dulcify

Another little meander through the dictionary brings us to the word: doofus or dufus which is slang for a foolish or inept person. Going further, a dodo is a large, extinct, flightless bird of the pigeon family, formerly inhabiting Mauritius. It is also slang for a dull-witted, slow-reacting person. Then in rapid succession, a dummkopf is slang for a stupid person or a blockhead. A dum-dum is also a silly, stupid person. A dolt or a dunderhead carries the same meaning of a dunce, a blockhead or numbskull. And a dupe is a person who is easily deceived or fooled.

Now before you start to wonder whether or not I have someone in mind for all these definitions, I will state up front that I do not. This was just the part of the dictionary I happened to be in and these caught my eye. Although I will admit to coming in close proximity to some of the ones defined, mostly on highways around the area.

The word doohickey is an informal word defined as a gadget or a thingamajig. Going a little deeper, a gadget is usually a small mechanical or electronic contrivance or device or any ingenious article. And further still, a thingamajig is a thing for which the speaker does not know or has forgotten the name, also called a thingamabob.

Another word I ran into is the noun dolor, meaning sorrow or grief. Dolorous, the adjective, means full of or causing pain or sorrow, also grievous or mournful. Many things can cause sorrow or grief, even doggerel, especially to the minds and ears of those appreciating great and artfully done verse. Doggerel is either writing that is comic or burlesque, and usually loose or irregular in measure, or something that has no aesthetic value or is poorly written. I think I have done some of that.

Although dulosis sounds a bit like some sort of disease, it is the enslavement of an ant colony or its members by ants of a different species – a hostile takeover of a different sort. Then I was enlightened to learn that dunnage is baggage or personal effects, I might have known this if I traveled more. The word also means loose material laid beneath or wedged among objects carried by ship or rail to prevent injury from chafing or moisture or to provide ventilation. So many words, so little time.

Dulcet is an adjective meaning pleasant to the ear or melodious. It also is defined as pleasant or agreeable to the eye or the feelings, or soothing. Closely related is dulcify: to make more agreeable, mollify or appease, also to sweeten. Maybe all these soothing and pleasant things could come about by using a dulcimer, one of two musical instruments. First, and the original, is a trapezoidal zither with metal strings that are struck with light hammers. The other is a modern folk instrument with three or four strings plucked or strummed with the fingers. All this sweetness is probably done for one’s dulcinea, a ladylove or sweetheart.

What our world seems to need is more dulcification, especially the parts meaning to make folks more agreeable or to sweeten them. This is not an easy thing to accomplish, even on oneself – unless we have the help of the Lord. He is able to not only sweeten us up but also make us more agreeable and both of these are good things. ec