Line 2: |
Line 2: |
| | | |
| ==Etymology== | | ==Etymology== |
− | [Origin lost: in 1645 (sense 3) referred to as an Oxford term; possibly originating in some university joke, or as a parody of some Latin term of the schools, which would agree with its unfixed form in 17-18th c. It is doubtful whether Nash's use (sense 1) is the original.] | + | [[[Origin]] lost: in 1645 (sense 3) referred to as an Oxford term; possibly originating in some university joke, or as a [[parody]] of some [[Latin]] term of the schools, which would agree with its unfixed form in 17-18th c. It is doubtful whether Nash's use (sense 1) is the original.] |
| ==Definition== | | ==Definition== |
− | *1. Applied abusively to a person. (? Pedant, crotchet-monger, or ninny.) Obs. | + | *1. Applied [[abuse|abusively]] to a [[person]]. (? Pedant, crotchet-monger, or ninny.) Obs. |
| | | |
| *2. A whim, crotchet, maggot, conceit. Obs. | | *2. A whim, crotchet, maggot, conceit. Obs. |
| | | |
− | *3. A pun or word-play depending on similarity of sound in words of different meaning. Obs. | + | *3. A pun or [[word]]-play depending on similarity of [[sound]] in words of different [[meaning]]. Obs. |
| | | |
− | *4. A riddle in the form of a question the answer to which involves a pun or play on words: called in 1769 conundrumical question. b. Any puzzling question or problem; an enigmatical statement. | + | *4. A [[riddle]] in the form of a question the answer to which involves a pun or play on words: called in 1769 conundrumical question. b. Any puzzling question or problem; an [[enigma]]tical statement. |
| | | |
− | *5. A thing that one is puzzled to name, a ‘what-d'ye-call-it’. rare. | + | *5. A [[thing]] that one is puzzled to name, a ‘what-d'ye-call-it’. rare. |
| | | |
− | *6. Comb., as conundrum-game, -making, -monger (see prec. 4), -party. | + | *6. Comb., as conundrum-[[game]], -making, -monger (see prec. 4), -party. |
| | | |
− | Hence, conundrumed, grown crotchety, slightly crazed; conundrumical a., whimsical, fantastic, crotchety; also, of the nature of a conundrum (sense 4); conundrumize v. intr., to make conundrums | + | Hence, conundrumed, grown crotchety, slightly crazed; conundrumical a., whimsical, fantastic, crotchety; also, of the [[nature]] of a conundrum (sense 4); conundrumize v. intr., to make conundrums |
| ==Description== | | ==Description== |
| '''Conundrums''' are problems of several types. They may be riddles with a pun for an answer. They may be puzzling problems that are complicated with intricate [[features]]. And they may be presented in the [[fashion]] of a rhetorical question, but with only conjecture for an answer. | | '''Conundrums''' are problems of several types. They may be riddles with a pun for an answer. They may be puzzling problems that are complicated with intricate [[features]]. And they may be presented in the [[fashion]] of a rhetorical question, but with only conjecture for an answer. |