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The Times & The Sunday Times
The Times & The Sunday Times
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Word Watching answers: February 17, 2005

by Philip Howard
The Times
by Philip Howard
The Times

CHIRPS

(c) To flirt with or chat up. Headline in internet chatmag website: “P. Diddy is still trying to chirps J-Lo!”

GRAMM

(c) A phrase. What is written. An adaptation of the Greek grámma in the same sense. 1647: “This is no time to fear Apelles gramm: Ne sutor quidem ultra crepidam.

EBOULEMENT

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(a) The crumbling or falling of a wall, especially of a fortification. French. A good word, inviting figurative use: “She’s still hanging up when I call, but I’m hoping for an eboulement soon.”

MINNELIED

(b) A love song written by a minnesinger, or in the style of the minnesingers. Adaptation of the German minne, love + lied, song. 1881: “The first lyrical writer of Holland was John I who practised the minnelied with success.”