Discombobulate, and its verbs (discombobulated, discombobulating).
when i got to the u.s. and a right know-it-all about the english language, i heard my assistant say that she felt discombobulated, which at that time was a new one on me. utter disbelieving that it actually was a word, i confidently offered, "i'll double your salary this week if it's a word, but if i'm right, then you just lost your wages." she hummed & hahed a while, and then elected not to take the bet, at which point we looked it up - she was not happy, and i was still incredulous that such a word existed.
I love this thread. Thanks for starting it cafcfan.
For anyone who loves the study of words and their meanings, I can thoroughly recommend Mark Forsyth's books, The Etymologicon and the Horologicon. Below are some of my favourite words from them:
Bumfodder - toilet paper (the source of the word bumf) Drunkery - pub, bar, gin house etc. Expergefator - something that wakes you up Feaguing - the act of sticking an eel up a horses arse (apparently some snollygosters did this to make the horse more lively and so get a better price for it) Gong-hole - lavatory Grinnow - stain that won't come out in the wash Gubernatorial - things belonging, or relating to, a governor Hum Durgeon - an imaginary illness Philogrobolized - hungover Plutomania - obsessive pursuit of money Snollygoster - a shrewd unprincipled person Squitter - to void excrement with a noise Towcher - index finger (i.e. toucher) Zwodder - a drowsy stupid state of mind
Also good fun are Adams and Lloyd's The Meaning of Liff and Roger's Profanisaurus. Though their contents are entirely made up. Forsyth's words are genuine.
Roger's Profanisaurus - fantastic publication. Lots of modern slang and idiom which is original, crude, cringeworthy and incredibly funny. My favourite word which was included from the very first edition is "zuffle".
Comments
Having or showing fortitude; marked by bravery or courage.
sanguine, burgeoning, gossamer, mellifluous.
Bushwacker
Bifurcation
Grunt
Tweezers
(Village name) Evercreech
Yours sincerely
An old goat
Gash
clitorious
I also like 'Bob'.
Minou - French for pussy
Toutou - French for doggy
Crepuscule - French for twilight
Twilight - English for crepuscule
Owl in Welsh is one of my faves - no chance of spelling it though. The word itself sounds like the noise it makes
It would be like calling a car a "broom broom" or a train a "choo choo" but for real.