On this page
Try this 12-word vocabulary quiz: choose an answer before opening each explanation. Some words are useful in informal conversation; others are rare, literary or technical. The usage notes help you tell the difference.
For pronunciation, follow each dictionary link and listen to the audio rather than relying on an approximate spelling.
1. Spoonerism
Part of speech: noun. What does it mean?
- A swap of sounds between words
- An affectionate nickname
- A kind of pudding
- A type of hat
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. A spoonerism switches sounds, often the initial sounds of two words. It can be accidental or deliberate. The name comes from William Archibald Spooner.
Example: “Belly jeans” instead of “jelly beans” is a spoonerism.
Usage: Use it when discussing speech mistakes or wordplay.
2. Flapdoodle
Part of speech: uncountable noun. What does it mean?
- Tree bark
- A dog breed
- Nonsense
- A breakfast dish
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. Flapdoodle means nonsense. It names the speech or writing, not the person producing it.
Example: That explanation is complete flapdoodle.
Usage: A humorous, old-fashioned alternative to “nonsense.”
3. Bamboozle
Part of speech: verb. What does it mean?
- To trick or thoroughly confuse someone
- To make a drink
- To take a nap
- To walk slowly
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. To bamboozle someone is to deceive them or leave them thoroughly confused.
Example: The complicated instructions completely bamboozled me.
Usage: Informal; use “bamboozled” for the past tense.
4. Kerfuffle
Part of speech: noun. What does it mean?
- A breakfast food
- A fuss or commotion
- An old-fashioned hat
- A mountain slope
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: B. A kerfuffle is a fuss, disturbance or commotion. A disagreement may cause it, but is not required.
Example: There was a kerfuffle over the seating plan.
Usage: Informal, often with a light or humorous tone.
5. Rakehell
Part of speech: noun. What does it mean?
- A dissolute person
- A gardener
- A pile of leaves
- A house party
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. A rakehell is someone known for an immoral, pleasure-seeking way of life. It is more specific than simply “a criminal.”
Example: The novel describes its wealthy hero as a rakehell.
Usage: Old-fashioned or literary, and disapproving. Recognize it in books rather than treating it as an everyday description.
6. Scaramouch
Part of speech: noun. What does it mean?
- A loud noise
- A weather event
- A cowardly buffoon or rascal
- A radio station
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. Scaramouch, also spelled scaramouche, can mean a cowardly buffoon or rascal. Scaramouch is also the name of a boastful, cowardly character in Italian commedia dell’arte.
Example: The comic character was a boastful scaramouch.
Usage: Rare and literary; as a description of a person, it is insulting.
7. Shenanigans
Part of speech: plural noun. What does it mean?
- A group of children
- Legal documents
- A part of a pier
- Mischievous or dishonest activities
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: D. Shenanigans can be playful mischief or more serious dishonest dealings. Context tells you which meaning is intended.
Example: No more shenanigans during the rehearsal!
Usage: Informal; it is normally used in the plural.
8. Teetotal
Part of speech: adjective. What does it mean?
- Not drinking alcohol at all
- Very tall
- Broken into pieces
- Damaged by a car
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. Someone who is teetotal does not drink alcohol. The word describes a person or lifestyle; it is not a noun meaning “abstinence.”
Example: She is teetotal, so I offered her sparkling water.
Usage: A neutral description; it does not tell you why someone avoids alcohol.
9. Hoodwink
Part of speech: verb. What does it mean?
- To blink slowly
- To repair a car
- To deceive someone
- To entertain a friend
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. To hoodwink someone is to trick or deceive them.
Example: The fake message hoodwinked him into sharing his password.
Usage: “Hoodwinked” is the past form; “hoodwink someone into doing something” is a useful pattern.
10. Borborygmus
Part of speech: noun. What does it mean?
- A rumbling sound in the intestines
- A frightening dream
- A witch’s spell
- A promise between lovers
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. Borborygmus is the technical term for intestinal rumbling caused by moving gas. The plural is borborygmi.
Example: The word for that digestive rumble is borborygmus.
Usage: Technical and unusual; in ordinary conversation, say “My stomach is rumbling.”
11. Hullabaloo
Part of speech: noun. What does it mean?
- A noisy fuss or commotion
- A kind of hippo
- A style of cape
- A type of poetry
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: A. A hullabaloo is a loud commotion or fuss. It is similar to kerfuffle, but often emphasizes the noise.
Example: What is all this hullabaloo about?
Usage: Informal; common patterns include “a hullabaloo over something” and “a hullabaloo about something.”
12. Booboisie
Part of speech: noun. What does it mean?
- A sudden noise
- A sharp cry
- People dismissed as ignorant or uncultured
- A group of baboons
Show the answer and explanation
Answer: C. Booboisie is a contemptuous label for people considered ignorant or uncultured. It combines “boob,” meaning a foolish person, with “bourgeoisie,” and is associated with H. L. Mencken.
Example: The critic used “booboisie” as an insult in his essay.
Usage: Rare, dated and derogatory; useful to recognize in writing, not as a polite description of other people.
Put the words to use
Count one point for each correct answer. Then choose two conversational words, such as bamboozle and kerfuffle, and write an example from your own life. Keep the rare or derogatory words in your recognition vocabulary until you understand their context.
If you enjoyed the sound of these words, explore our English sound-word guide next.
