DIALECT AND WORD MEANINGS

[Stanley]

I have another word for you David! I stumbled on it in David Omissi's book.
'Acephalous'. ""headless," 1731, from French acéphale + -ous or directly from Late Latin acephalus, from Greek akephalos. See a- (3) "not" + cephalo- "head." Principally in botany and zoology, but also "without a leader" (1751). The Acephali "fabulous men with no heads" is from c. 1600, from Late Latin plural of acephalus, from Greek akephalos; also in Church history in reference to sects that refused to have priests or bishops (1620s). Related: Acephalian (1580s); acephalic (1650s). "
Ommissi used it in the context of describing primitive tribes who had no hierarchy of leadership.
This could be quite useful at the moment as a descriptor for the Tory Party. Rees-Mogg would approve I suspect.

[Tizer]

Is there something wrong with this thread? I'm seeing Stanley's `acephalous' post of 25 May at the top of a new page. When I go back to the bottom of the previous page the last post there is 16 May with Stanley writing about bent grass. Have we not had any posts in this thread for 9 days?

[PanBiker]

Must not have. I have just checked and the previous page complies with the "post numbers per page" as set in the ACP which is 25.

[Cathy]

The answers to these clues are all 3-word phrases. Can you work them out?
1. Acting together with united effort.
2. In direct confrontation.
3. At close quarters, when fighting.
4. Way to see in full agreement.
5. One after another, consecutively.
6. Method of resuscitation.
7. Contest between two parties.
8. Intimate chat.

[Tripps]

'Acephalous'.

I half guessed what it meant, but I'd thought it referred to the brain rather than the whole head. It would then have made a good Rees Mogg type word to replace the irritating 'no brainer'.

Well done with the purchase of the David Omissi book. We've mentioned it before, and I actually sent him an email suggesting a reprint would be a good thing. I think it's published by Manchester University Press? He didn't reply. Perhaps I'll try again?

[chinatyke]

The answers to these clues are all 3-word phrases. Can you work them out?
1. Acting together with united effort.
2. In direct confrontation.
3. At close quarters, when fighting.
4. Way to see in full agreement.
5. One after another, consecutively.
6. Method of resuscitation.
7. Contest between two parties.
8. Intimate chat.

► Show Spoiler

1.Cheek by cheek. (?)
2.Face to face.
3.Cheek by jowl.
4.Eye to eye.
5.Bit by bit.(?) Step by step.(?)
6.Mouth to mouth.
7.Head to head.
8.Nose to cheek.

I've got the idea of a common thread, but that means some of my answers are not correct.

[Tripps]

I'll try

► Show Spoiler

1.arm in arm
2. face to face
3. toe to toe
4. eye to eye
5. one by one
6. mouth to mouth
7. head to head
8. heart to heart. / tete a tete

[Cathy]

Why do the spoiler thing... Not happy

What do you get out of doing that? You didn't even give others a chance to try to work then out.

[Tripps]

Why do the spoiler thing... Not happy

What do you get out of doing that? You didn't even give others a chance to try to work then out.

Quite the opposite - if someone decides to try the puzzle, and doesn't open the 'spoiler' then they can try without knowing what others have worked out. When I didn't know how to do the 'spoiler' thing - I was told off for showing my answer openly. Can't win.

[Cathy]

Well it's certainly been spoilt for me

[Wendyf]

What would you have preferred China and Tripps to do Cathy?

[chinatyke]

Well it's certainly been spoilt for me

Sorry. It only takes a second to open the spoiler and display the answer. Like Tripps said, I did it this way so that others could have a try.

[Cathy]

Fair enough, obviously I find this Spoiler thing confusing. Maybe my mind immediately jumps to spoilsport, even though I now realise that it doesn't apply here.
I would just prefer people to post their answers without using Spoiler, for eg as in Mystery Objects, whether they are right or wrong.
Anyway...
Answers -
China, you have 2, 4, 6 and 7 Correct.
Tripps, you have 2, 4, 6, 7 and 8 Correct.

So that just leaves 1, 3 and 5 to solve.

[Stanley]

David, you would be wasting your time. Both Cambridge and Oxford are notorious for their dislike of reprints.

[plaques]

So that just leaves 1, 3 and 5 to solve.

1. Acting together with united effort.
3. At close quarters, when fighting.
5. One after another, consecutively.

► Show Spoiler

1. All pulling together.
3. Tooth and nail.
5. In Indian file.

[Wendyf]

I can't get 1 or 5 but I reckon 3 is hand to hand. Ooh! I just thought of 1, could it be shoulder to shoulder?

[Wendyf]

The only thing I can think of for 5 is nose to tail but that doesn't fit the pattern.

[PanBiker]

Not that it matters but we have a puzzles thread for stuff like this. Having said that there is a tenuous link to word meanings I suppose

[Cathy]

Plaques, 1, 3 and 5 Wrong.
Wendy, 1 and 3 Correct.
That just leaves No. 5

[Wendyf]

Back to Back?

[Cathy]

Yaye No. 5's answer is Back to Back.

(Sorry you had to wait 2 and a half hours Wendy .).

[Wendyf]

That didn't seem right because back to back would mean you are facing in opposite directions, then I thought of serials on TV having back to back episodes if they are shown on consecutive nights. Odd though.

[Stanley]

I've always thought the same Wendy, consecutive would be better.... But then I am a notorious pedant....

[Tizer]

Janice Turner in The Times writes how `milkshaking' someone (as happened to Nigel Farage) has been excused by some people on the basis of it simply being `ludic'. I had to look it up and found it means `showing spontaneous and undirected playfulness.'

[Whyperion]

8. Intimate chat. Does Ear to Ear fit too, or is that more of a private chat to point out the trouble with one of the parties - the one with whom the chat has been requested.