Back in the middle of September I set up a little word quiz here. I included some of the most waggish terms that can easily befuddle even the most sagacious word smiths.
Now, you could altercate that what’s typed here is mere trumpery from an old pettifogger, and therefore not worth the binary code that was used to form the letters, but truly, who doesn’t like the odd bit of trivia?
You’ll find a review of the quiz below. Those who have not yet undertaken the challenge have been accommodated, as I have refrained from revealing the correct answers until the end. To those who’ve already participated and practiced Googlestraint (ya, I just made that up), I thank you for playing and for your abstinence. However, I lament that this format is a decoy to lure you far down the page, and thus closer to the ‘Like’ button.
I’m sorry to say that this time my daughter, vexed by her existing ‘mono-cookie’ contract, and failing in her attempts to have me ratify a ‘multi-’, decided that the world needed more Crayola unicorns than word pictures.
Nonetheless, onwards to the review and impartation.
Snollygoster:
A: Someone who is unwanted and shunned at social gatherings because of their habit of creating tension.
B: A monster that lives in sump pump wells and is the true cause of those terrifying gargling sounds. The “logical” people claim the noise is caused by the activation of the pump.
C: A politician who does or says things for personal gain.
Wabbit:
A: A term for being exhausted.
B: What Elmer Fudd calls Bugs Bunny.
C: A type of metal used to make wheel bearings.
Nudiustertian:
A: One who adheres to a hedonist lifestyle, for whom ‘everything goes’.
B: A word for the day before yesterday.
C: A mundane occurrence.
Abibliophobia:
A: The fear of bibs.
B: The fear of running out of reading material.
C: The fear of libraries.
Here is what’s ‘On the beam’:
Snollygoster:
C: A politician who does or says things for personal gain.
Wabbit:
A: A term for being exhausted.
Nudiustertian:
B: A word for the day before yesterday. Not as much fun as it sounds, is it?
Abibliophobia:
B: The fear of running out of reading material. I think most of us can relate to this one.
And as a bonus:
Bibble: The sounds of people eating/drinking noisily. This can be especially bothersome if you suffer from misophonia, which is the strong negative feelings, thoughts, and physical reactions to “trigger sounds”.
Ratoon: The small shoot that comes from the root of a plant.
Bumfuzzle: A state of confusion. This term is so fitting for this article.
So, you have the meanings, take a bow if you knew most of them off hand . . . you are a true crackerjack!
Thanks for playing! Remember, a day without learning something new is humdrum.
Mark Bierman 