aghast

On a walk of another type, I came upon several words in my dictionary that I either have not seen in common usage to a great extent or this was my first time to view them at all. To begin this mental stroll I present the word aghast. It carries the meaning of being struck with overwhelming shock or amazement and the more sinister definition of being filled with sudden fright or horror. I have been aghast a few times in my life but I don’t remember calling it that – I was too much in shock. I don’t recall now why I was aghast; maybe it was not that important in the long run.

A new one for me is agita; this word means heartburn or indigestion. I have had heartburn and indigestion but maybe I’m just not sophisticated enough to get agita. Another meaning of the word is agitation or anxiety – I have taken part in those words but agita was far from my mind during the participation thereof. A kin word is agitator and about the only place one of those is needed is in a washing machine.

The word aglet crept up on me – it means a tag or ornament at the ends of a shoelace, cord or ribbon. The word agley is chiefly a Scottish word meaning something is awry or wrong – in this case maybe someone’s shoelace was untied or the aglet came off of it.

Now I have had an agnail or a whitlow but never called it that, it’s always been a hangnail to me.

As surprising as it may sound, there are conflicts in literature, called agones, especially when the conflict is between the protagonist and the antagonist. It is not certain at all to me which of these would wear the white hat – probably would depend on one’s point of view.

I wasn’t aware of the word ailurophile – a person who likes cats. I’m not sure what one who just tolerates cats would be called – me maybe. Then there is the Spice who is an ailurophobe – a person who has an abnormal fear of cats. To even mention the possibility that a cat would be brought nearby makes her go all akimbo – hand on hip and elbow bent outward. Most husbands have gotten the akimbo treatment at one time or another and for a variety of reasons.

I would discuss alacrity but does anyone have it anymore? Too many people also live simply depending on aleatory. We could sure use some algid temps around here. Do any writers have an allonym or do they just have pen names? No discussion also on the word alopecia, it hits too close to home.

Our country seems to be running amuck – to go or rush about wildly and/or be out of control – with too much of the bad meaning of animus and very little amity. Christ is the solution for this sort of problem but He is totally our choice. He will allow us to choose the nutso life or one of peace – which will you choose? ec