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Conference hydra::dejavu

Title:Psychic Phenomena
Notice:Please read note 1.0-1.* before writing
Moderator:JARETH::PAINTER
Created:Wed Jan 22 1986
Last Modified:Tue May 27 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2143
Total number of notes:41773

653.0. "Strange trivia question!!!!!" by SCOMAN::STOOKER () Mon Feb 08 1988 22:50

    I realize that this is probably not the correct place for this trivia
    question, but everyone here seems to be very well read, and thought
    that someon may have the answer.
    
    I had heard that there are only 3 words in the English language
    that end in 'gry'.  Two of these are hungry and angry?  What is
    the third?   
    
    If this question is answered elsewhere, then please let me know
    so that it can be deleted.
    
    Thanks,
    Sarah
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653.1Press Select or KP7REGENT::BROOMHEADDon't panic -- yet.Tue Feb 09 1988 12:524
    For the answer to this, and other exciting questions about the
    English language, add VISA::JOYOFLEX to your notebook.
    
    							Ann B.
653.2puggrySSDEVO::ACKLEYAslanTue Feb 09 1988 13:408
    
    	VMS comes through!   We have a unabridged spelling dictionary
    here, and using the VMS "search" utility, there were only 4 words
    containing "gry";   Angry, hungry, gryphon and "puggry" !

        I have no idea what it means, so don't ask !

    			Alan.
653.3two more...maybeLEZAH::BOBBITTOnce upon a time...Tue Feb 09 1988 13:475
    also found in joyoflex, awgry and muggry...though I'm not sure what
    they are...
    
    -Jody
    
653.4Awgry, Muggry and PuggryPBSVAX::COOPERTopher CooperTue Feb 09 1988 15:3016
    I looked in a Webster's Unabridged over lunch and could not find
    any of the three words.
    
    There *was* a word with alternate spellings of "pugaree", "pugree",
    and "pagri".  Its from a Hindu word for a type of turban.  Since
    it's a transliteration, "puggry" might be another variant.
    
    No mention of the other two at all.  If "awgry" is an archaic variant
    of "augury" then the question becomes much more clearly relevant
    to this conference.  "Muggry" might be a variant of "muggery" which
    would refer to overacting.
    
    Anyone have an OED handy?
    
    					Topher
    
653.5A Dubious AnswerINK::GRACEWed Feb 10 1988 12:528
    I posed this very question to my know-it-all high-school English
    teacher.  His answer?  The third word *is* "gry."  (He looked very
    pleased with himself.)  With shrieks of "No fair!" I dashed to the
    local library and learned, to my chagrin, that he was correct--that
    is, if you're willing to accept that the word "gry" *ends* in "gry"!
    
    Didn't think so...