This is another word that I found in Richard Dawkins' new book, The God Delusion. I am nearly finished with this book, so I will probably have a new word from a new book for you tomorrow.
fillip (FIL-uhp) [Origin: 1425-75; late ME philippe to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger; expressive word of uncertain origin]
verb (used with object)
- to strike with the nail of a finger snapped from the end of the thumb.
- to tap or strike smartly.
- to drive by or as by a fillip: Anticipation filliped his passion.
verb (used without object)
- to make a fillip with the fingers.
noun
- an act or instance of filliping; a smart tap or stroke.
- anything that tends to rouse, excite, or revive; a stimulus: Praise is an excellent fillip for waning ambition.
Usage: He has no truck with them: they don't contribute even a minor fillip to his numerical estimate of God's likelihood.
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Comments
Are you okay? Your Nov 6th, 2006 entry on your old blog doesn't look good.
http://girlscientist.blogspot.com/
Posted by: doctorgoo | November 8, 2006 1:02 PM
I'm debating whether it would be helpful to raise this on more popular blogs - like PZ's.
Posted by: llewelly | November 8, 2006 2:56 PM