noun • the happiness of meeting again after a long time; French
[via La Florista Bonita, with several other such words and phrases; posted by jonas]
noun • the happiness of meeting again after a long time; French
[via La Florista Bonita, with several other such words and phrases; posted by jonas]
interjection • roughly, ‘hopefully’ or ‘if chance allows’, although neither captures the full meaning. The direct translation from the original Arabic “Insha’Allah” is “God willing” or “If it is God’s will”; Arabic
noun • the state of being able to achieve honours (in the ablative plural); Latin
When (very) occasionally drafted into English use, as by Shakespeare, it is the longest word in the English language featuring alternating consonants and vowels.
verb • to “read the air”, or carefully judge the social atmosphere of any situation so as to act appropriately at all times; also sometimes used by children to mean (roughly) “to know or intuit without rational reason”; Japanese
verb • “the custom, now fallen into disuse, found in rural German-speaking districts, of lovers who woo their sweethearts at their bedroom windows, to which they ascend by means of a ladder, enjoying such intimacy that the relation practically amounts to a trial marriage. The reputation of the young woman never suffers on account of Fensterln, unless she becomes intimate with too many suitors”; German
[via Freud and his translator; submitted by helena thompson]
noun • “a certain nonchalance, so as to conceal all art and make whatever one does or says appear to be without effort and almost without any thought about it”; an easy facility in accomplishing difficult actions which hides the conscious effort that goes into them; Italian
noun • driving enjoyment. From the German fahren meaning “to drive”, and vergnügen meaning “enjoyment”. An advertising slogan adopted by Volkwagon for a 1989 ad campaign; German
verb • to tenderly run one’s fingers through someone’s hair; Brazilian Portuguese
[via ALTA Language Services; posted by jacquelynn]
noun • one who gathers and converses by moonlight, a night-talker; Arabic
[via Steingass’s Arabic-English Dictionary; posted by jacquelynn]
