Seeing how much you all enjoy archaic insults, here are some more, courtesy of Dictionary.com.
- Gobermouch: an old Irish term for someone who meddles in other people’s business. That classic Friends scene would be quite something with goubermouch instead of meddler, wouldn’t it?
- Gnashnab: Someone who complains all the time; a nitpicker.
- Stamcrab: Someone who’s clumsy and heavy of foot. Also, a great band name.
- Whiffle-whaffle: Someone who wastes a lot of your time.
- Zooterkins: A 17th-century variant of ‘zounds.’ An expression of surprise or indignation. Not so much an insult as much as what you’d yell back after someone insults you:
17th-century Person A: “You’re such a stamcrab!”
17th-century Person B (gasping incredulously): “Zooterkins, Sir! Zooterskins!” - Sounderkite: The Victorians even made insults sound fun. In this case, calling you an idiot.
- Bedswerver: No, not someone who swerves and cuts you off on the driveway while in their bed. Shakespeare coined this one to mean an adulterer.
- Klazomaniac: A great word to describe someone who can only speak in shouting. In our times, it can also be used to describe SOMEONE WHO TYPES IN ALL CAPS.
Lest you forget, you can find some more creative insults on my older posts, Of Canker-blossomed Fishwives and Faithless Prunes, Shakespearean Insults Infographics, and Famous Writers’ Insults.
Tweet This
Hello from a fellow Greek (expat)! I just finished your book, You’re In For a Ride, which led me to your website. Thank you for your blog and very useful writing advice. I have a 12 year old daughter who is an aspiring author, she works incredibly hard on her writing and is now on page 230 of her novel -I am very proud of her and want to do everything I can to encourage her 🙂 I will show your blog to her, hopefully she will find it encouraging. Thanks again, keep up the good work 🙂
Yay! Thank you so much, Anna! Are you and your daughter in Greece? I’m working with Azure Fire Publishing in organizing writing challenges for school students and your daughter would be perfect for them!
We are in the UK (although I grew up in Athens) and she writes in English. She’s never entered a contest, mostly because when she writes she gravitates towards longer, involved stories. She can’t seem to bend her mind to fit a short story format! (Part of how I came across your book, I was looking for short stories with a fantasy/sci-fi flavour to give her.) She started writing fiction when she was ten. Obviously a lot of maturing has happened (and still more needs to happen) since then, but she is one of those people that keep getting stories in her head that need to come out.
Wow, that’s amazing! Tell you what, if she enjoyed Ride, would you mind if I sent her a (free) copy of some of my short stories? As a former bookworm, I just love it when kids read–let alone write! And if she’d be interested in participating in one of AFP’s writing challenges, who knows? Maybe she can even get published!
Wow, that is extremely kind and generous of you! I am sending you an email ☺️
Pretty interesting list of insults you gave there 🙂
Lol – thanks, we aim to please 😀
Hey Nicholas, Really nice post really loved it. Thanks for the article.
Yay! Thank you 🙂
Although I never spelled it with the “h”.
I still use the term wiffle-waffle! This was a great post.
Thanks! Yes, wiffle-waffles are everywhere, aren’t they? 😀
Haha, I love this! I know a few klazomaniacs 🙂
Lol – don’t we all 😀
Love these posts. It’s good to know that people in the past had ways of expressing their disdain with humor and wit.
Everything sounds better in Olde English 😀
Very true.
Thanks, Nicholas. Those are such fun we really should bring a few back. 😀 — Suzanne
My feelings exactly 😀
WHAT AN INSULT TO THE KLAZOMANIACS! 🙂
Lol – it’s good to have a name for the curse 😀
Zooterkins is my favourite. It sounds ridiculous, yet irresistible. (And vaguely Dutch?)
Best wishes, Pete..
Oh yes, that’s a great one 😀