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A.Word.A.Day--fantod

fantod (FAN-tod) noun

1. A state of nervous anxiety, irritability, the willies, the fidgets.
2. A fit or emotional outburst.

[Of unconfirmed origin. Perhaps an alteration of fantique (a state of anxiety) or a blend of fantasy and fatigue.]

"Of course, when we cranked the 70-horse Evinrude into life to go ripping to another part of the lake, Mr. (Izaak) Walton might have the fantods."
Ned Crabb; Bugs, Bass, and Loons in Moonlight; The Wall Street Journal (New York); Aug 20, 2001.

"Most of his (John Jerome) books are long out of print. They were about mountains, about weather, about building a stone wall, about swimming, about turning 65; solid, meaty, meditative books of a terse lyricism, as remote from the publishing mainstream as Moose Jaw is from Elaine's, so devoid of commercial sizzle as to give agents the fantods and hip editors the yawns."
Bruce McCall; The Most Successful Writer; The New York Times Book Review; Sep 29, 2002.

This week's theme: Miscellaneous words

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