SOME MORE ‘UNUSUAL’ EXPRESSIONS
PANDICULATION [noun]
Pandiculation refers to
a common act, though the term is not so common and not frequently employed in
speech. The routine practice [habit] of physically stretching all limbs and
torso as one wakes up from sleep. Generally it is accompanied by yawning. Several animals also do it. For instance,
Dogs, Cows and other animals simply stretch their physical structure and get
back to normal in ;less than a minute or so. Pandiculation is said to activate
muscles and certain brain functions related to muscular activity.
BUMBERSHOOT [noun]
Bumbershoot –if we get
to know the meaning we would feel ‘dwarfed’. Yes, it is an expression for
‘Umbrella’. The second part ‘shoot’
appears to be the revised spelling of ‘chute’ as in Parachute. Like the opening
of the parachute dome, umbrella too opens up the ribbed fabric dome to offer a
shield from Sun and rain. Like the parachute –an emergency appliance, the
Blumbershoot is also brought out from its ‘hideout’ and again put back ‘folded
–up’.
WIDDERSHINS [adverb]
The term Widdershins,
though less common in our times, had earlier been a
common term in English writings. The term also connotes different but somewhat
‘related’ meanings. Good old usage of the term meant ‘moving in the wrong way’
or in the ‘opposite direction’. More recent usages of the term signify
‘counter- clockwise’ or ‘Anti-clockwise’ [which implies the opposite of
‘clockwise’].In any case the term is unusual in our times.
TARADIDDLE [Also spelt
TARRADIDDLE] [noun].
The term seems to be
from 18th century. In British usage, it means a ‘pretty lie’. It
also means ‘Pretentious Nonsense’. A small lie is called ‘tarradiddle’.
SNICKERSNEE [Noun]
The term refers to the
‘knife for cutting or thrusting. The term also means ‘to fight with knife’. It
also applies to ‘large knife’. Prof . K. Raman
Act of pandiculation or muscle stretching is common in animals like cat and dog They stretch their limbs in opposite directions and also yawn to increase oxygenation of the muscle. In humans also we yawn due to increase in CO2 content of our body. By stretching our limbs we become active.
ReplyDeleteTo induce a man from inactive to active stage stimulant like tea or coffee is given. Hormones like Adrenalin also plays a role. A person who is on a sound sleep can wake up suddenly on hearing the sound of thunder. It is also due to adrenal secretion.
K.Venkataraman