Midwinter words

Delicious terms to use this Christmas

I've been raiding my old Roget again. These words are making my Christmas even better. Hope they do yours.

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Jolly. As it might come from jol, the old Norse that gave us Yule, now is the time to jolly well include it in most sentences.

Effulgence. A brilliant radiance, shining forth. Say it ten times and see how you feel.

Lambent. A soft glow of light or fire. From the Latin to lick.

Bedizzen. To dress up or decorate gaudily. Can be with one z but why not use two when you have the chance?

Tintinnabulary. Relating to the ringing of bells. Caution: use before sherry.

Baby, it’s cold outside

Brumal. Wintry. Comes from brume – a mist, fog or *shivers* vapour.

Frore. Frozen or frosty. The archaic past participle of freeze. It has a lower scrabble score than frozen, but sounds more like it feels.

Horripilation. A bristling of the hair, goosebumps due to cold (or fright at the bedizzening). I might start using this word as an exclamation.

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire

Edacious. Greedy. Ooh, it sounds so wicked.

Guttle. To eat voraciously, after which you may protube:

'This is the first real grey hair in my character: rapacity has begun to show, the greed of the protuberant guttler. Well, doubtless, when the hour strikes, we must all guttle and protube.'

Robert Louis Stevenson

It was Christmas Eve babe, In the drunk tank

And finally, as you open the Harvey’s Bristol Cream…new old words you didn't know you needed for drunk until you met them.

Bibacity. The practice of drinking too much alcohol.

Potulent. Nearly drunk.

Inter pocula. Between cups, while drinking.

Suckey. Drunkish

Temulent. Drunk

Topheavy. Drunk (in a Victorian manner).

Whittled. Drunk (in an Elizabethan manner).

Potvaliant. Bold because you’re drunk.

Pottical. Inspired to write because you’re drunk.

Wishing you an effulgent Christmas full of the jolliest words.