Listmania.

I’d certainly have chosen different words than Christopher Foyle did for his Treasury of Unusual Words (beautiful-looking book and fantastic birthday present from M. and J.) – as anyone of us would have. But I’d definitely have included the following too,

for their meaning

to moodle – to pass time in doing nothing, to meander aimlessly

thigmophilic – touch-loving, liking or needing to be touched or to feel the touch of something

blennophobia – an abnormal fear of slime or mucous

colombophile – a pigeon-fancier

for their onomatopoetic quality

susurration – a whispering, rustling or murmuring sound

curmudgeon – a bad-tempered, mean-spirited or miserly person

to murken – to darken, to grow dark, to become overcast; to make dark, to obscure

rambunctious – exuberant, boisterous, difficult to control

and for its straightforwardness

to unnun – to expel a nun from the religious order to which she belongs.