Come to think of it, I’ve also mystified coworkers with “truculent” and “lugubrious.” Not in the same sentence…not even the same day.
aplomb
I was talking to someone the other night and it worked in the conversation and I used it; and, then it didn’t work because he said, “what?”, and I backed off thinking that maybe I hadn’t pronounced it right.
I had pronounced it correctly. I had used it appropriately. Next time I hope to have the aplomb to carry it off.
I would like to work kerfuffle more into conversations, but I’m satisfied with the occasional albeit.
I had to laugh at my daughter…she thought to increase her vocabulary she should read the dictionary. I told her to keep doing what she’s doing…read books voraciously. She’s currently reading the entire Hitchiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.
There’s something I’ve always liked about incredulous when it modifies a pronoun, as in “I was incredulous!,” instead of saying “I couldn’t believe it!” or 'I was astounded." It has the advantage of your hearer being able to discern the meaning from the context and your expression even if they don’t know the word.
I once saw Maureen Dean use it repeatedly in a TV interview during Watergate, and each time it impressed me. I don’t think I use it to impress, but just to vary the diet in conversation. But I never get tired of it. Occasions to use it are never lacking but I severely limit it because of the danger of sounding like a showoff, as Mo Dean did that day.
I got the word “Skullduggery” on the homepage of a very dry financial website I was Producing at the time.
Remember to spell it skulduggery. Two L’s is a variant spelling almost never used. Surprisingly too, because the word seems to lend itself to ‘skull’-type associations. Also to skulk, in the sense: to hide or conceal something (as oneself) often out of cowardice or fear or with sinister intent. (m-w. com)
Australia must be a sad place if you don’t get to use “shenanigans”. If it makes you feel any better, I’ve already used your share, and your neighbor’s too.
Isn’t there seafoam on Lake Michigan?
As for me, I’m a language geek, so I use uncommon words all the time and probably don’t even realize it. I do feel bad when I throw one right over someone’s head. Cultural references, too, since I tend to know less about the TV shows of the last couple of years than I do about philosophy, sociology, psychology, and more obscure things (to my generation). I was disappointed today when a 19-year-old Super Christian was describing his church men’s group get-togethers and I cut in with “so you guys talk about Kierkegaard?”, only to get a blank stare in response. I was going to explain it, but thought better of it for some reason I couldn’t nail down. I was glad, since it was only a few seconds later that I heard him say that they spent their time “…you know, philosophizing…”
I would, however, like to have more occasions to use the word “fisticuffs”. Just doesn’t lend itself as naturally now that I’m not into hockey anymore.
Bumfuzzled & Obfuscate
I’m just not quick enough to remember a word like “obfuscate” before blurting out “get around.”
Gobsmacked. Because when I use it around my fellow Americans they tend to look…well, gobsmacked.
Also catawampus.
And I’m a big fan of defenestrate and copacetic. I’m frequently copacetic when I’m not being defenestated. If I am I go all catawampus.
I also like bugger, as if I drop something on my foot at work I can get away with shouting it out like I couldn’t with “Oh shit”.
Caterwauling is another excellent word that just doesn’t come up as much as you’d think it would.