Definitions I can never remember

cynosure:

1. An object that serves as a focal point of attention and admiration.
2. Something that serves to guide.

(With a capital C, it means Ursa Major or the North Star)

"Lend" is a verb; "loan" is a noun

That's what I was taught and that's what I believe.

So listen up, all of you: Stop using "loan" as a verb. Stop now.

And don't give me any guff about its being used as a verb at least since Henry VIII's "Chester and Cheshire (Constituencies) Act 1542." I'm not going to let facts get in my way here.

"Namesake"

I can never keep it straight. Does "namesake" mean the person who is named after someone else OR does it mean the person someone is named after?

Apparently the answer is "no," it means the person who is named after someone else AND it means the person someone is named after.

Merriam-Webster defines 'namesake' as follows:

one that has the same name as another; especially : one who is named after another or for whom another is named

http://m-w.com/dictionary/namesake

Which sounds to me like my grandson is my son's namesake, AND my son is my grandson's namesake. No?

Rejoice!

"Gaudete" (pronounced gow-DAE-tae, . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaudete

Gaudete Sunday (pronounced /ɡaʊˈdɛteɪ/) . . .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaudete_Sunday

"Gaudete" (pronounced gow-DĀ-tā) . . .

Me

Regardless of how it's pronounced, REJOICE!