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Pithy

Where does pithy come from?

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426 Comments and 73 threads

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  1. rijk says: 141

    So pithy in an argument is kind of the same as quintessential in an object. Right :smile: ?

  2. darlingj says: 140

    Another perfect example of what I think Dictionary Girl would do…a FULL definition with etymology…

  3. Hi Marina,

    The opposite of pithy seems to be verbose, in my opinion. Long-winded might be another possibility as well.

  4. Dear teacher,
    I will try to not be blurry or sybillic in my answer. This video was excellent. It is always funny to see you in this strange situations like in the halloween video!
    Amicalement,
    Don Felipe Gonzales

  5. Dude I saw you in another video comments.

    You were crap there too.

  6. Opposite of pithy? A word I requested long ago and far away… pleonastic.

  7. drizzt023 says: 134

    The opposite of Pithy is Prolix miss.

  8. Marina
    Do you have people in Ukraine now?
    If so are they alarmed with the US and USSR getting into a pissing match. Russia has Poland worried too.
    Can’t we just give Putin San Francisco instead?

  9. protac6 says: 128

    Marina, can you derive the word “workout” because I always become curious about this word every time I tell people that I’m going to work out. I’m sure you should know since your body is so “curvy” and “cut”.

    Thanks Marina

  10. pepito says: 127

    sorry… off-topic
    Its right to say: “mother russia”, When we used that phrase?

  11. Pith balls made from pith?
    strange….

  12. protac6 says: 125

    I don’t blame you Marina on that scare. God that’s horrible.

  13. I was wondering were coincidence came from? Oh, and by the way, I’m a “football” fan too. Go Russia!! :grin:

  14. koalabear says: 122

    Pretty quiet, everyone must be watching the Olympics.
    Russia has passed Aust. on the medal tally. :sad:

  15. wetsuit5 says: 121

    All good things are worth waiting for :!:
    And we will savor her creation all the more. :wink:

  16. tomping61 says: 119

    MARINA–pithy ??what a waste of letters.a truly useless word.tom.staten island.

  17. James says: 118

    Marina error on your channel on your description there is a break in the bit that syas hotforwords.com

  18. James says: 117

    Last Sign In: 19 minutes ago

    your killin me i have been f5ing for ages

  19. davecodave says: 116

    Wher in the world is Geranamo? Doesn’t he play here anymore?

  20. davecodave says: 115

    I believe that the opposite of “pithy” is “Un-Pithy”. That would be my guess. :???:

  21. How succinct this pithy….

    Dear Teacher, Care to research and elaborate on the origins of the expression “New York Minute” :???: …. Inquiring minds want to know!

    Sparkz

  22. leonard says: 113

    See you all later central to to this lesson. :shock:

  23. Bob says: 112

    51415 – a palindrome

  24. stokesjrj1 says: 110

    “leozzix on August 20th, 2008 11:20 am

    Heyy marina.
    I wanted to know why they say.
    “Seventh time is the charm.”

    Thanks
    Leonardo

    http://www.hotforwords.com/2007/06/15/abracadabra-magic-trick/

    • The number 7 is a symbol of completion. It is used quite frequently in ancient literature, particular the Bible (7 days of creation, 7 days of marching around Jericho, etc. In Revelation, it is used constantly to show completion or just the right amount.) I guess that the phrase “7th time is the charm” comes from that use.

  25. cukie says: 109

    I would like to know the origin of the word Rendezvous, because I don’t see how it relates to a meeting.

  26. havubud says: 108

    Hey Marina, I’d like to know the origin of the word Universe, if Uni means 3 and Verse is a line in a song? :???: This is really confusing…

  27. James says: 107

    Marina.. Please hang on to the new vid for about an hour.. I need to go for a bath!! And tomorrow I get my GCSE results so i will probably miss it then too.. Actually do what you want so long as FOXBOW doesnt get it first

  28. James
    I found it for you to save to your gavatar acct.
    Click on the banana and save it to your file.
    And use it for you alt.

    If you want it :mrgreen:

  29. wetsuit5 says: 105

    I just realised something. :idea:
    There’s not enough space on the home page spot for all the digits needed in a couple of days. :shock:
    Oh the headaches of success. :razz:

  30. Would just like to say that your site is very cool, keep up the great work! My question isn’t so much a word as a symbol, I would like to find the origin of the dollar sign $. What does the S stand for and the line, and why does it sometimes have 2 lines?

  31. Hey Marina! These vids are all vry informative. I was wondering, could you explain the origin and usages of the words Joker and Joke? Thanks.

  32. mloy says: 101

    Hi Marina!

    I would think that the opposite of “pithy” is “rambling” or “beats-around-the-bush”. Hey, have you ever done that one?

    And I can’t leave without giving a punchline without the joke:

    “Thor? I’m tho thore, I can’t even pith thraight!” :mrgreen:

    Take care.

  33. yankeegato says: 100

    Neither “they” nor anyone else says that. It’s “three’s a charm.”
    tt

  34. mijj says: 99

    Marina, I want to know … is it clever to swear?

  35. leozzix says: 98

    Heyy marina.
    I wanted to know why they say.
    “Seventh time is the charm.”

    Thanks
    Leonardo

  36. mijj says: 97

    {takes a break from strugglin’ wi’ hard words an’ enjoys a music vid from alternative ex-punk brainy hottie, Siouxsie Sioux: [YouTube: Siouxsie Sioux - Mantaray]}

  37. nukezz says: 96

    i request tartan! plzzzzzzzzzzzz :mrgreen:

  38. mittheman says: 94

    Marina,

    I love the way you promulgate.

  39. James says: 93

    Whenever I see that thumbnail.. I think of porn

  40. mittheman says: 92

    Little Johnny’s teacher asked him if he knew what pith was.

    He said “Yeth mam.”

  41. mijj says: 91

    anyone interested in the origin of the word hello might like check …

    [YouTube: QI - Origin of "Hello"]

  42. nighteye says: 90

    Marina, your most interesting lesson raises another question. Pity has such a different meaning than pithy. So where does pity come from?

  43. James says: 89

    Right thats it.. I have had enough.. I am doing re installing windows… AGIAN!!!!!! I need movie maker back … So i had better start writing my programs down .. Bye sony vegas!

  44. harry9 says: 88

    words you know have a meaning by sound-poems reach us by sound
    and sense.Where I am-to be brief can be taken as being “short” with
    someone,dismissive to quickly finish one’s business with them,sort of unfriendly.Make sense?
    harry9

  45. James says: 87

    Nothing is happening at the moment.., doing system restorew now grr

  46. harry9 says: 86

    word request:inarticulate

  47. A word meaning opposite of pithy?
    Antipithy? (nah – that’s antipathy mispelled)
    Hmmm…..maximum verbosity?

    Bob as the teacher’s pet? Congrats!

    Kinda lost me with that last video bit…
    no connective tissue with the rest of the piece…
    Another of your many video “requests”?

    James just wrote to confirm he is doiing
    a PBNJ video. Kewl! The underlying joke
    to this bit is that people in England rarely
    use peanut butter for anything but cookies!
    The idea of a peanut butter sandwich is as
    foreign to British persons as kippers for
    breaffast is to Americans. This should be fun… :mrgreen:

    • It’s very dangerous to mix a pithy phrase with antipathy – it’s kind of like when you let your pasta and antipasto come in contact with each other….they annihilate each other.

    • Bob says: 85.2

      Not true, Mel, I was weaned on peanut butter sandwiches and still make a special trip to Costco for my supply of Skippy.
      Have you ever tried peanut butter and honey sandwiches?
      The honey adds sufficient lubrication to make eating it cold bearable.
      Just don’t try it with runny honey though.

      • Times do change…..peanut butter in England
        30 years ago, I couldn’t find any on the shelves
        at the grocery in Coventry. When I found some
        in a specialty foods shoppe, it was in a teeny
        jar – barely enough for two sandwiches!
        Their is an Israeli product, a chocolate cream.
        Makes a sandwich taste like a
        Reese’s Peanutbutter Cup. :mrgreen:

    • Bob says: 85.3

      30 years ago! – I’m talking 50 years ago, although, come to think about it, there was a cancer scare which took it off the shelves for a while. That might have been around 30 years ago. It was because some Ralph Nader type foodie discovered that some peanut butters were made using the husks as well as the nuts, and there was a remote chance that the husks could have some fungus growing on them, which might have been a health hazard.

    • James says: 85.4

      Dleted movie maker 6 and now stuck wit 2.1 or whatever it is I NEED MM6 BACK :( . still editing it.. Havent been arsed yet.. downloadiong music instead @)

  48. Chemikal says: 84

    I’m watching a movie, “The World In His Arms” [1952]
    The action takes place in 1850’s San Francisco, it stars the Russian countess, Marina Selanova and Capt. Jonathan Clark. :-)
    It will sturr your emotions, and boil your noble blood.
    Tell me if you’ve seen it.

  49. Bob says: 83

    Some people seem to think that, as reining Teacher’s Pet, I have some kind of influence and have asked me to request the meaning of your nickname, Koba.
    Well, never let it be said that I am too proud to help the less fortunate, so please reveal the secret.
    I don’t want to use it until I know that it’s not derogatory. :smile:

  50. a pith helmet is a piece of cork used by 19th century soldier to keep the sun off their head it was rubbish for protection you can put most things through it. i own one and it bends and bends. i can tell you that you have to be careful with them.

    i was wondering how do i put a video comment on here.

    answer hell of a lot stronger than the piece of soft rubbish i wear u mite as well try putting a pin through it and itd go through not reliable at all

    mike

  51. James says: 80

    Marina can we this as a new icon please?

  52. demo says: 79

    Good morning :smile: some people still dont know what means words like: lol, lmao, mwah…

  53. muzek says: 78

    I got a word for you :twisted:
    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cc7V6DTATdw&feature=related

    The word is Babble/Bubble … i asked 279 people… and they said its babble…
    So.. what is babble anyway?

  54. misscupcake says: 77

    someone mentioned below, about the phrase ‘the bees knees’

    and what about ‘the cats pyjamas?!?’

    what about… the icing on the cake. or cupcake.
    hehe!

    i like this website.

    • mijj says: 77.1

      oh .. i like those picturesque ones ..
      “the bees knees”
      “the cat’s pyjamas”

      … plus, how about … {koff}

      “the dog’s bollocks” (which is brit for “absolutely the most supremely brilliant”)

      • mijj says: 77.1.1

        “the dog’s bollocks” :
        example:
        “i saw the Dark Knight the other day. It’s the dog’s bollocks!”.

      • LOL gordon ramsay says things like ‘that meal is bollocks’

        its funny how bollocks alone insinuates something is bad or untruthful or yuck. but saying the phrase ‘the dogs bollocks’ indicates something is fantastic! hehe

        in australia we say ‘you bloody beauty’
        well, the stereptype aussies do LOL.

      • oh my god i cant believe what ive done. i just posted a comment without one smilie in it.

        heres compensation:

        :shock: :oops: :roll: :eek: :???: :wink: :cry: :mrgreen: :smile: :cool: :evil: :twisted: :?:

      • mijj says: 77.1.4

        actually .. that dog’s bollocks thing …

        .. i know the origin of that thanks to the tv prog QI
        (that’s cheating, i guess: asking the question but knowing the answer.)

        Here’s an example clip of QI, btw: [YouTube: QI - Origin of "Hello"]

        anyway

        the dog’s bollocks had a (non-obvious) partner phrase: bog standard.
        These both have a common origin.

        Way back in the mists of time, in the UK, a company called Meccanno produced construction kits for children (strips of metal with holes, nuts, bolts, etc).

        One was Box: Standard which induced the phrase bog standard into the brit language (meaning average).

        Another was Box: Deluxe which induced the phrase dog’s bollocks into the brit language (meaning supreme first class, etc).

        :)

        oh, btw .. i was saddened by the lack of smileys in your first response.

      • hahaha i was also saddenedby my lack of smilies. hence why i felt compelled to leave another comment fulled with smilies YAY! :grin:

        i want to design a cupcake emoticon so i can use it :P hehe

  55. misscupcake says: 76

    hey marina, i checked your bio but it doesnt say when your birthday is :cry:

    can i know?

    then i can make you a cupcake :wink:

  56. James says: 75

    I noticed something new the “interviews” button

  57. lostinhere says: 74

    The antonym for pithy is verbose or wordy. A synonym for pithy could be K.I.S.S. :wink:

  58. Dear HotForWords I have a word request. I was wondering if ‘K9′ or ‘K-9′ somehow originates from ‘canine’ and was also wondering the origin of that word too :wink:

  59. blueskies13 says: 72

    is the opposite take your time

  60. steph41979 says: 71

    I have a request for a phrase rather than a word…whats the meaning behind ‘high on the hog’:) loved the newest video, i hate those kind of games that draw you in then scare the shit out of you…not my thing

  61. :???: ??What’s this?? :???:
    ??Another day with no word from our dear teacher??
    She is too trusting in her students not to raise a ruckus. :twisted:

    • mijj says: 70.1

      woah!

      is it a good idea to expect a new vid each day?

      You don’t want poor li’l Marina to burn out do you? The vids’ll become a chore to do and all the life will go out of em. … and then we’ll begin to hate her for having such little respect for us. … and then we’ll start grumbling and wanting our money back. .. and then the gathering in groups with pitchforks and burning brands will start .. and it’ll all end in storming the castle .. and no good will come of that, will it!?

    • mijj says: 70.2

      oh .. hang on … :oops:

      you said “Another day with no word from our dear teacher??”

      … please ignore the above rant.

  62. labbatt78 says: 69

    Request: what’s the origin of the meaning “Pulling the rabbit out of the magic hat”/ :?:

  63. stokesjrj1 says: 68

    New word request : pattern………………….looking at these boxes around the replies they resemble documents and letters and checks.

  64. andy w says: 67

    Hey Hotforwords, my request is for the word “bloke”. I hear it used a lot over in Britain, and I would like to know the origin of it.

  65. Was that The Linda Blair Witch Project? :twisted:

  66. Hi HotForWords. My request is more for a phrase than actual word.
    I always use the phrase, “It’s the bee’s knees,” but have no idea where it comes from. :shock:
    Can you shed some light on this?
    Thanks again and you’re awesome! :razz:

  67. Those rose petals remind me of the murder-imminent scene in “The Fugitive” wherein Sela Ward strews rose petals up and down the staircase to entice Harrison Ford, her husband, when he comes back from surgery.

  68. sniperskaya says: 63

    Marina some of the words I believe you are looking for would be verbose, rambling, long-winded, etc.
    You almost looked like you were going to pithy in your panthys in that last scene. Never do that kind of stuff when you’ve been drinking! (Don’t ask me how I know!) :twisted:

  69. stokesjrj1 says: 62

    words request: cono, babiidm, Táhirih

  70. Opposite of pithy: Nebulous.
    Where did the expression “Miss Goodie Two-shoes” come from? Was she a character in a story I missed out on as a kid?

  71. xtremetony says: 60

    I’d like to know where does the word “Baller” as it portrays to a skilled Athlete in Football or Basketball

    And I’d like to be the next Teacher’s Pet for my B-Day this Friday

  72. babiimom says: 59

    hello i was at my boyfriends house and i asked him a question he told me ” no way hose!” where did the saying come from and who is hose?? haha
    thanks hotforwords you are very smart

  73. nixproto says: 58

    Marina,
    For the homework my answers are:
    ☺ nonpithy (lol)
    ☺ verbose
    But I would like to request the word “stalker.” I know you probably have some now that you post videos but did people used to hide in corn stalks or something help me out! Thanks
    -Léon

  74. :lol: :lol: :lol: hello marina i have a word request KOBA OR UTOPIA no OK thank you

  75. raven62 says: 56

    Marina, I was wondering if you are ever going to do the guess the word lessons again. I enjoyed them. I liked doing all of you word games. So will you be doing any of them again? :?: Please :mrgreen:

  76. icebreaker says: 55

    Interesting article in the Economist about the difficluties in spelling in English:

    http://www.economist.com/world/britain/displaystory.cfm?story_id=11920829

    Part of the problem is based on an attempt to align words with what people thought were their Latin roots, so false etymologies are part of the reason I am such a bad speller.

    Now I have an excuse :smile:

  77. :lol: hi marina could you please tell me why your nick name is koba

  78. raven62 says: 53

    Marina, fo my homework I would have to be vague with the answer, or just beat around the bush. Oh just forget the homework. :mrgreen: :wink:

  79. natwhilk says: 52

    To be pithy about the homework, I’ll venture a guess in just one word. Is the opposite of ‘pithy’:

    “prolix”?

    Why does pro-lix mean verbose? Pro (for, or forward — I think) and Lix? What is LIX? Is it related to LEX (as in LEXICON?)???

    Thank you my dear teacher,
    Natalia Whilk (Nat)

  80. mattym says: 51

    You always keep it pithy…thanks Marinia!! :wink:

  81. suprstock says: 50

    Does Marina wear blue color contacts, sometime her eyes look blue, sometime green?

  82. harry9 says: 49

    word request: insatiable

  83. kaibanator says: 48

    I hate scary mazes too :(

    Great video though :smile:

    I pithy the fool

  84. Bob does elicit that reaction at times…

    but he grows on ya…’sides, Bob’s got mad moves

    but let’s see…an antonym for pithy?…several come to mind: garrulous, verbose, obtuse, long-winded, coarse…

    that reminds me…i wonder why Bob came to Marina’s mind for this particular vid?…

    ***grabs his pith helmet & runs from incoming and well-deservedlambasts***

    luv ya, Bob…

    annudder :cool:

  85. roadrunrnch says: 46

    Hi Marina, I’am new to your page can you tell me why your nick name is KOBA. Pretty please…….?? .
    This is a picture of me waiting for your answer

  86. vexnews says: 45

    Word for your word list.

    VEX

    Vexing
    Vexatious

    This word has been troubleing me.

    • The root is Latin and connected to VEHICLE :
      In latin VEHERE means TO MOVE.
      This root is the same in WAY “place where you move” or WAGON “moving thing”.
      Latin languages, Germanic languages and Slavic langages are cousins etymologically speaking.

  87. Capman911 says: 43

    Miss M here is a big hug to console you over your scare :smile:

    Hug

  88. Homework: loquacious, circuitous, interminable, discursive

  89. cboldman says: 41

    Hi Marina,

    I’ll be pithy: Those new sound effects have got to go!

  90. Capman911 says: 40

    The pithy balls on a string. What are they used for? Some kind of game? I tried to Google it, but to avail :???:

  91. alexisexy says: 39

    That f’king maze game scarred the hell out of me as well lol.

  92. James says: 38

    Marina how can I post a video request

  93. My dear teacher,
    When I was in 6th grade I had a teacher who had a dog named Sabaka I was wondering if there any one in Russia name their sabaka dog?
    Just somethig I was pondering.

  94. CaptainJack says: 36

    Marina, You really got dolled up today. :smile: Loved the outfit and necklace. I liked the color of your eye shadow. It looks good on you.

    First question, How did you think of starting your web cam when you where playing that maze joke? Second question you normally talk to yourself when making these videos. Third question, where the heck was Kobe? I didn’t hear a peep out of him. I thought he was your guard dog? :cool:

  95. Cashy says: 35

    Can I Proffer ‘Prolix’ as a cogent antonym of ‘Pithy’

  96. I would say the countrary of PITHY is VACUOUS.

  97. wetsuit5 says: 33

    The sound effects needs tweeking. :idea:
    They don’t enhance the video when used while you are talking. :cry:
    In fact at those times they are annoying and distracting from what you are saying. :shock:
    When you used them for the names it was over done and couldn’t hear what you were saying. :razz:
    A strength that over used is a weakness. :roll:
    I’ve watched it 3 times and still haven’t completely glean your full meaning.
    Looks like somebody got had pretty good at the end, don’t worry we’ll protect you. :wink: :wink:

  98. stokesjrj1 says: 32

    bromeliaceae: New words request

  99. seesixcm6 says: 30

    For your homework, the opposite of “pithy” would be verbose or overworded.
    I had learned a different definition for “pithy.” In addition to being brief, “pithy” also had to get to the core, or center of the concept. For example, it would be pithy ti say, “She’s Hot!” Non-pithy would be “She looks so fetching and attractive in that black, off-the-shouder dress, and that lavender dress with black trim was an eyecatcher, too.”
    Nice new font for your videos and I hope you manage your photo images better, too. Your dear student, seesixcm6

  100. Chemikal says: 29

    I got a new video attached to my name, check it out…

  101. Chemikal says: 28

    Wes the stars grading system causing problems in the site’s fluency?

  102. Bob says: 27

    Thank you, Marina. That kiss was the most delightful surprise, but now my heart is jumping around so much, I think I need to double my medication … can I please be excused homework for tonight.
    Now I have to try and wipe this silly grin off my face before I go to join my wife.