Last week I found a few words in the dictionary and guessed what I thought their definitions were. It was a comical exercise, so I hope you laughed, or at least let out a muffled chuckle. But anyway, here are the actual definitions:
Cyclamate – my guess: a person who sits on the back seat of a bicycle build for two
definition: any of a group of artificial sweetening agents, as calcium cyclamate or sodium cyclamate
Not even close.
Atheling - my guess: a young atheist
definition: a man of royal blood; prince
I could stretch it and get philosophical, but no, not close again.
Dulcinea – my guess: a very boring movie
definition: ladylove, sweetheart (from Don Quixote)
Nowhere close, yet again.
(Kudos to Facebook friend Wayne Rake for getting this right when I posted my guessed meaning on my page.)
Nonet – my guess: a basketball hoops that has had its net cut off
definition: a group of nine performers or instruments
Well, a basketball team could use nine people in a game. Umm ... not close.
Spitchcock – my guess: the use of spit during fellatio (ok, that wouldn’t be in the dictionary – probably a little too “adult”)
definition: an eel split, cut into pieces, and broiled or fried
Woah. I got the eel part kinda right, but other than that, nope.
Succor – my guess: a quiet gathering, the mirror opposite of ruckus
definition: help, relief, aid, assistance
I guess relief could be quiet or quietly assemble. Other than that, wrong again.
Traduce – my guess: to learn someone’s name on your own
definition: to speak maliciously or falsely of
Nope, I was wrong. I'm seeing a pattern in my guessing skills.
Valentinite - my guess: a woman who swears on gifts and pampering on Valentine’s Day
definition: a mineral, antimony trioxide (Sb2O3), formed by the oxidation of various minerals containing antimony and occurring in the form of white orthorhombic crystals
Wow. I was way off. But I like my definition better. There needs to be a word for those people who take Valentine's Day way too seriously.
Xiphosuran – my guess: the announcement made when all the election ballots are accounted for
definition: belonging or pertaining to the order Xiphosura, comprising the horseshoe crabs
I wasn't even close to the ballpark. Not even in the same sport.
Zemstvo – my guess: when the TiVo belongs to to them
definition: a county council, founded in 1864 by Alexander II to replace the abolished authority of noble, that became the core of the liberal movement from 1905 to 1917
Huh, so the word isn't used anymore? I'm claiming it and declaring my definition the new meaning. I have to have at least one right.
