In Britain, “brolly” is a popular alternative to the more staid “umbrella.” Sarah Gamp, a fictional nurse who toted a particularly large umbrella in Charles Dickens’s novel Martin Chuzzlewit, has inspired some English speakers to dub oversize versions “gamps.” “Bumbershoot” is a predominantly American nickname, one
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Is a bumbershoot an umbrella?
Bumbershoot is a predominantly American nickname, one that has been recorded as a whimsical, slightly irreverent handle for umbrellas since the late 1800s.
What is a bumbershoot in Britain?
bumbershoot (plural bumbershoots) (slang, humorous, US) An umbrella.
Why is it called bumbershoot?
The name of the festival was taken from bumbershoot, a colloquial term for umbrella, probably coined in the 19th century as a portmanteau of the words umbrella and parachute.
What is a British Biro?
British, Informal. a ballpoint pen. Word origin. < Biro, a trademark for a kind of ballpoint pen.
Is Cattywampus a word?
Cattywampus definition
(informal) In disarray or disorder; askew. Measure carefully before cutting, or the entire structure will turn out cattywampus.
What’s the meaning of flibbertigibbet?
gossip
Flibbertigibbet is one of many incarnations of the Middle English word flepergebet, meaning “gossip” or “chatterer” (others include flybbergybe, flibber de’ Jibb, and flipperty-gibbet). It is a word of onomatopoeic origin, created from sounds that were intended to represent meaningless chatter.
Why do people call umbrellas brollies?
The origin of brolly is an alteration of (um)brell(a) dating back to around 1870-1875. This word is one that we commonly use today, with many brands even marketing the product as this. Although the term stems from the extracted ‘brell’, this is thought to have changed over time as language develops.
Why do they call food grub?
The most interesting thing about this word is how it went from describing a squishy, arguably gross little beetle larva to an informal term for something delicious. Experts guess that it comes from birds gobbling grubs. This slang definition has been around since the 17th century.
What is British slang for telephone?
dog
Believe it or not, ‘dog‘ is a slang word for ‘phone’ – it comes from a special kind of London slang called Cockney rhyming slang… Feifei: Yes – this is a good one. Dogs like bones, and the phrase ‘dog and bone’ rhymes with ‘phone’… Dog and bone, phone!
What is a bumper chute?
Slang. an umbrella. Word origin. jocular alteration and merging of umbrella & parachute.
What do the British call a ballpoint pen?
But those of you in the UK know that cheap ballpoints are often referred to as “biros.” If you’ve ever wondered about the reason for that, it’s this: The first ballpoint pen, utilizing a steel ball bearing held in place by a socket, was developed in the late 19th century by a man named John Loud.
Do the English have biscuits?
Biscuit (UK) / Cookie (US)
In the UK, these are generally called biscuits, although people do call the bigger, softer kind cookies, too. However, in the UK, people LOVE biscuits (especially with tea) and there are hundreds of different varieties that aren’t called cookies, too.
What is a Ninnyhammer?
noun. a fool or simpleton; ninny.
What is a Bumfuzzle?
Definition of bumfuzzle
chiefly dialectal. : confuse, perplex, fluster.
What is the weirdest word in the English language?
Here are the 12 weirdest words in English:
- Gerrymandering.
- Fungus.
- Aa.
- [
- Vex.
- Bequeath.
- Mixology.
- Flub.
What is the origin of the word Snollygoster?
‘Snollygoster’, a word for “an unprincipled but shrewd person,” might derive from the word ‘snallygaster’, which is used to describe a mythical creature from rural Maryland that is half reptile and half bird. But ‘snallygaster’ appears in print after ‘snollygoster’.
What language is kerfuffle?
The Evolution of Kerfuffle
Fuffle was first used in Scottish English, as early as the 16th century, as a verb meaning “to dishevel.” The addition of the prefix car- (possibly derived from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning “wrong” or “awkward”) didn’t change the meaning of the word considerably.
What is meant by tenterhooks?
When someone is in a state of uneasiness or suspense, you might say that person is on tenterhooks. We’re on the edge of our seats to learn more. Other property owners in the area remain on tenterhooks.
Is Brolly a Scottish word?
The Scottish word for ‘umbrella’ is ‘brolly’. It rains a lot in Scotland, so it is common to hear this word, for example: Do you have a brolly I can borrow?
What did Cooler mean in the 1960s?
jail
the cooler [Slang] jail.