More Weird and Wonderful Words

Lexicographer McKean, editor of Verbatim magazine, has combed the Oxford English Dictionary to come up with more than 400 choice items for this amusing dictionary of rarely used words. Perhaps you've recently been guilty of acrasia (""the state of mind in which you act against your better judgment""). Perhaps you need a new synonym for""slut"": Drazel will do quite nicely. Or perhaps you've been offended but are willing to offer the guilty party ignoscency (""forgiveness""). You may never find a reason to use the word""dromaeognathous"" (""having a palate like that of an emu""), but just encountering it here could brighten your day. New Yorker cartoonist Shanahan adds a touch of whimsy to the enterprise with his comic illustrations. Lighthearted and instructive, this small volume would make a good gift book for eccentric wordsmiths or grammarians.