Four common English words ending in "-dous"

Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports
1

http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/744/what-are-the-four-common-english-words-ending-in-dous

A lot of those towards the end there are uncommon, obviously. I’ve gone all these years without needing them and probably will die without ever having done so.

A correction. This part of the column should not be italicized:

*Dear Cecil:

No. To forget something you have to have heard of it in the first place, which frankly I hadn’t, mainly because the last cited use of jeapardous in the Oxford English Dictionary was in 1661. (“Yo, varlet, is the new quiz show ‘What’s My Linish’ or ‘Wheel of Fortunesque’?” “Neither, milord, it is ‘Jeopardous.’”) So sue me.*

And the salutation should be “Dear M.H.,” since it’s clearly Cecil’s response to the message just above it.

Thanks.

2

nvm

3

Or, rather, it should be “Cecil replies:” to make it consistent with the rest.

4

Why does Cecil refer to Dr. Asimov as “the late Isaac” in a column dated November 9, 1990? Asimov was still very much alive on that date. He didn’t die until 1992.

5

Elendil’ls Heir: Thanks for the catch, I’ll have the italicization etc corrected.

Dr. Chaotica: Some columns are updated when they appear (later) in a book, but they retain their original publication date.

6

and yet, it is still ar·du·ous

7

Fixed. And for the record, I feel ridiculous.

8

You shouldn’t. You’re splendiferous!

9

What about “horrendous?”

10

It’s in the column, mentioned in the original letter that kicks everything off.