OK, I think I finally found an unequivocal, unarguable error in the database, which we can all agree upon...

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The opposite of observably is perceptibly

observably means "in an imperceptible manner or to an imperceptible degree"
perceptibly means "in a noticeable manner"

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These two words are clearly not opposites; if one can observe something it is able to be perceived or noticed. This erroneous definition seems to come from this online dictionary: http://lookwayup.com/lwu.exe/lwu/d?s=f&w=observably#r/360026

I can't find any other dictionary which has this definition. So, can we all agree that the Mind Melt database needs to correct the definition of "observably" to something like "in a noticeable manner"?

The definition of observably cited is absolutely and clearly wrong. (I speak as one who usually defends the quirks as being part of the fun - but the definition is almost exactly the opposite of the word being defined.)

The "wrong" definition can also be found in

http://www.rhymezone.com/r/rhyme.cgi?Word=observably

but I think RhymeZone and LookWayUp are related.

Happy Word Wizard Trivia!

Just because somebody put it online doesn't make it right.

Oh I dunno if it's "clearly" wrong, as that would just be how someone "perceives" the definition. For instance, scientific observation vs. average human perception rarely mean the same thing, nor are they frequently talked about in the same context.

In the definitions section "an accounting procedure or system designed to promote efficiency orassure the implementation of a policy or safeguard assets or avoid fraud and error etc." should have a space between "or" and "assure".

Jakeroo, I might buy that observation and perception might not always be synonyms, but I just can't see how they can ever be antonyms. If you can observe something (through scientific study or just through ordinary means), it is, by definition, able to be perceived.

On set 8 for today, the antonyms section included 2 choices: defense and defence. I don't know how anybody could tell the difference between the two, so in essence it's just a flip of the coin.

I got that too, illiman. Got them wrong, too. You're right, it was a flip of the coin. Either answer worked. :-)

Actually, the system got them WRONG. One of the two options clearly suggests one of the two spellings of "defen*e", but the one marked as correct is the exact other one.

plural is related to signifier



You said: alignment

plural means "the form of a word that is used to denote more than one"
signifier means "the phonological or orthographic sound or appearance of a word that can be used to describe or identify something"

" sodomise is related to copulate



You said: penetration

sodomise means "copulate with an animal"
copulate means "make love" "

Just questioning the content of this question for inclusion in Mind Melt, although it fits within the frame of the game, it wasn't really something I wanted to ponder over my coco pops, or try to explain to my, (Made up), young children before they went to school.

These two are about as interchangeable as it gets:

morning is related to time period
You said: period of time

morning means "the time period between dawn and noon"
time period means "an amount of time"



decennary is related to period of time
You said: time period

decennary means "a period of 10 years"
period of time means "an amount of time"

Okay, I've taken my hits for this game, and not complained to this point, but when "words" start appearing that aren't even words in the English language (or any?), I bring it here:

STUNNG is aroused to impatience or anger; "made an irritated gesture"; "feeling nettled from the constant teasing"; "peeved about being left out"; "felt really [censored] at her snootiness"; "riled no end by his lies"; "roiled by the delay"

Say what?

The word must be 'stung'... clearly typed by someone who had just been stunnnnnnnng!

And another, although I got right by process of elimination:

clue is roll into a ball

This is the definition of "CLEW". Sheesh...

While I definitely agree that there is an error with "stunng", it seems that "clue" is an accepted variant of "clew".

http://machaut.uchicago.edu/cgi-bin/WEBSTER.sh?WORD=clue (1913 Webster's)

http://www.freedictionary.org/?Query=clue

By the way, there are two online dictionaries that have the obvious typo in "stunng"; the Mind Melt dictionary must have drawn from them. This should be the sort of error that's easy to correct.

umlaut vs. diaeresis

Definition of UMLAUT
1a : the change of a vowel (as \ü\ to \ē\ in goose, geese) that is caused by partial assimilation to a succeeding sound or that occurs as a reflex of the former presence of a succeeding sound which has been lost or altered b : a vowel resulting from such partial assimilation
2: a diacritical mark ¨ placed over a vowel to indicate a more central or front articulation — compare diaeresis

Definition of DIAERESIS
1: a mark ¨ placed over a vowel to indicate that the vowel is pronounced in a separate syllable (as in naïve or Brontë) — compare umlaut
2: the break in a verse caused by the coincidence of the end of a foot with the end of a word


The definition given for today is for umlaut, not diaeresis. Although they are both two small dots over a letter, they perform a different function.

Here's another for abechstein's list of odd 'provide' matches:


Terrace is related to provide. 'Terrace' means 'provide (a house) with a terrace'. 'Provide' means 'provide or furnish with'.

I did get it right, as it was the only option left, but it isn't really a match.

running away is related to feat



You said: rate

running away means "leaving (without permission) the place you are expected to be"
feat means "a notable achievement"

I don't see how "leaving without permission" could be considered "a notable achievement".

A reluctant bridegroom, perhaps?

I cannot see a link, either.

ozzz, I think you've seen the movie "Runaway Bride" a few times too many.

I've had the time period one. The two clues were "Time period" and "Period of time" and the answers were "Week" and "Century". I made a lucky choice but I really can't see any difference between the two.

I just had those choices in my set. But I guessed wrong. That's life.

Since I haven't gotten very many questionable entries, I guess it was time... In retrospect, I should have relied on the process of elimination, but just because I can eliminate all other possibilities doesn't make this a proper match.

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scrounge is related to hunt down



You said: collection

scrounge means "collect or look around for (food)"
hunt down means "pursue for food or sport (as of wild animals)"

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I don't really see how "collection" isn't the best answer here; "collect" even is used in the definition for "scrounge".

Opposites (Antonyms)
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The opposite of tie in is decouple

You said: disjuncture

tie in means "make a logical or causal connection"
decouple means "regard as unconnected"

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
The opposite of connection is disjuncture

You said: decouple

connection means "the state of being connected"
disjuncture means "state of being disconnected"
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

These words are certainly similar, but if you consider parts of speech, the two nouns are matched, as are the two verbs. The stated pairing is clearly, although slightly, better than the reverse.

bobble is related to miscarry



You said: trait

bobble means "make a mess of, destroy or ruin"
miscarry means "be unsuccessful"


This one might be offensive to pregnant people.

JanIQ, I'd posted about that on the previous page. I'm not pregnant and both my pregnancies were 'successful', but I still think it's insensitive.

The problem is that, however painful the one meaning is, it's not the only definition of the word. Have you never heard of a 'miscarriage of justice', for example?