Words that Tickle My Fancy

Those of us that write usually love words and have certain words just tickle our fancy. Most of the words I have listed are just fun to say and/or bring up certain images for me. All the definitions that are in italics are from Random House Webster's unabridged dictionary.

Asinine
1. foolish, unintelligent, or silly; stupid 2. of or like an ass.

I know it's a little childish, but when I am in an asinine situation just saying this word makes me smile because of the image that comes to mind. I'm sure you have a good idea what kind of image comes to mind; think big and hairy.

Bugaboo
something that causes fear or worry

I love using this word because of the image I have of two bugs playing peek-a-boo amidst the leaves.

Catty-cornered
cater-corned: 1. diagonal 2. diagonally

Can't you just see a calico cat lying sideways on a corner shelf with its tail hanging down?

Chad
small paper disk or square formed when a hole is punched in a punch card or paper tape

Why Chad? Why not Eric or Joan? Who came up with chad as the name of a small piece of paper that is the result of making a hole? I like this particular word because it makes me think of the possibilities of names for other odd things. Like...what's the name of the little pieces of round paper that happens when you use a hole puncher?

Dazzle
1. to overpower or dim the vision of by intense light 2. to impress deeply; astonish with delight 3. to shine or reflect brilliantly 4. to be overpowered by light 5. to excite admiration by brilliance 6. an act of instance of dazzling.

I think I might have read Cinderella too many times as a child, because I see her fairy godmother with a wand that sprinkles fairy dust when she grants a wish.

Filibuster
1. the use of irregular or obstructive tactics by a member of a legislative assembly to prevent the adoption of a measure generally favored or to force a decision against the will of the majority. 2. an irregular military adventure, esp. one who engages in an unauthorized military expedition into a foreign country to foment or support a revolution 3. to impede legislation by irregular or obstructive tactics, esp. by making long speeches 4. to act as an irregular military adventure

I get the image of a cowboy trying to ride a wild horse in hopes of taming her. I can just see the cowboy holding on to his cowboy hat with one hand and the reins in the other with his chaps (not to be confused by chads) flapping while he being thrown every which way on the filly.

Humongous
extraordinarily large

I don't have an image to go with humongous, I just like saying it. Something isn't really big or huge its...humongous. That just sounds giant sized doesn't it?

Phenomenon
1. a fact, occurrence, or circumstance observed or observable 2. a remarkable or exceptional person; prodigy; wonder 4. an appearance or immediate object of awareness in experience

Okay, I don't get an image from this word either, but when I say phenomenon fast three times; it gives my tongue a funny but pleasant tingly sensation.

Quagmire
1. an area of miry or boggy ground whose surface yields under the tread; a bog 2. a situation from which extrication is very difficult

The few times I heard this word I misunderstood what I was hearing instead of quagmire I heard quackmire. As a result I have the image of a big white duck with its huge orange feet stuck in mud. I can just see it raising its leg and the mud is so thick it is like melted mozzarella cheese on a pizza; the mud clings to both the boggy mud puddle and the poor trapped duck's webbed foot. And of course the poor dear is just quacking up a storm.

What word or words tickle your fancy? I would like to know.