"That's a great deal to make one word mean," Alice said in a thoughtful tone. "When I make a word do a lot of work like that," said Humpty Dumpty, "I always pay it extra."

Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Slubberdegullion

   
A slubberdegullion is a filthy, slobbering person; a sloven; a villain; a fiend; a louse. In other words it isn't ver complementary!

Tuesday, 4 January 2011

Mammothrept

   
A mammothrept is a spoiled child (or should it be 'spoilt' child?)

Monday, 3 January 2011

Lethologica

   
This is something I suffer from a times - Lethologica is a psychological disorder that inhibits an individual's ability to articulate his or her thoughts by temporarily forgetting key words, phrases or names in conversation; the inability to remember the correct word.

Sunday, 2 January 2011

Matronolagnia

   
Allegedly - i.e. according to one website but I cannot find it in a dictionary - matronolagnia means being attracted to older women, especially those with children. A strange word and a strange concept!

Saturday, 1 January 2011

Jumentous

   
Jumentous means smelling strongly of a beast of burden; smelling like horse urine.

What a lovely word to start the new year!!!

Friday, 24 December 2010

Gravelled

   
In former times to be gravelled meant to be perplexed. The word was still in common usage in Victorian times.

Thursday, 23 December 2010

Volute

   
A volute is the spiral curve on an Ionic capital; spiral; ornament consisting of a curve on a plane that winds around a centre with an increasing distance from the centre.

Wednesday, 22 December 2010

Animadvert

   
To animadvert means to opine: express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation; express blame or censure or make a harshly critical remark

Thursday, 2 December 2010

Divan

   
A divan (pronounced with a short i like divine) is a long backless sofa (usually with pillows against a wall). In former times the name was also applied to a smoking room. Cigar and tobacco sellers would sometimes have an upstairs room where men (only!) could chill out with a cup of ciffee and a cigar - these were called divans.

Wednesday, 1 December 2010

Chimera

   

The chimera is a fire-breathing creature with a lion’s head, goat’s body, and a snake’s tail.