The word balmy and how it has destroyed my life....

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Zygar_ Cthulhukin
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The word balmy and how it has destroyed my life....

Post by Zygar_ Cthulhukin »

Ok here goes...

I've always thought that the word balmy meant hot and humid until a year or two ago (I'm old, 34) when my english teacher mom corrected me. I have a large vocabulary (heck she was my high school AP english teacher) and I'm not normally wrong on such things, but she told me to look it up in the dictionary and I was stunned....she was right! At first I was confused and called my sister to ask her what she thought it meant......AHA! she thought it meant hot and sticky as well.

Now I was really upset. Were there space aliens implanting incorrect definitions into our head while the rest of the world laughed at our ignorance? Were we the only ones that thought it meant almost the complete opposite of it's true meaning? I think not now. Since she's enlightened me I've taken a tally on when I've heard the word used correctly/incorectly on the radio and tv. Granted I live in Arkansas, but them TV channels come from places like CA!

Radio: correct 2 times, incorrect 6 times
TV: correct 0 times, incorrect 4 times...the latest on an episode of "Unwrapped" on food network concerning candy. The "Dots" are then moved to a "balmy" 160 degree oven to be stored overnight.

Should I call the FBI or maybe someone with the last name of Webster?
I know that most VVers are smart individuals and was wondering if anyone else thought as I do, or are there other words out there that most of the populace use incorrectly. Help me!

PS: I know I'm lonely and need to get out more :)
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Arborealus
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Post by Arborealus »

Did ya think lip Balm was hot and sticky?...:)

A lot of people develop idiosyncratic definitions based on the usage(s) they hear...I had a girlfriend once that loved the word "behooves" but basically used it to mean "aggravates or annoys"...

Balmy to me means soothing, pleasant and always has that I recall...sorry...:)...Though I'm sure I must have had some along the line...

I don't recall any that I had and of course one never knows when one has one until corrected...
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Tenuvil
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Post by Tenuvil »

My big grammar pet peeve: "apropos" is not a synonym for "appropriate".
PS: I know I'm lonely and need to get out more
Yah, me too. :(
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Zygar_ Cthulhukin
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Post by Zygar_ Cthulhukin »

Well balms are definately sticky and when I heard it used it was pretty much always in regards to tropical isles, which I think of as hot. And to be emBALMed? That's gotta be unpleasant :)
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Post by miir »

I always understood balmy to be hot, yet comfortable.
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Post by masteen »

teh dictionary wrote:Main Entry: balmy
Pronunciation: 'bä-mE, 'bäl-mE, New England also 'b[a']-mE
Function: adjective
Inflected Form(s): balm·i·er; -est
1 a : having the qualities of balm : SOOTHING b : MILD
2 : CRAZY, FOOLISH
ur mom is stoopid.
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kyoukan
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Post by kyoukan »

balmy has always meant soothing when its referred to in the weather, so while its usually equated with a tropical type climate it doesnt exactly mean hot. a nice cool wind blowing off the sea on a hot day is best described as balmy.

but it is surprising that none of the major dictionaries have added a climate refence to the definition of the word.
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