Antonyms: 1632

If I have made use of my poore Talent, the profit redoundeth unto my Country; which being shaddowed under your auspicuous Favour, shall leave a greater stampe to the Worke, and a deeper impression, of future knowledge, to the curious Understanders.

--From The totall discourse of the rare adventures...--

Are you a curious understander, or are you... ? What's the opposite of a curious understander? An incurious knower? An incurious know-nothing?

Modern(e): 1632

--From The totall discourse of the rare adventures...--

"Modern" and the concept of modernity pre-dates spelling.

Rocking out: circa 1500

Feel that energy! All those Baroque composers--sellouts!

Clouds

I've read about, but never seen, people who paint only clouds. I'd like to see a room full of canvases painted by old masters, of nothing but bits of sky with clouds in them. Or an entire museum; each room a different time or weather condition. How lovely that would be!

Walmart: 1900

The real, the vital count against the department store is that it viciously demoralizes values in the public mind. It is immoral to sell a book, or a pair of shoes, or a handkerchief, as a bargain, so low that if everything were sold on the same basis you would go into bankruptcy. Whatever reductions in prices come from lucky purchasing, from better system, from clever advertising, is legitimate and proper. But every article ought to bear its fair share of all fixed expenditures, and carry a- margin of profit as well.

--From American druggist and pharmaceutical record--

 Department stores are shells of their former greatness, but small stores are still around complaining about the next new retail trend that is going to put them out of business.

Ice habit: 1900

Following the installation of the fountain came hot weather, and on one day he sold one thousand glasses of various flavors; on other days, six or seven hundred glasses; and even during recent cooler weather there has been a profitable business....

Doctors called and denounced the use of soda water, fearing harmful effects from the dangerous ice-cold liquid, and then took it themselves, just as they do at home. The success of this fountain is another indication of the growth of the ice habit in England. Colmore Row is a great thoroughfare, but is not as likely a place for a soda water fountain as is crowded New Street. It seems that an American soda fountain syndicate has taken up the matter of the introduction of soda water fountains in England, and is determined to, and will, succeed.

--From American druggist and pharmaceutical record--

So, if you went to your drug dealer to purchase ice for your habit, you were literally going to your drug dealer to purchase ice for your habit.

And don't even get me started on the powerful syndicate pushing ice on the dwellers of urban areas.

Community organizer: 1920

Dorothy was, perhaps, even more ambitious than most girls her age, and she was determined not to let her mind "get into a rut," which, she had noticed, feminine minds in Crescentville were somewhat likely to do. So she had decided to join the Alpha Club, which was the woman's study club of the town, keep up her music, take French lessons, keep posted in current events, and map out a course of good solid reading with the help of Miss Brooks, the librarian.

Sounds like a plan.

But she reckoned without Florence Mclntyre and other distracting influences of a stay-at-home existence. It wasn't so easy to be purposeful as it seemed.

Oh no!

"...I have to remember that this is a library, not a recreation center. But, goodness knows, I'd be glad enough if there were such a thing in Crescentville, to keep the young people off the streets."

"A recreation center?" asked Dorothy. "I never heard of such a thing. Just what is it?"

"A place where people, young and old, meet to have a good time. There is usually a building with a gymnasium, a theater and lecture room, and other meetingrooms and play-rooms, a bowling alley, perhaps, and athletic grounds outside, and usually a place where people can bring their lunches and have picnics."

Yes, Dorothy escapes the influence of Florence Mclntyre and becomes a community organizer.

Dorothy, meanwhile, for the first time since she had left school, felt that she was doing something that amounted to something.

Isn't that nice? But there's more!

Without a dissenting voice Dorothy was chosen as the girls' playleader, at a small salary, to be paid out of the Recreation Fund that was being raised.

She uses her position to get a cushy job!

Dorothy had met the young man in question at a church supper, and thought he seemed a very nice boy. He had been two years at an agricultural college, where he had been captain of the football team, but after he had served in the war, financial circumstances had compelled his coming to Crescentville to seek a position, and the dry-goods shop was the first thing that offered. No, he didn't like it especially; he was looking around for some kind of an outdoor job, but he hadn't found anything yet. Dorothy mentioned him to the committee as a possibility, and they said they would inquire.

And one for a boy she fancies!

Then Dorothy took several trips to Milltown, the nearest large town, where there were several flourishing community activities, and received help in many ways from the leaders there.

Also she used her position to take lots of trips.

She had filled out considerably and even grown an inch or two, which fact was probably due to the gym work and outdoor sports she had taken up as a part of her leadership activities.

And get a free gym membership.

--From The hall with doors--

Playgirl: 1913

"I am dying by inches thinking and dreaming about her, she's a playgirl, I never thought I could win her, I only wanted to stop dreaming about her to give my soul some peace."

"That's the way I like to hear a boy talk," said the witch doctor, his clear, limestone-colored eyes twinkling sympathetically.

--From Susquehanna legends--

I feel the same way about the song:

Envy

The rich don't know how to be rich anymore. There's no real reason to envy them, except maybe out of habit. I mean, what do they have today, that an ordinary person couldn't purchase a pretty good substitute for? Or make themselves? No one's going to be touring their houses in a hundred years. They're probably not even made out of materials that would last that long.