Ten Very Unusual Words Trivia Quiz

Answer: Meditation practised while gazing at your navel

Omphaloskepsis is a meditation method from the East, found for the most part in the Hindu belief structure. Those who practise this trance invoking skill go off into a deep trance while staring fixedly at their belly buttons. Unfortunately, those of us who are of a slightly chubbier frame than the average can't even see our navels, let alone practise staring at them.

Answer: A Van Dyke beard

Van Dyke beards are named after Flemish painter Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641), a famous Baroque painter who rose to prominence in Italy, Flanders and the courts of England. His "Self-portrait with a Sunflower", painted circa 1633, shows a rather dashing looking man with a nicely trimmed, curled moustache and rakish goatee. So popular were his works, and the man himself, that many men, including King Charles I himself, took to copying the style of his facial adornment. Van Dyck was rather prone to flattering the subjects of his works, particularly the rich and famous. Charles I, for example, who was sensitive about his short frame, was painted so as to give the impression of a much taller man, and when Sophia, the later Electoress of Hanover, met his wife Henrietta Maria in France, she had this to say about the lady:

"Van Dyck's handsome portraits had given me so fine an idea of the beauty of all English ladies, that I was surprised to find that the Queen, who looked so fine in painting, was a small woman raised up on her chair, with long skinny arms, and teeth like defence works projecting from her mouth".

Answer: Having straight hair

And there's not much else to say about lissotrichous than that. It simply means you have long, and hopefully smooth and glossy, locks. Somewhat akin to the look of an afghan hound.

Answer: A coward

Isn't that a great description? I love it. A quakebuttock is a sissy, a dingo, a yellow-bellied coward, a sop, a weakling or any other word that describes someone who lacks intestinal fortitude. Sometimes, however, it's wise to bear in mind that discretion can sometimes be the better part of valour.

Answer: Categorising something as valueless trivia

I wouldn't call it valueless, however. FunTrivia is a great learning tool, and helps us link hands all around the world. Who knows what that could achieve one day. In the meantime, I'd like to challenge you all to try to quickly say that woefully lengthy words three times in a row. I can't even say it once.

Answer: A gullible person

For those who use this word in everyday conversation today - as if - it now means a gullible person. The literal meaning of the word, however, is someone who swallows flies. Sultana scone, anyone?

Answer: The falling out of the eyebrows

Eyebrow hair can fall out normally, but not all at once. Should that unfortunate event happen however, it is called anaphalantiasis, or, if you like, telogen effluvium. In other words, one description is as bad as the other. Eyebrow loss can be caused by aggressive plucking, nervous tugging, over indulgence in eyebrow pencil, eating disorders, some medications, age, or emotional upsets. So, if you are feeling stressed, eating incorrectly, taking some pills for your health, or feeling down about your body image, rest assured that if you develop anaphalantiasis into the bargain, you'll probably want to strangle somebody out of frustration.

Answer: Fear of failure

I expect most of us have suffered from a fear of failure at some time in our lives. The only two things that could make that worse would be (a) actually realising that fear and (b) having to spell that word on a quiz show. Don't worry, be happy instead.

There is hardly any single thing you worry about in life that is going to matter in one hundred years times. Of course, you won't be around to see that, but don't worry about that either.

Answer: Secrecy

If anything is clandestine, concealed, covert, hush-hush, under wraps, not to be revealed, for your eyes only, and so on, it can all be described as huggermuggery. Cuggermuggery, on the other hand, means whispered gossip, so don't get your huggermuggery and your cuggermuggery mixed up, or you could accidentally create an international incident.

Answer: A trinket or a whim

Defining such an obscure word as a trinket or a whim seems really peculiar. There doesn't seem to be any connection between the two meanings at all. But back to that pig. I hate it. And I'm a vegetarian. It stares at me all day long putting unholy thoughts of bacon in my head, and forcing me to eat something in its stead. I'll never be able to practise omphaloskepsis at this rate.

There's just no justice in this world.