The Deeper Meaning of Liff - Douglas Adams [23]
Poetic term for the cleavage in a workman’s bottom that peeks above the top of his trousers.
Rhymney (RIM-ni) n.
That part of a song lyric which you suddenly discover you’ve been mishearing for years.
Riber (RIGH-ber) n.
The barely soiled sheet of toilet paper that signals the end of the bottom-wiping process.
Richmond (RICH-mnd) adj.
Descriptive of the state that very respectable elderly ladies get into if they have a little too much sherry, which, as everyone knows, does not make you drunk.
Rickling (RIK-ling) ptcpl. vb.
Fiddling around inside a magazine to remove all the stapled-in special-offer cards that make it impossible to read.
Rigolet (RIG-oh-let) n.
As much of an opera as most people can sit through.
Rimbey (RIM-bee) n.
The particularly impressive throw of a Frisbee which causes it to be lost.
Ripon (RIP-on) vb.
(Of literary critics.) To include all the best jokes from the book in the review to make it look as if the critic thought of them.
Risplith (RIS-plith) n.
The burst of applause that greets the sound of a plate smashing in a canteen.
Rochester (RO-ches-ter) n.
One who is able to gain occupation of the armrests on both sides of their cinema or aircraft seat.
Roosebeck (RUUS-bek) n.
Useful all-purpose emergency word. When a child asks, “Daddy, what’s that bird/flower/funny thing that man’s wearing?” you simply reply, “It’s a roosebeck, darling.”
Royston (ROYS-ton) n.
The man behind you in church who sings with terrific gusto almost three-quarters of a tone off the note.
Rudge (RUDJ) n.
An unjust criticism of your ex-girlfriend’s new boyfriend.
Rufforth (RUFF-orth) n.
One who has the strength of character or loudness of voice to bring a lowthering (q.v.) session to an end.
S
Sadberge (SAD-berdj) n.
A violent green shrub which is ground up, mixed with twigs and gelatin and served with clonmult (q.v.) and buldoo (q.v.) in a container referred to for no known reason as the “relish tray.”
Saffron Walden (SAF-ron WAWL-don) n.
A particular kind of hideous casual jacket that nobody wears in real life, but which is much favored by Ed McMahon.
Salween (sal-WEEN) n.
A faint taste of dishwashing liquid in a cup of tea.
Samalaman (sam-AL-a-man) n.
One who fills in the gaps in conversations by beaming genially at people and saying, “Well, well, well, here we all are then,” a lot.
Satterthwaite (SAT-er-thwayt) vb.
To spray the person you are talking to with half-chewed breadcrumbs or small pieces of whitebait.
Saucillo (saw-SIL-oh) n.
A joke told by someone who completely misjudges the temperament of the person to whom it is told.
Savernake (SAV-an-ayk) v.
To sew municipal crests onto a jacket in the belief that this will make the wearer appear cosmopolitan.
Scackleton (SKAK-ul-tn) n.
Horizontal avalanche of cassettes that slides across the interior of a car as it goes around a sharp corner.
Scamblesby (SKAM-bulz-bee) n.
A small dog which resembles a throw rug and appears to be dead.
Scethrog (SKETH-rog) n.
One of those peculiar beards-without-mustaches worn by religious Belgians which help them look like trolls.
Sconser (SKON-ser) n.
A person who looks around them when talking to you, to see if there’s anyone more interesting about.
Scopwick (SKOP-wik) n.
The flap of skin which is torn off your lip when trying to smoke an untipped cigarette.
Scorrier (SKOR-ee-er) n.
A small hunting dog trained to snuffle amongst your private parts.
Scosthrop (SKOS-throp) vb.
To make vague opening or cutting movements with the hands when wandering about looking for a can opener, scissors, etc., in the hope that this will help in some way.
Scrabby (SKRAB-ee) n.
A dustrag given to you by your mother which on closer inspection turns out to be half an underpant.
Scrabster (SKRABZ-ter) n.
One of those dogs that has it off on your leg during tea.
Scramoge (skrah-MOHZH) vb.
To cut oneself while licking envelopes.
Scranton (SKRAN-ton) n.
A person who, after the declaration of the bodmin (q.v.), always says, “But I only had the tomato soup.”
Scraptoft (SKRAP-toft)