# Looking for an odd word
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [April 20, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714 "2010-04-20T04:38:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/1 "2010-04-20T04:38:58Z")
Is there an accepted word for the action of pressing your mouth against someones skin (usually in areas of soft tissue) and blowing out to make that sort of flapping noise? The only word I ever had for it was self-invented “Flurburt” (both noun and verb). I was wondering if this is one of those things that never seems to get a ‘real’ word, but always has a word made up and used by a very small group. Can anyone enlighten me? (on this subject I mean, I’m good on enlightenment otherwise at the moment).
Thanks for all replies,
AllFree
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### Author:  [@beowulff](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beowulff)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/2 "2010-04-20T04:51:44Z")
Raspberry?
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### Author:  [@AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/3 "2010-04-20T04:54:28Z")
I believe that a ‘raspberry’ is defined as sticking out your tongue and blowing to make it vibrate, not another persons skin. Sometimes known in days past as a ‘bronx cheer’
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### Author:  [@Suburban\_Plankton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Suburban_Plankton)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 4:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/4 "2010-04-20T04:54:54Z")
The only word I am aware of for it comes from an old Bill Cosby routine, where he referred to it (if my memory serves me correctly) as a “zurbut”.
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### Author:  [@EdwardLost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EdwardLost)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/5 "2010-04-20T05:11:09Z")
A friend of mine referred to them as “floofers” (rhymes with “roofers”). I’m making up the spelling.
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### Author:  [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/6 "2010-04-20T06:21:02Z")
> [@Suburban\_Plankton](#):
>
> The only word I am aware of for it comes from an old Bill Cosby routine, where he referred to it (if my memory serves me correctly) as a “zurbut”.
This, except that “zurbit” is the preferred spelling, at least in South Africa 😉
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### Author:  [@ponzicar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ponzicar)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 6:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/7 "2010-04-20T06:45:39Z")
In ‘adult’ contexts it’s called a motorboat.
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### Author:  [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 8:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/8 "2010-04-20T08:00:11Z")
> [@AllFreedomUnlessDefyingScience](#):
>
> I believe that a ‘raspberry’ is defined as sticking out your tongue and blowing to make it vibrate, not another persons skin. Sometimes known in days past as a ‘bronx cheer’
Raspberry means any kind of farting sound - it comes from rhyming slang - Raspberry Tart = Fart
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### Author:  [@cantara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cantara)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/9 "2010-04-20T14:51:26Z")
Not exact, but related.
[George Carlin incorrectly used the phrase bilabial fricative to refer to the sound of blowing a raspberry, which is correctly called a linguolabial trill (except as performed by chimpanzees).](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bilabial_fricative)
It looks like it would be some sort of [Labial sound](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Labial_consonant).
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### Author:  [@purplehorseshoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehorseshoe)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/10 "2010-04-20T16:03:50Z")
> [@Mangetout](#):
>
> Raspberry means any kind of farting sound - it comes from rhyming slang - Raspberry Tart = Fart
I have ALWAYS WONDERED THAT! I feel so much better now! Ignorance fought! 😛
As a kid, the best explanation I could come up with was that your tongue tip sticking out looked kinda like a raspberry … but that feeble attempt didn’t satisfy me even back then.
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### Author:  [@Shot\_From\_Guns](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shot_From_Guns)
#### Post date: [April 20, 2010, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-odd-word/536714/11 "2010-04-20T17:16:58Z")
Raspberry or zurbit here. (And thanks for reminding me of the latter word, **Suburban Plankton** –it was the one used most commonly in my family when I was a kid!)
> [@purplehorseshoe](#):
>
> I have ALWAYS WONDERED THAT!
[Further reading on the subject.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhyming_slang)