Thursday, October 04, 2007

Jactitation

Jactitation seems to have several meanings. One is to falsely claim to be someone's spouse! Another is the restless tossing and turning that occurs with feverish illness. Yet another is limb or muscle twitching. I've had that, but I didn't know it was jactitation at the time. Now I do. And so do you. Thanks for your invented meanings. They all took different winding roads which made for an interesting reading journey. Today's winner on the poll was Edith. Thanks for that Edith. Well done.

13 comments:

Pastor Phil said...

jactitation - the politically correct term for winning a election illegally.

lorenzothellama said...

It's the correct word to describe someone sneezing at high velocity.

When Jack sneezed, the contents of his nose jactitated at nearly 100 miles per hour.

Thinks! said...

In the harsh winters of the 50's, before houses in england had decent central heating, we used to get dressed under our bedcovers. This was because it was darned cold even indoors and the windows were decorated with fabulous frosty patterns. The artistic work of old Jack Frost is known as jactitation. He must have travelled as fast as Santa Claus, I reckon. "Hurry up and get that fire going, dad!"

Anonymous said...

Jactitation - prolonged uninteresting and mundane chit chat between two old ladies in the street.

Anonymous said...

jactitation: jumping over a candlestick.

Congratulations to Mad Fishicist and Belle Epoque on the birth of the new little fishie.

Brian o vretanos said...

jactitation is a term used in the textile industry. It describes a loom "skipping" mid-row, usually due to something snagging in the machinery.

These account for the minor flaws you sometimes see, particularly in woolen clothing. You may well own a jactitated jumper.

Sara said...

Jactitation describes the behaviour of a prettily dressed woman who having discovered to her dismay that her shiny litle motor has a punctured tyre, stands jack in hand, doe eyed and helpless in an attempt to solicit help from the brawny guy in the truck who just pulled up behind her.

Maalie said...

Jacitation is a complex trick in skipping. I forget exactly how it's done, but something like the rope going under you three times while you're in the air, using one leg, one arm behind your back and blindfolded. Kids used to do it in the playground, though they never called it that - that''s for the sportsmen who use it for training.

Anonymous said...

Propensity of old computers and CD players to keep moving the CD tray in and out when someone presses the eject button.

"Let it jactitate for a while, John. It will give you back your CD in the end."

Ju's little sister said...

It is the elaborate art of talking your way out of a hijacking (car/plain/train) and succeeding.

"Darling can you call back in a few minutes? I've stopped at the traffic lights and it looks like I'll have to conduct some serious jactitation in a moment."

Anonymous said...

Jactitation is having to change a flat tyre on your car while stuck on a four lane highway with the rain bucketing down, zero visibility and traffic zooming past you at alarming speed.

Stephen said...

Jactitation is the proper term for the sudden popping up of the head in a Jack in the Box toy.

Stephen from Scottsdale, Arizona, USA
http://stephen-has-spoken.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Jactitation is the proper term for yak mating.

Example: After a successful jactitation season the population increased substantially.