I Never Knew There Was a Word for It - Adam Jacot De Boinod [141]
toss in television news, an onscreen handover from one host to another
golden rolodex the small handful of experts who are always quoted in news stories and asked to be guests on discussion shows
bambi someone who freezes in front of the camera (like a deer caught in headlights)
clambake the possibility of two or three commentators all talking over each other and thus confusing listeners
goldfishing one politician talking inaudibly in an interview (you can see his lips move but only hear the reporter’s words)
WORD JOURNEYS
explode (16C from Latin) to reject; then (17C) to drive out by clapping, to hiss off the stage
tragedy (16C from Ancient Greek) a goat song
anecdote (from Ancient Greek) unpublished things; then (17C) secret history
charm (from Latin carmen) a song; then (13C) an incantation, the singing or reciting of a verse that was held to have magic power
enthusiasm (from Ancient Greek) divinely inspired; then (17C) possession by a god, poetic frenzy; misguided religious emotion
DIMBOX AND
QUOCKERWODGER
Military and political concerns
Soldiers in peace are like
chimneys in summer
(1598)
We all claim to love a peaceful time, but somehow squabbles keep breaking out:
breed-bate (1593) someone looking for an argument
conspue (1890) to spit on someone or something with contempt
cobble-nobble (Shropshire) to rap on the head with the knuckles
donnybrook (1852) a street brawl (named after the famously violent annual Fair in Dublin)
recumbentibus (b.1546) a knock-down blow either verbal or physical
sockdolager (1830) a decisive blow or answer that settles a dispute
SHADOW DANCING
Fights come in all shapes and sizes:
batrachomyomachy (b.1828) a silly and trifling altercation (literally, a battle between frogs and mice)
sciamachy (1623) fighting with a shadow or with an imaginary enemy
holmgang (1847) a duel to the death fought on an island
ro-sham-bo (US slang 1998) a competition employed to determine the ownership of an object when in dispute (the two parties kick each other in the groin until one falls to the ground: the person left standing wins)
hieromachy (1574) a conflict of ecclesiastics, a fight between persons of the cloth
… and brave the person who tries to come between the opposing parties:
dimbox (Scotland) the ‘smoother-over’ of disputes, an expert at getting others to make up
redder’s lick (Scott:The Abbot 1820) the blow one receives in trying to part combatants
autoclaps (Jamaican English 1970s) trouble that leads to more trouble
GOING REGIMENTAL
When it comes to the bigger disagreements between nations, we still, it seems, need armies to protect us – the perfect breeding ground for specialized lingo and tradition:
boots (b.1811) the youngest officer in a regimental mess, whose duty it is to skink (b.1811) to stir the fire, snuff any candles and ring the bell
militaster (1640) a soldier without military skill or knowledge
egg (early 20C) an inexperienced airman, not yet ‘hatched’
knapsack descent (late 19C) a soldier or soldiers in every generation of a family
alvarado (Tudor–Stuart) the rousing of soldiers at dawn by beating the drum or the firing of a gun
yomp (1982) to march with heavy equipment over difficult terrain; a forced military march in full kit
YELLOW-BELLY
Not that everyone is equally eager to join the battle:
murcous (1684) of one who cuts off his thumb to escape military service
troppo (Australian slang) nervously affected by the privations of war service in the Tropics
ear-flip (Service slang) a very cursory salute
chamade (French 1684) the drum beat or trumpet blast which announces a surrender
poodle-faker (Service slang 1902) an officer always ready to take part in the social side of military life
WEIGHING ANCHOR
The navy, too, has developed some colourful jargon over the years:
anchor-faced someone, usually an officer, who lives and breathes the Royal Navy even when retired
mushroom troop a complaining description used by those who feel that they are not being told enough about what is happening (i.e.