# Word of the Day, 6/2/04 **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 2, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326 "2004-06-02T21:05:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/1 "2004-06-02T21:05:43Z")
**Whiffler** _Hist._ an attendant who clears the way for a procession. [1530-40]. I want a whiffler. No, I _need_ a whiffler. ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/2 "2004-06-02T21:14:40Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > **Whiffler** _Hist._ an attendant who clears the way for a procession. [1530-40]. > > I want a whiffler. No, I _need_ a whiffler. **Twicks** , you sure somebody with a lisp and a mouthful of saltines didn’t mispronounce that? And another thing, just HOW does this **whiffler** “clear the way?” I mean would you really want somebody with body odor or ill-humors walking in front of you? Hmmm? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/3 "2004-06-02T21:28:01Z")
I’m picturing someone in livery with a sheaf of peacock feathers. That’s how _my_ whiffler will be outfitted/equipped, anyway. Legit word – I came across it in the Random House unabridged while I was looking up “when.” 😛 ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/4 "2004-06-02T21:42:44Z")
You can borrow two of mine, but you must return them in the condition I’m lending them: Subservient. No giving them ideas about how they too are real people. That brain washing is expensive! 😉 As for clothing, mine come equipped harem fashioned, but feel free to play dress-up with them. Would that be male, female, one of each perhaps? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 2, 2004, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/5 "2004-06-02T23:22:00Z")
Male, please – two would be nice, if you’re sure you can spare them. And for livery, I was thinking of something kind of like [this](http://www.senseofplacepeterborough.org/Burghley/media/19C/footman.jpg). Half naked is nice, of course – and that’s definitely how I keep the cabana boys – but I think for whifflers, something a bit more … covered … is in order, don’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Cartooniverse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cartooniverse/32/3084_2.png) [@Cartooniverse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cartooniverse)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/6 "2004-06-03T00:33:36Z")
Band name !! \*\* The Well-Dressed Whifflers\*\*. 😛 ( I didn’t have a word of the day today… well, not one I can share with 31,000 of my closest friends. 😉 ) Cartooniverse ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/7 "2004-06-03T01:23:14Z")
Ewwwww!!! He has man boobs!!! 😛 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/8 "2004-06-03T01:59:57Z")
I’m sure the whifflers **harmless** is going to lend me will be buff, and since I’ll have their livery custom-tailored, I guarantee, no man-boobs! So – do you think gold would work for their livery? Or, if that’s not subtle enough, a nice peacock blue for the coats, to match the feathers they’ll be wielding? ---
**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/9 "2004-06-03T02:27:59Z")
I was thinking more along the lines of a bottle-green velvet ensemble. I’m kinda thinking Willie Wonka, although that might be more appropriate for winter dress. I wanna whiffer for my birthday! Robin ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/10 "2004-06-03T03:32:19Z")
If you’d like, I can bring the whifflers to the Gettysburg DopeFest – if we go over to the Battlefield, they can clear the way for us. ---
**Author:** ![Rufus\_Xavier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eada6e/32.png) [@Rufus\_Xavier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rufus_Xavier)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 3:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/11 "2004-06-03T03:42:08Z")
A whiffler is also just a guy who plays the whiffle. I envision the guy in that famous image of the barefoot American revolutionaries, the one with the fife next to the guy with the drum and the other guy with the flag and I hear Yankee Doodle being played on the whiffle. Er, the fife. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/12 "2004-06-03T03:56:28Z")
Wasn’t there an old radio show, “The Whiffler”? ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 3:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/13 "2004-06-03T15:07:47Z")
Y’know, I saw a painting of whiffler’s mother just the other day. I hope he got his looks from papa. ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/14 "2004-06-03T17:37:57Z")
Lessee, 2 males of the buff variety…I think I can cover that. Would \*\*swampy \*\* and \*\*vunderbob \*\* do? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 5:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/15 "2004-06-03T17:55:44Z")
> [@harmless](#): > > Lessee, 2 males of the buff variety…I think I can cover that. > Would \*\*swampy \*\* and \*\*vunderbob \*\* do? 😉 **BWAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAA!!!** MOI? Buff? \ **BWAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAAHAAAAAAAA!!!** ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/16 "2004-06-03T17:58:22Z")
Buff means nekkid, right? 😛 ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/17 "2004-06-03T18:08:10Z")
I adore **swampy** , I really do – honest, we’re likethis – but no, he’s not quite what I had in mind. What I had in mind was more male model/stud muffin. And straight. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![harmless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/2acd7d/32.png) [@harmless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/harmless)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/18 "2004-06-03T18:13:19Z")
Well, let me dig a little bit deeper into my closet… Maybe that’s the problem. 😛 I thought gay guys made the best whifflers. : shrug : ---
**Author:** ![swampbear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/swampbear/32/467_2.png) [@swampbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/swampbear)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/19 "2004-06-03T18:23:43Z")
> [@harmless](#): > > Well, let me dig a little bit deeper into my closet… > Maybe that’s the problem. 😛 > > I thought gay guys made the best whifflers. > : shrug : Well, I have been known to _whiffle_ a few gay men. \ ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2004, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326/20 "2004-06-03T18:24:03Z")
> [@harmless](#): > > I thought gay guys made the best whifflers. > : shrug : Well, for actual _whiffling_, yeah, sure, they have that certain _je ne sais quois_ – but I’m thinking I may be able to come up with additional duties for them, ifyouknowwhatImean. 🆒 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-of-the-day-6-2-04/248326.md?page=2)