My friend Jenny suggested I put this twist on the word of the week: use one of the randomly lettered 'words' from the word verification security tool...you know, the one that pops up when you post a comment...and make up a meaning. I was really tempted to do the Balderdash thing, and just try to pass it off as one of my regular odd vocabulary words, but I thought it would be even more fun to make a contest of it.
Here is the plan, folks...I'll give you the word, along with a sample definition. You post your personal definition in the comments. I'll judge them by Saturday morning and post the winner's name, link (if applicable), and a sample sentence of my own on Saturday morning. And for the winner, we have the glorious prize of...wait for it...
A Post in Crazy Creative Magazine declaring you're the winner!!!!
Wow. If that doesn't motivate you, I don't know what would.
Here is the word for the week, now let me know your definitions...
beltroon
Hmmm....
beltroon: noun. A loud, sudden squeaking sound.
Sample sentences:
Harold's face went white during the pep rally when, as he began to sing the fight song into the microphone, his lovely baritone was shattered by an adolescent beltroon.
Delilah stepped back to the accompaniment of both a crunch and beltroon; to her horror, her stumble had landed squarely on her poodle, Polly.
Your turn, folks! Please respond quickly, so I'm not forced to award myself with my own 'you're so clever' spiel or make up some pseudo identities.
beltroon: noun. A large company of children.
ReplyDeleteThe beltroon swarmed the teacher with their pleas for help.
The beltroon trampled the garden that the neighborhood horticulturist meticulously planted.
beltroon--a company of Roman soldiers on holiday from marching
ReplyDeleteThe beltroon scavenged the countryside for wine and willing female companions before returning to their quarters.
I LOVE Balderdash!
ReplyDeletebeltroon-noun: The clear congealed fat that forms on a lamb roast.
beltroon-verb: To cover someones head with a large pot or cauldron and beat it with a rod or other solid object.
beltroon (n): someone who is a brash, obnoxious, irritating, incessant blabbermouth.
ReplyDeleteThe word "paltroon" (a favorite of C.S. Lewis) means someone who is a coward. Etymology: "to cower." Apparently, "troon" must be the part that refers to the fact that it is a person and "pal" or "paltro" meaning to cower. Origin places this word in use in the 16th century.
If this is the case, then the key to defining this word will be the meaning of "bel" or "bell." It seems obvious that a bell is (esp. in the time period) a large metallic object, usually in the tower of a cathedral which tolls loudly enough for everyone in the town to hear at important times. Thus, the word "bel" must mean something that is loud and "troon"
of course referring to a person.
Now, it is not necessarily implied that being loud is a bad thing. It could mean that someone is merely warning of danger. However, since "troon" is apparently (in other words) used in a derogatory sense, we must assume that "beltroon" is meant to be some sort of slam as well.
So when you put it all together, the word must refer to a person who constantly is speaking loudly enough for everyone to hear, with an obnoxious, irritating tone.
Example sentence: The old men in the barbershop rolled their eyes as they heard Bob, the town beltroon, coming down the sidewalk. They waited with bated breath, hoping the barbershop was not his destination. As Bob entered, each person suddently began finding excuses about some important task that needed immediate attention, leaving the poor barber, and the unfortunate patron whose hair was half-cut at the mercy of Bob's beltroonery.