livelihood - noun
simple definition: a way of earning money in order to live
or: 1) means of support or subsistence
2) obsolete: the quality or state of being lively.
When I encountered this word while reading Take Me With You, I knew what it meant. But the author used it a different way. Discussing climbing:
"It's my livelihood, August."
" No, it isn't."
"How can you say that? You think I don't know my own livelihood?"
The discussion continues with the adult suggesting that the young man's love of climbing is his raison d'etre. His reason for existence.
Ten pages later I came across a word that I had never heard before.
abseil - verb
August wondered if Seth could give up and abseil down if he didn't want to go on.
from Wikipedia:
"abseiling from German abseilen, meaning "to rope down", also called rappelling, is the controlled descent of a vertical drop, such as a rock face, using a rope."
My son and daughter-in-law are climbers and I know the word rappel. So I learned something new this week. And that is what Wondrous Words Wednesday is all about.
Have a great rest of the week.
Stay Busy and Stay Happy
I've heard of rappelling, but not the words here, so I learned something too! Thanks Judy ;)
ReplyDeleteRapelling is a word I wish I didn't know as I had a very scary experience once trying to do just that. I froze and wouldn't let my arms let go of the rope and move down.
ReplyDeleteRapelling is a new word for me.
ReplyDeleteThat is an interesting use of the word livelihood. I'm scared of heights so would never consider climbing and don't know any climbing words.
ReplyDelete