tdog 0 #1 October 4, 2005 I read an Associated Press article this morning http://www.9news.com/acm_news.aspx?OSGNAME=KUSA&IKOBJECTID=bbc691ab-0abe-421a-01bb-66627ceda2c8&TEMPLATEID=0c76dce6-ac1f-02d8-0047-c589c01ca7bf that talks about new words in the Merriam-Webster dictionary... When I looked up skydive - I found nothing. Skydiving is: the sport of jumping from an airplane at a moderate altitude (as 6000 feet) and executing various body maneuvers before pulling the rip cord of a parachute. Skydiver links to skydiving. Parachute - I found the definition is of the "old rounds" and does not consider the ram-air airfoil design at all: a device for slowing the descent of a person or object through the air that consists of a usually hemispherical fabric canopy beneath which the person or object is suspended dropzone: the area in which troops, supplies, or equipment are to be air-dropped; also : the target on which a skydiver lands ripcord: Function: noun 1 : a cord by which the gasbag of a balloon may be ripped open for a limited distance to release the gas quickly and so cause immediate descent 2 : a cord or wire pulled in making a descent to release the pilot parachute which lifts the main parachute out of its container freefall: Function: noun 1 : the condition of unrestrained motion in a gravitational field; also : such motion 2 a : the part of a parachute jump before the parachute opens b : a rapid and continuing drop or decline - free-fall intransitive verb It seems rounds, ripcords, and such are not current technology... Many kids doing reports in school use dictionaries, so why not make them accurate for our sport. If you were going to send a recommendation to Merriam Webster to modernize the definitions for the general use skydiving words like the following, what would you send: Skydiver Skydive Dropzone Parachute If you guys send me good quality definitions, I will send them off to Merriam Webster for consideration on their next update. They might blow me off, but oh well... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tombuch 0 #2 October 4, 2005 From the Random House College Dictionary in my desk drawer, most recent copyright entry 1980: "Skydive... Sports. to make a parachute jump, delaying the opening of the parachute as long as possible." From Webster's New World Pocket Dictionary (Fourth Edition) on my desk: "Skydiving: n.parachute jumping From JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Skydive: A parachute jump, usually involving a freefall. Skydiver: A person who makes skydives. .Tom Buchanan Instructor Emeritus Comm Pilot MSEL,G Author: JUMP! Skydiving Made Fun and Easy Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
