X is for Kisses

XOXO symbolizes hugs and kisses.  Are the X's the hugs? Or are the X's the kisses? This was the debate between my husband and I last night when we were discussing my "X" post.

"The X's are the hugs," my husband stated.

"No they're kisses," I corrected.

"No they're hugs," he held his position. "When you hug, you cross your arms like an X." He tried to explain.

"No...the X's are kisses," I answered. "Everyone knows that!"

"Then why do people say hugs and kisses when they read XOXO?  If the kisses were the X's it would be kisses and hugs?" He pointed out.

"I don't know...but when a cartoon character is kissed , the kisses leave X's not O's." I shared my theory.

Today I'm putting this debate to rest.

According to 1984 edition of the Funk & Wagnalls Standard Desk Dictionary:
x, X (eks) -symbol 1. The Roman numeral ten. 2. A mark shaped like an X representing the signature of one who cannot write. 3. A mark used in diagrams, maps, etc., to place some event or substance, or to point out something to be emphasized. 4. A symbol used to indicate a kiss. 5. Christ: an abbreviation used in combination: Xmas.

X is for kisses.

Vaguely Defined

Vocabulary is important.  It's important for children to learn the correct meanings of words so that they can articulate those words in sentences properly. 

When the weeks vocabulary words come home with loose definitions provided by the school,  my mom gets irritated. 

"Don't these kids use a dictionary at school?"  She asks shaking her head.

"Amaya what does crossly mean?"  My mom quizzes her.

"To look angrily at something,"  she answers.

"What does elegant mean?" 

"To mark with good taste,"  she answers.

"What does godmother mean?" 

"Someone who acts like a mother,"  she answers.

"Wrong!"  my mom tells her.  "Nikki, do you ever read the definitions she brings home?"  she calls out from my kitchen.

"Well that's what our teacher told us to write Grandma,"  Amaya defends herself.

I grab the dictionary.  Before jumping to conclusions, we look up the words to see if by some chance the definitions are correct.  But mainly to prove that we were.

cross•ly: adv. in a cross or angry manner.
el·e·gant: adj. 1. Marked by elegance 2. A high grade of quality
god·moth·er: noun a woman who sponsors a person at a baptism

Our assumptions turn out to be correct.  The vocabulary words are vaguely defined.  Except the word godmother.  There's only one definition.  It makes me wonder if the definition was changed because of it's religious nature.

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