Sarah Brennan Funny & Fabulous Blog

Wicked Words

WICKED WORD THIRTY SEVEN:- 

TANTALISE

Pronounced “TAN-te-lie-z”

Origins: Latin from Greek mythology – where a cruel man Tantalus who murdered his own son was punished by the Gods by making him stand forever in a pool of water under a fruit tree with low branches, with the fruit and the water just out of his reach whenever he tried to eat or drink.

Have you ever been desperate to have something really special, but it’s always just out of your reach? Like a terrific book that’s sitting on a high bookshelf which you just can’t reach, or a puppy that’s sitting in a pet shop window which wags its tail at you whenever you pass by but which Dad says you can’t have. Or maybe you’ve teased a younger brother or sister by holding their favourite toy just too high for them to touch it! In all those cases, there’s been a lot of tantalising going on! So if you want to use this fabulous new Wicked Word, you might say to your beloved teacher Miss Snooks “Miss Snooks, you look positively tantalising in that green dress today! Do we REALLY have to do our homework tonight?”  Or you could say to your Mum “Mother, the smell of sausages frying in the kitchen is simply tantalising…if you don’t serve them up right away I’m going to eat Fred’s fingers!”

 

WICKED WORD THIRTY SIX:-

EXONERATE

Pronounced “Eggs-ON-er-ate”

Origins: Latin: exonerare = to unburden (ex= un + onus = load)

Imagine – you’ve been given a detention by your beloved teacher Miss Snooks for failing to hand in your homework, when suddenly your pet dog turns up in the classroom with a note attached to his collar saying “Forgive me, I ate it!”   Suddenly, Miss Snooks falls to her knees begging your forgiveness, and the whole class cheers! That’s what “exonerate” means – being freed from responsibility or cleared from blame! So you might say to your sister Maisie (in your poshest voice of course)  “Maisie, if you give me ALL your pocket money right away, you shall be exonerated from cleaning my bedroom this week!” Or to your poor mum and dad “My dear parents, there can be no exoneration for your failure to buy me a horse this year, and I’m afraid that I shall have to report you to the police!”

WICKED WORD THIRTY FIVE:

ESTIVAL

Pronounced “EST-er-vul”

Origins: Latin: aestivalis = of or pertaining to summer

With summer holidays upon us, what better new wicked word than one that means “relating to summer”? This is a really smart and posh way of describing anything about summer. So you might say to your beloved teacher Miss Snooks as you pack your school bag for the last time before holidays, “Tell me Miss Snooks, where do you plan to spend your estival vacation?” Or you could say to your poor long-suffering siblings Fred and Maisie: “My dear brother and sister, your estival attire leaves a lot to be desired …perhaps you’d better stay behind at home this holiday and clean my bedroom!”

Happy estival holidays!

WICKED WORD THIRTY FOUR:

SUMPTUOUS

Pronounced “SUMP-choo-uss”

Origins: Latin: sumptus = expense

In this week when people all around the world are celebrating Queen Elizabeth’s Diamond Jubilee with street parties and feasts, flotillas of beautifully decorated boats on the Thames, special church services, fabulous free concerts and speeches of thanksgiving, what better Wicked Word to learn than this deliciously juicy word which means magnificent, expensive, lavish or splendid! There is so much that is sumptuous for us to feast our eyes on – the royal barge with its decorations in gold paint and red velvet; the beautiful displays of flowers, the streets and windows hung with flags, the funny costumes of people in the huge crowds – even the Queen’s tiaras and royal jewels! So go ahead – have a truly, unforgettably sumptuous week this week to celebrate the Diamond Jubilee!

WICKED WORD THIRTY THREE:

IDIOSYNCRASY (noun)/IDIOSYNCRATIC (adjective)

Pronounced “id-ee-oh-SIN-crass-ee”/ id-ee-oh-SIN-cratt-ick”.

Origins: Greek: idio = one’s own + synkrasis = temperament/mixture of personal characteristics

I LOVE people with IDIOSYNCRASIES! In fact, I have a good many idiosyncrasies myself! An idiosyncrasy is something which is peculiar or quirky or different about your personality which makes you stand out from other people. If you are idiosyncratic, you are extra-special! So if you’re someone who can only think while standing on one foot and poking out your tongue, that would be your rather special idiosyncrasy. Or if you tend to jump like a kangaroo down the road instead of walking, that would be particularly idiosyncratic!

These are fabulous words and you can use them today! For example, you might say to your long-suffering teacher in your poshest voice, “My dear Mr Snooks, your habit of wearing bright green ties with purple spots is rather idiosyncratic, yet somehow quaintly endearing.”  Or you could say to your big sister, “Maisie,  your failure to lend me all your best clothes is a very strange idiosyncrasy. You should be PROUD to lend them to a genius like me.” Try it today and let me know how you get on!

Special thanks to Jemima Crosby Chen who wrote to me recommending this fantastic Wicked Word!

WICKED WORD THIRTY TWO:

PANDEMONIUM

Pronounced “pan-de-mow-nee-um”

Origins: Greek: pan = all + daimonium = evil spirit

This month it’s all about Pandas! So I couldn’t resist a very bad pun when I decided on today’s wicked word! In my new story  The Tale of Pin Yin Panda all hell breaks loose at the Chinese New Year’s Eve party when Pin Yin announces that next year will be the Year of the Panda instead of the Year of the Dragon. All the zodiac animals get very cross indeed, shouting, jumping up and down and getting so mad that we can say that there was complete pandemonium!

The word pandemonium was invented by a wonderful poet called Milton in the 17th century in his famous poem Paradise Lost, to describe the capital of Hell. He put together two Greek words to create a new word which ever since has been used to denote a very noisy place, or a state of wild uproar and disorder.

So you could try using this wicked word on your beloved teacher Miss Snooks, saying in your poshest voice: “Miss Snooks, it was utter pandemonium in this classroom before you came in this morning, but then your calm voice of reason restored peace and order. You’re a truly amazing teacher…can you let me off my homework tonight?” Or you could say to your long suffering mum and dad “Mother, Father, my bedroom may be pandemonium, but it’s MY pandemonium!”

WICKED WORD THIRTY ONE:

ILLUSTRIOUS

Pronounced “ill-uss-tree-us”

Origins: Latin: illustrare = to give glory to/to shine upon

What did Beethoven have in common with…

 

They were both ILLUSTRIOUS – that’s what!

Illustrious is a fabulous way of saying “very famous” or “highly distinguished” or, in relation to the deeds such people do, “glorious and great”. So you might say to your teacher, the delightful Miss Snooks: “My dear Miss Snooks, your beauty is legendary; your talent is sublime; news of your brilliance has spread far and wide; you are truly the most illustrious person I know…do I really have to do my homework tonight?”  Or you might say to your long-suffering parents: “Mother, Father, please speak to me with the greatest respect for one day I shall be truly illustrious!”

Now there’s a good word to use in the current Clever Competition!

WICKED WORD THIRTY:

FASTIDIOUS

Pronounced “fass-tidd-ee-us”

Origins: Latin: fastus = pride or arrogance + taedium = being annoying or boring

Are you incredibly polite,  or indescribably neat, or very, very picky about things like food or clothes? Then chances are that this Wicked Word is just for you!! When someone is described as fastidious they are either someone who pays very careful attention to detail, or they’re extremely sensitive about their own and other people’s manners and good taste, or they might be just far too difficult to please! They could even be all three at the same time!

So you might stun your teacher with your verbal brilliance by saying:  “Miss Snooks, as always your outfit today is in fastidious good taste, but nobody would mind if your attention to giving homework was  a little less fastidious!” Or you could say to your long-suffering sister, “Maisie, kindly be more fastidious when cleaning my bedroom!”  Try it and see what they say!

WICKED WORD TWENTY NINE:

MELLIFLUOUS

Pronounced “mell – iff – loo -uss”

Origins: Latin: mell = honey + fluere = to flow

What better way to get back into the flow of school than to learn a word that’s all about flowing! If something is “mellifluous” it has a smooth, rich flow! So to get off on the right foot with your new teacher you might say, with a beaming smile,  ‘Mr Snooks, your voice is so mellifluous…I could listen to it all day!” But to your poor long-suffering brother or sister you might say “Fred/Maisie, if you don’t clean up my room right away, I’ll pour this mellifluous yoghurt all over your pillow!”

WEEK TWENTY EIGHT:

RESPLENDENT

Pronounced “ree-splen-dent”.

Origins: Latin: resplendens: re = back + splendere = to shine

This is a fabulous way to say that someone or something is simply dazzling! So in our picture, the king is resplendent in his robes of silk and gold.  Or you could say that a field is resplendent with flowers, meaning that it’s covered with brightly coloured blooms. But it’s also a great way of flattering people so you can get exactly what you want! So you might say to your beloved teacher Mr Snooks, in your poshest voice of course, “I say, Mr Snooks, you are looking simply resplendent in that new jacket today! Oh, and by the way, do we really have to do our homework tonight?”. Or you might say to your mum, “Mother, what a resplendent feast we are having for dinner tonight! Let’s celebrate with a movie!”

WEEK TWENTY SEVEN:

COPACETIC

Pronounced “koh-pu-set-ick”.

Origins: unknown. first used in 1919.

A big thank you to Liz Hemmings who introduced me to this strange new word when she wrote to me this week! Nobody knows where this word came from, but it’s used alot in the United States and Canada, and it means “completely satisfactory” or “in good order”! So you might say to your beloved teacher Miss Snooks, in a posh accent of course, ” My dear Miss Snooks, it would be copacetic if you forgot to set us homework for the rest of the school year!” To which Miss Snooks might reply, “I think it would be more copacetic if you refrained from comments like that in the future!” Or you could say to your annoying older sister, ” Maisie, it would be copacetic if you would kindly tidy my room for me every day after you’ve completed the homework Miss Snooks insists on setting for me!”

WEEK TWENTY SIX:

EFFERVESCENCE

 Pronounced “eff-er-VESS-nts”

 

Origins: Latin: ex = up/out + fervescere = to start boiling

This is one of those strange words which has a rather boring literal meaning but a wonderful second meaning which is perfect for Spring! The literal meaning is “the emission of small bubbles of gas” – the sort of fizz that comes out of fizzy drinks like Sprite or Coca Cola.  But the second meaning is much more fun! It means “bubbling up with excitement”!  So when the sun starts shining, the trees start blossoming, the birds are singing and – best of all – the swimming pools start filling up – and you’re feeling so excited that Spring is here that you could burst, you are most definitely being “effervescent”! So you could say to your beloved teacher in a very posh voice  “Miss Snooks, I am effervescent with the joys of Spring and can’t possibly be expected to do any homework this month!”  Or you could say to your older brother or sister, “Fred/Maisie, your effervescence whenever I come into the room is understandable, as I am the most perfect sibling anyone could hope to have, but for goodness sakes, CALM DOWN!”

WEEK TWENTY FIVE:

OMNISCIENT

Pronounced “om-NISH-nt”.

Origins: Latin: omni = all + scient = knowledge

If you know just about everything there is to know about just about anything, and a little bit more, then you can truly call yourself “omniscient”.  Basically, someone who is omniscent is a know-it-all – literally!! So you might say to your beloved teacher, in your snootiest accent, “My dear Miss Snooks, there is simply no  point in you giving me any homework at all, because I am omniscent”. Or you might say to your older brother, “poor old Fred, it must be so hard being the brother of someone omniscent such as myself. But never fear, you only have to grovel at my feet and pay me $10 a time, and I’ll tell  you anything you need to know!” 

 

WEEK TWENTY FOUR:

IRIDESCENCE

Pronounced “i-ri-DESS-nts”

Origins: Greek: iris = rainbow + Latin: escence = beginning to be

This is a lovely word for a lovely thing! “Iridescence” is the rainbow-like shimmer or sheen that you see on bubbles, some bird feathers, oil slicks on wet roads, inside sea-shells like abalones and in gemstones like opals.  So you might say to your teacher Miss Snooks (in a very posh voice of course)  “Miss Snooks, I have been admiring the iridescence of your pearl earrings all day!”. Or you might say to your older brother or sister, “My smile is so much more iridescent than yours, though perhaps that’s because my teeth are so much cleaner!”.

 

WEEK TWENTY THREE:

ATROCIOUS

Pronounced “at-ROW-shuss”

Origins: Latin: atrox or atroc = frightful or cruel

Now this is how someone looks when somebody else  is behaving atrociously! Something is atrocious if it is extremely evil or cruel, or exceptionally bad. In my new book The Tale of Rhonda Rabbit, Rhonda digs holes where the Army does its training, which makes atrocious puddles on the days when it is raining – that means that the puddles are just dreadful! But also the Emperor Qin Shi Huang had a reputation for atrocious cruelty towards those who opposed him. So you might say to your teacher Mr Snooks in your most serious voice, “Sir, I’m afraid that your habit of setting homework at the weekends is simply atrocious!”. Or you might say to your parents, “I promise to clear up the atrocious mess in my room if you promise to pay me $1,000!” Now that really would be atrocious behaviour! 

WEEK TWENTY TWO:

INADVERTENTLY

Pronounced “in-add-VER-tnt-lee”

Origins: Latin: in = not + advertare = to turn towards

This is a VERY superior way of saying you did or said something unintentionally or accidentally ie without meaning to.  So you might say to your teacher Mr Snooks (in a very posh voice of course) : “I deeply regret to inform you that my dog inadvertently ate my homework”.  Or you could say to your mum or dad “I’m really sorry that I didn’t go to school today, but I inadvertently slipped on a banana peel this morning, instantly suffered from amnesia and completely forgot it was a weekday!”

 

WEEK TWENTY ONE:

SPLENDIFEROUS

Pronounced “splenn-diff–er-us”

Origins: Latin: splendor = radiance + ferre = to bring

If something is splendiferous, then quite simply it means “having great splendor or beauty”! It’s my favourite way of saying “amazing” or “fantastic” and it’s FAR more interesting than saying “AWESOME” or “COOL” ! So next time your teacher Miss Snooks sets you five pieces of homework to finish by the next day, you could try saying ” Wow! That’s just SPLENDIFEROUS….NOT!!!”  Or you could say to your long-suffering older brother or sister, “That’s a SPLENDIFEROUS jacket you got for Christmas…I think I’m going to wear it to school tomorrow! ” Try it and see what they say!

WEEK TWENTY:

MAGNANIMOUS

Pronounced “mag-nan-im-us”

Origins: Latin: magnus = great + animus = soul or mind

Without a doubt, Christmas is a time for being magnanimous – when someone is magnanimous, they are being noble in mind and heart to others by being unselfish and kind, and refusing to be petty or small-minded about things.  So here is my hope for you: that Santa is magnanimous to you and your family; that you are magnanimous to everyone around you, and that life is magnanimous to you and the people you love over the next year! Merry Christmas!

WEEK NINETEEN:

INEFFABLE

Pronounced “in-eff-i-bul”

 

 

 

 

 

Origins: Latin: in = not; effabilis = able to speak out

You know those times when you’re feeling so happy, or so sad, or so mad, or so…anything…that you just can’t put it into words? Well, that’s when you need this Wicked Word! Ineffable means exactly that – indescribable, or unable to be put into words. So, for example, you might say to your poor teacher Miss Snooks, “My dear Miss Snooks, it is with ineffable sadness that I count down the days till Christmas, for over the holidays I will not see your divinely beautiful face.” Or you could say to your big brother, “Freddy, the smell of your socks is ineffable” or to your Mum and Dad “Mother, Father, if you give me everything I want for Christmas, your joy will be ineffable!” – to which they may well answer “You’re right! It will be ineffable – ineffably foolish!”

 

WEEK EIGHTEEN:

EXUBERANT

Pronounced “eggs-OO-bear-unt”

Origins: Latin –  ‘uberare ‘= to be fruitful

The picture says it all! When something is “exuberant”, like a plant or someone’s hair, there’s an awful lot of it! When a person or an animal is “exuberant” it’s brimful of enthusiasm or joy!! So you might say to your Dad in your very poshest voice:”My dear Father, you must shave IMMEDIATELY – your moustache is simply exuberant! ” Or you could say to your teacher Miss Snooks: “Miss Snooks, I know that I’m brilliant, but please try to restrain your exuberance when you read my homework, it’s just not fair on the others!”

WEEK SEVENTEEN:

VORACIOUS

(Pronounced “vo-ray-shus”) 

Origins: Latin: ‘vorax’ from ‘vorare’ = to devour

Do you read book after book after book, day after day after day? Congratulations! That makes you a voracious reader! Or do you eat everything on your plate, then ask your mum for more, then eat all of that, then ask for more? That makes you a voracious eater! Voracious is a great way to describe someone, or something, that is either very greedy, or very enthusiastic about doing something. For example, Temujin the Tiger had a voracious appetite for human beings in The Tale of Temujin! So you might say to your teacher Mr Snooks (in a very supercilious way of course), “Mr Snooks, I fear that your appetite for setting homework is somewhat voracious! Do you think you could possibly refrain from setting it over the Christmas holidays this year?” Or you could say to your parents “Mother, Father, I am voracious by nature: I expect nothing less than fifty books,  one hundred chocolate bars and two hundred puppies for Christmas!”  

 

WEEK SIXTEEN:

LACKADAISICAL

(pronounced “lack-a-days-ick-el”)

Origins: from the archaic (or ancient) word “alack-a-day”. “Alack” is an archaic way of saying “alas” which is an expression of regret.

I’ve always loved this word, I think because I love the “daisy” in it! It means “without enthusiasm” or “lifeless” or “lazy”. So you might say to your teacher “Miss Snooks, I’d love to do the spelling test today, but frankly I’m feeling far too lackadaisical!” Or you might say to your sister, “Maisie, I’m sorry, but your lackadaisical attitude towards doing my homework is simply unacceptable. Get on with it, or else!” Give it a try and see what happens!

WEEK FIFTEEN:

INORDINATE(adjective); INORDINATELY (adverb)

(pronounced “in-ord-in-it” /”in-ord-in-it-lee”)

Origins: Latin: in=not + ordinatus = arranged or ordered

I love these words! They’re such a great way of describing something that’s completely over the top! They mean “excessive” or “beyond what’s reasonable” or “lacking in restraint or moderation”. In other words, way too much! So you might say to your mum and dad “Mother, father, my bedroom is INORDINATELY MESSY! PLEASE CLEAN IT UP!”  Or you might say to your teacher, “Mr Snooks, my love for homework is inordinate, as you well know. But my love for Spongebob Squarepants is greater.” Give it a go and see what they say!

 

WEEK FOURTEEN: 

INTRANSIGENT (verb) /INTRANSIGENCE (noun)

(pronounced “in-tran-zi-jent” and “in-tran-zi-jentz”)

Origins: Latin: in = not + transigere = to come to an agreement

This is such a great way of saying “stubborn” or “uncompromising” especially if you think the person being stubborn is being completely unreasonable! So you might say to your older sister or brother (in your poshest voice of course):

” Fred/Maisie, My request that you do my homework each evening is perfectly reasonable, and I do not appreciate your intransigent attitude on the subject!”  Or you could say to your beloved teacher: “Miss Snooks, I cannot understand your intransigence when all I have asked is that the class watch Spongebob Squarepants every morning for the rest of the week!”

Try it out and see what happens…then let us know all about it!

WEEK THIRTEEN:

SERENDIPITOUS

(pronounced “sair-un-dip-it-us”)

Origins: This is another fascinating word with unusual origins! The word was made up by the famous 18th Century historian, writer and politician Horace Walpole (son of British Prime Minister Sir Robert Walpole) after he read the Persian fairytale “The Three Princes of Serendip,” in which the heroes  possess the gift of making happy discoveries by accident.  

If something is “serendipitous” it is something very good or lucky or fortunate that has happened quite by accident. For example,  you might bump into a friend just as you are about to go to the Post Office to mail them a gift. Or you might find a diamond in the bottom of your cornflakes bowl in the morning! If you really want to impress your Mum and Dad, you could say “My dear parents, your first meeting each other was truly serendipitous, when you consider that you then went on to have ME!!” Or you might say to your poor long-suffering teacher Mr Snooks “Is it not serendipitous that the day our homework has to be handed in is a public holiday?”

WEEK TWELVE:

QUORUM

(Pronounced “caw-rm”)

Origins:  Latin: quorum = of whom

This week’s Wicked Word comes to us courtesy of our first prize winner in September’s Laugh Out Loud Limerick Competition, Brittany Arthur of Sha Tin Junior School, published on my Competitions page today! I was so impressed that someone in Grade 6 was using it correctly, as it is a very old and quite technical word that we don’t come across often, unless we attend formal meetings! A “quorum” is the minimum number of people needed in a meeting of a company or organisation before it can make valid decisions which bind all the members of that company or organisation. There is no set number for a quorum, and it will vary depending on the rules of each organisation. You could use the word to REALLY annoy your mum and dad – for example, you could say (with a very snooty accent of course) “Mother, Father, I will not do anything you tell me to do unless it has been approved unanimously by a quorum of three members of this family, one of whom must be me!”   Try it and see what they say!

WEEK ELEVEN:

HYPERBOLE

(Pronounced “high-PER-bo-lee”)

 Origins: Greek: Hyper = over + bole = throw 

Hyperbole is the GREATEST, MOST INCREDIBLE, MOST AMAZING word in the UNIVERSE!!! That, my friends, is pure hyperbole! Hyperbole is a statement which is completely and deliberately exaggerated or overstated. So you might  say to your mum and dad in the morning: “This congee/cereal/toast is the most delicious, exquisite, superb  food that I have ever tasted in my entire LIFE!!”  Or I might say to you: “It would NOT be hyperbole to say that my Dirty Party this coming Saturday will be the Dirtiest Party ever held in Hong Kong!” Or you might say to your teacher “Mr/Miss Snooks, forgive me if I say that this morning you are looking extraordinarily handsome/beautiful – indeed you must be the most handsome/beautiful teacher in the entire WORLD!” Try it out on your teachers and see what they say!

WEEK TEN:

PUSILLANIMOUS

(pronounced “pyoo-ssill-AN-i-muss”)

Origins: Latin: pusillus = very small + animus = mind

This is such a great adjective to describe someone who is being cowardly or timid in a really disgraceful way. So you use it when someone is refusing to be brave even when it’s obvious they ought to be! So for example, you might say to that teacher of yours, “Mr/Miss Snooks – when it comes to the question of homework, pray do not be pusillanimous! We will not be angry with you if you go where no teacher has been before and refuse to set us homework this term! In fact, we might even give you CHOCOLATE!!”

I dare you to try it on YOUR teacher and see what happens! And then write a comment and tell us all what happened of course!

WEEK NINE: ECSTATIC

(pronounced “eck-STAT-ick”)

Origins: Greek; ekstasis = displacement or trance

When you are ecstatic about something, you are in a state of rapturous delight or bliss! I can’t think of a better word to describe that amazing feeling when, after weeks of having freedom, fun and lots of lovely long sleep-ins, you can FINALLY return to those early mornings, long days in school and, best of all, HOMEWORK!!!!!  Yippee! Okay, so not all of us feel that way. But we can all use this fabulous word, even if we use it with sarcasm (ie we don’t really mean it!). So, for example, we can say to our big brother or sister “Fred/Maisie, you will be ecstatic to know that I’m going to make it my mission in life to annoy you until Christmas!” Or you can say to that long-suffering teacher of yours “Mr/Miss Snooks, I am simply ecstatic to see you again. Please, please give me loads of homework this term!” 

Try it out and let us know what your brother/sister/teacher says by posting a comment below!

WEEK EIGHT: GARGANTUAN

(pronounced “gar-GAN-chew-en”)

 

Origins: this word is really fascinating, as it doesn’t come from an ancient language like Latin or Greek, but from a play written in the early 16th century by a French writer named Francois Rabelais. He invented a huge giant called Gargantua who was always hungry! So after that, people used the word “gargantuan” to describe a gigantic or enormous appetite. 

Today, we use “gargantuan” to describe anything really huge. You might say to your mum or dad in a nicely posh accent, for example; “Good morning Mother/Father. I have a gargantuan appetite today and will only be satisfied with fifteen fried eggs, two dozen rashers of bacon and forty five Mars Bars for breakfast!” Or you could say to your teacher the minute you return to school: “Well hello, Mr Snooks, I trust that you had gargantuan fun on your holidays!”  and see what he says back (then write me a post to let us all know!).

WEEK SEVEN: SOPORIFIC

(Pronounced “sopp-or-iff-ick” )

Origins: Latin: sopor = sleep

This is the perfect word for the summer holidays, when so many of us head off to a beach or poolside to lie in the sun and do nothing (except read brilliant books of course!). It means “inducing sleep” or “making sleepy”. So you might say to your mum, with a very superior expression of course, “Mother, I think I’ll take a nap. This summer sun is SO soporific!” Or you might say to your little brother if he’s trying to wind you up with one of those annoying repetitive songs: “Johnny, do keep on singing, it’s delightfully soporific” – then yawn very loudly and pretend to fall asleep.

WEEK SIX: BAMBOOZLED

(pronounced “bam-boo-zooled” )

Origins: it goes back to the 1700s, but nobody knows where it came from!

This is a fabulous way to say that you’re feeling confused. It actually has two meanings, the first, to be deceived or tricked, but the most common, to be confused or puzzled.  So you might say to your teacher: “I’m sorry, Mr Snooks, but you have completely bamboozled me with your explanation of the school rules and I’m afraid that I can’t follow any of them!” Or you might say to your brother or sister ” Backwards sentences our all speaking by holidays these Dad and Mum bamboozle let’s! ”

Try it out and tell me what happens!

WEEK FIVE: ELUCIDATE

(pronounced “ell-oo-sid-ate” – some people say “ell-you-sid-ate” but we’re not going to be that posh)

Origins: Latin: lucidus = lucid

This week my wicked word is a verb. To elucidate is to make something clear by explaining or analysing it. So for example, you might say – in a very haughty voice of course: “Mother, Father, I know my bedroom is a mess, but let me elucidate:- I cannot keep my room tidy if you insist on letting me sleep in it! I’m not good at keeping things tidy and you should know that by now!”

Or you could say to your teacher: “My homework hasn’t been handed in today, but allow me to elucidate: my hamster escaped from her cage last night, unzipped my school bag, pulled out my homework, shredded it into little pieces, dragged them into her cage, made a comfortable bed for herself and then went to sleep. Then the cat ate her.”

So try it out and post a reply to let me know what happens!

WEEK FOUR: LUGUBRIOUS

(Pronounced “lugg-oo-bree-us”)

Origins: Latin: lugubris = to mourn

This is a great way of saying “mournful” or “dismal” or “sad” about the way someone or something looks or sounds. So I might say “My dog Bobby always has a lugubrious face when I tell him off for raiding the rubbish bin”.

You might want to say to your mum or dad, “My teacher just loves me. He/she always sounds so lugubrious when I say goodbye”.

Or you could say to your little brother or sister, “Kindly take that lugubrious expression off your face when I speak to you – I’m not about to die!”

Try it out and post me a comment about what happened!

WEEK THREE: EGREGIOUS

(Pronounced “eggreeeejess”)

Origins: Latin: egregius = standing out from the flock

This word is FABULOUS! It’s a great way of saying “outstandingly bad” or “outstandingly disgusting” about someone’s behaviour. So a really good way of using this word would be to say to your Dad or your Mum, with a haughty tone in your voice:

“Mother, Father, I consider that your behaviour this morning when you made me go to school was simply egregious!”

Or you could say to your teacher, “Frankly, Mr/Mrs/Ms/Miss (insert name), the setting of homework in the evenings is an egregious practice which should be stamped out immediately!”

Try it then write me a comment about what they said back 🙂 !

WEEK TWO: UBIQUITOUS

(Pronounced “yewbickwituss”)

Origins: Latin: ubique = everywhere

This is a fantastic way of saying “all over the place” or “common as muck!”. If something is ubiquitous, it means you see it everywhere. Eg  Smiley faces are ubiquitous on the internet.

You can use it on your teachers tomorrow! For example, “Mr Snooks, it seems to me that the setting of homework is ubiquitous in this school”. Of course you must say this with a very serious expression on your face and a VERY supercilious tone of voice! And if you don’t know what “supercilious” means you need to read my funny and fabulous book  The Tale of Temujin!

 WEEK ONE: INDUBITABLE!

(Pronounced “indyoobitabull” as in “Indyoo bit a bull then the bull bit him back”)

Origins: Latin : – In = opposite to; Dubitabilis = doubtful or to be doubted

I LOVE this word! It means, “that which cannot be doubted” or in other words, “it’s absolutely true”!

So if your mum says to you, “Johnny, have you finished your homework yet?” you can answer,  putting on your most posh voice, “Mother, that is indubitable!” Try it and see what she says! Then write and tell us all what happened!