The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss

The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss The Protruding and Dominant Meanings of Boss By Mark Nichol Boss has two distinct meanings, and though one might seem to be able to draw a connection between them- they both refer to something that stands out among others- they have different etymological origins. The earlier, and less prevalent, meaning is â€Å"protuberance,† from a Latin word of uncertain origin by way of the Old French term boce, meaning â€Å"swelling.† The word usually pertains to the protruding central component of a shield, which helped the bearer ward off blows from an opponent. The derived verb emboss and adjective embossed, formed by the attachment of a prefix meaning â€Å"in† or â€Å"into,† refers to raised ornamentation or inscription in general. Boss also refers to the hub of a propeller, a projecting stone block in a wall or other architectural element, a similar naturally occurring feature in geology, or a pad used in some crafty endeavors such as ceramics and glassmaking. Interestingly, bocle, a variation of the Old French precursor, is also the source of buckle, both a word referring to a ring of metal (or other material) used for fastening or the act of fastening something to it and a word meaning â€Å"bend out of shape,† and buckler, the name of a small, round shield (and the resulting term swashbuckler, referring to a literary genre involving feats of derring-do; the term is perhaps inspired by the image of a buckler-wielding hero). The dominant meaning of boss, that of â€Å"supervisor,† is from the Dutch word baas, meaning â€Å"master† (and possibly originally meaning â€Å"uncle†). The term was used to refer to the person in charge of a Dutch ship. (In English, the technically correct word is master, though it has been largely supplanted by captain.) The adoption of the Dutch term into English may be influenced by the assimilation of Dutch colonies in North America into the British colonies in the 1600s, with the attendant infiltration of Dutch vocabulary into American English, but it also may reflect an effort among Americans after the Revolutionary War to distance themselves from a term used by the English, and later from one that slave owners expected their slaves to use (though some slaves addressed their owners as â€Å"boss† as well). Boss also entered the language as a slang adjective meaning â€Å"excellent.† This first occurred in the late 1800s, but it returned to use in the 1950s and again in the 1970s, in similar usage as a synonym for cool. Another adjectival form is bossy, originally from the sense of â€Å"swelling† and meaning â€Å"projecting† or â€Å"decorated with bosses† but subsequently assigned to the later meaning, referring to someone who is domineering. And although the plodding, stubborn, mooing behavior of cattle may be interpreted as being bossy, that word as an endearing proper name for a cow is unrelated; that term stems from the Latin word bos, meaning â€Å"cow,† from which beef and bovine are derived. Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Vocabulary category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:Definitely use "the" or "a"10 Techniques for More Precise Writing"Wracking" or "Racking" Your Brain?

Congress Members Services to Constituents

Congress Members Services to Constituents While they may not always vote the way you think they should, the members of the U.S. Congress from your state or congressional district - Senators and Representatives can and will do some very useful things known as constituent services for you. While most can be requested or arranged for through your Senator’s or Representative’s website, these and other services can be requested in a  personal letter  or in a  face-to-face meeting  with your members of Congress.   Get a Flag Flown Over the Capitol U.S. flags that have actually been flown over the Capitol Building in Washington, D.C., can be ordered from all senators and representatives. Flags are available in sizes ranging from 3x5 to 5x8 and cost from about $17.00 to about $28.00. You can request a specific date, like a birthday or anniversary, on which you want your flag flown. Your flag will come with a presentation-quality certificate from the Architect of the Capitol certifying that your flag was flown over the Capitol. If you specify that the flag should be flown to commemorate a special event, the certificate will also note that event. The flags are of high quality, with embroidered stars and individually sewn stripes. Be sure to order your flag at least 4 weeks before the date you want it flown over the Capitol, and then allow about 4- to 6-weeks for delivery. Most, if not all members of Congress now provide online forms for ordering flags on their websites, but you can still order them by good old U.S. mail  if you prefer. Demand for flags tends to go up around special occasions like July 4, national elections, or the anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, so delivery might take a little longer. Get Nominated to a U.S. Military Service Academy Each U.S. senator and representative is permitted to nominate candidates for appointment to four U.S. service academies. These schools are the U.S. Military Academy (West Point), the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Air Force Academy, and the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. You can also get more information on service academy nominations by reading the CRS report Congressional Nominations to U.S. Service Academies (.pdf) Work as a Senate Page Generally open to 16- or 17-year-old high school juniors, the Senate Page Program allows students a unique opportunity to learn about Congress while continuing with their coursework. Page responsibilities center on their work assisting Senators in the Senate Chamber when Congress is in session. The program is one of the most selective and prestigious in the United States. Each Senator may sponsor interested high school students, who then compete for a limited number of positions. Win the Congressional App Challenge The offices of U.S. Representatives in participating House districts can help K-12 students compete in the annual Congressional App Challenge. Students design and submit their own software application, individually or in groups of up to four. Winning apps may be put on display in the U.S. Capitol Building for one year, and additional prizes may be available. Win the Congressional High School Art Competition High school students from participating House districts are eligible for the annual Congressional Art Competition. The winning piece of visual artwork from each congressional district is displayed in the Capitol for a year. Since the program began in 1982, more than 650,000 high school students have participated. Plan Your Visit to Washington, D.C. Your members of Congress know their way around Washington, D.C., and they can help you enjoy a great visit. Many members will even help you book visits to D.C. landmarks like the White House, the Library of Congress and the Bureau of Printing and Engraving. They can also direct you to tours you can book yourself including, the U.S. Capitol, Supreme Court, and Washington Monument. Most members of Congress also provide web pages filled with information of importance to D.C. visitors including points of interest, airport and subway information, entertainment, and more. In addition, you can schedule a visit with your senator or representative, if they are in D.C. during your visit. Get Information on Grants Remembering that very few federal grants are available to individuals, your senators and representatives are well equipped to provide information on grants. They can help you or your organization with information on funding availability, grant eligibility, small business assistance, student loans, non-grant sources of federal aid and much more. Get a Special Greeting Card Last but far from least, you can request a very nice, personalized greeting card from your senator or representative commemorating special events like birthdays, anniversaries, graduations or other life achievements. Many members of Congress now provide online forms for ordering greetings and most allow you to order greetings by phone or fax. Help With a Federal Agency Helping citizens navigate the complex federal agency system is part of the job for U.S. Senators and Representatives. Their offices may be able to help if you are having trouble working with the Social Security Administration, the Department of Veterans Affairs, the IRS or any other federal agency.