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Apr 5, 2026 This week’s theme All vocabulary, no cardio This week’s words pandiculate slummock nictate oscitate sloom How popular are they? Relative usage over time AWADmail archives Index Next week’s theme Back-formations Wordsmith Games 🧩 Jigsaw Riddle Trinity Library 🌍 Langitude Trace parchment home AWADmail Issue 1240 A Compendium of Feedback on the Words in A.Word.A.Day and Other Tidbits about Words and Language Email of the Week -- Brought to you by ONEUPMANSHIP From: Laura Daniels (partofthedesign gmail.com) Subject: re: pandiculate You made me laugh out loud (in the staff lounge at work!) at the “Do not move” sign in the gym. But have you considered that this might actually have been an exhortation not to relocate? English is so delightfully ambiguous and maddening! My whole family takes delight in reading literally. I sometimes see signs on the doors to businesses that say “service dogs only” and think I should not enter, as I am not a service dog. This is all to say thank you for bringing me a bit of silliness and joy in dark times. Laura Daniels, Ithaca, New York From: Norbert Hirschhorn (bertzpoet yahoo.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--pandiculate My favorite transitive sign is “Violators will be towed.” So what happens to the car? Norbert Hirschhorn, MD, Minneapolis, Minnesota From: Erin Gore (gore275 eastlink.ca) Subject: Exercise... I don’t know why, but your column today reminded me of a friend’s comment about me: “Erin’s idea of exercise is a good brisk sit.” It’s nice having coffee with you in the morning. Erin Gore, Chester, Canada From: P. Larry Nelson (lnelson illinois.edu) Subject: Noun or verb Your story about the PLEASE DO NOT MOVE sign reminded me of a witticism from the stand-up comedian Steven Wright, well known for his droll and quirky one-liners. To wit: I was in the grocery store. I saw a sign that said “pet supplies”. So I did. Then I went outside and saw a sign that said “compact cars”. Sometimes when my wife goes to the store, I try to remember to tell her to pet the supplies when she’s there. Our car is already compact, so no need to go there... And thank you for the word pandiculate. When my wife asks me in the morning how I’m doing, I, as a retired IT administrator inhabiting a body with 78-year-old systems, metaphorically reply, “I’m still booting up.” Now I can just say, “I’m still pandiculating.” P. Larry Nelson, Champaign, Illinois From: Michael Poxon (mikethestarman gmail.com) Subject: slummock And I thought this was a dialect word! It is met with frequently here in Norfolk, UK, almost always in the phrase “slummockin’ great mawther”, meaning a rather large young lady not over-obsessed with her appearance. Quite telling that your accompanying painting also showed a female. I am wondering if “slummocking” can even be applied to a male. Michael Poxon, Norwich, UK From: Hugh Parsons (whiteknuckleturning outlook.com) Subject: Slummock Sometimes words can dredge up distant memories, almost like a mental archeological dig. With slummock, I was taken back to a hot summer in the south of England nearly eighty years ago while staying with my favourite grandmother, when she would tell me frequently to “Stop slummocking about the house and get out in the sun.” Mind you, if I had done more slummocking and less running around in the sun, I probably wouldn’t have as many skin cancers as I have today! Hugh Parsons, Kapiti Coast, New Zealand From: Ken Bus (kenbus50 aol.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--slummock A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: But at my back I always hear / Time’s winged chariot hurrying near; / And yonder all before us lie / Deserts of vast eternity. -Andrew Marvell, poet (31 Mar 1621-1678) The poem “To His Coy Mistress”, from which these lines are taken, is a wonderful metaphysical meditation on time. And three hundred years later, it was answered by Archibald MacLeish in his poem “You, Andrew Marvell”. Ken Bus, Peoria, Arizona From: Eric Ahrendt (eric grayscaleimages.com) Subject: Star Trek Knows Nictating Membranes I first encountered this word 59 years ago in an episode of Star Trek. In “Operation -- Annihilate!” (2 min.), which first aired on Apr 13, 1967, Mr. Spock temporarily goes blind from a treatment of high-intensity light administered by Dr. McCoy. It’s intended to destroy a creature that has inhabited Spock’s body. The treatment works, but he’s rendered temporarily blind. However, he’s saved from going permanently blind by having a nictating membrane, as all Vulcans do (of course). As Spock explains, “The brightness of the Vulcan sun has caused the development of an inner eyelid that acts as a shield against high-intensity light.” Eric Ahrendt, Orinda, California From: Soumitra Sarkar (ronniesarkar gmail.com) Subject: Re: A.Word.A.Day--nictate The plica semilunaris is generally considered a remnant of the nictitating membrane that H. sapiens evolved to not need anymore. (From IFLScience) Soumitra Sarkar, Cary, North Carolina From: Jonathan Greene (j.i.greene625 gmail.com) Subject: Nictate I remember Nov 6, 2015 fondly. The word of the day was nictitate and I won the Email of the Week acknowledgment for my comment: Back in 1975 (when the movie Jaws came out), as a 12-year-old fascinated with sharks, I can remember thinking that a shark’s eyes rolled upwards when attacking. Not so -- I later learned it was a translucent nictitating membrane that covered the shark’s eye to provide protection. How proud I was! Jonathan Greene, Seattle, Washington From: Fionncoll-ire (via website comments) Subject: Marvin Gaye A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: You see, war is not the answer / For only love can conquer hate. / You know we’ve got to find a way / To bring some lovin’ here today. -Marvin Gaye, singer and songwriter (2 Apr 1939-1984) Last night my phone’s battery died, so my usual podcast was replaced with the humming of “I Want You” by Marvin Gaye, a true masterpiece. Marvin Gaye appealed to the human in everyone, whether you were a Casanova, a forgotten lover experiencing, as Marvin put it, “one way love”, or a lost soul trying to blame the world for the way it’s always been. Marvin’s work allows us to realise this world has always had its tyrants and needless wars, and the question will ruminate for an eternity: “Who is to blame?” Fionncoll-ire, Ireland From: Fionn Patrick Collins (fionncoll gmail.com) Subject: How your work has influenced my life I am a senior in secondary education in Northern Ireland. Earlier this year, my friend Dan and I discovered Wordsmith. Since then, we have been in school every day with each other to “discover the magic of words”. For us, Wordsmith offers 10 relaxing minutes in which we can delve into deep conversation about etymology, often drawing others into discussion about the history of words. This message is simply one of gratitude for the wonderful creation you have founded. Fionn Patrick Collins, Northern Ireland From: Ron Macnaughton (macnaughton rogers.com) Subject: Your father Even though we have never met, I consider you a friend with your personal takes on words and life. I often wonder why certain people are so exceptional, and the obituary shows how your father’s passion influenced you. He must have been very proud of your ability to create a career with no precedent. Condolences. Ron Macnaughton, Bolton, Canada From: Alex McCrae (ajmccrae277 gmail.com) Subject: pandiculate and sloom Our word pandiculate inspired me to take the act of stretching to the extreme, enlisting DC Comics superhero Plastic Man, who takes body elasticity and shape-shifting to a surreal level. As we cartoonists are often wont to say, “Give me a break... it’s just a cartoon.” During several meetings, Trump periodically appears to nod off with his head tilted and eyes closed. When accused of napping on the job, he claims he’s fully aware and listening intently to whoever is speaking. Reluctantly cutting the soon-to-be-80-year-old some slack, I’d argue that he undoubtedly nods off in the privacy of his White House TV room, even while watching an engaging classic film like The Big Sleep. Slightly ironic, no? Alex McCrae, Van Nuys, California Anagrams This week’s theme: All vocabulary, no cardio Pandiculate Slummock Nictate Oscitate Sloom = Active muscle stretch (medic!) To idle out in a hammock Blink Yawn “O” A casual sleep; also, to rot -Dharam Khalsa, Burlington, North Carolina (dharamkk2 gmail.com) = To stretch Uh, I’m a slacker Automatic blink, could elevate & close lids too Yawn Nap, semi-coma = Loosen each arm, uncoil A mild slob; Mime sloth tactic Eye stutter A vacant look (was cued?) Kip -Julian Lofts, Auckland, New Zealand (jalofts xtra.co.nz) -Shyamal Mukherji, Mumbai, India (mukherjis hotmail.com) Make your own anagrams and animations. Limericks Pandiculate Each morning I get up at dawn, And that’s when I let out a yawn. I pandiculate too -- That is something I do Till remnants of sleep are all gone. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Don’t pandiculate here at the table; Please restrain yourself if you are able. To tell you the truth, That’s really uncouth, And you ought to know better, dear Mabel. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) Some stretching is really first rate. So to start off your day, make a date, To release all your tension, Take heed to this mention, Pandiculate, please do not wait. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “In the morning I wake and pandiculate,” Said Donald, “then countries obliterate. With the foreigners dead, Next I call up the Fed And demand on my loans a low interest rate.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Slummock When I slummock all day by the pool, Some may call me a lazy old fool. But I think it is grand To have nothing planned, And in summer, it’s how I keep cool. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) A lazy young fellow from Lubbock Did nothing all day except slummock. When his parents would scold “You don’t move!” They’d be told, “Fine, I’ll shift from my left to right buttock.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Nictate A movie that’s creepy I dread, With zombies who stare straight ahead. They don’t even blink; The reason, I think, Is nobody nictates when dead. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) The allergy season she’d hate, For her nose ran, a horrible trait. Her itchy red eyes Would turn off all the guys. As all day she would nictate, poor Kate. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) It seems like each time that I nictate, In my email there’s some kind of clickbait. And my phone’s worse than that: When I text in a chat, It makes stupid mistakes when I dictate. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Oscitate If you see a dog yawn, it is true: You are likely to oscitate, too. It sounds so outrageous, But yawning’s contagious, It’s just monkey see, monkey do. -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) As I sit at this trusty machine My yawns punctuate the whole scene! ‘Cause there’s no one about, But I’m soon going out; If I oscitate, folks’ll be mean! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) I know when I stay up too late, And I don’t get much sleep, I deflate. When the next day is dawning, I’m constantly yawning. To oscitate, that is my fate. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “Late at night, crazy thoughts I expostulate; For not sleeping I therefore must compensate,” Said Donald. “My zest Is restored by a rest, So in cabinet meetings I oscitate.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) Sloom She said with a feeling of gloom, “I can’t fall asleep; I can’t sloom. Forget forty winks! Insomnia stinks! I’m climbing the walls of this room!” -Marion Wolf, Bergenfield, New Jersey (marionewolf yahoo.com) My mother was known for light sleeping. We thought it was her way of keeping An eye on each kid ‘Cause it seemed that she did -- Aha! It was slooms allowed peeping! -Bindy Bitterman, Chicago, Illinois (bindy eurekaevanston.com) Do not wake a bear that is slooming. If you do so, disaster is looming. The logic’s not deep: If you just let him sleep, It is better than facing him fuming. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) Each day I do take a small nap, So to give my old brain cells a zap. If I take a quick sloom, It’s an energy boom, And it gives me some much needed snap. -Joan Perrin, Port Jefferson Station, New York (perrinjoan aol.com) “In the sweetest of dreams as I sloom, I just love hearing things go ka-boom!” Said Donald. “A bomb Going off keeps me calm!” But the midterm elections now loom. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) I remember when back in the womb All day long I would kick or I’d sloom. In a ball I was curled; There was peace in my world. How I long for that dark quiet room. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “I’m the ultimate prophet of doom!” Said Pete Hegseth one day on a Zoom. “All you soldiers be brave As you’re sent to your grave! But don’t worry, I’m safe here -- I’ll sloom.” -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com Puns “Burglary? If that’s how normal reelection tactics you ex-pandiculate-r might get impeached,” Pat Nixon warned her husband. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “You who live in filthy urban slummock my beautiful cave here in pristine wilderness?” scoffed Oog. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “You’d better not nictate-um’s car,” Ryan O’Neal warned the valet about his daughter’s expensive birthday gift. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “When Liza Doolittle shouted at me to move my bloomin’ oscitate away at my self-esteem,” the depressed racehorse told its therapist. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) “Oh crap, I think I sloom-y own father,” groaned Oedipus. -Steve Benko, New York, New York (stevebenko1 gmail.com) A THOUGHT FOR TODAY: Diversity is being invited to the party; inclusion is being asked to dance. -Verna Myers, author and speaker (b. 5 Apr 1960)

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