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Dec 28, 2025 This week’s theme No el This week’s words frowze pipsqueak gobmouthed juvenescence oxytonize How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme “New” words Send a gift that keeps on giving, all year long: A gift subscription of A.Word.A.Day or the gift of books AWADmail Issue 1226 A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language Sponsor’s Message: ONEUPMANSHIP 3.0 is “a rollicking excuse for mad, mutually-abusive annihilation.” One Up! -- guaranteed to turn your whole family into “greedy, self-serving punks.” Wise Up! will “ruin Christmas and friendships” or your money back. All our fun and games are BOGO today only. Shop now. From: Anu Garg (words at wordsmith.org) Subject: Interesting stories from the Net Decoding the Lost Scripts of the Ancient World National Geographic Permalink Faith-Based Grammar The Web of Language Permalink Quiz: Do You Speak 2025? The New York Times Permalink From: Elizabeth Block (elizabethblock netzero.net) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gobmouthed I saw an exhibit of Norman Rockwell’s paintings a few years ago. I expected sentimental claptrap. Nope. Genuine sentiment. He was very good at what he did. And if I recall correctly, he and The Saturday Evening Post parted ways because his politics were too far left. Elizabeth Block, Toronto, Canada Email of the Week -- Brought to you buy ONEUPMANSHIP -- Are you a G? From: Paula Gillespie (pgillesp fiu.edu) Subject: Thank you for a transformative word Thank you very much for gobmouthed. And thank you for the illustration that transformed me. It perfectly summed up the meaning of the word, but more than that, it totally reversed the easy stereotype I held for Norman Rockwell and made me question my easy, unthinking categorization of him as overly sunny, as whitewashing American life and making it look like the idealized world of the privileged. The art you chose is funny, superficially -- and touching. But it’s telling, and it’s deep, as well, because it depicts us all, holding onto convenient fictions rather than face hard truths and then have the strength to accept our own inaccuracies. Having taken three minutes or so with the painting this morning, I was so moved by Rockwell’s rendering of the reality of hair and fur, of wood grain, of that lovely pipe and the wallpaper -- details that light up the piece and make it appear so alive to us in all its details. I shared my insight and change of attitude with my husband, whom I’ve often heard refer to the “Norman Rockwell view of the world,” and I expected and welcomed some pushback, but I’d sent him the image, and he had spent some time Googling Rockwell’s paintings online. He came out later with his laptop and showed me some Civil Rights era paintings that had us both in tears. Your words have been part of my mornings ever since one of my Marquette University students decided to enroll me in your listserv, decades ago. I love it now, in my retirement, and I’m so grateful to you for being a welcome part of my day. But especially for showing me that gobmouthed little boy. Paula Gillespie, Professor Emerita, Florida International University, Miami, Florida From: Holly Stinson (hollystinson33 gmail.com) Subject: Gobmouthed I had the pleasure of visiting the Norman Rockwell Museum in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, last May. It is a beautiful journey through a good portion of 20th-century America as interpreted by a very talented artist. If you follow the longest numbered highway in the US, Route 20, on the original (not today’s) route, you’ll find it. Holly Stinson, Talkeetna, Alaska From: Gavin Kreuiter (kreuiter gmail.com) Subject: This space intentionally left blank As a programmer well past the age when most had retired, I encountered many computer manuals in the 70s and 80s. For some reason, I was irritated by the common practice of a page comprising no text other than “This page intentionally left blank”. Its purpose was obviously to show that there was no printing error, but that the text continued on the following page for aesthetic or alignment purposes. But it did amuse me when (I think it was) Prime Computer manuals chose to print, instead, “This page intentionally left non-blank.” Gavin Kreuiter, Johannesburg, South Africa From: Carole Connet (connet108 gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--gobmouthed I was gobmouthed when I discovered the cookies I had laid out for Santa hidden in the bottom of the dishcloth drawer a few days after Christmas. Carole Connet, Fairfield, Iowa From: George Roberts (georgealwinroberts yahoo.com) Subject: Pipsqueak If you check out “pipsqueak antique” you will find that it was a 19th-century toy. It was usually a small figure of an animal perched on a small platform. The platform was also a bellows, which when compressed produced a squeaking sound. ,br> George Roberts, Grand Rapids, Michigan From: William Politt (william.03281 gmail.com) Subject: oxytonize Today’s usage quote: “None of the accented words are oxytonized, but several have the antepenult emphasized.” dredged up memories of Mr. Leaning’s Latin classes in the mid 1960s. “The antepenult is stressed unless the penult is long.” We received frequent reminders as we recited Caesar, Cicero, Virgil, et al. prior to translating. God help anyone he discovered with a trot [a translation or other illegitimate aid in study or examination]. William Politt, Weare, New Hampshire From: Yigal Levin (yigal.levin biu.ac.il) Subject: oxytonize Hebrew has a similar issue. Words that have their accent NOT on the last syllable are called “mil’el”, which basically means “up-word” (in Aramaic). But the word mil’el itself is oxytone, NOT mil’el! Yigal Levin, Tzur-Yigal, Israel From: Prof. Michael Barr (barr.michael mcgill.ca) Subject: A challenge for you I wonder if it is possible to find five 5-letter words that together use 25 different letters, all except l? I really doubt it is possible but you have 52 weeks to think about it till next Christmas week. Michael Barr, Montreal, Canada Five words in 25 unique letters. Each word gets five letters and one vowel. And each is interesting enough to feature in AWAD. Let’s start with world peace instead? -Anu Garg Anagrams This week’s words: No el Frowze Pipsqueak Gobmouthed Juvenescence Oxytonize = BoJo-esque wig Twerp Such oozed two knocked for six Teens Emphasize unevenly -Robert Jordan, Lampang, Thailand (alfiesdad ymail.com) This week’s theme: No el Frowze Pipsqueak Gobmouthed Juvenescence Oxytonize = Kinky, frizzed Wee Exposes open mouth Be juvenile How to accent e.g. toques, mesh -Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz) = Unkempt, so chose frizz Wee bloke Open-jawed Youth Move the existing sequence = Check deluxe frizzes No VIP! Hah! Open, wet snout Seek boy, tween mojo e.g. mesquite -Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com) -Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com) Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks frowze In the magazines she loves to browse, There are styles that she doesn’t espouse. It might even appear That no comb she’s come near, For her hair she allows just to frowze. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) If ever my hair I let frowze, The wrath of my mom I arouse. And off she will rush To find me a brush -- Bad hair days she never allows. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) In meetings he often will drowse, But his base with his speeches he wows. Donald’s secret? Foul rants, Lies he never recants, And hair gel so his lid will not frowze. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) pipsqueak The pipsqueak whom we used to tease Has changed quite a bit, if you please. How much he has grown! And now it’s well-known That bullies he beats up with ease. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) She henpecked her poor little spouse. He was timid, a meek little mouse. “You pipsqueak!” She’d bellow, And so the wee fellow Would leave her alone in the house. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Though you feel that you’re just a pipsqueak, You’ll inherit the Earth if you’re meek,” Jesus preached. Though non-violent, He wouldn’t keep silent, Which tended to raise Roman pique. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) gobmouthed I am gobmouthed; I’m simply amazed At the actions of Trump that seem crazed. Now each day something new And outrageous he’ll do -- Half the White House he’s recently razed! -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Does he ever stop talking, that guy? Some women might like him -- not I! He’s gobmouthed, and worse Are the chapter and verse That come out of his mouth -- ay, ay, ay!!! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) “To a war crime I haven’t confessed, For I’m innocent. Dems are obsessed!” Said Pete Hegseth gobmouthed, Acting visibly soused As he pounded his fists on his chest. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) juvenescence I’m a child in my heart; that’s my essence. You could say I display juvenescence. I’ve not grown blasé -- I still love to play And so far show no signs of senescence -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Now soon I’ll reach seventy-five. I’ve come to appreciate I’ve A new acquiescence To lost juvenescence. Just happy to say, “I’m alive!” -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Though I’m long since beyond juvenescence, I can still slide down chimneys with presents,” Said Santa. “This year All the wishes I hear Are the same: they’re for Trump’s evanescence.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) oxytonize In limerick writing, it’s wise To the end of lines oxytonize. But sometimes you just can’t! Well, enough of this rant; Anu’s words can’t be cut down to size. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Puns “Ya, ze frowse in a bad mood till she has her morning coffee,” her husband Siegfried warned. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Learning of the fortune he believed Miss Havisham had left him, Pipsqueak-ed with joy,” wrote Dickens. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I have terrible gobmouthed-oc.” “Ah! Zees ees classic case of coughing up phlegm.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “You tink you insult me by calling me a Juvenescence-tially vun human is like anudder,” said Tevye to the constable. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I vould only give my pr-oxytonize-r people zan you,” said the shareholder to the board representative in advance of the annual meeting. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: The history of liberty is a history of the limitation of government power, not the increase of it. -Woodrow Wilson, 28th US president, Nobel laureate (1856-1924)

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