I've learned two new words today

My favourite word at the moment is combobulation.
I think I shall start to use 'futtocks' instead of another word beginning with f

Futtocks end

And Ronnie Barker made a lovely short film with sound but no dialogue called "Futtocks End" Lots of clips on You tube.

Kenneth Williams did use the word futtock, frequently. I was an avid listener to Round the Horne and other programmes he was in.

I like wassock and numpty, which are interchangeable

He did. Someone was "grunting their futtocks"

I love futtock, I had no idea what it meant,but it sounds like something vaguely rude that Kenneth Williams might have said in Around the Horne.

Futtock is a good word, ain't it. Apparently a futtock is something to do with supporting timbers on a ship.
I know someone who lives in a house called "Futtocks End".

I don't think Dimpsey is a real word, but it used to be widely used in Devon (by my grandmother, at least) to describe the time between daylight and darkness... twilight.
I still think to myself most evenings, - it's getting dimpsey. .
New words are fascinating. I hope this thread keeps going.

I learn a lot from Countdown too, Greatnan and promptly forget it all. Apologies to the omniscient Susie Dent.

Brilliant, Gracesmum. Officially they are projections the sides of ships, boats or seaplanes.

Is it a bit like "Swansong" but with pre-tadpoles?

I e just found a new one:

Sponson

I'll put the official definition up after Gracesmum has supplied the entertaining one.

Personally I love the new definitions (Uxbridge English Dictionary) section of I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue!

I learn a lot from Countdown - some of the contestants must spend hours just reading dictionaries.

gm

Gracesmum, I think we should continue this thread with newly discovered words, and then you could publish your book with greatly improved definitions.

"Concupiscence" the rationality of waiting in line with others.

Concupiscence has always been a favourite word of mine. I think we even had a thread about favourite words on Gransnet and I said so on that. However, I can't imagine how it's got anything to do with sounding "really clever" unless that applies to any word with more than two syllables.

Sorry, went off to do a few things, the curse of only having a desk top!

here is the email:

Dear Rachel & Bill,
I hope you're well. A while ago you very kindly wrote to me, suggesting a word or two for my new book. One of these words in particular I'd been thinking about including for a bit, but your email pushed me over the line and ensured that beauty of a word, CONCUPISCENT, made it into the book.

So I wanted to write to let you know - to say thank you and also to say that the book was published on Thursday last week (it's called HOW TO SOUND REALLY CLEVER) and your name is in the 'acknowledgements' section as a result (at the time, I'm afraid I only read the headline of your email address, so only managed to get in 'Bill' rather than 'Rachel & Bill' - apologies), as a way of thanking you personally.

With much gratitude from a fellow wordsmith and with best wishes,

Hubert

I was quite surprised as the article that I responded to was in early 2012, but am also

"debouch" the sound uttered by an upper class gel when a hooray henry (NSIT) with 2 left feet manhandles her round the dance floor?

Debouch is my word of the day - have come across it several times recently.

Debouch:
transitive verb
to cause to emerge : discharge
intransitive verb
1
to march out into open ground <troops debouching from the town>
2
emerge, issue <rivers debouching into the sea>
— de·bouch·ment noun

We have been watching the Costa Concordia saga with great interest. DH worked/still occasionally works in the marine towage/marine lifting business. He knows the problems, recognised some of the lift barges around the CC and has always had a very high opinion of Italian engineering.

I prefer Gracesmum's definitions.

Well come on. Share it!

I had an email from a writer the other day in response to something I sent to him last year! He had written a column in the telegraph about unusual words, and asked readers to get in touch with any other their favourites. He wrote to say that he had included my suggestion in his latest book which was published last Thursday.

I had come across symbol for interrobangs before, but not the word for them. I think I'd use one of those quite often. I like them.

Parbuckling is new to me too. As well as being parbuckled yesterday by engineers with pulleys, I reckon the reason the Costa Concordia rolled over in the first place is because the rocks parbuckled its hull.