployment of specialized software, algorithms, and digital infrastructures to automate and optimize core financial operations, including payments, lending, investing, and risk management. (Groki)
first water (idiom)§
Of gems, the purest luster. Also, the highest grade, degree or quality. (MW)
first water (idiom)§
Of gems, the purest luster. Also, the highest grade, degree or quality. (MW)
The highest quality gems. (VC)
The finest quality of diamond or other precious stone. The highest grade or best quality. The most extreme kind. The best quality and purest luster. (CDC)
The highest degree of quality or purity in diamonds or pearls. The foremost rank or quality. (AHD)
The highest degree of quality or purity in diamonds or pearls. The foremost rank or quality. (AHD)
A diamond of the first water is perfectly pure and transparent. Hence, of the first excellence. (WUD)
Of a diamond or pearl, of the greatest brilliance and transparency. Used to refer to a person or thing that is unsurpassed of their kind, typically in an undesirable way. (OD)
Old-fashioned of the highest quality. (LDOCE)
Of a diamond or other precious stone, of the highest quality as regards transparency and luster. Also figurative: Of the highest excellence or purity; unsurpassed of its or his or her class; in later use often with reference to something bad, out-and-out, unmitigated, thoroughgoing. (OED)
Note: Only the Oxford dictionaries, including the definitive OED, note that of the first water is typically used for something undesirable; but that certainly makes it more interesting. Used chiefly: …of the first water. Examples: A safecracker or thief of the first water; a charlatan of the first water.
See: water
fixer (noun)§
fixer (noun)§
A person who intervenes to enable someone to circumvent the law or obtain a political favor. (MW)
A person who uses influence or makes arrangements for another, especially by improper or unlawful means. (AHD)
A person who uses influence or makes arrangements for another, especially by improper or unlawful means. (AHD)
A person who makes arrangements for other people, especially of an illicit or devious kind. (NOA)
Someone who is skilled at arranging for things to happen, sometimes in a way that is dishonest. (CD)
A person who arranges things, especially illegally. (CHM)
Someone who is good at arranging things and solving problems for other people, sometimes by using dishonest methods. (LDOCE)
Someone who intervenes with authorities for a person in trouble, usually using underhand or illegal methods for a fee. (VC)
If someone is a fixer, he or she is the sort of person who solves problems and gets things done. A person who makes arrangements, especially by underhand or illegal means. A person who pays bribes or uses personal influence to manipulate results, as in keeping others from being punished for illegal acts. A person who arranges matters in advance through bribery or influence. (CDC)
If someone is a fixer, he or she is the sort of person who solves problems and gets things done. A person who makes arrangements, especially by underhand or illegal means. A person who pays bribes or uses personal influence to manipulate results, as in keeping others from being punished for illegal acts. A person who arranges matters in advance through bribery or influence. (CDC)
One who fixes. Now, especially one who arranges or adjusts matters, often illicitly. (OED)
Note: I see no reason why a fixer needs to deploy illegal or illicit methods. There is a famous story Howard Schultz tells about how Bill Gates, Sr. helped save his purchase of Starbucks. Gates was Schultz's fixer. Experience, contacts, reputation, money, intelligence, business savvy, common sense, and yes, sometimes sheer power, are the true tools of a fixer. I am not saying that the dishonest kind do not exist. I am merely pointing out that they are not the only kind. Further, Gates, Sr. was an attorney, and a good fixer is skilled at keeping you out of court. Because so often, if it gets to court, you have already lost. Here is Grok on the question.
Note: I see no reason why a fixer needs to deploy illegal or illicit methods. There is a famous story Howard Schultz tells about how Bill Gates, Sr. helped save his purchase of Starbucks. Gates was Schultz's fixer. Experience, contacts, reputation, money, intelligence, business savvy, common sense, and yes, sometimes sheer power, are the true tools of a fixer. I am not saying that the dishonest kind do not exist. I am merely pointing out that they are not the only kind. Further, Gates, Sr. was an attorney, and a good fixer is skilled at keeping you out of court. Because so often, if it gets to court, you have already lost. Here is Grok on the question.
fixity (noun)§
The quality of not changing. (CD)
When something does not change. (LDOCE)
The state of being unchanging or permanent. (NOA)
The quality or state of being fixed or stable. (MW)
The state or quality of not changing. (BD)
The quality of being fixed, steady, unchanging, unmoving or immovable. (CHM)
The quality or condition of being fixed. Something fixed or immovable. (AHD)
The quality or state of being fixed; steadiness, permanence, stability. Anything fixed, or unmoving; a fixture. (CDC)
The quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment. The quality of being incapable of mutation. (VC)
The quality or condition of being fixed. Something fixed or immovable. (AHD)
The quality or state of being fixed; steadiness, permanence, stability. Anything fixed, or unmoving; a fixture. (CDC)
The quality of being fixed in place as by some firm attachment. The quality of being incapable of mutation. (VC)
Coherence of parts, opposed to volatility. (JDO)
Fixedness; also, that which is fixed. (WUD)
The quality or condition of being fixed. The condition of not being liable to displacement or change; stability or permanence in situation, condition, or form. (OED)
Note: Here fixed is akin to fixed in place rather than repaired.
flaccid (adjective)§
flaccid (adjective)§
Lacking vigor or force. (MW)
Lacking force or effectiveness. (NOA)
Lacking strength or force; weak. (BD)
Lacking vigor, force, or effectiveness. (OD)
Lacking force; weak; feeble. (CDC)
Soft or weak rather than firm. Weak and not effective. (CD)
Out of condition; not strong or robust; incapable of exertion or endurance. (VC)
Of immaterial things, wanting vigor and nervous energy, limp, feeble. (OED)
Grok: The adjective flaccid can be used figuratively, beyond its primary medical/anatomical meaning, to describe something that lacks firmness, vigor, force, or effectiveness, including leadership. Weak, ineffective, limp, lacking energy, resolve, or authority; feeble or spineless in execution or impact. This metaphorical use draws directly from the word’s literal meaning, soft and limp; not firm or stiff, to imply something that should be strong, assertive, or vigorous, but instead feels weak and ineffectual. It is fairly common in editorial writing, political commentary, and literary criticism when a writer wants a slightly sharper, more visceral way to say weak or inept. Especially in political, organizational, or critical discourse, lacking force, vigor, firmness, or authoritative impact; weak, ineffectual, or irresolute in execution, leadership, or response. (Grok)
flaccidity (noun)
Note: Example: Biden's flaccid leadership.
flagrante delicto See in flagrante delicto
flibbertigibbet (noun)§
A frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative person. (NOA)
flagrante delicto See in flagrante delicto
flibbertigibbet (noun)§
A frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative person. (NOA)
A silly, scatterbrained, or garrulous person. (AHD)
A frivolous or over-talkative person. (CHM)
A silly, scatterbrained, garrulous, flighty, or light-headed person. (WN)
A silly, scatterbrained, garrulous, flighty, or light-headed person. (WN)
An irresponsible, silly, or gossipy person. An irresponsible, flighty person. (CDC)
A foolish, flighty, and overly talkative person. A silly chatterbox. A ridiculous busybody, someone who talks and gossips a lot but does not have much of any substance to say. It is most often used to talk about a frivolous young woman. (VC)
A frivolous, flighty, or excessively talkative person, especially a young woman or girl who is silly, gossipy, or unable to concentrate or stay serious for long. It is a playful, old-fashioned insult that is more whimsical than truly mean-spirited. (Grok)
A person, especially a girl or young woman, regarded as frivolous, silly, irresponsible, or scatterbrained. (OED)
Irresponsible; frivolous. (CHM)
Given to capricious or unstable behavior. Characterized by irresponsible or silly behavior. Easily excited; skittish. (AHD)
Lacking stability or steadiness. Easily upset; volatile. Easily excited; skittish. Capricious, silly. (MW)
Especially of a woman, not responsible and likely to change activities, jobs, boyfriends, etc. often. Not able to keep your attention or interest on one thing for long. (CD)
Not serious or dependable; likely to forget things or to change opinions, plans, etc., without reason. (BD)
Frivolous and irresponsible; capricious; volatile. Mentally erratic, unstable, or wandering. Given to sudden whims; not taking things seriously; frivolous or irresponsible. Easily excited, upset, etc. (CDC)
Wild; full of imagination. (JDO)
Indulging in flights, or wild and unrestrained sallies, of imagination, humor, caprice, etc.; given to disordered fancies and extravagant conduct; volatile; giddy; eccentric; slightly delirious. (WUD)
Given to flights of imagination, humor, caprice, etc.; guided by whim or fancy rather than by judgment or settled purpose; fickle, frivolous, inconstant. (OED)
Given to flights of imagination, humor, caprice, etc.; guided by whim or fancy rather than by judgment or settled purpose; fickle, frivolous, inconstant. (OED)
Note: To me, the worst trait of flighty people is their lack of dependability. Only the BD mentions this specifically; the others sort of dance around it. Flighty people will not be there when you need them, this is guaranteed, and therefore, it is best to excise them from your universe long before you may need them.
flotsam (noun)§
flotsam (noun)§
Maritime law
Debris in the water that was not deliberately thrown overboard, often as a result from a shipwreck or accident. (NOAA)
The floating wreckage of a ship. (VC)
The wreckage of a ship or its cargo found floating on or washed up by the sea. People or things that have been rejected or discarded as worthless. (NOA)
Floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo. Floating debris. Miscellaneous or unimportant material; debris; remains. (MW)
The wreckage of a ship or its cargo found floating on or washed up by the sea. People or things that have been rejected or discarded as worthless. (NOA)
Floating wreckage of a ship or its cargo. Floating debris. Miscellaneous or unimportant material; debris; remains. (MW)
Goods floating on the surface of a body of water after a shipwreck or after being cast overboard to lighten the ship. Discarded or unimportant things. People who are considered to be worthless or to have been rejected by society. (AHD)
Goods lost by shipwreck and found floating on the sea. (CHM)
Floating pieces, parts, etc., from a ship that has been wrecked; often used figuratively; often used in the phrase flotsam and jetsam. (BD)
Pieces of broken wood and other waste materials found on the beach or floating on the sea. Anything or anyone that is not wanted or not considered to be important or useful. (CD)
The wreckage of a ship or its cargo floating at sea. Useless or discarded objects; odds and ends, especially in the phrase flotsam and jetsam. (CDC)
Such part of the wreckage of a ship or its cargo as is found floating on the surface of the sea. (OED)
See: jetsam, flotsam and jetsam
flotsam and jetsam (idiom)§
Useless or discarded objects (NOA)
See: jetsam, flotsam and jetsam
flotsam and jetsam (idiom)§
Useless or discarded objects (NOA)
Miscellaneous or unimportant material. (MW)
You can use flotsam and jetsam to refer to small or unimportant items that are found together, especially ones that have no connection with each other. (CDC)
You can use flotsam and jetsam to refer to small or unimportant items that are found together, especially ones that have no connection with each other. (CDC)
Flotsam and jetsam are used together as an expression, mostly figuratively to mean things or people who are unwanted or discarded. (VC)
Odds and ends. (CHM)
Grok: In their idiomatic use, flotsam and jetsam describes random, discarded, or insignificant things or people, often found scattered or aimlessly drifting, either literally or metaphorically. For example, you might hear someone refer to the clutter in their house or the random items at a garage sale as flotsam and jetsam. (Grok)
Gemini: Miscellaneous, discarded, or worthless objects; odds and ends; or people who are considered vagrants or outcasts. It is used to describe a collection of varied, often unwanted or random items found in one place. (Gemini)
Note: Odds and ends, bits and pieces, miscellaneous stuff or writings. A notebook filled with flotsam and jetsam.
See: farrago, flotsam, jetsam
flying monkey (psychological and social concept)§
See: farrago, flotsam, jetsam
flying monkey (psychological and social concept)§
Grok:
The term flying monkey is derived from the characters in The Wizard of Oz who serve the Wicked Witch of the West. In modern contexts, particularly in psychology and discussions about toxic behaviors, flying monkeys have a specific meaning:
Psychological Context: In the realm of narcissistic abuse or toxic relationships, flying monkeys describe individuals who are manipulated by a narcissist or abuser to act on their behalf, often without fully understanding or questioning the motives behind their actions. These people might spread gossip, manipulate situations, or attack the abuser's target, all under the influence or direction of the main abuser. They are essentially enablers or accomplices, knowingly or unknowingly, in the abuser's manipulation tactics.
Colloquial Use: Outside of psychology, flying monkey might simply refer to someone who does another's bidding, often in a negative or underhanded way. It suggests a lack of autonomy or critical thinking, where the individual is merely an extension of someone else's will, similar to how the flying monkeys in The Wizard of Oz were under the control of the witch.
This term highlights the dynamics of manipulation in interpersonal relationships, emphasizing how one individual can control or influence a group to do their bidding, often with harmful or unethical consequences for others. (Grok)
See: gaslight
foist (verb)§
To introduce or insert surreptitiously or without warrant; to force another to accept especially by stealth or deceit. (MW)
Impose an unwelcome or unnecessary person or thing on. (NOA)
To impose something or someone unwanted, upon another by coercion or trickery. To insert fraudulently or deceitfully. (AHD)
To force someone to have or experience something unwanted or undesirable. To force someone to have or experience something they do not want. (CD)
To sell or pass off something, especially an inferior article, as genuine, valuable, etc. To insert surreptitiously, slyly, or wrongfully. To get a thing accepted, sold, etc. by fraud, deception, etc.; palm off. (CDC)
Force onto another. Insert surreptitiously or without warrant. (VC)
To sell or pass off something, especially an inferior article, as genuine, valuable, etc. To insert surreptitiously, slyly, or wrongfully. To get a thing accepted, sold, etc. by fraud, deception, etc.; palm off. (CDC)
Force onto another. Insert surreptitiously or without warrant. (VC)
To force someone to accept, something that is not good or not wanted; usually with on or upon. (BD)
To inflict or impose something unwanted on them. To sell or pass on something inferior to them, while suggesting that it has value or is genuine; to palm something off on someone. (CHM)
To insert by forgery. (JDO)
To insert surreptitiously, wrongfully, or without warrant; to interpolate; to pass off, something spurious or counterfeit, as genuine, true, or worthy. (WUD)
To introduce surreptitiously or unwarrantably. To palm or put off; to fasten or fix stealthily or unwarrantably on or upon. (OED)
folly (noun)§
folly (noun)§
A costly undertaking having an absurd or ruinous outcome. A structure, such as a pavilion in a garden, that is chiefly decorative rather than practical in purpose. (AHD)
A costly ornamental building with no practical purpose, especially a tower or mock-Gothic ruin built in a large garden or park. (NOA)
Foolishness; a foolish act. A mock temple, castle, ruin, etc. built for example as a romantic addition to a view. (CHM)
The lack of good sense or judgment; foolishness. A foolish act or idea; foolish behavior. A very unusual or fancy building that was built in a garden for decoration or amusement in the past. (BD)
An excessively costly or unprofitable undertaking. An often extravagant picturesque building erected to suit a fanciful taste. (MW)
A building in the form of a castle, temple, etc., built to satisfy a fancy or conceit, often of an eccentric kind. Any foolish and useless but expensive undertaking. Action that ends or can end in disaster. (CDC)
The condition of being foolish, or a foolish action or belief. A building in the form of a small castle, temple, etc., that has been built as a decoration in a large garden or park. (CD)
Architecture: A costly, generally nonfunctional building erected to enhance a natural landscape. Depending on the owner’s tastes, a folly might be constructed to resemble a medieval tower, a ruined castle overgrown with vines, or a crumbling classical temple complete with fallen, eroded columns. Though follies were sometimes used as pavilions, they were typically built for visual effect alone, and they were intended to improve or complete the natural setting. In the United States, the term folly has also been applied to ornate gazebos or garden pavilions. (EB)
A name for an ill-conceived, extravagant building or residence which often proves too costly to finish building or is otherwise ridiculed. A name for an ornamental structure or building, such as a tower, temple, or artificial ruin, that is placed in a large garden or grounds and is primarily decorative rather than functional. An example of foolishness; a foolish action, error, idea, practice, etc.; a ridiculous thing, an absurdity. (OED)
Note: I like the AHD definition as an undertaking; a folly need not be a building or structure. Although, and this is important to note, at least the ornamental structure or artificial ruin is built on purpose. But it could be a new department, a new product or service, a marriage, a replacement, or some other change, etc. New Coke comes to mind; sheer folly. Too often we see the much heralded need for change as prelude to folly.
See: conceit
footnote, casual (noun)§
Grok: Not a strictly defined term in writing conventions. A casual footnote typically implies a more relaxed, conversational, or informal annotation. It might be used to add a witty remark, personal aside, or offhand comment that complements the main text without adhering to rigid citation rules. Think of it as something you would see in a blog, a humorous book, or a creative piece, like an author tossing in a quip or trivia for fun. For example, Terry Pratchett’s novels often use footnotes in this playful way, like explaining a quirky detail about a fictional world with a nudge and a wink. The difference lies in intent and execution, casual footnotes entertain or lightly inform with a laid-back vibe, while formal footnotes prioritize accuracy, credibility, and standardization. (Grok)
ChatGPT: A casual footnote is an informal, often conversational, or even humorous aside that adds context, commentary, or clarification without adhering strictly to citation rules. It is typically used in essays, blog posts, or literary works where the tone is relaxed, and the footnote serves more as an extension of the author's voice rather than a formal reference. In short, looser, may include humor, commentary, or tangential thoughts. (ChatGPT)
Any footnoted annotation that falls outside of the structured citation style conventions of formal writing. (RM)
Formosa (country)§
Former name for Taiwan. (OD)
franchise (noun)§
The combined effect of a corporation's brand, product quality, reputation, customer good will, and the resulting positive outcome for its business. For example: Apple has a great franchise in North America, and is now working on developing similar franchises in China and India. (RM)
franchise (noun)§
The combined effect of a corporation's brand, product quality, reputation, customer good will, and the resulting positive outcome for its business. For example: Apple has a great franchise in North America, and is now working on developing similar franchises in China and India. (RM)
Grok: Franchise generally refers to the intangible value that a corporation accrues from its brand, product quality, reputation, and customer goodwill. This encompasses increased sales, market share, customer retention, and ultimately, profitability which can be attributed to these factors. Franchise in this sense, therefore, can be seen as part of what is often referred to in business as brand equity or goodwill in accounting terms. It represents the added value brought to the company's products or services by the positive perceptions and relationships it has with its customers. This value is not directly measurable but significantly impacts the corporation's financial performance and market position. For example, when a company has a strong franchise, it might command higher prices for its products or services, enjoy lower marketing costs due to word-of-mouth, and have an easier time expanding into new markets or product lines. (Grok)
Warren Buffett definition: An economic franchise arises from a product or service that: (1) is needed or desired; (2) is thought by its customers to have no close substitute and; (3) is not subject to price regulation. The existence of all three conditions will be demonstrated by a company's ability to regularly price its product or service aggressively and thereby to earn high rates of return on capital. (Warren Buffett, Letter to Berkshire Hathaway Shareholders, 1991)
Note: What is most fascinating about this usage of franchise is how little one can find on it.
friable (adjective)§
Easily crumbled. (NOA)
Easily crumbled. (NOA)
Readily crumbled; brittle. (AHD)
Easily crumbled or pulverized. (MW)
Easily broken into small pieces. (CD)
Easily broken into smaller pieces. (BD)
Easily broken; easily reduced to powder. (CHM)
Easily broken into small fragments or reduced to powder. (VC)
Easily broken up; crumbly. Easily crumbled or crushed into powder. (CDC)
Easily crumbled; easily reduced to powder. (JDO)
Easily crumbled, pulverized, or reduced to powder. (WUD)
Capable of being easily crumbled or reduced to powder; pulverizable, crumbly. (OED)
fungible (adjective)§
Interchangeable. (AHD)
Of a commodity or asset, replaceable or interchangeable with another of the same type. (CDC)
Of goods contracted for without an individual specimen being specified, able to replace or be replaced by another identical item; mutually interchangeable. (OD)
Being something such as money or a commodity of such a nature that one part or quantity may be replaced by another equal part or quantity in paying a debt or settling an account. Capable of mutual substitution; interchangeable. (MW)
Easy to exchange or trade for something else of the same type and value. Fungible goods are easy to exchange for others of the same type and value. Fungible shares, bonds, etc. are easy to trade for others of the same type and value. Something such as a currency, share, or goods, that can easily be exchanged for others of the same value and type. (CD)
Of goods or commodities; freely exchangeable for or replaceable by another of like nature or kind in the satisfaction of an obligation. A commodity that is freely interchangeable with another in satisfying an obligation. (VC)
Of a product or commodity that has been contracted for, that can be replaced by another identical item without breaking the terms of the contract. More generally, interchangeable, replaceable. (OED)
fungibility (noun)
See: commodity