hurly-burly

Pronounced: HURL-ee-BURR-lee, noun/adj

Notes: This is one of those words I see and think I sort of know (and I’m close to the real meaning)

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Yesterday’s word

The word kef means “a state of drowsy contentment”

First usage

Our word came into English in the early 1800s

Background / Comments

This is one of the words from the “not quite as well done” vocabulary list. I’m always checking words in this list with Internet sources. So, the definition I have above is what is said, and, on that basis, is quite a wonderful word. “Drowsy contentment” is what we’d all like to experience at the end of a hard day. It seemed like a great word to use… but then I checked online, and while it listed the definition above, it added “especially from marijuana, opium, or another narcotic”. So, I don’t feel as great about using it now. Our word comes from the Arabic word kaif (well-being; pleasure).