SIMPRIM (n.)

The little movement of false modesty by which a girl with a cavernous visible cleavage pulls her skirt down over her knees.

SITTINGBOURNE (n.)

One of those conversions where both people are waiting for the other one to shut up so they can get on with their bit.

SKEGNESS (n.)

Nose excreta of a malleable consistency.

SKELLOW (adj.)

Descriptive of the satisfaction experienced when looking at a really good dry-stone wall.

SKENFRITH (n.)

The flakes of athlete's foot found inside socks.

SKETTY (n.)

Apparently self-propelled little dance a beer glass performs in its own puddle.

SKIBBEREEN (n.)

The noise made by a sunburned thighs leaving plastic chair.

SLIGO (n.)

An unnamed and exotic sexual act which people like to believe that famous films stars get up to in private. 'To commit slingo.'

SLOGARIE (n.)

Hillwalking dialect for the seven miles of concealed rough moorland which lie between what you though was the top of the hill and what actually is.

SLUBBERY (n.)

The gooey drips of wax that dribble down the sides of a candle so beloved by Italian restaurants with Chianti bottles instead of wallpaper.

SLUGGAN (n.)

A lurid facial bruise which everyone politely omits to mention because it's obvious that you had a punch-up with your spouse last night - but which into a door. It is useless to volunteer the true explanation because nobody will believe it.

SLUMBAY (n.)

The cigarette end someone discovers in the mouthful of lager they have just swigged from a can at the end of party.

SMARDEN (vb.)

To keep your mouth shut by smiling determinedly through you teeth. Smardening is largely used by people trying to give the impression that they're enjoying a story they've heard at least six times before.

SMEARISARY (n.)

The correct name for a junior apprentice greengrocer whose main duty is to arrange the fruit so that the bad side is underneath. From the name of a character not in Dickens.

SNEEM (n.,vb.)

Particular kind of frozen smile bestowed on a small child by a parent in mixed company when question, 'Mummy, what's this?' appears to require the answer,' Er...it's a rubber johnny, darling'.

SNITTER (n.)

One of the rather unfunny newspaper clippings pinned to an office wall, the humour of which is supposed to derive from the fact that the headline contains a name similar to that of one of the occupants to the office.

SNITTERBY (n.)

Someone who pins snitters (q.v.) on to snitterfields (q.v.) and is also suspected of being responsible for the extinction of virginstows (q.v.)

SNITTERFIELD (n.)

Office noticeboard on which snitters (q.v.), cards saying 'You don't have to be mad to work here, but if you are it helps !!!' and slightly smutty postcards from Ibiza get pinned up by snitterbies (q.v.)

SOLENT (adj.)

Descriptive of the state of serene self-knowledge reached through drink.

SOTTERLEY (n,)

Uncovered bit between two shops with awnings, which you have to cross when it's raining.

SPITTAL OF GLENSHEE (n.)

That which has to be cleaned off castle floors in the morning after a bagpipe contest or vampire attack.

SPOFFORTH (vb.)

To tidy up a room before the cleaning lady arrives.

SPROSTON GREEN (n.)

The violent colour of one of Nigel Rees's jackets, worn when he thinks he's being elegant.

STEBBING (n.)

The erection you cannot conceal because you're not wearing a jacket.

STOKE POGES (n.)

The tapping moments of an index finger on glass made by a person futilely attempting to communicate with either a tropical fish or a post office clerk.

STURRY (n.,vb.)

A token run. Pedestrians who have chosen to cross a road immediately in front of an approaching vehicle generally give a little wave and break into a sturry. This gives the impression of hurrying without having any practical effect on their speed whatsoever.

SUTTON and CHEAM (nouns)

Sutton and cheam are the kinds of dirt into which all dirt is divided. 'Sutton' is the dark sort that always gets on to light-coloured things, 'cheam' the light-coloured sort that clings to dark items. Anyone who has ever found Marmite stains on a dress-shirt or seagull goo on a dinner jacket (a) knows all about sutton and cheam, and (b) is going to tome very curious dinner parties.

SWANAGE (pl.n.)

Swanage is the series of diversionary tactics used when trying to cover up the existence of a glossop (q.v.) and may include (a) uttering a high-pitched laugh and pointing out of the window (NB. this doesn't work more that twice); (b) sneezing as loudly as possible and wiping the glossop off the table in the same movement as whipping out your handkerchief; (c) saying 'Christ! I seen to have dropped some shit on your table' (very unwise); (d) saying 'Christ, who did that?' (better) (e) pressing your elbow on the glossop itself and working your arms slowly to the edge of the table; (f) leaving the glossop where it is but moving a plate over it and putting up with sitting at an uncomfortable angle the rest of the meal; or, if the glossop is in too exposed a position, (g) leaving it there unremarked except for the occasional humorous glance.

SWANIBOST (adj.)

Complete shagged out after a hard day having income tax explained to you.

SYMOND'S YAT (n.)

The little spoonful inside the lid of a recently opened boiled egg.

TABLEY SUPERIOR (n.)

The look directed at you in a theatre bar in the interval by people who've already got their drinks.

TAMPA (n.)

The sound of a rubber eraser coming to rest after dropping off a desk in a very quiet room.

TAROOM (vb.)

To make loud noises during the night to let the burglars know you are in.

TEGUCIGALPA (n.)

An embarrassing mistake arising out of confusing the shape of something rather rude with something perfectly ordinary when groping for it in the darkness. A common example of a tegucigalpa is when a woman pulls a packet of Tampax out of her bag and offers them around under the impression that it is a carton of cigarettes.

THEAKSTONE (n.)

Ancient mad tramp who jabbers to himself and swears loudly and obscenely on station platforms and traffic islands.

THROCKING (participial vb.)

The action of continually pushing down the lever on a pop-up toaster in the hope that you will thereby get it to understand that you want it to toast something. Also: a style of drum-playing favoured by Nigel Olsson of the Elton John Band, reminiscent of the sound of someone slapping a frankfurter against a bucket. An excellent example of this is to be heard on 'Someone Save My Life Tonight' from the album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy.