Sunday Rest: Word Not To Use Today: groovy.

Ouch!

We've had some nasty words in The Word Den, but this must be the most embarrassing word in the English language. My insides wither like salted slugs at the mere thought of it.

It stirs memories I'd hoped were gone forever: the dancing of a middle-aged middle-manager called Colin; a not-quite-as-young-as-he'd-like-to-be-thought vicar; a politician with far too much hair.

Shirts with ruffles.

Not to mention* teachers hoping their clothes would distract attention from the fact that they were balding, pathetic and creepy.

I'll tell you something, though: suddenly I am suffused with a warm affection for every other word in the whole flipping language.

So that's good.

Word Not To Use Today: groovy. This is from groove, of course. It's is from the Dutch word groeve, and there's a Old High German word gruoba, which means pit** which probably has something to do with it, too.

*This is an extremely silly expression now I come to think about it - sorry!

**How appropriate!