Very Silly Millipedes

A strong vocabulary is to an author what a full quiver is to Robin Hood: a sheaf of opportunities to pierce the chosen target.

And it’s not just an author’s issue.

Precision enhances conversation. Properly selected words sharpen the mind and engage the senses in ways less creative choices do not.

They also enhance a conversation’s entertainment value.

A few days ago, I was talking with Tesla and used the word “verisimilitude.” (Yes, I use that word in regular conversation.)

Without skipping a beat, he replied, “Verisimillipedes?”

Thereby proving that my claims to have infused his education with vocabulary lessons … haven’t got a leg to stand on.