Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Protection built in.

Meet the Other Phone.
Protection built in.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Pedants' corner
Original poster

I have lost two words

267 replies

MaMight · 15/12/2009 09:18

This is not actually pendantry, but I thought I would have most luck if I put it to the Pedants' Corner squatters.

Two separate questions:

  1. This morning I called my daughter a "daft bessom" and then realised that I have only ever read the word 'bessom' and don't know it's literal meaning. Not wanting to unwittingly use an offensive word, I looked it up... and can't find it anywhere. There is a word bessom isn't there? What does it mean?
  1. Years ago I had a 'Word of the Day' calendar. It gave me a word that means a collections of jams, marmalades, honeys etc. It was the breakfast equivalent of 'condiments' I loved this word and used it as often as I could poncily shoe-horn it into conversation. Now I have forgotten it completely. Anyone know?

PS apologies for any spelling or grammar mistakes. I'm not really literate enough to post here, I know .

OP posts:
Hassled · 15/12/2009 14:06

I love the word tracklement and am going to produce a tracklement at the earliest opportunity just so I can say tracklement. And then I won't explain what it is.

TisTheSeasonToBeHully · 15/12/2009 14:31

Tracklement is a singularly fine word.

fanjolina · 15/12/2009 14:32

Have been pondering this all day. Did think it could be 'libations', but that is liquids, isn't it?

SantaIsMyLoveSlave · 15/12/2009 14:41

I like tracklements. MaMight, if you just start having savoury breakfasts instead you could say "Darling, I've put the eggs on, could you ask everyone if they'd like more coffee while I put the tracklements on the table?"

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 15/12/2009 16:24

oh, haven't you lot figured this out yet

notanun · 15/12/2009 16:28

Where are all these eggs being put exactly?

VintageGardenia · 15/12/2009 17:38

What no answer yet?? I have to go to a carol service now which means I will not get on to check until tomorrow!

It had better not turn out to be tracklements after all.

VintageGardenia · 15/12/2009 17:39

Libations deffo liquid, they were always pouring them in Virgil.

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 15/12/2009 21:16

this has been bothering me so much that I have brought in reinforcements:

Fraise Preservetif ?

fanjolina · 15/12/2009 21:22

Maybe we could just text 63336 and get them to find out for us!

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 15/12/2009 21:23

do you think they would know?

threetimemummy · 15/12/2009 21:40

Am only new to MN and have been lurking without posting for a few days now.

This is the first thread that I saw in this section (have been using the "Active Topics" function) and I must say you have all had me in hysterics!!

I have no idea what the word is but I shall be lurking some more to find out!!

Now, I am off to see more of this section!! I can't type/spell to save myself and wouldn't know the difference between a verb and an adverb but I love "word-play" so I might find this section musing!! (As long as you can put up with my atrocious spelling and typing!)

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 15/12/2009 21:51

oi, lurker - her yerself on google/wiki/some kind of reverse dictionary and figure it out.

squeaver · 15/12/2009 22:21

If you think, this is funny, wait till you read the bumsex threads....

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 15/12/2009 23:08

squeaver - perhaps the two can be combined?

Original poster
MaMight · 16/12/2009 03:35

I'm thinking about this over my jentacular cup of tea (if you'll excuse my lexiphanicism) and still no flash of inspiration.

I have checked with dh and he confirms that I absolutely did used to use a poncy word for spreadable breakfast things, and that no one had ever heard of it. He can't remember it either.

I now think it meant specifically things that can be spread on toast or bread rather than traditionally dolloped on the side of your plate.

OP posts:
VintageGardenia · 16/12/2009 07:47

I'm still ante-jentacular myself.

Intrigued that this has not been solved yet.

MaMight please don't take this the wrong way but is there any chance you might have made this word up? You have stated that no-one else had ever heard of it...?

fanjolina · 16/12/2009 14:47

Mamight, I now will not rest til I know this word! If Christmas festivities chez fanj are pisspoor, it is because I have spent all my mental energy and spare time trying to discover this word.

63336 were useless btw, they suggested 'preserves'

IMoveTheStarsForNoOne · 16/12/2009 15:56

gah, this is still going?

Sister helpfully suggested confiture. psssshhh.

Openbook · 16/12/2009 16:02

I wondered about comestibles. It's a word my mum uses.

squeaver · 16/12/2009 16:25

Nah, comestibles is just anything you eat

UnquietDad · 16/12/2009 16:27

"comestibles" is Monty Python word for me.

squeaver · 16/12/2009 16:39

This word we're looking for doesn't exist, does it UQD? You're the type who would know.

Original poster
MaMight · 16/12/2009 17:40

I am feeling disheartened.

I am cross-eyed from trawling through lists of obscure and obsolete words and have found nothing.

But I know I didn't make it up. I didn't!

This is a pretty nifty site. Am considering emailing the chap who runs it.

OP posts:
squeaver · 16/12/2009 17:44

You should! Tell him you'll send lots of weird intelligent MNers to his site.