Word Games

I love learning new words.  When I was in college, and had free access to it, I’d read the Oxford English Dictionary...FOR FUN.  And I make good use of my computer’s dictionary and thesaurus program* in writing this blog. 

After all, why say “allow” when you could say “permit,” “sanction,” “acquiesce,” or... “brook?”

Brook?  Let’s investigate this further. 

brook 
verb [ trans. ] [with negative ] formal
tolerate or allow (something, typically dissent or opposition) : Jenny would brook no criticism of Matthew.

Awesome!

Let’s check another example.

Why say “deceive” when you can say “delude,” “hoodwink,” or ... “lead up the garden path?”

Cool!

Now, just because these words and phrases are new to me, doesn’t mean they’re entirely archaic or unknown.  I’m willing to bet I’ll be inundated with people telling me “Uhhhh... I use the verb form of ‘brook’ all the time,” or “I thought every one knew the phrase ‘lead up the garden path.’”

To them I say, “Don’t be such a killjoy (or spoilsport, wet blanket, damper, party pooper, prophet of doom - yes, prophet of doom.)”  Just for you, I’m going to say “bubbler” instead of “drinking fountain,” and “pop” instead of “soda.”  Or “soda” instead of “pop.”  Whichever annoys you more.

Apparently I’m a jerk towards people who know more than me.  I’ll have to work on that.

*All definitions quoted can be attributed to the New Oxford American Dictionary on Dictionary Version 2.1.3 (80.4) Apple Inc.