A Great Old Word

Tonight mome (long o) was Bill O'Reilly's word of the day.

Bill has for years had the number one show on all of cable television, The O'Reilly Factor, and is a best-selling author, but can't seem to give up the teacher within. So he declares a word of the day, but never defines it (just like a teacher), hoping we will be intrigued and look it up for ourselves.

I had never heard of mome and have never used it in Words with Friends. It is hard to get two M's on a Word with Friends board, but it would be a good word to remember.

Basically, mome is an archaic word for fool.

Take a look at the following merriam-webster.com online definition, which includes a whole heap of synonyms, most of which you should not use if you are trying to be kind. Some are slang and some are archaic, but for some reason the list interests me. (I could have used a few of these in my year of living meaner...)

Here is the list, copied directly from the site:

Synonyms: airhead, birdbrain, blockhead, bonehead,bubblehead, chowderhead, chucklehead, clodpoll (orclodpole), clot [British], cluck, clunk, cretin, cuddy (orcuddie) [British dialect], deadhead, dim bulb [slang], dimwit,dip, dodo, dolt, donkey, doofus [slang], dope, dork [slang],dullard, dumbbell, dumbhead, dum-dum, dummkopf, dummy,dunce, dunderhead, fathead, gander, golem, goof, goon,half-wit, hammerhead, hardhead, ignoramus, imbecile,jackass, know-nothing, knucklehead, lamebrain, loggerhead[chiefly dialect], loon, lump, lunkhead, meathead, idiot[archaic], moron, mug [chiefly British], mutt, natural, nimrod[slang], nincompoop, ninny, ninnyhammer, nit [chiefly British], nitwit, noddy, noodle, numskull (or numbskull), oaf,pinhead, prat [British], ratbag [chiefly Australian], saphead,schlub (also shlub) [slang], schnook [slang], simpleton,stock, stupe, stupid, thickhead, turkey, woodenhead,yahoo, yo-yo

Antonyms: brain, genius

(I am annoyed that on a dictionary site they have messed up the comma spacing).

It seems that Bill, of Factor fame, has taken his favorite pinhead designation from this list. The word ninnyhammer has been featured several times on the program as well.

I confess, we occasionally use the word idiot or moron in our household, but I think it is time for some spicier-speak, using other choices from this list!

Dork is used kind of affectionately. What is wrong with being a natural? I recall that my father really liked numskull. I don't recall that he called me any of these names. He called me pumpkin. Isn't that sweet? My two older brothers called me pig-manure! (I was inclined to go barefoot a little too much--don't ask).

Anyone willing to admit to your favorites from the list?