Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with definition

How do I set up a simple database for vocabulary terms?

washburn — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 18:07:02 -0800

How do I make a database of vocabulary terms and definitions to use for teaching? What software, settings, etc. should I use? I teach college level courses in the humanities, and my students are often responsible for learning a range of terms and definitions.

So, I'd like to compile a database of terms and their corresponding definitions. This database could then, theoretically, be used in generating quizzes, exams, and review sheets that I could give to my students. What would be the best software and procedures to accomplish this?

Is Microsoft Access the way to go? If so, as one who hasn't used Access before, where can I find a quick tutorial to help me learn how to best set up this type of simple database up and occasionally import some of its contents to Word?

A few considerations:

*I use Microsoft Word 2003. Items should be easy to import into Word and be saved as part of exams that include other non-vocab related sections.

*A feature of lesser importance (but still nice) would be an ability to tag terms, to indicate what sorts of subject matter they relate to.

*I'm not a programmer, so the simpler the better.

Thanks for any advice.

Definition: Experience you must experience?

mcarthey — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:20:09 -0800

What is the word for an experience that you have to live through in order to fully understand or appreciate, such as having a child or parenting? My Google-Fu is failing me. Thanks!

How to post cleanly one slide in a WP post?

bru — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:50:00 -0800

Is there a way to show single slides in WordPress without losing definition? I have been working on an online presentation with text and graphs on .ppt (just to be seen on computer screens).
I just want to be able to post a slide as an image in my WordPress blog so I can add text underneath if necessary.
I had tried before .ppt to .pdf to .jpg and I thought it looked good but obviously my test was not detailed enough: now with colored lines and 12pt text on the slide, I lose definition, colors are bleeding, artifacts everywhere.. the horror... the horror!

With slideshare, I have only 2 choices: small screen or full screen, with no option to display each slide separately.

Am I overlooking something basic or is there a solution I don't know about?
Note: I am not a coder but I can have something installed if necessary.

Can you define this constellation of traits I've often found at top schools?

Anonymous — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 08:52:47 -0800

There's a certain trait that I've been calling "top-school-ish", but I'm wondering if there's a better word for it. I'm talking about those people who are extremely smart, well-organized, calm, extremely nice, have an optimistic attitude about the future and have lived a kind of sheltered existence. They say things like "I'm a risk-taker. After going to Dartmouth for undergrad, I went against everyone's advice and took a risk and went to Stanford for grad school instead of Harvard."

I'm not talking about arrogance. This isn't about being a jerk. These people are nice and friendly and helpful, really giving of their time and energy, and often do-gooders in the extreme.

They say things like "I value good food, great company, and being a bit ridiculous." And they do value those things -- but they also have, for example, an MD from Yale. And being a bit ridiculous does not involve getting screaming drunk and running around naked, but perhaps making cookies without a recipe or doing an icebreaker exercise in which you might make a fool of yourself. They think it's a bit crazy to go on a vacation in Africa instead of laying on a beach in Mexico.

They make jokes about things they are anxious about and don't take themselves too seriously. For example, I met someone who said that she didn't want her husband to stay on for a PhD because "then they'd have six degrees from Stanford between them and that would just be too much". It's clear to me that she just doesn't want to stay there for another 5 years, but she doesn't say that. She just makes it seem like some kind of aesthetic consideration.

They seem to have a self-image of being warm-hearted, fun-loving risk-takers. And they are... but they are also incredibly accomplished and don't act like that is important.

Has anyone else gone to a top school and encountered these people?

I recently dated someone who was like this, and it's a quality I'd like to develop in myself. There's something very calming and comforting about it.

Traits that these people tend not to display: anxiety, pessimism, frustration, depression, outlandishness.

It's not about being in a particular academic field, or even, necessarily, a particular amount of wealth. I've met people whose parents were of modest means and people who grew up in mansions, each with this particular style. I've also met many wealthy people who are not like this at all, who wear their emotions on their sleeves, have high levels of anxiety, etc.

(By the way, the people I'm referring to are from the US. I'm not sure if this exists in the same way in other places.)

Have you experienced this? Are you one of these people? What would you call this?

What is a societal stakeholder?

different — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 12:59:17 -0800

What is the definition of a 'societal stakeholder'? Not a homework question; I'm reading through a policy funding brochure and I can't for the life of me come up with a simple definition for the layperson (ie me). Does anyone know what it means within one or two sentences?

It would save me having to read up on reams of stakeholder theory in order to get a sense of it, when I really just need to know what this organisation is planning to do with their money.

Thanks as always.

Atheism definition aka Philosophy 101

snap_dragon — Tue, 26 May 2009 07:58:05 -0800

Is atheism the belief that there are no gods or the lack of belief in existence of gods? This is philosophy 101 but I honestly keep finding different definitions claimed by atheists. Can someone clarify? (and if my question is phrased poorly, please forgive me but I hope you understand the gist.)

WordFilter: Word for emotional argument?

gnash — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 08:49:19 -0800

Word Filter: What is the word for emotional argument? I've struggled to remember it, Googled it, etc. and can't for the life of me remember it - please help!

Buying a home?

blue_beetle — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 15:28:58 -0800

What is the legal definition of "first-time home-buyer" in Canada? For the purposes of Government of Canada tax credits, and/or to qualify for various "First-time home-buyer" bank programs, what are the criteria? Must you never have owned a home? Is there a time-limit (eg: not owned a home in the past ten years)? What qualifies (condo/house/apt?) What if you co-signed someone else's mortgage but never lived in or technically owned the home?

maybe I should just clean my glasses

randomstriker — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 10:58:41 -0800

37" widescreen LCDTV viewed from 12' away, do my eyes have the resolving power to justify getting a Blu-ray instead of upscaling DVD player? I realize the best way to the answer this question is to go into Best-Buy and see their demos or something, but it's hard to find demos setup exactly the way I need to make an accurate, objective comparison. Everything seems to be setup to sell me the most expensive thing.

Hopefully someone with knowledge of the anatomy of the eye can provide advice based on "first-principles".

You scared the -what- out of them?

billy_the_punk — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:02:05 -0800

What does it mean to 'scare the pewadden' out of someone? Where on earth did the word 'pewadden' originate from? I ask partially for a friend, but now to satisfy my own curiosity. As a west coast kid, I'm used to weird words like 'skookum', but the phrase "Scare the pewadden out of me" is completely foreign to me. A google search reveals a grand total of four pages of results, each only with only an example of usage, and no definition. My friend is from the Seattle area, and learned it from her mother. I don't know where her mother is from originally.

Does anyone recognize this word, or would have a guess as to where it came from? Have I just spelled it wrong?

HD Camera that won't freeze?

trbrts — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 16:00:52 -0800

Can you help me find an HD video camera? I need an HD video camera for work. I work in the snow, so, it needs to be pretty rugged and not be shy with cold temperatures. I'd love to get away from tapes, but, I've heard that HD cameras don't play nice with freezing temperatures (but I've never actually seen this in print anywhere). I'm often out in the mountains before sun rise in below zero temps, so, I need a camera that can handle these conditions. It needs to be small enough to fit in my backpack with all the other equipment that is required for ski touring in the backcountry. I currently work on Windows XP, so it needs to play nice with that. I've been a still photographer for a long time, but, I really don't know anything about video and I'm trying to get up to speed with a good camera that I'm not going to destroy in one winter. Suggestions?

Also what are some good video forums/sites for N00bs?

Thanks in advance.

Am I foolish for not going HD with my new camcorder purchase?

Roach — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 10:44:30 -0800

Am I foolish for not going HD with my new camcorder purchase? I'm about to upgrade my camcorder. I have been using a Panasonic AGDVX100A for a few years with great success. I love the DVX and was thinking of going with the newest "B." But am I foolish for not going HD? How much new equipment would I need? Is the creation of HD DVDs, particularly using FinalCut Pro and associated programs, an easier process than a couple years back? What am I not considering?

I've searched the archives but it appears it's been at least a year since the last discussion on HD camcorders.

Any input is welcome. Oh, and uses are anything from basic video production for events to indie film making, both documentary and otherwise. Thank you!

How Things 'Become': The Infinity of Definition

0bvious — Thu, 13 Mar 2008 09:18:41 -0800

I am looking for writings on the infinity of definition. I am interested in the exponentially divergent curve that is definition.

We create writings and art to better define the world, yet true definition is infinite.

We mediate the universe by erecting borders of definition, i.e. all striped, four-legged, hooved mammals are probably zebras. We categorise the universe into hierarchies, but the more we examine the more pronounced and expansive these hierarchies become.

Language is our greatest defining tool. Yet, the metaphors we evolve to expand the potential of language can themselves only be made to refer back to the language which created them. An infinite loop emerges in most definition.

As new technology emerges we use it to 'add' meaning to artifacts which are already partly defined. By looking at the world with ever more refined microscopes we bring reality into greater clarity. This metaphor can be expanded to refer to texts, art, archaeology, culture etc.

Who has written on the problem of definition? What critical theory has been written on the emergence of infinity?

This question adds on to past questions I have asked at MeFi including (in reverse order):

- Art and artifacts experienced through technology
- The mimetic and narrative capacities of artefacts
- Examples of 'The Infinite' in Myth and Their Effect on Conditions of Truth

Here's hoping you have some ideas...

Online article on pi vs. two pi radians in a circle

Mapes — Sat, 01 Mar 2008 18:35:47 -0800

Please help me find an online article on how things would be so much better if a circle contained pi radians instead of two pi radians. As I remember it, the article bemoans the current definition of a radian and discusses some interesting alternatives.

Defining the Japanese Concept of 'Ma'

0bvious — Thu, 27 Dec 2007 07:36:20 -0800

What do you know about the Japanese word/concept of 'Ma'? I know it denotes the negative space between objects and it relates closely to the similarly used Japanese word 'Mu'. Since there is no Wikipedia entry for 'Ma' I have started it myself. Feel free to add to it. I will eventually compile any information I find and add it to the page. I would ideally love to find the Kanji for the word and any references defining it (whether on the internet or in books etc).

Thanks

Dreamweaver Site Deifinition problem

orlin — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 20:42:47 -0800

When in Dreamweaver 8 setting up the "site definitions / advanced/ remote info - I enter my login-in an password information and when I exit DW, it erases the information. Note that I've check the save password box. I can't get DW to save my Login and Password. How can I get it to save it? Thanks in advance for your help...

Terminology Management software solutions

gemmy — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 10:28:45 -0800

Software for keeping lists of terms and definitions organized? Help me tame the glossary monster. My work publishes several sector-specific reports each quarter, containing updates on what's been happening in that sector and in the market. These reports also contain a "glossary" with definitions/descriptions - like brief bios of the people mentioned in the report, acronym definitions, and explanations of specific terms used in the text. There is substantial overlap with the terms used, both between sectors and over time. The full glossaries have so far been stored in a flat Word file for each report - split up by sector - and the lists get updated each quarter. This has worked OK for a while, but the lists have now become unwieldy. There is also a lot of differences in wording between sector versions.

I am looking for some recommendations for software that might help me keep the terms and their definitions organized in one place - with just one entry per term (that would help with consistency across sectors). However, I also need to be able to export subsets of the definitions for use in our reports. I looked online and found AnyLexic, which seems like it might be along the lines of what I'm looking for. So I'd also like to know if anyone has experience with this particular program.

-Windows 2000/XP environment
-Need to be able to export a subset of definitions to Word/Excel or CSV.
-Reasonably priced for a non-profit

Any suggestions would be much appreciated. Thanks!

Why 'argument'?

b33j — Thu, 13 Dec 2007 21:31:30 -0800

Why do mathematicians (and/or programmers) describe information passed to a function as an 'argument'? I'm learning PHP (slowly) but find myself hung up on one small piece of terminology, 'argument'. I keep expecting an argument to be a proof, or an equation, or something that says or does something or refuses even to do something. And yet, it's just a value. So I'd like to understand why it has that name, and then I can move on. I hope.

What's the jargon for a "convergent" word?

mecenday — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 06:39:18 -0800

I'm looking for a term my professor used to use for "convergent words." What do you call a word that uses roots with similar meanings to form the same concept across two languages? (either by chance or direct-translation) No, not a cognant. A cognant would be a word that just plain comes from the same origin, and therefore is similar across two languages, like the English/Spanish pairing of "circumstance/circunstancia."

What I'm talking about is more like the English/Russian pairing of "circumstance/обстоятельства*," where "об-" means roughly "circum/around" and "стоят" means roughly "stand." Also there's "crosswalk/переход*" where "пере-" is roughly "across" and "ход" is roughly "go/walk." The roots have the same meanings, but different origins.

Wiktionary says that in Brasilian-Portuguese a "computer mouse" is called a "mouse," as a cognant with the English. However, in Portugal, a native translation with the same concept as in English (rodent) is used, "rato." What would "rato" be?

I know there's a bit of jargon to describe these "convergent" words, what is it?

*, for the sounder-outers:
обстоятельства = "obstoyatel'stva"
переход = "perekhod"

Definition of "lit" in The Cat in the Hat

puffmoike — Fri, 12 Oct 2007 03:07:43 -0800

SeussFilter: what does Said our fish as he lit mean? I have been reading The Cat in the Hat almost daily to my baby for the past six months . And I'm still none the wiser what “lit” means in the following passage:

And our fish came down, too.
He fell into a pot!
He said, “Do I like this?
Oh, no! I do not.
This is not a good game,”
Said our fish as he lit.
“No, I do not like it,
Not one little bit!”

USB High Definiton Webcam: How to record?

bryanjbusch — Fri, 17 Aug 2007 12:00:34 -0800

How do I record high definition (HD) video at at least 24 fps using a webcam? I bought (and then returned) a QuickCam Fusion webcam, which was designed to enable video conferencing at up to 960x720.

It transmits over USB, and works well in iChat (Mac OS X), and with the included software I tested on a separate Windows computer. But iMovie doesn't recognize it, I suspect because it's not Firewire.

Recording through QuickTime resulted in a video playing at only 7.5 fps, and recording in iChat (using the 3rd party "ConferenceRecorder" app) gave me a resolution barely bigger than 640x480.

Recording in Windows also resulted in a video playing at about 7.5 fps.

Am I trying to cheat physics, here, or is there a way to record the video that plays live at 960x720 + 30fps?

What is a blackout gag?

codger — Thu, 28 Jun 2007 13:33:14 -0800

What is a blackout gag? The term pops up in discussions about cartoons, comedy, vaudeville and other theater, but I can't seem to find a plain definition of it anywhere among Google's results. Nor is it defined on Wikipedia, despite the term being frequently used.

I need a cynosure for my cynosure.

spinifex23 — Sun, 15 Apr 2007 16:01:00 -0800

Who said this quote: "Let faith be your cynosure to walk by"? While looking up the word 'cynosure', I see it on every nearly online definition of the word. I get the feeling that it's an unattributed quote; whatever it is, I really love it. And if it is a quote, I'd like to find out more about it.

Deamweaver "Site Definition" question

orlin — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 14:25:52 -0800

Help, Help !! If anyone has experience with Dreamweaver and setting up the “Site Definition” settings; either basic or advanced mode for “Remote Info” I desperately need your advice and it would be very much appreciated. Runbox is my web host and I use “cPannel” to manage my web files. I can’t figure out what settings to use for “FTP access”. What would my “FTP host” be and what should I put in there this field? To be honest, I’m not quite sure what a FTP is although to use Dreamweaver’s functions, I need to set this up and have not been successful. Next question; Am I correct in saying the “Host Directory” would be in the “public_html” folder in cPannel that all my web page files are located? Any advice would be appreciated. I’ve tried multiple times and days to set this up, but I must be doing something wrong. Thank you in advance for your cooperation…Orlin

Obtuse vs. abstruse

matthewr — Mon, 06 Nov 2006 06:33:39 -0800

Is the word "obtuse" being used correctly here [line 5]? Recently, I've seen obtuse used in this context a lot. My understanding of the definition, which is supported as far as I tell by the OED, is that obtuse means blunt, dull (in the sense of a dull blade), or stupid (when describing people). One can see from the context that Stephen Dubner, the journalist writing the article I linked to above, is saying he thinks the language of economics journals is "remote from apprehension or conception; difficult, recondite". This is the OED definition of abstruse, which is surely a more appropriate word.

I've seen obtuse used in this context, where abstruse seems a better choice, in several places, especially on the web. Is it simply a common mistake? This is an obvious explanation, but many of the people using obtuse like this are literate professional writers (like Dubner). Is it an Americanism?