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Mar 29, 2026
This week’s themeWriters painting with words This week’s words symbiosis genuflection juvenescent exegesis turpitude How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme All vocabulary, no cardio Wordsmith Games
AWADmail Issue 1239A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language
Email of the Week -- Brought to you by ONEUPMANSHIP
From: Mo Doyle (momcdo gmail.com) Subject: Genuflect In grade school, I was in a school taught by nuns and tied to a church. They taught us to genuflect before we went into a church pew, and several times during the service. That was doable. Every religion has rules for sitting, standing, lying on rugs, covering one’s head or not, etc. But our nuns went further. We (the girls) had to curtsy to every nun and priest we encountered. If I was standing still, I had no trouble until I turned 10 and my knees began cracking. Now I realize why they wore out as soon as they did. It got trickier when I passed a nun in the hallway or on the playground. I bobbed as I walked. One day the nuns declared that our walking curtsies were abominations. We girls were drilled for hours to get the bobbing correct. The boys only had to salute -- easy enough for them if they weren’t carrying the half dozen books we would need to do our homework. Mo Doyle, Boston, Massachusetts From: Debbie Behrens (debbeh446 yahoo.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--genuflection I guess I’m not the only one whose thoughts on genuflection immediately wander to Tom Lehrer, and his classic The Vatican Rag.
So get down on your knees Fiddle with your rosaries Bow your head with great respect And genuflect, genuflect, genuflect! ... video (3 min.) lyrics (pdf) Debbie Behrens, Aurora, Colorado From: Craig Fairhurst (teacher94 verizon.net) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--exegesis Exegesis draws meaning from a text; eisegesis reads one’s own ideas into it. A good example of this is how some people have tried to insert the modern idea of evolution into the early chapters of Genesis. Whether or not one chooses to believe the words, a plain reading of them shows that the intention of the writer is to tell the reader that God created the world in six literal days. The only way one can get millions of years of evolution is to insert it from outside by imposing modern ideas on the text. Craig Fairhurst, Ridgewood, New York From: Barb Brasfield (barb.brasfield gmail.com) Subject: Exegesis My favorite use of this word was when I played it in Words with Friends, across a double-word and a triple-word score and racked up a heap of points. I even had a picture onc, but now can’t find it. Part of the satisfaction was knowing it was a word, and of course spotting the chance to play it. Barb Brasfield, Seattle, Washington From: Jonathan Rickert (therickerts hotmail.com) Subject: Turpitude As a freshly minted US Consular Officer in the early 1960s, I first encountered the word turpitude in the phrase “crimes involving moral turpitude” as grounds for refusing a visa, under the Immigration and Nationality Act. It was new to me, though I never recall having to refuse a visa on that basis, or having occasion to use it thereafter. Nevertheless, the word continues to have an ominous ring to me -- perhaps it should gain broader use these days with reference to our current administration. Jonathan Rickert, Bainbridge Island, Washington From: David Policansky (davidpolicansky gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--turpitude I came across this word during my ultimately successful attempt at permanent residency. It was explained to me by an immigration official that there was a provision in the law (since struck down by the Supreme Court) that if I had been in the country for seven years, and been of good moral turpitude the whole time, I might be eligible for it. David Policansky, Nantucket, Massachusetts From: Sam Robinson (sam thewoolstore.co.nz) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--turpitude A Cambridge don, Frank Debenham, published Navigation with Alice in 1961. My grandmother gave me a copy on my 10th birthday, apparently confident that Alice (of Wonderland fame) could teach me the rudiments of navigation, long before GPS was invented. I’ve forgotten the principles of navigation -- maybe I never knew them -- but I do remember some of Debenham’s digressions (in true Lewis Carroll fashion) including this exchange: “Altitude?” queried Alice. “That is an odd word.” “It is not at all,” contradicted the Caterpillar. “It’s a grand word, a word of character. But then all the -tudes are aristocratic. Why, just think of Gratitude and Multitude, and even Turpitude has a sort of shady elegance about it.” “I’ve never heard of that last one,” said Alice. “Perhaps not,” replied the Caterpillar, “but you may have met its low-class relation, Sin.” Sam Robinson, Wellington, New Zealand From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com) Subject: genuflection and juvenescent  
Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams
Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks symbiosis In the mouth of a croc can be seen A brave bird who will pick his teeth clean. Symbiosis explains Why this reptile refrains From his usual killing routine. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Jack Spratt and his wife in the rhyme Got along very fine all the time. And despite halitosis, Had great symbiosis. “We don’t waste a thing,” they’d both chime. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) In the desert the Lord said to Moses, “What a team! We’ve got great symbiosis! First you tell ‘em to flee, Then I part the Red Sea! It takes two! That’s what Passover shows us!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) genuflection In order to gain Trump’s affection, Engage in some deep genuflection And flatter the man As best as you can Or add to his trophy collection. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Is there fake genuflection, I wonder? With the spirit and mood all asunder? If the feeling’s not there, Will God even care? Or just wipe us away as a blunder? -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) Said Iran, “You expect genuflection? In the mirror go check your reflection! What you’ll see there’s a truth That requires no sleuth: You just bombed us to get an erection.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) juvenescent She appears juvenescent, it’s true. But to Botox that young glow is due. From such things I abstain So my wrinkles remain -- Or I’d look like a movie star too! -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) On my face I’ve tried cream after cream, As to turn back the clock is my dream. Juvenescent appearance, No age interference, So mirror looks won’t make me scream. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) My limerick work is incessant, And it helps keep my mind juvenescent. When I see the day’s news, I must write or drink booze; It beats pills as an antidepressant. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) exegesis Right up to the lectern he stepped, That preacher who was so adept. I followed his thesis And fine exegesis, While people around me all slept. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) “I don’t read, so who needs exegesis?” Said Donald. “Don’t bother me! Jesus! I feel in my bones When to bomb and send drones; In the White House, mere facts don’t deceive us!” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) turpitude His turpitude can’t be denied; How often he’s cheated and lied! But alack and alas, Voters gave him a pass -- Great power he’s now been supplied. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Jeffrey Epstein, a very bad dude, Was well known for his lewd turpitude. So when all does come out, Trump can no longer shout, “It’s a hoax!”, and then Donald is screwed. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Your tea, warden, sip! To slurp’s rude,” Said Miss Manners, “It’s sheer turpitude.” Then she called to the guard, “See that Trump tub of lard? Here’s my book to go with the perp’s food.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “Jumping this canyon will pad my cha-symbiosis,” said Evel Knievel to his sibling. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “When you enter the Oval Office, do as I do: genuflection any pretense of honesty or dignity, and praise him to the skies,” Mike Johnson advised the visiting heads of state. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “Oy vey, how can you call yourself a Juvenescent-ially you ignore ze Ten Commandments?” asked Shylock’s rabbi. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) By telling her rich and powerful Roman boyfriend that he was now her exegesis follower chose faith and spirituality over pleasure and security. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I call it my Wyat-turpitude,” said Debussy of his piano composition commemorating the Gunfight at the OK Corral. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY:
At least one way of measuring the freedom of any society is the amount
of comedy that is permitted, and clearly a healthy society permits more
satirical comment than a repressive one, so that if comedy is to function in
some way as a safety release then it must obviously deal with these taboo
areas. This is part of the responsibility we accord our licensed jesters,
that nothing be excused the searching light of comedy. If anything can
survive the probe of humour it is clearly of value, and conversely all groups
who claim immunity from laughter are claiming special privileges which should
not be granted. -Eric Idle, comedian, actor, and author (b. 29 Mar 1943)
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