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From:wsmith@wordsmith.org
To:linguaphile@wordsmith.org
Subject:A.Word.A.Day--gravity
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Date:Wed, 11 Oct 2000 17:04:00 -0700 (PDT)

gravity (GRAV-i-tee) noun

1. The natural force of attraction exerted by a celestial body, such as
Earth, upon objects at or near its surface, tending to draw them toward
the center of the body. The natural force of attraction between any two
massive bodies, which is directly proportional to the product of their
masses and inversely proportional to the square of the distance between
them. Gravitation.

2. Grave consequence; seriousness or importance.

3. Solemnity or dignity of manner.

[French gravite, heaviness, from Old French, from Latin gravitas, from
gravis, heavy.]

Ambigram: http://wordsmith.org/words/gravity.gif

GRAVITY
If it weren't for gravity, we wouldn't know which way was was up. Without
gravity to pull things "down," there would be no such thing as up or down.
This is an excellent example of the yin/yang idea that nothing exists except
in relation to its opposite. The opposite of gravity is weightlessness. A fair
conclusion: Gravity is the soul of wt.
-John Langdon, http://www.coda.drexel.edu/wordplay

This week's theme: words with ambigrams.

.............................................................................
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Pronunciation:
http://wordsmith.org/words/gravity.wav
http://wordsmith.org/words/gravity.ram