Tag: Vocabulary

Briefs

PARIS: And in regards to the student council meeting –

RORY: Oh, you mean the one where you tried to impeach me because you haven’t been properly diagnosed yet?
PARIS: If you’ll just allow me access to my briefs

Paris refers to legal briefs, a written legal document used in various legal adversarial systems that is presented to a court arguing why one party to a particular case should prevail. (In the UK and Commonwealth, the word refers to papers given to a barrister when they are instructed).

Rory tells Paris that she is insane for trying to impeach her; comically, Paris responds by acting as if she is preparing to defend herself in a legal trial.

Bad Seed

RORY: Nixon’s bad seed.

Bad seed, an American expression referring to someone who is evil or unprincipled by their nature, “born bad”.

The expression gained widespread notoriety through the 1956 psychological thriller The Bad Seed, directed by Mervyn LeRoy and starring Patty McCormack in the title role. It is based on the 1954 play of the same name by Maxwell Anderson, which in turn was based on the 1954 novel by William March. The film is about a sociopathic little girl, and was a hit at the box office, receiving positive reviews from critics.

Rory suggests that Paris was born from the “bad seed” of disgraced president Richard Nixon, to explain why she is such a bad president herself.

Snitch, Turncoat

RORY: I didn’t snitch.
PARIS: Said the weak-kneed turncoat.

Snitch, informal language for an informer. The word dates to the 17th century, and is of uncertain origin.

Turncoat, one who changes allegiance or loyalties from one group to another. The word can be found as early as the 16th century, and may come from literally changing a coat or uniform from one group to another’s.

Waders

RORY: Oh yeah, we’ve seen those boot thingies outside drying off.
LUKE: Those would be called waders.

Waders, waterproof boots or overalls extending from the foot to the thigh, the chest or the neck. They are traditionally made from vulcanised rubber, but available in more modern PVC, neoprene and Gore-Tex variants. The first waders were made in 1838 by a company called Hodgman, in Framingham, Massachusetts.

Fishing Terminology

Angler – person who fishes using a rod and line.

Wire line – any fishing line made from flexible metal. Wire line is only intended for freshwater fishing.

Lure – a broad type of artificial angling bait designed to mimic real prey animals and attract the attention of predatory fish.

Downrigger – a device used in fishing which places the lure at the desired depth.

Vertical jig, or speed jig – a long, slender piece of lead or metal that cuts through the water, mimicking an injured baitfish.

Trolling – a method of fishing where one or more fishing lines, baited with lures or bait fish, are drawn through the water.

Bottom feeders – a marine animal which lives on or near the bottom of a body of water, and may feed principally by scavenging. Examples include flatfish, cod, haddock, carp, and bream.

Forage fish, also called prey fish or bait fish – small fish preyed upon by others for food. Examples include herring, sardines, and anchovies.

Cisco – a salmon-like fish, in the US, often refers specifically to the lake herring (Coregonus artedi).

Senior Prom

LANE: Rory! Rory! The numbers are all adding up, the planets are aligning, and I am going to my senior prom!

In American English, a prom is a ball or formal dance held by a school or college, especially at the end of the academic year for final year students – that is, the senior class. It is is considered one of the essential milestones in a young person’s life, given great weight and significance in US culture. Prom is short for promenade, and the word has been in use since since the late 19th century.

Toms and Moon

DAVE: I mean, you’ve got the potential, but you’re sloppy. I need a clean roll on the toms but powerful, like Moon.

The toms refer to tom drums a cylindrical drum with no snares, named from the Anglo-Indian and Sinhala language of Sri Lanka, derived from thammattama, from the Tamil word thappu, a type of drum.

Referring to Keith Moon, previously discussed, drummer for The Who, and one of Lane’s drum heroes.

Dave and Lane have come up with a plan to keep their relationship a secret from their bandmates – Dave will put Lane down in public, patronise her, and insult her. Lane is totally into it, as she loves zany schemes and keeping secrets.

Renaissance Woman

RORY: I was trying to help you.
PARIS: You were? You mean, in between betraying me and selling me out, you were trying to help me? Gee, you are quite the Renaissance woman, aren’t you?

Embodying a basic tenet of Renaissance humanism that humans are limitless in their capacity for development, the concept led to the notion that people should embrace all knowledge and develop their capacities as fully as possible. This is expressed in the term Renaissance man, often applied to the gifted people of that age who sought to develop their abilities in all areas of accomplishment: intellectual, artistic, social, physical, and spiritual.

Rory is therefore a Renaissance woman.

The thing that Paris finds most unforgiveable is that Rory told Francie about Jamie, but in fact Francie had already noticed for herself that Paris had a boyfriend and brought it up with Rory (no matter how implausibly Paris is wandering around her school with her college-aged boyfriend! Anything to keep Rory innocent).