Wordhunt

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Wordhunt was a national appeal run by the Oxford English Dictionary, looking for earlier evidence of the use of 40 words and phrases in the English language. New evidence found by members of the public in response to the appeal appears in the Oxford English Dictionary. The appeal is a companion to the BBC2 television series Balderdash & Piffle.

Contents

[edit] First Wordhunt

The first Wordhunt was launched in 2005 by the Oxford English Dictionary and the BBC and resulted in the OED updating the entries of 34 words and phrases, featured in the first series of Balderdash & Piffle broadcast in early 2006.

The 50 words and phrases were:


[edit] Second Wordhunt

The second Wordhunt was launched in January 2007, and the results will be featured in a second series of Balderdash & Piffle, which will broadcast in Spring 2007.

The forty words and phrases, divided into six themes, are:

Man's Best Friend

  • dog and bone (1961)
  • the dog's bollocks (1989)
  • mucky pup (1984)
  • shaggy dog story (1946) *
  • sick puppy (1984)

Put Downs and Insults

Spend a Penny

Fashionistas

X Rated

One Sandwich Short

  • bananas (1968) *
  • bonkers (1957) *
  • daft (or mad) as a brush (1945) *
  • duh brain (1997)
  • one sandwich short of a picnic (1993)

Who Were They?

Dodgy Dealings

[edit] References

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    [edit] External links

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