ESL Blogs

On the way to school today, my daughter asked a funny question: 

Is there another word for "hiccup"? (also spelled "hiccough")

I thought for a while, but I couldn't think of a synonym for hiccup. My daughter is fascinated by words and wordplay and has asked for a traditional hardcover dictionary (the big fat kind) for Christmas. I still remember when I got my big red Webster's dictionary for Christmas. I dreamed of being a writer, and I knew I would need one! (I only wish I hadn't tossed it before our cross-country move. Dictionaries are heavy, and heavy is expensive when you're paying the movers by the amount of weight they have to haul. Besides, I only use online dictionaries these days. What about you?) 

Anyhow, it got me thinking that we could play a game called "Is there another word for...?" here on MyEC. Are you ready to play?  Keep track of your own points! 

How to Play

1) Think of a word that does not seem to have a synonym. 

2) In the comments below ask: "Is there another word for _____ (insert your word)?" 

3) Anyone who can answer "yes" and provide a synonym gets a point. 

4) When you answer someone, be sure to use their name with the @ symbol. 

For example: 

Tara: Is there another word for "hiccup"? 

Expector Smith: Yes @Tara! Another word for "hiccup" is  "synchronous diaphragmatic flutter". 

Keep track of your own points. Do not give yourself a point if someone has already offered the same synonym. Some words will have many synonyms. In the example above, Expector would NOT get a point because this is not a word that anyone (except a doctor) would use!  :)