Vocabulary for
Favorite Poems of Childhood
with Sniffy the Hamster, resident wordsmith
Printable Version (opens in new window).
Sniffy Says: My Uncle Jimbigtoes used to call me a vermin. Well, he didn't know what he was saying because I am not a vermin. A rat is a vermin. A cockroach is a vermin. They're such a nuisance! They're pests. Sometimes they carry diseases or they destroy things and that's what really makes them vermin. Why just last week three rats broke into my cage and broke my player piano and they must have left their germs because I caught a terrible cold after that. If I ever catch those little odious vermin—well—well—I going to run like the wind because they're a lot bigger than me.
Sniffy Says: I've got to tell you this joke. It is so funny. (Sniffy begins chortling and continues) It's about two hamsters who live at the north pole, but they only have one blanket. Well, as you know, it is very cold at the north pole and one night, one night—I just can't finish. It's just too funny and now I can't remember the end. (Sniffy stops chortling) By the way did you know that chortle is a word that Lewis Carroll made up? It's in his poem Jabberwocky. He used chuckle (Sniffy chuckles) and snort (Sniffy snorts) to create the word. (Sniffy chortles). Man, I wish I could remember that joke.
Sniffy Says: You probably didn't know this but I used to be called Sniffy the Sapient. Yes, in the hamster world I was the great Sniffy the Sapient. My friends just called me Sapient Sniffy. They called me that because I was so wise, because I was full of discernment and wisdom. I was considered rational and sagacious and full of common sense. Everyone just figured I was a sage—until that fateful day. Now they just call me Sniffy the Hamster. Behind my back they call me Senseless Sniffy. You know why? Someone bet me I couldn't ride the big black dog that lives at our house. So one day I leaped on Dobie's back and hung on to her collar for dear life because once she felt me she bounded around the back yard like a bucking bronco until I flew off her back screaming louder than a singing hippopotamus and landed on a lilly pad in the pond completely dazed and confused and no longer Sniffy the Sapient. Such is life.
Sniffy Says: I have a larder in my cage. Well, actually, it's under my cage. My cage is on top of a dresser and I chewed a hole through the top so I could have my larder in the drawer—I think I might need to see the dentist—anyway, I store all my food there. It's at least a year's supply. I've got canned crickets in beetle juice, sunflower seeds sprinkled with cricket legs, canned cockroaches and several boxes of earthworms. Then, of course, there are dried grasshoppers, june bugs and lots of big, fat, juicy grubs, though they're not too juicy because they're dried. I have the biggest larder in the neighborhood, except for Chubby Charlie who has a cellar the size of dump truck.
On-Line Dictionaries
The Free Dictionary: This is now my favorite on-line dictionary (the box above links to this dictionary). Not only does it provide you with audios to pronounce the word, but it also gives you examples of the word used in context. They also have a "References in classic literature" section which provides entire sentences from classic literature in which the word is used. Also includes a thesaurus, encyclopedia and more.
Answers.com: This is not just a dictionary, but it has a dictionary and the reason I list it is because the dictionary has an audio pronunciation feature which is very helpful when one comes across words that are difficult to pronounce or have never been seen before. Access is free.
The Dictionary of Difficult Words: Good resource for those words that your dictionary doesn't have or that other on-line dictionaries do not have.
A Latin Dictionary: This is great resource for Latin. There is even a downloadable version for your computer that will do both Latin/English and English/Latin.
Dictionary.com Free Access. You can purchase additional features.
Merriam-Webster Free Access.
WordSmyth A children's dictionary is also available. This dictionary requires registration. Free Access.
Oxford English Dictionary The best English dictionary in the world! This dictionary requires paid subscription. $29.95 per month or $295.00 per year.
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