some vocab words from 1939
Among the unexpected delights to be had last Thursday was the enhancement of all our vocabularies with a few choice words from the year 1939, presented here for those who missed the screening.
Thanks to Anne, a first-time guest at the Bluish Barn, for having the guts to go somewhere she’s never gone before and watch two whole movies with people she’s never watched two whole movies with before. And for helping us notice these.
constitutional n.
A walk taken regularly for one’s health.
fourflusher n.
A person who tries to bluff other people.
galoot n.
A person, especially a clumsy or uncouth one.
vazoom [oops. see below.]
[No definition found online. Can anyone find one offline?]
wallop v. tr.
- To beat soundly; thrash.
- To strike with a hard blow.
- To defeat thoroughly.
Some of these are not all that archaic but I think still merit revival. Extra points to anyone who can use them all in a comment on this post.
August 5th, 2006 at 9:10 pm
The word was vamoose - v. - depart hurriedly.
From the Spanish vamos “let us go”.
Hurray vocabulary!
August 5th, 2006 at 11:03 pm
I will have you know I regularly use ‘constitutional’ as a part of my daily dialect.
August 6th, 2006 at 4:52 pm
I’ll have you know that out here in Oregon constitutionals are a daily part of everyone’s lives. You’d be a right fourflusher to tell me otherwise. It’s a shame you people don’t practice healthy activities, just word games and movies. ‘Course, you bunch of galoots probably can’t walk without your mother’s arm.
I swear to the Lord above, if I see another Michigander try to stake claim in our great state, no doubt I’ll wallop him good.
A car just drove by. It went “vazoom!”
I miss Ann Arbor.
August 6th, 2006 at 10:06 pm
Vinh, you can redeem your points next time you\’re in the city that misses you back.
Lowell, you and my friend Megan, who takes a constitutional every day and calls it that, are lightyears ahead of us all.
Anne, thanks for the correction. And you earn bonus points and a place in this lexicographer\’s heart for the etymology.
Vazoom!
August 8th, 2006 at 1:42 pm
except that here “lightyears ahead” means “at least a century behind.”