[Fictionary] SCROOP Definitions--Josh wins in a landslide

[David Randall]

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JOSH

scroop - n. - A block of wood used in sailmaking to flatten cloth. 

Elliott (2) + Eric (2) + Jean-Joseph (2) + Nicolas (2) + Pierre (2) + Linda (1) + Ranjit (1) = 12 POINTS

Elliott Comment: Has that North Sea nautical sound (sk with p, like _skipper_).  Two points for a vague feeling.

Eric Comment: I saw this at the head of the list and thought "How silly". Then I read the rest of my choices.

Nicolas Comment: Sounds like older English tool word.
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RANJIT

scroop - n. - A constellation of symptoms common to elderly sailors, including persistent cough and bending and stiffening of the spine and fingers. A warm poultice is a common folk remedy.

0 POINTS
Elliott Comment: SAILOR + CROUP?

Jean-Joseph Comment: Sailor's croup?

Nicolas Comment: My favorite disease-themed game is "Croup or Scroop?"

Pierre Comment: CROUP.
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PIERRE

scroop - n. - (Mathematics) A graph in which every two distinct points have exactly one adjacent point in common and there is a cycle of length 5.

0 POINTS

Jean-Joseph Comment: I thought about this a little, and I'm not sure if it's possible.  But it might be.  Anyone want to post an example?

Nicolas Comment: Isn't this just a pentagon? Although I wouldn't put it past mathematicians to have a special word.
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JEAN-JOSEPH

scroop - n. - An albino zebra.

Eric (1)
1 POINT

Elliott Comment: Didn't they almost die out during the sooty period of the Industrial Revolution, when they were out-survived by melanic zebras?

Jean-Joseph Comment: Actually, all of the Antarctic ones look like this.

Nicolas Comment: This sounds like the start of a picture book about acceptance.

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DICTIONARY

scroop - n. - a rasping sound: specifically, the crisp rustle of silk or similar cloth that has been treated with dilute acid.

Elliott (1)

1 POINT

Elliott Comment: I know that sound, and it does sound like ``scroop''.  I don't believe it, but one point anyhow.

Jean-Joseph Comment: Kind of like a shoop-shoop hula hoop?

Nicolas Comment: Isn't silk supposed to be not raspy? Though I don't have fancy sheets to test with.

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NICOLAS

scroop - n. - In balloon making, a leakproof seam stitch connecting two gores.

David Van Stone (2) + Ranjit (2) = 4 POINTS
Elliott Comment: ``Scroop'' doesn't sound French enough for ballooning.

Jean-Joseph Comment: Leak-resistant, maybe, but I doubt you could make it leakproof.

Nicolas Comment: Mine.

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LINDA

scroop - n. - In use from the 1700's to mid 1900's.  A wooden box fitted over a broken leg in which to heal the bone and protect it.  The box is filled with bran, if available, or sawdust, for cushioning and to absorb sweat or blood, and possible infectious humors.

Nicolas (1) = 1 POINT
Elliott Comment: This is clever and plausible, but I am out of points.

Jean-Joseph Comment: I wonder how long plaster has been available.  A long time, I would think.

Nicolas Comment: 1 point for humors.

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ELLIOTT

scroop - n. - Metal or stone beads knitted into a scarf and worn across the face so as to warm the in-breath with heat from the previous out-breath.

Correct Guess (1) = 1 POINT
Nicolas Comment: I've seen copper mesh used for this. Seems like it could work with beads too?

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ERIC

scroop - n. - The tub of water used to cool a workpiece at an open-hearth forge; slack tub.

Linda (2) + David Van Stone (1) + Jean-Joseph (1) + Pierre (1) = 5 POINTS

Nicolas Comment: Also very tempting, again for tool reasons.

Jean-Joseph Comment: The wording looks very authentic, one point.
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General Comments

Ranjit: I love all the defs, though!

Me: Me too! Scroop is such an unconnotative word (with the possible exception, apparently, of croup) that it lent itself to a wide variety of possibilities, which makes me happy.
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