People are excited to find out they can be gruntled, kempt, couth and much more
This person had a question for Susie Dent from Countdown’s Dictionary Corner.
Hi Susie – can you tell me if gruntled is a word (opposite of disgruntled)? We have decided it is an awesome word 😁
— Judy Sullivan (@judysullivan00) January 27, 2018
And the reply got people very excited indeed.
You can be gruntled (satisfied), kempt (combed), couth (polite), ruthful (full of compassion), whelmed (capsized), and gorm-like (have an intelligent look about you). And, for a while in the 1600s, you could be shevelled too. https://t.co/eoQTb7FHLy
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) January 30, 2018
The conundrum now is how to work every one of these into our conversations tomorrow.
In case you are in need of inspiration.
"It had been a rough day, so when I walked into the party I was very chalant, despite my efforts to appear gruntled and consolate." Jack Winter's "How I Met My Wife," the greatest piece @NewYorker has ever published. https://t.co/O7TajvrLLi
— Jesse Sheidlower (@jessesheidlower) January 30, 2018
'Gruntled' was a comical back-formation used by P.G.Wodehouse. The 'dis' in the original 'disgruntled' was an intensifier rather than a negative.
— Susie Dent (@susie_dent) January 30, 2018
As in, "Jeeves described him as disgruntled, and it was plain at a glance that the passage of time had done nothing to gruntle him." The Mating Season
— Patrick Leary (@PatrickLearyVIC) January 30, 2018
— bethany slater (@bethanyjs22) January 30, 2018
Can you end an ongoing argument of many years between me and my friend @jamestaylor1 …. can you mantle something as well as dismantle it?
— Radish (@radish22) January 30, 2018
If I get a response, does that mean you’ve ‘nored’ me as opposed to the current position of being ‘ignored’?
— Radish (@radish22) January 30, 2018
