# Do you use any of the following words? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 14, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672 "2006-04-14T15:53:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sal\_Ammoniac](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8dc957/32.png) [@Sal\_Ammoniac](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sal_Ammoniac)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/1 "2006-04-14T15:53:37Z")
Do you now, or have you ever, used any of the following words? Catawampus Dagnabit Skullduggery Rapscallion Tarnation Flibbertigibbet Hugger-mugger Absquatulate Blotto Hoosegow Rumpus Skinflint Higgledy-piggledy Piffle Flapdoodle Lepidopterist Chalk this up to idle curiosity, and criminal proximity to a keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/2 "2006-04-14T16:03:11Z")
Catawampus - Yes Dagnabit - Yes Skullduggery - No, but I’ve come close Rapscallion - No, but I like it Tarnation - Yes Flibbertigibbet - No Hugger-mugger - No Absquatulate - No Blotto - Yes Hoosegow - Yes Rumpus - Yes Skinflint - Yes Higgledy-piggledy - no Piffle - Yes Flapdoodle - no Lepidopterist - no ---
**Author:** ![caveman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/caveman/32/7242_2.png) [@caveman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/caveman)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/3 "2006-04-14T16:03:58Z")
No: Catawampus Flibbertigibbet Hugger-mugger Absquatulate Blotto Higgledy-piggledy Flapdoodle Yes: Dagnabit Skullduggery Rapscallion Tarnation Hoosegow Rumpus Skinflint Piffle Lepidopterist ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/4 "2006-04-14T16:04:10Z")
I have only used the following: Skullduggery Blotto And I have used the word lepidoptera whicj is related to Lepidopterist ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/5 "2006-04-14T16:05:17Z")
I have used tarnation too. ---
**Author:** ![davenportavenger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/5f8ce5/32.png) [@davenportavenger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davenportavenger)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/6 "2006-04-14T16:08:22Z")
Just “skinflint.” And I’ve tried saying “rumpus room,” but I really think of it more as a den. ---
**Author:** ![YaWanna](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@YaWanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YaWanna)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/7 "2006-04-14T16:22:01Z")
Catawampus - actually, we say it “cattywampus” where I’m from, and, yes Dagnabit - yes (thanks to Yosemite Sam) Skullduggery - no Rapscallion - no Tarnation - yes (another one learned from Yosemite Sam) Flibbertigibbet - no Hugger-mugger - no, never heard of it Absquatulate - ditto Blotto - no Hoosegow - no (I prefer “pokey”) Rumpus - probably, in the phrase “rumpus room” Skinflint - maybe? Higgledy-piggledy - no Piffle - no Flapdoodle - as in, Bernard J. Flapdoodle, president of the Silly Names Society? 🙂 Lepidopterist - no ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/8 "2006-04-14T16:30:46Z")
No, I don’t think I’ve ever used any of them in a sentence, with the possible exception of “piffle”, which I might have used in a record review. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/9 "2006-04-14T16:37:28Z")
Catawampus- no, but I’m gonna! Dagnabit - all the time Skullduggery- been known to Rapscallion- more than you’d think Tarnation- very rarely Flibbertigibbet- vary rarely Hugger-mugger- never heard it Absquatulate- bless you! Blotto- used to Hoosegow- on occasion Rumpus- not so much Skinflint- no Higgledy-piggledy- don’t think so, but I like it Piffle- all the time Flapdoodle- never Lepidopterist - you mean as in “my caterpillar got sick so I took it to the lepidopterist?” Um, no. ---
**Author:** ![capybara](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/capybara/32/202_2.png) [@capybara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capybara)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/10 "2006-04-14T16:37:32Z")
I use rumpus and keywhumpus (not catawumpus) fairly frequently. I think I got them from the same person from whom I also picked up the frequent use of “swell” and “sweetheart” and “Bob’s your uncle”. I’m sure I’ve used lepidopterist in context, but there aren’t many synonyms for that. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/11 "2006-04-14T16:40:13Z")
Yes: Catawampus Dagnabit Rapscallion Flibbertigibbet Blotto Hoosegow Rumpus Wow, you’d think I was an old lady or sumfin’. I must watch too much TV to pick up those words like that… ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/12 "2006-04-14T16:42:33Z")
Catawampus NO Dagnabit NO Skullduggery YES Rapscallion NO Tarnation YES Flibbertigibbet YES _But only if I’m going for a Sound of Music vibe_ Hugger-mugger NO Absquatulate NO Blotto YES Hoosegow YES _Very often, it’s our common threat to the cat – stop that right now or it’s the hoosegow for you! – nb we don’t actually have a hoosegow nor does the cat ever go to one_ Rumpus YES Skinflint NO Higgledy-piggledy NO Piffle NO Flapdoodle NO, NOW THAT’S JUST SILLY. Lepidopterist NO ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/13 "2006-04-14T16:46:46Z")
Catawampus - no. Dagnabit - yes. But not in spoken conversation. Skullduggery - yes, but ditto. Rapscallion - yes, but ditto. Tarnation - yes, but ditto. Flibbertigibbet - yes, but ditto. Hugger-mugger - no. Absquatulate - no. Blotto - yes. Lots of times. Hoosegow - no. Rumpus - yes. “What’s all the rumpus?”, “rumpus room”… Skinflint - yes Higgledy-piggledy - yes Piffle - yes Flapdoodle - no Lepidopterist - no ---
**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/14 "2006-04-14T17:14:10Z")
I use none of those words, but I have a friend who uses Flibbertigibbet regularly. ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/15 "2006-04-14T17:15:37Z")
“Yes” to the following: Dagnabit Rapscallion Blotto Hoosegow (but with a different spelling, oddly enough) Rumpus Skinflint Lepidopterist (used surprisingly often by computer geeks) I have also never used the phrase “criminal proximity to a keyboard” but I know the concept well. ---
**Author:** ![Antinor01](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecae2f/32.png) [@Antinor01](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Antinor01)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/16 "2006-04-14T17:23:20Z")
Catawampus - no Dagnabit - yes Skullduggery - no Rapscallion - yes Tarnation - yes Flibbertigibbet - no Hugger-mugger - no Absquatulate - no Blotto - yes Hoosegow - no Rumpus - yes Skinflint - yes Higgledy-piggledy - no Piffle - yes (I like saying piffle! It’s just a fun word) Flapdoodle - no Lepidopterist - no ---
**Author:** ![lavenderviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/cdc98d/32.png) [@lavenderviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lavenderviolet)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/17 "2006-04-14T17:24:41Z")
I’ve used dagnabit on occasion. I can’t remember using any of the others. ---
**Author:** ![chrissysissystar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5e9695/32.png) [@chrissysissystar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chrissysissystar)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/18 "2006-04-14T17:29:01Z")
Catawampus (or cattywampus) - Yes Dagnabit - Yes Skullduggery - No Rapscallion - No Tarnation - No Flibbertigibbet - No Hugger-mugger - No Absquatulate - No Blotto - Yes Hoosegow - No Rumpus - Yes Skinflint - Yes Higgledy-piggledy - Yes Piffle - Yes Flapdoodle - No Lepidopterist - No Cattywampus is one of my mother’s words and, since I’m trying to stop cussing at work, dagnabit gets used a lot. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/19 "2006-04-14T17:34:15Z")
I’ve often used Skullduggery Rapscallion Tarnation Blotto Rumpus Skinflint Higgledy-piggledy Piffle I say gadnabit instead of dagnabit I will indever to make use of Flapdoodle and Catawampus in the future, thanks for bringing them to my attention. ---
**Author:** ![Jonathan\_Chance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jonathan_chance/32/701_2.png) [@Jonathan\_Chance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jonathan_Chance)\ **Post date:** [April 14, 2006, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672/20 "2006-04-14T17:35:11Z")
Catawampus - No Dagnabit - Yes Skullduggery - Yes Rapscallion - No Tarnation - Yes Flibbertigibbet - No Hugger-mugger - No Absquatulate - No Blotto - Yes Hoosegow - Yes Rumpus - No Skinflint - Yes Higgledy-piggledy - Yes, almost certainly taken from Bloom County Piffle - No Flapdoodle - No Lepidopterist - No [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-you-use-any-of-the-following-words/352672.md?page=2)