'Snollygoster', a word for "an unprincipled but shrewd person," might derive from the word 'snallygaster', which is used to describe a mythical creature from rural Maryland that is half reptile and half bird.
A snollygoster, for example, is a shrewd, unprincipled person, especially a politician.
Etymology. 19th-century American English. Possibly from snallygaster, a mythical beast that preys on poultry and children; possibly from Pennsylvania German schnelle geeschter, from German schnell (“quick”) + Geist (“spirit”).
: to talk idly : chatter, prate, twaddle. twattle.
Old snollygoster, after having got through with his ablutions, was lazily watching us from the rail of the ship. As it was, he was more scared than hurt, and snollygoster added another plume to his cap. He next threw himself into the sea, out of the ports of the gun-room, but was rescued by snollygoster.
noun. a fool or simpleton; ninny.
crap·u·lence. ˈkrapyələn(t)s. plural -s. archaic : sickness occasioned by intemperance (as in food or drink) : great intemperance especially in drinking.
slang. : to trick or deceive (someone) : bamboozle, hoax. … trying to avoid getting hornswoggled by advertising claims …
noun. elf·lock ˈelf-ˌläk. : hair matted as if by elves. usually used in plural.
adjective. bum·fuz·zled ˈbəm-ˌfə-zəld. US, informal. : in a state of bewilderment : confused or perplexed. Elliott seemed a little bumfuzzled by the negativity, saying he had received a lot of offers of various kinds of help for the ballpark.
Noun. scobberlotcher (plural scobberlotchers) An idle person.
ˈsləbə(r)də̇ˌgəlyən, -dēˌg- chiefly dialectal. : a dirty rascal : scoundrel, wretch.
Bumfuzzle. The word bumfuzzle means 'to confuse someone. ' For example, on April Fools' Day you might decide to pull a totally epic prank!
noun. : an innocuously inept and futile person in public office.
going badly, awkwardly, or in the wrong direction: The script is spoiled by its catawampus rhythms and its lack of consistency and plausibility. I didn't need this, especially on a morning when everything else had already started out going cattywampus. Fewer examples.
noun. slang foolish talk; nonsense.
flapdoodle in British English
(ˈflæpˌduːdəl ) noun. slang. foolish talk; nonsense.
Flapdoodle, “nonsense; bosh,” is a colloquialism that first appeared in print in 1834 along with a definition: “It's the stuff they feed fools on.” Flapdoodle has no reliable etymology; the meaning of flap is pure conjecture, but some scholars suggest that doodle has its archaic sense “a fool, silly person.” Mark Twain ...
: Nemophilist: a person who loves or is fond of woods or forests.
[ muhmp-suh-muhs ] show ipa. noun,plural mump·si·mus·es for 2. adherence to or persistence in an erroneous use of language, memorization, practice, belief, etc., out of habit or obstinacy (opposed to sumpsimus). a person who persists in a mistaken expression or practice (opposed to sumpsimus).
This is a Victorian word meaning “idiot.” An appropriate example with a contemporary angle (spoken with some irritation while driving on the highway): “That zounderkite just cut me off!”
tatterdemalion • \tatt-er-dih-MAIL-yun\ • adjective. 1 : ragged or disreputable in appearance 2 : being in a decayed state or condition : dilapidated.
Definition - askew, awry, kitty-corner. Cattywampus is a variant of catawampus, another example of grand 19th century American slang. In addition to “askew” catawampus may refer to “an imaginary fierce wild animal,” or may mean “savage, destructive.”
: a person characterized by reclusive habits or outmoded or reactionary attitudes.