Words I Will Never Use | Jane's Journals

I have loved words since I was a wee child. My Dad, a journalist, and Mom, an English teacher, surely had much to do with that! I was allowed to dress as I pleased, eat whatever, listen to music late into the night,and read under a tree all day, but should I misuse a word, conjugate a verb poorly, or rely on pompass language: trouble!

These days I hone my vocabulary using online resources. Dictionary.com sends me a “word-a-day” email, and some of the words are little gems hidden on the huge vocabulary mountain. Consider these:

diaphanous: filmy
elixir: a good potion
fetching: pretty
imbue: infuse or instill

Other words are just silly and their use would confuse a reader. Consider these :

snollygoster: a clever, unscrupulous person
obsequya: funeral rite or ceremony
titup to move, especially to walk, in an exaggerated prancing or bouncing way, as a spirited horse
hoosgow: a jail
monad: a single unit or entity
pilose: covered with hair, especially soft hair; furry
instrauation: renewal; restoration; renovation; repair
loblolly: thick gruel

Identifying awful words is as much fun as learning good words, and if you want to jump into the fray, check out www.pompousasswords.com. I hope you get a good laugh there, as for me, it is time now to pet my pilose little doggy, prepare my morning loblolly, and plan the next obsequya.

And with that, I bid you adieu and wish you a jubilant day!