Jabberwock
Vorpal blade's target
The Jabberwock is a fearsome monster from Lewis Carroll's nonsense poem "Jabberwocky" in *Through the Looking-Glass* (1871).
It has "jaws that bite" and "claws that catch," and is slain by a vorpal sword.
The creature has become a byword for invented monsters and the creative possibilities of nonsense language: He described the bureaucracy as a Jabberwock of incomprehensible forms.
Lethally keen-edged
- slithyBlend of slippery-lithe
- brilligInvented twilight hour
- mimsyUnhappy and weak
- galumphingClumsy, heavy-footed movement
chortle · whiffling · burbled · snicker-snack · beamish · frabjous · Alice · Cheshire Cat
Large wild animal
- creatureLiving, sentient entity
- clawsAnimal gripping nails
- jawsMouth's bony framework
- wingsLimbs for flight
talons · fearsome · slain · head · trophy · lair · hunt · menace
One admired for courage
father · warning · triumph · return · courage · battle · victory · adventure
Unintelligible speech or writing
- neologismNewly created expression
- wordplayVerbal wit techniques
- portmanteauWord combining two others
- coinedCreated a new term
whimsical · absurdist · playful language · made-up · sound poetry · onomatopoeia
vorpal
Lethally keen-edged
galumphing · chortle · whiffling · burbled · snicker-snack · beamish · frabjous · Alice · Cheshire Cat · nonsense verse
beast
Large wild animal
wings · talons · fearsome · slain · head · trophy · lair · hunt · menace · terror
hero
One admired for courage
son · father · warning · triumph · return · courage · battle · victory · adventure · journey
gibberish
Unintelligible speech or writing
- neologismNewly created expression
- wordplayVerbal wit techniques
- portmanteauWord combining two others
coined · whimsical · absurdist · playful language · made-up · sound poetry · onomatopoeia
ballad
Narrative poem or song
meter · recitation · heroic · mock-epic · iambic · rhythm · refrain · literary · parody
Jabberwockdragon slayer
One who kills legendary reptiles
St. George · Beowulf · knight · protagonist · champion
JabberwockUnicorn
Billion-dollar private company
Pegasus · guardian angel · fairy godmother · Bambi · Cheshire Cat
Jabberwockclarity
State of being understandable
rational discourse · dictionary definition · Strunk and White · encyclopedia entry