Certain leaves as well as flowers may fold up at night. These so-called ‘sleep movements’ of plants, brought about by the alternation of night and day, are the most common nasties and are termed nyctinasties.Does the usage example jokingly extract the word "nasty"? I had to check! It turns out "nasty" is a botanical terms, meaning "A nastic movement." "Nastic" means "Of a plant movement: caused by an external influence that does not affect its direction."
You'd think such a word would have taken up a figurative position by now, but if it has the OED hasn't yet taken note.
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23 comments:
When my eyes first lit on the word I wanted to pronounce it "nice-to-nasty".
Mazie Hirono has once again proven the old saw about stupidity: "Ignorance is fixable, stupidity is forever."
I've always figured that the word 'nasty' derived from Thomas Nast, the political cartoonist. Never cared enough to confirm or debunk that belief.
Like Paul, my initial reading was "nice-tinasty." Is a New Yorker's tenacity nice or nasty? Can be either, depending on how angry they are.
Both words are now considered offensive. Please report to the nearest re-education facility.
Mimosa leaves fold up at night. They're afraid of hooligans.
""The tendency of leaves or other parts of a plant to take up different positions at different times, usually in response to regular (esp. nightly) changes in light intensity or temperature..."
We must wait on Senator Hirano to know if discussing the plant's preferences is permissible or not.
I am Laslo.
Nastastic adjective: something so nasty that it is fantastic; nasty + fantastic = nastastic.
In the 34 years since I moved to South Florida and worked in Miami, I got a bellyful of our friends from New Yawk.
They're no more tenacious than anyone else, just louder and more presumptuous. Some are my good friend.
Is "nasty tenacity" an anagram for "cruel neutrality"?
Or just the next step down the slippery slope?
LOL - "The tenacity — the nasty tenacity? — of the people of New York City?" Really? I lived in NYC for almost 10 years - if they are so full of "nasty tenacity" why are they running out at the first sign of violence? NYC people, are mostly all 'bluster', wouldn't stand a chance against a country person male or female. They are nothing but spoiled egotistical children - like most city folk - throughout the world. If anarchy ever succeeds [Mad Max type] city dwellers will be the first to disappear while country folk know how to protect themselves.
Well I learned a new word today. Thanks!
I have noticed that my hybrid tea roses are most fragrant in the morning. Another example of the phenomenon, no doubt.
Separately, who knew houseplants had a journal? I wonder if they've ever done a feature article on that well-known member of their cohort Mazie Hirono?
I suppose one could argue that she is technically a tropical plant, but however that may be, I hope that someone mists her every day.
As distinct from phototropic or xylotropic, which influence growth (so are excluded from nastic status). Xylos wrap around things, as many vines do. Cool. Nasty movements. I like that.
It’s just a tendency, Laslo, not a preference. When plants wilt in my presence shows a preference on their part perhaps. Who knows what nasty things they’re up to when they fold their petals in!
I have large capacity for nasty tenacity.
I'm sticking with frabjous, to stay positive, and maybe using the more modern cromulent every once in a while for the enigmaticalness.
Portland Democrats attack a business of political opponent.
Yeah that whole peace thing if democrats win isn't going to fly.
The best thing you can hope for is that Trump wins and the democrats slink off to ignominy.
We will never let these people have power.
Very runcible of you, mikee.
Never trust those purple ones.
Narr
Especially in NYC
Ilie Năstase
Houseplant Journal will probably be endorsing Joe Biden.
I think he was their Man of the Year and centerfold.
Would it’s meaning become offensive if ACB had a preference for it. Webster’s, are you listening?
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