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ESL forum > Games, activities and teaching ideas > Word Daffynition new contest     

Word Daffynition new contest



Cariboo
France

Word Daffynition new contest
 
Dear Monique
 
I feel so honoured to be the winner of this contest.
My contribution was just a joke and ...I won. It was a total surprise and I must say I was a bit scared at first !!! That ´ll teach me a lesson not to behave like the perfect dunce next time !
Thanks to your support Monique and your help I ´ve finally decided to join the team. The more the merrier.
So this is the word given for my first try : catoptromancy (hoping it has never been submitted before. I do not know if it is the correct place to" launch" it .
Have fun my friends !!!! And Monique thanks for being my Godmother on this site and in this section !

30 Nov 2018      





maryse pey�
France

CATOPTROMANCY :
 
It is a word to qualify someone who is behaving like a CAT AT the TOP of a TRee completely, Oh MAN !, unable to Come down this Yellow lemon tree (this word inspires some singers if you remember well with the ribbon around the tree. But was the ribbon tied by the helpless cat ?).

30 Nov 2018     



karagozian
France

I almost agree with Maryse ! Need to focus on some details though !

"Oh Man see that cat on top of the tree !"

It �s actually the exceptional capacity of being able to see things in difficult places without binoculars.

30 Nov 2018     



redcamarocruiser
United States

Catoptromancy describes a situation where an overzealous attempt at romance on a first date has caused a catastrophe.

1 Dec 2018     



ldthemagicman
United Kingdom

CATOPTROMANCY

The answer is so obvious, that I am surprised that any Member should struggle with the definition of this word.

Those of you who have seriously studied semiotics, (the scientific study of the properties of signalling systems), will recall the Yo-ho-ho Theory, (propounded by �The sailor with the navy-blue eyes�).

You will have noticed how anthropo-semiotics, (human behaviours), have been greatly influenced by zo�-semiotics, (animal behaviours). Consequently, sensible human speech patterns are often transformed into nonsensical animal speech patterns.

For example, the Scandiwegian word, �OOM� (cow), becomes, �MOO�. The Nordo-Iraqi word, �ABA� (sheep), becomes, �BAA�. The Kiwi-Maori word, �WIA-OM�, (cat), becomes �MIAOW�

In a similar way, the Dinosaurian Words, �COPYCAT MATRON�, (prehistoric parrot), became �CATOPTROMANCY�.

So, a Matron, (an elderly lady), who is a copycat, (who copies the behaviour of other people), is guilty of CATOPTROMANCY.

For example, she might wear a similar dress, or buy the same perfume, or have her hair styled in the same way as a famous film-star. She is an example of a Copycat Matron.

In the 16th century, the meaning widened to include all forms of copying. In Mathematics, for example:

�To swear at a hippotamuse is a sequel to some of the scares of the other two guides.�

CATOPTROMANCY

Les Douglas

1 Dec 2018     



redcamarocruiser
United States

CA- California, 

top - highest, 

best, 

T- short for t-shirt, 

Romancy - pertaining to Rome,

Catoptromancy is a pageant where the contestants model classy California t-shirts. The prize is an all expense paid trip to Rome.

2 Dec 2018     



valodra
France

Oh well, dear Les,
This is very smart - but absolutely wrong !
 
CATOPTROMANCY : Cato / Pt / romancy :
 
 Cato stands for Catholic ( fam French : He �s a Cato ! = He is a Roman Catholic )) ;
Pt ( or Ptttt ) : spitting sound. ;
Romancy or romance : Love affair.
eg : A catoptromancy is a love affair in a Catholic family - who dares not, my friend, who dares not …
Val 

2 Dec 2018     



redcamarocruiser
United States

Cat - dated slang for a hip, cool person
 
Opt - to  choose
 
Romancy - adjective describing a romantic lifestyle
 
It means  cool people opt for a romantic lifestyle, i.e. make love not war.
 
 

4 Dec 2018     



redcamarocruiser
United States

Cat topped row-man C.
 
Cat - feline animal, black cat shaped licorice candies
 
topt - alternate spelling for topped
 
Roman  - code name for a row-man, a member of the rowing team on a crew boat in a regatta
 
Cy - alternate spelling for the letter C, which represents the crown �s royal crew team
 
A  Cat topped row-man C, captoptromancy, is an ice cream sundae with the ice cream shaped like the letter C in honor of the Crown �s rowing team, and topped with black cat licorice candies.
 
The candy cats symboize the team �s mascot, a pussy cat who was imortalized in the ditty:
 
Pussy cat, pussy cat where have you been?
I �ve been to London to visit the queen.
Pussy cat, pussy cat, 
What did you there?
 I frightened a little mouse under her chair. 
 
A little known fact is that the mouse is the mascot of her Magesty �s rival rowing team. 
 
The captoptromancy has become a popular treat sold at concession stands at royal regattas. 
 
 

5 Dec 2018     



cunliffe
United Kingdom

Catoptromancy is a life-long obsession of mine, so I know this definition. We all have to make difficult choices in life and one that faces us is this: do we go with Cicero, that smarmy, smooth-talking sophist; Julius Caesar, that warmongering womaniser; Catullus, who at least has Cat in his name or Cato, the logical positivist with just one letter extra to Cat and who can write a semi-decent treatise? I choose the latter. I feel romantic about that. Cato -opt - romance -  y. 

6 Dec 2018     



Cariboo
France

Dear competitors
 
First I thought it was hard to enter this game but there was something harder : to designate a winner.
 
That �s so cruel :( because I had a great time reading your awesome daffynitions I loved them all. I hesitated ... Lynne really well
 
described my dilemma and for that reason I chosed her as the winner.
 
Congrats Lynne !
 
Sorry for Redcamarocruiser , Les Douglas  and Valodra ( I burst into laughter reading your daffynition and loved it ).
 
And finally thanks to Monique for kicking me ...where you think... That contest sure brought some smiles on my face and I �m
 
now happy to be part of the gang.
 
Thanks everyone for your contribution you rock !
 
Have a great day.

9 Dec 2018     

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