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Each featured word is followed by three possible definitions-one
genuine and two are taradiddles, little white lies. Bogus
definitions. Just think of these quizzes as mini-literary
masterpieces, unless you’re picky. (How else was I going
to fill all these blank pages?) The object is to choose the
correct dictionary definition from among the decoys. If you
choose correctly, you win! If you don’t, I win! Here’s
an example. Your guess is as good as mine, well maybe not
since I wrote the book.
Are you a whangdoodle?
(whang-dood-l)
You’re a whangdoodle if you…
a. use your left hand more than your right?
b. order Chinese and then play with your food?
c. throw things you don’t like?
If you’re a person who throws things you don’t
like, then you are most definitely a whangdoodle. Correct
answer is “c.”
The genuine definitions found in this book are the first
given dictionary definitions for the selected words in Webster’s
Third or the OED. The radio Word-of-the-Day chapter is an
exception where I used some wild and crazy words from trusted
dictionary sources.
Quiz words appear alphabetically with their correct definition
in the Answer section at the back of this book.
ARE YOU A GONGOOZLER?
(gon-GOOZ-ler)
G-O-N-G-O-O-Z-L-E-R
a.) a person who steals the LAST BITE when no one else is
looking?
b.) a person who has goosebumps?
OR . . .
c.) a person who stares for hours at anything out of the ordinary?
Answer: C). A gongoozler is a person who stares for hours
at anything out of the ordinary.
a person who steals the LAST BITE when no one else is looking
is called a snapsauce!
the medical term for goosebumps is horripilation.
DO YOU HAVE PONOPHOBIA?
(PONE-o-phobia)
P-O-N-O-P-H-O-B-I-A
Is ponophobia . . .
a.) the fear of answering the telephone?
b.) the fear of work?
OR . . .
c.) the fear of mental or physical exhaustion?
Answer: B). Ponophobia is the fear of work.
kopophobia is the fear of mental or physical exhaustion.
YOU ARE GUBBERTUSHED IF YOU…
(GUBE-er-tushed)?
G-U-B-B-E-R-T-U-S-H-E-D
a.) are in need of finding a gym?
b.) feel your governor just sits on his tush and does nothing?
OR . . .
c.) have projected teeth?
Answer: C) Bugs Bunny knows. Being gubbertushed means having
projected teeth.
Callipygian (kal-I-PIG-en) means having a shapely bottom
WHAT IS FLOCCINAUCINIHILIPILIFICATION?
(FLAHK-si-NAW-si-NY-hil-i-PIL-i-fi-KAY-shin)
F-L-O-C-C-I-N-A-U-C-I-N-I-H-I-L-I-P-I-L-I-F-I-C-A-T-I-O-N
Is floccinaucinihilipiilification…
a.) something trivial or worthless?
b.) dental term for flossing your teeth?
OR . . .
c.) term for a flock of birds going south for the winter?
Answer: A) Floccinaucinihilipilification means something is
trivial or worthless. The word has twenty-nine letters!
It dates back to 1741 and is the longest word in the Oxford
English Dictionary. The letter i occurs nine times and the
letter e not at all.
DO YOU FEAR ARACHIBUTYROPHOBIA?
(uh-RAK-i-BYOO-ti-roh-phobia)
A-R-A-C-H-I-B-U-T-Y-R-O-P-H-O-B-I-A
Is arachibutrophobia . . .
a.) fear of peanut butter sticking to the roof of the mouth?
b.) fear of your mother-in-law?
OR . . .
c.) fear of the number thirteen?
Answer: A) Arachibutyrophobia is the fear of peanut butter
sticking to the roof of the mouth.
Fear of your mother-in-law is pentheraphobia.
Fear of the number thirteen? triskadekaphobia! (TRIS-ke-dek-e-FO-bi-e).
Enough people fear the number thirteen that many buildings
pretend not to have a thirteenth floor!
WHAT IS LACHSCHLAGANFALL?
(lock-shlok-en-fol)
L-A-C-H-S-C-H-L-A-G-A-N-F-A-L-L
Is lachschlaganfall . . .
a.) a condition in which a person falls unconscious due to
a fall in the stock market?
b.) a condition in which a person falls unconscious after
listening to a SHOCK jock?
OR . . .
c.) a condition in which a person falls unconscious due to
excessive laughter?
Answer: C) Lachschlaganfall is a condition in which a person
falls unconscious due to excessive laughter. Lachschlaganfall
is found in medical dictionaries.
WHO IS A BATTOLOGIST?
(bat-ol-ogist)
B-A-T-T-O-L-O-G-I-S-T
Is a battologist . . .
a.) a baseball statistician?
b.) a Baton Rouge native?
OR . . .
c.) a person who nags?
Answer: C) A battologist is a person who nags.
WHAT DOES RACKELFRATZ MEAN?
(rack-I-FRAT-s)
R-A-C-K-E-L-F-R-A-T-Z
Does rackelfratz mean . . .
a.) a wild frat party?
b.) a tough racquetball game?
OR . . .
c.) “Oh shoot”?
Answer: C) “Oh rackelfratz” means “Oh shoot!”
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