Wacky Word Quiz

Well, the earth’s rotated many times since I’ve last posted one of these. I thought it might be time to open that bulging door under constant strain against the clutter. It guards the tomb of antiquities, commonly known as the storage closet.  

Here goes. Ouch! Mind the bowling ball . . . cue the slapstick canned laughter. Now where is it? Oh, yes, there it is! I see the yellowed and curled corner of the pages belonging to the, ‘Dictionary of Oddity’s.’ It’s lying just beneath my sister’s possessed Teddy Ruxpin (batteries not needed) . . . “Your kids will love it! Pleeeeease, just take it!”

An ‘80’s lawn dart has staked it’s one pound metal spike through the bruin’s heart, but good old Teddy bears it with a grin. With trembling hands, I yank out the dart and cast the slow cackling beast and spear into the garage, where lawnmowers go to die.

The dart has punched a hole right through a warning label at the page’s header. ‘Do—- use these words in real life.’ I know it’s missing a word and some letters, but the dart has spoken.

Just a few things to refresh some memories or if you’ve never played: please try to avoid looking up the words/ enter the letter of your guesses in the comments/ I will be back in a day or so with the answers/ have fun!

On your mark, get set . . . bang! Now read and type, really fast!

Fartlek

A: an activity runners do when they switch between sprinting and jogging

B: to renege on a deal after secretly negotiating another offer from a different party

C: an obsolete measurement used in England to determine the distance between dales

D: eighteenth century slang term for a pickpocket

Bumber Shoot

A: another term for the water shoots on a Banyan Tree

B: nineteenth century expression for an incompetent person

C: umbrella

D: the game of dice from which Yahtzee was derived

Abecedarian

A: someone who is of the belief that portholes to other earthly realms exist

B: an uncommon term from the middle-ages used to describe an aristocrat who turns his/her back on their birthright in exchange for the life of a commoner

C: an obscure religious sect that archeologists believe may have lived and worshipped in the Tibetan Mountains

D: anyone currently learning the alphabet

Skirl

A: the loud wailing sound produced by bagpipes

B: the behind-the-heel toe tap dance move performed in Hasapiko Dancing

C: the stitching used to secure the lace to a 1920′ era Flapper Cloche Hat

D: to curtsy in a clumsy manner

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Bibbles, Ratoons, And Bumfuzzles. Oh My!

Okay, raise your hand if you want to play a word quiz game today. Great! That’s everyone!

These words are some of the wackiest the English language has ever come up with, and that’s saying something.

Three choices are located under each word, and you guessed it, only one of them is correct (I challenge you to try them without Googling).  There are four words in total. You can put your guesses in the comments section, if you wish. The correct answers will be revealed in my next post.

For your viewing pleasure, I’ve asked my daughter to draw her interpretation of the word meanings. She really likes purple, can you tell?

Now, on with it.

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.

(sorry, no picture, didn’t want to try to explain that one)

 

Abibliophobia: 

A: The fear of bibs.

B: The fear of running out of reading material.

C: The fear of libraries.

 

 

So, there you have it, a few more words to add to your vocabulary arsenal that should have your friends and family rewarding you with an expression that might look like this:  (have your camera ready)  You’re welcome.