Question

dictionary puzzle #2

1. put the following words into alphabetical order: scuff, basket, program, cocoa, pinafore, diary, dynamite, domino, dwarf, kidnap, scrap, pillow, ditto, guard, inflate, frail.
2. what is the plural of alga?
3. alphabetically, which comes first, the chicken or the egg?
4. which word doesnt belong in this list: lemming, loess, lemur, llama, leopard? why?
5. alphabetically, which of these words comes last: toxic, spooky, sponge or tarpoon?
6. what do the following words all have in common: silicon, cobalt, boron, radon, argon, bromine and tellurium?
7. name five different things that can be called frog.
8. could a hansom be handsome? why or why not?

true/false

1. a wombat is used for cleaning silverware.
2. an eyelet is a very small eye.
3. a kismet is a garden vegetable similar to a squash.
4. a flamenco is the name of a beautiful pink bird.
5. a bunker is someone who bunks.
6. most people would like to marry a reprobate.
7. a lexicon would help you answer the questions on this page.

Explanation:

1. Alphabetical Order: Words are sorted based on the order of the English alphabet. For example, "basket" comes before "cocoa" as 'b' comes before 'c' in the alphabet.
2. Plural of "alga": The plural form of "alga" is "algae" (a Latin - derived plural).
3. "chicken" vs "egg" alphabetically: In the alphabet, 'c' comes before 'e', so "chicken" comes first.
4. Word that doesn't belong: "loess" is a geological term (a type of soil), while "lemming", "lemur", "llama", and "leopard" are all animals.
5. Last word alphabetically: Comparing "toxic", "spooky", "sponge", and "tarpoon", "toxic" comes last as 't' is after's' in the alphabet and "toxic" has a later - alphabetical second letter compared to "tarpoon".
6. Commonality among words: "silicon", "cobalt", "boron", "radon", "argon", "bromine", and "tellurium" are all chemical elements.
7. Things called "frog":

• A amphibian (the common frog).
• A type of tool (e.g., a horse's frog, part of the hoof).
• A name in some games (e.g., in the game "Frogger").
• A term in knitting (a frogging, which means to unravel stitches).
• A type of vehicle (e.g., a small, low - profile vehicle in some contexts).

1. "hansom" vs "handsome": A "hansom" is a type of horse - drawn carriage. "Handsome" means good - looking. They are different words with different meanings, so a "hansom" cannot be "handsome" in the sense of appearance (but could be in a metaphorical sense if we stretch the language, but generally no).
2. Wombat: A wombat is an Australian marsupial, not used for cleaning silverware. So it's False.
3. Eyelet: An eyelet is a small hole with a metal or plastic rim (e.g., in fabric for lacing), not a small eye. False.
4. Kismet: "Kismet" means fate or destiny, not a vegetable. False.
5. Flamenco: Flamenco is a Spanish dance form (and related music), not a bird. False.
6. Bunker: A bunker is a fortified structure (e.g., in golf or in war), not a person who bunks. False.
7. Reprobate: A reprobate is a morally unprincipled person. Most people would not want to marry one. False.
8. Lexicon: A lexicon is a dictionary or a set of words in a language. It would help answer questions about words. True.

Answer:

1. basket, cocoa, diary, dynamite, domino, dwarf, frail, guard, inflate, kidnap, pillow, pinafore, program, scrap, scuff
2. algae
3. chicken
4. loess (it's a geological term, others are animals)
5. toxic
6. They are all chemical elements
7. amphibian, horse's frog (hoof part), in the game "Frogger", in knitting (unraveling), a small vehicle (in some contexts)
8. Generally no (a "hansom" is a carriage, "handsome" is about appearance)
9. False
10. False
11. False
12. False
13. False
14. False
15. True