PICNIC - Answers1. In a footnote. Passim (from Latin pandere, to scatter or spread out) meaning throughout, or here and there, indicates that the term (or whatever) cited is found in different places in the text.2. Indefatigable (from Latin defatiga, to tire out, and in, not) means tireless, incapable of being tired out. The tennis finalists appeared to be indefatigable, even after hours of play. 3. Cretins are mentally deficient, and often deformed. Cretinism results from a thyroid deficiency; the term cretin has been picked up as a pejorative term for people one dislikes—similar to creep. (It’s from French creitin, human being.) 4. Gazes at stars. To an astronomer, a nebula (from the Latin for vapor, akin to a Greek term for cloud) is a cloud of interstellar gas and dust. 5. Ichthyology (from Greek ichthys, fish) is the scientific study of fishes. The ichythologists paint a scary picture of the coming depletion of our marine food supply from overfishing. 6. A cherub (from Hebrew kərûb, via Latin and Middle English) is a winged celestial being, an angel. It also refers to an innocent (and usually chubby) young person or babe. |
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