For those times when you need exactly the right word for a person or situation…the English Dialect Dictionary has your back.
Enjoy these oddly specific (and sometimes oddly useful) words.
Comes with example sentences!
Algerining – the act of prowling about with an intention to steal; robbery
Perhaps the robber hasn’t even robbed anyone yet–but you can just tell by the way they’re skulking around that they want to…
“Hello, police. There’s a fellow algerining around my house.”
Back-speir – to inquire into a report, tracing it as far back as possible; to cross-question, cross-examine
This comes from a Scottish word, “speir,” which means to inquire. Therefore “back-speir” is to inquire back in time. More fun than just saying “inquire into a report.”
“You say your brother called you a droozenhead? I shall back-speir him forthwith.”
Bedabber – to fade by keeping in the hands
We’ve probably all bedabbered a few flowers in our lifetimes. It happens.
“It looks like your blooms are bedabbered.”
Bewrayed – seized with a foolish fit of talking
Unfortunately, some people seem more prone to this than others. You may have been bewrayed yourself, at times.
“I don’t know what came over me. I was bewrayed and couldn’t stop.”
Blart – to fall flat in the mud
This one is not only specific – you’re not falling in snow or grass, but mud – but it’s also terribly fun to say.
“I just don’t want to blart when I’m wearing a new outfit.”
Blunder-a-whack – one whose carelessness has brought on disastrous consequences
You can use this offhandedly in a situation, and no one will know what you’re talking about. But you will.
“I feel like a blunder-a-whack right now.”
Bob jolly – a mess; the result of leaving things to take care of themselves
Perhaps a mess that was caused by the blunder-a-whack.
“Well this is a bob jolly, isn’t it?”
Bumman – the act of reading or talking to oneself in a drawling, indistinct manner
I’m not sure if I’ve ever witnessed this. Or how to use it in a sentence.
“Is that you bummaning over there?”
Cataclue – a group of people running in disorder and impeding each other
I like this one because I can picture it so well in my mind. Someone should illustrate this word with a cartoon.
“Behold the cataclue.”
Cataran – a Highland robber
Not just any robber, but a Highland one. (You will probably never need to use this unless you travel in a sketchy part of Scotland.)
“We thought he might be a cataran, but he was just a gentleman trying to give us directions.”
Collyfodger – one who takes unusual care of himself
Perhaps this is a person who is obsessed with personal safety; or perhaps they just enjoy self-care routines.
“I think you’re being a bit of a collyfodger right now…”
Eggtaggle – the act of wasting time in bad company; immodest conduct
It seemed like fun at the time, but later you know you were eggtaggling.
“I don’t want to eggtaggle, so I’ll head home.”
Figgle – to fidget; potter about seeking a living
Not just potter about, but potter about with an effort to monetize the pottering.
“I figgled around for a few years, then made an Etsy shop and made some money.”
Flizzen – to laugh heartily or sarcastically
You might not have known you were flizzening, but I’m sure you’ve done this before.
“Are you flizzening at me?”
Gadge – to dictate impertinently; to talk idly with a stupid gravity
A dual application. Either you’re rudely telling someone what to do, or drawling very seriously about nothing.
“What is he gadging on about?”
Glime – to glance slyly, look askance or asquint; to look cunningly, or stare in an unpleasant manner
Perfect for when you need to ask, “What are you gliming at me for?”
Griggles – small apples left on the tree after picking; small worthless fruit, vegetables left after gathering
You never knew what to call those until now.
“Don’t pick up the griggles”
Grufeling – to lie closely wrapped up, in a comfortable manner
I want to do this. It sounds so satisfying.
“Pardon me, I’m grufeling.”
Hafer – to act or speak in an unsettled, unsteady manner from love or idleness, not necessarily from immorality
The person isn’t drunk – just lazy or smitten.
“Sorry, I’m hafering, aren’t I?”
Hallyoch – a strange, gabbling noise, especially that heard when listening to a strange tongue
Also perhaps what children hear when you’re telling them to do something.
“Forgive me, all I’m hearing is hallyoch.”
Hookikooris – in a sulky, offended state of mind
Not just sulky, but offended.
“Why are you in such a hookikooris?”
Inker – the eatable contents of a beggar’s wallet
Maybe you could repurpose this to refer to the granola bar you stashed in your purse.
“Excuse me, do you have a sandwich? I’m out of inker.”
Karekoyle – to slide in a crouching position
When you don’t want to embarrass yourself by falling over. Or you just don’t have a sled.
“It’s easy – just karekoyle down here.”
Keave – to struggle on in a hopeless way
When you know you’re not getting anywhere, but you don’t dare give up.
“How’s it going?”
“Oh…we’re just keaving here. How about you?”
Kensmark – a peculiar mark or spot by which anything may be easily recognized
You could apply this to a person, an animal, or perhaps even a product with a brand label.
“I realized by the kensmark that it was my own hammer.”
Krammock – the paw of an animal, especially of a cat
Now you know what to call your kitty’s wittle paws.
“Don’t get your wee krammocks wet.”
Mermooth – the entrance to a haven
Not the haven itself, but the entrance.
“Head through the mermooth and you’ll find yourself there.”
Nafflin – almost an idiot
But not quite.
“I’m a nafflin! Of course I should have just turned it on and off again!”
Neazle – to make the noise which accompanies a sneeze
Not the sneeze itself, but the noise accompanying it.
“You have the cutest neazle I ever heard.”
Nuncheon – a slight repast taken between meals, in fore or afternoon
Different than a brunch or a snack, and can be taken before or after lunch. Nuncheons are very versatile for all your repasting needs.
“I think I’ll have a little nuncheon right now.”
Oamly – unpleasant or hurtful to the feelings
When your family member or friend makes an oamly comment, you can rest content that you have the perfect word to describe it.
“Hey…that was a really oamly thing to say.”
Omperlodgies – apologies for not undertaking a work; difficulties urged as an excuse
You’ve all heard these before.
“Your omperlodgies carry no weight with me.”
Orp – to weep with a convulsive pant; to fret morosely
This is a little more descriptive than sobbing or gasping. Plus you can use it for those fretfully morose moments, too.
“He’s orping over there. Maybe you can cheer him up.”
Parinody – a long, uninteresting tale
This could be used for a book that puts you to sleep. Or for your relative’s ramblings.
“Since the parinody was going too long, I took a restroom break.”
Phiz-gig – a wizened old woman dressed extravagantly
I can picture her in my mind’s eye, and she looks rather adorable.
“You don’t want to look like a phiz-gig, do you?”
Phooky – of fruits and turnips: unsound, soft, wooly
This one is not only useful, but fun to say. I’ve definitely had a phooky apple before.
“I don’t want that pear.”
“Why not?”
“It’s all phooky.”
Pomster – to act as a quack-doctor; to treat illness without knowledge or skill in medicine
There are still pomsters out there in the world today…
“Don’t go to her. She’s a pomster.”
Quother – to talk in a low and confidential tone
“Let me quother with you for a moment…”
Rake-fire – one who comes to pay a visit and stays very late
A descriptive name that should be brought back.
“I guess we’ll call you a rake-fire at this hour.”
Ryntle – to roll about in a chair in a lazy manner
This is so much fun to do, and now you can name it.
“What are you doing?”
“Just ryntling right now. What about you?”
Scambler – one who goes about among his friends in order to scrape up a meal; a meal-time visitor
You might have scamblers as well as rake-fires in your life.
“Here comes the scambler himself!”
Skriever – a clever fellow, one who gets through his work expeditiously
The opposite of a person who offers omperlodgies.
“We were falling behind, but this skriever made short work of it.”
Shortsome – amusing, cheerful, merry; diverting, entertaining; causing time to pass quickly, making time seem short
A quaint word for those happy moments.
“Well, that was a shortsome visit!”
Sirkenton – one who is very careful to avoid pain or cold; a person who keeps near the fire
I’ve been a sirkenton before.
“Look at this sirkenton over here, enjoying herself by the flames.”
Smeerikin – a hearty kiss; a stolen kiss
Dual application for big kiss moments and secret kiss moments.
“Gimme a smeerikin before you head off to work.”
Tamtarrie – the state of being detained under frivolous pretenses
I think I’ve had this happen to me. I’m glad it has a quirky name.
“Sorry, I’ll be a bit late. I’ve fallen into a tamtarrie.”
Threap – to assert positively, especially to persist in or maintain a false accusation or assertion; to insist on; to swear, repeat, or reiterate obstinately
Children who say they didn’t take the cookies from the cookie jar; but the crumbs around their mouths say differently.
“She’s threaping again.”
Thrimble – to finger or handle anything as if reluctant to part with it, especially to dole or pay out
I can picture this in my mind.
“Stop thrimbling it and hand it over!”
Trazzle – to walk through wet and slush
March weather in New England.
“I’ll just trazzle my way home…”
Trinamanoose – a nonentity; a thing forbidden; a delusive expression used to answer a child that asks a question relating to some object which is unfit for him to learn about
Unique and useful.
“What was that noise?”
“Trinamanoose.”
Twire – to gaze at anything wistfully and beseechingly
Your dog staring at its leash.
“I can see you twiring at the donuts right now…”
Wack-rowdy-dow – weak beer, broth, tea, etc.
Your tea might be bland, but your vocabulary can be colorful.
“What is this wack-rowdy-dow you’re serving me?”
Wadgiking – walking awkwardly in an undrilled manner
Which is most of the time.
“We’re just wadgiking about right now…”
Wartle – to wrangle; to endeavor to provoke a quarrel by a long-continued contradiction or argument
This makes me tired just thinking about it.
“I’m weary of wartling. Time for lunch.”
Warty-well – a loose piece of skin at the base of the fingernail
Another great word for something you didn’t know had a name.
“I yanked a warty-well and had to put on a band-aid.”
Yirkin – the place where a shoe is tied
Another usefully unuseful word. Similar to aglet (the name for the end of a shoelace).
“I tore my yirkin. I think.”
Zaggle – to confuse, especially by contradictory assertions
I’m trying to picture what this would sound like. I expect zaggling would work well in a comedy routine.
“Are you trying to zaggle me, pal?”
And…the most useful one I saved for last:
Heloor – applied to a person half-awake and half-asleep in the morning before getting out of bed and consequently sulky
We all know that person. Maybe you are that person.
Now you have another word for it.
“Here comes the heloor herself…”
***
Happy word-weaving!