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crossbuck (KROS-buk) noun
An X-shaped warning sign at a highway-railroad crossing. [From cross- + buck, from sawbuck.] "The federal investigation could result in an upgrade of warning equipment at the crossing, which is marked only by stop signs and X-shaped railroad crossbuck signs." Truck Driver is Charged in Amtrak Train Collision, The Houston Chronicle, Jul 13, 1999. As a parent of a three-year old daughter, I'm constantly besieged with questions. While on an after-dinner walk, the enquiry comes up, "Where's the sun gone?" "He's sleeping." "Why?" "Because his mommy put him to bed." "Why?" "Because he has to go to pre-school tomorrow." "Why?" "Because he likes playing with his friends and teachers." "Why?" ... A few more whys later, I'm ready to confess ignorance. Such a small question -- Why? -- yet so hard to answer. Fortunately, the whats are easier to tackle. As it happens, the English language has a word for almost everything around: from the ball on the top of a flagpole (truck), to the spot on a die or a domino (pip), to the little circle that comes out of a punched paper (we all know it by now). This week we'll look at some more words that answer, "What is this called?" -Anu P.S. Online journalism, anyone? Join us for a chat on this topic with Sreenath Sreenivasan, a professor at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism. It runs today 6-7 PM EDT U.S. (GMT -4). For more details and to join the chat, visit http://wordsmith.org/chat/sree.html P.P.S. Perhaps I was being oscitant last week, but the word oscitant is an adjective, not a noun. ............................................................................ He is the best physician who is the most ingenious inspirer of hope. -Samuel Taylor Coleridge, poet, critic, and philosopher (1772-1834) Subscribe: http://wordsmith.org/awad/subscribe.html Unsubscribe: http://wordsmith.org/awad/unsubscribe.html Change address: http://wordsmith.org/awad/address-change.html Gift subscription: http://wordsmith.org/awad/gift.html Pronunciation: http://wordsmith.org/words/crossbuck.wav http://wordsmith.org/words/crossbuck.ram
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