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I hope you keep your topics as deep as you pockets and use logic
Created on 2004-11-15 01:51:09 (#5150486), last updated 2007-09-19
590 comments received, 440 comments posted
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182 Journal Entries, 1 Tag, 0 Memories, 0 Virtual Gifts, 8 Userpics
Basic Info| Name: | catawumpus |
|---|---|
| Birthdate: | 1980-07-20 |
| Location: | Austin, Texas, United States |
Bio"Catawampus,'' spelled in a variety of ways is an Americanism found most often in very informal or dialectal writing. The meaning of this colorful word is difficult to pin down, as it is used in a variety of contexts.
As a noun, "catawampus'' is defined by Webster's Third New International Dictionary as "an imaginary wild animal,'' synonymous with "bogey.'' In this sense, "catawampus'' probably derives from "catamount,'' which is short for "cat-a-mountain'' and which refers to several wild animals of the cat family.
Shifted in function to become an adjective, "catawampus'' is used to mean "fierce'' or "savage,'' sometimes appearing also in the adverbial form "catawampously'' or "catawamptiously.''
The famous abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass, for example, used the word in an 1857 speech: "Where is the wealth and power that should make us fourteen millions take to our heels ... for fear of being catawamptiously chawed up?''
"Catawampus'' also means "askew,'' "awry'' or "catercorner.'' Thus, we have in our files this description of a request for directions: "A traveler asking his way in a swampy region of Iowa was told, 'Go in slaunchwise and keep on going catawampus,' which is equivalent to saying 'Go in slanticular and keep on a-goin' kinda cattycorner-like.' "
Otherwise applied, "catawampus'' can mean either "spiteful'' and "resentful,'' or "bewildered.'' As an example of the "resentful'' sense, we have this expression of disdain: "It sets me plumb catawampus ter hev ter (to have to) listen to them blacksmiths.'' And for the "bewildered'' sense, we have this example in which "catawampus'' is transformed into a verb: "May I be cat-a-wampussed if he won't swaller all the soap that old coot is a mind to give him!''
Finally, "catawampus'' has also sometimes been used as an interjection, as in this passage: "At her refusal he drank deeply. 'Catawampus! Kin lick my weight in wildcats, after that.' "
or
Bearer of Spirited Children, Head of the Bull, Conduit of Scholastic Excellence,Temper of a Thousand Suns, Bringer of Uncontrollable Giggling, Iron Fist of Justice and Emitter of Uncomparable Beauty. - Courtesy of Severe_Fear
or
punkass dopeness ninjagrrl
As a noun, "catawampus'' is defined by Webster's Third New International Dictionary as "an imaginary wild animal,'' synonymous with "bogey.'' In this sense, "catawampus'' probably derives from "catamount,'' which is short for "cat-a-mountain'' and which refers to several wild animals of the cat family.
Shifted in function to become an adjective, "catawampus'' is used to mean "fierce'' or "savage,'' sometimes appearing also in the adverbial form "catawampously'' or "catawamptiously.''
The famous abolitionist and writer Frederick Douglass, for example, used the word in an 1857 speech: "Where is the wealth and power that should make us fourteen millions take to our heels ... for fear of being catawamptiously chawed up?''
"Catawampus'' also means "askew,'' "awry'' or "catercorner.'' Thus, we have in our files this description of a request for directions: "A traveler asking his way in a swampy region of Iowa was told, 'Go in slaunchwise and keep on going catawampus,' which is equivalent to saying 'Go in slanticular and keep on a-goin' kinda cattycorner-like.' "
Otherwise applied, "catawampus'' can mean either "spiteful'' and "resentful,'' or "bewildered.'' As an example of the "resentful'' sense, we have this expression of disdain: "It sets me plumb catawampus ter hev ter (to have to) listen to them blacksmiths.'' And for the "bewildered'' sense, we have this example in which "catawampus'' is transformed into a verb: "May I be cat-a-wampussed if he won't swaller all the soap that old coot is a mind to give him!''
Finally, "catawampus'' has also sometimes been used as an interjection, as in this passage: "At her refusal he drank deeply. 'Catawampus! Kin lick my weight in wildcats, after that.' "
or
Bearer of Spirited Children, Head of the Bull, Conduit of Scholastic Excellence,Temper of a Thousand Suns, Bringer of Uncontrollable Giggling, Iron Fist of Justice and Emitter of Uncomparable Beauty. - Courtesy of Severe_Fear
or
punkass dopeness ninjagrrl
ConnectInterests (38):
-ologies, 1 1 2 3 5 8 13 21 34 55, acquaintance aquariums, alternative education, artemis, asl, catawumpus, dance hall crashers, daydreams, derbi scooters, desiderata, dreams, epoch, gals panic, genuine joe's, gerald durrell, gil scott-heron, girlmom, graffiti, ira glass, jung, late summer peaches, lentils, leonard pitts jr., matt ruff, nuns, one raised eyebrow, ozomatli, popping bubble wrap, psychology, puffins, reading fantasy, scars, sparkly stuff, spirited children, the flightpath, the rude mechs, twins
External Services:
 | catawumpus6@livejournal.com | |
 | catawumpus6 |  |
Schools:
Austin Montessori School - Austin, TX (1983 - 1990)Robbins Academy - Austin, TX (1996 - 1997)
Austin Community College - Austin, TX (2002 - 2005)
University of Texas - Austin - Austin, TX (2006 - present)
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aethyrflux, alovelyblue, amyamy, atticuspearls, awayfromomelas, boo_kat, brigid23, cavorite, chi_of_jess, chip_aisle_ho, choking_on_bile, clarkk, dookee, eigen_zed, ellenore, evike, f0rrest, fairyfort, gm0nky, goblinqueenie, heatherthegreat, hollybob, kfabulous, kitchynamehere, lunarprincess, malcontent_maus, mdaydabear, mutales, n0stars, ncongrunt, nemember_when, projectsw3igart, rb_cubed, sadique, searust, shy_guy_18_03, slomosexual, sn0wfr0g, sp0tt, suntoryjosh, syerbouti, the_last_muse, tigresa, violet_shade, virtualhabitat
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