Stravaiging Shiznit

The Word Collector — Part 43

This is the latest in a series about new words and phrases, specimens collected during expeditions into the deepest, darkest literary and media wilderness, and displayed for your entertainment, elucidation, and enlightenment. These are new to me, but of course, you may know some or all of them already, in which case you are welcome to marvel at my ignorance, an inexhaustible seam of material to be mined.

Noumenon — I came across this word in an article by Sajnani, about the philosopher Schopenhauer, and it is a noun, in Kantian philosophy, meaning a thing as it is in itself, as distinct from a thing as it is knowable by the senses through phenomenal attributes. No- I am none the wiser either!

zabaglione — this word was seen in a recipe in “The Observer. Zabaione or zabaglione is an Italian dessert, or sometimes a beverage, made with egg yolks, sugar, and a sweet wine. Some versions of the recipe incorporate spirits such as cognac. The dessert version is a light custard, whipped to incorporate a large amount of air.

foible — as well usual meaning of a weakness or quirk of character, foible also means the weaker section of a sword between the middle and point. This alternative meaning was heard when viewing the BBC “University Challenge” show, when I celebrated getting my usual single question right per programme, which I follow in the futile quest for self-improvement.

dysphemism — the derogatory opposite of a euphemism — heard on the BBC “University Challenge” show.

onychophagy or onychophagia — heard on the BBC “University Challenge” show is an oral compulsive habit of biting one’s fingernails. There is further information on the condition on this link -

shiznit — This slang word meaning things or stuff, is particularly associated with African-American Vernacular English (Ebonics), but has also entered into other slang varieties.

Glögg — this rather lovely word was seen in an “Observer” article about Copenhagen and is a spiced, sometimes alcoholic, mulled wine or spirit. Associated especially with Sweden, but also with Denmark, Norway, Finland, and Estonia, it is a traditional Nordic drink during winter, especially around Christmas, when it is a good time to glug some glögg.

Menorah — this word was seen in an “Observer” article about the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. The menorah is a seven-branched candelabrum that is described in the Hebrew Bible and in later ancient sources as having been used in the Tabernacle and in the Temple in Jerusalem. In prehistory, its iconography can be traced to representations of the sacred tree.

RPAS — an acronym for remotely piloted air system, known to most people as a drone, and heard on the BBC series “Vigil”.

Stravaiging — this word was heard on a BBC Radio 4 programme and is a Scottish word for wandering about aimlessly.

I hope you enjoyed this collection, and do share any favourites of your own in the comments.

As always, thank you for reading.

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Previous articles from The Word Collector:

Part 42 — Model Collapse And Dezinformatsiya

Part 41 — A Flapdoodle of rapid unscheduled disassembly

Part 40 — Mulesing, Merkins, Quislings, Tallywags And Refoulment

Part 39 — Blowing off the hinky cobwebs

Part 38 — A Dreich Case Of Psychoterratic Solastalgia

Part 37 — A Cockamamie Collection Of Highkey Zhuzh

Part 36 — Keggers, Kerning, Çay and Crickets

Part 35 — Murmuring judges and anhedonia

Part 34 — A-quomodocunquizing-borborygmus

Part 33 — Going Monk Mode In Taumata­whakatangihanga­koauau­o­tamatea­turi­pukaka­piki­maunga­horo­nuku­pokai­whenua­ki­tana­tahu

Part 32 — Turpitudinous Tourons

Part 31 — Hurkle durkle, medicanes and misophonia

Part 30 — Immortal earworms

Part 29 — Government on the RAAC

Part 28 –Saved by a deus ex machina

Part 27 — Pre-Lapsarian Yakers

Part 26 — Fegans, Jorts, Rababs And Scotch Bonnets

Part 25 — Fissiparous Hegemony

Part 24 — Lollygag And Booktok

Part 23 — Patronymics And Samovars

Part 22 — Medium Is No Chronofage If YRMIRY

Part 21 — Everything Is Eellogofusciouhipoppokunurious

Part 20 — Hexakosioihexekontahexaphobia And The Matthew Effect

Part 19 — A Nappuccino And Some Typo-Squatting

Part 18 — Yeeting Detritovres

Part 17 — An Inverted Pyramid Of Piffle On The Bed Of Procrustes

Part 16 — Having The Jones And Partisan Acrimony

Part 15 — Spycops In The Boondocks

Part 14 — Harlots, Stochastic Parrots, And The Devil’s Cufflinks

Part 13 — The Things We Make Exceptional

Part 12 — “Semper Fidelis” And Semantic Symbiosis

Part 11 — Heliophobic Hikikomori

Part 10 — Lenticular Clouds And Peque Peques

Part 9 — Big Red Boots And Nepo Babies

Part 8 — A Patina Of Smilies

Part 7 — Atavistic frou frou

Part 6-Mouth Breathers And Pearl Clutchers

Part 5 — The Lexophile’s Latest List

Part 4 — Revenge of the word collector

Part 3- An Etymological Extravaganza

Part 2- Return Of The Word Collector

Part 1 — A Moment In The Sun