Welcome to the first Word Nerd Wednesday post for 2019! I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. I was super excited to receive Jeff Kacirk’s Calendar of Forgotten English from my sister as a Christmas gift, so guess who’s going to have plenty of Word Nerd Wednesday fodder this year!
Today, I thought we’d play a little game of What do you think it means with one of my favourite words so far: pigwidgeon. It’s such a satisfying word to say. Try it!
This was a cant word (slang) listed in Samuel Johnson’s 1755 Dictionary of the English Language, and I’m going to ask you which of these definitions you think is correct:
A) An idiot;
B) Anything petty or small;
C) Someone who cheats;
D) A small-brimmed cap.
I’m going to say A. I have zero confidence I’m right. It just sounds like a Shakespearean insult. Lol! 😀
I pick “A” because you said it was a slang word.
I’m picking A as a widgeon is usually used to describe someone as an “airhead” or a bit short on brains lol.
I believe it’s A as well. I know I’ve read it before in stories.