mcritz has looked up 57 words, created 1 list, listed 68 words, written 40 comments, added 4 tags, and loved 3 words.
Comments by mcritz
Comments for mcritz
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Mcritz, I apologize if it sounded like I was getting on your case about the word (b)icicle, and I somehow completely missed your pronunciation guide to the word. The technique of inserting elements in parenthethes as a way of making a pun happens to be something that just gets on my nerves: overused in literary theory by American deconstructionists since at least the 1980s, this is a typographical conceit that usually cannot be aurally conveyed. If I heard your suggested pronunciation for "(b)icicle", I might easily assume it was spelled "b'icicle" or "ba'icicle"; there would be no reason for me to think of parentheses. The pun works visually, but not aurally. I have the feeling that ever since schoolchildren stopped learning how to recite poetry and other texts, the art of reading with the ears, and not only the eyes, has been dying out.
Thanks for responding to my curmudgeonly comment.

mcritz commented on the word manufactroversy
A manufactured controversy.
Jan 11, 2011
mcritz commented on the word naffirmative
An affirmative reply indicated by a negative.
E.g. “Do you mind if I turn off Fox News?” She answered in the naffirmative, “hell no!”
Oct 8, 2010
mcritz commented on the word simplychanges
simplychanges: (n) Changes to design & functionality that are often introduced by the word “simply” so as to belittle the amount of effort required to implement and underplay the lack of planning involved from those who request the change.
e.g. “Can we simply turn all the red to blue in all 1,500 files?”
Apr 13, 2010
mcritz commented on the word Duh-VR
(v): The action of watching commercials and forgetting they can be fast-forwarded through.
Mar 3, 2010
mcritz commented on the word egodynamic
e·go·di'·nam·ec (adj): of great conceit.
Feb 18, 2010
mcritz commented on the word fauxductivity
(n) Of or related to the charade of appearing productive.
Jan 29, 2010
mcritz commented on the word avatard
1. (n) a user who does not customize their avatar.
2. (n) the default avatar image.
Oct 23, 2009
mcritz commented on the word instagank
instagank: (v) immediate theft.
“After taking the bottles to the curb, I went inside to wash my hands. I returned less than a minute later to find my recycling had been instaganked.”
Jun 2, 2009
mcritz commented on the word beanbrain
beanbrain: (n) a headache whose source is indeterminate between the use of too much or too little caffeine.
May 25, 2009
mcritz commented on the word ultrarolled
Ultrarolled (v): a massive link pwnage.
First in use by Adam Koblentz in 2009. Well played, sir. Very well played!
May 6, 2009
mcritz commented on the word frauditing
I love this! Now to invent a word to describe the act of hiding budget deficits through supplemental and emergency spending. Fudgeting?
Mar 3, 2009
mcritz commented on the word meronym
The example in OED is faces being used to describe people. E.g. “I see several familiar faces present.�?
Meronym—what a wonderful word!
Feb 9, 2009
mcritz commented on the user rolig
Oh, good point! I probably should have spelled it with an apostrophe. I created a new entry for b'icicle. Much funnier! Thanks!
Feb 1, 2009
mcritz commented on the word b'icicle
See also: (b)icicle
(n). BUH-ize-ik-el
A bicycle that has been irrecoverably buried in snow or ice.
Usage: “Returning from winter vacation he discovered an expired subway pass in his pocket and his b'icicle in a snow bank.”
Example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcritz/3233950885/
Feb 1, 2009
mcritz commented on the user rolig
Oh, good point! I probably should have spelled it with an apostrophe. I created a new entry for b'icicle. Much funnier! Thanks!
Jan 31, 2009
mcritz commented on the word arsassin
n. An arsonist-assassin.
ent. The USA network show Psych. Shawn said, “Guys can’t we come up with a word that covers both arsonist and murderer? How about arsassin?”
Jan 31, 2009
mcritz commented on the word techsticle
n. Any precious technology
“First my laptop wouldn’t boot. Now I can’t get e-mail on my Blackberry. It’s a perfect one-two punch to my techsticles.”
Jan 28, 2009
mcritz commented on the word (b)icicle
(n). BUH-ize-ik-el
A bicycle that has been irrecoverably buried in snow or ice.
Usage: “Returning from winter vacation he discovered an expired subway pass in his pocket and his (b)icicle in a snow bank.�?
Example: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcritz/3233950885/
Jan 28, 2009
mcritz commented on the word pewslam
1. (v) The disruption of worship by the noise of a banging knee rest.
2. (n) Any loud noise during the quieter parts of a religious ceremony.
Jan 4, 2009
mcritz commented on the word sprachgefühl
Anything German and/or containing umlauts gets high marks in my book.
Nov 12, 2008
mcritz commented on the word firesmoky
Ooh, I love this construction! Very beautiful.
Nov 10, 2008
mcritz commented on the word die
@VanishedOne there's only one way to pay Charon as your cross the river Stix.
Nov 9, 2008
mcritz commented on the word profligacy
“McCain's top advisers privately fumed at Palin’s outrageous profligacy.�?
From Newsweek: http://awurl.com/gIhkcGuDv
Nov 5, 2008
mcritz commented on the word cacoethes
Pronounced something like "kako-ethese". Awesome word, difficult pronunciation.
Nov 3, 2008
mcritz commented on the word crowbard
1. n. a singer of poor performance. The mariachis were accompanied by a crowbard.
2. n. A loud or boisterous poet. The free-rhyming crowbard screamed his verse to any that would listen.
pl. crowbards
Oct 30, 2008
mcritz commented on the word toute de suite
(French phrase) "a toute de suite". n. Immediately
Oct 27, 2008
mcritz commented on the word corruptgrade
n. An extremely poorly produced upgrade
Oct 21, 2008
mcritz commented on the word saprophyte
sap + ROPHYTE = muthaeffin' bingo.
Oct 14, 2008
mcritz commented on the word false vampire
see vamposer
Oct 14, 2008
mcritz commented on the word vamposer
(n) A false vampire.
Oct 14, 2008
mcritz commented on the word moribund
That's an effin' bingo.
Oct 14, 2008
mcritz commented on the word economistic
Paul Krugmen uses this word construction in his statement to the New York Times when commenting on his Nobel Prize.
Assumed definition: concerned or relating with one or more economists or economic science.
Oct 14, 2008
mcritz commented on the word twooché
(twoo-shay)
Definition: (n) a twitter.com exchange where one twoosh is replied with another.
Oct 7, 2008
mcritz commented on the word twoosh
Definition: (n) a twitter.com tweet that uses the exact number of available characters.
Oct 7, 2008
mcritz commented on the word complisult
Definition: a backhanded compliment.
Oct 3, 2008
mcritz commented on the word epigrams
word-plays: A, AM, RAM, RAMS, GRAM, GRAMS
Sep 26, 2008
mcritz commented on the word halon
word-plays: A, AL, LO, ON, HA, HALO
Sep 26, 2008
mcritz commented on the word tonneaus
95 with a triple word & bingo, used a blank
Sep 25, 2008
mcritz commented on the word gaze
48 on a triple word with a ER word-cross.
Sep 25, 2008
mcritz commented on the word agnostic
Scored a bingo with scrabble.
Sep 25, 2008