New Word Wednesday

Yeah, ok, so it's been over 6 months since my last New Word post. Such is life.

tip - This can be a noun or a verb, synonymous with the US use of the word dump.

Here is the Cambridge Dictionary's definition.

I heard it for the first time -- or probably more accurately, picked up that I was hearing a new word -- about a month ago. Friends who I was petsitting for described their house as "a bit of a tip" when I went to pick up keys. Since then I've noticed it a couple times. A colleague used it to describe the mess of wires coming out of a full rack of computers, for example.

(On most days it could be used to describe my flat or my desk at work. So ample opportunities to use this one! )

There is also the term fly-tipping, which contrary to how it sounds doesn't mean paying flies a gratuity for excellent service. It's short for tipping-on-the-fly, i.e., dumping-on-the-fly. Illegally. Those dirty rotters.

I actually remember having fly-tipping explained to me quite a while ago, during some random lunchtime discussion. I didn't remember though, until tip was explained to me.

Since I couldn't find any fun, legal-to-post, cartoons of messy rooms to liven up this post, I'll leave you with Shel Silverstein's poem, Messy Room.

Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
His underwear is hanging on the lamp.
His raincoat is there in the overstuffed chair,
And the chair is becoming quite mucky and damp.
His workbook is wedged in the window,
His sweater's been thrown on the floor.
His scarf and one ski are beneath the TV,
And his pants have been carelessly hung on the door.
His books are all jammed in the closet,
His vest has been left in the hall.
A lizard named Ed is asleep in his bed,
And his smelly old sock has been stuck to the wall.
Whosever room this is should be ashamed!
Donald or Robert or Willie or--
Huh? You say it's mine? Oh, dear,
I knew it looked familiar!

My bedroom isn't quite that much of a tip. Yet.