Reordering Definitions Word Game

You are listening to A Way with Words, the show about language and how we use it.

I’m Martha Barnette.

And I’m Grant Barrett, and there’s a shadowy man in the distance, and here he comes.

It’s John Janeski, our quiz guy.

Out of the shadows.

Hi, John.

Yes, I have been called shadowy before.

That’s true.

Hi, guys.

Hi.

Hi, Grant.

Hi, Martha.

Hello.

You know, you guys are both lexicographers, right?

No.

I am.

No?

Oh, you are.

Grant is a lexicographer.

Good.

Maybe you can answer a question for me.

Isn’t the whole point of the dictionary that everything is in alphabetical order, right?

I don’t know if it’s the point.

It is an artifact of it.

Well, it’s an artifact.

Well, I’ve decided to do some reorganization.

I’ve taken some definitions and I’ve alphabetized each entry.

For example, I’ve taken what was previously a mess and I’ve turned it into the following.

And army, engaged, especially, in, in, military, one, service, the.

That’s the definition of the word soldier.

One engaged in military service and especially the army.

Much neater, you must admit.

It smells so much neater.

So I see.

You’ve taken all of the words in the definition and you’ve alphabetized them.

That’s right, I have.

Oh, wow.

As per the dictionary.

Let’s see how quickly you can determine the answer.

You can guess as many times as you like during the clue.

How few words do you need to correctly guess the entry, okay?

Here’s a tip.

The answers are all nouns, and they are in alphabetical order as well, starting with A.

Okay, here we go.

A, for, men, monastery, of, superior, the.

A bishop, a friar, a monk?

Close.

A father?

Remember, the answers are in alphabetical order, starting with A.

Oh, I see.

Abbot.

Yes, Abbot.

I see.

The superior of a monastery for men.

Again, this is another one where if you write the words down, you look at them as sort of a word cloud.

Takes too long to write, dude.

Well, I know, but some people out there, they have time.

How about this one?

A and baking.

Boiling by donut-shaped firm.

Bagel.

Yes.

Firm made roll then traditionally.

A firm donut-shaped roll traditionally made by boiling and then baking.

So basically, we’re playing I Can Name That Tune.

Sort of, yeah.

Yeah.

Name that word tune, yeah.

Okay.

A.

A and back for.

For, F-O-U-R.

Having legs, one person, seat, typically.

A chair?

Chair, yes.

A seat, typically having four legs and a back for one person.

Oh, that kind of way.

So we’ve done A, B, C.

This next one begins with D.

That’s right.

Okay.

A as curtain, fabric, four, hangings.

Drape.

Drapes or drapery, yes.

Hangings of heavy fabric for use as a curtain.

I think these are much neater.

Here’s the next one.

And, and, close, day, early.

Evening?

Evening is right.

Latter, night, of, of, part, part, the, the, the.

The latter part and close of the day and early part of the night.

Next one.

Any five hand members of…

Finger.

Finger, yes.

Any of the five terminating members of the hand.

Terminating members of the hand.

Wow, that sounds like a killer.

It does.

Yeah, that’s pretty good.

Yeah, I think my next punk rock group is going to be terminating members of the hand.

Okay, you guys did fantastic.

I’m on my way out of here now.

Thanks, John.

John, thank you.

Talk to you next week.

Take care.

Keep it in alphabetical order, you guys.

Okay.

Bye.

Bye.

We do a lot of things with words here on this show, and we’d love for you to join in the fun.

So call us 877-929-9673 or send an email to words@waywordradio.org.