Word Imperfect

Furze

2012-01-26T22:27:00.000+13:00

Furze sounds like a good name for a fluffy animal fur scarf which is slightly politically incorrect but decidedly fashionable. I hope the word imps can join me very soon in inventing suitable meanings for furze.

Blandishments

2011-12-28T22:13:00.001+13:00

Thanks for your excellent invented meanings for blandishments. I loved them all, as I always do. But it's true.

Blandishments - in reality - are compliments which are intended to coax or persuade. Now that's a great word to add to our everyday communication.

As I said, it was tricky choosing from the entries, but I settled on realityjunkie as today's winner. Welcome back, realityjunkie! Here's the winner:

Blandishments are punishments that don't actually fit the crime.
"Emily should've been sent to bed without supper for hitting her little brother. Her mother took pity on her and gave her the blandishment of having a time out instead."

Gazunder

2011-10-31T22:57:00.002+13:00

Gazunder is a business term. It occurs when a buyer reduces their offer on a property just before the contract is exchanged, even though they agreed to a higher price earlier. Or something like that anyway. Whatever it is, it sounds a bit suspect. I actually loved every one of the entrants in today's competition, so I had to close my eyes and point...

Raelha is the random winner - because her meaning is great and because she won the random lucky point which occurs when I can't choose between the entrants. Here it is:
Gazunder (n.) is the rumbly noise your tummy makes after eating too many beans before the expelling of any gas takes place.

May I also say that I realise I have been invisible for far too long. I will try to make up for it. Somehow.

Tumbril

2011-09-25T14:23:00.004+13:00

A tumbril is actually a bit gory! It's a cart used to transport prisoners to the guillotine during the French Revolution. I'm always harping on about how I love all the invented meanings and how hard it is to choose between them. Well, this time it was super hard - they were all soooo good. Of course, that's not the reason that it took me so long to judge the entries. That was due to being overworked and deadline focused. I had to choose a winner, so here it is:

Meira came up with a great one: Tumbril, noun: a rare and lethal disease which affects users on Tumblr.com, in which the user becomes so addicted to the site that site and user are physically inseparable. Brain atrophy is a common side effect.

Collocation

2011-09-09T09:01:00.002+12:00

Apparently, a collocation is a group of words that usually occurs together. I have quite a bit to do with words, but that's news to me. So if I've misinterpreted my dictionary explanation, I'm happy to be corrected by my fellow word imps. Thanks for your invented meanings - they were excellent. I chose Jem's as today's winner, as I found it highly amusing.

Here it is: A collocation is the proper term for the mishap of fastening a button into the wrong buttonhole.

Sedulous

2011-08-30T08:44:00.001+12:00

A sedulous person is very diligent and persevering. In fact, I can be considered as sedulous - even though I haven't realised it until now. It's the first day of the Rugby World Cup here in NZ today - so let's hope our All Blacks are sedulous throughout the tournament!

As always, the alternative meanings for sedulous were highly amusing and sooo difficult to choose between. I eventually settled on the following meaning as the winner, because it made me giggle. But there were some very close seconds. Well done, everyone.

LivelyClamor gave us this great invented meaning: "Sedulous is sitting on a warm white sandy beach with no inclination to get up, and the phenomenon of rubbing yourself into the sand as if planning to send down roots. Unfortunately, this is eventually followed by "perspickety" when you have to get up and brush all that sand off all those places it's now sticking to."

Paraprosdokian

2011-08-24T20:11:00.001+12:00

A paraprosdokian is a sentence which starts with a well known figure of speech but ends with an unexpected and humorous twist. For example, "where there's a will...I want to be in it" is a paraprosdokian.

You can have lots of fun with paraprosdokians and you'll find plenty more if you google the word. It goes without saying that I absolutely adored your invented meanings for paraprosdokian this week and I am in awe of your ingenuity. Fabulous work, word imps! Choosing a winner was tricky but I settled on the suggestion from Hey Jude because it made me laugh out loud - which is always a good thing to do in the morning. Thanks Jude.

Here's her invented meaning: "Paraprosdokian is the parallel import fairy-tale for Rumpelstiltskin."

Greave

2011-08-11T09:29:00.001+12:00

A greave is a piece of shin armour. I guess it's the olden day form of a soccer or hockey shin pad. So next time my son is remembering all his soccer bits and pieces before the game I'll be sure and remind him about his greaves!

Thanks to the word imps who joined in with this one - all good invented meanings. Sprite gave us the first and, in my opinion, best meaning for greave. Here it is:
"Because the rich man was not well liked, his association hired some older widows to greave at his grave so it would not be obvious that no one felt any great grief at his loss."

I love it!

Peroration

2011-07-23T21:43:00.002+12:00

Peroration is a thing you do during public speaking, weirdly enough. You do the peroration at the end of the speech when you conclude and summarise your main points. I always called that the conclusion and summary, but there you go! It has an official name: peroration.

Yours Truly B was the winner today out of a great selection of fine invented meanings. Well done YTB! Here's her excellent effort, which sounds surprisingly true...

Peroration is what a chef does to prepare the meat before slow roasting it over an open flame. It is the time to relax the meat, season it and make sure it is ready for tender perfection.

Cyclotron

2011-07-11T21:49:00.002+12:00

A cyclotron is used in science experiments to accelerate charged particles by a strong vertical magnetic field. That's my version of what the dictionary said, so if you're a scientist who disagrees, many apologies for the layman's terminology.

Thanks to the word imps for their imaginative meanings. I enjoyed them all because they are much easier to understand than the one in my dictionary!

PianoMan takes today's cake with his visually stimulating meaning for cyclotron. Here 'tis: A cyclotron is the technical name for an automaton cyclops gone haywire. For some reason, many of them gained personalities and terrorized entire continents. Such examples may be Godzilla, Sasquatch, or Big Bird. However some are nice - like the B.F.G. (Big Friendly Giant) or Elmo.

Halberd

2011-07-01T11:25:00.002+12:00

According to my well thumbed dictionary, a halberd is a spear with an axe blade. I found the invented meanings far more enlightening and was incredibly impressed with the depth of meaning that each word imp managed to uncover. Fabulous! All were worthy of honour, but I have to give the accolades today to the lovely Sara! Welcome back, Sara and thanks for your "fetching" contribution. Here it is:

A Halberd is a rather fetching ginger beard, as sported by Henry VIII. It became all the rage during his reign, with young men visiting the barbers and asking for a halberd and a short back and sides. Turmeric was used to get just the right shade of red. The reason they called it a halberd rather than making direct reference to Henry VIII is because there was a danger that the jealous king may have their heads chopped off if they were seen to be overtly imitating him. On one occasion he became so suspicious about the sudden influx of red bearded young men that he sent his soldiers out to wash the beard of every red haired man in the country. Soon after this halberds became less popular.

Auriferous

2011-06-20T06:34:00.002+12:00

If something is auriferous, it contains gold. Simple as that. This blog for instance, could be described by some as auriferous. I loved the various meanings suggested by the word imps. They were so different and so inventive. However, I had to choose one, which I've done. Well done to Sprite for this auriferous meaning...

I think an auriferous person would be one who is in possession of a tin ear:
"It was truly unfortunate that the children's first introduction to music education was from an auriferous old nun. They carried those tone deaf interpretations of beloved hymns with them through the years."

Cordite

2011-06-07T16:20:00.003+12:00

Cordite is an explosive used to make things go bang! Your invented meanings were pretty explosive and I was impressed with the variety and collective wisdom involved. I liked them all, but my favourite was written by Hey Jude. Here's her contribution:

Cordite was the slang nickname given to the Hangman at the gallows, back in the days when people were hanged.

Phrenologist

2011-05-28T19:49:00.001+12:00

A phrenologist was someone who studied the size and shape of skulls to decide on people's character and mental capacity. I'm pretty sure they have been replaced by other health professionals with different ideas. Interesting stuff!

Choosing between the entrants was difficult, but I decided on the entry of Thinks! which is very funny. I'm sure you'll agree when you read it below:
"Phrenologists are a little known group of phanatisists who are dedicated to the use oph the letters ph instead of f and were responsible for the spelling oph such words as telephone and physics etc. Things have got more complicated now that many under 30 year olds have replaced the sound th with f and v so perhaps the english language will supher phrom confusion wever we phink its good or bad!"

Funicular

2011-05-22T19:48:00.001+12:00

A funicular is a cable railway on a steep mountainside. Sounds scary! Thanks for your very inventive meanings for this lovely word. I chose the suggestion of Hey Jude as today's winner. It sounds like it fits well.
Here is her fine contribution: "Funicular is part of the science of inventing roller coaster rides. It describes the degree of loops, twists and turns you can have without the carriage de-railing or passengers falling out."

Rinkhals

2011-05-20T08:13:00.004+12:00

Rinkhals is a South African cobra that spits venom. Not something I ever want to encounter, thanks very much. I really enjoyed the invented meanings, as always, and have chosen the meaning suggested by Dasing as today's winner.

Here it is: Rinkhals - The spaces in between piano keys.

Mountebank

2011-05-11T11:22:00.001+12:00

A mountebank is a charlatan or a fake - kind of like we are when we invent spurious meanings for words I guess! Never mind, we'll continue anyway. I loved each of the invented meanings that were submitted, but there was something very whimsical about the idea of PianoMan - so I chose his meaning as today's winner.

Here it is: Mountebank was an infamous painter who painted over cliffs and riverbanks in bright colors.

Cromlech

2011-05-04T13:35:00.002+12:00

A cromlech must describe Stonehenge I guess, because my dictionary says it's a circle of prehistoric standing stones. I guess the English word imps would have known that. Things were pretty quiet on this word, with the winner being a new player named SCarpenter. Well done SC. Here's their winning suggestion for cromlech:

"A cromlech is a bit of food dropped on one's clothing that is large enough to pick up and swiftly pop in your mouth. It is Scottish slang from the words 'crumb left'."

Ormolu

2011-04-29T11:21:00.002+12:00

Ormolu is a decorative gold alloy, which isn't surprising. It sounds a lot like that to me now that I think about it. I loved all your invented meanings but had to go with the memories created by the suggestion of Thinks! Here it is: 'Ormolu': famous song of the 70's by Abba which won the eurovision song contest soemwhere around 1972.

Thanks again. Keep playing!

Lekker

2011-04-15T09:13:00.001+12:00

Lekker is South African slang. It means attractive, nice or tasty. Thanks for your great invented meanings for lekker. I've chosen Hey Jude as today's winner.

Here's her suggestion: Lekker is a type of dried meat. Its most common form is dried reindeer meat, a delicacy in the far reaches of the Northern Hemisphere.

Desuetude

2011-04-03T22:41:00.001+12:00

Desuetude refers to not being in use. So all that clutter in the wardrobe could be renamed desuetude. Interesting.
Well done to Vicki Malicki who worked hard to make all the elements of the word come together in her thought provoking meaning... "Desuetude is an emotion, or rather a mixture of emotions. Somebody who is experiencing Desuetude is desolate, suicidal, but with an attitude. The attitude part of the emotion prevents them from actually doing anything about feeling Desuetude. They feel like they can't carry on and that there is no way out, but then their attitude kicks in and tells them to snap out of it....people like this live in a perpetual state of Desuetude....not a nice way to live."

Scandium

2011-03-28T17:00:00.001+13:00

In the real world, scandium is a rare silvery white metallic element. Who would have thought? I loved the invented meanings and friendly banter that went along with this meaning. It brought back memories of the old days when I had lots of blog visitors. I hope it's a sign that those days are returning. Choosing a winner was tricky as the meanings were all funny and innovative. However, a choice had to be made, so I went with...

Greedy Biscuit Baron: Scandium is the scientific term for the sleep/eyegrit that gets left in the corner of your eye after having had a kip. There are similar scientific terms for other unwanted bodily by-products, such as scendium which is the scientific term for bogeys and heardinium for earwax....

Good work, GBB. And great to have you back!

Rusticate

2011-03-25T19:44:00.001+13:00

Rusticate has two very different meanings in real life. The most expected meaning is "to retire to the country". That's quite delightful and is a word that should be used more often. The other, unexpected meaning, is quite bizarre and intriguing. According to my dictionary, rusticate also means to "banish someone temporarily from university as a punishment". Now who would have ever thought that? That's what I like about being a word imp - the lifelong learning.

Anyway, the game participants will be keen to know which invented meaning has been selected as today's winner. It was a hard decision, but I have gone with the effort of Hey Jude. Well done, Jude. Here it is: To rusticate is to country-fy something. People who live in the city often rusticate their property to make it feel like they live more rurally. An example of this would be to adorn their garden with a wagon wheel, or an old milk can filled with a pansy plant.

Invigilate

2011-03-24T12:17:00.002+13:00

Invigilating is actually supervising people who are sitting an exam! I would love to do that. It's one of my life's aims to invigilate! Usually the invented meanings are way cooler than the real meaning and they still are, but I just love the real meaning as well.

I chose Tony Chestnut's meaning as today's word imp winner. Well done TC. Here's his suggestion: Invigilate is the antonym of procrastinate. Why put off until tomorrow what you can do today? (As a great procrastinator I can think of plenty of reasons!).

Viviparous

2011-03-18T22:52:00.003+13:00

I am viviparous! It means producing live offspring which is what I have done twice. Strangely enough, the day I'm updating this blog (24 March) is the 13th anniversary of my last viviparous experience - which is another way of saying it's my youngest child's 13th birthday today. But I digress...

I have chosen Vicki Malicki as today's winner. Here's her funky meaning for viviparous: Viviparous is what happens to a once vivacious and beautiful woman when she realises that she has grown older, is losing her looks and men don't look at her in quite the same way anymore. Her vivaciousness vapourises, seemingly overnight, and all that is left is an empty shell of a woman. If only she had gone to secratarial school like her mother had wanted her to instead of relying on rich men to keep her in the lifestyle she was accustomed to....

Decretal

2011-03-16T13:11:00.002+13:00

Thanks for your great meanings for decretal. It is actually a papal decree. Quite obvious when you think about it. However, ignorance was bliss on this occasion and allowed us to get creative. My favourite today was the creative moment from Hey Jude. Thanks Jude!

Here's her winning entry: Unfortunately I gave to be very honest with this one, and tell you all that decretal is the stuff you see hanging out of fishes' bottoms in fish tanks. And when it finally breaks off, another fish will come along and eat it. Yuck.

Sough

2011-03-13T09:32:00.001+13:00

Sough describes a sighing sound - for example, the sighing sound made by the wind. That gives me another idea for a way to use the word 'sough' in future... Anyway, two brave word imps joined the game today and both were in the same ballpark.

Vicki Malicki scraped through with her suggestion that "Sough when pronounced sounds like cough. Sough is the noise that comes out when someone is saying a rude word under their breath, while trying not to let people in their immediate vicinity know that they are saying a rude word. You would think they just wouldn't bother saying it at all if they don't want people to hear, but an unstoppable urge leads them to sough. As for me, I just say it out loud!"

Legerdemain

2011-03-08T21:21:00.003+13:00

Legerdemain is actually another word for sleight of hand or cunning deception. I'm not sure whether Dogmum knew that when she invented her cunning meaning. I liked that meaning a lot, Dogmum. However, on this occasion I have chosen the suggestion of LivelyClamor as it made me giggle - too close to the bone perhaps!

Here's LC's meaning for you: Legerdemain is making sure you have enough left on your to do list to put off working on taxes till tomorrow.

Graminivorous

2011-03-05T15:16:00.001+13:00

Graminivorous means grass eating. So cows and sheep are graminivorous. I feel glad to know that. Thanks for your interesting meanings today. I chose the suggestion of Dogmum as my favourite - although I enjoyed them all. Well done everyone.

Dogmum said: Graminivorous describes inverse proportional eating in the animal kingdom. There is a common saying that people eat like a sparrow, usually used to describe someone who doeasn't eat very much. In actual fact, sparrows eat 2-3 times their body weight every day. Therefore the feeding patterns of animals such as sparrows is classed as graminivorous.

Brinjal

2011-02-28T09:45:00.000+13:00

My dictionary informs me that brinjal is the name for the dark purple South African fruit which is - for reasons unexplained - cooked and eaten as a vegetable. I'll take their word for it. There's no mention of whether it's a vegetable dreaded by children. Perhaps someone of South African background can inform us of the taste of a brinjal. Thanks for your interesting contributions. I thoroughly enjoyed them and have chosen, as today's winner,Vicki Malicki for her choice of brinjal as a rite of passage.

Here's VM's meaning: Brinjal is an ancient Indian custom where upon reaching the age of 13, Indian males must eat exactly 13 of the hottest chillis available in India. This is where the term Delhi Belly originated from, as you can imagine the after effects of eating 13 very hot chillis is not too pleasant.

Pusillanimous

2011-02-18T07:36:00.000+13:00

Pusillanimous is a synonym for timid and cowardly. I will try to use that in a sentence today! Thanks for your intriguing meanings for pusillanimous. I enjoyed reading them.Congrats to Whitedaisy for a great meaning.

Whitedaisy's winning entry is: Pusillanimous refers to the society of mysterious black cats which always comes out from nowhere. No one knows their names and where they came from. These cats are pusillanimous.

Cognomen

2011-02-09T11:54:00.000+13:00

A cognomen is another word for nickname. My dictionary also says it's another word for surname. I prefer the nickname version. Thanks for your innovative meanings. I loved them all and I enjoyed this creative and very academic sounding meaning from Vfmac, today's winner:

The cognomen was an old position among young scribes. One so honored was tasked with holding up an open book for an elder, acting as a human podium in essence.

Grillage

2010-12-09T22:04:00.000+13:00

Grillage describes a wooden frame used as a building foundation on soft earth. That's according to my dictionary. However, your fabulous meanings were much more interesting and I've chosen the invented meaning from Scriptor Senex as my fave today. Here's his suggestion: "Grillage is that which happens when an amateur attempts to barbecue sausages. It derives from the words grill and pillage and the results are usually inedible."

Thanks for your contributions and sorry for my 2 month absence. I was still on earth, just busy moving house and dealing with family issues as well as having a bit of a break. Welcome back!

Crocidolite

2010-12-04T21:28:00.000+13:00

Crocidolite is a yellow mineral produced from a fibrous silicate. My dictionary gives several other chemical/scientific details, which I can't be bothered repeating here. Basically, nothing to do with crocodiles!

Realityjunkie's meaning was the pick of a great bunch this week. Thanks for your fabulous contributions. Here's RJ's suggestion:

Crocidolite is a dermatologic term used to describe a patient with severely dry skin. There are many creams available for these poor eczema ridden people, however, the best treatment is to dampen the skin, rub vaseline or crisco on the skin and occlude the area.

Panopticon

2010-12-02T17:12:00.000+13:00

A panopticon was a proposed circular prison with a central section for prison warders, and the cells all placed around that in a circle. Cool!

Our invented meanings were just as cool and Hey Jude's suggestion was perfect. I think I'll join. Thanks Jude.

Here it is again: Panopticon describes followers of of the 'Peter Pan' movement - members of this group have vowed never to grow up. They meet every year for a convention, which is known as the Panopticon.

Tenaculum

2010-11-25T21:12:00.001+13:00

Ouch! A tenaculum is actually a sharp hook that a surgeon uses for picking up arteries. Sounds dangerous. Moving right along... I loved the meanings sent in for this word. You all made the decision as hard as it always is. Well done for your efforts. I finally chose the meaning suggested by Vicki Malicki. Love your work Vicki!
Here's her contribution:

Paul the Octopus from Germany who successfully predicted many game outcomes in the recent Soccer World Cup was a Tenaculum. He was revered throughout the Octopus world and his sad departure from this life has left a huge gap. However, a rumour is circulating that an up and coming young Octopus called Gary from Samoa is widely tipped to become the next Tenaculum.

Carking

2010-11-21T20:55:00.000+13:00

Carking apparently means burdensome. I can't explain that, so I won't try. Swiftly on to the invented meanings then...

What a hard choice. There were some excellent meanings for carking, but Realityjunkie had such a warm and fuzzy entry that I just had to choose it.

Here it is: Carking is the sweet sound puppies make while they're sleeping. It's somewhere between a bark and a sigh. I love the sound of carking.

Elecampane

2010-11-19T15:28:00.001+13:00

Elecampane is less beautiful than it sounds to me. It's a plant with bitter aromatic leaves.

I loved the word picture created by LivelyClamor. Here's the winning meaning: Elecampagne is a canopy with lots of little bells sewn onto it which ring at the slightest breeze.

Petuntse

2010-11-16T09:38:00.000+13:00

Petuntse describes white earth that is used in China for making porcelain. Thanks for your varied meanings.

Angripengwin is today's winner, with this lovely meaning: Petite old woman who has a habit of wobbling about the place.

Boscage

2010-11-15T00:13:00.000+13:00

Boscage refers to masses of trees or shrubs. I certainly have never heard of the term before. However, I can now say that I am fortunate to be surrounded by boscage where I live. I loved the invented meanings for boscage and would like to make silver_flight today's winner. In fact, I think this meaning should be the real one for boscage. Here it is:
I think this would be an old-fashioned starched shirt that forces one into a particular posture in an attempt to confer authority.

Gigmanity

2010-11-12T12:22:00.000+13:00

Gigmanity refers to middle class - or so says my dictionary. I thought it would be something far more imaginative, like the meaning suggested by Hey Jude for example.
Well done, HJ. You're a winner!

Hey Jude's meaning follows: Gigmanity was the name of the giant in one of the several versions of Jack and the Beanstalk. It may surprise you to know that there have been several versions of this story by different authors. The name Gigmanity didn't stick because back in the 1800's is was a reasonably weird name and the publisher suggested it be changed to Giant.

Strigil

2010-11-10T10:37:00.000+13:00

A strigil is pretty much like it sounds actually. It's an ancient bath time skin scraper. I guess skin scraping is required if bath time is not so regular. Your meanings were great fun and I've chosen LivelyClamor as today's champ. Great work LC.

Read on: Strigil is dental floss accidentally left hanging out of the wearer's mouth in their rush to get ready to go to work in the morning. It is a very embarrassing problem and why many people don't floss.

Shabrack

2010-11-09T10:34:00.000+13:00

A shabrack is a cavalry saddlecloth, which is well short of interesting. The meanings invented by our word imps, on the other hand, were fascinating. I implore you to read them all, especially if you need a pick-me-up. It worked for me! Great to see the return of some of our previous word imps. Thanks for coming back.

Realityjunkie is our winner today. Here's her very well thought out and funny suggestion: Shabrack was the infamous Irish brother of Meshack and Abnego in the famous bible story of the fiery furnace. Although the men were on a strict diet of vegetables and water, old "Shabby" just couldn't resist hitting the wine skin now and then. Poor fella isn't mentioned in most versions of the bible. They replaced him with the more saintly Shadrach character we read about today.

Oleaginous

2010-11-07T12:43:00.000+13:00

Oleaginous describes something that is oily, fatty or greasy. I chose the intriguing meaning offered by Greedy Biscuit Baron today. Well done, GBB and welcome back.
Here's the well thought out winning entry:

Oleaginous refers to something being completed with an extra flourish or added flare/gusto.

Its origins are believed to be a latin/spanish amalgamated word, derived from the spanish word "Olè!"
(which is the flashy ending in both Flamenco dancing and Bull Fighting.)
and "Aginous"
(which is a latin word for "derived from")

So there it is :
Olèaginous - the act of performing an excessively flashy ending.

Poudrette

2010-11-03T21:01:00.001+13:00

Who will ever believe me when I tell you that the actual meaning of poudrette - which sounds so delicate and feminine - is actually manure made from charcoal and night soil (is that a euphemism for 'you know what'?).

Best change the subject quickly, I think.

I loved all your invented meanings. What a hard decision. However, I've gone with Yoda as I thought the image conjured up was the best. Perfect, Yoda! I can't believe that's not the real meaning.

Here's Yoda's contribution: Poudrette is the collective noun for outfits and paraphenalia designed to be worn by dogs small enough to fit in handbags.

Jemadar

2010-11-01T21:42:00.000+13:00

A jemadar is a few different things, mostly Indian. The easiest one to describe here is an Indian police officer. Thanks for continuing to bless me with your invented meanings. I appreciate your interesting perspectives on life.

Tesori Trovati was today's winner with her delightful meaning: Jemadar - the sixth sense that I have when I find a beautiful gemstone at an incredible price!

Antigropelos

2010-10-29T21:44:00.000+13:00

Antigropelos sounds a lot more like a medicine than it actually is. In fact, it's apparently an alternative name for waterproof leggings - supposedly the kind worn by fishermen or skiers?

The elusively named Carnreation is today's winner, with the brain stretching suggestion that antigropelos is someone who has a fear of being in a group with between 2 and 13 people in it. Excluding numbers over 12, under 6 and between 8 and 11.

Proparoxytone

2010-10-29T08:47:00.000+13:00

Proparoxytone is a word which has an acute accent on the third to last syllable. If that means the emphasis is on the third to last syllable, then I get it. And proparoxytone is a proparoxytone. My winner today is Sprite, with a short and sweet meaning: "I believe it's a specialized tool used by teens to combat acne."

Great work Sprite - and thanks for playing.

Scopula

2010-10-24T13:24:00.001+13:00

Scopula are the tufts of hair on bees' legs. Can't say I've ever observed a bee that closely, but next time I'll be keeping an eye out for the scopula - as well as the stingula! Dogmum pointed out that I might have been meaning scapula, which is a flash name for your shoulder blade. Thanks for the heads up, Dogmum. But no, I always intended to use scopula. Our winner today is Soph, who went all intergalactic on us with her meaning. Well done, Soph.

Here's her effort: 'Scopula' is the name of a lunar eclipse seen from Jupiter.

Frazil

2010-10-20T23:08:00.000+13:00

Frazil is the name for ice crystals or snow floating in water. How picturesque! The word imps' invented meanings were interesting and I've chosen a winner after much consideration. Congrats and welcome back to Thinks! Here is his/her contribution:

A frazil or specifically a frazil nut is the fattest, roundest brazil nut you have carefully selected from the Christmas goodies dish and spent ten minutes breaking into with the nutcrackers which turns out to have the nasty tasting black crumbly disaster inside.

Ovolo

2010-10-18T08:47:00.000+13:00

According to the people who write dictionaries, an ovolo is a convex moulding in the shape of a quarter circle or quarter ellipse which recedes downwards. I have no idea what that means. So let's stick with your invented meanings on that one. Much simpler. I've chosen the one suggested by Yoda today. Great work. Here 'tis:

Ovolo is a slang word used by burly men in shipyards, truck-loading docks, cargo docks, etc. When the vehicle being loaded is full and can't take any more, the men yell out "Ovolo!"

Koumiss

2010-10-14T23:06:00.000+13:00

Koumiss is a liquor made from mare's milk. Very scary indeed. On a lighter note, Hey Jude has won today's competition with her inventive meaning. Great work, HJ!

Here it is: There is an ancient vegetable called the manglebeet. When this vegetable is processed and made into a spreadable paste, it is known as koumiss.

Gazogene

2010-10-13T22:04:00.000+13:00

A gazogene is an apparatus for making aerated waters. Mmmm. Still leaves quite a lot to the imagination. Sort of like a Sodastream maybe? Your guess is as good as mine. Thanks for joining in with more invented meanings today. I have a merry little band of dedicated followers, which is very buoying. Your support is much appreciated. Today's chosen one is Thinks! Great work and great meaning. I'll have two thanks. Here is the winning entry:

Gazogene: makers of the instant gazebo! Get the barbie out pull the convenient rip-cord of the gazogene bag and your gazebo self-erects complete with bar and cocktail barman.

Terebinth

2010-10-13T07:23:00.000+13:00

A terebinth is a turpentine tree. It still doesn't make a heck of a lot of sense to me but I trust the dictionary so we'll leave it at that. Your meanings for terebinth, on the other hand, were superb - particularly the meaning of Dogmum. Great work!

Here's her clever meaning: James Cameron was originally going to call his latest hit movie Terebinth. But one morning he awoke suddenly at 3:22am, sat up in bed, and said the word "Avatar". The rest is history. Well, modern history, since it's only fairly recent.

Hoggin

2010-10-11T23:09:00.000+13:00

Hoggin is so much less interesting than you would think. It's a simple mixture of sand and gravel. Sounds a little bit like the stuff we use to create concrete. However, don't take my word for it and go mentioning hoggin to a concreting contractor any time soon. You could be misunderstood.

I thoroughly enjoyed your attempts to recreate Webster's dictionary definition for hoggin and have chosen Tesori Trovati as the winner. Her meaning took my fancy as my son is having a Harry Potter revival at the moment. So great work Erin! Keep it up. Here's her fabulous definition:

Hoggin: what gangs of wizards call flying around the castle at Hogwarts at midnight when they shouldn't be out of their houses.

Peccable

2010-10-10T22:04:00.000+13:00

Peccable means liable to sin. Of course. It's not that hard really. Peccable is the opposite of impeccable. I'm not sure how I have reached my elevated status without being aware of such an obvious fact. However, it happened. Now I have no further excuses!

Thanks for your creative meanings. I enjoyed them and have chosen Siobhan as today's winner. Good work. Here's her meaning:

Peccable is a term used by bodybuilders to describe someone with the potential to excel in the bodybuilding field. When they see a young, puny specimen of masculinity,
but spy in him the potential to develop a strong upper body, they say 'that guy is really peccable' and try to sell him protein drinks.

Ratafia

2010-10-08T20:04:00.000+13:00

Ratafia is a drink or biscuit flavoured with cherry, peach or apricot kernels, or with almond. I loved the invented meanings and have chosen, as today's winner, the meaning suggested by Ruth. Well done and welcome back Ruth. Here's her well structured meaning:

Ratafia is a mythical island somewhere off the coast of Madagasca, no one is sure where exactly. Legend has it that when a craft is lost without trace this is where it ends up. As well as those demised icons of popular culture subject to conspiracy theories.
On the beach at sunset you can sip coconut juice at a beach bar manned by the crew of the Marie Celeste, while Glen Miller and Buddy Holly make sweet music and Marilyn Munroe rides Shergar along the sand.

Jugulate

2010-10-07T21:07:00.000+13:00

To jugulate is actually to arrest the course of a disease with a powerful remedy. I can't believe I've come this far in life and never heard of that word. Perhaps if I'd studied medicine I may have come across it. However, better late than never.

I chose LivelyClamor as today's winner. Great work! The winning meaning goes like this:

Jugulate: A gang initiation whereby all politicians are encouraged to prove themselves by creating as many attack ads ("go for the jugular") as possible with as little creativity as possible. The cumulative effect on the listener/viewer should be a feeling of strangulation. In addition, jugulate means a way for politicians to juggle conflicting promises without getting caught.

Alliaceous

2010-10-05T08:57:00.000+13:00

Alliaceous refers to anything related to garlic, onions or leeks, particularly regarding the smell or taste. Clare was strikingly close to the real meaning, but today's winner is Ruby Rosamund. Well done, Ruby. Here's her invented definition:

Alliaceous - A term used to describe overhanging plants that are rooted in a private garden, but whose leaves/branches protrude onto public footpaths.

Mr. Jones had an ongoing dispute with the council over his alliaceous laburnum, and whose job it may be to trim it back.

Waddy

2010-10-02T22:27:00.000+13:00

Thanks for your incredibly interesting and well thought out meanings. I'm impressed. While I've been away, the word imps have been honing their skills. A waddy is, in real life, a native Australian war club. My dictionary doesn't mention Aboriginal, but I'm assuming that's what it means by native Australian. However, judging by some tv news items we get here in NZ about Australian street brawls, it could be another word for a beer bottle. However, I digress. My pick of the fabulous invented meanings for waddy today is from Louisa. It was a very difficult decision as they all made me laugh. However, Louisa's made me laugh loudest and longest. Well done, you! Here's her winning effort:
Waddy is the collective noun for spitballs, lovingly produced in the mouths of teenage boys from the cheap paper found in their school jotters.

Example: "The fourth form launched a coordinated waddy of spitballs at Mr Samuels when he attempted to teach them about logarithms."

The term, along with the term "fourth form", is largely outdated as the teenagers would now use other means to assault the aforementioned Mr Samuels.

Example: "When Mr Samuels attempted to teach the Year 10s about logarithms, the class all used their iPhones to log onto Facebook and send a thousand virtual saliva ejections at his Wall, using the iExpectorate app."

Quondam

2010-02-25T10:29:00.000+13:00

A quondam is very hard to explain, according to my dictionary. However, I shall do my best. It describes something that was once a certain way, but now isn't. I think a synonym for quondam is "former". That probably doesn't help, but the dictionary I have gives this example: "He is a quondam friend of mine."

My winner today for an invented meaning for quondam is Thinks! Here it is: From recipe books - whereby 1 x quondam of hot spice such as curry powder = the entire contents of the jar added accidentally while trying to measure 1 teaspoonful.

Well done all of you. A great lot of invented meanings. Much easier to understand than the real meaning, too!

Purfle

2010-02-03T23:18:00.001+13:00

A purfle can be a fancy border. So, to purfle is to make something fancy. That's my version of what the dictionary says and it's close enough to the truth, so that's good enough for me. My daughter will be doing a bit of purfling before the school disco tonight, methinks. Well done to the inventors of interesting meanings for purfle. The poll winner was Realityjunkie.

Orotund

2010-01-16T21:36:00.000+13:00

Orotund describes a particular way of speaking which could be described by some as pompous and pretentious. Others may simply say the speaker was particularly dignified in their oratory. Thanks a million for your fabulous invented meanings for orotund. Today's fabulous winner was Bonnie. Great work Bonnie. Hope to see you here again soon.

Nuncupate

2010-01-08T16:33:00.000+13:00

If I have read my dictionary correctly, to nuncupate is to make a declaration of your last will and testament through the spoken word rather than the written word. Presumably that's like when Auntie Nellie tells little Rita that she'll leave her collection of salt and pepper shakers to her when she dies. I really enjoyed coming back from my holiday to find lots of great meanings on the blog for nuncupate. You've all worked very hard while I was scoring cricket games in the sun. Well done to all of you. And a special congrats to Realityjunkie for a winning meaning on the poll.

Menology

2009-12-17T19:19:00.000+13:00

For those who enjoy figuring out the root meaning behind words, menology is related to month. But not in a menstrual way exactly. It's related to month in a calendar way. In fact, a menology is a calendar of the Greek Church which contains biographies of saints. That beats my invented meaning hands down. Thanks for your meanings and the long wait between words. Excuses, excuses, she said. I have none. Pure laziness is my only offering. Well done to new player on the blog (or old player with new name)- Metamatician - for a great win on the poll today. Hope you return soon.

Lazaret

2009-12-16T17:52:00.000+13:00

A lazaret is a special hospital for the diseased poor. Your meanings for lazaret were well thought out and interesting. Realityjunkie beat the opposition with her meaning. Well done, RJ.

Kickshaw

2009-12-15T13:38:00.001+13:00

I had never heard of the word kickshaw until I found it in the dictionary yesterday. It's meaning could be useful though. My dictionary explains kickshaw as usually a derogatory term for a fancy cooked meal. Too fancy presumably. It then goes on to add the terms toy and trifle. I kind of get it. Your invented meanings were much easier to understand, clever and very enjoyable. Thanks for playing. And well done to silver_flight for a winning meaning on the poll today.

Jussive

2009-12-09T16:52:00.000+13:00

Jussive refers to expressing a command. Nothing like as interesting as our invented meanings. Congrats to new player Ruby Rosamund for a first up win on the poll today. Great work Ruby! Keep it up. Sorry I haven't been on the blog daily, by the way. I'm doing my best to update as often as possible, and will try to be more frequent in future.

Imago

2009-12-06T15:40:00.000+13:00

Imago is rather beautiful in reality. It's the word to describe the final stage of metamorphisis. The butterfly is a perfect example of imago. So there you have it. Our meanings were way off, but fabulous nevertheless. And I'm happy to say that Thinks! is today's poll winner. Great meaning, Thinks! That could come in handy for me.

Hyperborean

2009-11-30T22:50:00.000+13:00

I loved my own meaning for hyperborean, but the dictionary disagrees. So here's the correct one - even though I find it quite contradictory. Firstly, it says a hyperborean is an inhabitant of the extreme north. It goes on to say it can also describe someone of a race who lives in a land of plenty - including sunshine - beyond the north wind. So there you go. In the word imp world of plenty, Madame C was today's winner on the poll. Congrats Madame C.

Gingili

2009-11-25T20:54:00.000+13:00

Gingili is the name of an East Indian plant which produces a sweet oil of the same name. I really enjoyed your invented meanings for gingili and am very happy to announce that Hey Jude sneaked in to the winning position on the poll today. Great work HJ.

Flustra

2009-11-22T20:55:00.000+13:00

Flustra is described in the dictionary as sea mat, which doesn't really help. It goes on to describe it as something that resembles seaweed. I kind of get the picture. I preferred your invented meanings of course, and give my wholehearted congrats to Jem who was a winner on the poll today. Well done.

Enantiomorph

2009-11-20T21:52:00.000+13:00

Strangely enough, an enantiomorph is a mirror image - which is kind of close to one of our word imp's meanings but probably only accidentally and it's a good meaning anyway so what the heck! Well done to everyone with working through this long and tricky word. You figured out some great meanings. Top marks went to Holly Dolly who seems to be making a habit of doing well on the poll. Great job.

Digitigrade

2009-11-19T21:50:00.000+13:00

Digitigrade is a synonym for walking on tippy toes. Fancy that! Quite fascinating really, what you learn on when you're just having a bit of fun. Of course I had a good laugh over your excellent invented meanings. Thanks for your continued support. Much appreciated and knowing you're out there helps a lot. Realityjunkie was everyone's favourite on the poll today. Well done, RJ.

Colophony

2009-11-18T21:25:00.000+13:00

Colophony is actually quite different to the wildly imaginative ideas suggested by the equally wildly named word imps today. Colophony is a dark resin distilled from turpentine and water. My dictionary fails to explain what that dark resin is used for - and I'm happy to leave it at that. Thanks to all those who participated today and well done on the poll to Holly Dolly.

Ballyrag

2009-11-17T21:17:00.000+13:00

To ballyrag is to indulge in horseplay and play practical jokes on people. I will try to remember that as it may come in useful. I enjoyed your invented meanings and am happy to announce realityjunkie as the top of the polls today.

Anserine

2009-11-16T21:48:00.000+13:00

Anserine actually means silly like a goose. Weird eh? Your meanings were less silly, but lots of fun. Today's winner according to the voters was Auntibeck. Well done AB!

Yaffle

2009-11-15T21:09:00.000+13:00

A yaffle is actually a green woodpecker. I preferred my meaning as well as those suggested by the word imps, but there's no changing it. The favourite on the poll was suggested by realityjunkie. Well done again RJ.

Wanderoo

2009-11-14T20:49:00.000+13:00

Your meanings for wanderoo were funny and very well received. However, it's really something far more ordinary. A wanderoo is a monkey from Ceylon. That's giving away how old my dictionary is, but there you go. It was another triple win on the poll today. So congratulations to Scriptor Senex, Thinks! and silver_flight who each shared one third of the vote.

Vespertine

2009-11-13T21:01:00.000+13:00

Posted Thursday 12 November - our 14th wedding anniversary!
Vespertine refers to anything that is done in the evening. Sounds very romantic. I shall now refer to evening time as vespertine. Mandy's invented meaning was loved by all, so well done Mandy. And thanks for your good wishes for our wedding anniversary too. It was great.

Umbles

2009-11-12T20:54:00.000+13:00

Umbles is deer offal which is edible and - yes - if you are a long serving word imp...we have had that word before. However, it was more than two years ago so I've forgiven myself for that glitch on this one occasion. I'll try to be more diligent in future. Your meanings were outstanding and I'm happy to report a tie on today's poll between two clever cookies - Scriptor Senex and silver_flight. Well done to both of you. I couldn't choose between you either so it's a well deserved tie.

Tchick

2009-11-11T20:58:00.000+13:00

Many of you guessed correctly that tchick is the name for a sound. The dictionary explains how to do it and says it's mostly used to direct a horse. Interesting. Your invented meanings were great and it was good to see a wide range of word imps joining us again today. The winner on the poll was the reliably hilarious Mad Fishicist. Thanks for your humour, TMF. Much appreciated.

Sockdologer

2009-11-10T20:38:00.000+13:00

A sockdologer is a decisive argument. Not much more to be said except that I'm glad the word attracted a good number of word imps today. Well done to you all. And a very well done to our poll winner Holly Dolly.

Rochet

2009-11-09T20:54:00.000+13:00

A rochet is a loose vestment worn mainly by bishops and abbots, according to my very knowledgeable dictionary. Your meanings for rochet were well written and well received. All three of the poll finalists scored equally, so well done to Magdalene, Auntibeck and Realityjunkie for all doing well today.

Quartan

2009-11-08T20:55:00.000+13:00

Quartan is an illness with a fever which also includes a fit every fourth day. So, not pleasant. Thanks for your invented meanings for quartan. Lots of fun had by all and a closely fought battle on the poll was finally won by a whisker by Stephen. Well done, Stephen and the other S Men.

Pruinose

2009-11-07T22:24:00.000+13:00

Posted Friday 6 November
Pruinose means frosted with a white powdery substance. Apparently it's a word used by natural history buffs. Not being one of those myself, I've never heard of it before. However, my famous chocolate brownie is pruinose with icing sugar. Thanks to Dancerella for a winning meaning today.

Orohippus

2009-11-06T19:47:00.000+13:00

Orohippus is a fossil quadruped believed to be the ancestor of today's horse. Your invented meanings were imaginative and complex. Thanks for putting on the thinking caps for this one. And thanks to Lydia for a meaning which took her to the top of the poll today. Great work.

Neuroma

2009-11-05T20:15:00.000+13:00

A neuroma is a tumour on a nerve. Sounds very painful and I hope I don't ever have to suffer from a neuroma. The word imps suggestions were all great and The Mad Fishicist has pulled the big one out of the hat this time. Good win, TMF.

Mystagogue

2009-11-04T17:28:00.000+13:00

Well, a mystagogue actually teaches their students mystical doctrines. Your invented meanings were all great, and I'm happy to announced the Magdalene is the champ again. Great work M.

Phthisis

2009-11-03T19:42:00.000+13:00

Phthisis isn't something you want. It's a progressive wasting disease. That said, we had some funny meanings added to the blog today and I enjoyed your contributions very much. Voting was close today but Magadelene came out tops with another great invented meaning. Keep up the great work M!

Umbelliferous

2009-11-02T19:49:00.000+13:00

Umbelliferous describes a type of flower cluster where the stalks start from a common centre and form a flat, convex or concave surface. Apparently, parsley is a good example. I'm glad that's over. The meaning was nowhere near as exciting as the invented ones. I'll stick with you guys. Thanks also to today's winner, Lydia, for a great invented meaning.

Porbeagle

2009-11-01T19:36:00.000+13:00

A porbeagle hasn't got anything to do with dogs, oddly enough. It's actually a mackerel shark. Now, what is a mackerel shark, you may be asking? My answer is, I have no idea - except that it's a porbeagle. That conversation isn't getting anywhere, so I'll move on. Thanks for your fascinating and well thought out meanings today. I enjoyed them all. Auntibeck streaked away on the poll with a big win today. Great work Aunti!

Frisket

2009-10-31T19:23:00.000+13:00

A frisket is actually a metal frame used in the printing industry. It keeps the sheet of paper still while it's being printed. However, my dictionary is quite old so perhaps changes in the printing industry mean friskets aren't used any more. Winner on the poll today was realityjunkie. Great work and congratulations on your success.

Volant

2009-10-30T18:56:00.000+13:00

Volant is a zoological term which refers to the ability to fly. Now that's a surprise. However, it's what this game is all about. Pity I won't remember that tomorrow. Your invented meanings were equally as surprising and the best - according to the voters - was Thinks! Well done you.

Thridace

2009-10-29T19:38:00.000+13:00

Thridace is the opposite of what I thought. It's a sedative made from lettuce juice. Well, now we know. Thanks to those who took the time to visit and be creative. The voters liked the meaning suggested by Magdalene best of all. Well done Magdalene.

Stemple

2009-10-28T20:52:00.000+13:00

Dated: Tuesday 27 October - date mucked up due to time difference and delay in bloggin due to being a soccer goalie!
Stemple is the name for the supports or steps in a mine shaft. Interesting. Your invented meanings were fun and creative, as always. Congrats to Stephen who won the hearts and votes of the other word imps with his great meaning.

Serinette

2009-10-27T19:46:00.000+13:00

It's seldom in this game that the word and its meaning are both attractive. However, it's happened with serinette. Granted, your invented meanings were way up there. But I'm afraid the real meaning is even more lovely. Here it is: a serinette is an instrument used to teach cage birds how to sing! I never knew such a thing existed and I have no idea how to get one or how to recognise one if I saw it languishing in a second hand shop. However, now we all know. Thanks again for a great range of well thought out meanings and a bit of argy bargy between a couple of the word imps. It all adds to the flavour and colour of the day. Anyway, back to business. In a hard fought battle, Dancerella took first place on the poll today. Great work Dancerella.

Ekka

2009-10-26T19:24:00.000+13:00

An ekka is a small Indian cart pulled by a horse or bullock. Your meanings were fun and I enjoyed the onomatopoeia very much. Thanks for visiting again and again. I appreciate your dedication and hope you enjoy the experience. And I mustn't forget to congratulate osobutterfly for a winning day on the poll.

Cantrip

2009-10-25T19:59:00.000+13:00

A cantrip is a playful trick. Simple really. Thanks for the batch of intriguing meanings suggested for cantrip. I enjoyed them all. Congratulations to Thinks! who wowed the crowd.

Phrontistery

2009-10-24T19:57:00.000+13:00

I'm loving this word. My brain now has a new name. It's phrontistery! That's because my wise dictionary tells me that a phrontistery is a place for thinking. It even uses the beautifully eloquent synonym "thinkery". Thanks to all the new word imps who visited today. You are all very welcome and it's good to see that one of our new visitors also won on the poll. Great work, Willimanater.