Comments on: Improve your vocabulary: Everything I need to know I learned online

By: ellen

ellen — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:34:18 +0000

Carolyn: ‘Jonesing’ or ‘having a Jones (for something)’ refers to the withdrawal symptoms from which addicts suffer. It’s from a fairly old street-slang name for heroin: “Harry Jones”. People now use it in the more generic context of ‘having a craving for’ things (chocolate, information etc).

By: Carolyn - Bozeman, MT

Carolyn - Bozeman, MT — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 03:13:53 +0000

I have now seen a word previously unseen and unfamiliar to me – what’s “jonesing” or “jonseying” ? Like I’m “jonesing for…” It seems to be used when someone likes something or would like to have it. Is this a new word or old word?
Anyone?

By: Leigh Shulman

Leigh Shulman — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:37:39 +0000

I know. Me too. I have a separate e-mail address that I use for my WOTD subscriptions. (I really have revealed far too much about myself in this post, haven’t I)

By: Abbie

Abbie — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 17:23:07 +0000

unfriend? how anti-climactic lol

By: Candice

Candice — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 15:56:41 +0000

I love the evolution of words, but often find myself obfuscated by all the online language. I signed up for Word-a-Day emails from Dictionary.com, and often try to use the word in some sort of daily dialogue. Bet you can’t guess what the word is in this comment.

By: Nancy

Nancy — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:59:11 +0000

Thanks for this post Leigh. As a fellow wordie, this just tickles me. I enjoy dictionary.com, thesaurus.com, OED, and UD. I even like word-of-the-day calendars.