# There's a word for it **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [March 25, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978 "2011-03-25T15:50:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/1 "2011-03-25T15:50:40Z")
Fellow fans of obscure words, funky art, and paper dolls, check [this](http://bit.ly/gnW2CC) out. I am not, however, a bibliotaph, regardless of what you’re heard. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/2 "2011-03-25T16:00:41Z")
I have to lucubrate every night by six. My apartment hets really bad light. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/3 "2011-03-25T16:32:31Z")
I didn’t see my favorite obscure word listed: **Hurple** -The involuntary hunching up of one’s shoulders in reaction to the cold. And when I hurple My lips turn purple. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/4 "2011-03-25T16:49:29Z")
My favorite is _formicate_: to swarm like ants. I looked out my window to see crowds of people formicating in the streets. ---
**Author:** ![Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ce7236/32.png) [@Mona\_Lisa\_Simpson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mona_Lisa_Simpson)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/5 "2011-03-26T00:56:18Z")
Lovely. I have a librarian friend I will ask about Bibliotaffs. I might be accused of being a cartotaff, if cart as a prefix can mean chart not map. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2011, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/6 "2011-03-26T01:05:28Z")
♪There’s a word for that, what does it start with, the word for that? I’d sound so smart if I only knew the word for that, perhaps you do.♫ ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/7 "2011-03-29T22:54:08Z")
What’s the word that means to walk up one aisle and down the next (like at the grocery store)? I’ve heard it before but don’t remember. Thanks, J. ---
**Author:** ![Autolycus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/22d042/32.png) [@Autolycus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Autolycus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2011, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/8 "2011-03-29T23:42:16Z")
Perambulate? Gridwalk? ---
**Author:** ![jharvey963](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/54ee81/32.png) [@jharvey963](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jharvey963)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/9 "2011-03-30T00:00:31Z")
> [@Autolycus](#): > > Perambulate? Gridwalk? No, this was a much less common word. I believe it had 5 syllables, and I think it ended in … ulate. Something like stromfumdomulate or boffromdomulate, though obviously those aren’t it. J. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/10 "2011-03-30T01:21:36Z")
If you were retromingent you could make sure people didn’t sneak up on you while you were doing your business. ETA If you’re a guy that is. ---
**Author:** ![Canadjun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/76d3ee/32.png) [@Canadjun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Canadjun)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/11 "2011-03-30T01:24:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > My favorite is _formicate_: to swarm like ants. > > I looked out my window to see crowds of people formicating in the streets. Did you know that some drugs and medical conditions can cause formication? ---
**Author:** ![Anticounterrevolutionary](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f04885/32.png) [@Anticounterrevolutionary](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anticounterrevolutionary)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2011, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-a-word-for-it/575978/12 "2011-03-30T03:15:41Z")
> [@Colibri](#): > > My favorite is _formicate_: to swarm like ants. Would you be calm and placid If you were full of formic acid? -Ogden Nash.