Re: wave momentum

[James McLean <jmclean@CHEM.UCSD.EDU>]

Larry Smith wrote:
> At 11:17 AM -0700 3/11/1999, brian whatcott wrote:
> > > in case
> > > I'm being too obtuse.)
> >
> > I think 'abstruse' is the word you had in mind.
> > Nobody claims you are less than acute!   :-)
>
> See <http://www.m-w.com/cgi-bin/mweb> for the following definition
> Main Entry: ob=B7tuse
> 1 a : not pointed or acute : BLUNT b (1) of an angle : exceeding 90 degrees
> but less than 180 degrees (2) : having an obtuse angle <an obtuse triangle>
> -- see TRIANGLE
> illustration c of a leaf : rounded at the free end
> 2 a : lacking sharpness or quickness of sensibility or intellect :
> INSENSITIVE, STUPID
> b : difficult to comprehend : not clear or precise in thought or expression
> synonym see DULL

Brian was completely right.  I was using 'obtuse' as a sort of inside
joke (intentional malapropism for abstruse) which would work even
without definition 1 above.  I should have put a smiley face to indicate
that it was intentional.  Brian was continuing the joke by playing off
definition 1.

Thanks for the URL!  I've been wanting a good dictionary web site, but
hadn't found it until now.
--
--James McLean
jmclean@chem.ucsd.edu
post doc
UC San Diego, Chemistry