Hello and welcome to an extensive list of all things vocabulary. This is not necessarily anything that was said at Luke's, but instead any/all of the miscellaneous definitions that didn't fit into any of our other categories. Kind of the more boring side of things, but still interesting or helpful if you're unfamiliar with a certain term.
jump to: muumuu • sucre • obscene • radish roses • diabetics • proctologist • protestants • bank job • kilt • pate • easter • bridge club • christmas • academic-minded • amish • tannis root • feminism • demerol • broadway • dense • democracy • collector's cup • coke • snippets • the best laid plans • flagellation • vat • mime
Muumuu
When Rory comes in wearing an oversized shirt/sweater/dress get-up, Lorelai asks "what's with the muumuu?" This refers to a loose dress originating in Hawaii. It literally means “cut-off” as it is a shorter version of more formal Hawaiian wear.
Sucre
Lorelai is teasing Michel about helping Rory with her French homework. During this, she asks nicely with "sucre" on top that she'll stop talking like this ("this" being a French accent. Her interpretation of one anyways). Pretty easy to guess what this means, but in case you're still not grasping the context clues, sucre translates to the word "sugar" in French. That's it. (Random side fact: Sucre is also the constitutional city capital of Bolivia. La Paz is the administrative capital).
Obscene
Lane is telling Rory about how her parents are still upset at the "obscene portion size of American food." This is an adjective that means "so excessive as to be offensive."
Radish Roses
After Lorelai asks Sookie when she got stitches, she replies "Friday night. Radish roses." This refers to a radish cut into the shape of a rose. Usually used as a garnish or décor and takes a very precise hand to cut.
Diabetics
While Lorelai and Sookie are recovering from whatever just happened in the kitchen, Sookie kind of shoves some peach sauce at Lorelai and apparently it's really good. Because someday, according to Lorelai, diabetics will line up to eat that sauce (before or after she bathes in it remains the ultimate question). The term diabetics refers to a person with diabetes mellitus, commonly known as diabetes. The hormone insulin moves sugar from the blood into your cells to be stored or used for energy. With diabetes, your body either doesn’t make enough insulin or can’t effectively use the insulin it does make.
Proctologist
This one is a bit... yeah. It's a doctor specializing in the colon, rectum and anus = an expert in proctology. I don't know about you, but I don't think I'd ever want to be an expert in any of that. Mad respect to our societies' proctologists going where no man or woman ever really wanted to go in the first place.
Protestants
A protestant is a member or follower of any of the Western Christian churches that are separate from the Roman Catholic Church and follow the principles of the Reformation, including the Baptist, Presbyterian, and Lutheran churches. Not sure if they actually do love Oatmeal though.
Bank Job
Lorelai kind of defines this one herself, but in case you missed it, it refers to the slang for robbing a bank.
Kilt
When Lorelai finishes the first prototype of Rory's skirt, she jokes that Rory looks like she was swallowed by a kilt. This is a type of knee-length non bifurcated skirt with pleats at the back, originating in the traditional dress of Gaelic men and boys in the Scottish Highlands. It is first recorded in the 16th century as the great kilt, a full-length garment whose upper half could be worn as a cloak. (even this picture looks like Rory's uniform!)
Paté
Hats off to you if you guys actually can stomach this one. Even looking up pictures of this just about did it for me. Major paper-bagging-it moment. I tried to chose one that didn't look too bad. Anyways, paté refers to a paste, pie or loaf consisting of forcemeat that at least contains liver. Common additions include ground meat from pork, poultry, fish or beef, fat, vegetables, herbs, spices and either wine or brandy. Let's move on. Please.
Easter
Bunnies! Colored eggs! Has nothing to do with Easter! But somehow have become part of it. Not sure about the history of that. But Easter, also called Pascha (Greek, Latin) or resurrection Sunday, is a festival and holiday commemorating the resurrection of Jesus from the dead, described in the New Testament as having occurred on the third day after his burial following his crucifixion by the Romans at Calvary c. 30 AD. I don't know. Personally, I like the bunny idea too.
Bridge Club
Emily and her high-society living and attending more group and charity events than the President himself, am I right. The Bridge Club is a group of students or people interested in learning, teaching, and playing the card game of bridge. But in Gilmore world, it's most likely a place for the older ladies to get together and gossip about the other older ladies in the other clubs and groups. It's like the unspoken universal rule. Being a club member = you gotta have the tea. Both real tea and metaphorical gossip tea.
Christmas
My second favorite time of year (the first being fall cause duh! That's Gilmore season hence why I started this website in fall). This is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on December 25 as a religious and cultural celebration among billions of people around the world.
Academic-minded
The first part of Lane's friendly insult towards Rory going to a fancy, smart private school (this one being more friendly). It's an adjective that's defined as excessively concerned with intellectual matters and lacking experience of practical affairs having an aptitude for study.
Amish
The second part of Lane's friendly insult towards Rory going to a fancy smart private school (and this one is a little more insulting). It refers to a group of traditionalist Christian church fellowships with Swiss German Anabaptist origins. They are closely related to, but a distinct branch off from Mennonite churches.
Tannis root
Ugh, Dean and his nonexistent tannis root standing over Rory. How frustrating (for her, not us). First, this isn't even a real thing. It's a fictional herb used by the neighbors of Rosemary in the film Rosemary’s Baby to demonstrate the power of the devil worshippers. Only those who have seen this movie would understand Rory here. Good thing Dean had. Would have been a little awkward if he hadn't. There probably wouldn't even be a Team Dean if he hadn't have watched this movie. Weird to think about how this one movie could have changed everything.
Feminism
Ah, feminism. It's how Rory got her name. And also how it changed the world as we know it, but that's beside the point here (but is it? We get to watch a show with two female main character leads. Pretty cool). This refers to a range of social movements, political movements, and ideologies that aim to define, establish, and achieve the political, economic, personal, and social equality of the sexes.
Demerol
If you've been in labor, you've probably heard this word tossed around. I've never experienced this, but I did go to nursing school, so I've heard of this as well. It's also known as meperidine, and is an opioid and narcotic used to treat moderate to severe pain. It can cause respiratory distress and death when taken in high doses or when combined with other substances, especially alcohol (please never. ever. ever. mix alcohol and drugs). It is considered high risk for addiction and dependence. It's also sometimes used during labor, especially in Lorelai's. If it wasn't, we might have a completely different kid (Rory) on our hands here.
Broadway
This one is on my bucket list locations to see. It refers to the theatrical performances presented in the 41 professional theatres, each with 500 or more seats, located in the Theater District and Lincoln Center along Broadway, in Midtown Manhattan, New York City. Seeing West Side Story on Broadway in New York City would make my entire life complete.
Dense
Lorelai refers to herself as dense when she didn't realize the reason for Rory not wanting to start Chilton. A boy. Duh. This refers to a person being stupid. Although, might we add, Lorelai is the farthest thing from stupid. How she comes up with or remembers these references is beyond me.
Democracy
One thing I'll never discuss on here is politics. It's ugly, it's messy, and that's not what this site is for. It is, however, how the girls usually run their household. It's a form of government in which the people have the authority to choose their governing legislation. Who people are and how authority is shared among them are core issues for democratic theory, development and constitution. In other words, Lorelai and Rory usually have equal say on everything despite Lorelai being the adult. (quick thank you to my mom for running our house the same way growing up. You're looking at the real-life Gilmores here. More on that later).
Collector's cup
This is a unique or custom, sometimes handmade piece, created specifically for a person or location. Can sometimes be found at destination spot for people to collect. Nobody asked, but I started my collector's cup collection on Gilmore Girls coffee mugs a while ago. Best decision ever.
Coke
Not my personal favorite soda choice, but to each his own. It's also known as Coca-Cola, and is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by The Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century.
Snippets
A noun that is a small piece or brief extract. Hard to find a picture to represent this word so instead, I found a cute little pencil. Did anyone else use to do this in elementary school?
The best laid plans
This is a paraphrase from Robert Burns’ Scottish poem, To a Mouse, on Turning Her Up in Her Next With the Plough, November, 1785. The original lines are The best-laid schemes o’ mice an’ men / Gang aft agley, commonly translated into English as The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry. The idiom means that the most carefully detailed plan can go wrong when put into practice.
Flagellation
Don't google image search this. Very disturbing. I tried to find a decent one that wasn't graphic. Flagellation, also known as flogging, whipping, or lashing, is the act of beating the human body with special implements such as whips, lashes, rods, switches, the cat o’ nine tails, the sjambok, the knout, etc. I'm not about it.
Vat
We all need some coffee in a vat. It's a large tank or tub used to hold liquid.
Mime
At the very end of the episode, after the music has started to play, you can hear Lorelai ask Rory if Dean talks. She responds sarcastically saying no, he's a mime. A mime is an artist or person who uses mime as a theatrical medium or as a performance art. Miming involves acting out a story through body motions, without the use of speech. In earlier times, in English, such a performer would typically be referred to as a mummer. Personally, they freak me out more than clowns, so I'm really glad Dean is not actually a mime. I can, however, appreciate a good joke. So, well done Rory.
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